The End: Final Thoughts on Senior Project

Overall, I enjoyed my Senior Project experience. I was fortunate enough to find opportunities for mentoring and volunteering that allowed me to meet new and interesting people. My mentor JJ was easy for me to talk to and get along with because he had an open and outgoing vibe every time I met with him. Taking BART and going into the City by myself was a great learning experience for me in terms of paying attention to which train I should be taking, which direction I should be walking, and being aware of my surroundings. I felt more independent because I wasn't with my friends or family, which I'm used to having with me when I'm in San Francisco. The people I met at SF Camerawork were of a slightly different social culture than me, because they had certain opinions about the works at the gallery that I would not have had or thought of. So, it was interesting to observe them and be surrounded by them. I feel like this whole Senior Project experience has given me more of a view of the outside world, and I am grateful for that.

Volunteering: SF Camerawork - Day 5

New Exhibit Opening: Unburied Treasures

Date of Volunteering: 5/6/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Total Hours: 15 hours

Actions:
- Check out new exhibit works
- Facilitate guests: opening door and directing guests to gallery

How Am I Doing?:
This was SF Camerawork's VIP opening day for their new exhibit, Unburied Treasures, and it was also my last day volunteering. When I arrived at the gallery, the event had not started just yet, so I walked around looking at the new work. The photographs were very interesting: some had funny subjects, some were abstract, others looked a little weird. As the flow of people began to pick up, I was stationed at the front door again to help guests get into the building. When the guests started to trickle, I went back to the gallery and looked more at the photographs. Since it was my last day, Jennifer said I was free to enjoy myself and grab something to eat. So, the rest of the night, I just walked around the gallery, munching on some cheese and crackers as I perused the photographs.

Next Action:
This is my final volunteering day for Senior Project. I had a fun time at the SF Camerawork gallery, checking out the exhibits, helping at the events, and meeting new people. In the future, if there are events that need volunteers, I'll be glad to help out.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 10

"I Have To Do What?!" - The Final Day

Date of Mentoring: 5/3/11
- Number of Hours: 1 hour
- Total Hours: 17 hours, 30 minutes

Actions:
- View Powerpoint: "Dig Your Well Before You're Thristy" (Harvey Mackay)
- View Powerpoint: "Being Situationally Aware" (JJ Casas)
- Field day: talk to 3 random strangers at Trader Joe's

How Am I Doing?:
This was my last day with JJ, and we focused on networking skills. JJ showed me two Powerpoint presentations: the first was called "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty" and the second, made by JJ himself, was called "Being Situationally Aware". The first presentation listed what a network can do for you: replace the weakness of the individual with the strength of the group, enrich your life anywhere in the world, provide you with new experiences and knowledge, help you help others, make you look good, and expand your financial reach immediately. In the second presentation, JJ defined "situationally aware" as not knowing only where you are, but also who is around you. When you network, he said that you should determine what you need to know and what to do with what you get. After the presentations and finalizing my forms for Senior Project, we went across to Trader Joe's to do what I had been dreading since JJ announced it on our second meeting: the field day to talk to strangers. I'm usually shy around new people, so I had been nervous about doing it. My goal was to talk to three people while JJ "shopped" around and it actually wasn't so bad. By the end, I felt more confident and relieved. I had always thought that people would think I was weird if I randomly started talking to them, but the three people I talking to were actually nice.

Next Action:
This is my last mentoring day for Senior Project. It was a great experience mentoring with JJ Casas and I learned so much about photography, networking, and business from him. I know that the skills I obtained from my meetings with him will help me in college and beyond.

