Enter To Win a Photography Class!

Shutterfire plans to launch face-to-face classes in April and online classes shortly after that. What we're doing right now is not a sales pitch, it's market research. We need to find answers to some questions and so we've put together a short survey. As an added incentive, when you complete the survey, you will be entered into a draw for either a face-to-face day class of your choice or 3-month access to online classes. Here's the link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VVVL7R8

Thanks in advance,
Ivy Mills
Photographer/Teacher :)

Social Media Mania

This video explains why I think social media should play such a crucial role in shutterfire's framework. What do you think?

Cry for help!

I've been asking for feedback/ideas from everyone I know and they have delivered! Thanks to everyone who has been collaborating on this brainstorm. The storm is still going, so don't stop now - keep it coming!

A very good friend of mine has put forth the following:
Online education sucks because you feel so isolated, detached, and unsupported. You feel alone.

Quite right. So, I am going to make damn sure that doesn't happen with my school. I've been doing some intense Googling and have found several ways to solve the problem. The relatively new concepts in web 2.0 are spreading like wildfire. Social media is booming (Hi, my name is Ivy, and I love Facecrack) and interactivity is the name of every game out there. Except that I cannot see a single online photography course that is delivering this kind of interactivity. I hope to be the first 2.0 photography school.

Ideas I am mulling over include the following:

• Live, web-based classes. I can run a class with visual content (pictures/text) while I speak to the class. Students can "raise their hand" to ask questions via a chat box that can be private or public. The sessions can be recorded for later viewing in case someone misses a class.
• Interactive quizzes. These would not count as a part of the student's grade, but serve to reinforce the curriculum. Quizzes can be repeated as many times as desired.
• Live photo critiques. Run in a similar fashion to a class, photos would be displayed, one at a time, and discussed by the entire class. Students can write comments that correspond to the specific area of the photograph they are discussing. Every comment is saved for the students to review. Unfortunately, if a student misses a photo critique, they would not receive the full benefit of interacting with the class.

Thoughts? Rants? Raves? More problems to solve? Spill your guts and help me make something really special!

BTW; Happy New Year!

Shutterfire School of Professional Photography

So I've been sitting on this crazy idea of building a photography school for quite some time. I've decided that I've gone too far in the preperations to turn back now, so it's official - I'm doing this. Along with the decision to go ahead comes the Facebook page! I actually do have a purpose in mind for this page. I want people to bring me their craziest ideas on what would make an online photography course completely awesome. If you've got an ideas; big or small, please visit Shutterfire's Facebook Page and share. Or share here! I'm down with that too. :)

Long time, no posting

Sorry for the waning interest in my infantile blog. What can I say, I'd be a bad mother. So much has happened since the website launch (see my previous post). Many updates have been made to the site, I've graduated the 12-month Digital Photography program at CATO, my career direction has changed about 172 times, and I just got back from China! Pictures to follow.

The flavour of the month is a very huge idea I've been sitting on for a while. All I can say at this point is that I believe it to be a worthwhile pursuit and it involves sharing what I've learned and helping others acheive their goals. The idea requires further incubation before hatching, so I'll just tuck that back under my butt for a while.

Here's a quick look at my latest work; restoring some old family photos. Check out the website for a better look - these are pretty puny.

Website!

Finally! Got my website up online and halfway to presentable. I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions about it - so post away! Short and sweet - the website will say the rest :)

IvyMills.com

Photojournalism

I feel saturated in photojournalism. For the life of me, I can't figure out if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It's exciting, but stifling at the same time. A couple months back I stumbled across an opportunity on the long commute from school in Kelowna to home in Salmon Arm. A fire had broke out up the hill from the highway. When I saw it, I thought I would go take some pictures and I actually beat the fire department there. Took some mediocre shots and sent them off to the Vernon Morning Star as soon as I got home. This one was published, and I got to go for coffee with Cory Bialecki and pick his brain about his work. Very cool opportunity.

I got an email from Cory last week asking if I wanted to be a weekend freelancer while one of the photographers was away. I'm super excited, but a little worried about the time I'd be taking from my studies. Many of my classmates are doing this course load with jobs on top, but I made the conscious decision to dedicate myself completely to school while I'm here. This opportunity is a way for me to cut my teeth as a photojournalist and see if it's something I would like.

Anyone who knows me, knows that my holy grail is to land a job with National Geographic. Working at a paper would be a mandatory step for such a lofty goal and the experience can only serve to prepare me (if only a little) for war photography. That is something I would like to experience - bringing the horror of war home, so it's not just perceived to be about money and politics.

We're also studying photojournalism in school right now; complete with homework. We are to get a shot of "breaking news": something timely like an event. I don't think I've got it with this shot, but let me know if you disagree, either by commenting, or by voting in the poll on the right column. Make sure you read the caption!

Richard Klokeid cracks a smile as he disposes of the rubber from last year's tire before replacing it. Although Motor Cycle Awareness Month isn't until May, eager enthusiasts everywhere are getting an early start on a promising riding season.