Registration for Fall Basic Digital Photography Workshop

Registration for the Fall Basics Workshop, October 15 & 22, is now closed.

The Brick Street Bungalow: Hounds of Light

The Brick Street Bungalow: Hounds of Light: Best photography class ever!  This past two weekends, I took a Basic Digital Photography class from Hounds of Light in Tyler. These photos were all shot in the field exercise session after the classroom presentations…



This is a great blogsite from one of our Basic Workshop participants: The Brick Street Bungalo

Save the dates April 16th and 23rd

Our Spring Basics Workshop is scheduled for two Saturdays, April 16, 23. We'll be sending out registration information soon. Click to join our list and receive the invite!

Composition by Intuition

I think all of us want to achieve good composition by instinct or intuition, by feel or in our gut.

Photographers are not like painters. We can't pencil in a grid, place an object, then add another, then balance it with another, trash it and start all over.

No. Composition is quite a different thing for us.

We are somewhere; we have a camera. We can move this way or that, take it now or wait… drat! shoulda clicked!

Of course nowadays we can just hold the shutter down, move the camera all around, and examine terrabytes of data back home, on the computer, at 3:00 A.M.

If this is your idea of photography: stop reading now, step away from the monitor, go apologize to your spouse.

For the rest of us, we want to be able to feel composition, to know two main things – where and when – without thinking. Where do I put the camera and when do I click the shutter? We want to know this the same way we know something is beautiful – the instant we see it. It’s immediate recognition.

Because we don't have much time to decide. And, anyway, do we want to be absorbed in this moment or step back and cogitate the geometry for a while? Our choice is not between beauty and geometry – they are joined despite us – but between instinct and thinking, joy and calculation.

The best ever at composing instinctually was Henri Cartier-Bresson. He clicked the shutter at what he called the decisive moment. “There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment,” he said. Henri used one camera and one lens – a Leica rangefinder with 50mm – for the majority of his photographs. Composition for him was primarily about “when.”

“Photography is not like painting. There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever.”

- Henri Cartier-Bresson

Below is a short documentary by HCB. If you've read this far, you may find it worth your time.

– IMHO, jj

Registration Now Open For Fall Basics Workshop

The Fall Basics Workshop will be held on consecutive Saturdays, October 24 & 31, 2015 at Gallery Main Street In Downtown Tyler…
Click here for more info and to register…

If you haven't already joined our list and want to receive advanced notice of future workshops, sign up for HOL's mailing list by clicking here…

Hounds of Light Basic Digital Photography

Two workshops covering everything from an introduction into digital photography to important camera settings, and how to start taking a good picture no matter what your subject.

Click here for more info and to register…

These classes are for you if you just acquired your first digital camera, have owned one for a while and are disappointed in your results, or want to move beyond auto functions and snap-shots or just want to refresh your skills. You'll learn how to start controlling light, color, and atmosphere while learning the controls of your camera. Yes, you and your camera will finally become friends!

The series is designed to move you, step-by-step from fundamental principals to being able to take control of your camera’s various modes and settings (especially manual mode) – creating the image you want rather than accepting whatever the camera makes.

Experience is the Best Teacher

So how do you get experience quickly?

This is the purpose of good exercises. For the photographer, experience in the basics of aperture/depth-of-focus, shutter-speed/motion, ISO/quality is essential.

Experience in your camera's ISO/quality relationship allows you to make decisions knowing what you could sacrifice to gain shutter speed or depth-of-focus. Experience in depth-of-focus and motion/time allows you to make the basic creative decisions for your photographs.

Below are three exercises designed to minimize your time in gaining this experience. The hope is that you can gain in three days of focused exercise what might take you three years in a haphazard approach.

Aperture Exercise

Subject: Wall, fence or something similar – subject starts in foreground and continues to mid and background. 

Light: Similar light throughout, fairly bright; bright enough for ISO of 400 or less.

1. Set Aperture wide open; adjust shutter to center meter; take photo.
2. Stop down one stop; adjust shutter to center meter; take photo.
3. Repeat through range of apertures on your camera. If your viewing software does not capture them, write down your key settings for each picture.
4. View photos and describe the differences. 
5. Adjust distance to subject focus; repeat. Adjust lens length (zoom-in/out); repeat.

