#695 Shoots… and SCORES!!! Ottawa hockey photography workshop

We’re very happy to announce we’re offering our Pro Hockey Photo Workshop with the Ottawa 67s in 2012 – our fifth year running this fantastic event.

Ottawa 67s hockey

Ottawa 67s hockey

Hockey/photo fans love getting close to the action to photograph the next NHL superstars as the Ottawa 67s take on the Kingston Frontenacs.

Photographing Pro Hockey - Ottawa photo class

Get close to the action with 'Photographing Pro Hockey' - Ottawa photo class

We have arranged privileged access to allow participants of this workshop to shoot from ice level with mainstream media photographers.

We meet a week before the game to cover elements of shooting fast paced indoor hockey including equipment, techniques, and logistics.

Photographing Pro Hockey - Ottawa Photography Class

Photographing Pro Hockey - Ottawa Photo Class

On game day we walk you through shooting to achieve the best results and gain experience shooting fast paced indoor sports.

And finally we meet a third time to review, critique your successes and suggest improvements for future games.

See last year’s workshop.

And 2010’s workshop.

Valerie, one of our first graduates of this course now runs the Ottawa 67s fan blog and has produced two books on the Ottawa 67s.

Photographing Pro Hockey - Ottawa Photo Course

Photographing Pro Hockey - Ottawa Photo Course

Join us for this chance of a lifetime:

January 28th: hockey prep, 10am-1pm

February 4th: Game Day, noon-6pm (approximately)

February 8th: Review & Critique, 6-9pm

Locations: Ottawa Studio Works and the J Benson Cartage Centre at Lansdowne Park.

Cost – $325 + taxes.

Join us for Photographing Pro Hockey!

#693 Upcoming Photo Classes in Ottawa and Gatineau

We’ve been updating our workshops and classes. Here’s a selection of what’s brewing:

See all of our upcoming workshops and events.

Night Light – is coming up fast – this weekend. Looks like one (maybe two) spots left.

Night Light Photo Class - Ottawa

Night Light Photo Class - Ottawa

Creative Business Seminar – for anyone curious about turning photo into a business. We delve into the kinds of things you won’t find in textbooks. First weekend in November.

Photography for Communications Professionals – Better workplace imagery, this workshop is geared for government and corporate communications departments.

Lightroom Seminar – get your heads wrapped around this industry standard editing software from Adobe. Run by veteran photographer and Lightroom expert, J David Andrews. November 19th.

Creative Fundamentals – our most popular workshop. Everyone can benefit from the fundamentals. January, 2012.

Natural Light Portraits – also very popular. Better people pictures. January, 2012.

To be announced very soonPhotographing Pro Hockey – Jan 28, Feb 4, Feb 8th. We get access to an Ottawa 67s game to shoot alongside media at ice level. Very fun!

Photographing pro hockey - photo course - Ottawa

Get close to the action - "Photographing pro hockey" photo course - Ottawa

See more workshops, safaris and events.

#692 Assignment Spotlight – Principal portraits

In September I photographed Vivian Bright, principal of Alta Vista Public School, for a Danish magazine.

I met with writer Dorthe Lundh to discuss the portrait – for the magazine skolelederne. It was nice to see the artwork produced primarily in Denmark – quite a different look. I needed to create some work that matched the style – including a light-hearted sense of fun not usually associated with school principals.

Ottawa editorial portrait

Ottawa editorial portrait

I shot two short sessions:

• the first was in the principals office to show the more academic side

 Ottawa editorial portrait

Ottawa editorial portrait

• I chose the playground to show an alternate view.

 Ottawa editorial portrait

Ottawa editorial portrait

Fun shoot.

Fun people.

Just plain fun.

#691 Ottawa

This summer I’ve been working on an assignment to cover the Ottawa Rowing Club for a fine magazine. It’s been a fun assignment – my only grumble was that rowers usually start their days at ‘far-too-early‘ o’clock… while I don’t enjoy early mornings I’ll do anything for a good photo.

Many visits, many good people and many motor boat rides chasing sleek, rowing shells have produced a body of work that will come out next spring or early summer. Stay tuned. I’ll keep you posted.

Ottawa Rowing Club

Ottawa Rowing Club

In other news, Canadian Geographic posted a piece featuring three Ottawa photographers – Tony Fouhse, David Trattles and Remi Theriault – written by Ottawa Magazine‘s Sarah Brown.

