Shutterbuggin’ it on the road

Editor’s note: Today continues a series of feature front pages from Sampson Community College’s photography classes in Levels 2-4. Classes resume in the fall for Digital Do’s and Don’ts, Shutterbugs II and Shutterbugs III. To register, call SCC at 910-592-8081 and ask for the Continuing Education Department.

Donna Maguire leaned closer to the fence encircling the aviary at Don and Ann Butler’s house, being ever so quiet as she focused her camera on the brightly colored golden pheasant that looked as if he were posing for her.

She snapped once, then again, and then again, grinning with each click of the shutter.

“I think I got one,” she exclaimed to the other Shutterbugs II students meandering the property during one of many field trips the Sampson Community College photography class has gone on during the 10-week course.

For the second, third and fourth year students, being outside with their cameras, going everywhere from Wilmington to photograph the battleship to Washington, D.C. to capture the amazing sites of the nation’s capitol, has helped them to hone their skills and learn more about light, shadows and reflections. These are some of the many things, instructor Gloria Edwards teaches as she aims for students to love taking pictures and having fun doing it.

Maguire and her classmates have obviously caught the photography bug as they happily snap away at all the birds and ducks on the Butler property.

“I love photography more and more,” Maguire attested. “I think it’s because I understand things better now and that has given me more confidence in myself and my ability.”

Paula Carter and Regina Williams agree.

“I’ve been working hard on focusing and I’ve taken hundreds of pictures. I can see my progress and that makes me feel good,” Williams pointed out.

“I feel the same,” Carter stressed. “The more pictures I take, the more confidence I have in what I’m doing.”

And that, Edwards points out, is what she tries to instill in all her students, whether it’s the first time they’ve pulled the camera out of the box or the umpteenth time they’ve zoomed in for a close-up.

“I want them to take lots and lots of pictures, look for those special shots and have fun doing it.”

To a person, photography students say fun is what they have as they learn lessons about their camera and then practice what they’ve learned on field trips that Edwards finds to take them on during several class sessions.

“I have learned that I get better results the more photographs I take,” noted Don Butler, a second year student himself. “And, after taking lots and lots of pictures, I’ve found that the best pictures I get are either just before daylight or dusk.”

Cindy Gainey and Betty Puryear were among the students who visited Washington with Edwards, and they said they were thrilled to be able to take the field trip and use it as a way of getting better and better at using their camera.

“It was a lot of fun, and so are the classes. I’ve learned a great deal,” Puryear said.

In the late afternoon on a pond in his back yard, Shutterbugs II student Don Butler captured the serenity of this duck and his reflection. Butler said he gets ‘better results’ when a take a lot of photographs and when I take them just before daylight or just after dusk.

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_D.jpgIn the late afternoon on a pond in his back yard, Shutterbugs II student Don Butler captured the serenity of this duck and his reflection. Butler said he gets ‘better results’ when a take a lot of photographs and when I take them just before daylight or just after dusk.

Elvis was a popular photography class subject during a field trip to Don and Ann Butler’s aviary. Here, Shutterbugs II student Regina Williams captured the peacock in his full glory, with the sun casting his array of colorful feathers in a beautiful light.

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_DSCF2976-Regina-Williams.jpgElvis was a popular photography class subject during a field trip to Don and Ann Butler’s aviary. Here, Shutterbugs II student Regina Williams captured the peacock in his full glory, with the sun casting his array of colorful feathers in a beautiful light.

Using natural light to enhance their photography was one of the lessons taught in Shutterbugs II this year, and one that student Donna Maguire capitalized on during a field trip to the Butler aviary. Here she captured a golden pheasant in all its colorful splendor as it pranced about.

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_DSCN1235-Donna-McGuire.jpgUsing natural light to enhance their photography was one of the lessons taught in Shutterbugs II this year, and one that student Donna Maguire capitalized on during a field trip to the Butler aviary. Here she captured a golden pheasant in all its colorful splendor as it pranced about.

Using natural light from late afternoon sun to enhance her subject, Shutterbugs II student Paula Carter was able to get a shot of three ducks in a row. ‘I love the way the light falls on them,’ Carter stressed during the final night of class.

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_IMG_0294-Paula-Carter.jpgUsing natural light from late afternoon sun to enhance her subject, Shutterbugs II student Paula Carter was able to get a shot of three ducks in a row. ‘I love the way the light falls on them,’ Carter stressed during the final night of class.

Betty Puryear turned her camera to the beauty of the Biltmore grounds, capturing the light as it danced on these ‘Vines of Purple,’ a trellis of wisteria on the historic Asheville property. ‘I just love how the light made this look,’ Puryear noted.

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_vines-of-purple-Betty-Puryear.jpgBetty Puryear turned her camera to the beauty of the Biltmore grounds, capturing the light as it danced on these ‘Vines of Purple,’ a trellis of wisteria on the historic Asheville property. ‘I just love how the light made this look,’ Puryear noted.

Cindy Gainey decided to use her grandchildren, Layton and Matthis as subjects for her final exam photographs in Shutterbugs II. Calling this photo ‘Sharing the Love,’ Gainey said she was thrilled to have captured a moment in time, one that melted her heart.

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_Sharing-the-Love-Cindy-Gainy.jpgCindy Gainey decided to use her grandchildren, Layton and Matthis as subjects for her final exam photographs in Shutterbugs II. Calling this photo ‘Sharing the Love,’ Gainey said she was thrilled to have captured a moment in time, one that melted her heart.