Our workshop with David Trattles and Canadian Geographic filled up with lightning speed. Dave is a mild mannered, superman of the social documentary photo world.
We have scheduled a second session at Canadian Geographic Headquarters in Ottawa to fit his busy schedule. Same price ($375 + taxes). Same agenda. The new workshop dates are:
October 5 (eve),
October 7 (eve),
October 9 (eve),
October 10 (afternoon), 2009.
(approximately three hour sessions)
Today I found a fun article on painting with light by the prolific Chase Jarvis. Light painting has been around for a while but people continue to experiment with new ways to play!
• Read the Chase Jarvis article.
• See some different examples of the wild world of lights at night, below…
1. Taking advantage of available light:
2. Light Driving – do not try this at home:
3. Complex scenarios including light painting, existing lights and HDR effects from a student on our workshop:
We’re pleased to announce we will be presenting a workshop through Wallack’s Art Supplies: “Photographing Artwork for Promotion.”
Promoting artwork on your website or submitting photos to a juried show, gallery or other art organization takes quality work and quality photographs of your work. Creating appropriate photos can be done inexpensively with simple equipment.
We will be teaching and demonstrating the ideas behind documenting artwork at Wallack’s Nepean store on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 in the afternoon.
There are only 25 spots available – they are charging just $25 per person.
Please register through Wallacks.
In the spring we presented a similar session to the Ontario Craft Council.
Ontario Craft Council – March 2009 Conference
Sara Washbush of the Craft Council wrote:
“Harry’s workshop was one of the main attractions for attendees… Harry’s presentation was full of simple effective solutions, explained in a fun and lighthearted way.”
If you missed that opportunity you have a second chance!
Last year a regular client needed some photos to promote his music. We arranged the shoot in Ottawa with his large band.
The shoot went well and Peter Foret has now launched his latest CD and release party. He is getting good (and appropriate) mileage from last summer’s photo shoot:
Nice work Peter!
In a week and a half students are testing their sports photo skills at Augusta Stables’ annual Peanut Polo Cup – thundering horses playing polo.
I got an email from a former student with exciting news.
The Peanut Polo organizer, Kathy Mills, will be interviewed on Bob FM 93.9 on Fri Aug 28th, at approx 7:20am. Listen to the interview by Sandy Sharkey.
Sandy, former photo student, was invited to a media launch for the Peanut Polo Cup last weekend and tested her photo skills, below. Pretty good, eh? Check Sandy’s blog for more photos. Nice work Sandy!
Sandy Sharkey shooting Polo
This morning I continued work on a long term project and photographed Becky Mason at Meech Lake. Becky is a well known paddler having covered vast kilometres of canoe routes. She teaches ‘Classic Solo Canoeing’ and is also an accomplished artist currently exhibiting at the Cube Gallery with her husband Reid McLachlan.
After the work I captured some candids of Becky in the boat:
Yes, it was a fun morning!
Harry
Last weekend we traveled to the Augusta Polo Club to capture some of the thundering fun in preparation for our Sport Photography Workshop covering the Peanut Polo Cup in late August.
Polo is often misunderstood. Many people have the idea that Polo is played only by the upper echelons of society – Prince Charles, etc. Not the case!
Accessible
Augusta Polo Club’s Kathy and George told me Polo is one of the most accessible equine sports in North America – polo ponies can be inexpensive to purchase and equipment is limited. Best of all polo can be played on a simple, open field. If you can ride you can play Polo!
The Game
The game is played on a large field – 300 yards x 100 yards. While that may seem massive, experienced riders get around at lightning speed – remember, horses can gallop 50km/hr or faster.
An experienced game is fast. Play is broken down to 7 minute ‘chukkers’ with riders mounting a fresh horse every chukker to keep the play pulsing.
Horse Safety
And what about the horses? They are trained to perform at polo – making sure they are accustomed to close competition. The sport is gear towards the safety of the magnificent animals.
Our sport event will be challenging – learn about event photography:
As part of the workshop you will receive media passes giving participants access to restricted areas.
Support Animal Rescue Programs
At the Peanut Polo Cup you will also have the chance to photograph many classic canines. The event is used to support canine and equestrian rescue programs.
It’s an amazing opprotunity to see some fine work by the best photojournalists in the world. We saw the traveling exhibit in Iceland last summer.
The opening was Wednesday night with speeches and a collection of people in the industry. The show runs from August 6th to 26th at the Canadian War Museum.
Earlier I had advertised this month’s gallery visit to see the Karsh/Steichen exhibition at the National Gallery. We have changed the Gallery visit so that we can take advantage of this temporary traveling exhibition.
They’re fast.
I have continued a stock/commercial art project working with Dave McMahon and Lise Meloche of xcZone.tv.
They are residents of Chelsea, Qc and have been on the world cup and/or Olympic circuit for a good chunk of their life! Splitting their available time between training hard and filming for xcZone we were lucky to get them to run for our cameras!
Very fun to work with good people:
Dave & Lise discussing the route
Dave & Lise
Remember my Graflex post?
Yesterday we received an ebay purchase for the Graflex in the mail – a 75mm lens for the large format press camera. I was very excited.
Ebay?
Yep, there are very few lenses available for sale in Ottawa for 4×5 cameras. The Camera Trading Company has another Graflex camera for sale but, alas, not the wide angle lens I lusted after.
I started searching online – finding a good deal on ebay. I have had good experiences there before.
Buyer beware
It was billed as “Glass is clean and clear. Shutter, focus, and f-stop are smooth, solid, and consistent. Body is in very good condition.” The seller had a 99% positive rating and over 22,000 sales – a reasonable track record.
The lens arrived. I found the shutter speed ring was seized. Seized?! Deflated, I started to dread contacting the seller about the bad lens they had sold me.
Canadian Camera to the rescue
Before contacting the selling store I thought it best to consult Canadian Camera – Ottawa’s prominent camera repair shop. I went in and presented my conundrum – had the lens seized or had I missed something?
Kishor and Raj are super. With years of experience and problem solving they quickly found the trouble – the shutter had been modified for another lens. Coupled with the glass of my new lens the shutter speed ring would not move. Removing the spacing ring (second from left, below) solved the problem.
Phew!
Many thanks to Canadian Camera. The Ohio based ebay seller also forgot to send the lens board we bought. I need to contact them – Any suggestions as to what to say?