#1037 HoHoHo!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by admin

HoHoHo!

Thanks for the fun this year!

There was much to smile about:
• Media and Celebrity Photo Contest
• Photo Workshops
• Our Online Photo Program
• Building the BIG large format Camera
• Watershed Art Exhibition developments
• Our new photo tips site

… and thanks for your support for keeping us going.
Without YOU none of this would be possible.

Congratulations to all of our students for your efforts and successes. You’ve come a long way!

Happy Holidays!
Holiday schedule:
We will be checking emails every few days and are open for online workshop registrations but we’ll be laying low (and skiing, building snow sculptures, skating and recharging) until the new year…

We’ll be back on the blog in early January.

Happy Holidays

#1036 Platform Series Seminar – Photography for Art Promotion

Posted on December 20, 2013 by admin

We’re teaming up with La Fab in Old Chelsea, Quebec to host Photography for Art Promotion.

We developed this seminar to help artists and crafts people create better photos of their own artworks for the purposes of juried exhibitions, archiving, and promotion.

“Harry’s [Photographing Artwork] workshop was one of the main attractions for attendees. Harry’s presentation was full of simple, effective solutions that were explained in a fun and lighthearted way.” Sara Washbush – Ontario Craft Council – Photographing Artwork for Promotion.

Photography is expensive and complicated!
Anyone can click a picture. But to get technically perfect renditions of your art is tough!
We present two different systems (simple or complex) to help you understand and create better promotional photos of your work.

Join us March 22nd in the evening at La Fabrique:
Register now!

Paul Saindon – fine artist

#1034 Exposed! Photo Newsletter – Printing Your Photos at Home!

Posted on December 12, 2013 by admin

Printing Your Photos at Home!

Recently, I was approached by a biplane pilot I had photographed years ago for a stock assignment. He wanted reprints and I offered a digital file and permission to reproduce…

He wanted to print the photo at home.
That makes me nervous!
Why?

Printing is tougher than people realize and I often hear “the printer is broken” or “the file is bad.” Usually, the problem is somewhere else… and this month we help you navigate the printing process to help you decide what to do.

#1033 Web distractions

Posted on December 11, 2013 by admin

It’s time for more of you web distractions – thanks for sending them in!

• Perfect Timing – about the Lee Harvey Oswald Shooting
Thanks to Yan Huckendubler for sending us this video featuring Pullitzer Prize winning photojournalist Bob Jackson about his famous shot of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald – charged with killing President kennedy.

• Social Documentary – Bedrooms from around the world
Lou Truss sent us this link to some eye-opening photos showing the variety of sleeping conditions!

• Powerful Photos of 2013
We learned about this post from Victoria’s Brian Pridham. Thanks Brian!

• Death of the DSLR?
We read this online article thanks to CAPIC!

• Photo Tips
Read our latest photo tips.Thanks for your contribution!

We’re always looking for photo tips and web distractions. Send us your best.

Photo Tips – Make a fast car seem faster by using a slow shutter speed like 1/15th of a second.

#1032 “Watershed” Project from the Big Camera

Posted on December 8, 2013 by admin

I’ve been working on the Watershed collection since 2001 – large beautiful prints of a little creek in Chelsea that happens to run behind our home. I’ve now followed it about 14 km with panoramic, medium and large format film equipment – capturing the very different facets of the waterway and the interrelationships with everything that it’s connected to.

It’s been a long project. Much of the work is hanging in an exhibition space at Ottawa International Airport.

Recently, as many of you know, I built an 8×10 large format camera. And I’ve started taking it out to the Watershed. It’s a lot of work – the new camera (including tripod) weighs about almost 14kg (approx 30 pounds) but the results are beautiful.

The whole point of an 8×10 camera is the beauty of enormous prints attributable to the large piece of film capturing every scrap of detail.

I’ve been using the camera in a different way. I am putting light sensitive paper (instead of traditional film) in the camera.
Quoi?

The ‘film’ I place in the camera is the final product that hangs on your wall.
Each photo is an original.

Also, there is NO post processing or darkroom manipulation to correct or enhance. The finished art comes straight from the camera and is a test of my camera skills and a showcase of my preferences at time of shooting.

I love it.

Interested in the art work?
Let me know…

8×10 print – straight from the camera, literally

#1029 People’s Choice Award Winner

Posted on December 1, 2013 by admin

We opened our doors to the fourth annual Studio Open House at Ottawa Studio Works.

We offered:
• New works from our Watershed series created with our Large Format Camera.
• Winter and spring workshops
• An exhibition of student photos selected by jury.

Open House – Ottawa Studio Works

Student Photo Show
One visitor asked “Who shot these photos?”
Harry – “Our photo workshop students.”
Visitor – “But they’re good.”
Harry – “Exactly.”

