#970 Online Photo Challenge Review

Posted on July 10, 2013 by admin

Our online photo program roars along with a new photo challenge every month. Members receive video lessons, tips, links and share ideas as they produce their best shots for the photo challenge.

June’s challenge was photojournalistic storytelling and members were guided as they created single photos that told stories within themselves.

Photojournalism Challenge – “One Photo Stories” Love – © Gina R

The creative challenges are often tougher than the technical challenges because there are fewer “recipes for success!” Still, participants rose to the challenge with some amazing photos.

Photojournalistic storytelling – Online Photo Challenge – © Maisie I

And they continue to enjoy the process!
Comments from the past month:
• “[My photos improved over the last year…] It’s all thanks to you, the course and the forum! I know that I wouldn’t have learnt as much just taking a class here and there. For this, I can’t thank you enough!”

• “Harry, you always keep me on my toes and throw in extra food for thought. I love it, thank you!”

Photojournalistic Storytelling – Online Challenge – © Lynn G

“I found this challenge to be very challenging. I got out shooting and I tried a new style that should help improve my images going forward. It was a good exercise and (as always) it was helpful to see what others were shooting”

Photojournalistic Storytelling – Online Photo Challenge – © John D.

“Thanks for another great challenge!”

“Photojournalism, a very good challenge… it makes you think about taking just a photo vs. a photo story. Gives the photo taking purpose and helps with composition.”

Photojournalistic Storytelling – Online Photo Challenge – © Allan C.

“This was my first challenge and I found it consumed a lot of my thoughts; I was excited, scared and felt hungry for the challenge … I do feel a little sad that it’s over but I will continue to use the story telling in all my photos in the future. I look forward to the July challenge.”

Photojournalistic Storytelling – Online Photo Challenge
– © Marcel M.

Want better photos?
Looking to boost your skills?
The online photo program helps you get the experience for better pictures.

How?
Weekly content with lessons, videos, links, critique and a member forum.
Join us…

#967 Custom Photo Course Review – Macro & Fundamentals

Posted on July 2, 2013 by admin

So last week we ran a custom course for Christine who wanted a refresher on photography and an intro to macro photography. We met at a public ornamental garden and covered elements of Creative Fundamentals and Macro work.

How’d she do?
Her photos improved and her confidence grew!

Custom Photography Course – © Christine Payant

And it sounds like she loved it…
(Ok, ok… now, I know I am a good teacher and photographer but comments like these make my teaching worthwhile!):

“Thank you so much for the great Creative Fundamentals custom course yesterday. It was absolutely worth every penny.

I learned so much in just one day and can’t believe I never learned or knew about these skills before. This proves to me just how important it is to continuously upgrade and maintain photography skills in order to get better and better.

Better Photos © Christine P.

You are a wonderful and very patient teacher and obviously a gifted photographer.
Thanks so much for the great custom course.

I will definitely be taking some more courses this summer and fall. I will probably start with the on-line course, to keep me pushing to take more pictures and improve my skills.

Thanks again so much.”

Thank-YOU Christine! I love teaching and I love creating beautiful pictures. I feel so lucky to do what I do!

Better photos through HarryNowell.com! © Christine P.

UPDATE: Christine just sent us an email – she’s been enjoying her new skills! Nice work Christine!:

Macro Custom Photography Course © Christine P.

#965 Photo Student Wins Int’l Credit! + Fall Photo Class Planning

Posted on June 28, 2013 by admin

Summer has just arrived (yay!) but that means we are busy planning our fall photography classes. And we want YOUR help! See below.

…But first we’d like to congratulate Morina, a graduate of our photo program!
This morning I received an email from Morina, a ProProgram graduate. She has taken many photo courses within her program. This morning she sent a message and a page from Photography Week:

“Harry, you’ve taught me well! You are the first person I want to thank – highly commended for my photo in the international magazine Photography Week. You said “Do something different” – I did and look what has happened. So excited….”

Really, we just kept feeding Morina photo skills. She worked hard over 2 or 3 years to turn that knowledge into award winning photography!

Congratulations, Morina!

Student Success – Morina Reece’s photo “Highly Commended” in Photography Week Magazine. Good work Morina!

