Workshop Registration Now Open!!!
DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS: The Workshop Series
TO RECEIVE A REGISTRATION FORM LEAVE A COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS (it will not be published)
So You Wanna take Pictures... Maybe you've always loved photography. Maybe you've just recently discovered (or re-discovered) a passion for it. Maybe you'd love to get into it but aren't sure what the costs involved might be, or maybe you just want to know how to use that camera you got for your birthday last year (or 6 years ago). In addition to detailing the content of the entire workshop series, this free session will include a presentation and Q&A on the important things to consider when you are investing in a camera, whether it's an ultra-slim portable digicam, a high-end digicam, a consumer-level SLR, or a top-of-the-line professional-level SLR. (SLR = Single lens reflex - the only cameras where you actually look through the lens at your subject instead of through a viewfinder or with a digital preview.) December 15, 2007 2:00 pm, 1.0 hrs, FREE
Say Hello to Your Camera: You just bought your camera, want to know your camera's advanced features, or have a camera you have never taken off auto mode - what do all those knobs and buttons do? In addition to figuring out all that stuff, we’ll go over a list of very important terms and concepts, and a little bit of photography history, that will help you understand why the knobs and buttons are there in the first place. January 13, 2008, 1:00 p.m., 1.0 hours, $20
Say Hello to your SLR: If you own, are interested in owning, or are in the process of buying an SLR, this is the place to be. This is an advanced workshop for those who would like a more in-depth look at what SLR cameras do. We’ll cover the different kinds of cameras available, discuss several types of lenses and what their applications are, and take a more practical and hands-on look at some of the concepts touched on in Say Hello to Your Camera. There will be a couple of SLR cameras (both digital and analogue) for those who don't own one who would like to try one out. Say Hello to Your Camera is not a prerequisite for this workshop, but is strongly recommended. 2:30 p.m. January 13, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
Technical Critiquing: If there’s one workshop everyone needs to attend, this is the one. When we look at a photo, we all know whether we like it or not (subjective) but often can't quite put our finger on what it is that we like about it so much. Every photographer I know spends time scoping out other people’s work for inspiration and ideas, and to expand our own roster of abilities. In this workshop, we will critique a variety of photographs using proper lingo and jargon to identify the elements (objective) that attract or repel us, as well as go over some simple techniques to improve these images both while shooting and using even the most basic editing freeware. Most importantly, we will learn how to apply a critical eye to our own pictures so we may learn from our mistakes, and adopt elements of others’ successful images into our own shooting. Though not a prerequisite, this particular workshop will be best understood and participated in by those who took the 'Say Hello to Your Camera' session. 1:00 p.m. February 10, 2008, 2.0 hours, $40
FIELD TRIP: February 24, 2008, 10 am. Definitely a kid-friendly field trip, we'll be heading off to the Muttart Conservatory for a fun-filled day of shooting people, places, and things! Because of its lighting conditions and scenery, this is a beginner-friendly place to really explore and experiment with photography, while still challenging enough to capture the imagination of more advance shooters.
Lighting: natural vs artificial/flash vs available light - what are they, what are the pros and cons of each, and how can we use them advantageously? We’ll cover the basics first, and learn some simple problem solving techniques for difficult lighting situations, as well as touch on some inexpensive and creative lighting alternatives. 1:00 p.m. March 9, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
Lighting with your SLR: This advanced technical workshop will examine the dynamic relationship between aperture, film speed, and shutter speed, and how you use these three elements together to solve complex lighting puzzles. We'll also look at the application of creative 'low-budget' lighting as well as the use of professional studio lighting. If you've been shooting your SLR in auto-mode and *still* aren't happy with the results, this is the workshop you've been dreaming of. Please note that Technical Critiquing is a prerequisite for this workshop. If you do not have your own SLR, there will be a couple available to use if you are interested in attending. 2:30 p.m. March 9, 2008, 1.5 hours, $30
FIELD TRIP: March 23, 2008, 10 am. For a small fee, we will get a brief orientation and demonstration of an independent professional studio from a gentleman with 30 years of experience in the photography industry, who excels at creative lighting for portraiture. Due to space restrictions, children (except nursing infants) are not invited to attend this field trip.
