Connery Pond

I had planned on posting regular reports from the “The High Peaks of the Adirondacks” workshop last weekend, but long hard days and lack of sleep got the best of me in the end. It was a great workshop in terms of learning to deal with challenging weather conditions, as well as tough terrain.

Ausable River Trail

Ausable River

The High Peaks are known for steep mountains, tough trails, and very inconsistent weather. I was originally hesitant to offer a workshop in this part of the Adirondacks because I am always thinking of selecting locations that provide the best opportunities for students. But the photographic potential and incredible scenery ultimately convinced me that it was worth the risk.

Shooting reflections at Heron Marsh

Afterall, nature and landscape photography is all about patience, frustration, and learning to “discover” opportunities even when it seems there are none at first glance. It’s always nice when we have perfect conditions on a workshop, and images are “easy” to find, but that is not the real world of landscape photography on a long term basis.

Sunrise on Pitchoff Mtn

More often than not we are “chasing” the light, trying to read the weather, struggling with the environment (blackflies!), and preparing to do it all over again the next day when our images don’t quite meet our expectations. This is the reality I am most familiar and comfortable with, and so this workshop gave me the opportunity to work with students in situations they might often encounter when out on their own.

A typical day was as follows:

• Head out at 4:15am to the days sunrise location- sometimes hiking up small mountains to dramatic viewpoints.
• Breakfast at 9am, often including a lengthy discussion where we discuss all things photography, especially the marketing and business side.
• A 2 to 3 hour afternoon session where I give different presentations on camera technique and photographic principles, composition and light, and in-depth photo critique’s with each student.
• A sunset shoot at a location suited for evening light, ending about 9pm.

Repeat for 4 days.

Students at Heron Marsh

Heron Marsh

This can get pretty intense both physically and mentally, but it also gets everyone in a particular rhythm and  frame of mind that I think develops your photography skills tremendously. So even if students are not capturing “masterpieces”, they are learning valuable skills that will help them on future outings. That is my primary goal on every workshop.

Connery Pond Sunrise

Giant waterfall

I’m really happy with the way the workshop turned out, and feedback from students was very positive. Lake Placid is a great town to hang out in, and any direction you take out of town puts you in some part of the beautiful Adirondack park system. All in all, it still remains one of my favorite locations, and I will be returning alone in late September to climb the highest peaks. Hope that gives you a good sense of what one of our workshops is like - experiencing nature, hard work, friendship and camaraderie – hopefully that inspires the creative spirit.

Thanks to all the students who participated!

Rocks on Pitchoff

This month I have two Lightroom webinars on schedule that should help you in all aspects of your post-processing, regardless of your skill level or proficiency with Lightroom.

Creative Workflow with Lightroom

Coming up tonight at 7pm EST is “Creative Workflow with Lightroom” a 90  min webinar where I will cover the creative aspects of working in the Develop Module of Lightroom, and how that can influence the final outcome of your image. I’m a big believer in having a strong idea of what you want your image to look like before you start moving sliders (pre-visualization), so I’ll go over some of the strategies I use to Lightroom a tool to help me realize my creative goals. Even if you’re not proficient with Lightroom, I will be discussing composition, light, visualization, and many other photographic concepts that apply regardless of your skill level. Register Here

Lightroom 3 Masterclass

Coming up on May 24th is a 9 hour Lightroom Master Class 3 webinar split over 6 sessions and 4 weeks, which will cover Lightroom from beginning to end, and help you master this amazing application so you can spend more time being creative, having fun, and less frustrated behind your computer. Watch this video for all the specifics and additional info.

All of the webinars are recorded and available to watch afterwards as many times as you want, for as long as you want. Even if you can’t join us live, you’ll have access to the video and course material.

Request for Feedback

Finally, I have a few more free webinars coming up in the near future that I’m excited about and I think you will be too. Many have asked for practical information, such as lens choices, appropriate settings for different conditions, camera setup, gear info, etc. so this will be covered in depth.

I want to hear from you – let me know what your specific issues or  challenges are in your photography, whether in the field or back at home, and I will try and address those in upcoming video podcasts and webinars. I’ve sent out an email to several students and received some great responses so far, so I wanted to extend it here to all of you. PLEASE let me know your ideas and thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you for your help, and as always I appreciate your time and support!

Webinar - The Art of Seeing

I am really excited to be offering a free live webinar next Thursday, April 21 from  7:30pm – 8:30pm EST.

It’s titled “The Art of Seeing – An Intro to Landscape Photography” and will discuss many of the ideas and concepts I discussed in yesterdays blog post. I’m offering it free of charge in anticipation of a new series of webinars that I will begin offering in May on various digital photography topics, including composition and light, Lightroom processing, digital media storage and backup, and the business of photography.

