#766 New Urban Composition Safari

Posted on March 21, 2012 by admin

We’ve designed some new fun for you.

We’re pleased to announce via blog-o-sphere the new Urban Composition Safari. At time of writing we have not added the safari to the workshops page – you are getting an advanced look as a thanks for reading our photo blog!

It’s designed to:

stretch your limits
push you to see what was once invisible
learn about form, shape, and compositional possibilities
and make you smile…

Urban Composition Photo Safari

It’s coming up July 14th and/or 15th.
Which means you can take one day or both. We will be shooting different locations with different exercises to stretch your creative composition brain

And there’ll be opportunities for online critique with the chance to be featured at Ottawa Studio Works.

Dates

You may choose one day or both. We will visit different locations and try different exercises.

July 14th, 6am-noon; 2012
July 15th, 1-7pm; 2012

Cost

$175 + taxes for one day
$300 + taxes for both days
We ask for $125 deposit to reserve your spot.

Locations

We’ll be visiting central Ottawa/Gatineau locations to take advantage of light, weather and opportunities.

See details and register for Urban Compositions Safari

#765 Survey results

Posted on March 19, 2012 by admin

A big thanks to everyone that filled in our survey last week. It’s much appreciated and helps us help you!

The results are in and here are some of the findings:

People enjoy photography but want to get better
You like our classes! Phew. The vast majority gave us an ‘Exclellent!’ rating.
Most people feel our prices are about right. Phew again. There were a few people that said they were a lot of money. And they are. We recognize that. We also recognize we bring you almost 20 years of photo expertise and teacher training so we can deliver the best course you can get. We are looking at ways to make it more easy, moneywise, to access our learning – safaris and other ideas that will offer less expensive photo outlets.
Many people gave us insights into what they want to learn. Stay tuned…

Thanks again!

#764 Photo Class Survey on the Blog

Posted on March 15, 2012 by admin

“Listen to your customers!”

That’s a good principle of business.

So we decided to develop a short survey ask our readers what they thought of our workshops, safaris, seminars, classes, etc:

Have you ever taken a course with us?
What is your biggest frustration in photography?
What kind of classes interest you?
Are our classes too expensive, just right, or a ridiculously good deal?
etc…

We’d love to hear from you!

Please take our short survey. It’ll help us offer better programming!

Thanks very much – we’ll keep you posted…

Teaching a photo class in Ottawa

#763 Lightning Fast Workshop – Blair Gable – On Location Lighting

Posted on March 14, 2012 by admin

This winter we announced ‘On Location Lighting with Blair Gable‘ on the photo blog.

Like lightning it filled.

So we’re offering a second section in the summer.

Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney by Blair Gable for Maclean's Magazine

What’s the course all about?

You will learn techniques to creatively and quickly light a portrait, on location, with simple camera based flash.

Who’s Blair Gable?

Blair Gable is a freelance photographer working for Reuters, MacLeans magazine, Globe and Mail, and many others shooting pro sports and world leaders including Obama, the Queen, Princess Kate, Stephen Harper, and many more.

Check the new section – Sign up online through the workshop page. Or register through a human by contacting us.

Blair Gable photographs Stephen Harper - (Photo by Jason Ransom)

#762 – This week on the photo blog

Posted on March 11, 2012 by admin

This week on the photo blog takes some juggling…

• Follow-up, admin and proposals

Many people think a photographer’s main job is photography. Every week I spend a large amount of time emailing, phoning and writing proposals for work I hope to get…

• Exposed! Photo Newsletter

We write the Exposed! photo newsletter every month, sometimes early, sometimes late. Our last one came out very early February, so it’s been six weeks since we sent some fun. This week we are pulling it together. Coming out next week. Focus and depth of field… This week we are hoping to send a survey. Stay tuned.

• Stock shoot

Two full days of work. They’ll be big days for a government client. Targeted stock for client’s promotional use. Targeted stock? I produce stock imagery using specific people, scenarios, locations to meet specific needs within the organization. I do this kind of work for private schools, small businesses, professionals, government. Fun.

• Working Creatives

Five years ago I started a networking group for full time, working, creative people. There are over 180 people on the list. Usually 10-30 people meet as often as we can to discuss all kinds of items specific to working creatives. This week the group meets to discuss copyright.

• Open Doors at the studio

It’s a busy week already so Open Doors at our photo studio will take a break until March 28th and April 4th. Come and visit. Stay tuned – we’ll be showing work, presenting ideas, offering critique… something to be determined. We keep the dates posted on the home page of Ottawa Studio Works or the workshops page.

• Workshops

No teaching this week. But we’re excited about new, upcoming workshops, classes and safaris.

• Watershed

The Watershed Exhibit continues to make headway – meetings and development continue this week.

Stay tuned…

Juggling the fun!

#761 Judging contest at Canadian Geographic Magazine

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

I am back again at Canadian Geographic. A couple of years ago I helped choose the winners of the Canadian Geographic / Parks Canada photo contest. Very fun and inspiring to see who is shooting what.

This time we are judging the “Cold Snap” – International Polar Year Photo Contest. We will be judging:

Polar Wildlife
Polar Communities
Polar Landscapes
Polar Science and Research

I am excited. Yes – it’s great to see what people are producing!