Portraiture: My favourite thing to photograph is people. In this intensive hands-on workshop, we'll be spending the first hour learning about posing and ‘un’posing, group vs. individual portraits, creative use of props, going on location, and getting tough people and cranky kids to relax in front of the camera. In the second hour, we’ll be practicing on ~gasp~ live subjects. 1:00 p.m. April 6, 2.0 hours, $40
Wedding & event photography: This brief but intensive workshop is designed for the serious amateur who is interested in starting to do weddings, or the unwitting family member who gets volunteered to save the bride & groom some cash. We'll cover the classic 'cast, crew, and camera' pitfalls and how to handle these situations tactfully and professionally. This workshop will set you on the road for increased success capturing the essence of the day without losing your patience, your sanity, or your hair. 3:30 p.m. April 6, 2008, $20.
FIELD TRIP: April 20, 2008, 10 am to 2 pm. We're going to set up and run our own event: The Spring Fling Photobooth, and participants will have an opportunity to interact with and photograph friends, family, and complete strangers while contributing to a good cause. For a twist, we'll be taking walk-ups! As a group we will choose a charity to support and we will run this event in one-hour shifts. The location will be kid-friendly; however, no childcare will be provided while you are on your shift.
Composition: whether you are doing landscapes, portraits, or art photography, there are a number of tried-and-true basics that master artists of all types – painters, musicians, sculptors, choreographers – have employed since the beginning of time including perspective, the 'Rule of Thirds,' colour, movement, and placement. We will look at how to apply (and sometimes ignore) these tried and true techniques that can improve the impact and often add class to even our most candid on-the-fly shots. 1:00 p.m. May 4, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
The Business End of Things: this handy little workshop will cover things like defining your style, naming and marketing yourself or your company, legal responsibilities, copyright, contracts, model releases, pricing, and other such stuff. 2:30 p.m. May 4, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
FIELD TRIP: May 18 (or May 25), 2008, Fort Edmonton Park. ***this field trip falls on a long weekend and may be moved if not enough people can make it*** Family and Friends Foto Fun at Fort Edmonton. With such diverse settings and a myriad of delightful textures, sights, sounds, and people, this will be a great field trip to really relax, spread your wings, and try out what you've learned. The store fronts, carousel, unlit buildings, and farm animals always prove fun and challenging. (And of course we'll stop and get something yummy at the bakery, too.)
Breaking all the rules (or making up your own): Now that you know the rules, let's break ‘em! This workshop is geared towards taking what you’ve learned, and throwing it all out the window for the sake of being creative or maybe just being a rebel. We’ll go over some fun techniques like panning and zooming, ideas for getting people to do things that will make your pictures more interesting, doing camera-based photo manipulation, and building home-made filters that will work on any camera, anywhere. 1:00 p.m. June 1, 2008, 1.5 hours, $30
++++At 4pm immediately following the workshop will be the planning session for the theme Shoot on June This planning session is free of charge and open to all those wishing to participate in the Theme Shoot on June 15, 2008.++++
FIELD TRIP: June 15, 2008. Theme Shoot. We will be using all of the skills we've acquired and staging an actual photo shoot using people, props, and lighting. We will decide as a group what kind of theme we would like for our shoot, and collectively contribute ideas and materials. We will also collectively decide the most appropriate place to stage the shoot whether that's someone's home, a studio, or on location at a farmer's field or a dumpster. Participants will be required to run the shoot from beginning to end as if in a professional setting including obtaining appropriate model releases and/or access permits if required. We may decide to stage a mock wedding or do a CD cover for a rock band, fake a parade or build an advertising fashion shoot - the sky is the limit!
Dirty Little Secrets - the Weekender.
just the basics, but shorter
It takes years for photographers to learn their cameras, and then to practice and develop the skills and knowledge it takes to feel comfortable and confident shooting whenever, whatever, and wherever. The monthly workshops are designed to build and develop skills over a length of time to permit participants the opportunity to go out into the real world and apply what they have learned. However, there are some impatient people who want to know it all RIGHT NOW. For those who feel the need to cram as much information into their brain in as short a period as possible, I am offering "Dirty Little Secrets - the Weekender."
Dirty Little Secrets - the Weekender series will cover everything offered in the extended workshops, but based on feedback from interested participants will be customized to meet the needs of those in attendance. (If everybody wants to know about stock photography there's no point in me going on about capturing meaningful moments at a marathon...) Condensed to 2 consecutive full-day Sundays, the first Weekender will run January 27th, and February 3rd, 2008, with a second series TBA later in 2008 if there is sufficient interest. You won't be a pro when you walk out the door, but this workshop will set the stage for developing and honing the basic skills you need to become the best photographer you possibly can, in a very short span of time. Sissies need not apply. ~smirk~ Sunday, January 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, February 3rd from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, fee $250, participation in DLS field trips is strongly encouraged. Pay in installments, or just tell your spouse it's what you want for Christmas!
