Some photo students secretly roll their eyes when I suggest they bring out their tripods. I can feel their loathing as they pull out the cumbersome, heavy, boring tripods.
In this month’s photo newsletter we offer FIVE reasons to leave the tripod at home. We also offer just one reason to bring it. And then we leave the decision whether to haul the tripod out up to you!
Read this month’s Exposed! photo newsletter…
Winter Landscapes
Online Photo Program – © Al Garner
We had a good crop of member photos from this month’s online photo challenge.
As usual, we set a photo challenge every month and we feed tips, links and videos throughout the month as members do their best to produce photos for the monthly critique.
Online Photo Class – © Barb McK.
This month we offered a DOUBLE challenge:
1. Environmental Portraits – photos of someone working/living in their natural environment.
2. Member photos had to be in Black & White – either converted in post processing or shot on film.
The private Facebook forum buzzed as members posted photos, offered criticism, ideas and encouragement.
Online Photo Program – © Gilles G.
The whole process helps photographers grow. Comments this month:
• “I had lots of fun this month. I wasn’t too confident coming into this month’s challenge. After posting my three pictures on the Facebook forum and receiving such helpful and positive feedback, I felt much better. What a great community!”
Online Photo Course – © Brooke B.
• “There is zero chance that I would have taken these shots without the online photography program. I think the monthly assignments are starting to have a cumulative effect and my photography is steadily improving. I think I get the biggest bang for my buck from the online program. Keep it coming!”
Online Photo Course – © April L.
• “I have been learning for over 6 months through one-on-one Creative Fundamental course, Lightroom course and the On-line Program which I absolutely love.
Want better photos?
Join us!
Online Photo Program – © Cheryl K
Online Photography Course – © Morina R.
We ran Mastering Manual Exposures last weekend. The session was spent helping students understand the intricacies of light and exposure.
In short we helped people make whites white in appropriate places.
In three hours we brought light to a scary subject.
Some feedback:
“I really appreciate Harry’s teaching style which is low key, no pressure but he is obviously extremely knowledgeable and a professional. He always provides just enough feedback and he tailors it to the specific individual.”
“I have been learning from Harry for over 6 months through a one-on-one Creative Fundamental course, Lightroom course and the On-line Program which I absolutely love.
On Saturday, we hosted a good crew looking to refresh or develop good base photo skills.
We looked at the basics of exposure and how to master manual exposure mode.
… It’s scary but essential if you want to drive creative control yourself.
And contrary to popular belief it’s not that hard to get good, solid exposures in manual exposure mode – at least when you understand the concepts and steps involved.
Benefits of manual exposure mode:
• YOU control brightness of your photos and choose creative outcomes
• Avoid letting the camera decide on exposure – the camera will choose different exposures based on what it aims at (dark tree or bright snow…) rather than what light level exists.
• Avoid grey snow scenes (a sure way to know someone doesn’t understand exposure!)
In three hours participants were getting consistently better exposures.
And more smiles. 🙂
Learning about exposure and histograms
Spring and Summer Workshops? Your input please!
Initial offerings of spring and summer workshops are set but we have a few more slots we’d like to fill.
What do YOU want to learn?
• Portraits?
• Composition?
• Motion/sports?
• Any guest instructors?
Send us a note – we’d love to hear from you!
Photo workshops
La Fab is a Chelsea Arts Centre representing many artists from the region. The centre is housed in the rectory of St Stephen’s Church.
The building needs some renovations and we’re having a fundraiser.
Visit La Fab next week to buy some fine art – at least 50% of proceeds go to the support the renovations of La Fab.
I have 4 pieces in the show including the shot below. Buy some fine art and support La Fab and the artists!
Join us…
La Fab
212, Old Chelsea road
Old Chelsea, Quebec
Vernissage:
Thursday, January 23rd from 5 pm to 7 pm
and continues until Feb. 2nd…
Hockey photography
Photographing key-note speeches
Years ago a government communications staff member lamented about the quality of photos she had to deal with in her work. She admitted photos often came from staff with intentions better than their photo skills – the reality being there was not always a budget to hire a working photographer.
She suggested we offer a photo course for communications staff that would help people get better pictures of their work events…
… And Photography for Communications Professionals was developed. We have run this course for many, many organizations including Carleton University, Ottawa Airport, Library and Archives Canada, Passport Canada.
The one day photo class includes material from:
• Creative Fundamentals
• Natural Light Portraits
• years of shooting events
and packages it in a format geared to communications staff from government and large organizations.
Photographing podium speeches
The Format
1. There is a classroom section covering equipment, theory and challenges like consent forms.
2. A hands-on, practical session gives participants a safe environment to develop skills photographing:
• staff portraits
• podium speeches
• tricky lighting scenarios typical of events
• with and without the use of flash.
“Photography for Communications Professionals is the perfect length, perfect structure, and perfect information for government photographers. One of the best teachers I’ve ever experienced.”
A.P.
Details
This course is offered as a class and as a custom course for individuals or groups.
Group Course:
Wednesday, March 19; 8:30-4:30
Location:
• Morning: Classroom to be determined
• Afternoon: On Location shooting in central Ottawa/Hull
$600/person + any location costs
Custom Course
Available anytime schedules permit.
One person; full day: $775 + any location costs
Groups – please contact us for pricing
Location: Anything is possible. We can meet at your location or we can arrange locations.
Join us! Register online at the bottom of this link.
Photographing in tricky lighting conditions
In December we offered Online Photo Program members a “before & after” challenge.
We asked them to capture photos in JPEG format and process their photo into something even better!
© MichelleB – Original Capture
It’s a tough challenge with many software platforms from which to choose!
Many people use post processing to tweak photos or correct mistakes (ahem, that should be fixed at time of shooting.)
We encouraged students to do more!
And challenge them it did:
“Yet another great challenge Harry. You have a knack for getting us out of our comfort zone.
I have learned a bunch and there are lots of resources, but your direction is priceless to get things going in the right direction.”
This month members are almost half way through their challenge of black & white environmental portraits – a challenge on two levels:
• creating portraits of people in their normal surroundings
• producing the portrait as a B&W final photo!
Join the fun soon and you’ll get access to January’s challenge for free!
© Michelle B Final Processed Photo
We’ve been away from the blog while we recharged batteries over the holidays.
Thanks for the fun last year.
Welcome back!
Thanks to you we have a whole new slate of web distractions.
• 2013 in Pictures
Felix offers this look at 2013 in photos.
• Find a darkroom worldwide
Dave Andrews offered this link – need a darkroom while traveling?
• Fabulous photos
Ginny Fobert posted this link about photographer’s favourite photos.
• Death of Photography
Yan H. offered this interesting read on the future of photography.
• “The photography teacher nobody wants”
Claude Brazeau suggested this link exposing the finest teacher of photography. I agree.
Keep the links coming – hope to see you soon!
