It’s hard to believe it was almost a year ago that I packed my car and made the 13 hour drive straight west from Fargo. I knew RMSP was something that I wanted to do and was excited about, but I still felt strange because it seemed like another random interest of mine. But looking back now, I would not trade that experience for anything. I think fondly about our classes, optional lectures with Neil, photographing ghost towns, driving through the incredible landscape of Montana, and sitting around using geeky camera and computer terminology with other students.

While we felt a little crazy taking such a big step, we also knew lots of friends and family members that would have loved to be in our position. We were all living out a small dream, not just talking about doing it. Our groups C and D became especially close, learned together, and made each other better. It’s very emotional to think about how special our camaraderie was and yet I can’t explain it to someone who wasn’t there. When I ask others if they miss the experience as much as I do, they resoundingly say yes. Many people went home and went through withdrawal and mild depression because they had lost the relationships and experiences that had been vital to their daily lives for 4 1/2 months. It’s strange being on our own, trying to make a business of photography and not having the daily support of our classmates. The Internet helps immensely, yet cannot compare to personal contact. I miss being surrounded by people who knew what I meant when I asked questions about f-stops, exposure, Lightroom, and dragging the shutter. I miss their encouragement and telling me I could do it when most others seem to suggest getting a “real” job and settling into their boring routine.

I thank God for Montana and the time I had. What I experienced there will stay with me forever. While I started out feeling inadequate and crazy for taking such a risk, after 2 months I was confident and knew I belonged at that school. I knew God had sent me there and had given me an eye for photography that he would use somehow. That’s what I hold on to now when it hurts and want to be back in Missoula. I trust he didn’t just send me there for a special experience that would end, but to develop skills that will lead to even greater experiences that would not be possible if I hadn’t visited Montana.

After Garnet we drove around for a while looking for other photo destinations, but didn’t have much luck. On the way back to Missoula we stopped for about half an hour to shoot a small creek and the water running over the rocks. It’s funny to watch 7 people get out of 2 cars, all armed with big cameras and tripods, head to the water and just go nuts playing with shutter speeds, polarizers, etc. It’s nice not to have people asking me “Can we leave yet?” after 2 minutes. We are definitely geeks enjoying each other’s company.