#953 Photo Distractions from the Web

In our Photo Distractions feature we present distractions about photography from the web on our own photo blog!

This week’s round-up:
• Quinton Gordon of LuzStudios offered this tip-of-the-hat to Ted Grant, well-known Canadian editorial photographer, with an  announcement about a retrospective of his work.

Photo District News announces the passing of Wayne Miller, prominent documentary photographer with who shot for Life Magazine.

John Rowlands (opens to his music exhibition announcement) gets interviewed on PhotoKibitz about his 50 years of shooting Rock and Roll’s biggest superstars!

• We are ALMOST ready to launch a new web site featuring photo tips we feature on our Facebook page. We’re loading content…

Photo Tip #171 – Want better photos?
Get CLOSER to your subject!!

Photo Tip #171 - CLOSER!!

Photo Tip #171 – CLOSER!!

#952 One Year Anniversary – Online Program – Special Offer!

Happy Anniversary to us!!
A year ago, in June, we added the Online Photo Program to our list of photo classes to help bring our well-loved photo courses to people beyond Ottawa!

It was a lot of work and we weren’t sure quite what we were getting into!
But… what we did create has people coming back for more!

First photo challenge - self portraits © Jane B.

First online photo challenge – “self portraits” © Jane B.

Members keep sending in comments saying how the program has helped them:
• be more active photographers
• learn in a fun environment
• be part of a community of photographers looking to improve their skills.

First Online Photo Challenge "Self Portraits" © Maisie I.

First Online Photo Challenge “Self Portraits” © Maisie I.

Whatever the Online Photo Program does, I am seeing people improve their skills and produce better and better photos!

See last month’s online photo program review for more member photos and comments!

See part of the first critique session ever on the Online Photo Program:

Special Offer!
In celebration of the first year of photo fun on the online photo program we are offering a celebratory, limited offer to the lucky people who click the button below until June 3rd!

30% off! Hurry – it won’t last long!
Instead of $180 for 6 months of monthly photo courses, you get 6 months of photo challenges, video, notes, critique and sharing for $125! Price returns to $180 after June 3rd.

Special Offer has expired…
Register Online.

First Online Photo Challenge "Self Portraits" © Cheryl K.

First Online Photo Challenge “Self Portraits” © Cheryl K.

#951 – Music Photo Contest Winner!

We have a come-from-behind winner in the Music Photo Contest linked to the John Rowlands’ Music Exhibition coming up on June 8th.

Jacqueline Barisan of Niagara Falls, Ont, photographed The Wholigans on July 14, 2012 at the Q107 Summer Bash in Toronto, Ontario and sent in the photo to the contest in the last week.

Some quick voting from fans sent this photo quickly to number one spot! Thanks to everyone that entered and voted!

Wholigans © Jacqueline Barison

Wholigans © Jacqueline Barisan

On her photo background she says:
Photography has always been a great passion to me. It wasn’t until 2009 that I decided to pick up the camera again & start shooting. 

I shot a lot of wildlife & landscape … A few years back I entered a photo to Canadian Geographic & it was published…. I have had no schooling in this field but always just had a natural eye for it.

I met up with some friends one night in Toronto & was introduced to the promotions guru from radio station Q107. He invited me out to many of their shows & it was then I decided to shoot live music concerts … I feel something different when I photograph bands, I get lost in the moment & feel in control.

Currently, I have been working alongside Canadian Country Artist Chelsea Crites.



Networking, my personality & natural talent has got me this far & I hope one day to make a full time living at it … maybe I’ll get my lucky break soon I keep saying!

On John Rowlands’ work she adds:
His pictures tell a story & show his personal connection. There’s a uniqueness to the photos – his own mark …. a true inspiration to me … I would love to learn from him!

Jacqueline’s photo has won a spot at John Rowlands’ Music photography Exhibition:
June 8th, 2013 from noon to night
Ottawa Studio Works
160 Preston St,
Ottawa, On.

We are collecting donations at the exhibition for the Ottawa Food Bank!

John Rowlands Music Photo Exhibition

John Rowlands Music Photo Exhibition

#950 – Online Photo Class – May’s photo challenge review

Last month on the Online Photo Program we gave the members the challenge of Slow Photos – where we asked them to shoot with a shutter speed of 1 second or longer. That’s tough to do!