In it she says “In May, [David Trattles] held a show of portraits taken in communities across Canada as well as in India. Unfortunately, it was a one-night affair in a studio that packed in around 50 lucky souls.” Our Ottawa Studio Works hosted the lucky souls who got to see Dave’s show.

David Trattles at Ottawa Studio Works photo studio

David Trattles's photo exhibition at Ottawa Studio Works

All three photographers deserve a shout-out for their works.

#690 Do-It-Yourself Portraits – Review

Last week we had a visit from Andrea Tomkins and family – Andrea writes the popular blog – A Peek Inside the Fishbowl.

She brought her whole family, including Piper the dog, to try her hand at the Do-It-Yourself Portraits at our photo studio in central Ottawa.

DIY Portraits?

Yep, pretty easy actually. Bring your people and friendly dogs to our well equipped studio in central Ottawa, plug in your camera (or one of our rentals) to the preset studio lights and start clicking. By the end of the hour session you walk away with a memory card of memories and family portraits.

Book your session in time for Christmas card season – Just contact us. November and December dates will be posted soon.

After their session Andrea sent a note and some photos:

Thank you! This was a great experience. I’m pleased with how the photos turned out and was really happy with the whole process from start to finish.

And her DIY portraits? Well judge for yourself. (Ahem, we think she did very well!!):

DIY Portraits - Photo Studio - Ottawa

Andrea Tomkins' DIY Portraits - Photo Studio - Ottawa

Andrea Tomkins' DIY Portraits - Photo Studio - Ottawa

Andrea Tomkins' DIY Portraits - Photo Studio - Ottawa

Andrea Tomkins' DIY Portraits - Photo Studio - Ottawa

Andrea Tomkins' DIY Portraits - Photo Studio - Ottawa

#689 Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

About a week ago we hosted the semi annual photo farm safari.

Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

We had near perfect weather and many smiles as we started with a warm up challenge and proposed tougher tests for those that wanted them. A big thanks to the Canada Agriculture Museum for making this safari possible!

Canada Agriculture Museum

Canada Agriculture Museum

Some photos from the safari are featured on this blog post. A big thanks to all the participants.

© Julie K - Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

© Julie K - Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

On the safari I learned of a very fun website from Debra – ShutterSisters.com is well worth a visit!

“ShutterSisters?”

Yep. They say ‘… the collaborative photo blog that welcomes all women with a passion for photography from experts to amateurs alike. We are so glad to have you here.

© Cheryl K. - Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

© Cheryl K. - Ottawa Farm Photo Safari

#688 Reader’s Photo of the Month Contest

Another month and another challenge to pick the top photo submitted to our monthly photo contest on our blog!

I sometimes feel bad because there are often a few that could run away with top spot. This month there were three that came very close. But there can only be one winner based on photo and supporting text.

And this month’s winner is…

Al Garner with his chrysalis of a Monarch butterfly.

Ottawa photo contest

Al Garner - Winner! - Ottawa photo contest

Al says:

Each year in the late summer my wife, Cathy, likes to collect monarch caterpillars and the milkweed plants they feed on.  We then watch as they eat and grow, eventually turn into achrysalis and later finally emerge as butterflies. 

This summer we were at my aunt & uncle’s cottage when Cathy did her collecting.  She collected 3 caterpillars and we watched them feeding while sitting on the deck.  Then one “escaped” and we later discovered that it had moved to the outside wall of the cottage to make its chrysalis.  I loved how it had attached itself right on a seam. 

The long line of the seam leads your eye right to the amazing sight of the chrysalis hanging in space.  I used a telephoto lens and extension tubes to get a close up view.  The telephoto lens combined with a large aperture gave a thin slice of focus which helped to isolate the line of the seam and the chrysalis.

Why did Al’s photo win? It’s a great photo with a good story and there was some significant thought and work that went into developing and capturing this photo. Congratulations Al!

Al wins a year’s subscription to Canadian Geographic Magazine. A big THANK-YOU!! to Canadian Geographic for their donation to the contest.

Canadian Geographic Magazine

Canadian Geographic Magazine

Please keep your photos coming! It keeps me on my toes choosing the winner.

This month’s prize is a LowePro Nova 1 photo bag (suitable for an SLR camera and lens), courtesy of a couple of our readers – Andrew and Gwyn.

See all the winners. Keep clicking and submitting. Good luck!

#687 Photo Exhibition – Ottawa – “Love through the Lens”

We’re pretty excited.

In November, Perth photo artist, Kevin Foisy joins us at Ottawa Studio Works for his show of new works – “Love through the Lens.

