Why KelbyOne is #1 in Combining On-Line Video Training, Live Events and Member Benefits

My friend Scott Kelby and yours truly after recording our class, Travel Photography: Portraits of Locals (soon come).

KelbyOne is #1 when it comes to combining on-line courses and live-learning - and in putting on one of the coolest learning opportunities for photographers: Photoshop World, where I had the honor of being one of the instructors this past week.

Sure, one of the reasons I like these guys is because they did a great job producing the 17 classes I have on their site.

In my classes I show end-result images and behind-the-scenes shots. Here I am showing some Sri Lanka stick fishermen some of the images I took of them with my Canon 5D Mark IV and 24-105mm IS lens.

But then again, the KelbyOne team does a great job on all its classes, taught by the top pros in the industry, many of whom are my friends!

But there's more:

As a KelbyOne member, you also have access to nationwide seminars, Lightroom and Photoshop User magazines and cool discounts.

And don't forget The Grid (airs every Wednesday at 4 PM Eastern), which is a free, weekly KelbyOne on-line program that can help you become a better photographer. It was a blast being Scott's guest a few months ago. Check out the show!

Scott also has an awesome blog, Photoshop Insider.

I hope to see you at Photoshop World 2020 or on the KelbyOne forums. More good learning, more good fun!

Explore the light,
Rick

It's "Hey Rick, What's your f-stop?" Friday #2

"Hey Rick! What's your f-stop?" That's the question I get asked most on my photo workshops. I reply, with a smile, "My friend. What is your creative vision, what is your goal?" Those are the important question - for photographers to ask themselves.

In this blog series I will share with you my goal and camera settings for some of my favorite recent photographs, which will be featured in my next (#37) book, Evolution of an Image (September 2016 publication).

Here goes.

Goal: Make a photograph that illustrates a bygone time in the Palouse.

Thought process: Use HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging to capture the contrast range of the scene – the bright areas outside the truck and the dark areas inside the truck.

Tech Info:
Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
Lens: Canon 14mm lens
Camera settings:
• In-camera HDR set-up (but processed the thee images in Lightroom for more creative control);
• Manual focus – to ensure the same focus throughout the bracketed sequence;
• ISO 1600 – set for a sharp hand-held sequence in the relatively low light situation, 1/500th second (middle exposure in bracketing sequence) – for a steady hand-held shot even at the slowest shutter speed (1/125th second) in the bracketed sequence, f/11 – for good depth-of-field.

I hope you can participate in one of my photo workshops, where no question is too basic or too simple.
2016 Workshops
2017 Workshops
2018 Workshops

For more tips, tricks and techniques, see my current best-selling book, Creative Visualization for Photographers. Also check out my KelbyOne on-line classes.

Explore the light,
Rick

No Other Old Car City Photo Workshop Offers This Much!

Above: Old Car City. Model photography is included in my October 2015 Old Car City/Southeaster Railway Museum photo workshop. Canon 5D Mark III, 17-40mm lens.

Registration is open for my October 2015 Canon EOS Destination Workshop: Capturing the Classics: Old Cars and Antique Trains. I can't wait to return to Old Car City and the Southeastern Railway Museum - both of which are located outside of Atlanta, GA.

I'll be teaching: composition (the strongest way of seeing), "croposition" (combining composition with cropping), storytelling,  lighting, HDR – and how to use reflectors, diffusers and speedlites when photographing a model.

My friends from Canon will be there to loan you the newest cameras and lenses (including fish-eye lenses and super-wide-angle lenses) to photograph some of the oldest cars in the country. You will also have plenty of time to process your images – for our group slide show/critique session. And, you'll even get to make a print or two on Canon printers.

No other Old Car City photo workshop offers this much. In addition to the teaching, model session, processing and printing, each workshop participant will receive an autographed copy of my three favorite books: Creative Visualization for Photographers, Exploring the Light and Travel and Nature Photography. In addition, everyone will also receive a free download code for two of my on-line classes: Master the Art and Craft of Bird Photography and Master Landscape and Seascape Photography - both available in my on-line store.

All participants will also received an SD card loaded with Perfectly Clear (see my Plug-in page) for both Lightroom and Photoshop. Thanks to my friends at Athentech for your support!

