We're putting out the announcement for our April round of photo classes, but many things have changed.
First, we're in a HUGE new studio, which my partner on the photo book, Deelish, and I moved into over the past month. Also, I've applied some more experience to the missteps of my smaller-scale classes and, combined with an expanded curriculum and more possibilities for students, old and new.
So, there are now 5 classes to choose from, which for now, will be laid out in time slots across the weekend, divided into four consecutive 3-hour time slots.
Bogarted from DPReview.com.
-- The Basics of Photography and Your DSLR
The basic and for many, most essential course, described in other posts and in the right menu. Unless you REALLY know the ins and outs of the relationship between aperture and shutter, exposure and flash compensation, as well as the other functions and buttons on your camera, taking the more advanced courses first might not be too beneficial to you. You should read my post on "Basic Photo Knowledge" before coming to the class. It'll help start things off right.
Meets on Saturday at 11.
-- Action Photography!
For those of you needing to cover events, use big lenses, or just really want to catch life in motion, this course is for you. More than just knowing the basics of how to take pictures in everyday situations, certain photographic situations require a specialized skill, experience, and even equipment set. Now, you've got to get as much speed as you can out of your camera, since shutter speed is a premium at sports events, in front of the fashion runway, at the dimly-lit concert. Every shot counts and you don't have a second chance. Do you know how to shoot predictively? Or what to do with the color temperature when the runway switches to spotlights from track lighting? Or how to mix ambient with flash lighting to get dynamic images at a night concert? You will.
Meeting place/time TBD.
-- Studio and Strobe Photography
Studio strobes. Soft-boxes. Beauty dishes. Main, fill, and kicker lights. All the stuff you see used for real professional portrait, fashion, and art photography, but you'd swear you'd never be able to understand how to use all that stuff. Don't stress -- learning the basics of how to properly light for the studio isn't as hard as you think -- you'll get the foundations with us, learn that putting together a basic studio setup of your own isn't so hard nor prohibitively expensive. It IS within your ability to learn to make the kind of pictures that will make your friends go "oooh" and perhaps even make your wallet start to grow.
Meeting time: Weekend TBD
-- Photoshop for Photographers
We put the "photo" back in Photoshop. Most people know how to twiddle around in what Koreans call "Po-Shap", but very few people know how to properly adjust pictures to realistic (and publishable) photographic standards. We're not talking about using "poshap" to make one's eyes bigger, put a lightsaber in your hand, or otherwise fundamentally alter reality. Learn how to properly process pictures, especially from DSLR's, color balance, adjust levels and curves, properly sharpen, work in adjustment and element layers, understand masking, prepare images for print, etc. The nitty-gritty of what Photoshop is ACTUALLY usually used for -- from a photographer who actually knows what she's doing, not your friend next door from freshman year who showed you some cool tricks on his computer. Like the guy says, you probably suck at Photoshop -- just admit it. And if you don't, you don't need our class, anyway. But most humans DO suck at it. We don't. Take the class, foo'.
-- Street, Documentary, and the Photo Essay
Photo essay? Anyone can put together a photo essay, right? Just take some pictures and put 'em in order. M'kay? Right? Err, no. This class is designed around the model of a Minor White-era photo group, in which a group of working photographers shoot and critique each others' work, which is a photo essay that is being shot over an extended period of time. We will take a look at photo history and classic photo essays and pictures, even as we focus on our own work and group-critique ourselves into making braver and better pictures. You should come into the course with at least some idea of essays you might want to shoot during the timeframe of the class. The class will meet on a staggered, bi-weekly schedule to allow for ample time gaps between classes, so it will last for 8 weeks, but still meet 4 times. If you ever needed the structure, support, and specialized guidance to do a photo essay on something, but never bothered to do it, this class is the perfect solution.
Meeting time: Weekend TBD
What to do? If you want to sign up:
1) Email me at the link at the top right of this page with the words "photo class" in the subject line.
2) You will then get payment instructions and directions. After payment, your seat is reserved and you're registered. Classes are 175,000 for the entire 4 week, and will be conducted on weekends.
