Hi class :)

My name is Michele Rinaldi and I am a Senior here at Montclair State.  I am studying Art Education and Graphic Design as my concentration.  I am also a Dance minor studying styles such Modern and Ballet.  I love art and dance, they are my life and I could not live without either.  I have always looked at the world around me as art, and I appreciate every little detail, from the knobs on an old antique door, to the shape of the clouds in the sky.  A few other things I really enjoy are friends, family, my puppy, wine, baking, music, exercise, my dance team the New Jersey Emeralds, the JETS<3, and just having a good time. 

I come from a big Italian family so I love my Grandmothers cooking, especially her homemade Ravioli and  Lasagne...mmm.  But I'm really a dessert girl, especially if it's chocolate! On most holidays I'll skip the meal so I can pig out on dessert! I love most music, but my favorite styles include oldies, classic rock, and alternative.  I have a lot of favorite books, but nothing tops the Harry Potter series! And movies...wayyy to many, but I am a big fan of comedies, namely the Will Ferrell crew and Jason Segel crew, as well as some good horror/thriller movies.  

I have always enjoyed taking pictures and have been documenting my life for as long as I can remember.  I have never taken a formal photography class, but I do own a Nikon D60 and have played around with it mostly in nature.  It bothers me that things can look so beautiful through your eyes, yet they never seem to translate as well through the lens.  This is something I would like to get out of this course.  I know the photo will never be exact to the real life thing, but I want to get it as close as possible and really capture the beauty and essence through my photographs.