Shutter Exercise
Subject: Constant motion at same speed. Water stream or fountain, traffic moving at constant speed… Use tripod or other support for camera.
Light: Similar light throughout, fairly bright; bright enough for ISO of 400 or less.

1. Set fast shutter speed, 1/250+; adjust aperture to center meter; take photo.
2. Slow shutter speed one stop; adjust aperture to center meter; take photo.
3. Repeat through range of shutter speeds to at least 1/15. If your viewing software does not capture them, write down your key settings for each picture.
4. View photos and describe the differences. 

ISO Exercise

Subject: Fairly close on smooth subject with light and dark areas. Tripod can help keep subject in the same place in the frame and allow a longer shutter speed.

Light: Similar light throughout, fairly bright; bright enough for ISO of 100 or 200 at a comfortable shutter speed.

1. Set low ISO setting, whatever your camera’s minimum is; take photo.
2. Increase ISO one stop; adjust aperture/shutter to center meter; take photo.
3. Repeat through range of ISO settings – at least four if you have them; certainly check the lowest and highest. If your viewing software does not capture them, write down your key settings for each picture.
4. View photos and describe the differences. 

Registration Open for Fall Basic Photography Workshops

Registration is closed for this class.

If you haven't already joined our list and want to receive advanced notice of future workshops, sign up for HOL's mailing list by clicking here…

________________

Hounds of Light Basic Digital Photography

Two workshops covering everything from an introduction into digital photography to important camera settings, and how to start taking a good picture no matter what your subject.

Click here for more info and to register…

These classes are for you if you just acquired your first digital camera, have owned one for a while and are disappointed in your results, or want to move beyond auto functions and snap-shots or just want to refresh your skills. You'll learn how to start controlling light, color, and atmosphere while learning the controls of your camera. Yes, you and your camera will finally become friends!

The series is designed to move you, step-by-step from fundamental principals to being able to take control of your camera’s various modes and settings (especially manual mode) – creating the image you want rather than accepting whatever the camera makes.

Spring Basic Digital Photography

2014 Basic Digital Photography Series

The Basics class has filled up, and registration is closed for this workshop.

For advance notice of future classes, click here to sign up for the Hounds mailing list…

__________________________

This series covers everything from an introduction into digital photography to important camera settings, and how to start taking a good picture no matter what your subject.

These classes are for you if you just acquired your first digital camera, have owned one for a while and are disappointed in your results, or want to move beyond auto functions and snap-shots or just want to refresh your skills.

For more information, click here…

Thanks for a Fun and Successful Workshop

Last Saturday's workshop allowed us to give a lot of hands-on instruction, and the results were very good. Attendees learned how to use their cameras on examples of their art - and how to edit and prepare it for submission to contests.

A big problem that artists – who are not photographers – have is how to crop, white balance and export the photograph of their art.  A few are able to use Photoshop or Lightroom, but for those who are not, we made a short How To video using a free program, Picasa.

The video is below and thanks again to everyone in the workshop.

 

Photographing Art for Submission Class Now Registering

Success in entering art competitions is dependent upon making a good first impression with the quality of the digital photographic file you submit to represent your artwork.

This workshop is designed to provide you with simple and economical methods of photographing two and three-dimensional artwork for its best presentation to jurors. Because badly prepared digital files are likely disqualified and never seen by jurors, you will also learn to properly prepare and submit/upload your digital files according to contest entry specifications.

Date: Saturday, February 22 , 2014
Location: Gallery Main Street, 110 West Erwin Tyler TX (Tyler Downtown Square)
 Time: 9:00AM-4:00PM
 Class Size: Limited to 15
Registration Fee: $35.00

Click here for more information and to register…

–––––––– Other Class Announcements Soon ––––––––

We’ll be sending announcements of future classes to our email list, so please join the Hounds of Light list to get the earliest notice.

Exciting Competition Results!

Dolph recently had three photos accepted into two juried competitions; the Texas Photographic Society "Members Only"(1image: Friends of the Dead) and the A Smith Gallery "Shadows" competition (2 images: The Swirling Man & Power Lines).