Volunteering: SF Camerawork - Day 4

First Exposures Exhibit

Date of Volunteering: 4/28/11
- Number of Hours: 4 hours
- Total Hours: 12 hours, 15 minutes

Actions:
- Register guests & distribute their food/drink tickets
- Record the credit card numbers of those who were bidding on the works of the students/mentors
- Walk around gallery & check out the works myself
- Pass out First Exposures booklets at end of the night

How Am I Doing?:
This event was by far the most exciting I've done for SF Camerawork. The gallery was totally alive because there was a DJ and many guests, students, & mentors milling around. At the start of the night, I was helping out other volunteers at the registration desk, checking in guests, distributing their food/drink tickets, and recording credit card information for the silent auction bidding. After being relieved of my position at the registration desk, I was allowed to roam around gallery, basically free of admission. It was nice to finally see the students who are part of First Exposures, since many of them are around my age. Their works were amazing, and I wish I could have done my own bidding, except the starting price was a little too high for me. Throughout the night, they had music blasting, people drinking and eating, a photo booth open for use, and speeches by the directors, mentors, and students of First Exposures.

Next Action:
I have one more volunteering date next week in order to fulfill my 15 hours of volunteering for this project. That date will be either Thursday, May 5, or Friday, May 6.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 9

"Time to Edit!"

Date of Mentoring: 4/28/11
- Number of Hours: 1 hour
- Total Hours: 16 hours, 30 minutes

Actions:
- Using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, editted my own batch of pictures

How Am I Doing?:
Today, I was able to edit my own pictures from a concert I went to last year. JJ first told me to import my files and then mark the ones that I want to reject. After getting rid of the rejected photos, I rated 12 pictures that I liked the best. JJ emphasized picking just the best of the pictures because I should be thinking of where the pictures will end up and who I would be posting them up for. Each "cream of the crop" picture should be able to stand strong as an individual photo so that it can be representative of the event. Below is an example of the editing I was able to do with Lightroom. The picture on the top is the "before" pictures and the one on the bottom is the "after" picture, which has been cropped, brightened, and shadowed (foreground).



Next Action:
My last meeting with JJ will either be next Tuesday, May 3, or Wednesday, May 4. We might be going out so that I can practice my "elevator pitch" on random people I meet on the street.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 8

"Managing Your Photo Files"Date of Mentoring: 4/27/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours
- Total Hours: 15 hours, 30 minutes

Actions:
- View how Adobe Photoshop Lightroom functions
- Discussion of how buttons function for the program
- View how Adobe Photoshop layers are created

How Am I Doing?:
For this session, it was just mainly me listening while JJ explained how he manages his photos and how Lightroom works. I was able to see how he organizes and names his files, going by date (year.month.day), followed by the type of event (i.e. wedding, photo shoot, behind the scenes), and then lastly, the specific event name (i.e. Bob & Jill's SF Wedding). Then, he showed me an example of what each Lightroom editing tool did using photos from a recent shoot he did. JJ explained what "culling" through your photos means: going through the pictures and separating the good ones from the bad ones. The advantage of doing this is that you can pick the photos that are "cream of the crop" and avoid wasting time on editing a picture that is just bad to begin with. After, JJ showed me how Photoshop works using a picture from a different photo shoot. Photoshop is great for helping a photographer see what edits he/she has made to a photograph so that he/she may refer back to those changes in the future if needed.

Next Action:
My 9th mentor meeting is tomorrow, April 28. I will get to try Lightroom on my own computer, since I did not get to do any editing with my own photographs today.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 7

"It's As Easy As...Point & Shoot"

Date of Mentoring: 4/26/11
- Number of Hours: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Total Hours: 13 hours, 30 minutes

Action:
- Discussion of megapixel, slow synchro, "dragging the shutter," hotshoe flash, and strobes

- Hands-on "field" day --> went outside and tested techniques that I learned (Rule of Thirds, macro, varying the shots)

How Am I Doing?:
JJ and I talked about what megapixels are, and I learned that the higher the megapixel, the higher the resolution of the photograph. Higher megapixel allows you to do two things: 1) crop the picture, and 2) print a sharp bigger picture. Slow synchro is also known as "dragging the shutter," which means that the flash and shutter close at different times so that the foreground and any ambient light are captured. The rule of thumb for "killing" ambient light is setting the shutter speed at 1/125 second or faster. After talking about these topics, JJ and I went outside and actually took shots of anything we saw. I got to practice composing my pictures so that there are no distractions in the background and so that they vary (i.e. different angles) without use of zoom or flash.

