A Preview of Three Big Photography Conferences

At photography conferences and trade shows, you will find learning and networking experiences that are difficult to replicate through books, videos, or webinars. Attending a national photography conference can be a fantastic way to get a summary of current thinking, meet the brightest stars in the business, see demonstrations of the latest technology, and get hints about what’s next.

With the soaring popularity of photography (and the fact that so many creative pros must add photography to their repertoire of skills), many photography conferences welcome newcomers. Whether you want to make photography your full-time career or just want to learn how to shoot and process better photos, most photography conferences offer classes that can help.

Here’s a quick overview of three upcoming conferences and how they differ.

Photoshop World Conference and Expo
September 4-6, 2013
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
(Early registration discount ends August 2)

PSWorldCoverThis Adobe-sponsored event is being promoted for “creative people from all walks of life—from beginners to seasoned pros, from teachers to students, and from amateurs to wizards.” In more than 100 different training sessions, Photoshop, photography, creative business, and design experts will share techniques in seven different areas: Photoshop Skills, Photoshop for Photographers, Lightroom, Photography Techniques, Graphic Design, Lighting, and Business.

The in-depth, pre-conference sessions include workshops such as Photoshop for Beginners, Lightroom 5 Crash Course, and Light It: Starting from Scratch. You can also experience learning events such as an On Location Wedding Photography Shoot, a Photo Safari in Las Vegas, and Top Gun Flight Training for aerial photography.

The lighting and photography technique tracks can help you shoot more visually interesting images from the start. You can learn how to:

  • Create texture, dimension, and mood with light
  • How to light anyone, whether in the studio or on location
  • Take your technique to the next level and become a better photographer
  • Style breathtaking images without spending a lot of money

Business workshops cover topics such as social media, pricing, negotiating, selling, contracts, licensing, and releases as well as the business side of wedding photography, and how to make it in editorial photography or sports photography.

The Photoshop Skills track covers topics such as video editing with Creative Cloud, digital illustration workflow, and smart creative technology.  The Graphic Design track includes workshops on creating motion graphics, using InDesign, illustration in Photoshop, and the fundamentals of character design for animation.

The Photoshop World Expo features live photo shoots, product demonstrations, and bonus classes.

Photoshop World Conference and Expo is organized by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). When you register for the Conference as a non-member, you will get a one-year membership to NAPP, which includes ten issues of Photoshop User magazine, and access to online classes and tutorials, discounts, and Photoshop and Lightroom help desks.

LINKS

Photoshop World

National Association of Photoshop Professionals

PDN PhotoPlus International Conference  +  Expo
Conference: October 23-26, 2013
Expo: October 24-26, 2013
Javits Convention Center
New York, NY
(Discounted online registration ends October 22)

PhotoPlusExpoLogoAttended by more than 23,000 professional photographers and enthusiasts, this is the largest photography and imaging show in North America. Celebrating its 30th year, PhotoPlus will bring the latest technologies, applications, and business strategies to the forefront while taking a nostalgic look at the world of photography. The show’s theme is “Honoring the Past, Envisioning the Future.”  

The 90+ conference seminars are organized into eight tracks: Mastering Light; Shooting Memorable Moments; Creating for Clients; Social Media and Marketing; Better Business; Tips and Trends; In Motion; Post Production; Step by Step; and WPPI U.

WPPI U is a full-day series of seminars on October 23 produced by Wedding and Portrait Photographers International. Topics include posing, venue lighting, and creative composition tips for wedding photography, secrets to success in boudoir photography, and a start-to-finish overview of a portrait shoot.

Panel discussions at PhotoPlus Expo will explore the state of editorial photography, safe social media practices, strategies for entering photography competitions, presenting your work to multiple markets, and how motion is changing the future of still photography.

Other sessions will cover fine-art digital printing and publishing, earning a living in a world in which everyone has a camera, evolving your craft from stills to motion, succeeding in stock photography, and today’s changing market for photographs.

At the Expo, you will be able to meet representatives of nearly 300 manufacturers and service providers and touch, test, and compare an extensive assortment of photographic hardware, software, and services. Admission to the Expo is $70 on-site, but is free if you register online by October 22.

The official portfolio review program enables commercial and fine-art photographers to get feedback and critiques from top professionals along with the possibility of new assignments and relationships.