Preliminary Fall Line-up
We’ve started to load some photography courses on the fall’s agenda:
• Creative Fundamentals (Sept/Oct) – A classic course (that’s already a quarter full.)
• Night Light (Oct) – Popular course chasing the magic light of the night.
• On Location Lighting with Blair Gable (Oct) – Learn lighting from a leading photojournalist.
• Photography for Communications Professionals (Nov) – We help you get better workplace pictures!
• Mastering Lightroom with Peter Handley (RGD) (Fall – dates to be set) – Improve your post processing guided by a prominent graphic designer.
• Online Photo Program (start anytime!) – Our monthly challenges keep you consistently engaged and help you improve your photography!

Photo Class Help!
But we need YOUR HELP. Most of our courses are developed because YOU requested them.

What do you want to learn!?
Let us know via email or in the comments, below.

#957 Macro Photo Class Review

Posted on June 9, 2013 by admin

Macrophotography course with Louise Tanguay on the photo blog at HarryNowell.com

Macrophotography course with Louise Tanguay © Marc Lafleur

“Nice work.”

That’s what I thought when people sent in photos from the Macrophotography Class with Louise Tanguay.

Louise‘s last two workshops with us sold out and for good reason! She is a well-loved teacher and superb photographer with many publications and accomplishments to her name.

Macrophotography class with Louise Tanguay featured at HarryNowell.com/blog

Macrophotography class with Louise Tanguay – © Johanne Blain

We’re lucky to have her – she travels and teaches all over the world. A few students insisted we bring her back soon for another workshop. We’re working on it!

See a small sample of student’s work in this blog post.

What’s coming up next for photo classes? Check our listings and Online Photo Program. We also do custom courses – anytime – for our courses.

Macrophotography class with Louise Tanguay – © Alicia Borisonic

Ottawa Macrophotography course with Louise Tanguay

Macrophotography course with Louise Tanguay – © C Bressan

Macrophotography Course – ©Sébastien Albert – trobophoto.com

#952 One Year Anniversary – Online Program – Special Offer!

Posted on May 28, 2013 by admin

Happy Anniversary to us!!
A year ago, in June, we added the Online Photo Program to our list of photo classes to help bring our well-loved photo courses to people beyond Ottawa!

It was a lot of work and we weren’t sure quite what we were getting into!
But… what we did create has people coming back for more!

First photo challenge - self portraits © Jane B.

First online photo challenge – “self portraits” © Jane B.

Members keep sending in comments saying how the program has helped them:
• be more active photographers
• learn in a fun environment
• be part of a community of photographers looking to improve their skills.

First Online Photo Challenge “Self Portraits” © Maisie I.

Whatever the Online Photo Program does, I am seeing people improve their skills and produce better and better photos!

See last month’s online photo program review for more member photos and comments!

See part of the first critique session ever on the Online Photo Program:

Special Offer!
In celebration of the first year of photo fun on the online photo program we are offering a celebratory, limited offer to the lucky people who click the button below until June 3rd!

30% off! Hurry – it won’t last long!
Instead of $180 for 6 months of monthly photo courses, you get 6 months of photo challenges, video, notes, critique and sharing for $125! Price returns to $180 after June 3rd.

Special Offer has expired…
Register Online.

First Online Photo Challenge “Self Portraits” © Cheryl K.

#950 – Online Photo Class – May’s photo challenge review

Posted on May 23, 2013 by admin

Last month on the Online Photo Program we gave the members the challenge of Slow Photos – where we asked them to shoot with a shutter speed of 1 second or longer. That’s tough to do!

This month the photography class challenge was Fast Photos where we asked members to use a fast shutter speed to freeze any action to show implied motion in their photos. It’s also a tough challenge!!

Better photos - Online Photography Course

Better photos - Online Photography Program - "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" © Al G

And the online programmers rose to the challenge! As usual I was impressed with the work they did and the results. We have a private Facebook group for members to share and exchange ideas – it’s nice to see people help each other grow.

The Online Program Experience
I don’t know any photo program offered like ours. It’s not quite a photography course… it’s more of a ‘group-exploration-of-photo-challenges.’

