#1086 Summer Urban Photo Safaris

Summer is here and it’s time for shooting.

Join one of our two summer photo safaris:
• For all skill levels – we’ll challenge everyone at their level.
• Meet photo enthusiasts.
• Discover fun photo locations and new techniques.

© Al Garner – shot on one of our photo workshops!

Each night we pull photo exercises from years of photo workshops in Ottawa and Gatineau. We shoot at different locations each evening.

Two dates in July, 2014 – cost is $75 plus tax…
Join us…

Jon us – urban photo safari in Ottawa

#1084 Student Success…

I’ve been teaching photography for 14 years.
It’s always rewarding to see people develop and grow photographically and otherwise over the years.

Recently Jeffrey Furry offered a selection of work he shot over a year in one of our programs – we offered a new challenge every month with support and critique.

For the whole year Jeffrey worked hard to include an Inukshuk for every challenge. See his photos and comments below!

Jeffrey says:
I’ve been a member of the Harry Nowell on-line program since its inception.  Without intending to, I used an Inukshuk for 12 consecutive challenges.  With the exception of two, all were a 20cm tall high Inuksuk I received as a free gift from a landscaping company that made a handy prop for the various challenges.  The 12 photos below give a good overview of the variety of challenges we are given in the on-line program.

© Jeffrey Furry       ​Challenge – Backlighting – “overexpose the background to help bring attention to the foreground.”

Exposed for the Inushuk which was in full shade.  This was the first shot using the Inukshuk.  Saw the perfect light for the monthly challenge in my backyard so grabbed the first subject that was handy…

 

 

© Jeffrey Furry       Challenge - Backlighting - "overexpose the background to help bring attention to the foreground."

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Backlighting – “overexpose the background to help bring attention to the foreground.”

Similar conditions as the backlit photo but exposed for the Inushuk which was in full shade.

 

 

© Jeffrey Furry     Challenge - Festive

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Festive

A bit of a stretch to include the Inushuk for a festive theme!  Shot at F22 to maximize the star burst effect.

 

 

© Jeffrey Furry       White Challenge

© Jeffrey Furry White Challenge

Our challenge was to photograph something white (and get a correct exposure!) I decided to photograph the shadow of the Inukshuk against the snow!

 

 

© Jeffrey Furry      Challenge - Simple Studio Lighting - "creating lighting scenarios using lights you already have at home."

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Simple Studio Lighting – “creating lighting scenarios using lights you already have at home.”

Used two Ikea LED reading lights, one behind and below, the other immediately behind the Inukshuk “head”  Blue light on front is from my smartphone.

 

 

Ottawa Gatineau better pictures

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Candid Portraits – “capture an intimate, engaging portrait – and part of that involves NOT using your viewfinder. Period.”

Shot from the hip, no viewfinder.

 

 

Photo courses

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Slow Photos – “shooting landscapes – but with one twist – you must use a slow shutter speed.”

Brought the Inukshuk to a small stream behind my house.  Awkward location for my tripod, so forced to shoot at 1/sec braced as best as possible.

 

Gatineau Photography

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Fast Photos – “show the idea of motion through fast shutter speeds like 1/1000 of a second.”

Dragged the Inukshuk to a rushing section of the Gatineau River. Would have preferred a slightly faster shutter speed to freeze the water even more.

 

Ottawa photo workshops

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Photojournalistic storytelling – “telling a story within the context of a single photo”

Used a different Inukshuk this month, my neighbour’s cat on a large Inukshuk on their front lawn.

 

 

Gatineau pictures - classes

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – Social Documentary Storytelling
– “tell a story with many pictures about one subject.”

For this month, I spent the morning shooting the staff at a local bike shop.  Just to keep with the Inukshuk theme, I grabbed this quick shot of the Inukshuk in front of the store.

 

Gatineau photo ideas

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – New Perspectives – “Find something finite then shoot it at least 50 different ways without moving it”

Spent an evening shooting the Inukshuk from various angles with different focal lengths.  Took about 70 different shots, this was my favourite, the second shot of the evening.

 

Ottawa art class

© Jeffrey Furry Challenge – “Same Scene Variations: explore the effect of different qualities and levels of light on one subject.”

Shot a few dozens identical shots during different times of day.  This shot was early evening  with the sun setting behind the Inukshuk.  All shot from my deck with the Inushuk placed on a small step ladder to try and get a cleaner background.”

Nice work Jeffrey!
Thanks for sharing a year of your photo learning with HarryNowell.com!

#1079 Online Photo Class – May’s challenge

Last month we brought our online program the challenge of getting very, very close to their subjects.

