January Up Date

Posted on January 27, 2012 by steve

So, it has been 26 days since my last blog entry.  I am getting questions like, what is going on  and where are you.

This  has been a strange January.  Normally, by this time I would expect to have been snow bound for at least a week,  have taken a lot of white photos of new snow which would have been posted, have spent a lot of time wondering where  my next portrait session would come from, and in general have had a ton of time on my hands.

However, none of that happened this month.

This has been one of my busy months.  Classes are going well, clients are calling, old friends are keeping in touch, no snow, no ice, not very cold, no need to be stuck in the house, and not enough time to get everything done.

This is a good thing….but, I can’t help wondering if the “crash” will come in July when I am normally swamped.  lol

 

A reminder:  classes are already filling up for the March – April term which starts March 5th.  So, if you are interested in being a part of one of the classes act now!

To  sign up please use the Paypal button in the right sidebar of this blog.

 

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Happy New Year

Posted on January 1, 2012 by steve


It is a new year.
A time when I  think about growing and changing.
A time when I look back over the past year
to see what progress I have made.
Am I a better photographer?  A better business man?
Am I a better person?  A better artist?  A better friend?
A better lover?  A better teacher?
Is there a real difference in any of the above?
OK, that is enough introspection….
time to go make images…..
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

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Give The Gift Of Knowledge

Posted on November 29, 2011 by steve


It is official, the holidays are upon us.  Music fills the house, “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” is on at the moment.  Garland has been hung and both trees are decorated.
I will admit that Pat did most of the work while I “supervised” and took some photos.

Do you have a family member or friend who enjoys photography
and would like to learn more?
Does your holiday gift list include the purchase of a digital
camera for someone special?
Why not give the gift of a photo class to a budding photographer
or  include a “How To” class with you camera gift to make it extra special?
To give the gift of a photo class: Please use the Paypal link in the right sidebar.

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Downed Dragon

Posted on November 22, 2011 by steve


This giant was originally a pine tree. In driving past,
the angle and the light were just right to
reveal this dragon hidden inside.
One of the points I always emphasize in my
photo classes is learning to see creatively.
99 out of 100 people would have driven past this
old dead tree and never seen a thing.
In fact, one person to ask me what I was taking a photo
of and gave me the strangest look when I pointed and said,
“that dragon over there”.
I encourage my students to look outside box and not just take
the first photo they may see.  I teach techniques that I
have learned over the years that shine a unique light
on the ordinary and make it special.

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Folded Field

Posted on November 3, 2011 by steve


The students ask, “What are leading lines?’  and I try to articulate a good response.  This is the easy way to explain that concept.  A line or lines that move the viewers eye through the image in the manner the artist desired.  In other words, the viewer sees things in the sequence that the artist envisioned at the time of image creation.  A good image is really worth at least 1000 words.   Enjoy!

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Rippled Reflections

Posted on October 30, 2011 by steve


Ah, the benefits of a little time out of the studio.  Having felt as though I was imprisoned by work these last few days, I jumped at the chance to get out a bit.  A local park, one of the places that I go with my students for lessons. So, not new views…old familiar ones.
I needed to find something other than the standard  image….so, a bit  of creativity was in order:  windows with heavy texture + stand mounted flash with filter = image…
Since this was not a class, no students were  harmed in the creation of this image…LOL.

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Cabin Cameo

Posted on October 28, 2011 by steve


Not ten feet from the intersection of a state  highway and a very busy county road.
We pulled up to the stop sign looked and immediately parked the car
off the road to get out the cameras.
Walked around the area, found the best view,  set up the tripods, measured the light, added some 600ws of judicious fill flash and started to work.
As I tell the students: “a good subject is always available, you just need  to look”.
I found it interesting that as we were working a local stopped
and asked what we were photographing.
They drive past  it every day and have become used to the view….
“I wonder why anyone would stop to take a picture of that old house?”
We know though, don’t we?

Posted in Classes, Hocking Hills, Parks, Photo Classes, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mums The Word

Posted on October 26, 2011 by steve


On the way back home from a photo trip to the southern part of the state we ran across this vignette of rural Americana.  A convenience store in a small town with a wonderful front porch area.  The autumn mums illuminated by the adult beverage signs with just a trace of a sunset afterglow.  Just forces one to pull in and make an image.   Enjoy.

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Farm Yard Feline

Posted on October 25, 2011 by steve

Some times, when you are out working, things just come together for a good image.
We were out doing some autumn portraits for a class demonstration and came upon this shaft of sunlight falling right on the old plow.  After setting up the camera for the  ”Plow Photo”  this autumn colored feline walked out from behind the tree and stopped to take a good look at us.  We, of course reciprocated.  ”That’s it kitty, a big smile”  :-)

Posted in Classes, fall color, Parks, Photo Classes, Portraits | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Languid Leaf

Posted on October 16, 2011 by steve

The classes have started, the leaves are falling,  a chill is in the air,  sweaters have been brought out of the closets, and my driveway crunches with dry remnants of summer as I walk out to get the mail.  But, most important is the beauty that surrounds us, at this time of year, here in the mid-west. The light is different in the autumn and there is a stillness in the dappled sunlight that encourages introspection and an appreciation of life itself.  Nature, all spruced up to show us her best.

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