Family Away from Family

    In the About Me column I told you about my school and the things I'm involved in, newspaper, volleyball, and photo. I really do love my school. A lot of people don't like it, it has a bad reputation and I think people only look at the negative things about it, but its a pretty amazing school! Our newspaper is ranked 9th in the nation, our cheerleaders are national champions, our baseball team has won state, the dance team placed first in regional competition, our band has so many awards you probably couldn't count them all, and i know there are so many other teams and organizations, that have done so much and gotten so many awards, that I am leaving out but you get the gist. There are so many things at my school that go unnoticed, just because we have a crazy big school! We have so many good people there, that give back to the community and do fundraisers, and sacrifice so much to help the school look better and help the students with their studies.

The first photo (pinhole) I was proud of.

    Someone I think that sacrifices the most for their students is my photography teacher Mr. Mittman. I don't know how he does it sometimes! He takes us on field trips that start at 6 in the morning and end at 10 at night, he stays after school until 8 p.m. just so that we could get our work finished on time for this amazing photo show at the end of the semester, where he build panels himself and drills them all together. He puts up with all the hoodlums that come every once in a while and puts up with our whininess. He does so much more behind the senses! He has a family to love with and other jobs to keep up with! He gets our pictures out to the museums and state competitions! He not only a teacher to me though! He is my friend and who I look up to even though sometimes I get a little sassy with him. He has taught me more about what I want out of life than anyone else. He has helped me get through things with expressing myself through photography, and challenged me to not only be a better photographer but a better person too. He is truly inspires me to do better and be better and to give back more than I take.

After signing the Advanced Photo wall we lifted up our favorite teacher.

    Not only Mr. Mittman inspires me, my photography family inspires me to love and be kind and treat everyone equally. When I first started Photography my sophomore year, I was in Photo 1 which is dealing strictly with film. It was hard I have to admit, going through print paper like crazy because your print was too dark or too light or it had spots on it, ect. It was constantly testing my patients. In the close quarters of the darkrooms we became an insane family screaming and complaining and pulling our hair out. I talked to people I would have never talked to in a regular class, I needed help most of the time! But as the year went on some people continued to Photo 2 and some didn't. Photo 2 is digital and a little bit of film. The class got smaller and we were talking and getting to know each other more we would bond over complaining about how Mr. Mittman was giving us so many assignments or playing around on photoshop. So we became closer when the class got smaller in Photo 3. And that is where I truly found a love for my photography family! I would walk around and look at what everyone is working on and compliment it, I would make a few sassy comments some people would laugh at. They would lift me up everyday, I felt safe going into that classroom, like I could be anyone I wanted to be and still be okay with going in there because everyone was so loving and accepting. Each and every one of them had something different to bring to the class and I loved that about them because usually people try to be like other people instead of themselves but our class was the complete opposite, we were a family made up of quirks and character! You guys are my family away from family and I would be okay with spending the rest of my life with you all!

    These are the people that keep me going! I thank God everyday that I have them! They are a bunch of crazy, weirdo, passionate people! The best kind of people I know! You guys are family to me! You make school worth going to! I love you guys!