#811 New Camera – Old Skills

Posted on June 28, 2012 by admin

I often get asked “What camera do you use?”

My usual answer is “It doesn’t matter.”

And it does matter to some degree, of course. But some people get more hung up on tech and ignore the skills needed to make it perform.

Point and shoot cameras

I’ve waited for the right time to upgrade equipment. I have many good cameras but had specific requests for any new camera:

• large file size capability

Large file size means little unless you want to print BIG – it’s not often I need to print big for commercial or editorial clients but I want the possibility for artwork like Watershed. Watershed is shot mostly on medium and large format film because of the large amount of data from 6×7 and 4×5 film.

• High iso capability

Gives way more versatility for event coverage. This feature has been around for a while but not necessarily in tandem with my other wants/needs.

• Video capability

A new tool that boosts what I can offer. We’ve started offering video based newsletters. This summer we also started offering video critique and lessons via our Online Photo Program.

… There are many other features on cameras that are pitched to help entice buyers. Often the features are over-rated. 11 frames per second? Hmm. I’ve almost always shot single shot – it takes practice to time the click. Many features I turn off.

The one feature no camera has so far built in are the skills needed to use the camera effectively. For the last ten years manufacturers have promised “easy, easier, easiest.”

It takes time and patience… A few years ago I was contacted by someone who wanted to start a photo business – quickly: “I want you to teach me everything in two weeks.”

I taught her the fundamentals class and she quickly learned, like any trade, it takes years to get a modest base of skills.

Ok, so what camera did I buy?

It doesn’t really matter. It’s good and will help my work. But my old skills are what keep me going, photographically.

Graflex - cutting edge technology in 1930s

#805 Spring photography in review

Posted on June 14, 2012 by admin

The last months have been very fun and full at HarryNowell.com. A bit of a review:

Photography Classes and Safaris

We had a full schedule this spring with standard courses like Creative Fundamentals + sheep shearing safari and some new sessions with new photo instructors like:

• Louise Tanguay and Macro Photography (full and just started!)

• Blair Gable and On-Location Lighting – the first workshop filled so quickly we had to offer a second session coming up in July

Our ProProgram students continue to grow and make me smile with their accomplishments!

Urban Compositions Photo Safari

Assignment Work

Recently, we’ve had some fun work including stocks shoots with the government and private schools (photos coming soon), press and event coverage.

Event photography Ottawa

Artwork

• We hosted Elmwood School’s Art Class exhibition at the photo studio

• Watershed was involved in a show at the Cube Gallery and the New Art Festival and some is now hanging at the studio

• We’re just hanging the Music Photo show at Ottawa Studio Works for Saturday’s one night exhibit – six photographers (maybe seven) showing their favourite top acts

Watershed Art Exhibit

Memberships

We launched our online photo membership program this month offering tips, challenges, and critique to some lucky people. Anyone can access learning from their internet connected computer.

It’s been a very fun spring. We’re smiling for the summer fun coming our way!

#800 Watershed Exhibition – New Art Festival

Posted on June 3, 2012 by admin

On the weekend we offered our largest showing of Watershed to date. We had a booth at the New Art Festival – many people braved the rain over the weekend to see Watershed and the work of many fine artists.

Thanks to everyone for visiting us – we will be showing Watershed (and the medium, large and panoramic formats that captured the work) at venues later this year. Stay tuned!

And stay tuned for the Music Photography Exhibition featuring six fine photographers at Ottawa Studio Works on June 16th.

Thanks to all that helped and Dave Andrews for the photo below!

Watershed Photo Art Exhibition at the New Art Festival - Ottawa © DaveAndrews.ca

#796 Watershed Exhibition at The New Art Festival

Posted on May 27, 2012 by admin

This coming weekend we will be pitching the largest selection of our Watershed exhibition so far – we have just printed some new work for the first time.

Please join us at The New Art Festival in the Glebe’s Central Park next weekend – June 2 and 3, 2012.

Find us at booth 19 NORTH. That’s near the intersection of Bank and Patterson.

Watershed?

“Watershed” – weaves its way from the headwaters in Gatineau Park crossing boundaries, backyards, and a village eventually falling into the Ottawa River. The process of exploration and photography began over 10 years ago as my dog and I wandered, wondering where the creek behind our house went.

Watershed Art Exhibit - Ottawa

As Watershed transformed from fun adventure into a collection of artwork I revisited sites on the waterway documenting the landscapes encountered by the liquid thread: rusted debris, concrete monsters and devastatingly pristine beauty. The creek refuses containment and consistency.

On the journey I found ever changing magnicence, carcasses of decaying cars and extensive feats (and wrecks) of bulldozed infrastructure – all around the same water flow. The waterway crosses jurisdictions with a disregard for policy, best intentions and human engineering. The creek respects no boundaries.

Watershed illustrates the power of an innocuous trickle while wryly smiling at attempts to contain, dene and shape the powerful force of water.

The photo exhibition was captured on film and digital equipment from small modern digital SLR cameras to the stunning medium and large format cameras used by masters of landscape photography.

Please join us at The New Art Festival in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood near Bank and Patterson at booth 19 NORTH.

The New Art Festival

#776 Art and Photo Exhibitions coming up.

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

We’re excited about our spring, summer schedule of art. We will be involved in a host of photo and other exhibitions from water to music to developing artists. Details below!

Remember I’ve talked about Watershed?

Watershed art photo exhibition

It’ll be appearing in a show late May at the Cube Gallery – stay tuned for details.

Watershed will also appear at the New Art Festival in the Glebe June 2nd and 3rd.

