We’ve been talking about the Preston Project.
It’s coming along:
Ottawa Photo Studio
We’ll be open soon but in the meantime, some good things about Preston St:
Last week we visited the World Press Photo Exhibit at the War Museum in Ottawa. The show is now closed but if you are interested in photojournalism check these 3 links for upcoming photojournalism events or sites:
1. David Trattles Photojournalism and Social Documentary Workshop
September 23-26, 2010
This semi annual Ottawa based photojournalism and social documentary photo workshop has sold out every time it comes to Ottawa.
David produces award winning work for clients around the world and always has his students smiling, laughing and expanding their photo and story telling skills.
At time of posting only two spots remain. This will change without notice!
One past student said:
“Harry – thank you for introducing me to David. This course has changed the way I take photographs. More importantly it has changed the way I see myself and the world around me. It’s not about WHAT we see in the world through the rectangular viewfinder but HOW we see the world. My journey through photojournalism will begin with a smile and a hand shake, not the sound of a shutter. This is me. This is what I want to do.””
Contact us to register for David Trattles Photojournalism and Social Documentary Workshop.
David Trattles with Jean Chretien
September, 2010
A fundraiser that supports photography in Canada. Blair Gable and Sue Bird sent me notice of this one. Thanks!
Hillside Summit is coming this fall, only 100 tickets available and all proceeds are going back in to the seminar, speakers and Tom’s Hanson’s photojournalism foundation.
The summit is being held at the National Press Theatre and the speakers are Jim Young of Reuters, Barb Davidson of LA times and Steve Simon Freelance in New york, they are all ex pats in the US working. Register through HillsideSummit.com
3. Editorial Photographers of the UK (EPUK)
I subscribe EPUK’s weekly photojournalism based email update – it keeps me linked to what is going on elsewhere in the world of working (photojournalism) photography.
Who are they?:
“EPUK is an email group for professional editorial photographers who want to talk business. We don’t do techie stuff or in-crowd gossip. We don’t talk cameras or computers. What we talk about are the nuts and bolts of being in business – like copyright, licensing, fees and insurance.”
This week’s post included:
1. “Facts v The Power to Move
Are photojournalists immunising the viewer to images of human
suffering by showing the facts of disaster too clearly?”
2. ” “The photographer has to become the brand”
Photo agencies Magnum and VII are devising new business strategies.”
3. “Current Showcase
Penal Colony Number One, Uzbekistan – Jeremy Nicholl, 2004”
Sign up at Epuk.org
Last night we brought a group of approximately 30 photo fans – a mix of clients, students, colleagues and relative strangers – to the Canadian War Museum to see the World Press Photo Exhibition.
Background
The Exhibit has been organized by a non profit group in the Netherlands to highlight work done by front line photojournalists and social documentary photographers risking their necks to document stories of tragedy and hope.
This Year’s Crop
As usual the Exhibit delivered some magnificent photos and some gut wrenchingly horrific photo stories.
World Press Photo Exhibit Ottawa
Some that stood out in Harry’s mind:
• Underwater shot of a bird catching a fish – close up and amazing
• Paul Nicklen‘s antarctic wildlife extravaganza
• Sports features
• A story on abattoirs bringing reality to the neatly packaged meat counter of your supemarket
• Tragedies from Israeli/Palestinian troubles, African drug deals, South American tragedies, etc, etc. These were the hardest to consume and made my gut ache.
World Press Photo Exhibition Ottawa
Controversy!
Last night I was asked my opinion and to interpret the 1st and 2nd place winners in different categories.
“How could that win?!” someone asked. The overall winner was of a woman on top of a building chanting to protest the Iranian election results in 2009. The photo was simple.
True, some photos were not necessarily visually the most magnificent but I encouraged attendees not to judge just the physical photo but to remember the context of the exhibition – Press Photos. The photos are part of a story. What made the story? What went into capturing the photo?
Discussion
A smaller group reconvened on Preston Street to discuss the merits of what we had just seen. Lively conversations and many smiles ensued.
Photo Exhibit Discussion --- shot by photo student Alain Simard
Thanks for coming. See you again next year for the 2011 show.
The Exhibition ends this weekend – Sunday, August 29th. If you have not been I suggest you get yourself to the Canadian War Museum in a hurry!!
I was working with a portrait client this evening when he took my camera and turned it on me!
He pointed and shot to produce a pretty fun photo:
Portrait by Client!
This Thursday, coming up is a gallery visit to the World Press Photo of the Year Exhibit at the Canadian War Museum.
It’s a must see event if you like to see what front line photojournalists have been up to this last year.
We are meeting the group at the main entrance of the War Museum at 6:30pm. It’s free and will be a good chance to meet other photographers.
Details:
When: Thursday, August 26th, 2010; 6:30pm
Where: Inside the front doors of the Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa
Exhibition Cost: Free
RSVP if possible to Harry@HarryNowell.com
Yesterday we shot some executive portraits for a firm that could be classified as ‘environmental portraits.’
Truth be told, I used to think an environmental portrait was a portrait done to promote or show off a green attribute. Silly me… An environmental portrait is “executed in the subject’s usual environment“:
Executive Portrait - Ottawa
… as opposed to a portrait in a studio:
Executive Portrait - Ottawa
Yesterday’s portraits (coming soon) were environmental as they captured the exec’s in an environment they like to be as well as promoted the environmental side of their business.
Stay tuned for a sample of yesterday’s work.
Next week we will be teaching more about ‘environmental portraits’ on our Natural Light Portraits Photo Course.
Keeping this blog, photo newsletter and website going takes a lot of resources – mostly my time to research and write. There are, of course, benefits to the business but we have a few supporters who help keep our site going.
This month we would like to say thanks to Proulx Brothers. Their support helps keep content flowing at HarryNowell.com!
Please visit their site and their lab (141 Catherine Street – effectively Bank and the Queensway).
What’s interesting about Proulx?
Thanks Proulx…
Proulx Brothers
A reader recently sent me a link to a photo walk that was held in Ottawa. The link featured two of our students from the ProProgram – Sandra Finner (left) and Christine Denis (right).
Another student, Lou Truss, shot her second wedding this weekend with Sandra, above – and from what I hear it went very well!
Makes me happy seeing our students succeeding!
August’s photography newsletter went out to most recipients today.
This week we explored the idea of Opportunistic Light:
“Recently I was away on a photo hunt – expanding my base of stock and photo based art while experimenting and trying new techniques. My tools were mostly simple – cameras, lenses and the sun as my main light source.
I started shooting at what I call “Far Too Early!” to capture golden light and stillness. As I was crawling around investigating a garden I stumbled upon a momentarily backlit situation behind a beautiful thistle, below. Working quickly I captured a decent shot that was only available ten minutes a day for perhaps two weeks a year.
Opportunistic photo lighting
While we sometimes use manufactured lighting – strobes, reflectors – there is always an opportunity to discover simple and magical “opportunistic lighting.”
In this edition of Exposed! we explore where to find the special light and how to discover the magic.“
Recently, two separate students happily announced their successes in recent contests. I was very proud!
Join me in cheering for them below:
• Hagen Hohn, part of our ProProgram, won third place in Outdoor Photography Canada’s recent Spring 2010 Photo competition. And the photo (below) will be published in the next edition. Yay, Hagen!
© Hagen Hohn
• Michelle Tardiff, who is a proud graduate of our photo courses was bursting with news. She says:
“It is with great surprise that I would like to inform you that one of my photographs was published in the Emerging Photographers issue of Photolife (Aug/Sept 2010 – page 40).
Thank you for coaching and mentoring me in photography.”
Yay team!