#1134 Upcoming Watershed Events

Posted on May 17, 2017 by admin

Follow the Chelsea Creek Watershed with two events this summer. I have explored 20 km of the watershed over the last 16 years. I’ll be sharing some of my experiences at three events:

1. An Adult Forest School evening to explore the Chelsea Creek Watershed and…
2. An Ottawa School of Art photo workshop based on the art of “Watershed.”
3. Watershed Art Exhibition – details to come…

Chelsea Creek watershed

1. Adult Forest School Along the Watershed.
Join us the evening of June 15^th for a Forest School inspired play date – just for adults.
As a Forest School teacher I’ll lead you on an exploration of a small part of the Chelsea Creek watershed.

Meet at 7pm at Dunlop Picnic Field across from P9 in Gatineau Park.

By starting our adventure at Dunlop we will see three significantly different parts of the watershed. Be prepared for some hiking as we travel up hills and across flat terrain. We will stop to investigate interesting elements of the watershed.

Details:
June 15^th; 7pm – 8pm.
Dunlop Picnic Field across from P9 (Meech Lake Rd.) in Gatineau Park.
Cost – Suggested donation $10.
Registration – send me a message – or connect on Facebook – and show up!

Please bring:
• Curiosity and smiles.
• Sturdy, comfortable footwear.
• Lightweight, long sleeve and long pants – ideally a nylon or quick drying variety. Think of gardening clothes. You may come back a little muddier than you started…
• Bug repellent –a citronella based product is effective.
• Water and (nut free) snack.

Chelsea Creek Watershed

Watershed Photography Adventure and Workshop
Bring your cameras as we will be expanding creativity alongside the Chelsea Creek watershed, a 16 year art project starting in Harry’s backyard. Slowly, “Watershed” has grown into a travelling and expanding exhibition.

Harry Nowell leads this photo/art adventure following in the footsteps of his “Watershed” project following Chelsea Creek through Gatineau Park and Chelsea. On the first evening Harry will briefly discuss his long-term project including inspiration, process, and equipment.

Discussions will include:
• Technical and creative challenges.

We may also discuss:
• Art project development – what it takes to create a body of work.
• Equipment choices and demonstration of large format equipment.
• Opportunities /challenges of traditional, digital, analog and unusual formats.

Practical challenges:
Harry will introduce students to different areas of the Watershed project and guide participants to stretch their artistic practice, whether artistically or technically.

Critique:
Harry will offer critique to the participants on an ongoing basis. Digital cameras will offer the most immediate feedback but other formats are encouraged. Participants may email a small selection of photos for critique after the workshop.

Details:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 11, 12, 13
Cost: $300
Register through Ottawa School of Art – scroll down to “S17DAA7: Creating Photo Artwork on the Watershed”

Prior to formal teaching Harry worked as a commercial photographer and arts teacher for 20 years. He has explored 20km of the Chelsea Creek watershed over 16 years. His photo project “Watershed” currently captures photos on a 22 kg, home-made, plywood camera.

Large Format Photography – Chelsea Creek Watershed

See you soon!
Another exhibition of Watershed artwork is coming up towards the end of June…

#1128 – Recent Photo Teaching!

Posted on November 28, 2016 by admin

I changed directions a few years ago – more toward traditional teaching but I still get requests to teach one-on-one or small photo classes.

This fall I taught my most popular classes to individuals who came knocking. I spent a half day with each person covering Creative Fundamentals and Natural Light Portraits.

Portrait photography course © Chris Payant.

Creative Fundamentals began inside a beautiful building and we ventured outside to explore some of central Ottawa’s visual appeal.

For Natural Light Portraits Chris practiced on the teacher preparing for an actor to come and “model” for her camera.

Portraits © Chris Payant

“I cannot thank you enough for the session yesterday. I learned so much and I had fun! You certainly know how to challenge me just enough and you are a gifted teacher. I sent some sneak peaks to [the model] and she is thrilled!”

Smiles all around!
A big thanks to everyone for the fun!

#1114 Summer Photo Adventures

Posted on July 24, 2015 by admin

Summer started well for groups of photo students who recently enjoyed Custom Photo Courses. We’ve been taking people out to extend their photo limits using their existing equipment.

We’re also preparing a Laurentians Photo Adventure for early summer 2016, below, for people wishing to challenge and explore their skills behind the camera.

Custom Photo Courses
Join us for individual attention or as a small group for our custom courses. We’ve been offering custom courses for many years. Read a recent review.

Custom Photo Course
Chelsea, Gatineau Park

Locations include central Ottawa, Gatineau Park. We use other locations, too.

Our most common course is a four hour, individual session for $350.
A two person, four hour session is $550 (or $275 each).

Material covered depends on your needs.
We’ve covered:
• beginner basics
• portraits
• advanced creativity

2016 Laurentians Photo Adventure
Join us on a relaxing but immersive photography learning session next summer.

We combine a tranquil and comfortable base in the Laurentians bordered by a bike / walking path and the Rouge River.

Date:
Early July, 2106

Night time Teepee Photography Laurentians Photo Adventure

We’ll be choosing from locations to best suit the weather and the group. Shooting locations and subjects could include:
• Tremblant Village
• Horses
• Gardens
• Rivers and Waterfalls
• Night time Teepee shooting
• Parc national du Mont Tremblant

Throughout the day you can expect:
• early morning shoots
• evening photography
• critique sessions
• time for relaxing & meals

Laurentians Photo Adventure

More important than the locations will be the support and creative stimulation you’ll receive on the adventure.

