#1049 Winter and Spring Photo Classes

Posted on February 17, 2014 by admin

Our line-up of winter and spring photography courses is almost complete!

Better photos @ HarryNowell.com photo classes

For those close to Ottawa and Gatineau, we’re offering something for everyone:
• a course for communications staff to create better work-based photos
• Macro workshop (almost full) and tulip safari with Louise Tanguay
• Smart phone photography with Blair Gable
• Creative Fundamentals – our most popular course to help people with the basics of photography plus an advanced fundamentals course for those wanting fundamentals support but more than the basics.

For those further afield we offer our Online Photo Program – all you need is a good internet connection and a desire to learn from our members!

… And there are more courses listed and soon to be announced. Stay tuned…

Better pictures through HarryNowell.com

#1042 Exposure Basics + Your Input, Please!

Posted on January 20, 2014 by admin

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

#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.

#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

#1023 Smartphone Photography Course

Posted on November 17, 2013 by admin

Smartphone Photo Class

It’s back.

Last year we offered our first smartphone photography course. People loved it:
Simple tips and complex solutions made participants smile:
• Focus techniques
• Exposure options
• Quick post processing solutions

April 6th, 2014.
9-noon.
$80 + HST

Photojournalist Blair Gable leads you through technical workflow and creative ideas to help you create better photos.

More details.
Register.

#1019 On Location Lighting with Blair Gable – Review

Posted on November 6, 2013 by admin

On Location Lighting Photo Class with Blair Gable – © Blair Gable

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!

On Location Lighting Photo Class with Blair Gable – © Don Douglas

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

On Location Lighting Photo Class with Blair Gable – © Roberta G

“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.

On Location Lighting Photo Class with Blair Gable – © Genvieve Maurice

On Location Lighting Photo Class with Blair Gable – © Marc Lafleur

On Location Lighting Photo Class with Blair Gable – © Blair Gable

#1018 Online Photo Course – Student Successes!

Posted on November 3, 2013 by admin

Framed! – Online Photo Course © Eryck B. – Dog is framed by focus and patio stone.

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!

Framed! – Online Photography Course © Liz Ruddick – Bear’s head is framed by dark green background…

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!

#1017 Winner!!

Posted on November 1, 2013 by admin

Last week we offered photo tips on better self portraits.
Seems we hit a hot topic!

We also asked you to share YOUR Selfies and we promised we would post one on the blog.

Virginia sent us her Selfie below.

We liked the creative element immediately and, in the end, it was the ‘different’ and fresh perspective that won us over… and won her a three month free membership on our Online Photo Program.

The other entries were strong and fun. We always have a tough time choosing!
Thanks for entering.

And congratulations to Virginia!
Watch for her photo tip on PrimePhotoTips, soon!

#1015 New Photo Course – Exposure Basics – Mastering Manual Mode.

Posted on October 28, 2013 by admin

Better Photos
Few things scare a novice photographer more than the words “Manual Exposure Mode.”
Join us on this short course to learn how to avoid grey snow.

Learn to shoot with more confidence in Manual Exposure Mode!

Whites should be white!!

Who should take this course?!
This mini course is perfect for new photographers looking to establish a solid set of skills or for the intermediate photographer looking for a refresher.You will learn:
• simple, effective tips to get consistently better exposures
• about the importance and effectivenes of histograms to evaluate your photo in the field (erm, the screen on the back of your camera is notoriously bad at evaluating exposure!)
• the basis for successfully photographing advanced lighting conditions

About the Histogram

Join us:
Dates:
Saturday, January 18th, 2014; 10-1pmLocation
A central Ottawa location with lots of warm shooting potential to explore the world of exposure.

Cost
$80 + applicable taxes

#1014 Tips for Better Selfies + Selfie Contest!!

Posted on October 24, 2013 by admin

Selfies (self portraits) have become hot since Facebook met iPhones.

Hipsters and the more average among us are turning cameras on themselves… with varying degrees of success.

In this month’s version of Exposed! we offer tips for better Selfies.

Win a photo membership!
And this month we’re offering a free three-month Online Membership to one lucky reader who submits a selfie to us by Sunday, October 27th, 2014.

Details at the end of the Selfie Tips newsletter.

Be bold. Be brave.
Win an Online program!

Selfies – top tips for better selfies