Stay tuned for announcements on these in the near future

To attend this free 60min webinbar, please visit the registration page.

Thank you all for your continued support, your great feedback and comments, and I hope this proves beneficial for all of you.

Cold Sunrise - Lake Placid, Adirondacks

This was a very cold, early morning hike to a great sunrise location in the Adirondacks, and I really wanted to convey this feeling in the image “Cold Sunrise”. There are many cues that you can use to express how you feel when you’re at a particular location, and these involve all of our senses including sound, touch, smell, etc. Here I’ve tried to convey touch and feel by leading the eye onto the texture of frozen snow on these rocks in the foreground.

In addition, I think that the low fog in the valley conveys that stillness and silence that we often associate with these types of atmospheric events. When we can’t see very clearly, our other senses become more acute, and even though this is a photo, it triggers that sense in our minds to imagine what it would sound like to be there. Notice also the strong diagonals which guide the eye as mentioned before – cool to warm, texture to smooth, dark to bright, all contrasting elements.

Anyone looking at this photo will immediately understand what it must have felt like to stand on this frozen rocky ledge – at least that is my hope, and why it is important to continually practice the language of photography.

• Lightroom Workflow

As a bonus, I’ve included my Lightroom workflow so that you can get a better sense of how I processed this image with these ideas in mind in order to create the best interpretation of the RAW file.

1) Here is the original capture, with the default settings n Lightroom. Aside from a small amount of highlight clipping in the sky, the histogram looks good and I have maximized tonalities by exposing to the right. The image looks a little dark, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose any sky detail which was beautiful and adds the warmth to the image – a critical component to the overall feel and composition.

2) Next I made some adjustments in the Basic Panel, mostly increasing the Fill Light to bring out the dark foreground, Recovery to control the clipped highlights, and Clarity to bring out the texture of the ice and snow. I also added a bit of Vibrance for color. This works together with White Balance, which I increased from 6000k to about 6700k – this adds some warmth to the sky and removes some of the blue cast from the snow.

3) Next I wanted to try and increase the mid tone contrast – again with the idea that the textures in the image will help convey the feel – ice, frozen, rough, cold – even the trees appear like frozen statues, and adding contrast emphasizes this. I used the Tone Curve panel to added a tight S curve. This helps the midtones, but prevents the deep shadows or highlights from being affected. Adding extra points high and low on the curve prevents this from happening.

4) I decided I wanted to darken the sky to help bring out the soft cloud textures, so I decreased the Luminance value of the Blues in the HSL Panel. This will also darken areas of shadow that often have a blue cast, so care must be taken not to go overboard. I wanted to a subtle effect, so -17 felt about right.

5) Now we come to theDetail Panel – one of the most important aspects of this image, and here I used fairly standard settings - Amount=66, Radius=1.0, Masking=25. However the important setting here is Detail=100. The Detail slider in Lightroom acts as a halo suppressor, meaning it tries to prevent halos, the ugly glow around edges when high sharpening is used. While often useful, it can make an image somewhat softer as well, especially a high frequency image like this one. I didn’t want to compromise that, so a setting of 100 removes all halo suppression and gives me the sharpest image possible. Remember that this requires a very clean image (little or no noise), and a sharp capture to begin with.

6) Finally, I was still not happy with the overall mood of the image – I wanted to sky to play a stronger role in leading the eye and conveying a sense of depth. Up to now it just seemed to bright and washed out. I added a Graduated Filter to with a setting of Exposure= -0.15, Brighness= -49. The key here is not to lose the highlights, but bring down the overall brigthness of the sky and stretch the tonal values. Had I just used Exposure, then I would have lowered the whitest part of the sky only, which was not my intent. By using mostly the Brightness control, the sky becomes more dynamic and richer – the finishing touch to the image.

• Conclusion

I hope this is helpful in illustrating how I make technical AND creative decisions when processing an image in Lightroom. Having a clear idea of what you want to say with an image is extremely important, and aids the workflow tremendously. Thanks for reading and hanging in there through my explanations, and feel free to post comments and suggestions below.

PS- I teach this extensively in the Real World Lightroom 3 workshop where I go much more in depth and work through a bunch of images explaining how the creative process happens in the field, and continues in the digital darkroom.

The 2011 Workshop Schedule is now online and open for registration. After a really great year in 2010, I’m REALLY excited about this years workshops for many reasons, but primarily the opportunity once again to share my passion for learning with students who love photography.

I’ve also given the workshops a new “motto” or tagline – “Inspiring the Creative Spirit.” I think this really summarizes my approach and goal with each and every student. Beyond the technique and gear, I think the real learning happens when there is synergy between students and instructor, and that’s what I strive for in every workshop. What do I mean by “synergy”? Simple – when I get excited about a location, or beautiful light during a sunset, and pass that energy on to those around me. Or when a student gets excited about something they didn’t “see” and weren’t able to capture before, then I know something special has happened for them. Sure, we discuss f-stops, and hyperfocal distance, and many other technical issues, but without the inspiration, it’s just an exercise.

