#982 Photo Contest Winners Announced

Posted on August 8, 2013 by admin

In July we launched our 2nd annual photo contest for past students and we were very happy to see the results. Entires were diverse and spoke highly of the hard work (and fun) students have invested in their photo skills.

Photo Contest Winner! © Morina Reece

We selected four winners.

What were our criteria?
We were looking for:
• diversity in the photos
• technical excellence
• something different… There are many, many good photos out there – we wanted something that would catch the eye and make someone smile. We’ve always preached “Do something different.” Each of the winning photos stood above the norm.

Photo Contest Winner – © Eryck B

We’re very proud of all of our students.

Photography is tough. During the last ten years digital camera manufacturers have erroneously preached “EASY.” It’s NOT easy. It takes skill, perseverance, passion and many years of time to develop skills.

All the winners have been involved with our lessons for YEARS!

Alan and Cheryl have separately taken (almost) every course we’ve offered. They have taken a couple of courses more than once. Both are currently enrolled in our Online Photo Program with monthly challenges.

Yesterday Cheryl sent me a note after learning about her win: “I would have never got that photo if it wasn’t for your great teaching ability and getting me out of the box of ho hum photography.”

Eryck started with the Pro Hockey photo workshop and has grown from there reading our photo tips and newsletters, etc.

Photo Contest Winner – © Al Garner

Morina completed our ProProgram last year and has taken many of our courses. She commented about Natural Light Portraits – “Superbly challenging, informative, exciting & very practical!”

Thanks for sticking with us to develop your skills.

The winners all receive a free three month membership of our Online Photo Program.
Congratulations!

Photo Contest Winner © Cheryl Kreis

#976 Student Success – Scott in the Photo Studio

Posted on July 25, 2013 by admin

Years ago I got a message from Scott Martin who was looking to advance his photo skills and get into some photo work.

His photos at the time were mere snapshots.
After a couple of years on the ProProgram his work blossomed.

What happened?
He worked hard.
And he took many of our photography courses lead by accomplished working photographers like David Trattles (award-winning, veteran social documentary photographer) and Blair Gable (leading Reuters photojournalist.)

There are a lot of photo workshops offered nowadays. Learning from experienced veterans goes a long way, just saying!

Scott now runs ScottMartinVisuals.com and SpotlightOttawa.com. He recently shot Liam Lloyd at our photo studio for a feature.

We’re proud of what he’s accomplished!!
Well done Scott.

#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.

#948 Summer Portraits Photo Class

Posted on May 20, 2013 by admin

Better photos

Summer Portrait Class!
We keep getting asked to run our portrait course in the summer (usually run in Jamuary) so we are running Natural Light Portraits in August!

It’s one of our most popular courses – perfect for capturing informal (or formal) portraits at summer events – weddings, BBQs, birthday parties or at family gatherings.

Better birthday portraits!

Why it’s Popular!
It’s popular because we take people from their fundamentals of photography to specific portrait elements of photography. We cover some technical elements:
• exposures with portraits in mind – ie what shutter speeds and apertures are appropriate for different scenarios.
• introduction to use of flash in portraiture
• choice of different lenses for different portraits

Better people picture

We also explore the creative side of portrait photography:
• location selection – dealing with the harsh light of midday sun.
• elements of style – what is most appropriate for you and your portraits – candid or formal portraiture?
• working with people to create natural looking smiles and emotions (this is hard!)

Want better people pictures?
Join us this summer for some portrait fun!

Natural Light Portrait Workshop

#894 Pro Photo Program – Student Success

Posted on January 10, 2013 by admin

Yep, we’ve got another graduate from the ProProgram that we’re cheering!!

I first met Morina Reece on our Natural Light Portraits photo class. She was keen to learn as much as possible about photography and people. She then joined the ProProgram which accelerated her learning – not only from a photo aspect but also from a post processing, business, and client aspect.

But enough from me. Hear what Morina has to say:

“The ProProgram has been a delightful, adventure!! Harry’s mantras of “get it as right as possible in the camera” and “do something different” has guided all my photography work and to some extent my personal and professional life!

The ProProgram offered me technical, creative, and business resources, advice, guidelines and encouragement. Most importantly, it provided me with a network of photographers (friends) who were and still are exceedingly generous with their time, guidance, and support. They cheer, motivate and provide me with much needed honest and critical critiques of all aspects of my photography business, not to say anything of the many fun times we have together!

"Do something different" - © Morina Reece

The ProProgram brought me from a fledgling amateur to a confident, competent photographer. Although I am graduating, the ProProgram will always be a part of my life, building and reinforcing my photography skills and passion for photography.