The Texas Photographic Society Members Only Show has been on display at the Island Gallery at Texas A@M University - Corpus Christi. The A Smith "Shadows" show runs from Oct. 4 - Nov. 9 at the Johnson City gallery.

http://www.texasphoto.org/contests/MOS/Info.html
https://asmithgallery.com

It's Time for the Fall Ranch Workshop!

Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013 We had a great time! Don't miss next year!
Here's your opportunity to have your photography questions answered, work on any problems, and put your study into practice in a real world natural ranch environment. 

First the group will meet at the Gallery Main Street at 1:30 PM for a quick review of your best photographs and problem images so we can praise success and also know what techniques to work on with you out in the field.

We will leave the gallery in time for an afternoon-sunset shoot at a fabulous local ranch. Subject matter will be lakes, wooded and pastoral landscapes, an old barn, horses and all the images you associate with ranch life. 
Dolph and John will be providing personal instruction as needed.
Click here to see some of last year's participant's photos…

This is a lower cost casual, fun event designed for newcomers and friends of Hounds of Light. 
Workshop size is limited to 15. 
Register early!

Click Here & Register today for only $25.00.

This is a scenic ranch environment and a great setting in which to put classwork to practice. We hope you will join us for a fun outing at this beautiful location! 


Click to Register Now…

Offered in conjunction with Gallery Main Street

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012

Time: 12:300pm - Sunset

Location: Meet at Gallery Main Street, 110 W. Erwin. On the Square in Tyler

Fee: $15/person

Basic Photography Series Classes Set

We've filled up all the seats for the Basic Digital Photography series. For those who registered, we'll be sending more information on what to bring, lunch, etc.

If you couldn't make it this time, we hope to see you in the next class. We'll be announcing some new and different classes soon, so please sign up if you haven't already.

Thanks to everyone and we're really looking forward to the fun starting April 13!

Announcing Spring Workshop Series

Basic Digital Photography Series
These three classes are for you if you just got your first digital camera, have owned one for a while and are disappointed in your results, want to move beyond auto functions and snap-shots or would just like to refresh your skills.

This is a progressive series of classes designed to move you step-by-step from the basic photography concepts to learning how to take creative control of your camera's shooting modes and settings - to create more powerful and interesting images. 

These classes fill up fast so register soon!

Class dates: April 13, 20, 27 & May 4 from 10AM - 4:00PM
Location: Gallery Main Street on the Tyler Square.

Discount available for those who sign up for all three classes!

For complete information on each class and to register, click here…

Full Moon Alert!

For those of you wanting to photograph the moon you have an opportunity for full moon shots this Saturday Jan. 26.

The moon is well above the horizon by 5:00 pm. Early evening presents a good opportunity with matched sky and moon light levels and sky color. Keep your attention, as the evening grows darker, on the difference in sky and moon brightness. 

As the sky darkens use your spot meter directly on the moon and make several under/over exposures.   Generally; use the longest lens you have to increase the moon size in the frame. Using trees and other objects to frame or silhouette against the moon can give interesting results. Most importantly have fun! Also, see previous post on this subject.

The Hudson River School: America's Original Landscape 'Photographers'

Asher B. Durand: The Beeches

Thomas Cole: The Oxbow

There are many images of these masters – along with their history – at this museum website:

The Hudson River School

National Geographic Photo Contest 2012

Winners of the National Geographic Contest.
Many of these winning photos illustrate excellent, basic composition. Well worth studying; click the link:
National Geographic Photo Contest 2012, Part II 

Thanks for a great afternoon!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Photography Workshop and Ranch Field trip last Saturday.

We were blessed with clear weather and great folks.

Click here to view some photos by participants…

Join Us For Fall Field Trip

Photography Workshop & Field Trip

Here's your opportunity to have your photography questions answered, work on any problems, and put your study into practice in a real world natural ranch environment. 

First the group will meet at the Gallery Main Street at 12:30 PM for a quick review of your best photographs and problem images so we can praise success and also know what techniques to work on with you out in the field.

We will leave the gallery in time for an afternoon-sunset shoot at a fabulous local ranch. Subject matter will be lakes, wooded and pastoral landscapes, an old barn, horses and all the images you associate with ranch life. 
Dolph and John will be providing personal instruction as needed.