A variety of registration options are available. Register in advance for single sessions, one-day conference passes, or the full conference, which includes the PhotoPlus 30th anniversary bash and a new product preview and networking event. Student discounts and VIP Expo passes are also available.

PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo is brought to you by Photo District News (PDN), the award-winning monthly magazine for professional photographers. Photo District News and PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo are part of the Nielsen Photo Group.

LINKS

PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo

Portfolio Review Sessions at PDN PhotoPlus Conference

Imaging USA
Professional Photographers of America
January 12-14, 2014
Phoenix Convention Center
Phoenix, Arizona
(Registration discounts end December 4)

ImagingUSALogoWith more than 25,000 members in 54 countries, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) describes itself as the largest international non-profit association created by professional photographers for professional photographers.

PPA recently opened registration for Imaging USA 2014 and expects to attract more than 10,000 industry professionals for three days of photography education and inspiration.

The Imaging Expo trade show will feature more than 600 booths, several all-inclusive parties and more than 100 speeches, presentations and hands-on demonstrations by photographers and well-known industry experts. The educational classes can help you improve your photography business skills, range of photographic services, and expert use of technologies. Imaging USA also features mentoring opportunities, portfolio reviews, and an exhibition of award-winning photography.

Imaging USA is the longest running international photographic convention, expo and image exhibition in the world. Nearly as old as photography itself, the event dates back to 1880 when it began as the annual convention and trade show for Professional Photographers of America (PPA). It continues to grow and evolve along with industry trends and technology.

PPA is offering a free full-registration to Imaging USA as a perk for new members. Professional Active PPA memberships are available for $27.92 a month. Current members and everyone else can register for the full conference and expo, the expo only, the full conference and pre-conference courses, the International Photographic Competition, or off-site classes throughout the surrounding areas.

LINKS

Imaging USA

Professional Photographers of America

 

Digital Arts Training Program for Creative Image Makers

“The appetite for creative image makers is voracious” in this content-driven world, says Kevin Landry, president of New Horizons of Southern California. He points to the explosive growth of publications, web resources, and video outlets such as YouTube and Vimeo. Yet Landry believes that significant numbers of job and business opportunities go begging, primarily because employers want creative people who can deliver it all: artistic and inspired image capture combined with post-production skills, and asset-management expertise.

So, New Horizons has launched a Digital Arts Training Program for photographers and videographers.  The program’s mission is to develop creative leaders who can deliver the WOW in visual content for employers or succeed as self-employed visual artists.

The Digital Arts Program is a linear education system that emphasizes the development of new visual voices, says Cindy Sutherland, Vice President of Career Development. She defines WOW in digital content “as the visual magic that stirs the soul, makes your juices jump, causes you to smile, or to bleed with tears.” She says WOW is the essence of art, and how you create and deliver emotional range and new points of view or dramatize dynamic visual stories and imagine the unimagined.

Students who qualify can choose Certificate Programs in five specialties: Wedding, Portraiture, Fine Art, Videography  and Adobe Post Production. Each program requires 200-300 hours of classroom, studio lab, and real-world application assignments.

Certified instructors, who are recognized creative leaders in their fields, teach students foundational subjects in digital image capture. Then students progressively advance their skills in lighting, posing, narrative, character, video, and postproduction arts in Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Adobe Premiere Pro. In the final classes, students learn personal and business marketing applications for their chosen genre.

“The training is fun,” says David LaNeve, Digital Arts Program Director, “but it is also rigorous and market driven. Students receive intensive classroom, studio, and location instruction within a hands-on mentoring environment. Upon successful completion, students will have a professional portfolio or video reel that displays their skills and creativity, New Horizons and Adobe Certifications, and real world assignment experience for their resume.”

New Horizons of Southern California is a network for five computer-learning centers in Anaheim, Burbank, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, and Los Angeles. It is part of the New Horizons company that has been offering computer-related training and certification programs for 30 years.  New Horizons operates 300 training centers in 70 countries and has trained 30 million students.

LINK:

New Horizons’ Digital Arts Training Program

PhoozL Photo Contest Offers One-on-One Feedback from Legendary Photographer Joel Meyerowitz

All creative professionals should know how to take good pictures. But wouldn’t you rather learn by shooting and sharing photos than reading a dull and dry manual? PhoozL is a photography education and entertainment site for photographers and photo enthusiasts who want to have “phun” while learning more about photography.

