One of our Pro Program students has started a blog while he starts developing a website. His blog is new and follows his challenges and successes as his photo, web and business expertise grows.
Give Scott a hand – read his blog and let him know what you think! He has photos, tips and commentary such as ‘flashophobia.’
New workshop details are in!
Prominent Ottawa studio photographer Andrew Balfour will be sharing secrets of the studio with students fortunate to be taking this course. Andrew will open the workshop at his studio and share some theoretical ideas of studio lighting with some hands on demonstrations.
Days later Andrew will meet the group at a prominent Ottawa dance school – Dance with Alana – where photos will be created. The practical session simulates an assignment and Andrew helps guide students through the process of assessing the location, lighting and preparing for the action.
Over the session students get some practical hands on shooting under Andrew’s guidance.
Details:
Cost: $275 + tax
Included: Instruction, use of studio equipment, shooting time.
Andrew shooting at DanceWithAlana.com
Who is Andrew Balfour? Check his website. Or read the interview below:
HN: What is the highest profile shoot you have done?
Andrew Balfour: A few months after 9/11 I shot a sold out dinner where Prime Minister Jean Chretien was keynote speaker & President of Israel was guest of honour. Security was nuts with RCMP & Mossad everywhere. I was given a spot 70 feet from the podium to shoot from, but luckily was allowed to move once the speeches started & oddly by the end of dinner security was so relaxed that I was 3 feet from the dignitaries.
HN: What was your scariest assignment?
AB: 15 stories above Confederation Square in the bucket of a crane at morning rush hour (oh yeah the temperature was -30C), climbing on icy rocks at the edges of Rideau Falls to get the shot I wanted, photo flight in a Cessna also -30C that day.
HN: What was the assignment you enjoyed the most?
AB: Whatever’s coming up next!
HN: Who have you photographed?
AB: Prime Ministers, Governors General, Bank of Canada Governors, Diplomats, all kinds of people, all ages from a few days old to late 90s.
See course details.
Below are more photos from some students on our Creative Fundamentals Workshop based in Ottawa. Back to school in the photo world brought some new tools to these photographers.
And we had a new group start the course tonight. We will be back shooting on Saturday. Yippee!
On Wednesday night we finished the first section of our Creative Fundamentals Photography Workshop with the critique session – it’s always fun to see what different people choose to capture and how they interpret similar opportunities.
The second session starts Thursday – a fresh, full group of eight students.
Below, a selection of student photos – more tomorrow.
We took Creative Fundamentals students out shooting in Gatineau Park on the weekend. We had perfect weather and a good group.
This is our most popular course and students progressed steadily over the day. We also stumbled across some brain like fungus – it was big and spectacular – see below. I have seen nothing like it!
We meet again on Wednesday for the critique session. On Thursday we start all over again with the second section of Creative Fundamentals.
Below – a few photos:
‘Tis a busy time coming up – we are hosting fun photo events this fall!:
Section 2 – September 24, 26, October 1, 2009
Section 1 – September 16, 19, 23, 2009
Our most popular photography workshop. Creative Fundamentals explores the fundamentals that produce the creative opportunities of photography. 
Creative Fundamentals
September 20, 2009
Learn the techniques of documenting artwork at Wallack’s Art Supplies.
Supported by: 
Section 2 – Available: October 5, 7, 9, 10, 2009.
Section 1 – Full: October 1, 2, 3, 4, 2009
Exclusive! Develop your photography stories with Canadian Geographic and David Trattles, social documentary photographer.
Supported by: 
October 3rd, 7th, 2009 – evenings.
Pump up the night – pump up the fun!
Night Light!
November, 2009
On assignment – learn studio lighting skills on location with master of lighting, Andrew Balfour.
November 7th & 8th 2009
For people with creative businesses ready to grow. Learn practical advice from experts in their fields.
Supported by:
November 4th, 2009
For public and private sector communications professionals. This course helps produce better workplace imagery and more confidence behind the camera for improved communications products and workflow.
Photography for Communications Professionals
January, 14, 16, 21, 2010
Add passion to your portraits! Learn creative elements of portraiture with existing light conditions.
Let the fun begin!
Harry
I went away for a few days in a canoe. My brother-in-law and I paddled part of the Rideau Canal Waterway, a World Heritage site that links Ottawa to Kingston.
It was pretty fantastic and very different than most of the canoe trips I have done. We prepared to be self sufficient – packing a tent, sleeping bag, food, stove, TP, lanterns.
We guessed that there would be services en route and, ahem, we ate well at restaurants, camped on manicured lawns at locks and used services unknown to most wilderness paddlers.
It was a nice combination of semi-wild paddling and urban luxuries.
“What does this have to do with photography, Harry?”
I am glad you asked. I packed some fine camera equipment for the trip – a little, digital point and shoot camera. This was play and not work. Each holiday snap took seconds to capture – ie it was not work!
The point of this post is that little cameras can do wonders if you know photo fundamentals. I used it in auto mode. Pointed. Composed. Click.
What camera? I won’t tell you. It doesn’t really matter, anyway. How you use your camera matters much more than what camera you have.
Take lots of photos. Learn. Have fun!
Sunset in Newboro on the Rideau Canal.
We met last night for the last session of ‘school’ for the students on the Sport Photo Workshop. The evening was spent reviewing and critiquing student’s work from the Peanut Polo Cup that supported Canine Rescue.
Photo Review
One of the best things about a workshop is the ability to see how other photographers interpreted, shot, and edited the work. It always amazes me how a class of students presented with exactly the same material and opportunities will end up with such different work.
Differences
Different people are attracted to different subjects. They have different interests. Their styles and techniques produce different effects. This all produces a wildly interesting and diverse body of work presented to the group.
Something New for Everyone!
Years ago I had an intermediate student take Creative Fundamentals and he did well picking up the technical details. But at the critique session his jaw dropped. While his photos were good he couldn’t believe what his co students had produced. He had cruised the course a bit but woke abruptly when he realized the creative opportunities he had missed.
He left the workshop with a whole new look on photography. His fundamental photo skills were good and the course helped him soar creatively.
So, here are some photos from a few of the Peanut Polo Cup students:
We are working on a project involving some night time shooting. Last week we posted a Light Driving photo. See a variation below.
Trying this at home? Take care anytime working near cars or at night!
Want some guidance? Take our Night Light Photo Workshop.
This is the second post of photos from our Sport Photography Workshop at the Peanut Polo Cup.
At any sports event only half the action is on the field. While we visited Peanut Polo Cup to capture galloping horses pursuing goals it’s always important to keep your eyes on the spectators, paddocks, dogs and antics going on off the field – see below.
Shooting an event can be exhausting! There is always something going on with little time for breaks or editting in the field. In fact, if you spend time reviewing your photos at the event you are missing the fun.
Your eyes should be seeking the action going on around you. An occasional exposure verification is ok.
Our critique session with Polo Photo students is tomorrow night.
One of our newest ProProgram students, above – nikofotographia.com