Next Action:
JJ and I are meeting tomorrow, April 27, for our "digital flow/file management" program. I need to download the free trial of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom because JJ will be teaching me how to edit my photos with that program.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 6

"Flashing...Lights Lights Lights..."

Date of Mentoring: 4/23/11
- Number of Hours: 1 hour, 45 minutes
- Total Hours: 12 hours

Actions:
- Discussion of lighting: highlights vs. shadows, rule of thumb when shooting with sun, reflectors
- Brainstorming of topics for Senior Project paper

How Am I Doing?:
Instead of meeting Wednesday, JJ and I met up on a Saturday. I learned about the effect of lighting size and distance on a photograph: small light & short distance = harsh shadows; big light & short distance = soft shadows. Highlight is bright light, while shadow is the absence of light; combine the two and you get contrast. JJ and I went over shooting in natural light (Sun as primary source) and the pros and cons of the having the sun behind, in front, and to the side of the subject. The rule of thumb when shooting in natural light is to (contrary to what I thought) have the sun at the subject's back. JJ also introduced me to different types of reflectors: diffuser, soft box, octobox, umbrella. Towards the end of our meeting, JJ and I tried to brainstorm topics I could research for the project paper. So far, we've come up with body image issues and false portrayal of people due to post-editing.

Next Action:
I'll be having my 7th mentor meeting next week, Tuesday, April 26, in the morning at Starbucks. We will be going over techniques with a point & shoot camera.

Volunteering: SF Camerawork - Day 3

Members Only Critique


Date of Volunteering: 4/20/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours
- Total Hours: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Actions:
- Answer phone to buzz in members
- View SF Camerawork members' work --> free to input my opinions

How Am I Doing?:
I volunteered for SF Camerawork's Members Only Critique night, which was more interesting than the past few times I volunteered. I was put in charge of buzzing people in, but I was also allowed to look at the works of the members and offer my own comments on them. Most of the time, however, I just listened to the constructive criticism of the other members. Some of the works presented included a sequential set of pictures inspired by Anne Frank, multiple-exposure photographs which had great fluidy movement to them, and shots of street art and abstract/urban artifacts (i.e. old fluorescent lights). I thought they were all well-done, but it was interesting to hear some of the constructive comments by the other members, like how one picture's lighting seemed off or how another photograph wasn't expressing the correct emotion. I was also able to make a new friend, Carlie, who is a college intern at SF Camerawork. I used an "opening line" ("So how long have you been interning for SF Camerawork?") like what I learned with JJ, and I was able to keep up a fun conversation with her.


Next Action:
I will be helping out at the First Exposures event on April 28, Thursday, from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 5

"Social Network: Photography Edition"

Date of Mentoring: 4/18/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours
- Total Hours: 10 hours, 15 minutes

Action:
- Overview/discussion of Hyphen photo shoot --> What is part of pre-production?
- Discussion of what makes a good business
- Discussion of communication & networking
- Practice "elevator pitch" again

How Am I Doing?:
Today was my business lesson with JJ. When it comes to being a photographer, it's not all about having photography skills but also communication/networking skills. A photographer should be able to promote herself to a wide range of people in order to ensure that she has work and continues doing what she enjoys. JJ and I went over what makes a good business, and it boils down to one main point: to make the customer happy. We discussed effective communication skills, such as getting to the point, phrasing your words so that a person cannot say "no," and using tone, body language (i.e. leaning forward), and eye contact (speaker can look elsewhere, but listener should keep looking at speaker) to express your interest. When you network, you should have a purpose in getting into a conversation with someone, so it is a little like being selfish. However, you should also be certain about what you can offer to that person because networking is a mutual relationship. I definitely obtained a new, interesting view of networking from JJ, because he said when you network, you should be thinking, "What can I offer to that person and what can they offer to me?" JJ threw me a curve ball by saying that we will be having a "field" day where I will be going up to random people and practicing the skills we learned about today. Honestly, I am a fairly shy person around new people, so to be very open and social will definitely be a challenge for me. However, I am grateful for the challenge because I know I will emerge from it as a more confident person.