TO RECEIVE A REGISTRATION FORM LEAVE A COMMENT WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS (it will not be published)
So You Wanna take Pictures... Maybe you've always loved photography. Maybe you've just recently discovered (or re-discovered) a passion for it. Maybe you'd love to get into it but aren't sure what the costs involved might be, or maybe you just want to know how to use that camera you got for your birthday last year (or 6 years ago). In addition to detailing the content of the entire workshop series, this free session will include a presentation and Q&A on the important things to consider when you are investing in a camera, whether it's an ultra-slim portable digicam, a high-end digicam, a consumer-level SLR, or a top-of-the-line professional-level SLR. (SLR = Single lens reflex - the only cameras where you actually look through the lens at your subject instead of through a viewfinder or with a digital preview.) December 15, 2007 2:00 pm, 1.0 hrs, FREE
Say Hello to Your Camera: You just bought your camera, want to know your camera's advanced features, or have a camera you have never taken off auto mode - what do all those knobs and buttons do? In addition to figuring out all that stuff, we’ll go over a list of very important terms and concepts, and a little bit of photography history, that will help you understand why the knobs and buttons are there in the first place. January 13, 2008, 1:00 p.m., 1.0 hours, $20
Say Hello to your SLR: If you own, are interested in owning, or are in the process of buying an SLR, this is the place to be. This is an advanced workshop for those who would like a more in-depth look at what SLR cameras do. We’ll cover the different kinds of cameras available, discuss several types of lenses and what their applications are, and take a more practical and hands-on look at some of the concepts touched on in Say Hello to Your Camera. There will be a couple of SLR cameras (both digital and analogue) for those who don't own one who would like to try one out. Say Hello to Your Camera is not a prerequisite for this workshop, but is strongly recommended. 2:30 p.m. January 13, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
Technical Critiquing: If there’s one workshop everyone needs to attend, this is the one. When we look at a photo, we all know whether we like it or not (subjective) but often can't quite put our finger on what it is that we like about it so much. Every photographer I know spends time scoping out other people’s work for inspiration and ideas, and to expand our own roster of abilities. In this workshop, we will critique a variety of photographs using proper lingo and jargon to identify the elements (objective) that attract or repel us, as well as go over some simple techniques to improve these images both while shooting and using even the most basic editing freeware. Most importantly, we will learn how to apply a critical eye to our own pictures so we may learn from our mistakes, and adopt elements of others’ successful images into our own shooting. Though not a prerequisite, this particular workshop will be best understood and participated in by those who took the 'Say Hello to Your Camera' session. 1:00 p.m. February 10, 2008, 2.0 hours, $40
FIELD TRIP: February 24, 2008, 10 am. Definitely a kid-friendly field trip, we'll be heading off to the Muttart Conservatory for a fun-filled day of shooting people, places, and things! Because of its lighting conditions and scenery, this is a beginner-friendly place to really explore and experiment with photography, while still challenging enough to capture the imagination of more advance shooters.
Lighting: natural vs artificial/flash vs available light - what are they, what are the pros and cons of each, and how can we use them advantageously? We’ll cover the basics first, and learn some simple problem solving techniques for difficult lighting situations, as well as touch on some inexpensive and creative lighting alternatives. 1:00 p.m. March 9, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
Lighting with your SLR: This advanced technical workshop will examine the dynamic relationship between aperture, film speed, and shutter speed, and how you use these three elements together to solve complex lighting puzzles. We'll also look at the application of creative 'low-budget' lighting as well as the use of professional studio lighting. If you've been shooting your SLR in auto-mode and *still* aren't happy with the results, this is the workshop you've been dreaming of. Please note that Technical Critiquing is a prerequisite for this workshop. If you do not have your own SLR, there will be a couple available to use if you are interested in attending. 2:30 p.m. March 9, 2008, 1.5 hours, $30
FIELD TRIP: March 23, 2008, 10 am. For a small fee, we will get a brief orientation and demonstration of an independent professional studio from a gentleman with 30 years of experience in the photography industry, who excels at creative lighting for portraiture. Due to space restrictions, children (except nursing infants) are not invited to attend this field trip.
Portraiture: My favourite thing to photograph is people. In this intensive hands-on workshop, we'll be spending the first hour learning about posing and ‘un’posing, group vs. individual portraits, creative use of props, going on location, and getting tough people and cranky kids to relax in front of the camera. In the second hour, we’ll be practicing on ~gasp~ live subjects. 1:00 p.m. April 6, 2.0 hours, $40
Wedding & event photography: This brief but intensive workshop is designed for the serious amateur who is interested in starting to do weddings, or the unwitting family member who gets volunteered to save the bride & groom some cash. We'll cover the classic 'cast, crew, and camera' pitfalls and how to handle these situations tactfully and professionally. This workshop will set you on the road for increased success capturing the essence of the day without losing your patience, your sanity, or your hair. 3:30 p.m. April 6, 2008, $20.
