A new order of David Honl lighting gear arrived yesterday. Today I was motivated, so much so, I did nothing else but read about lighting and watch David Honl’s 2 Disc DVD lighting workshop on lighting. And I ate popcorn too (while watching the DVD – you know, like at the movies). I sat with the 580EX II on my camera following along and trying to learn all the settings and dials. Also of help is the Canon Speedlite System Digital Field Guide by Brian McLernon I’ve been reading.

I didn’t take any serious photos today but here are a few just to prove to myself I did actually spend some time with my lighting gear. I’m motivated to learn more because of two requests I’ve had lately: 1. Stacy would like me to shoot her friend. 2. Margaret would like me to shoot her jewelry for her website.

And, my last subject, tonight, just before getting on the blog tonight.

Have been dealing with new computer problems (what else is new) and am so frustrated I haven’t looked at many of my photos from the workshop. I’m not feeling good about not having posted in so many days, so here are a few shots.

Side road off 128 at the Moab - 20 miles sign.

Day after workshop end, happy to be out shooting on my own with Bernie.

Bernie, a new friend from the workshop.

Was thrilled to find this flower. Shot with a 50mm lens plus extension tube.

Water source for nearby Ranch home.

Dead Horse Point in Canyonsland. Taken early the second morning after workshop, below I packed up to drive home.

Dead Horse Point.

A couple of hours in Joshua Tree.

Oh my do I need some rest, and exercise, AND more planning, before I hit the trail.

Friday I go back for a couple of two hour seminars at the Palm Springs Photography Festival before Ray drives me to Campo, where I’ll camp before heading north on the PCT early the following morning.

Day 1 – Joshua Tree late afternoon with Jack Dykinga.

Our photography workshop leader, Jack Dykinga.

Looking for design.

Most fun.

Not wanting to leave, but we had to.

The payoff for staying 5 more minutes.

Goodnight.

Another attempt at the corners assignment.

Shooting corners

An after-sun-has-set daily view.

A nightly scene.

As I mention every chance I get, Carol Leigh is my online photography teacher and mentor. Today I got to talk to her and feel so much better about my day.
Two pearls of wisdom from Carol:
1. What is important is becoming, not being.
2. Look for the effect, not the technique.

I got lucky yesterday. Carol left an instructional comment regarding a photo I posted yesterday. Here is what she said: Linda, regarding your “Tranquil Morning” photo, what if you were to crop in from the left until just before you reach the first tree? But there’s more: What if you were to crop DOWN from the top so that we don’t see the top “horizon line?” NOW your photo is all about a small strip of truncated trees up top and their elongated reflections below. Forget the bird — he looks a tad overexposed anyway. Do I sound harsh? You know I don’t mean to. To me, the artistry in your photo lies in the trees and their reflections, nothing more is necessary. — Carol “feeling overly simplistic this morning” Leigh

Hopefully, I cropped this photo below per her suggestions. I like the photo so much better. Thank you Carol. And, thank you for making time to talk.

Cropped version per Carol Leigh's suggestion.

This week’s Photomotivation assignment is Corners, paying attention to light and color.
Here are 3 photos I took today and posted in Carol’s Photomotivation online class Yahoo group.

Assignment: Corners 1

Assignment: Corners 2

Assignment: Corners 3

This week our Photomotivation assignment is Art for Art. We are asked to find a mural, someone else’s photo, a photo from our archives, etc., and look for and select out a special area to create our own art from a previously rendered work. Our teacher, Carol, emails out a 3 page pdf explaining what she wants us to do.

Hopefully these examples explain a lot better than I did, what I mean. Can you see where, in the original photo, I took my crop from?

Original photo of door.

Cropped photo of door.

Original llama photo.

Cropped llama.

Original sign.

Cropped sign. (Wish I'd seen this for the Faces in Unlikely places assignment.)

This week’s subject for the Photomotivation Class is Circles. I haven’t really been into shooting this assignment, but what I feel anymore is no longer a driving force.

So after the 1pm massage, and only one block away from El Paseo Dr in Palm Desert, I drove over to art filled El Paseo, parked, and walked about looking for some Circles.

