Saturday
Session I
Light and time are the basic essentials of photography. Regardless of whether you choose to use a digital or film camera, this will never change. This beginner class is an introduction to the use of the digital SLR or 35mm film camera. Topics include understanding shutter speeds, f-stops, focal length and ISO. Basic equipment needs such as tripods, cable releases and lens shades will also be discussed. If you are serious about moving the dial from program mode to manual mode, this is the class for you.
Adobe Lightroom allows photographers unprecedented, non-destructive control over both RAW and JPEG images. This class leads you through the important initial steps of image correction and enhancement. Topics include creating a step-by-step workflow beginning with the initial import, correcting color balance and exposure, converting your images to black and white, and editing your images through the use of curves and the hue/saturation, and luminance sliders. Learning to make both global and local enhancements to your images without leaving Lightroom allows you to further streamline your image processing. Learning basic retouching techniques allows you to fix blemishes in portraits or remove spots in your landscapes while applying the look of hand-coloring and adding vignettes allows your creativity to flourish.
Session II
This class moves beyond Photo Basics I to help you understand important aspects of digital capture. Understanding the difference between how your eye sees light and how the camera captures light helps you to portray your subject in a way that mirrors your intentions. Topics include exposure and metering modes, focus options, reading a histogram, outsmarting your meter and the benefits of bracketing. Learning more about your camera ensures more consistent success as a photographer.
Introduced by Ansel Adams for use in black and white photography, the theory of the Zone System is used today as an advanced method for metering in color. This method helps you achieve accurate and consistent exposures in difficult lighting conditions. By understanding the skill of pre-visualization, you can create stronger compositions with accurate exposure whether you are a documentary, portrait, still life or landscape photographer. Principles learned in this class apply to digital and film photography.
Session III
Getting closer to your subject is a good rule of thumb to follow in photography. In macro photography, it is both essential and rewarding. This beginning class introduces you to the extraordinary world of macro. You learn about the options for close-up equipment, how to work with and manipulate light for small subjects, focusing and the design principles for composing macro images that pop!
As a photographer, understanding qualities of light is essential to creating photographs with impact. You learn how your camera interprets the color, intensity and contrast of light, and most importantly, how this differs from how the human eye sees light. Topics include both indoor and outdoor lighting, the basics of on-camera fill flash, camera filters, color temperature and how to choose the right type of lighting for your subject.
Sunday
Session I
Add a couple more notches to your creative belt with this technique-driven class designed for photographers who like to experiment. Learn about high dynamic range (HDR) imagery, metering and photographing a scene for HDR and panoramic, and how to use Lightroom® and Photomatix® software to create these eye-catching images. Gain insight into the equipment and shooting techniques that make creating panoramics easy and fun. Learn flawless techniques for stitching several images together in Photoshop® to create sweeping panoramics.
In photography, it is true that you only get one chance to make a first impression. The way a photographer uses lines, shapes, colors, point of view and equipment when composing a photograph determines how people react. This class covers the basics of visual design, including the rule of thirds, symmetry, using lines to create perspective, the effect of cropping and more.
Session II
Have you ever taken photos of a beautiful sunset or stunning outdoor scene only to be disappointed once you look at them on your computer? Well, you’re not alone! During this session you will learn what distinguishes a good landscape photo from an ordinary one and how your composition considerations and your use of natural light make the difference. Instruction also covers key camera settings that can improve the overall quality of your images and tools of the trade including camera bodies, lenses and tripods.
Documenting personal moments is one of the joys of being a photographer. However, learning how to interpret moments with a camera, and effectively convey moods and emotions, can be quite a challenge. In this class you learn how to connect with your subject, how to use light to define a face, how to choose the right equipment, composition and the importance of location and backgrounds. The difference between portrait and documentary photography is also discussed. This class is for the photographer looking to make eye-catching portraits in a digital world, saturated with every-day snapshots.
Session III
Sunday’s critique session is intended to be an educational experience that benefits the entire group as you hear feedback on a diverse selection of images. Our instructors will offer constructive tips and suggestions that best illustrate concepts that have been introduced over the course of the weekend. Rather than submitting your best, award-winning shot, you might consider submitting an image that didn’t turn out quite the way you had hoped. We will get through as many images as time allows, however, it is not always possible to get through all of the images that are submitted.
All critiques are anonymous. If you choose to participate in the critique session, you may submit one image. Your image should be a digital copy in large JPEG format, ideally five to ten megabytes. We will not be able to accept prints or slides. You will be asked to submit your image at the registration table on Saturday afternoon. If you submit a CD or other storage device, please label it with your name and be sure to pick it up before you leave.