In a world of so many great photographers and writers, I am venturing into some unknown territories, leaving comfort zones, finally very willing to practice the art of seeing. By maintaining the practice of posting daily photos, I hope to continue learning about the possibilities that I trust are out there for the taking.
Three photos blended together, actually four (the last bird was not part of the larger group). I didn't have a bland background so I went outside and shot the condo stucco wall).
Today’s workshop- Introduction to DSLR Video Production with Lou Lesko & Michael Britt and Snehal Patel and Vincent Laforte. Before today I had only heard of these men (except for Vincent Laforte – Stacy and I had attended one of his seminars earlier this week and I attended one of his seminar’s last year.) These men are smart and know photography and video and are gifted educators as well. We got lucky as Brian Smith sat in on our Workshop. He did a fantastic job bringing out a different feel with the actors. Brian Smith’s work.
Stacy is into video. I’m not. I barely know how to turn on video in my Canon 5D Mark II.
I talked Stacy into signing up and attending the Palm Springs Photo Festival. Knowing Stacy had signed up for today’s Video workshop influenced my decision to sign up for it too. It was time for me to learn about shooting video.
Thank god I signed up for the class and didn’t walk out when at first I feared I wouldn’t understand anything. Today was a day where we got to learn from the video greats: Lou Lesko, Michael Britt, Snehal Patel and surprise guest videographer, Vincent Laforte.
Listening to each of these men sharing their knowledge, watching them work their magic with direction, production, technology, AND then, in such an intimate small group, watching them interact with each other was just too good to be true. I actually forgot how intimidated I felt. Not for one minute did I mind how hot it was sitting in the inside/outside patio-like room at the Korakia Hotel in Palm Springs, on the first 98 degree day this season. I was held captive then entire 7 hours of the workshop.
I shot a lot during the day. So what else is new.
Stacy was the first to try out the video equipment. Michael Britt to Stacy's right.
Michael Britt.
The actors rehearsing with Lou Lesko.
L>R Vincent LaForte, Marty Glickman from Marshall's and Stacy. Marty is teaching us how to use the new Light meter that just came out.
Vincent on camera, calibrating the Marshall camera monitor that Snehal was using.
Lou Lesko.
Michael Britt.
Brian Smith.
Snehal Patel (with Stacy blurred out in the background).
I’m having so much fun learning from the professionals at the PS photo festival. Today Stacy and I attended 3 – 2 hour long great seminars.
-How to get your Photo-book Published.
-Final Cut Pro: How to mix Motion, Stills and Audio into Short Films with Frank Rohmer.
-Storytelling with the Canon 5-D Mark II & 7D with Vincent LaForet.
Storytelling with the Canon 5D Mark II & 7D with Vincent LaForet.
Vincent explaining all the very expensive video equipment.
Stacy trying out the "no-smile" look.
I’ve had to put my regular life on hold this week. Tomorrow is another full all day workshop with Lou Lesko & Michael Britt on more video.
I shot these photos with my pocket Nikon Coolpix P7000 at very high ISO’s.
Nel’s workshop called Shaping Light and the Dramatic Approach to Portraiture was eye opening.
Nels talked about the fact that we can’t see what light is doing, we can’t see light until it hits something. Light travels in straight lines. If you don’t have smoke or fog, we can’t see light outside.
Create rather than take pictures.
Look for an emotional aspect in my shot.
Straight on is flat; flat light=lack of character.
Re: the dramatic Approach to Portraiture:
Drama is about conflict. What’s going on inside the subject? Nels is looking for the conflict. He doesn’t shoot actors, he shoots character.
“I’m not shooting Mel Brooks, I’m shooting his character. You’ll get a more interesting picture if you let your model get into their character.”
When asked the question if he ever wants his subjects to smile, he responded, “No.”
Nels mentioned the importance of pre-visualizing before hand. Imagine a scenario. That image helps develop a successful outcome. Many know that I am incapable of visualizing. When people have tried to lead me through a guided meditation I cannot imagine the scene the person is trying to help me visualize.
A couple of things Nels mentioned as an aid: Look at magazines to see the light setups in a model’s eyes. Nels used to buy photography magazines and study the model’s eyes when he was a young photographer just starting out. He talked about paying attention to the lighting on everything when outside to learn how to light a model.
Regarding the quality of light: the quality of light changes as I move my light source away or closer to the subject……that I want to look for the quality of light difference not my exposure difference.
Nels likes to focus/organize and direct his light…….this makes the difference on how the shadows are rendered.
Nels is a very good, organized communicator. He knows light and makes his workshop interesting. Lifelong stories are a bonus.
Nels Israelson.
Vu and Nels. Vu is Nels' very competent assistant.
Vu setting up an HMI light.
Nels and Linda. Photo by Vu. I handed my camera to Vu with the ISO set to 1200 by mistake.
Nels Israelson’s website.
Vu’s website.
All shots taken on a late afternoon walk around the golf course lakes this afternoon. All shots are patterns found on Eucalyptus trees.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Market receipt and photo of a painting hanging in my home, blended.
Same market receipt and photo of moon, blended.
Carol Leigh’s online Photomontage Class has begun. Here is a link to Carol’s beautiful Photomontages. She has gotten sooooooo good at making montages.
I haven’t a clue what I’m doing but something happened when I blended Photo #1 with Photo #2 to make Photo #3. In Photoshop CS5 I brought in #1 and #2. Even though I got repeated messages saying I couldn’t put Photo #1 on top of #2 because the photos were locked, it worked. Quite magically after some fairy dust was applied, Photo #3 emerged.
I really am so scared of Photoshop. Carol thinks I know Photoshop. Not. None of this makes sense what I’m doing even though Carol’s very detailed lessons and 4 videos are clear as can be. I just freeze and go brain dead.
But I have begun. I tried. And I’m proud I didn’t get pissed off and move on to doing something else or worse, eat something I shouldn’t eat to take the frustrating feelings away.
Photo #1
Photo #2
Photo #3
I’m heading over to the beginning of the workshop. Here are some early morning shots I took.
Exiting the theater this afternoon the light was great, the sun was 15 minutes from setting behind the San Jacinto range. I asked Ray if we could look for letters because Carol Leigh’s class I’m taking begins tomorrow and the first week’s assignment is the letter “A”. Next week is crazy busy, so I knew I needed to get a little head start on looking for “A’s”. I applied a Lightroom filter to this photo. I’m using another similar shot for the class unless I find something better next week.
Ray is good for about 10 minutes max before he has had enough patience with my photography requests. But spotter that he has become, he had no trouble pointing out this upside down “A”. (Walking by Starbucks he found a double sided standing sign outside that looked like an “A”.) He should be taking this class……well, in a way he is:-) I must say he has a great eye.
Can't flip this photo upside down as the plane will be flying upside down.
It's begun. (meaning I'm beginning to look) Looking for letters in all the wrong places.