This month the photography class challenge was Fast Photos where we asked members to use a fast shutter speed to freeze any action to show implied motion in their photos. It’s also a tough challenge!!

Better photos - Online Photography Course

Better photos - Online Photography Program - "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" © Al G

And the online programmers rose to the challenge! As usual I was impressed with the work they did and the results. We have a private Facebook group for members to share and exchange ideas – it’s nice to see people help each other grow.

The Online Program Experience
I don’t know any photo program offered like ours. It’s not quite a photography course… it’s more of a ‘group-exploration-of-photo-challenges.’

We offer a new photo challenge every month and support photographer’s development with:
• a video lesson
• course notes
• photo tips
• web links
• equipment suggestions
• support
• weekly lesson by email
• a Facebook based forum for members to share AND
• a video critique of member’s photos to wrap things up.
In all there are four weeks of programming every month. All for $30 a month, purchased as a 6 month block.

Better photos - Online Photography Course

Better photos - Online Photography Course - "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" © Kevan E

Member comments from May’s challenge keep coming in with praise for the program:
“Thanks so much Harry, couldn’t have done it without you and the online course.”
• “I am very much enjoying the challenges and the format of what you’ve created here with the online program. For me, just the right balance of freedom to work at your own pace and structure to keep you honest and get something done.  With good advice along the way. I appreciate it, and am very happy to support it.”
• “It was a tough assignment and needed a lot of elements to come together for it to work. But a great learning experience. I’m loving this and the FB group is terrific.”

Better photos - Online Photography Course

Better photos - Online Photography Course "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" - Ken C

• “I like the program a lot, it keeps me on track. I wouldn’t be using my camera as much if I wasn’t taking the program.”
• “I am really enjoying the program. My intent when I signed up was to help me get creative, and off my butt and do some shooting. I find I’m more creative if I have a goal or deadline of some sort. Making one up didn’t work.
I think the timing (a month for a challenge) and its spacing is perfect. And I enjoy seeing other’s work and getting feedback, especially the criticisms. Tough to take, but the best way to learn. I’m already looking forward to the topic for June.”

Coming In June we’ll be looking at one type of story-telling with your camera. Join us!

Better photos - Online Photography Class

Better photos - Online Photography Course "Fast Photos / Implied Motion Challenge" - Cathy V

#949 New Challenges – iPhone photography!

In this month’s Exposed! photo newsletter we explore what new challenges can do for your photography as I embrace the world of iPhone-ography.

accomplished iPhone photography © Blair Gable

accomplished iPhone photography © Blair Gable

Call me slow if you’d like, but I’ve never been an early adopter of new technology.

I bought my first digital camera well after most others and it took until last week for me to jump into the world of smartphones with an iPhone. And the challenges of new technology opened up some interesting doors.

Read more about why I take time to adopt to new technology and how your photography can grow by becoming a beginner at something again!

iPhone photography © HarryNowell.com - start of a new learning curve!

iPhone photography © HarryNowell.com - start of my new learning curve!

#948 Summer Portraits Photo Class

Better photos

Better photos

Summer Portrait Class!
We keep getting asked to run our portrait course in the summer (usually run in Jamuary) so we are running Natural Light Portraits in August!

It’s one of our most popular courses – perfect for capturing informal (or formal) portraits at summer events – weddings, BBQs, birthday parties or at family gatherings.

Better portraits!

Better birthday portraits!

Why it’s Popular!
It’s popular because we take people from their fundamentals of photography to specific portrait elements of photography. We cover some technical elements:
• exposures with portraits in mind – ie what shutter speeds and apertures are appropriate for different scenarios.
• introduction to use of flash in portraiture
• choice of different lenses for different portraits

Better people pictures

Better people picture

We also explore the creative side of portrait photography:
• location selection – dealing with the harsh light of midday sun.
• elements of style – what is most appropriate for you and your portraits – candid or formal portraiture?
• working with people to create natural looking smiles and emotions (this is hard!)

Want better people pictures? 
Join us this summer for some portrait fun!

Natural Light Portrait Class

Natural Light Portrait Workshop

#947 – Tulip Photo Course Successes!

Tulip Photo Safari

Tulip Photo Safari - © Morina Reece

Thanks to everyone who got up really early to take advantage of Louise Tanguay‘s wealth of experience in the macro, nature, tulip photo department.
The safari was well attended!

