Summer Inspirations, Santa Fe-Style

Santa Fe Photographic Workshops Summer 2010 Instructor Image Presentation Schedule

All presentations begin at 8:30 PM
Santa Fe Prep School Auditorium
1101 Camino da la Cruz Blanca
(the schedule is subject to change)

Week 2
MONDAY June 28 – Cathy Maier Callanan, Chris Rainier, Kwaku Alston
TUESDAY June 29 – Cig Harvey, Christopher James, Jonathan Torgovnik

Week 3
MONDAY July 5 – Tony Bonanno, Jennifer Davidson, Keith Carter
TUESDAY July 6 – Michael Webb, Elizabeth Opalenik

Week 4
MONDAY July 12 – Karen Kuehn, Tony Corbell, Nevada Wier
TUESDAY July 13 – Michael Webb, Rick Allred, Will Yurman

Week 5
MONDAY July 19 – Nevada Wier, Norman Mauskopf
TUESDAY July 20 – Norah Levine, Frank Ockenfels

Week 6
MONDAY July 26 – Patrick Donehue, Eddie Soloway, France Scully, Andrew Southam
TUESDAY July 27 – Jennifer Spelman, Raul Touzon, Jill Enfield

Week 7
MONDAY August 2 – Bobbi Lane, Carlan Tapp, Anne Cahill, Paul Elledge
TUESDAY August 3 – Doug Beasley, Leasha Overturff, Joe McNally

The Danger of Critiques with Douglas Beasley

There is a danger in critiquing work-in-progress at classes and workshops—it can emphasize success over risk taking. We may be more worried more about impressing others than about our own artistic growth. But risking failure is how we grow and evolve as artists.

Put yourself wholeheartedly into each exercise and assignment. You have much more to gain by staying open to new possibilities then in succeeding with what you already know works. Try not to mimic the instructor’s style just so they notice you or like your work. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, and take visual and emotional chances. Think beyond the workshop’s end!

It’s not how many great pictures you make during your class or workshop that’s important, but how the experience changes you. Remember why you signed up in the first place—to continue to become a better photographer.

Learn more from Douglas in his workshop
Zen and the Art of Photography
August 1-August 7, 2010

Visit his website http://douglasbeasley.com to see what he’s up to.

Subject, Location, Light with Norman Mauskopf

When photographing people on location a photographer should have the mantra "Subject, Location, Light" constantly running through their mind. Many photographers can become so engrossed with their subject—trying to coax them into a particular mood, expression or posture—they lose sight of the subject's surroundings and the ambient light. This can lead to distracting backgrounds, awkward framing, and either harsh, dull or unflattering light.

By focusing on the “tripod” of subject, location and light we work with the pictorial elements necessary to create well-composed and engaging images.

So remember: Subject, Location, Light . . .

Subject, Location, Light . . .

Learn more from Norman in his workshop
Getting Close
July 18 - July 24, 2010

Visit his website http://normanmauskopf.com to see what he’s up to.

Getting Started with Collodion or Tintype with Jill Enfield

Everyone always thinks you need a fancy camera to do large format photography—especially when a historical process like wet collodion or tintype is involved. Don’t be nervous or put off by price! You can get used to using a larger camera while spending very little money and having some fun. That’s right—flea markets and eBay!

One of my favorite pastimes is bargain hunting, and one of my favorite things to buy is old box or bellows cameras. I can usually find the old cameras for a whopping $10.00 to $45.00, depending on the camera. Old 4 x 5 cameras can often be found on eBay for under $300.00.

You can place the glass (used for collodion) or the metal (used for tintypes) directly in the backs of most of these cameras. It is a great way to get started with all kinds of projects. You can also get used to a new old camera, or practice before a class, by using Fuji instant film (the new “Polaroid”). This will help you get acquainted with the mechanisms and learn how the camera responds to light.

Learn more from Jill in her workshop
Wet-Plate Collodion: Back to the Future
July 25 - July 31, 2010

Visit her website http://jillenfield.com to see what she’s up to.

Survival Tip Number 1 with Patrick Donehue

Action is our friend! This is especially true when times are volatile and less than predictable. Being paralyzed during challenging times not only feeds the dysfunction—it facilitates the loss of forward momentum. If you're not sure what to do, take the opportunity to learn a new skill or to sharpen existing ones. Above all, keep your camera running and make images every day. This will keep you in the game and provide opportunities for you to make some of your best images.

Really good photographers LOVE being self-expressed. They LOVE being behind the camera. And they LOVE making magic in new and innovative ways. None of this happens if one sits around in a comatose state waiting for an injection of positive energy. The positive energy will not come from mindlessly zoning out and hoping that the direction of the wind will someday change. It will only come if your ball is in play.

Action is a good thing. It's liberating and it demolishes the barriers that stand in the way of creativity and innovation.

Learn more from Patrick in his workshop
Refining Your Stock Photography
July 25 - July 31, 2010

Visit his website www.patrickdonehue.com to see what he’s up to.

Beyond Raw Capture to Reinterpretation with Bobbie Goodrich

An image is perceived, the shutter is depressed and the photo appears in camera. In this advanced digital era, however, initial capture is only the beginning of the creative journey of possibilities that exists for transforming our initial impressions into dynamic works of art. We all experience joy and disappointment when reviewing our work; rarely does an image possess all the components to qualify for the award-winning category without some effort in post-processing.

The “original” and “redefined” image shown here illustrates my typical workflow:

Working in a Photoshop CS4 layer palette on a duplicate layer, I apply a specific filter or gradient to soften or obscure a distracting background. I then add a mask to the layer and paint back at 100% opacity the important elements I want to retain. Next I open Nik Viveza 2 plug-in, the filter I use to make my all my exposure adjustments (the shadow slider is fantastic for detail and light in underexposed areas). When satisfied, I open Nik Color Efex 3.0 for a multitude of fabulous color combinations that can be painted onto my image. Among my favorites for dramatizing lighting effects are: graduated neutral density, darken/lighten center, graduated filters, and tonal contrast. To complete my process, I use Define 2.0 if noise reduction is required and then move into Sharpener Pro 3.0 to sharpen selectively or globally.

A successful image never happens haphazardly. When all the elements work together harmoniously to captivate and intrigue the viewer—you have a winner!!!

Learn more from Bobbie in her workshop
Romancing the West
July 18 - July 24, 2010

Visit her website www.bobbiegoodrich.com to see what she’s up to.