Thanks Harry and the gang!”

Thanks Morina! I am proud of you!!
Please join us in cheering for Morina’s work and success in photography.

#891 Recent Photo Assignments

Posted on January 3, 2013 by admin

I’m a bit behind on posting recent photo assignments and events in Ottawa. Below is a selection from some recent work.

Executive Headshots
In December I prepared for a large portrait session of executive headshots and group shots for a repeat client – my faviurite kind! Smooth sailing – logistics and timing went well.

Executive Portrait - Ottawa

Family Event & Portraits
I photographed a small family gathering honouring a75th birthday milestone. It was a fun family and fun event. It was the type of assignment I love – my only instructions were to capture the spirit and capture of the event. I shot for an hour as dessert and presents were presented. They loved the work (and bought many albums.)

Family Portraits - Ottawa

Event Coverage
Another regular client asked me to cover a series of meetings and a social after. Again, my instructions were to capture the spirit of the events. Fun to shoot and the results made my client smile – which is not always easy to do!!

Event Photography Ottawa

#868 Assignment Spotlight – editorial portrait

Posted on November 1, 2012 by admin

This fall I photographed a local, new, Guiness Record Breaker.

Tessum Weber of (near) Wakefield, Quebec officially got in the record books by being the youngest to ever ski to the North Pole. Oh, and in doing so, this team did it faster than anyone else has ever done it.

Not bad, eh?

There is an article in the current edition of Ottawa Magazine celebrating Tessum’s adventures. I provided the opening portrait for the article.

Get a copy at your news stand today – worth a read!
Congratulations, Tessum!

Ottawa portrait - Tessum Weber for Ottawa Magazine

#866 Santa Agrees to Help Pet Portraits at the SPCA

Posted on October 28, 2012 by admin

Yes, we have recently confirmed that Santa has agreed, again, to make an appearance at the West Quebec SPCA Pet Portrait fundraiser on December 9th, 2012.

Pet Portraits Ottawa Gatineau

He is a busy man but we kinda guessed he’d help, again!

Why?!
• He has a soft spot for the furry friends.
• The SPCA feeds him good cookies!
• The event raises much needed $funds to support the dogs, cats and other pets.

We have helped Santa help the SPCA of West Quebec for years now by offering portrait services for pets and their humans. All proceeds go to the SPCA.

Pet Portraits - Ottawa Gatineau

So, please come to have your portrait taken with your dog, cat, pig, goldfish or hamster to support the SPCA.

Details
Sunday, December 9th; noon-4pm
SPCA of West Quebec
659 Auguste Mondoux Gatineau, QC J9J 3K2
(819) 770-7722

Portraits provided on site – $15.
Please be generous!

Over the years we photographed packs of dogs, some cats, one hamster and one pet pig (Einstein) with Santa.
Why do we do it?

DOGS. We love ’em. A lot.
After dear old Tigger died we adopted Biscuit from the SPCA of West Quebec. They do good work and we wanted to help. This was a way we could!

Tigger!!

Biscuit!!

#860 Ottawa Gatineau Family Portraits

Posted on October 14, 2012 by admin

A while back I showcased a recent wedding and talked about a candid style.

Today’s blog post features a fun family who wanted a similar experience in portraits – less structured and more true to the personalities of the family. For this kind of portrait I travel lightly and spend an hour following the family in their fun.

Candid family portrait - Ottawa Gatineau

Family pictures - Ottawa Gatineau

We played in a forested park and I captured the antics of the family. Big smiles and true personalities came through.

Candid family portrait - Ottawa Gatineau

If you’re looking for better portraits either to be in them or to take them we have a few options:
• We can photograph you. Contact us for details.
• We can teach you – we have a series of fun photo classes. We’ve offered Natural Light Portraits for years. The portrait class offers simple tips on how to get better portraits of friends or family.
• You can take your own portraits with guaranteed success and smiles. We offer DIY Portraits whereby you bring your camera and plug into our lights at our central Ottawa photo studio. We make it easy. You take the photos. Easy, fun, and way cheaper than hiring us to do it for you!!

Candid family portrait - Ottawa Gatineau

#728 2011 in review – excerpts from the blog

Posted on December 26, 2011 by admin

2011 brought many firsts and we trumpeted the fun on our photo blog.

January

We held our first Open House at the photo studio. It represented a big milestone at HarryNowell.com. We worked hard to transform a run down property into OttawaStudioWorks.com