Blue Planet Photography

A couple from a recent model portfolio shoot on the Oregon Coast.

Classes that are coming up in the next couple months:

Photo I
This 8-hour class (meets for 2 hours over 4 weeks)lays the foundation from which to build a successful hobby or career in photography. Covered are the fundamentals of light and camera operation from the light meter to the histogram, how all these components work together to create the photographic image, and how you are in control of the results. Weekly assignments and reviews help you to practice the principles and techniques learned. Held in Caldwell, Idaho, Nampa, Idaho, or other location. When weather permits, we will shoot outside during the class. $195
1/4 - 1/25
1/14 - 2/4
2/1 - 2/22
2/4 - 2/25
Go here to register

Before You Buy
This 2-hour seminar is for people thinking about purchasing their first digital camera. We will cover the pros and cons of digital photography, explore the models and brands available, their features, costs, accessories, and try to fit a selection of camera recommendations to your personal shooting style and expectations. There are no sales pitches during this class. I do not sell photo equipment, so you will not be pressured to buy anything. You will, however, be better prepared when you are shopping at the store or online, knowing what you want, what’s available, and less likely to get talked into spending more than you intend or to buy something you don’t want or need.

If you would like to schedule a different date please select “open date” to register and I will contact you after registration to arrange a date and time.
1/7
2/3
3/10
Go here to register

HDR Photography
HDR photography is one of the most popular tools in digital photography to increase the dynamic range in your photographs (the ability of your image to represent detail in the darkest shadows and the brightest highlights). In this 7-hour workshop you will learn what conditions and subjects are best for HDR photography, how to bracket exposures for HDR, using Photoshop and Photomatix Pro to create HDR images (realistic and illustrative looks), create pseudo HDR images from a single RAW file, and more. We’ll spend part of the day in class covering the background and application details, go out for some photographing, then return to the classroom for hands-on processing. You will need a camera that allows you to manually change the esposure, a laptop computer with at least 1 GB of RAM, a means to download your files from your camera/memory card to the computer, a tripod, Photoshop, and Photomatix Pro (free trials are available for both applications).

If you would like to schedule a different workshop date for a group, please contact me to arrange a date and time.
1/23
3/13
Go here to register

Creating Art: Why you do it and what’s holding you back?
This 12-hour workshop (over 6 weeks) will help you discover your reasons and background for creating art, inspire you to explore and experiment, explore the barriers preventing you from creating your art, find the solutions to breaking those barriers, and assist you in getting your art out into the world for people to see and appreciate. Based on the books Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland, and The View From The Studio Door, by Ted Orland, we will work through exercises and discussions to get you on the right track of creating satisfying and successful art. Both books (signed by the authors) and a workbook are included in the workshop fee.

If you would like to schedule this workshop for your group, please contact me to arrange a date and time.

2/2 - 3/9
Go here to register

Critical Feedback for Photographers
Many photographers and other artists dread both receiving and giving criticism, believing (wrongly) that crtique is a negative process, only pointing out failures. While criticism can be judgmental, the purpose of giving and receiving feedback is positive and, if in the spirit of helpfulness, is one of the most useful tools available to you for improving your work. Criticism can be defined as “informed discourse about art to increase understanding and appreciation of art”. During this 4-hour class I will describe the three main processes of critique (Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation) and work through these steps using our own work and examples from other sources. This is an interactive class and at the conclusion you should be more comfortable with receiving feedback, know how to use the feedback you receive, be able to provide useful feedback to others when requested, and be able to apply this process to the evaluation of art forms other than photography.

This is a good class for camera clubs and other art groups. Contact me for group rates. If you’d like to schedule a workshop on a different date than is listed, please select “Open Date” in the drop down list and I will contact you after registration to arrange a date and time.
1/16
3/20
Go here to register

photo © Nick Brandt. Portrait of Lion Standing in Wind, Masai Mara 2006

Great work from a photographer promoting wildlife and environmental conservation. His work is beautiful and thought-provoking, with the feeling of 1800s era exploration and the wonder (and probable fear) felt by those early encounters with new, unusual and dangerous animals. However, this is the 21st Century and these animals and their habitat are under continuous pressure and encroachment, directly and indirectly by humans.

From my wildlife biologist’s perspective, Nick Brandt’s photographs capture an essence of the animal in its environment in a way we, as photographers, dream of. It’s obvious from the deliberate and careful treatment of each photograph that this is a photographer who “gets it”. Through knowledge of his subjects and time spent in the field, his eye has captured the subtle gesture of each animal defining its tie to the environment in which it lives. These photographs simply and powerfully illustrate the majesty, drama, and struggle all nature’s creatures (including humans) must participate in for survival.

As a photographer, I can fully appreciate the passion, dedication, preparation, and time required to produce such excellent work. His passion for African wildlife is openly visible in his portraits which tell their story in the simplest and most captivating way. We get a sense of the animal and its place, feel the wind, the weight and power resting on the earth, speed, delicacy, intelligence, and grace, the intimate connection animals have with their environment (that many of us seem to lack), and a bit of implied sorrow or tiredness caused by the unceasing drive to survive compounded by relentless pressure on their habitat.

Arriving on the scene with his “On This Earth” series in 2005, he has continued photographing African wildlife in “A Shadow Falls”. He has published two books of each portfolio series. View his portfolios on his website at www.nickbrandt.com.