Next Action:
My mentor and I will be having a lesson about lighting on April 20, Wednesday. We will be meeting at Starbucks after school once again.

Mental Musings: John Hedgecoe - "The New Manual of Photography"

JJ lent me a book of his called "The New Manual of Photography" by John Hedgecoe, and it is all about the basics of photography and about the different techniques, lenses, etc. used in the field. I like the book because there are many visuals and diagrams, which helps me a lot because I'm more of a visual learner. The author makes use of analogies that I think are effective in helping people remember, for example, exposure. Hedgecoe uses the analogy of filling a glass with water to exposing film (the glass) to light (the water). The longer the faucet (shutter) is open, more water (light) will flow into the glass (expose the film). The book also includes statistical comparisons for different types of cameras (i.e. cost, lens size), as well as image comparisons that show how a certain effect changes a picture (i.e. depth of field, hard & soft light, direction of light, use of flash). "The New Manual of Photography" is informative and is loaded with tons of pictures that could help guide and inspire me when I'm taking my own pictures.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 4

"Lights, Camera, Photo Shoot!"

*due to non-disclosure agreements, I cannot name any of the people present at this shoot besides myself and my mentor
Date of Mentoring: 4/15/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Total Hours: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Action:
- Photo shoot for Hyphen Magazine
- Observe interactions of photographer & her assistants, clothing/make-up artists, & model
- Acted as "assistant" by holding up a fan for a "wind-blown" effect on the model

How Am I Doing?:
This was my first time ever observing a photo shoot, so I thought it was interesting to see the whole set up of the shoot. JJ introduced me to the photographer and the rest of the staff assisting at the shoot, and then he pointed out the equipment that they were using and their purpose: the flag (to block out glare from backlight), the "octobox" flash, gaffer's tape (used to tape gaps to block out light), the reflector in front of the model. My mentor also showed me the work flow that happens at a shoot. The photographer takes the pictures, then she hands her loaded memory card to JJ, he takes the card and gives her a blank one, and then he "dumps" all the pictures into a computer and deletes them from the memory card so that the card is empty again. So, I was able to see a preview of how the pictures turned out right there and then. At one point, the photographer asked me if I wanted to help by holding up a fan in front of the model so that her hair would look light and flowy. It was a small job, but I was happy to help in any way. Towards the end of the shoot, I was able to talk more with the photographer about UC Berkeley (where she attended and where I was accepted), her experience there, and how she got into photography. I tried using my "elevator pitch" skills here, and it felt like a fulfilling conversation afterward. :]

Next Action:
JJ and I will have our usual "lesson" at Starbucks after school on Monday, April 18. We will be discussing the business aspect of being a photographer.

Mental Musings: "DO YOUR HOMEWORK!"

During my third mentoring session, JJ mentioned that it is important to "do your homework" on clients before meeting them. That way, you have jumping-off points for conversation and you can please your client and show that you are truly interested in working for them. I have always thought that showing people I know information about them would weird them out, but JJ told me that "doing your homework" is how you'll be able to impress people so that they will remember you.

Since I will be joining him for a photo shoot for Hyphen Magazine on Friday, I researched about what Hyphen Magazine does and explored the website. They started in San Francisco as just a group of journalists and artists discussing around a kitchen table, and before they knew it, they had started this magazine. I think it's great that they work to bring to the public information about the Asian American culture and up-and-coming artists, thinkers, activists, etc. in the community/world. I also did some research on the photographer for the shoot, and as I was looking through her webpage and her pictures, I actually saw my AP Biology teacher! I thought it was a little crazy/cool that of all the people I could have seen in those pictures, it was someone I knew. Right there, I had found a topic that I could possibly talk about with the photographer. From the information I found on the subject of the photo shoot, I could talk about how she attended University of San Francisco and was born on October 25 because those facts also apply to my sister.