© Chris Payant - Macrophotography class

© Chris Payant – Macrophotography class

With new spring flowers bursting from winter’s depths online members  got their camera’s clicking. But members captured more than just blossoms!

© Jeffrey Furry - close-up photography

© Jeffrey Furry – close-up photography

What members said:
I loved this challenge (my fave) and I found what I love to shoot the most (I think!) 
Your on-line program is absolutely great and I have to say I have learned the most from it because of the different challenges and just the way you teach it.
Thanks for your inspiration and sharing your expert knowledge.  You get us out of our comfort zone for sure.” CP

© Gilles G - Macro - different worlds!

© Gilles G – Macro – different worlds!

What a fun challenge! I have always wanted to try and get a shot of a field of dandelions and could never figure out how, but I finally got one thanks to this challenge.” JS

I’ve been teaching photography for almost 15 years and I never get tired of seeing people grow!
Thanks for the fun!

© Maisie I. Creative Macro!

© Maisie I. Creative Macro!

#1078 Student Success!

This week we were very pleased to hear from long-time photo student, Al Garner.

Al won a contest hosted by Darwin Wiggett‘s Oopoomoo!

Macro photography

© Al Garner – Spring Macro Tulip

Darwin is a well known stock photographer and photo educator from Alberta.

I was very excited. Al took his first photo workshop with us many, many years ago. He had some good photos for a beginner but, erm, had lots to learn.

Over the next ten years Al took many of our courses – some twice! Steadily Al gained valuable skills and confidence that helped him create beautiful work.

student photo success

© Al Garner – self portrait

Al says:
“Hi Folks: Something pretty exciting for me has happened. The website oopoomoo.com, which is run by Darwin Wiggett and Samantha Chrysanthou ran a contest. I submitted a photo and to my surprise and delight it was chosen as one of three winners.  The other two shots are amazing so be included with them is really nice. 

PS  special thanks to Harry for all the help and encouragement over many years!

 Al”

See Al’s winning photo and the other two winners at Oopoomoo…

Congratulations Al!
I’m proud of you!

#1076 Big Film Photo Workshop

People keep asking… so we’re offering a workshop for people who want a challenge beyond the DSLR.

Join us this summer as we introduce different large formats to the group while exploring a couple of locations from my Watershed Collection which involves 20 kilometres of exploring a waterway.

8x10 view camera workshop

Large Format Photo Workshop

For the last 22 years I’ve worked as a photographer. It’s only since 2007 that I have owned a digital cameras…. the early ones were terrible (technically) and I held out as long as I could. I’m now happy with current available digital equipment but still have a passion for film.

I’ve owned and shot many formats including:
• 18x24mm (half framer)
• 35mm (standard SLR format)
• 6×7 cm 
• 24×50 mm (panoramic)
• 4×5 inch (large format)
• 8×10 inch (large format)

large format photography workrshop

8×10 Large format – photographing Watershed

There are many reasons to shooting film and big formats:
• a new (or old) challenge – Think you’re a good photographer? Can you capture a technical shot with one click and no preview?!
• large file sizes
• tangible archival back-up material
• slow process
• There’s been a renaissance in film!

Dates – July 17 (eve), 19, 20, 24 (eve), 2014

Locations – Ottawa Studio Works (central Ottawa) & Chelsea Watershed (just north of Ottawa.)

Cost: $375 + taxes

Click here for more information and online registration.

large format photography workshop

From the home made 8×10 camera

#1073 We’re Expanding

We’re expanding!

As many of you know, I’m a stock/assignment photographer and educator.
I operate out of Ottawa Studio Works in Ottawa’s Little Italy on Preston St.

photo studio

Ottawa Studio Works – shared space

Last year Bonnie Findley brought FindleyFoto to the studio.
Who’s Bonnie?
She’s an established Ottawa photographer – stay tuned for a proper introduction!

Expanding!
We’re looking for a complimentary small business (ideally a graphic designer, event planner, etc.) to round out the space at the studio – we have a 7×10 office space with access to shared meeting space and studio for rent for the right small business.

The Space:
70 square foot private space – includes utilities and internet with shared access to other parts of the studio – is available for rent for $250/month + taxes.

The Bonus
We’re both looking for the right small business person to support our businesses – web updates, wedding packages, managing clients and ideas. The right person for the studio and our businesses (our creative hub) can rent an affordable space and get two new clients at the same time!

Interested?
Send Bonnie and Harry an email with your relevant info and questions.

Ottawa art studio

Blair Gable at presenting his photojournalism work at OSW

#1071 Advanced Fundamentals – Photo Class Review

201405AdvanceFundamentals-23

© AlG –  Advanced Techniques – LightPainting balanced with night light

Last weekend we ran Advanced Fundamentals – a photo course designed to take people beyond the basics of “manual exposure mode” that we cover in Creative Fundamentals.