Accommodations
We are teaming up with a quiet Bed & Breakfast close to the action of Tremblant but a universe away. Our hosts provide a limited number of gorgeous B& B accommodations and attractive camping. You may choose your own accommodation when registering for the Laurentian Photo Adventure.

My family has stayed with them many times and explored the area for years.

Our hosts’ patio for post shooting relaxation and editing!

Meals
Breakfast is available at our base B&B. We will take care advantage of local restaurants and available eateries for lunches, snacks and dinners. Mid-day meals may include packed picnic lunches.

Transportation
We will be traveling short distances – up to 30km to different photo sites. Most people will travel by personal vehicle or share driving with other participants. No transportation is included in the cost of the Laurentians Photo Adventure

Our hosts’ gardens in the Laurentians

Costs
Costs include:
• photography instruction fee – early bird rate of $500 for 2 days on the adventure.
plus
• accommodation for two nights. 2015 rates range from camping @ $14/person/night or lovely B&B rooms from $99/night (single occ. Lover’s Loft) to $154/night (double occ. Garden Retreat); Other rates exist for different rooms.
• meals
• transportation
•extras that you wish to undertake

Booking
Photo Adventure spots and accommodation are limited as this is our hosts busiest time of year. Please contact us for more information and booking your adventure.

#1107 Photo Workshops and Private Courses

Posted on March 15, 2015 by admin

Spring is coming!
Flowers are preparing to burst into colour.
Bears are starting to stretch, ready to come out of hibernation. Sleepy photographers are starting to stir, too!

Push your photography limits this spring!

We’re offering two options this spring for photographers to improve their skills:

• Our classic Creative Fundamentals photo workshop
Learn in a traditional format taking advantage of live theory, practical and critique. All camera styles welcome.

• Private classes for individuals and small groups
Learn what you want, when you want.

Improve your Smart Phone photography!

Background – Harry Nowell
Harry Nowell has worked for 20 years providing imagery for clients like Carleton University, Canadian Senate, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Canadian Geographic and others. His imagery has been licensed all over the world.Harry Nowell has taught photography for 15 years. His students are his best advocates!

YouTube!
In the age of YouTube there is a lot of free advice and “how-to” related to photography. There is also a decline in the quality of photography. From the Financial Post:
“When it comes to image quality, the real problem is that consumers no longer care.”
And there is frustration!

Improve your photography!

If you are frustrated or have a passion for quality in your pictures, we can help!

Creative Fundamentals
May 7 (evening classroom)
May 9 (practical shooting)
May 14 (evening classroom critique)
Central Ottawa/Gatineau
$375.

Private Classes
Offered as schedules permit.
$Cost depends on session:
• One person / half day = $375.
• Two people / half day = $275 each.
Prices may change without notice.

#1101 Facebook Photo Challenge

Posted on November 23, 2014 by admin

We ran our Online Photo Program for a couple of years and have started running it on a private Facebook Group since August.

We set a challenge every month and offer pointers, links and informal critique. All participants can offer feedback, questions and support, as well.

While I am taking sabbatical from the business (first time in 20 years!) this challenge is free.

Interested in joining?
You need to send me a friend request and then send me a Facebook message asking to join the monthly challenge.

Online Photography Challenge – we’ve come a long way from film (but I still love film!)

#1097 Take Control of your Digital Assets – Workshop with Colin Rowe

Posted on September 23, 2014 by admin

In our photo course for Communications Professionals we offer a crash course to help people take better workplace photos. We briefly introduce the idea of archiving their organization’s photos and other digital media.

In the course I suggest an ideal scenario where all of an organization’s photos are centralized, appropriately key-worded and accessible to staff.

I usually get blank stares.
The task of finding, organizing and setting up such a system can feel overwhelming.

There is help!
Colin Rowe, event and commercial photographer, also runs Archi-Media.ca to help large organizations make sense of their photos and digital assets.

Managing Digital Assets Workshop
Colin has just launched a timely Digital Assets Course to help you how to take control of your organization’s inventory of digital assets (images, videos, logos, design files and documents) quickly and effectively, while saving time and money.

Archi-Media reception

Course Agenda
Over the course of the day you will:
• organize your current inventory of digital assets
• properly name files and folder structures
• organize your model and talent releases effectively
• non-destructively edit your current inventory of assets, with your team’s help
• create metadata for tagging these assets, in a new or existing digital asset management system
• decide which metadata are important, manage current incomplete metadata and create a controlled vocabulary for your organization
• determine which internal policies your clients are using, and the issues and legal considerations that affect those policies
• assess and use digital asset management systems

Course Details
October 28th, 2014.
$685 + HST
Location: Central Ottawa
To register contact Colin at colin@archi-media.ca or 613-277-7693.

More information (links to Colin Rowe’s site)

#1079 Online Photo Class – May’s challenge

Posted on June 8, 2014 by admin

Last month we brought our online program the challenge of getting very, very close to their subjects.

With new spring flowers bursting from winter’s depths online members got their camera’s clicking. But members captured more than just blossoms!

What members said:
“I loved this challenge (my fave) and I found what I love to shoot the most (I think!)
Your on-line program is absolutely great and I have to say I have learned the most from it because of the different challenges and just the way you teach it.
Thanks for your inspiration and sharing your expert knowledge. You get us out of our comfort zone for sure.” CP

“What a fun challenge! I have always wanted to try and get a shot of a field of dandelions and could never figure out how, but I finally got one thanks to this challenge.” JS

I’ve been teaching photography for almost 15 years and I never get tired of seeing people grow!
Thanks for the fun!

#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

#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.

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.”