After doing this research and finding these topics of discussion, I felt accomplished and ready for the shoot. I realized that "doing your homework" is not only helpful in school, but also in real life.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 3

"Photography 101"

Date of Mentoring: 4/13/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours
- Total Hours: 6 hours

Action:
- Showed my 35 mm color/B&W pictures to JJ & critiqued them
- Discussion & explanation of symbols on my point & shoot camera
- Discussion of indoor shooting, depth of field, recomposing images, & use of lines
- Practice "elevator pitch" again

How Am I Doing?:
For this session, I finally learned what all the symbols on my camera signified. Looking through a camera's manual tells you what each symbol represents, but it is more effective to go through them with actual hands-on examples. JJ and I went through exposure symbols on my camera, and I learned that "18% gray" is what cameras try to achieve when exposing a picture because that is considered the "perfect" balance. Then, we went over "weighting", which is basically how the camera chooses what it is focusing on. I wish I had known a long time ago that the "center weighted" setting on my camera is best for concerts, because I could have taken better pictures then. JJ also explained the importance of trying to keep lines straight when capturing a subject in order to avoid "barrel distortion" (lines bulge out) or "pincushion" (lines turn inward). One subject we spoke about really set off light bulbs in my head: recomposing a picture. I had always known that when you press the shutter button halfway down on a camera, the camera focuses on the subject and flash lag is prevented. However, I didn't know that you "lock" the settings, such as the aperture and shutter speed. So, if I were to take a picture that seemed dark, I could "lock" my camera on somewhere even darker (which would cause the aperture to become larger and/or shutter speed to slow), and then recompose the original subject, which would become brighter because now more light is allowed into the camera. By recomposing pictures, I can make silhouettes or brighten up a shot.


Next Action:
JJ invited me to tag along with him to a photo shoot this Friday, April 15, in San Francisco. He will be assisting, so I will just be there to observe how the photographer and her photo shoot "crew" interact with each other.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 2

"A Nice Day for...An Engagement Shoot"


Date of Mentoring: 4/10/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours
- Total Hours: 4 hours

Actions:
- Engagement shoot at Ocean Beach
- Assisted by holding equipment/couple's belongings
- Observed use of external flash/hot shoe
- Learned about "Sunny 16" rule

How Am I Doing?:
Unfortunately, I could not make the event at St. Thomas More on Saturday. So, on Sunday morning at 9:30 am, I arrived at the Cliff House (Ocean Beach), armed with my 35 mm and digital cameras. JJ and his assistant Nicole had already started the shoot with the couple. Because I don't know much about how the external flash worked, I just helped Nicole by holding the couple's belongings. I observed how JJ worked with his clients, and he kept a comfortable, fun vibe going on between them and himself. We started to move slowly down toward the beach, and every now and then, my mentor would have the couple pose so he could snap a few shots. Nicole was in control of the flash and she held it where JJ directed her. I learned that the honeycomb-looking cover on the flash is used to direct the light to a certain spot on the subject. In this case, the light was on the couple's faces so that sunlight would not create harsh shadows on them. I snapped some pictures of my own of the shoot with my digital camera so that I could post them here on my blog. As we were wrapping up, JJ taught me the "Sunny 16" rule. When it is sunny out, one should set the f-stop at 16 and use the shutter speed closest to the ISO of the film (for example, if the film was ISO 100, one would use a speed of 1/100 second). I tried out the rule with my film camera and had the roll developed. The shot turned out well.

Next Action:
I will be having a "lesson" at Starbucks after school on Wednesday, April 13. JJ asked me to bring my digital and film cameras so that he can help me familiarize myself with what all the symbols and buttons represent/do.

Mental Musings: This Is Serious

I am actually feeling the "pull" of Senior Project out of my comfort zone: this is serious. And I mean that in the best way possible.