Even when dealing with the increasing dominance of technology in photography, there is always room for creative inspiration, and my new “Real World Lightroom” workshop focuses on this very important part of the process. It is so easy to get lost in endless choices and complexity, that we forget what is simple to understand – to convey your feelings about what you photograph. To show people not what you see, but what you feel about something. That’s where the inspiration lies, and what I try to instill in the atmosphere surrounding each workshop.

I have my work cut out for me for sure – and I sometimes wonder if I can really meet the challenges of this task. But as soon as the first workshop starts, and I see all of the students ready and hungry to learn, I know I’ll be fine – I just follow my instinct and share from the heart. A ton of preparation and experience beforehand doesn’t hurt either!

Check out the schedule and the new offerings this year. Would love to hear your feedback on the workshop schedule, as well as suggestions for improvement.

Everybody is original, if he tells the truth, if he speaks from himself. But it must be from his true self and not from the self he thinks he should be. -Brenda Ueland

I have finally completed all of the photo workshops in the 2010 schedule, and the final workshop was the Lightroom 3 Masterclass which I taught last weekend. We had a great group of students who asked lots of great questions and made me work extra hard to provide proper answers, but that’s what teaching is all about. I love it when a question makes me think and provide solutions for students that I myself may not have thought of if not for the original question. Everyone benefits this way, which is the way it should be!

I am always asking for feedback, and what I have received from students this year has been overwhelmingly positive. However, if there is a problem I am eager to find out how to correct it and improve for the better. I always make it a point to speak with students I think may have had difficulty with a workshop and try to provide whatever extra instruction they need to help them in their photography. I have even visited a student in their home after a workshop to provide some extra instruction – free of charge. I mention this because it is important for me to know I have done everything I can for a student that takes one of my workshops. I appreciate the confidence and  trust they have given me, and in return I want them to leave a workshop inspired, motivated, and more knowledgeable as a serious photographer.

I plan to have the 2011 schedule available on the website by the end of the year. The Lightroom and Digital Printing workshops will return, as well as a Photoshop class and  some new field locations. I am working on a 4-day Adirondacks workshop, probably based in Lake Placid. I also plan to extend the Acadia workshop to 6-days, and also introduce a few new locations in the Hudson Valley. Many students have requested a photography marketing workshop, so that is in the works and depends on my workload.

Long term plans include a Nova Scotia workshop in 2012 and an Iceland workshop soon after. I will be traveling to both of these locations numerous times in the near future, and hopefully offer these exciting locations to new and returning students.

I really want to thank everyone who has helped me as I strive to provide valuable and helpful instruction to photography students, and for making the Beyond the Lens Workshops a successful and worthwhile experience for me in 2010. I’ve met really wonderful students, and have learned much in the process as a teacher and photographer – which I am eager to share in the years to come.

I’m finally back home after a week of leading the Acadia Adventure Workshop in Maine. Overall I am extremely happy with the way it turned out, from the good weather we had, to the tremendous enthusiasm of the students. It was a great group that enjoyed learning, sharing,  and working together, and the meals after our location shoots were lots of fun as well!

I knew the students were serious when I opened the door to my motel room at 5:15am the first morning and found 7 cars running and ready to head out into the twilight of Acadia National Park. I always say an open mind is as important as the proper camera gear (often more important), and we all had a chance to apply this idea that I practice in my own photography. Several times we expected less than favorable weather only to be surprised by great light, which I explained over and over again was the key ingredient to a successful image. Once you are open to the possibilities, creativity flows much easier without the filters of our own judgments getting in the way.

Mastering the art and craft of photography is an ongoing passion for me, and helping others understand how everything comes together is something I deeply enjoy. Often I witnessed students totally immersed in making an image, and it felt good to know I had offered a tip or a suggestion that opened their eyes and mind to the moment in front of them. Perhaps my most memorable moment occurred as I walked along the edge of Jordan Pond just after sunrise. The light was working its magic on a group of trees displaying their vibrant autumn colors, while the mountains in the background remained deep in shadow. As I worked with a student on camera technique and composition, I reminded him that his feelings about the scene were what mattered most, the only way to create an image that would speak not only to him but to to others as well.

As I wandered off on my own to give him the same solitude I enjoy so much in nature, I stopped and took in the amazing beauty around me through all of my senses, and  realized the moment was perfect, and I was exactly where I wanted to be…what more could I ask for. This was the reason I had become a photographer and a teacher, so that I could share these moments with others. It’s this passion and enthusiasm that really motivates me, and we should all strive to find that which makes us give our best. Short of that, we’re just going through the motions.