In conjunction with the launch of their revamped website, PhoozL is conducting a “Seeing the Light” photo contest. The contest winners will be selected by one of photography’s living legends, Joel Meyerowitz, a world-renowned fine-art and documentary photographer whose work has appeared in more than 350 international exhibitions.

In addition to selecting the grand-prize winner of the “Seeing the Light” competition, Joel will provide a one-on-one review of the contest winner’s work.

Other prize winners will receive a voucher to choose a digital photography/video book from the extensive selection offered by Course Technology/CENGAGE Learning or a one-year gift subscription to Aperture magazine.

The PhoozL “Seeing the Light” contest is open to all logged-in members of PhoozL ages 18 and over.  To enter, submit up to five photos related to the theme, “Seeing the Light” by June 4, 2012. There are no restrictions on how or when the image was captured or processed. The complete rules are on the PhoozL website.

What is PhoozL?

“If you like taking pictures, getting exposure and recognition for your photos, improving your photo skills, and being challenged, inspired and motivated to take more and better photographs, then PhoozL is your new home,” says PhoozL founder/creator Harald Johnson.  In addition to photo contests, PhoozL offers photo assignments, photo critiques, photography tips, and discussion phorums.

Johnson, a former professional photographer, art director, and publisher, has been immersed in the worlds of photography, art, and publishing for more than 30 years. He is the author of the groundbreaking book series “Mastering Digital Printing” and has served as a marketing/printing consultant for global technology companies.  He founded an online digital fine-arts discussion group in the 1990s and is now publishing photo apps, such as the PhoozL IQ, a quiz that lets you test your knowledge of photography.  He created PhoozL with Richard Marks and other adventurous friends and colleagues who share a passion for photography.

The PhoozL Photo Pros include professional photographers and photo-industry experts who provide feedback to PhoozL members open to receiving it. The current PhoozL Photo Pro team includes Harald Johnson, Andrew Darlow, C. David Tobie, David Saffir, Jonathan Smith, and Wayne Cosshall.

LINKS

PhoozL

PhoozL: Seeing the Light Competition

PhoozL: Photo IQ-A Photo IQ Quiz

Six Reasons Why Photographers Should Learn to Shoot Video

PHOTOGRAPHERS. This year, PhotoPlus Expo featured eight sessions designed to help professional photographers make the transition from shooting stills to shooting video. In the two seminars I attended, Vincent Laforet and Tyler Stableford showed excellent examples of the types of commercials and short films that have been produced with video-enabled DSLRs or hybrid video/still cameras.

BEHIND THE SCENES – “Neighborhood” from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.

In each seminar, attendees seemed primarily interested in learning more about what types of gear they might need, and how to get help with audio production and video editing. (I’m currently compiling a list of resources that can help answer some of these questions.)

Famous Footwear – “Neighborhood” Spot from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.

But first, it’s important to understand why you might want to consider adding video capabilities to your photography business. You may be surprised to see how diverse the opportunities will be (and why not every video production must be as elaborate as the set up Laforet used to shoot the Famous Footwear commercial shown above).

1. The demand for online video is starting to explode.

Now that high-quality video can be transmitted through the Internet to mobile devices, tablet computers, smartphones, digital signage, and wall displays in stores, museums, and homes, the demand for professionally produced content is really just starting to ramp up.

Online video is being used not just for entertainment and gaming, but also for advertising, training seminars, product demonstrations, customer testimonials, resumes, facility tours, corporate events, book promotion, and much more.

Some applications listed on the Cinestories website include: corporate meetings, 5- to 7-minute wedding storybook films, bar/bat mitzvahs, cultural performances, sporting events, festivals, concerts, birth announcements, family music videos, senior music videos, vacation films, day-in-the-life videos, government and corporate training, documentaries, and short films.

2. Traditional buyers of photography services will be spending money on video.

Advertisers, corporations, and publishers are becoming increasingly interested in the economics and targeted reach of “Web TV” for which lower-budget, high-quality content will be produced to attract niche audiences with special interests. The rise of Web TV is opening up a vast, new middle ground between the low-budget/low-quality user-generated content we watch on YouTube and the big-budget, premium-quality Hollywood productions we see in movie theatres or on network TV.