It may sound a little silly, but traveling into San Francisco on my own is a little terrifying for me. My parents have always been protective of me, so I haven't been able to go on "adventures" in the City until just recently. I'm taking BART on my own, which isn't too challenging because I'm only traveling in one direction, but getting on the right train can sometimes be confusing. After my second day at SF Camerawork, I actually got onto the train that stops at Daly City BART station, not South San Francisco. So, I was stuck in the cold, waiting 20 minutes for the next train.
I believe Senior Project will be good for me, though. I'm learning how to be independent and finding my way around San Francisco. Those are good skills to have, especially if I'm going to be leaving for college in a new place.

Volunteering: SF Camerawork - Day 2

First Thursday: Free Admission!

Date of Volunteering: 4/7/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Total Hours: 6 hours, 15 minutes

Actions:
- Facilitate guests -- opening the door & greeting them
- Read through SF Camerawork gallery books

How Am I Doing?:
I got to the exhibit around 4:45 pm, so I was a little early for the event. I took some more pictures of the exhibit and looked closer at the exhibit descriptions. One exhibit, which was a collaboration between two artists, struck me because it only consisted of pictures of different circular objects, alternating with index cards that had two or three random lines taken from TV shows. I thought it was interesting and entertaining reading through the cards. After that, I helped again at the front door, directing and counting guests. Since the exhibit has been up for quite a while already, not that many people showed up. I went back upstairs and looked through the books that SF Camerawork had, written/illustrated by authors/artists from the Bay Area.

Next Action:
I will be at the Members Only Critique on Wednesday, April 20. The members will be discussing their work, and I will be free to join in and/or listen to their conversation.

Mental Musings: Photography Inspirations

During my first meeting with JJ, he talked about how the work of other photographers act as his inspiration for his photographs. His inspirational photographers include Annie Leibovitz, Maki Kawakita, and Mary Ellen Mark. These photographers played with strange concepts, lighting, color, and film type in a way that has made their work memorable. Looking through JJ's work, I can kind of see where their inspiration has taken form.

I have been browsing through a list of famous photographers, and several have caught my eye.

Richard Avedon: I like the fact that he works with black & white film, because up until this point, the photography I have worked with is black and white. Avedon makes his portraits look fun, so the seriousness of black & white just adds a sense of irony that creates an interesting image. Many of his pictures have also been candid shots of celebrities.


Robert & Shanna Parkeharrison: I like how this husband & wife pair make use of color, form, and line in their photographs. Their work has interesting concepts and a fascinating view of nature. Some of their pictures grossed me out a bit, but I appreciate the power of their photographs to do that to me.


Art Wolfe: In Photos 1, I did a report on Art Wolfe because I liked his photographs of wildlife and cultural regions. His photographs are sharp and vivid, as apparent in his pictures of breathtaking landscapes. I like how he can capture the beauty of nature so clearly.


In the future, I'll look to these photographers (and maybe others more) for my inspiration.

Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 1

"And So We Meet..."

Date of Mentoring: 4/6/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours
- Total Hours: 2 hours

Actions:
- First meeting with JJ Casas, my mentor -- introducing myself
- Established a meeting schedule
- Discussion: how I found JJ & why I picked him to be my mentor
- 1st Lesson in Photography: scanning photos, Rule of Thirds, symbols on a digital camera, apertures & shutter speeds, "Holy Trinity" of ISO, aperture, & shutter speed

How Am I Doing?:
I met with JJ after school, 3:30 PM at Starbucks on McLellan Drive. We introduced ourselves to each other, and then he asked me how I was able to find him. I told him that I had been searching online and my sister had recognized him, so I contacted him. We set up a meeting schedule and after, JJ asked me what I wanted to learn about from him. I told him I wanted to learn the techniques with lighting and settings on the camera, as well as how to edit photos. He gave me some insight into how photography is not something that can be easily taught. Instead, it is a field in which one must find his/her own talent and techniques, using inspiration from other photographers as guidance. The two main questions that JJ said I should ask myself when taking pictures are, "Who is going to see these?" and "Why am I taking these?" We also discussed how to scan hard prints so that they can be printed or posted online with a clear resolution, what the symbols and numbers on a digital camera represent, the Rule of Thirds when taking portraits, and how ISO, aperture, and shutter speed relate to each other to control the amount of light allowed into a camera lens.