And the studio will be boasting the talents of Elmwood School‘s fine artists in a three week show at our photo studio – Ottawa Studio Works in Little Italy.

We are also hosting a Celebratory Photo Exhibition welcoming Ottawa’s Music Festival Season on Saturday, June 16th at Ottawa Studio Works. Some talented photographers will be hanging their finest music photography at our photo studio/gallery in Little Italy. The show builds on last year’s Music Exhibition but with more photographers exhibiting work.

Music photo exhibit

Stay tuned for details on the photo blog. We’re excited! Hope to see you at these events.

#753 Open Doors at the Photo Studio – Ottawa Studio Works

Posted on February 22, 2012 by admin

We have been throwing open the doors of the studio about once a week to welcome curious people into the space.

We have had the studio almost two years and never originally planned to run it as a store front. But with enough people peering through the windows and even walking into the studio when we are working… we hear you. Since Christmas time we have been opening each week for nosy people to see what we’re all about!

Ottawa photo studio - Open Doors (Alain Simard photo)

Last week we cycled through some Iceland photos and had a steady stream of small groups coming thorugh.

So coming up we have two more Open Doors coming up:

Watershed Exhibit Preview

Thursday, March 1st – drop by between 6-8pm

We will be previewing some of our Watershed proofs – works in progress – as we prepare to start printing pieces for the show. What’s Watershed? A muddy study and photographic exploration of 8km of creek/stream/river that passes through our back yard. Very fun for the last 11 years!

Show & Tell

Thursday, March 8th – drop by between 6-8pm

Bring one photo to present and receive critique. Get some feedback on your work. Share with other photo phans. Meet new people. If possible pre-send your photo to us so we can line them up for the show.

Feel free to just be nosy, ask about workshops or purchase some of our fine art prints.

Hope to see you there!

#753 Watershed Art Exhibit

Posted on February 20, 2012 by admin

In December we offered a Sneak Peek at our photo studio of an art exhibit that is nearly complete. ‘Watershed’ is project that started 11 years ago as my dog and I wandered, wondering where our local creek went.

Watershed Art Exhibit

Over many years the project grew from a sense of adventurous exploration into the realization that I had the basis for an art exhibit.

As the muddy adventure developed into a collection of artwork my cameras soaked up ever changing beauty, debris of human existence and extensive feats (and wrecks) of bulldozed infrastructure.

Watershed Art Exhibit

“Watershed” weaves eight kilometres from its headwaters in Gatineau Park through a divided highway’s tunnel. My self imposed rules were simple:
1. To follow the watershed and see every bend, turn and obstacle.

2. To return with cameras – predominantly medium, large and panoramic format film cameras – to selectively document different aspects of the watershed.

Watershed was shot predominantly on large film to allow BIG, fine prints.

“Watershed” illustrates the power of an innocuous trickle and the connected nature of the lifeline that provides life to all surrounding it. I was continually surprised to see where the “little creek” behind our home brought me – to the local village, highway and some favourite locations in Gatineau Park.

Stay tuned for more Watershed news…

Watershed Art Exhibit

#716 Ottawa Photo Studio – Open House Fun

Posted on December 5, 2011 by admin

Yep, it was fun.

On Saturday night we opened the doors to our photo studio for a fun filled evening of music, photography and smiles. The studio was full.

The Open House doors were thrown open to celebrate a number of things:

• Watershed – I unveiled a Sneak Peek of ‘Watershed’ – see photos. It’s a photo exhibition launching in 2012, that presents photography along 8km of a creek flowing through pristine beauty and concrete mega structures that allow people to get over the ‘little creek.’

Ottawa Studio Works - open house - Watershed unveiling

• Student Work – Participants from our photo classes had an opportunity to show off their successes

• Christmas gift buying season – we have cards, posters, prints and limited editions for every budget on your list. Contact us if there are people still needing gifts on your list. And a big thanks to everyone who bought from us – supporting local artists and main street merchants goes a long way in supporting the grass roots of our economy!

Ottawa Studio Works - open house - Watershed unveiling

• Friends and Supporters of HarryNowell.com – the Open House was our way of saying THANK-YOU to everyone who has helped our business stay in business, providing smiles and services to the community. (… As I write this a large family is laughing and smiling their way through a DIY portrait session – where we rent our photo studio for people to take their own portraits.)

A big thanks to everyone who made last night such a success. We had help from many – Cait, Quinn, Jess. Photos are courtesy of Nadine Lamoureux – thanks! And we bought yummy cupcakes from Nancy B and were pleased to use DJ services from Ron LaVoie.

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.

Ottawa Studio Works - open house - Watershed unveiling

#694 A big thanks and other things

Posted on October 13, 2011 by admin

It’s that time of the month when I thank our sponsors who help keep this blog and newsletter running.

Artopix, Patrick Gordon Framing and Dave Andrews have been with us from the beginning – THANKS! – we use their services, too.

Artopix - print services Gatineau & Ottawa

Patrick Gordon Framing - Ottawa

Dave Andrews - premium printing - Ottawa

In other news…

• We handed in that assignment about the Ottawa Rowing Club today. It was well received, I am pleased to say.

• I’ve finished much of the shooting for an art project based on the wanderings of a creek/stream/river that runs through park, residential properties, village and under a major highway. Watershed will be coming out in 2012. The project started many years ago when my dear dog Tigger needed some exercise and I wanted an adventure – so we decided to see where the little creek went.

• Friday’s Photography Round-up looks at a portrait of a member of the Dragon’s Den for iRun.ca and other local photographer’s work. The round-up hits the airwaves Friday afternoon.