#1078 Student Success!

Posted on June 5, 2014 by admin

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!

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.

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

Posted on May 29, 2014 by admin

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.

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)

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.

From the home made 8×10 camera

#1075 Web Distractions

Posted on May 25, 2014 by admin

This edition of Web Distractions is brought to you by many of our readers and supporters! Thanks for keeping the links coming…

• 55 Best Photographers, Ever
We stumbled upon this list and I was curious who got the number one spot…

• Pre-Pantone Colours
Norman P offered this link about a book of colours described hundreds of years before Pantone.

Film Photography

• Photos of Tears
Gina R suggested this link with photos about the uniqueness of tears.

• Historic Negatives Found at Thrift Shop
Wojciech J. posted this link about a story of negatives that surfaced in a Thrift Shop.

• Motorbikes and their Loads
Peter H brought our attention to this light hearted look at heavy loads.

• Oops, wrong photos in a big news story
‘Anonymous’ suggested this NY Times story about the wrong photos being used for a mega news story

• Post-Baby Beauty
Murielle C posted this link challenging perceptions of beauty.

• Photographer Round-up
Check who’s doing what in the photo world – expand your horizons.

A big thanks for the links – keep them coming!

Bye for now…

#1074 Join Us – New Works

Posted on May 21, 2014 by admin

June offers the New Art Festival in the Glebe’s Central Park in Ottawa.

Hundreds of artists congregate to bring you their latest works with innovative ideas.

Hand bult 8×10 camera – photographing the Watershed project

This year I’m presenting:
• BIG Watershed prints

• My latest Watershed works shot with my hand built camera – these photos are originals – the photograph is the medium that gets exposed in the camera.

Watershed 4×5 Black&White Print – this photo is the material loaded in the camera… there is only one.

• Sunstreaks – For a year I’ve developed a way to capture the sun streaking across familiar landscapes with an old process not intended for the camera. These pictures also come straight from the camera.

Sunrise over Ottawa – an 8×10 original. The photo is straight from the camera. That is why it is backwards!

• and some work from the archives.

Join us!
I appreciate your support and purchases – there will be a range of prices and work to suit everyone.

Details:
June 21, 22, 2014
Ottawa’s Central Park in the Glebe.

#1072 Oops, I dropped a camera in the lake.

Posted on May 11, 2014 by admin

I dropped a camera in the lake – submerged…
Oops.

I trekked into Fortune Lake to continue my “Watershed Project” with two cameras:
• a ‘small’ 4×5 Graflex large format camera
• big hand-made 8×10 wood camera

With supporting gear, I hauled 50 pounds of equipment to a remote part of the lake.

8×10 hand-made sliding box camera

Sploosh!
I set up and shot a scene with the 8×10 camera after which I set the Graflex on a tripod and went for the film holders. With my back turned (just a minute) I heard sploosh! One tripod leg had slowly shrunk causing the camera to pitch into the water.

Graflex 4×5 camera

Clean-up and Recovery
I fished the camera out of the water and immediately took the lens off and dismantled it – the nice thing about large format lenses is you can unscrew most elements of the lens without tools.

I cleaned & cleaned & dried & dried with a soft cotton, absorbing cloth for 10 or 15 minutes and then went to save the camera by draining water and drying it as best as possible.

Once home, I took out the affected gear, warmed the oven to 200F, turned the oven off and put the camera and lens parts inside for a couple of hours.

Nikkor 75 mm lens with 4×5 coverage – easy to disassemble!

Results
I am happy to report that all critical elements are functioning – I did damage the Graflok spring back but there’s an easy work-around until I can find a part… Anyone have spare parts for a Graflex?

Support
Ottawa’s Camera Trading Company did not have the part but did have the expertise to help me make the camera usable without the Graflok back – that’s the value of Tom and Mark (and sometimes Bob) in the store – they know a lot!

David Barbour

As I was leaving the store I bumped into David Barbour, veteran working photographer. He smiled commenting about my camera-in-lake Facebook post. “Never turn your back on a tripod!”
Thanks David.

In 1997 I assisted Malak in the Yukon. At 82 years old he had seen it all. He told me “I’ve made every mistake in the book!” It’s comforting to know others have big ‘oops’es.

I am a big, big fan of simple, mechanical equipment.
… I love it!

#1071 Advanced Fundamentals – Photo Class Review

Posted on May 8, 2014 by admin

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.

©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

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.”

“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.”

#1069 Creative Fundamentals – Course Follow-up

Posted on May 2, 2014 by admin

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

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

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

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

“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!

#1068 How to Boost your Creativity

Posted on April 29, 2014 by admin

This month’s Exposed! photo newsletter launches today.

“His photos were beautiful but he was stuck. Our workshop student was frustrated that he had hit a plateau and couldn’t get beyond it…

The workshop student’s photos made beginners jealous – they were classic compositions – beautifully framed and well exposed. He had come on the workshop to get out of a rut.

In this edition of Exposed! we look at ways to:
• boost your creativity
• fuel new adventures in your artwork
• get out of your rut….”

Learn how to ignite your imagination’s fire!

Boost your creativity – try new formats and techniques…

#1066 Back from away

Posted on April 22, 2014 by admin

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 Europe – Cheese, 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.

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!