Tulip Photo Safari

Tulip Photo Safari - © Lynn Gaulin

The photo safari met this week with a quick lesson and lots of practical tulip shooting.

They loved it:
Here are a few shots from my best day off in years. It was my first try at macro photography and I loved it.

Tulip Photo Safari

Tulip Photo Safari - © Cheryl Kreiss

Louise is also teaching our Macrophotography Photo Workshop at the end of May – it’s currently full but, so far the waiting list is empty. If you want a spot you could be first in line if there is a cancelation! Just send us an email.

Tulip Photo Safari

Tulip Photo Safari - © Johanne Blain

 

Tulip Photo Safari

Tulip Photo Safari - © Stéphanie Beauregard

Tulip Photo Safari

Tulip Photo Safari - © Taylor Shurie

#946 – New adventures? – iPhone photo

Soooo, I am looking at iPhones, mostly to assist work.

Not so much for client photography but to support blog work, Facebook and other promotion work. I get tired of pulling out the big (lovely) cameras and going through the whole production needed to get a photo on Facebook, etc.

I DON’T love the techy-tech of photography and I usually a bit behind the leading edge (for good reason! – cheaper and early bugs often get resolved by the second generation.)

What’s your experience with Smartphone photography?

Update… I did it. iPhone. Now I am learning. Can’t wait for Blair Gable’s  Smartphone Photo Safari.

Smartphone photography course

Smartphone photography course - © Blair Gable

#945 – From the Web – Photo Distractions

Some more photo fun from the web this week…

• Simplicity
Read about Peter Belanger. Who’s he? He shoots many of the amazingly simple (and beautiful) product shots for Apple.

• British Copyright Law Angers Photographers
Read about new British Legislation that changes copyright protection.

Photo Tip

Photo Tip #167 – Take time to see. It’s amazing what’s right in front of your camera if you take time to look!

• Photo Tips Website Update
Almost a year ago we started posting Photo Tips and other tidbits on our Photo Facebook Page.

People have asked about the tips and if there’s a place they can all be seen more easily. Soon!
We hope to launch a site in the next two weeks. Stay tuned…

#944 Elmwood School Art Exhibition

A while back we mentioned the Elmwood School art exhibition at our photo studio.

The Vernissage was last Friday and it was packed. Students, parents and the public packed the studio to see the artwork.

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Elmwood Art Exhibition

It’s worth seeing. One visitor this week came to see the exhibit as she passed the studio. Her reaction?
This artwork is done by high school students?!
Yes!

You only have a few days left to see it! The exhibition closes Sunday, May 12th!

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Details:
May 3rd-12th, 2013.

Hours:
Wednesday-Friday: 12-6pm.
Saturday, Sunday: 10-4pm.

Ottawa Studio Works
160 Preston St. Ottawa

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Elmwood Art Exhibition

Read a review by Marita Cockburn BA, MA, MFA:

An exhibition of the work of grade 9-12 students, the second annual Elmwood Art Show sets an impressive precedent for high school art programs in the Ottawa area.

Drawing, sculpture, painting, photography, and mixed media mingle in the gallery space, producing a strong aesthetic end product. The works also present a convincing conceptual framework; indeed, a thorough understanding of any of the works is predicated on this conceptual underpinning.

The exhibition engages with several themes, among them the notion of place, space, and the conception of public and private identity; but, while complex ideas are at the heart of most of the exhibition, the works sustain a refreshing and admirable simplicity. Perhaps most rewarding for the audience, however, is that, embedded in each piece there is evidence of these young artists’ intellectual and creative processes, as they expand their consciousness. It is both exciting and a privilege to share and engage in this experience.

At the show’s opening, the artists conducted themselves impressively, often times volunteering insights on their work to the guests. The handbill was also helpful for navigating some of the work. Further, for the week-long exhibition, most of the students provided extended (and cogently written) artist statements that outlined the creative process, an acknowledgment of the evolution of the work, from its inception to its completion.  

Credit should go to Elmwood art teacher, Heawon Chun, for directing the student work in a conceptual direction – high school art is all too frequently trapped in the material and concrete realm. Acclaim, however, should also go to the participating students, who skillfully met the challenge presented to them by their teacher.