Spotted this car next to me when I parked outside where I was going to get the massage. I took a couple of minutes before going in to Jessie’s and shot the next three photos.

First day shooting circles.

Same car.

Cloudy day gas cap shot.

Paseo Art.

A little complementary color.

This week’s Photomotivation assignment is Faces in Unlikely Places. I was having trouble seeing any faces. Mary Kay came over yesterday. I’d previously asked her to look out for Faces. Before MK left yesterday, she said that she’d seen eyes and a nose on the Museum a mile and a half away on Gerald Ford.

I decided to kill two birds with one stone and went for a different neighborhood exercise walk, outside our MHCC complex, on Gerald Ford. There it was, eyes and a nose as clear as day. I can’t believe I pass this Museum every day, many times a day, and never notice the eyes and nose in the photo I took below. Mary Kay, you get the credit, but I still posted the photo assignment in my class online group.

Children's Art Museum, Rancho Mirage, CA

On the way home from the walk, just inside our Mission Hills CC gate, I stopped to photograph some ducks. I looked up before leaving this spot and noticed this great reflection in the Arnold Palmer 4th hole lake. The time was about 3pm. I want to remember to go back there around this time again as I haven’t seen better reflection possibilities in some of the other golf course lakes. The angle I was shooting was 90 degrees south to the west sun.

Arnold Palmer 4th hole lake and green.

Yesterday I attended a one day long intensive off camera lighting intensive with Syl Arena. I’ve followed Syl’s blog called Pixsylated for about a year. I jumped at the chance to drive so close by and attend this workshop as I REALLY want to learn more about light and lighting.

I’ve been secretly drooling over, but way too scared to take one of, Joe McNally’s lighting workshops which would require lot’s of $$ and more time away from home. When I saw Syl’s Speedliter’s Intensive – Canon Flash Seminar in Phoenix listed on his blog, I didn’t hesitate. I signed right up.

I arrived at the seminar/workshop a little early and noticed Syl parked outside beginning to empty his car getting ready for his 12 registered attendees. I’d parked at the far end of the parking lot. I watched him unpacking. I was a little nervous and didn’t want him to see me there so early. You know, I didn’t want to give away how excited I was. Silly, I know. But that old idea that I don’t want you to know how I’m really feeling dies hard. ‘Cause if you know what I’m thinking, what I’m really feeling, I don’t have the upper hand or you can hurt me or something like that.

I did what I was not comfortable doing, walked over to Syl and introduced myself. I knew from the first words out of his mouth, he was the real deal, meaning, he is humble, confident, engaging and easy to be around. Entering the amazing converted photography studio called Legend City made me feel the adrenaline rush I live for when I’m first learning something new. I had arrived. A photography studio that I was actually going to learn/do some photography work in rather than visit. Wow.

I had a great day. I highly recommend attending one of Sly’s 14 remaining 2010 Speedlighter’s Intensive Lighting Workshops. Learned enough that I now feel comfortable to jump in and experiment with lighting equipment and practice, practice, practice.

Hopefully some of the many photos I took throughout the day shooting Sly and the other attendees will tell the tale of just how special the day was. I never know why I shoot people “doing” things, but I do. Shooting while the workshop was going on was no different. I do know one thing, I rarely get photos of me taken so maybe I project that other photographers rarely get photos of them taken. I also knew Legend City has a special meaning to Syl from childhood days, AND, this was Syl’s 1st of 15 Speedlite Intensives.

What I liked most about Syl and this seminar was how relaxed and available he was throughout the day. Being the least knowledgeable of the group, Syl’s ways helped me relax enough to hear and understand what he was teaching. He has a very fun and interesting, clear, and organized way of communicating. If a teacher is all over the place I tend to get lost.

I realized yesterday, that I am very comfortable shooting people; I actually like shooting people and, I also feel comfortable being shot. Maybe I’m onto something here. When I’m going through change, I never know where I’m headed until I’m more on the other side of the change. I wonder if this is one of those times.

Here is Syl.

Awww. Thanks so much Syl.

Everyone was interested, ALL day long.

Inside one area of the Legend City photography studio.