This workshop is being offer at a one-time reduced fee to previous participants as our thanks for the encouragement and support you've given us. Workshop size is limited to 15 and preference will be given to previous Hounds of Light workshop attendees. 
Register early!

Click Here & Register today for only $15.00.

This is a scenic ranch environment and a great setting in which to put classwork to practice. We hope you will join us for a fun outing at this beautiful location! 


Click to Register Now…

Offered in conjunction with Gallery Main Street

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012

Time: 12:300pm - Sunset

Location: Meet at Gallery Main Street, 110 W. Erwin. On the Square in Tyler

Fee: $15/person

Day For Night

Blue Lagoon

Day for night is a technique often used in motion pictures until the 1970s. Movie film was quite slow, ASA 100 or less, and shooting at night was not as practical as it is today.

The goal was to shoot during daylight but make it look like night. Since the light is bluer at night, a blue gel was used over the lens. Underexpose a couple of stops and the result looks something like night.

You can do the same thing today in still photography, and with digital it's quite a bit easier. You get the best results by not underexposing in the camera; instead, crank it back in editing software such as Photoshop or Lightroom.

Getting a good exposure in the camera allows you to control detail where you want it, even in the shadow areas using dodge/burn tools. I did a bit of this in the shadow area of the large cypress tree (click to enlarge.) If I had underexposed, this detail would have been lost forever.

The blue tint can be added by either shifting the white balance toward the blue, or by using duotone effects.

"Blue Lagoon" uses duotone. Here, you tell your software two colors, one for highlights, one for shadows. I used two shades of blue for this picture. The shade you see depends on your monitor. It’s critical to calibrate your monitor to see what you're getting in post processing your images.

This cypress pond photo was shot in fairly bright morning light. By using a day for night approach, I hoped to increase the spook factor.

Happy Halloween!

Chased By The Light – Video

Hounds of Light chase the light, but Jim Brandenburg goes the other way in this photographic journey.

Brandenburg is a master nature photographer whose career includes National Geographic as well as classic nature film assignments.

In this video, an Emmy Nominee for Best Documentary, he chronicles a turning point in his professional and personal life. He had done it all and, in short, was burnt out on all the traveling and pressures that had been his life for decades.

So, he decides to create a challenge for himself: every day for three months he will explore the wild north woods for a photograph. Just one photograph – just one click of his camera. One composition, one exposure, one click, no more or less.

If you like nature photography, this will teach and inspire you. Unfortunately, Netflix - weak on documentaries in general - doesn't have it; but Amazon does (link under “HOL Picks” on the right).

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have someone click the shutter.”

– Ansel Adams

Selective Focus and Bokeh

Pine Needles and Dew

For macro photographers, these two concepts are very important.

Selective Focus
The use of limited depth of field to focus sharply on a specific object in the scene – while other parts are clearly out-of-focus – is called selective focus.

In macro photography, depth of field (or focus) is often quite small due to the closeness of the lens to the subject. Then, selective focus becomes a necessity, and selecting where to focus is your key decision.

In the pine needle photo, I picked two dew drops that acted as lenses to bring other pine needles into focus (click on the pic to see it larger).

Bokeh
The out-of-focus parts of the subject are, for me, what makes this photo interesting. At the least, the quality of the out-of-focus parts are critical to this shot. The way a lens renders out-of-focus areas is called its bokeh (pronounced bow-kay), from the Japanese word for blur or haze.

Multiple Exposure

Click to enlarge.

My Nikon DSLR and many other cameras offer an in-camera method of making multiple exposures. You set the number of shots and your meter calculates the exposure such that you won't overexpose. Without this feature - and in the old film days - you would need to underexpose each shot so that the combination resulted in a proper exposure.

This shot is War Eagle Mill in Rogers, Arkansas. While making the multiple exposures, I panned with the water wheel, attempting to freeze it enough to be a recognizable subject while letting the side walls blur and the water do whatever it did.

Multiple exposures are used most often for an expressionistic look. Try moving your camera in the direction of the pattern (for example, vertically with a tree trunk). A little goes a long way, so at first try smaller movements in between shots.

Choosing a Tripod

Dolph gets down…

Don't forget minimum height.
How low your tripod will go can be very important in nature shots. In addition to the specifications for maximum weight and maximum height, be sure to consider minimum height before making your decision.