Happy Dancing All Around

This weekend I am enrolled in a photography instructional course presented by creativeLIVE ~ the Posing Masterclass with Bambi Cantrell.  Volumes of information so far…some things I am already doing…some things I am learning to do….some things I never realized were so important but actually make a world of difference.

During the morning session she mentioned she would be critiquing photographs submitted to the Flickr group created for that purpose after the lunch break.  As a photographer for  over 25 years and a judge in photographic competitions, I  knew she knew what she was doing…and I was a little hesitant to submit anything.  I mean, would my work hold up to a critique from a competition judge?   She told  us not to enter a photograph if we were looking for someone to blow smoke up our backsides…she knew what judges look at and was going to be honest and straight forward with her critiques.  I went back and forth on whether or not to submit my photograph…I mean, did I really want to hear what she had to say or continue on in my own little mindset?  Curiosity got the best of me so I joined the group and submitted my photograph…and then waited for the lunch break to end.

Finally the time had come…return from lunch, the critique had begun ~ there were 480 entries into the group and I knew she would only have time to do a few.  First one photo slide..then another…then another…and then MINE!  She choose the image I submitted! Fourth in line!  I was both happy dancing on the moon and waiting with dread for the next words out of her mouth.  She said she selected it because she loved it!!  She began to point out all the things she loved about the image, a couple of things that she would have changed and then a couple suggestions on how it could be improved.  Overall, it was a fabulous critique….if I could do flips in the air, I would have been!!  🙂  I couldn’t help it…happy dancing all around!! Even now  I can’t stop smiling like a fool this evening….my first critique and it was a good one!

Wait…what?  You want to see the image I submitted?  Of course you do….it was the photo I used in the post Not Always Smiling ~ funny thing, Ms. Cantrell mentioned how she loved the expression on her face.  Here comes my smile again….I just can’t seem to stop!!  🙂