#939 Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop – Classic Course Results

Our longest running, most frequently run and well-loved photo class is Creative Fundamentals. We started it in 2001 and tweaked the curriculum as the course grew.

It’s popular because:
1. digital photography, for many people, is scary with too many buttons, menus and complications!
2. before photography, I was trained to teach people and develop curriculum in outdoor sports like alpine, tele, xc skiing and paddling while helping people achieve their goals.
3. I’ve learned to take scary ideas and convey them simply!

Ottawa photo course

Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop © Liz R.

Scary to beautifulness!
Last week we finished April’s Creative Fundamentals course. It was a fun group. As usual, many people arrived a little nervous and somewhat confused about all the buttons on their cameras.

By the end of the course people were smiling and producing beautifulness!! What they said:
• “I wasn’t sure that I learned much on the first class (theory) but the exercises (exposure, histograms) were a big breakthrough for me…” (ahem – see point 3 above!)

• “I got far more out of this course than ever expected!

• “I feel much more comfortable with the concept of exposure… Money very well spent.

• “The best part? The One-on-One opportunities to get feedback from Harry.

Next Creative Fundamentals Course Opportunity!
Join the next Creative Fundamentals group class on September 25, 28, Oct 2, 2013.
Can’t wait that long?! Take Creative Fundamentals almost anytime as a Custom Course.

Ottawa Photo Course

Ottawa Photo Fundamentals Course - Better Photos © Miranda K

#938 – From the Web – Photo Distractions

A big thanks to our blog readers, Facebook followers and photo class students who provided some fun links for this edition of “Photo Fun” from the web.

Classic Significant Cameras from the Last 125 Years
First up this week is a very fun look at “landmark cameras” starting waaaaaay back. Have a look at the list:
• How many have you owned?
• How many do you still have?
• How many have you used recently?Thanks to Murielle C for sharing!
NYC in photos from 100 years ago
Now we see some NYC photos from long, long ago. Amazing to see. Thanks to Ken B for sharing!
Relentless = Success
We head to Vancouver this time for an article on improving writing (applies to photo) skills through relentlessness! Thanks, Daphne, for what you do!

Classic Cars in New Ads

Finally, we saw some fun adstargeting photos of classic cars. Fun! Thanks to Lois and Diane for sending us the links!

Friday’s Photographer Round-up
It’s Friday and that means we feature fun work of area photographers on our photo studio blog.

#937 – Exposed! Photo Newsletter – Blur the Background

Messy backgrounds bug me!!
There, I’ve said it – blunt and to the point.

I see some amazing photos through our students but there’s nothing like an eye-catching background to make a good photo plummet from excellence.

In this month’s Exposed! photo newsletter we look at the beauty of a blurred background to save your photo from crashing!

Read this month’s photo newsletter!

focus blur photo tip

Beautiful Blurred Background!

#936 Online Photo Program Progress

Today is the deadline for photo submissions for our online photo program‘s critique coming out later this week.

Slow Photos
This month’s challenge was “slow photos” where we instructed members to:
1. Slow down, creatively, and take time to consume the possibilities.
2. Slow down the shutter speed to ONE second or slower.
… That’s a tough challenge – especially for daytime shooting.

Waterfalls?
And I thought I would see tons of silky waterfalls. We have received some beautiful waterfalls but am happy to see the creative ideas coming through (stay tuned for photos.)

‘Point & Click’ to ‘Beautiful’
Last week’s lesson included a video to members with some last minute ideas and the process of creative photography. We showed the process from “point & click” to “beautiful” – see two photos from the same waterfall below.

Slow photos

Point and click...

Comments this month:
• “Thank you very much for last week’s video. It was just what I needed to hear!
• “Once again a fun challenge with lots of learnings.
• “Thank you Harry. It has been a very fun and inspiring challenge… now I can think about it and set the camera up properly for the shot! From waterfalls to night shots, they are lots of fun.” 

Slow photo

... or beautiful slow photos.

Join us for next month for a new, faster challenge.

#936 From the Web – Prime Photo Tips

Almost a year ago we started posting photo tips on our Photo Facebook page. Below are some recent tips to help your spring shooting!

Photo Tip #151 – Add a hint of motion to make your photos soar.
Below are two photos. Which photo do you prefer?

Frozen Motion - fast shutter speed

Frozen Motion - fast shutter speed

 Photo Tip #149 – Your camera is secondary to your photo skills and vision. Invest wisely!

 Photo Tip #148 Keep your eye on the sky. What kind of lighting do you want for your photos?
• Full sun vibrancy
• Beautifully soft diffused light from clouds or
• The contrast of diffused light from the shade of a tree with a blown out background from the effects of full sun.
Be aware of the quality of light – it’ll make a huge difference to your photos!

Hint of Motion - slow shutter speed and tripod

Hint of Motion - slow shutter speed and tripod

Photo Tip #144 – Embed keywords in your photos to avoid:
“Who’s that friend (in the photo) we skied with way back in 2013?!”

Photo Tip #143 – Create photos in your mind as you walk. It’ll help your creative process.

Photo Tip #141 – Never delete bad photos.
Why?
1. There may be some value discovered later (ask about the first photos of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky and the only photog who didn’t (couldn’t) delete the photos because he was still shooting on film.)
2. Memory is cheaper than time. When you are in the field it’s better to spend your time looking for what you can shoot – missed moments are expensive.
3. You can often learn from the mistakes if you investigate what went wrong!

