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Taking Great Pictures
[ A few simple things make the difference. ]


My classes and workshops teach people the few simple things that make the difference between getting poor or ordinary pictures and getting great ones - - pictures that almost scream "Look at me!"   Using these methods will improve your photography right away and set the stage for unleashing your full creative potential.

I have years of experience in film and digital photography, shooting a huge variety of subject matter indoors and out, and I bring it to bear on giving my students what they need to dramatically improve their photography.

Seating is limited and advance registration is strongly recommmended. Find the class that suits you and enroll now.

Class Offerings (Click on a Title)

Digital Made Simple    (May 15 or June 10)

Taking Great Pictures    (May 20 or June 17)

Adobe Photoshop (tm): Making Great Pictures    (May 13 )

Outings & Field Instruction     (Landscape & Architecture: June 14; Ozark Autumn: November 1-7)

Private Instruction & Small Group Workshops    (by arrangement with Curtis)

Digital Made Simple                  
Target Audience: Anyone wanting to use their digital camera effectively. The content applies to the most inexpensive digital cameras through those costing thousands of dollars.

Outcome: You will learn the essentials of digital photography and be able to consistently create satisfying photographs for personal and casual business use.

Topics include:
·  The Digital Advantage and How to Use it
·  Image File Formats and When to Use One Vs. Another
·  Image Editing Software Highlights
·  How to Share Digital Pictures with Friends and Family
·  Cost-Effective Ways to Store, Retrieve, and Manage Digital Files
·  4 Secrets for Successful Digital Shooting
·  4 Things the Digital Shooter Should Never Do
·  Effective Composition - the Key to Making Photos You'll Want to Share
·  How to Outsmart an Automatic Camera

Location, Times and Fees:

Rivertown Art Studio - 242 N Main (above Johnny's TV) in downtown Stillwar
7 - 9 pm     $50

Thursday, May 15     
Tuesday, June 10

     

Taking Great Pictures
           
Target Audience: For film and digital enthusiasts.

Outcome: Mastering the content will enable you to consistently create photographs that are interesting and technically good. Photographers with manual cameras will know when, why, and how to abandon program and automatic modes. Those with point and shoot equipment will understand the influence of program settings on pictures and how to make their equipment perform better

Topics:
·  Learning to See
·  Elements and Principles of Design
·  Principles of Composition
·  Light and Color
·  Cameras and Lenses
·  Film and Photo Sensors
·  Using Natural and Artificial Light
·  Automatic, Manual, and Selective Focus - How, When, Why
·  Automatic, Programmed, and Manual Exposure
·  Ensuring Perfect Exposures
·  Using Your Camera's Creative Controls
·  Inexpensive Tools for Better Pictures
·  Tips and Techniques for Creating Effective Photographs

Location, Times and Fees:

Rivertown Art Studio - 242 N Main (above Johnny's TV) in downtown Stillwater
6:30 - 9 pm    $55

Thursday, May 20      
Tuesday, June 17      

Adobe Photoshop (tm): Making Great Pictures
From the beginning, professional photographers used technology to enhance the viewing experience, choosing films that would provide the rendition they sought and using filters to alter light entering the camera. But every photographic environment is unique, and there is only so much that can be done during exposure to overcome the creative limitations it imposes. So it wasn't long before darkroom science became just as important to creating powerful images as what happened when the initial exposure was made.

Ansel Adams wrote a whole book about it, showing people how to manipulate the developing and printing processes for maximium visual impact. As the science developed, manufacuturers produced an array of print papers with varying constrast ratios and when color photography came along, they provided papers with differing responses to color and added filter packs to enlargers.

But darkrooms, chemicals, and papers are expensive and carry risks to health and the environment. Today, the power of photo editing is available to enthusiasts and even casual photographers through the digital darkroom. People can experiment, create, and learn without consuming supplies, and they can do it faster, better, and inexpensively.


Photoshop (tm) is the world's leading photo editing software and is the de facto standard by which all others are judged.   In these classes you will learn how to use this powerful program to reduce or eliminate technical flaws and add impact, drama, and excitement to your images.

Participants may bring a computer to class and work through the examples along with me. This helps assure full understanding of the methods used and strengthens retention of what was learned.

Photoshop I is for people using PhotoShop Elements or who are getting started with the Photoshop CS series. Topics include cropping, retouching, repairing, managing brightness, contrast, color and saturation, image sharpening, converting color images to black & white, using masks and layers, combining images, and adding text and special effects.

Photoshop II is for the advanced amateur or professional photograpyer, and covers advanced methods that save time and produce professional quality results. "Elements" users will benefit although a few techniques explored requiring a single step in Photoshop CS2 will require more than one step in Elements. Topics include using advanced mask techniques, channels, advanced layer techniques, high dynamic range and other compositing methods, optimizing black & white and other monochrome images, and preparing images for Internet use, for personal and commercial printing, and for publication.



Location, Times and Fees:  

Rivertown Art Studio - 242 N Main (above Johnny's TV) in downtown Stillwater
6:30-9 pm; $60

Tuesday, May 13:     

Photoshop II: No class scheduled at present; please use the contact link at the top of the page to express interest, for questions, or to ask to be notified when a class is scheduled.

"Photoshop" is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems.
  Field Trips & Workshops
Landmark & Architechture Photography
Saturday, June 14; 8 am - 1 pm; $75
Downtown Stillwater
         Advance Registration Required
(6 openings remain)

Ozark Autumn
Tentative Dates: November 1 - 7
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
More information soon...
Private Instruction Content, depth, and duration are adjusted to fit student needs and interests, and may focus on specific photographic techniques or subject matter. Suggested topics include:

·  Nature and Wildlife
·  Architechture and Landmarks
·  Botannical and Garden
·  Still Life
·  Macro photography
·  Lighting Options and Techniques
·  Using Flash Indoors and Out
·  Scanning and Archiving Family Photos
·  Using Adobe Photoshop (tm)
·  Photo Restoration

One-on-one and small group sessions are scheduled on an individual basis.
Please click here to get more information.