FIELD TRIP: April 20, 2008, 10 am to 2 pm. We're going to set up and run our own event: The Spring Fling Photobooth, and participants will have an opportunity to interact with and photograph friends, family, and complete strangers while contributing to a good cause. For a twist, we'll be taking walk-ups! As a group we will choose a charity to support and we will run this event in one-hour shifts. The location will be kid-friendly; however, no childcare will be provided while you are on your shift.
Composition: whether you are doing landscapes, portraits, or art photography, there are a number of tried-and-true basics that master artists of all types – painters, musicians, sculptors, choreographers – have employed since the beginning of time including perspective, the 'Rule of Thirds,' colour, movement, and placement. We will look at how to apply (and sometimes ignore) these tried and true techniques that can improve the impact and often add class to even our most candid on-the-fly shots. 1:00 p.m. May 4, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
The Business End of Things: this handy little workshop will cover things like defining your style, naming and marketing yourself or your company, legal responsibilities, copyright, contracts, model releases, pricing, and other such stuff. 2:30 p.m. May 4, 2008, 1.0 hours, $20
FIELD TRIP: May 18 (or May 25), 2008, Fort Edmonton Park. ***this field trip falls on a long weekend and may be moved if not enough people can make it*** Family and Friends Foto Fun at Fort Edmonton. With such diverse settings and a myriad of delightful textures, sights, sounds, and people, this will be a great field trip to really relax, spread your wings, and try out what you've learned. The store fronts, carousel, unlit buildings, and farm animals always prove fun and challenging. (And of course we'll stop and get something yummy at the bakery, too.)
Breaking all the rules (or making up your own): Now that you know the rules, let's break ‘em! This workshop is geared towards taking what you’ve learned, and throwing it all out the window for the sake of being creative or maybe just being a rebel. We’ll go over some fun techniques like panning and zooming, ideas for getting people to do things that will make your pictures more interesting, doing camera-based photo manipulation, and building home-made filters that will work on any camera, anywhere. 1:00 p.m. June 1, 2008, 1.5 hours, $30
++++At 4pm immediately following the workshop will be the planning session for the theme Shoot on June This planning session is free of charge and open to all those wishing to participate in the Theme Shoot on June 15, 2008.++++
FIELD TRIP: June 15, 2008. Theme Shoot. We will be using all of the skills we've acquired and staging an actual photo shoot using people, props, and lighting. We will decide as a group what kind of theme we would like for our shoot, and collectively contribute ideas and materials. We will also collectively decide the most appropriate place to stage the shoot whether that's someone's home, a studio, or on location at a farmer's field or a dumpster. Participants will be required to run the shoot from beginning to end as if in a professional setting including obtaining appropriate model releases and/or access permits if required. We may decide to stage a mock wedding or do a CD cover for a rock band, fake a parade or build an advertising fashion shoot - the sky is the limit!
Dirty Little Secrets - the Weekender.
just the basics, but shorter
It takes years for photographers to learn their cameras, and then to practice and develop the skills and knowledge it takes to feel comfortable and confident shooting whenever, whatever, and wherever. The monthly workshops are designed to build and develop skills over a length of time to permit participants the opportunity to go out into the real world and apply what they have learned. However, there are some impatient people who want to know it all RIGHT NOW. For those who feel the need to cram as much information into their brain in as short a period as possible, I am offering "Dirty Little Secrets - the Weekender."
Dirty Little Secrets - the Weekender series will cover everything offered in the extended workshops, but based on feedback from interested participants will be customized to meet the needs of those in attendance. (If everybody wants to know about stock photography there's no point in me going on about capturing meaningful moments at a marathon...) Condensed to 2 consecutive full-day Sundays, the first Weekender will run January 27th, and February 3rd, 2008, with a second series TBA later in 2008 if there is sufficient interest. You won't be a pro when you walk out the door, but this workshop will set the stage for developing and honing the basic skills you need to become the best photographer you possibly can, in a very short span of time. Sissies need not apply. ~smirk~ Sunday, January 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, February 3rd from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, fee $250, participation in DLS field trips is strongly encouraged. Pay in installments, or just tell your spouse it's what you want for Christmas!
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