My approach to photography, and teaching it, is rather holistic in nature. All of the different components must work together in order to express your vision and your particular style. Certainly technology plays a huge role, and I enjoy using all of the latest tools and software to help get me closer to the image in my mind. But ultimately, it is how you feel about what you do, and what you think and feel about what you’re photographing that makes the real difference. Asking “why do I photograph” is really the essence of creative photography. This is what I try to teach in my workshops, together with how the camera becomes an extension of your personal vision. It’s hard, for both teacher and student, and on workshops I become both at the same time. In my experience, there is no better way to grow.

I will be returning to Acadia to lead another workshop in 2011, and I am working on a few new locations that should offer many wonderful opportunities to enjoy and photograph the beauty of nature. A big thank you to all of the students who really made my job very enjoyable. One student in particular, Chris Cina has written about the experience on her blog here.

I’m in Acadia National Park this week leading the 5 day Autumn Adventure workshop in beautiful Acadia National Park, and our first day got off to a great start. The weather forecast wasn’t promising at all, but you can never underestimate mother nature. At both sunrise and sunset, we were fortunate to get great light at just the right moments, and the students worked on taking advantage of those fleeting moments in nature.

Between our morning and evening shoots, I spend around 2 hours working with students on optimizing their images in Lightroom,  then give a presentation on different aspects of  landscape photography including composition, working with light, and the elements of visual design. During our field work students get practical and hands on use of these important and fundamental concepts, and I often try and challenge them with specific exercises meant to help them grow as photographers.

We’ve got 4 more days to go, and I’ll try to update the blog with photos and more info during the next few days.

I’ll be leading two photo trips to Bannerman Castle this year together with photographer Tom Johnson. This is a great opportunity to get access to this historic ruin located on Pollopel Island at the entrance to the Hudson Highlands. Both workshops will be sunrise, with one in the summer and the second at the height of the fall season. We had a great turnout for last years trips, so we decided to offer these again to photographers who want to get up close to these famous ruins.

Part of the castle walls fell over the winter, so no one is quite sure how long the castle will last given the limited funds from state officials for repair and restoration. I worry that it may not last much further into the future considering the rate of decay and tough winters we have here in the northeast. The funds we collect for these trips goes directly to the preservation effort, and Tom and myself donate all of out time. Come out and support a Hudson Valley treasure, have a great time, and make some unique images all in a half day.

Dates: Sunday July 25th 8AM, Sunday October 17th 8AM

Cost: $110 (lunch included)

Please email me to register for either workshop.

We had another great Beyond the Lens Digital Printing workshop this weekend, and I’m confident students gained information and insights that will allow them to make better creative decisions in regards to their printing. Each workshop is always different, and I’m always appreciative of the opportunity to meet so many great people and share my passion and hard earned experience in photography.

At the start of most workshops, I usually have each student introduce themselves and briefly describe their involvement in photography as well as their immediate goals. This makes the whole class more relaxed and I think creates a better learning environment when we all realize we’re basically after the same thing – doing what we enjoy and love as best as possible. For some of us, that translates into excellence, as I explained in a recent post.

Once every student has their turn, I take a few moments to explain why I am so passionate about printing. In a former life, I was a music producer for many years which involved taking a musical concept or idea and crafting a “performance” that embodied the creative goals of the project. The finished master or CD was my focus, and everything I did in the production stage, whether arranging, recording, mixing, or working with artists and musicians revolved around what I wanted that final CD to sound like. Everything in between was just another step along the particular path the project was following.  Sometimes I’d have to stop and change my direction if somehow I’d gotten off track and things were not sounding quite like they should. Other times, the path would take an unexpected turn for the better, and new and interesting ideas would emerge that often created a better end result.

Much of what I learned back then has proven to be extremely valuable as a photographer and print maker. Regardless of where I am in the creative process –   exploring a beautiful landscape, developing the image in Lightroom, or choosing the right paper texture for the print, I always imagine what the end result will look and feel like. I try to visualize the final print before I press the shutter. This is not always easy or possible, and often I’m not quite sure what I’m trying to achieve. But at some point along the “path”, I discover what I’m attempting to convey in an image, and then it becomes crystal clear.

As we move more and more into a digital world where the majority of  images are experienced on LCD screens and mobile devices, we need to be aware of how an image will translate to these common mediums. Often I have two separate versions (using virtual copies in Lightroom) of the same photograph, one for printing, and one for digital viewing. But I still consider photographic prints my primary medium, so the printing workshop is really a lot of fun for me. I’m sure students can clearly see my excitement when one of their photographs emerges from our printers. If they smile, I’ve done my job, and the rest of the creative path is theirs to experience and enjoy.

“Thank you for the printing workshop…the information is helpful, love your studio and you are a natural teacher. The time flew by.” -Wayne Stix