Here are just a few random examples and statistics that help explain why the demand for video services will grow:

  • According to JWT Intelligence, magazine publishers will expand into broadcasting. In addition to producing video for the iPad versions of the magazines, publishers such as Hearst, Time Inc., and Meredith will be supplying content to the 100 new channels of original content that YouTube soon will be launching. Content will range from 30-second clips to 30-minute episodes.
  • The number of people who watch online videos has been increasing. According to comScore, 180 million U.S. Internet users watched online video content in August, 2011 for an average of 18 hours per viewer. An October 2011 survey conducted by Burst Media found that 71.6% of web users watch online video content in a typical week, with 39% watching between one and five hours per week. In their Visual Networking Index Forecast, Cisco predicts that by the year 2015, online video will account for two-thirds of all consumer data traffic.
  • The Burst Media survey showed that 18% of online video viewers took some kind of action after seeing an online video ad. A survey by Internet Researcher showed that online customers who view product videos are much more likely to buy than visitors who don’t watch videos. A Forrester Research study found that having video on your website substantially increases the likelihood that your site will appear on the front page of Google search results.
  • According to e-Marketer, spending on online video ads is expected to rise from $1.5 billion in 2010 to $5.5 billion in 2014.

3. Individuals are being encouraged to have videos professionally produced.

A recent article in More magazine (for women over 40) emphasized the need for job-seekers to get a professionally produced video resume. According to Catharine Fennell, CEO of VideoBIO, “Filming a video shows that you’re confident, innovative, and an early adopter. A great video is about making a personal connection with your audience, sharing experience, and establishing credibility.”

Authors, consultants, and conference speakers are being advised to add video to their websites as well. Perhaps the same people who hire portrait photographers for head shots will want to have web video “portraits” shot during the same session.

4. Filmmakers are adopting motion-picture cameras that can shoot stills.

One of the hybrid motion/still cameras that filmmakers have quickly embraced is the $50,000 RED Epic camera, which captures 14 megapixel raw frames at 120 frames per second. The camera was used to shoot feature films such as “The Social Network” and “Contagion”and is currently being used to shoot “The Hobbit.” (The camera has also been used by photographers Bruce Weber and Greg Williams to shoot covers and spreads for fashion magazines.)

In an article in the September 2011 issue of Rangefinder magazine, John Rettie notes that high-end cinematographers have also “responded enthusiastically to the high-quality video that can be obtained from a DSLR at a fraction of the cost of a sophisticated movie camera.”

Based on the successful use of the ground-breaking EOS 5D Mark II DLSR in Hollywood movies and TV shows, Canon has announced the Cinema EOS System for use in the motion-picture production industry. The announcement, which was made on November 3, includes seven new models of Cinema lenses that are compatible with Super 35 mm-equivalent sensors, an all-new digital cinema camera for high-resolution movie production, and the development of a new Digital SLR camera with 4K movie function.

5. Eventually, lower-cost, higher-resolution cameras may empower everyone to “capture the moment.”

One advantage of shooting high-res video is that you won’t miss capturing that perfect, decisive moment that can make a great photograph so memorable. As powerful hybrid cameras inevitably become more affordable, more and more of your current clients will be able to grab terrific still shots from their video footage.

For example, the new Scarlet-X camera from RED Digital Cinema is designed to further “democratize superlative cinema and professional photography.” Priced at under $10,000, the Scarlet-X allows professional photographers and cinematographers to simultaneously capture true 4K motion footage and 5K RAW still content and “never miss a shot.”

In his session on “Cinematography with a DSLR” at the PhotoPlus Conference, Vincent Laforet showed some of the breathtakingly detailed still photographs that he grabbed from video footage shot on the the RED Epic camera.

When Laforet asked photographers to imagine what type of imaging power might be in the hands of consumers five years from now, someone in the audience piped up, “What’s next? A RED Epic smartphone?”

6. Continuing advances in technology will alter existing markets.

In his Rangefinder magazine article, Rettie describes learning to shoot DSLR video from Canon Explorer of Light Bruce Dorn. His article includes this quote from Dorn: “In a perfect world, photographers could easily create a profitable livelihood by simply developing their own unique style, and delivering it to an endless stream of well-heeled and breathlessly excited fans. We would each spend our days effortlessly doing our thing, being appreciated, and never worrying about the relentless evolution of image-making. In reality, the delivery medium is constantly changing, and so is demand.”

