Words to Live By: “Have Fun” – Networked Learning #3

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“Great Kid, Don’t Get Cocky!”

Last week I was feeling pretty good about my learning.  I’m still proud of my progress, but this week I overstepped what Vygotsky would call my ZPD and got frustrated. I read about depth of field, focal length and exposure compensation.  On paper it looked easy.  I created goals as looked forward to shooting my husband’s birthday.  Party day arrived and I didn’t get the shots I’d envisioned as I tried to juggle too much at once.  Discouragement set in. I bite off more than I can chew a lot and find myself whining about the outcomes. Needless to say, I often need Han Solo’s advice:

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My Own Han solo

Discouraged by my inability to control shots, I sought advice on the forums.  I needed a Han Solo kind of response and, thankfully, that’s what I got! They didn’t tear me apart, and even had some positive things to say, but the big piece of advice was . . .stop shooting in manual.  Instead, learn the less-advanced creative modes, one thing at a time.  “Why would a beginner want to shoot in manual?” one asked – and it was a GREAT question to which I didn’t have a defined answer.  His point was, that I could trust my camera for more, until I had deeper knowledge and more technical control. Parting words from the most senior member were . . .”remember to have fun!”  In the swarm of information and unrealistic expectations  I was, indeed, forgetting to have fun.  The last couple of times I picked up the camera I’d dreaded it, something that had never happened before.  Without a descent amount of fun, I wasn’t engaging in an authentic way.  They set my sights on reasonable expectations that would provide me  challenge balanced with success, a great recipe for FUN! I went back to semi-auto settings, and was able to have that necessary fun.  I felt renewed in my desire and reassured that I didn’t need to do too much at once.  As a result I was able to sit back, enjoy and engage more with the people I was photographing.

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Thinking as a Learner

Here’s a snapshot of where I’m at in my process:

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Thinking as a teacher

I use online forums and videos to teach, and  frequently think about these learning tools.  Being the learner in this situation, however, has shifted my perspective enough for me to gain some new takeaways and reaffirm other things I’ve known for awhile. From the forums:

1. Guts are required to post publicly.  Every time I posted I felt vulnerable.  The positives that were observed kept me buoyed enough to keep me asking for help.
2. Rapport and trust are built with quick response time. Feedback from REAL people was essential to my process.  I found myself checking the forums just as often as FB or Twitter.
3. Positives are essential to critical assessment.  Even very well-meaning advice can “hurt.”  Positives help soften the blow.

From YouTube:

1. Slow and straightforward is best.  I can tend to be too conversational during the instruction.  Personal is best at the beginning or end, not in the middle of instruction.
2. Shorter videos are best.  More than 10 minutes for a tutorial and I would feel overloaded.
3. No substitute for examples.

Personally, I think I will continue to use theses networks to learn more about my camera and photography. There’s a long road ahead, but I’m confident there are people willing and able to help me along the way. Keep checking my Flickr account for visual updates and remember . . . have fun!

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