We offer a new photo challenge every month and support photographer’s development with:
• a video lesson
• course notes
• photo tips
• web links
• equipment suggestions
• support
• weekly lesson by email
• a Facebook based forum for members to share AND
• a video critique of member’s photos to wrap things up.
In all there are four weeks of programming every month. All for $30 a month, purchased as a 6 month block.

Better photos - Online Photography Course - "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" © Kevan E

Member comments from May’s challenge keep coming in with praise for the program:
• “Thanks so much Harry, couldn’t have done it without you and the online course.”
• “I am very much enjoying the challenges and the format of what you’ve created here with the online program. For me, just the right balance of freedom to work at your own pace and structure to keep you honest and get something done. With good advice along the way. I appreciate it, and am very happy to support it.”
• “It was a tough assignment and needed a lot of elements to come together for it to work. But a great learning experience. I’m loving this and the FB group is terrific.”

Better photos - Online Photography Course "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" - Ken C

• “I like the program a lot, it keeps me on track. I wouldn’t be using my camera as much if I wasn’t taking the program.”
• “I am really enjoying the program. My intent when I signed up was to help me get creative, and off my butt and do some shooting. I find I’m more creative if I have a goal or deadline of some sort. Making one up didn’t work.
I think the timing (a month for a challenge) and its spacing is perfect. And I enjoy seeing other’s work and getting feedback, especially the criticisms. Tough to take, but the best way to learn. I’m already looking forward to the topic for June.”

Coming In June we’ll be looking at one type of story-telling with your camera. Join us!

Better photos - Online Photography Class

Better photos - Online Photography Course "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" - Cathy V

#946 – New adventures? – iPhone photo

Posted on May 15, 2013 by admin

Soooo, I am looking at iPhones, mostly to assist work.

Not so much for client photography but to support blog work, Facebook and other promotion work. I get tired of pulling out the big (lovely) cameras and going through the whole production needed to get a photo on Facebook, etc.

I DON’T love the techy-tech of photography and I usually a bit behind the leading edge (for good reason! – cheaper and early bugs often get resolved by the second generation.)

What’s your experience with Smartphone photography?

Update… I did it. iPhone. Now I am learning. Can’t wait for Blair Gable’s Smartphone Photo Safari.

#939 Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop – Classic Course Results

Posted on April 28, 2013 by admin

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!

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.

#920 Upcoming Photo Workshops and Classes

Posted on March 12, 2013 by admin

We have our spring line-up of photo courses and workshops lined up.

Coming soon we will be announcing some summer and fall photo fun and are looking for some input – what do YOU want to learn photographically?

Spring Classes
This spring is shaping up nicely. At time of writing there is one spot left in our classic Creative Fundamentals Photo Class – it’s been filling up regularly since 2001 because we’ve figured out ways to help people demystify the mysteries of the camera.

Our spring offerings with Louise Tanguay are filling nicely – last year her Macro course filled early!!

Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop - Ottawa

Summer and Fall Classes
We will be announcing new workshops soon but how do these sound?:
• Weekend Algonquin Park Triple Barrel Adventure with Harry Nowell and naturalists and Bird Photographers Tony Beck and Nina Stavlund.
• On-Location Lighting with Blair Gable. Last year we had to offer a second session as people ‘demaned’ more!
• Urban Compositions Photo Safari exploring the unseen wonders of the cityscape.
• Summer Sports Photography challenging your cameras to catch the action.
• 2013 World Press Photo of the Year Festivities We’ve run events in past years – packed!
• Post Processing Seminars
• Night Light Photo Workshop A classic and popular session of magic lighting
• Fireworks Photo Safari Figure out the formulas for popping fun.

Blair Gable On Location Lighting Class 2012 - Ottawa

I am getting dizzy just thinking about what is coming up.
Stay tuned as announcements come…

And what photo workshop would YOU like to see us host?

#917 March’s Online Photo Challenge

Posted on March 5, 2013 by admin

Our online photo program brings a new course to your computer every month.

In March we bring members a creative challenge – capturing candid portraits without looking through the viewfinder or live-view screen.

“That’s crazy!”
Yes, it is – a little bit.

But there are good reasons and good results that come from this technique. This month we help members develop better candid portrait results.

Join the fun!

Candid portrait - from last summer's wedding season - shot without the viewfinder.