In my next video-related post, I will list some of the videography-related sessions that will be presented during the major photography conventions in January and February, 2012. If you have additional training resources that you would like me to include in future posts, send me an e-mail at: eileen.fritsch (at) creativesatworkblog (dot) com.

LINKS

Rangefinder Magazine: Learning How to Capture DSLR Video by John Rettie

Cinestories

JWT Intelligence: Magazines Moving to More Platforms

RED Digital Cinema: Scarlet-X

About RED Digital Cinema

Canon Press Release: Lights! Camera! Action! Canon Makes Hollywood Debut with Launch of Cinema EOS System

 

Seminar Teaches Photographers Fundamentals of Filmmaking

PHOTOGRAPHERS. If you want to learn the fundamentals of filmmaking, check out the “Get In Motion” tour conducted by CineStories. Led by Jeff Medford and Ross Hockrow, the seminar will teach you how to use your artistic talent, training, and equipment to also make moving images.

Get in Motion Tour LogoWhether you want to learn how to make films yourself for your clients, or plan to hire someone else to make them for you, understanding the fundamental principles will allow you to contribute to the final finished film and filmmaking process.

The Get in Motion Seminar Tour kicked off Sept. 19 and is scheduled to make stops in more than 35 cities until the end of November.

During the 4-1/2 hour seminar, the instructors show examples of specific films you can make right now, including:

  • web commercials
  • wedding films
  • birth-announcement films
  • family films
  • senior music videos
  • films for events

They will also discuss fundamental filmmaking techniques, what gear to acquire, and how to use it. Some of the specifics you will learn include:

  • Why purposeful storytelling is the most important aspect of filmmaking
  • Techniques that can enhance the story and move it forward.
  • How to “see the story” before you start shooting.
  • How to create the intrigue necessary to keep viewers engaged.
  • How to choose lenses, camera movements, and cuts that lead back to the point of your story.
  • Techniques for creating the types of emotions you intend your viewers to feel.
  • Why your camera moves tell the viewer how to interpret the scene.
  • Why the proper selection of lenses will enhance your ability to create emotion.
  • How to record clean audio and mix it properly during post-production so viewers can pay attention to your story and not be distracted by an imperfect soundtrack.
  • Why the quality of your audio should make the quality of your footage.
  • Why editing doesn’t have to be as complicated as you think.
  • How to use cut points and transitions, line up audio, add text and graphic elements, make basic motion enhancements, add a music soundtrack, and correct color.

If your clients haven’t asked you to provide video services yet, chances are they will soon. Over the next three years, spending on video advertising is expected to swell from $1.97 billion to $4.71 billion. Plus, tens of thousands of companies (big and small) will be using video content on their websites, to tell the stories behind their products and services.

To see examples of the types of films CineStories has produced, visit their website. And don’t forget to watch the very amusing trailer on the Get in Motion Tour website.

LINKS

About CineStories

Get in Motion Tour

New Resources Help Photographers Become iPhone-ographers

The fledging iPhoneography movement is a perfect example of what can happen when technology developers make it easy for artists and other creative pros to experiment with new hardware and software.

Imaging-industry analysts have long believed that smartphones would someday replace point-and-shoot cameras as the primary tool for taking snapshots. But these analysts probably never imagined just how wildly enthusiastic photographers of all skill levels have become about the artistic potential of the Apple iPhone camera and its ever-growing ecosystem of apps.

Some iPhoneography evangelists are long-time photography pros who have extensive experience with darkroom processing and fine-art photo printing.

The Advantage of iPhoneography

Photographers coined the term “iPhoneography” to describe the art of capturing and creatively processing images with the inexpensive apps available for the camera built into Apple iPhones

iPhone image ©Teri Lou Dantzler

Professional iPhoneographer and teacher Teri Lou Dantzler still uses her DSLR camera to shoot portraits for clients. But carrying an all-in-one camera, darkroom, and social-communication device in her pocket has opened her eyes to limitless possibilities for creative expression and fun.

“Since I always have my iPhone with me, I have captured images that I would have passed by before,” says Teri Lou. “I have processed images while waiting for appointments, while snuggled into a chair at the coffee café, on top of a 10,000-ft. peak, and at bedtime.” She publishes her work on photo blogs and for the Facebook iPhoneography group she started last fall.