Open House at the photo studio – People’s Choice second place is awarded to Julius Liptak’s “Cuban Patriot” – featured here!

People’s Choice Award!
For the student show we asked visitors to vote for their favourite photo. By the end of the evening we had a decisive and clear winner.

Marie Josée L’s macro shot of droplets suspended on the stamen of a flower won over the Open House visitors. Her photo is the People’s Choice! And for her efforts she wins a free three month session of our Online Photo Program.

Second place went to Julius Liptak’s Cuban Patriot (see above) and there was a very close tie for third: Al Garner’s Green Oasis, Morina Reece’s ‘Vintage’ Portrait and Cheryl Kreis’ Dogs in Flight.

Congratulations to all…

Thanks again for the fun. And thanks to our sponsors who made this show possible:
Artopix.ca
DaveAndrews.ca
PatrickGordonFraming.ca

Thanks to our sponsors!

#1025 Web Distractions

Posted on November 22, 2013 by admin

It’s time for more of you web distractions – thanks for sending them in!

• Behind the Scenes of an Apple Photo Shoot
Jeffrey Furry sent us this link through a member “online photo program” discussion on the complexity of “getting it right straight from the camera”

• Low-Tech, High Impact
Theresa Hannah shared these amazing photos she found on the web captured using low tech camera equipment. Interested? See our Simple Studio Lighting Workshop.

• Social Documentary – Lost Tribes
Jackie Donaldson sent us this link of amazing photographs from around the world…

• Amazing Film – not CGI!
Dino Sotos posted this amazing Volvo ad shot live – not in the computer. I admire work based on tactile photo and physical skills!

• A Tip of the Hat to the Impact of Photography
Murielle Cassidy offered this news piece that shows the impact of photography or not.

• Photo Tips
Read our latest photo tips.Thanks for your contribution!

We’re always looking for photo tips and web distractions. Send us your best.

Photo Tips – Better Portraits

#1020 Web Distractions

Posted on November 9, 2013 by admin

It’s time for more of you web distractions – thanks for sending them in!

• Speedy Shooting
Steve McConnery sent us this link to an amazing National geographic documentary
on capturing the speed of the cheetah.

• Disappearing Worlds
Lou Truss provided this link to an amazing collection of work.

• Ansel Adams Story
Allan Cameron offered us this glimpse of the life of a master photographer.

Photo Tip – Look up!

• Rebound of Stock
CAPIC posted this article on the rebound of prices and integrity of stock photography.

• Photo Tips
Read our latest photo tips.Thanks for your contribution!

We’re always looking for photo tips and web distractions. Send us your best!

#1019 On Location Lighting with Blair Gable – Review

Posted on November 6, 2013 by admin

In October we offered On Location Lighting with Blair Gable.

Apparently, it went well:
“It’s the best class I’ve taken, by far (this is my 11th photo class.)”
GM – her first course at HarryNowell.com!

We do our best to bring you the best in photo workshops!

Students came with a mix of backgrounds but many were new, working photographers, advanced amateurs and past students looking to advance their skills.

A big thanks to Blair and his crew for sharing his talents and space.

Stay tuned… Blair will be back for 2 more photo seminar/safaris new dates coming soon – iPhone photography and Post Processing with Photoshop.

studio photography class - Ottawa/Gatineau

“It was a great way to boost my creativity – to push myself to try new things.”
RG

“I just wanted to say thank you for a fantastic experience. Not only did I gain a lot from the class environment, I also gained a lot from the one on ones I had Blair.”
ML

“Good fun, very informative and inspiring to be more creative.”
Anon.

#1018 Online Photo Course – Student Successes!

Posted on November 3, 2013 by admin

In October we ran a compositional challenge for members of our online photo program.

One of my pet peeves is messy, nasty backgrounds that pull and detract from a beautiful main subject.

Our challenge, “Framed,” was designed to help photographers make their main subjects pop!

Member photos made me smile!
And the program continues to create smiles:

“This course has accomplished two things for me. First, it has renewed my love of photography and second it has made me a better photographer.”

Framed! – Online Photo Course © Sara H. – White dress and black hair help separate the woman from the background. She’s also framed by the door!

“I really do like the format and look forward to getting out more as it provides a purpose to taking photos with an objective/goal…and you provide very good advice and tips which everyone can benefit from.”

Framed! – Online Photography Course – © Willa M – The person is framed in beautiful circle of light. The sun flare leads your eye to the main subject!

“Thanks for another great challenge this month. I found myself looking for ways to frame almost everything I saw over the last few weeks!”

Congratulations, everyone!
Join us for the Online Photo Program @ HarryNowell.com.

Framed! Online Photo Challenge © Don D. – Photographer is framed in the middle horizontal rectangle of the background. Nice silhouette!