I’ve been watching Kevin’s work develop over the last year + and like what I have seen!

The show:
Perth area art photographer, Kevin Foisy, combines traditional and new photographic tools to create images of love that combine the literal with the abstract.  “Love through the Lens” features recent works, each connected by a theme of love;  love of nature, love of fellow man, love of family, love of life.

Kevin’s imagery and written words connect the viewer with the subject matter, teasing their emotions from within. This is the first opportunity to purchase Kevin’s most recent work.

Kevin Foisy – photo exhibition – Love through the Lens :

Kevin Foisy - photo exhibition - Love through the Lens

This baby racoon scurries up the tree, relinquishing its new found freedom in favour of the safety of its mother. In human psychology, this stage of development is called "rapprochement". This image captures the love of mother and child.

Kevin Foisy, Artist Statement:

In an increasingly digital world, we long to experience the essence of life beyond BlackBerries, iPhones, and social networks. We crave a connection with the natural world around us and there are few mediums left that can create that connection.Photographic art is a language for me. On its own, a photograph can provide a viewer with a simple visual experience. But an artistically expressed photograph imparts a powerful visual medium, using a vocabulary that conveys deep emotions such as love, compassion, peace, joy and sorrow in a very personal way that requires no words. My art reaches into people’s hearts, tapping into emotions that long for release. It appeals to a side of us that desires the natural world experience, longing to be one with the world around us.

Kevin Foisy – photo exhibition – Love through the Lens:

Love of the Sea

Love of the Sea

 

Abstract art has always engaged my mind, enticing me to draw out my own story, my own images, turning the wheels of my imagination. When an abstract piece is connected to something tangible, the abstractions become even more powerful and I feel a delightful sense of engagement that keeps me interested far longer than a literal image would. My work draws upon this understanding

 

I often stand before a subject and contemplate the underlying emotions behind the scene that I am about to capture. Using a combination of in-camera shooting techniques and post-processing artistry, I combine the literal image with its abstract essence. The literal image grounds the viewer in the place or thing, while the abstract engages the mind, drawing out the underlying emotions of the experience. This combination allows the viewer to feel the true nature of the subject matter.

 

Each day, each experience, each emotion provides a fresh canvas to paint as I strive to use photographic light and artistry in ways that remind us of the emotions within.

 

Kevin Foisy - photo exhibition - Love through the Lens

Love of Colour

 

Please join us in November to celebrate Kevin’s new works:

Where: Ottawa Studio Works; 160 Preston St., Ottawa

When: Friday, November 25th, 2011.

#686 Creative Fundamentals Photo Class

We recently finished our longest running, most popular workshop with a critique session at our Ottawa photo studio.

It’s been running for 11 years and keeps attracting people either as a Custom Course or a group course. Why?

Creative Fundamentals delivers the fundamentals of modern, digital photography in easy to learn chunks. And it makes people smile – we make it accessible and fun.

Below are some photos from the course:

Julie A photo - Creative Fundamentals Photo Course

Julie A photo - Creative Fundamentals Photo Course

Sarah R photo - Creative Fundamentals Photography Class

Sarah R photo - Creative Fundamentals Photo Class

Laura H photo - diamonds in the creek?! - Creative Fundamentals Photography Class

Laura H photo - diamonds in the creek?! - Creative Fundamentals Photography Class

Robert G photo - Creative Fundamentals Photography Workshop

Robert G photo - Creative Fundamentals Photo Workshop

Please cheer for all our student’s successes! Our next group session of Creative Fundamentals is January 18, 21, 25, 2012. We already have people on the list. Custom Courses are available anytime.

Today we hosted the Farm Photo Safari – stay tuned for photos on the blog!

#685 Ottawa photo contest – Honourable Mentions!

In honour of the last half year of our Reader’s Photo of the Month Photo Contest we would like to celebrate a few photos that deserve some trumpeting and applause. The photos below did not win the contest but came close – there are others that we could not include – sorry! These ‘honourable mentions’ are displayed in no particular order.

This month we have some strong contenders vying for this month’s prize of a Canadian Geographic subscription. There’s still time to enter your photos – sports, gardens, portraits, or dogs launching from your dock – send us your photos! We are looking for fine photos and some text about your inspiration.

Congratulations to the photographers below!

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention - Celso Bressan

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention - Sandra Croft

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention - Stéphanie Beauregard

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention - Stéphanie Beauregard

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention - Joe Davis

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention

Photo Contest - Honourable Mention - Pamela Byrtus