John M. Setzler, Jr.

My semester at school is finally over. The last few weeks have been difficult with the last set of tests and then the final exams. I don’t know what my grades are yet, but there is still a glimmer of hope that my 4.0 GPA will hold up. It’s gonna be close. Anyway, I’m off for two weeks now before I start back for the summer semester.

The photo above is one of the shots I made last spring when I went on the “Southwest Adventure” with a group of students who were participating in a “Native American History” and “Race and Ethnic Relations” class at school. I was thinking about these photos today because this year’s Southwest Adventure program is leaving early Saturday morning to embark on the same journey that we took last year. My group created a blog when we went on this trip and updated it from the road with photos and writings. There is a student in the current class who is supposedly going to keep this blog going by continuing it as they travel this year. I’ll be following it to see how they do.

HERE is a group of photographs that I shot on this trip. This trip really was a life-changing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I hope the current group of students enjoys it as much as we did last year.

What am I going to do during my break?

I really need to make some opportunities for myself with my camera during the next two weeks. I’m going to have plenty of baseball work, but I need to find something to take me back to my other interests in photography while I have some time away from the books. My SoFoBoMo project is finished, but it’s not what I had hoped it to be. Maybe I’ll spend some time thinking about another book project that I can really sink my teeth into.

I’m considering buying a new point and shoot digital camera. I’m not very fond of the one I have and I have been drooling over the Canon G9 for a while now. I really need to make myself get back to shooting with a camera like this. I know I can’t use it for most of my sports and journalism requirements, but I could use it for just about everything else, especially people and street photography. My dad just bought one (and he’s a Nikon guy) so I have had the chance to get some real hands-on lust for this little jewel. I have a little extra money coming this month, so I will be adding something to my camera bag. I’m not sure if it will be the G9 just yet though. It could be an 85mm lens… maybe a LensBaby… maybe a new camera bag (which I really need cause mine is worn out)…

When I get out of school, I’ll have the money to fund my equipment wish list, but until then, I’ll have to settle for a few odds and ends here and there.

Oh well… All I know for sure about my 2-weeks off is that I’ll be sleeping late whenever possible…