Next Action:
JJ invited me to two of his photo sessions this weekend: a photo session at St. Thomas More on Saturday and an engagement shoot at Ocean Beach on Sunday. I will be helping JJ out on Saturday, April 9, at St. Thomas More's basketball game. The event will be from 1-5 PM.

Volunteering: SF Camerawork - Day 1

Book Release for Dodie Bellamy & Kevin Killian



Date of Volunteering: 4/2/11
-Number of Hours: 4 hours
-Total Hours: 4 hours

Actions:
- Set up chairs in the gallery
- Facilitate guests -- opening the door & greeting them

How Am I Doing?:
Today was my first day volunteering at SF Camerawork and my first time ever stepping into a photo gallery. I arrived at the building at 3:45 PM and went up to the second floor. I met Jennifer, the Development and Communications Manager, at the front desk. She welcomed me to SF Camerawork and said I was free to look around the gallery while I waited for the event to started. There were several works, including an exhibit displaying collaborative work done by SF Camerawork's First Exposures students and kids from Valencia 486. When viewing the other, more abstract exhibits, I felt like I was immersed in a different culture because I couldn't understand what the point of the work was. After looking around, I helped the curator set up chairs for the guests.

When 5:30 came around, I went downstairs to the first floor and sat near the door so that guests wouldn't have to be buzzed in. I had a clicker with me to keep track of how many people attended the event. Around 7:00, I went back upstairs and sat in on the event, listening to the authors, Dodie and Kevin, share some passages from their books.

Next Action:
I will be volunteering for SF Camerawork's First Thursday event. Admission is free, so there will be guests coming in. I will be at the front door again, allowing guests in and directing them to the gallery.

Mental Musings: Success!

Date: 3/26/11

FINALLY, I will be starting my Senior Project hours! It took me a while--too long--to get it together, but I can finally work next week.

I was able to email JJ Casas and he replied back the next day. I was so happy that he was willing to be my mentor. Turns out that he actually went to University of San Francisco, which is the same college my sister went to. Apparently my sister knows who he is, too, so it's good to know that we have a connection somehow. I'll be meeting him either next week or the week after.

I also finally got in contact with SF Camerawork. I spoke to Jennifer, the Volunteer Coordinator, and she was more than happy to welcome me as a volunteer. She emailed me the list of events coming up for the month of April at the gallery. My first day volunteering will be April 2, next Saturday, from 4:45-8 pm. The gallery will be having a book signing for some local authors.
I'm excited to be starting my hours. I look forward to learning as much as I can about photography. I hope that my mentoring and volunteering will live up to my expectations.

The Beginning: Thoughts on Senior Project

My topic of choice for the Senior Project is photography. However, I've been having a little trouble with it.

Since the beginning of March, I have been looking for my mentor and non-profit organization, both of which have been hard to get in contact with. The mentor I chose is part of a for-profit photography company called MotionScopes Studies, based in Daly City. I have tried several times to e-mail and phone call them, but no response has been returned. Also, the issue with my volunteering at San Francisco Camerawork is that I had wait until I was 18 to volunteer. I couldn't have started my volunteering until after March 15, which is my 18th birthday. Now that I'm 18, I cannot get in touch with the person in charge of Volunteer Services there. I'll have to try and call again some other time this week.

Right now, I think I really need to get my act together and try harder to find a mentor and place to volunteer at. Time is ticking and I need to make effective use of my time from now on. I've contacted a different mentor, JJ Casas, who is a professional photographer based in Daly City. I also am going to contact another non-profit organization in San Francisco called Visual Aid, just in case SF Camerawork doesn't get back to me in time. I hope that this time around, I'll be able to get in contact with them and they will be willing to help me out so that I can get my hours in.