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Real World Digital Photography II

October 5 - 11, 2008
Maine Photographic Workshops • Rockport, Maine
Registration Info

Looking to improve your digital photography and digital darkroom skills? Then come join me this Fall at one of the best workshop venues in the country, the Maine Media Workshops. Early October is a wonderful time for photography in Maine. The light is clear and crisp and the changing leaves are painting the landscape with dashes of autumn color.

This class is a follow-up to the popular Real World Digital Photography class that I have taught there for the past three years. Designed to take up where the first class ends, this course is a combination of presentation, exploration and discovery that will concentrate on more advanced topics relating to photography with digital SLRs and working with your images in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Photoshop CS3.

Our camera work will focus on exposure and image quality control in a variety of challenging lighting situations, including creative use of both on- and off-camera flash units, using portable fabric reflectors for portraiture, the use of different Neutral Density (ND) filters to control light and night photography. In the digital lab we will be using Photoshop Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 for exploring the many subtleties and nuances of the digital imaging workflow and delving deeper into topics such as tricky color correction of problem images, advanced masking techniques for creating precise masks of complicated edges, combining multiple images for contrast control or creative effect, non-destructive editing, getting the most out of your raw files, and exploring the possibilities offered by HDR (high dynamic range) imaging. We will also discuss digital asset management strategies for controlling your expanding collection of digital photographs.  The class is geared towards photographers using digital SLRs that are capable of capturing raw images. A digital SLR camera is required for this course. See the other pre-requisites below.

Camera/Photography topics include: • Recognizing exposure problems before you take the photo • Creative light metering • Exposure control in a variety of challenging lighting situations • Riding the highlight edge for the best raw exposures • Multiple exposures to control contrast or increase image size • Exposure techniques for high dynamic range (HDR) composites • Solid & graduated Neutral Density (ND) filters • Creative use of both on- and off-camera flash units • Balancing flash with ambient light • Using portable fabric reflectors for portraiture • Night photography • Beyond the tripod: creative camera mounts for tricky locations • Digital pinhole photography • Cleaning the imaging sensor Digital Darkroom topics include: • Adobe Camera Raw: Beyond the basics • Adobe Photoshop Lightroom: Beyond the basics • Non-destructive editing techniques • Smart Objects & Smart Filters • Color correction of problem (and I do mean problem) images • Making the most of layer masks for flexible dodging and burning • Advanced selection & masking techniques for creating precise masks of complicated edges • Painting with light • Combining multiple images for contrast control or creative effect • High Dynamic Range Compositing with Merge to HDR • Interpretive Transformations • Blurring the background • DAM (digital asset management) strategies for controlling your ever-expanding collection of digital photographs. • Soft Proofing for an accurate print preview • Sharpening test strips & final pre-print adjustments Pre-Requisites: Real World Digital Photography I, or equivalent experience. Please contact me if you have questions if this class is right for you. All example images used in the class will be provided to you.