Retrospective •

This year everything has changed for me. I graduated from high school, moved out of my hometown and left my friends and family behind. It's 2013 and I never thought I would be at the point I am at today.  

The first day at Prairieview was a little weird, I knew no one.  I soon realized that everything was going to be alright when Dorothy Paryzek sat beside me.  Within a minute we were laughing about something so little, I think it was about shoes or something just as silly.  It goes to show no matter where you go someone is always going to be there for you, even if you just met them.  

It's crazy to think how I have changed as a person and as a photographer. Before I started Prairieview I really liked photography and I thought I was pretty good at it. But by about a month into the school year I realized, WOW... I wasn't really that good! Within the first month of school I was able to feel my photography getting better, it's a slow process but I'm really enjoying learning everything.

From one of our first assignments.  Learning about motion blur!

The teachers told us that you'll be able to feel your photographs getting better, and then you'd feel like you aren't improving at all and then you'll pick up again. Yes, the teachers were right…again (surprise). Just before Christmas break I felt like I wasn’t improving at all and I had zero motivation to do anything that was related to photography, but after the break I had so much more creativity and so much more motivation to do things!  

The first moment that I really thought "ah-ha," was really early in the year when Ross told us that we need to over expose the images a little to get more detail.  At first I was little reluctant to do that, but after I did.. WOW, what a huge difference it makes.  The next little "ah-ha," moment is when Bram showed us Lightroom.  I never really used an editing/organizing program before so I had zero idea of what it really did, in a little run down it makes my life a whole lot easier. 

First real attempt with using Lightroom

It's not just the teachers that make this school great, it's also the students that go here.  The people who attend this school are simply amazing.  Everyone is so supportive, friendly and they really help whenever they can.   This year has been crazy and we still have 5 months left.   I’ve heard crying in the darkroom and laughter in the darkroom, no matter where you go someone will always cheer you up.   Surrounding yourself with people who have the same interests as you was something that I never really had in my hometown.  

Me attempting at portraits with my friend/fellow student Sophia Cardona, 
Photo by:  Cassie Steep,

Sure, people liked taking photos but they never really thought of it was a profession.  As soon as I got to Prairieview I was overwhelmed by how many people were just like me.  What I didn’t expect was how many people loved taking portraits (something I was never really interested in).  So when I was given an assignment to take photographs of people I was a little thrown off, but my fellow students helped me out a lot and I managed to get a good mark. 

Rob Goodman playing trombone for The Noble Thiefs 

My third “ah-ha,” moment was when I contacted the West End Cultural Center.  I offered to volunteer my time to take photos of their concerts and shows, and to my surprise they said yes!  This is something that I never thought would happen.   I am able to take photographs of many bands, story tellers and singers.  I’m given free range of the concert hall and I love every single minute of it. So it just goes to show that if you really want something just go for it!  The worst thing that could happen is that they could say no, but at least you tried. (cliché, but true).  I've met a lot of people through the WECC already, including an interviewer who helps with Folk Fest.  He interviews, but never takes photos of the bands that he's interviewing and he asked if I'd like to team up with him this year!  So I already have an opportunity to get involved with some local music productions, which I think is pretty cool. 

At the start of the year I was really into photojournalism but now I’m starting to lean towards landscapes and performing arts photography.  My goal for this year is to go out more and take more photojournalism type shots.  I think it was Craig who said that, “If you want to take a photograph of someone that people usually pass by (ex. a homeless person), see them above all as a fellow human being. Treat them with dignity, learn their story and then, and only then, ask their permission to tell that story through your photographs. You and your photos will be better for it.”  This is so true and this is what I plan to do. 

Here are just some photographs that I've taken this year!


Sunrise near Togo, Sask.



Landscape at twilight in Yorkton

Deer Park Sunset



Old homestead





Brittany Brenzen
PV Diploma Student
2012-13