The idea of the workshop is push people’s skills beyond their comfort levels… just a bit.

photo fundamentals

©GillesG Exploring Shape, Line and Form

We offered:
• traditional exercises to help with composition, perspective
• unusual tasks to make participants think (and shoot) differently
• advanced challenges dealing with light, shape and form

Ottawa photo class

Advanced Challenges… How is the background (metal bars above) blurred and the portrait subject sharp? (It’s not done in post processing!) © AGarner

All in all, it was a productive weekend. We dodged the rain retreating into some underground and covered secret spots I’ve discovered over the years.

Enough from me…
Students said:

“I would happily recommend – urge – anyone interested in improving their photography to take one of your workshops.”

Gatineau Ottawa Photography

Finding Beauty in Chaos © GGagnon

“Harry is very attentive to the student needs and is always available to help and answer questions – The course took me out of my comfort zone… that is good.”

“Thanks again for a fun Creative Fundamentals 2 workshop. It was very helpful and it enriched my photographic knowledge beyond what I expected.”

Ottawa photo workshop

© ALG     Secret Spots shared with participants.

#1069 Creative Fundamentals – Course Follow-up

In it’s 14th year we offered this spring’s Creative Fundamentals session.

Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop

Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop © Kathleen

Typical progression:
• Classroom Theory Session – Wide-eyed wonder
• Practical Session (early) – Trepidation
• Practical Session (late) – Smiles and relief
• Critique Session – Smiles and (early) confidence

Creative Fundamentals Photo Class - © Richard Provencher

Creative Fundamentals Photo Class – © Richard Provencher

The course went well.
Photos and skills progressed.
Smiles became more frequent.

Creative Fundamentals - Photo Class © Lisa Nabe

Creative Fundamentals – Photo Class © Lisa Nabe

Students said:
“Positive. Fun. I appreciated the prep work and care.”

“Amazing. Harry’s easy-going, well-explained style is perfect for this beginner’s course. His knowledge came through very easily using simple, easy to understand language… I came to this course very much intimidated by my camera. In a very short time I felt confident about what I was doing.”

Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop - © Virginia

Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop – © Virginia

“I learned so much with this workshop. I went from knowing nothing about exposure, iso, aperture and shooting in ‘auto’ to shooting in ‘manual’ and understanding.”

Thanks for the fun!

Creative Fundamentals © Gabriel

Creative Fundamentals © Gabriel

#1067 Kids Art Safaris with Claudia Salguero

We get asked regularly if we offer kid’s art sessions at the studio…

We’ve just booked the talented artist Claudia Salguero to bring some art fun for your kids!

Join us in June for two sessions hosted by Claudia:
•  Sand Madalas
A session of creativity and hands-on work on your own design, creating your own sand colours  and  expressing your self through the possibilities of sand as an artistic medium.

• Salt Dough Magic Faces
With home made salt dough (recipe provided) participants will experiment the creation of faces or masks. With their eyes closed, they will feel the material and the possibilities of working with their two hands at the same time.

kid's art workshop Ottawa

Salt dough faces

Dates are June 7th and 21st.

More details and register!

#1066 Back from away

We have just returned from the Netherlands and Copenhagen where we relaxed, biked, saw some sights and visited family working in Europe.

It was a fun with the focus on family and fun.

Trip highlights?
Family – It was good to remove most (there were a few deliverables) of the pressures of work to play and enjoy family all the time.
Bikes – I love bikes and all about them. And while I knew both countries were bike oriented, the bikes and bike culture were a high point of my trip. Everything revolves around bikes – city planning, transit, etc.
Windmills – Not just the pretty postcard windmills (of which we had a tour – loved it!) but everywhere we went we saw power-generating, efficient, clean windmills.
Tastes of EuropeCheese, craft beer, chocolate… We sampled and smiled.
Photography, lack of – I brought an iPhone and a ‘half-framer’ Ricoh film camera (which, erm, we left in Montreal airport, in case anyone finds it…) I took a few photos mostly of family giggling and enjoying themselves! It was time to recharge.

windmills

Leiden Windmill, Netherlands, iPhone photo

I am officially back at work Wednesday and will take a few days to be running at normal speed.

What’s coming up?
Workshops – In the next couple of weeks we offer the classic Creative Fundamentals and introduced the more challenging Fundamentals II.
Acrylic Painting Presentation (this Wednesday!)
• we’ll be announcing new arts based workshops later this week featuring Claudia Salguero.
• Producing work for two ongoing collections – Sunstreaks and Watershed.

Stay tuned!