Another benefit of iPhoneography is the simplicity of converting a basic camera and processor into a device that can shoot HDR or panoramic images or mimic the look of vintage cameras. Anyone can produce Photoshop-like effects without enduring a painful learning curve or continuously investing in new gadgets or full-featured editing software. For less than $5, you can buy a new app that performs only the tasks you need to create the type of art you envision.

Where to Start?

Because so many iPhoneography apps exist, it can be hard for novices to know where to start. And in fact, many apps do similar things, some better than others.

To help guide and inspire novices, there has been an explosion of iPhoneography books, courses, and tutorials. To decide which resource is right for you, check out the instructor’s background, images, blogs, and the content of the course or book.  Here’s just a sampling of what’s available.

Online Courses

Teri Lou Dantzler offers four-week online courses, supplemented by one-on-one critiques over the phone. When you register, she asks what type of imagery you would like to produce, then modifies the course accordingly. Her iPhone-Ography 101 course helps beginners focus on learning those apps best suited for their artistic goals. Her iCreativity course covers a variety of blending, brushing, and masking techniques.

For more information about all of her upcoming courses and workshops, visit Terri Lou’s blog: http://iphoneographywithterilou.blogspot.com/

Live Workshops

iPhone image ©Harry Sandler

Chances are your local photography-learning center will be offering iPhoneography courses sometime this year. But if you want to learn how to convert your iPhone images into gallery-worthy art prints, check out the workshops offered by Harry Sandler and Dan Burkholder.

Harry Sandler is a former music-industry tour manager and rock-concert photographer whose images have appeared in Rolling Stone and Circus magazines. He has been taking iPhone pictures of his travels for over two years. Some 17 x 22-inch prints of his iPhone images have been displayed at the Renaissance Fine Art and Design Gallery in Carmel, Indiana and he has another gallery exhibit scheduled this fall.

Sandler will lead an iPhone-Ography Workshop May 14 and 15 at the Peters Valley Craft Center in Layton, New Jersey and a day-long iPhonography class June 4 at Foto-Care in New York.  From November 4-7, he will team up with Teri Lou Dantzler to teach an iPhoneography workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School on Whidbey Island near Seattle 

During his May workshop, Sandler will explain how to: capture an image with the proper resolution, work the various apps, figure out a personal workflow, create panoramas right in the phone, and process and print your iPhone images with good color, resolution, depth, and texture.

Sandler regards the iPhone as an extremely versatile tool in his artistic arsenal, offering a marriage of painting and photography. Initially, the iPhone camera reminded him of the Polaroid camera his father gave him as a child. Now he uses the iPhone in a variety of ways, including as a viewfinder for his 60 MP digital camera. Sandler is currently experimenting with compositing iPhone imagery and may try painting some of his iPhone photo prints.

To see some of his iPhone images, visit Harry Sandler’s blog: iPhone-Antics with Harry Sandler. (To see some of his images of rock concerts, visit: http://hsandler.blogspot.com)

Book Cover iPhone ArtistryDan Burkholder was one of the first photographic artists to embrace digital technology in the early 1990s. He will be presenting iPhone Artistry workshops at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops (April 29-May 1 and October 12-15), Freestyle Photographic Supplies in Los Angeles (May 14), the Connecticut Media/Photo Workshops (June 25-26), the Center for Photography at Woodstock, NY (Aug. 13-14), Maine Media Workshops (August 21-27), and in his own studios in Palenville, NY (Sept. 3-4 and Oct. 8-10).

During his workshops, he will teach camera capture techniques that are exclusive to iPhoneography and provide advice on which apps are best for contrast, color, and sharpening.  He will demonstrate how certain apps can be combined to transform your images into fine art. Dan will also explain how to make stunning prints of iPhone images on art paper or canvas and show how the iPhone and iPad can work together to form a photographic dynamic duo.

Dan is widely known for both his vision as his artist and his mastery of the wet and digital darkrooms. His platinum prints are included in many museum and private collections. Dan’s groundbreaking book “Making Digital Negatives for Contact Printing” helped black-and-white photographers take advantage of emerging electronic technologies.  His forthcoming book on “iPhone Artistry” is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

To sample the type of advice Dan has to offer, download one of Dan Burkholder’s Tiny Tutorials to your iPhone. The tutorials explain how to organize your apps, streamline your image adjustment workflow, stitch and retouch iPhone images, and use basic masking and curves in Filterstorm.