Want more tips?
Like our Facebook page!

#935 On-Location Lighting Photo Class with Photojournalist Blair Gable

It’s back. We had to.

Last spring we offered the first Blair Gable On-Location Lighting workshop.
It sold out quickly.

Blair Gable - lighting course, Ottawa

Blair Gable - lighting course, Ottawa

Blair offers his vast expertise on setting up, quick, simple, effective lighting scenarios for portraits (or other subjects) when time, space and other commodities are limited.

“You say ‘Blair & vast expertise.’ Who is Blair Gable?!
Blair is one of Canada’s leading photojournalists shooting & supplying photos to mainstream news media. He’s been assigned to shoot, oh, just about everybody prominent you hear about in the news – President Obama, Queen Elizabeth, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Blue Jays, etc…

Soak up Blair’s offerings while spaces are available. Comes up in October, 2013.

#934 – Photo Exhibition Developments

I’m gonna  leak a little bit of info…

Coming up in June we’re arranging another Music photography show.
Remember last year’s show?
Or 2011’s music exhibition? 

We will be showing the work of John Rowlands.

John Rowlands?
He’s shot just about every important music act… ever!
David Bowie, James Brown, Stones, Beatles, Bob Dylan?

Yep.

June 8th, 2013.
Stay tuned for details…

John Rowlands music photo - Elvis Presley

© John Rowlands music photography - - Elvis Presley

#933 Photo News this Week from the Web…

Here is some photo news from the web:

Lightpainting and Wakeboarding?
Yep. This video shows how an inventive team of technicians, photographers and wake boarders are pumping up the night! Thanks to reader Chris P for the tip!

PhotoKibitz.com
I did mention PhotoKibitz last week but Michael Vukovic has offered another photog interview this week and, erm, it features me! Neat to hear myself in an interview!

Photo Club
I found a new (to me) Facebook group called Photography Club. Very fun, huge following and lots of photo community! Worth a visit.

Car Streak Photo

Car Streak Photo

Photo Facebook Page
And talking about Facebook, we started a Facebook Page for HarryNowell.com last year. It’s growing in people and photo tips!
Why’d we do that?
We wanted to separate photo from personal and offer a photo-only outlet with photo tips, links and photo community questions. ‘Like’ the fun!

Work for Free … but for Pay
I met with Justin Van Leeuwen last week and we talked about the business of photography and his innovative approach to building clients and a portfolio. I found the link to his related post.

#932 Elmwood School Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa photo studio

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

Last year we hosted the 2012 Elmwood School’s art student’s annual show highlighting their hard work throughout the year. Looking at the work I would not have expected it to be from high school art students!! They consumed all that their art teacher, Heawon Chun, had to offer.

And they are back for another year! Budding artists from Elmwood School invite you to see their work in May at our photo studio – Ottawa Studio Works!

Details:
Vernissage – Friday, May 3rd; 7-9pm
May 3rd-12th, 2013.

Hours:
Wednesday-Friday: 12-6pm.
Saturday, Sunday: 10-4pm.
Monday, Tuesday: Closed.

Ottawa Studio Works
160 Preston St. Ottawa

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa photo studio

2012 Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

The Annual Elmwood Spring Art Show 2013 is a showcase of selected works from the Grade 9-12 programs, presented at Ottawa Studio Works to give the aspiring art students their first experience in the art world.

2012 Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

Heawon Chun at 2012's Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

The standards for the show are high, and the resulting caliber of the works is impressive.

 Among the variety of works, the show includes plaster orbs conveying natural and surreal elements all at once. 

Grade 9 students began with observational studies of nature to compose original designs, which were transposed into plaster using the ‘reductive process’.   In another project, they were challenged to reflect on their inner personal strengths and represent those in symbols, invented or researched, and rendered as a Watercolour Mandala composition.

The show’s works range from diminutive to very large, and include:
• Sculpture
• Painting
• Drawing
• Mixed Media
• Installation  

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa photo studio

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

Using the Mix Media, Installation, grade 10 – 12 students were led through various mark making exercises, and found-object sculpting to free them from conventional and potentially restrictive modes of drawing and sculpture.

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

Elmwood Art Exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

Older students were opened to an understanding of the relevance and acceptance of mark making as a drawing in the contemporary framework of art.  Student’s experiments fashioned breathtaking drawings and found-object sculptures with their personal artistic signatures.

 The show is open to the public.

Elmwood School Art Exhibition

Elmwood School Art Exhibition

#931 Smartphone Photography Seminar with Award Winning Photojournalist Blair Gable

iPhone photography workshop safari seminar

iPhone photography safari

Loving your smartphone (or iOS device)? 
Want better photos?

It’s your lucky day! We have booked one of Canada’s leading photojournalists and iPhone-ographers to bring you up to speed.

Who is Blair Gable?
Award-winning wedding photographer.
Leading Canadian photojournalist – Blair has photographed Obama, Princess Kate, the Queen, Stephen Harper, Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Blue Jays among a long list of well known names.
Confessed iPhone junkie.

This workshop/safari/seminar will explore:
• photo device’s built-in cameras
• camera apps
• post production apps
• photo sharing and
• social media apps
• practical shooting.

More details!
Grab a spot. 

iphone photography

iphone photography safari/seminar/workshop