Carol Marshall — California

Course: Career Training 2011

Before Attending

Friday, May 6, 2011 - I am watching a Ric Burns documentary on New York and am struck by the photos of immigrants disembarking from ships carrying little more than a satchel with which to begin their new lives. And while I cannot compare the magnitude of their journeys with mine, in about 30 days I will start out on my own wonderful pilgrimage to explore the realm of photography.

40 years ago I could load all my belongings into a Volkswagen bug when heading out to parts unknown. Today I am pondering what I need to bring with me and how to mothball a house full of the other things. What is apparent is that the only possessions of importance are those associated with photography. Nonetheless, that is no small list in this day of electronic goods.

With some of the hardware and software I feel fairly comfortable; still, with other gear I only have a passing knowledge, and therefore fret a bit about “keeping up.” However, I know that RMSP has made the investment to put a structure in place to take my skills to new levels if I am willing to put in the effort and keep an open mind towards areas of photography I may not have previously considered.

Notwithstanding any of the physical or mental obstacles, I am so thrilled that I have the opportunity to spend months immersed in this learning experience, and cannot wait to pack up and hit the road again.

After Attending

Immersion at RMSP works! The Summer Intensive program, which is aptly named, provided the structure and support I needed to focus on becoming the best photographer I can be. The professionals that I interacted with on a daily basis, as well as those behind the scenes, kept the program working seamlessly.

The breadth of opportunities at RMSP is not limited to simply capturing images, but incorporates the critical background in software applications for post processing, printing, and much more. What truly has worked for me is that the instructors embody a wide range of experience and perspectives. Their ability to demystify the photographic process is awesome.

I do not know if it is possible to completely process the total curriculum at RMSP during eleven weeks, and therefore at this point in time, I have incorporated what information I can for now and am storing away the rest for the future.

I am excited to continue experimenting and to produce images that have exponentially improved since I first walked in the door in June of 2011.