Stay tuned for results on our photo blog after the winners are announced at Canadian Geographic.

Canadian Geographic

#760 Corel Painter introductory seminar with Claudia Salguero

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

Yesterday on the blog I said you were lucky.

Well you’re lucky two days in a row. Corel Master Photographer Claudia Salguero joins us at our studio April 14th to introduce and entertain you with possibilities from Corel Painter.

Looking for a boost for your creative brain?

This may be it.

Claudia Salguero - Corel Painter

Think of Corel Painter as a software that will help turn your photos into paintings with simulated painting strokes. An added Wacom tablet helps mimic the ideas of painting – light brush strokes or heavy, jagged gouges with the pallet knife (or Wacom pen) simulate traditional art makng.

Claudia is an expert in the photo painting genre. Recognized by Corel as a ‘Painter Master‘ (wait a few seconds for the Masters to appear on the page) she has won awards and commissions in Europe, North and South America.

Register online at the bottom of the Painter Seminar page or contact us to register with a live human being.

Claudia Salguero

#759 New workshop with Quinton Gordon – “Authorship of Photos”

Posted on March 6, 2012 by admin

Today on the photo blog we are pleased to announce (trumpets blare) that we have booked Quinton Gordon for a photo workshop in September, 2012.

We are lucky.

YOU are lucky!

Quinton hails from Victoria, BC. He is part owner of Luz Gallery, produces editorial & commercial and offers many fine photo workshops. He’s been published by Canadian Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, Outside and many others. His awards are many and he is a featured photographer for the Leica Akademy North America.

Quinton Gordon

And he is coming to Ottawa September 20-23 to bring his “Authorship of Photographs” to eight lucky people.

The workshop “… helps you define your photographic voice in ways that push beyond the boundaries of single image-making and preconceptions about the creative process.”

Challenge yourself and your perceptions.

Details:

Th/Fr, September 20, 21 (6-9pm)

Sat/Sun, September 22, 23 (10am-1pm)

Ottawa Studio Works; 160 Preston St, Ottawa

$400 + applicable taxes.

#758 Sheep Shearing Photo Safari

Posted on March 4, 2012 by admin

Join us in May for a visit to a working farm to capture sheep shearing and working dogs.

Have the opportunity to photograph sheep shearing and herding dogs run agility tests… with the support of a supportive photographer to help you (and your photos) look good!

Sheep Shearing Photo Safari

Date: Sunday, May 20th, 2012 from 9-11:30

Cost: $75 + taxes

Location: Ottawa area

Registration: Visit the safari page for online registration or contact us for human supported registration options.

Details

Sheep Shearing Farm Safari

#757 The photo studio featured on the blog

Posted on March 1, 2012 by admin

It’s Thursday night and I’ve just returned from our studio in Ottawa for our weekly Open Doors session. Our studio is coming up to two years old and we’re proud of what it has become:

Ottawa Studio Works Photo Blog

The studio has it’s own blog, too. Updated once a week, Friday’s Photographer Round-up highlights the week’s collection of links from working photographer’s blogs. Ottawa Studio Works’ blog is not fancy but leads to fancy things. We are always open to receiving suggestions for the OSW weekly blog post! (Hint, hint!) We look for fun, interesting photo projects that do more than say “This is what I shot this week.”

Check the Ottawa Studio Works Blog every Friday – usually posts in the middle of the day.

Ottawa Art Exhibition

Exhibitions and Shows

We’ve hosted shows for Harry Nowell (erm, that’s me) as well as David Trattles, Blair Gable, Kevin Foisy. Coming up we have shows for a private school’s art program (May/June), Festival Music (June), Photojournalism (August), Lou Truss (September), Shona Schneider’s “Turkey” (October) and our Annual Open House in November or December.

Open Doors

The Open Doors started because we started seeing foot prints in the snow below the main window suggesting people were peering into the studio. We also had a pedestrian (politely) interrupt a meeting because “I’ve always wanted to see inside – can I look around?”

We started opening up and the response has been good. Tonight there was a steady stream of students, clients, readers-of-our-blog and curious pedestrians who came to see some Watershed prints or were curios about the studio.

Next Thursday’s Open Doors we have an informal critique session. Please come with one piece to show – either through a laptop (you can bring a memory stick or laptop) or traditional print. It will be informal and we will manage the critique depending on who comes when. If you email us a photo we will be able to prepare it in the line-up.

Ottawa studio portrait

Portraits and Rentals

The studio is also home base for portraits. We offer traditional portrait sessions but also offer very fun Do-it-Yourself Portrait Sessions for those that want a studio experience without the cost of hiring a photographer. You can book an hour of time and simply plug in your camera to our pre set lights. We provide the studio. You provide the fun! Results have been great and the laughter is nice to hear!

Photo studio rentals have grown, too. Clients like the central location and proximity to Little Italy and Chinatown. The 11’x24′ main space is plenty big enough for photo or video needs. People from as far as Montreal and Barrie have booked the rental studio for their clients.

Workshops and Presentations

There has been lots of learning in the studio from fundamentals photo courses to seminars to guest photographers like David Trattles. And we have an exciting line-up that should be announced next week. Stay tuned!