Interactive Book with iPad Companion Edition

iPad Companion Edition of iPhone ObsessediPhone Obsessed: Photo Editing Experiments with Apps” was written by photographer/designer Dan Marcolina. Dan’s design firms are at the forefront of integrating design for print, video, and interactive media and designing publications and catalogs for touch-enabled tablets.

In his interactive print book, Dan shows how different iPhone camera apps can be combined to create artistic effects such as blurs and vignettes, high-dynamic range, and black-and-white imagery.  After you download the free Microsoft Tag Reader onto your iPhone, you can scan one of the 75 tags printed throughout the book to watch Dan present pop-up video tutorials.

Dan was one of the first to use Adobe’s new Digital Publishing Suite to create an iPad Companion edition of his book.

Print and E-Books

Book Cover Create Great iPhone PhotosThe book “Create Great iPhone Photos: Apps, Tips, Tricks, and Effects” was written by Allan Hoffman, who has spent 15 years as the technology columnist for New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper. He explains how to produce stunning panoramas, vintage-style photobooth strips, and super-saturated Polaroid® photos with a hip, 1970s look. The book also explains how to unlock the power of your iPhone’s camera with burst mode, high dynamic range (HDR) effects, exposure and focus controls, and more.

In “The Art of iPhoneography: A Guide to Mobile Creativity,” award-winning documentary photographer Stephanie C. Roberts urges you to use your iPhone to loosen up your traditional approach to photography and become more spontaneous in shooting how you feel.

Book Cover Art of iPhoneography

She emphasizes that, “photography is less about the camera, and more about the vision of the person behind the lens.”  While the book explains how use various apps to stretch your creative boundaries and make art with your iPhone camera, many of the techniques in the book could be applied to shooting with any other type of camera. Stephanie will be presenting one-day Art of iPhoneography workshops at the Showcase School of Photography in Atlanta in May and June.

 

Virtual University Offers Photography Course for Writers

Book cover: Non Fiction Writer's Guide to Digital PhotographyWRITERS. ARTISTS. DESIGNERS. According to photojournalist/author Ronald Kness, non-fiction writers can earn more money when they submit photos along with their text. That’s why he wrote an e-book entitled “The Non-Fiction Writer’s Guide to Digital Photography.” But knowing the basics of taking good photographs could be equally beneficial to artists who are documenting their everday work or exhibitions or designers who are creating promotional materials.

If you’re new to photography, you might benefit from the new e-course Kness has developed for The Virtual University. Entitled “A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Photography,” the course is designed to help you cut through the confusion of digital camera menus and learn how to take high-quality, vivid shots every time. You can study at your own pace from the comfort of your own home.

The course provides plain-English explanations of common terminology as well as: 

  • Digital camera features (how and when to use them).
  • Camera menu systems (how to select the best settings based on lighting, distance, and other factors).
  • The Golden Triangle (how to use ISO, aperture control, and shutter speed to take the quality of your images to the next level).
  • The Rules and Composition (the 10 elements that have the greatest impact on image quality).
  • Lenses and Filters (how and when to use them).

The course includes tutorials, suggested readings, and optional homework activities. Plus, you can upload your images and receive helpful guidance and critiques from Ron Kness.

Head shot Photojournalist Ron Kness
Ron Kness

If you need a bio picture (or “head shot”) for online publishing or self-marketing purposes, Kness will explain how to shoot self-portraits in the most flattering light.  He will also provide tips for selling photos on popular websites such as iStockphoto, Bigstock, Dreamstine, and Shutterstock.

Kness has taught digital photography in a traditional classroom for the past seven years and is a featured columnist in “Writer’s Journal” magazine. Plus, he has ghost-written books on how to make money with digital photography and how to make money selling micro-stock photography.

The fee for “The Beginner’s Guide to Digital Photography” is $20. The suggested e-book (“The Non-Fiction Writer’s Guide to Digital Photography”) can be purchased in PDF form for $9.95.

All course materials will be available to you when you start the class, so you don’t have to wait for weekly lessons. You can learn at your own pace. You will have three months to complete the course.

LINKS

Virtual University Course: A Beginners Guide to Digital Photography

The Non-Fiction Writer’s Guide to Digital Photography