Total value of these items is over $250.

Above: Lounge car, Southeastern Railway Museum. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 15mm lens.

Here's a look at some of my favorite photographs from my previous trip to Old Car City and the Southeastern Railway Museum.

The lounge car photograph (above) and the mail car photograph are HDR images, created in Photomatix. I recommend Photomatix for this workshop. You can get a discount on Photomatix on my Save on Plug-ins page.

Above: Old Car City. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens. 

I removed some of the reality from my images in this post either by using a fish-eye lens, by altering the true color of a scene, by applying a plug-in, by shooting HDR, by selectively blurring parts of an image –  or by using a combination of all these techniques.

I can show you how to apply digital enhancements during the workshop. Of course, I'll show you how to get awesome in-camera shots, too.

Above: Southeastern Railway Museum. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens.

About removing some of the reality from a scene: When we remove some of the reality from a photograph, the photograph can - but not always - look more artistic.

Photoshop, Lightroom and plug-ins make creating artistic images relatively easy - if you have a creative vision. 

Above: Old Car City. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24-70mm lens.

On my workshops I stress light and composition, the topics of my two latest classes on Kelby Training. The picture above (taken on my previous workshops) of our model Hanna (she's coming back for this workshop) illustrates the benefits of shooting on an overcast day, when contrast is low. It also illustrates creative composition: shooting at an angle creates a sense of depth in an image, the Bel Air insignia adds a sense of place to the image, and shooting at eye level helps the viewer of the photograph relate to the subject.

Above: Old Car City. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

Above: Old Car City.  Like abstracts? You will find them in pealing paint and in rust at Old Car City.

Another element of photography we talk about on my workshops is the importance of cropping. In the above photograph, the extremely tight crop (I know it's extreme) emphasizes the fins and tail lights of this cool Caddy.

Above: Southeastern Railway Museum. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens.

Yes, the railway cars and old automobiles are awesome subjects. But hey, I especially enjoy photographing people on location. That is why I was so glad our model Hanna is returning! 

I hope to see you at Old Car City and at the Southeastern Railway Museum - where we not only make good pictures, but where we also have a ton of fun.

If you can't make that workshop, all my workshops are listed here.

Explore the light,
Rick 

If you have any questions about this workshop, or any of my workshops, give me a call at 914 271-6132. Note: I'm in the Eastern Time Zone.

Get My HDR Book For Free - and Get a Discount on Photomatix

Much to my surprise, and talk about big surprises, one of my 36 books, Rick Sammon's HDR Photography Secrets for Digital Photographers is free on this site.

Be that as it may . . . if you are new to HDR photography, or if you are looking for an awesome HDR image processing program, you can get a 15% discount on Photomatix, the HDR program I used to process almost all of the images in my book, including the cover, on my Play & Save on Plug-ins page.

Need a quick getting started lesson on Photomatix? Check out my video on YouTube.

Want even more HDR info? Check my iHDR app over on My Apps and Books page.

I also teach HDR on my workshops.

Explore the light,
Rick

Why I Enjoy Teaching Digital Photography Workshops

Above: My talented and dedicated Summer Arts students in action.

This post originally ran in June 2013. For new followers, I am running it again.

I'm just back from teaching a digital photography workshop at the Summer Arts Program in Monterey, CA. The event, organized by California State University and produced by my friend Professor Mark Larson, brings together students of all ages and from all backgrounds - and at all different stages of learning.

I was one of several instructors at the event, and I was honored to be included.

You can see from the picture above just how much fun the students and I had on the workshop. That's probably the #1 reason why I do workshops: we all have fun!

Above: Getting ready to teach Photoshop and Lightroom in the classroom.

During the three-day session we covered: travel, people, HDR, flash and landscape photography. In the classroom I shared Photoshop and Lightroom techniques, as well as tips on social media marketing.

This workshop, as do all my workshops, emphasized why I enjoy teaching digital photography from start to finish. Sure, I get to impart some ideas and techniques to the students, but I also see how each photographer pictures the world in his or own unique way.

I also get to meet awesome individuals, many of whom have incredible talent. I learn, too - and we all learn from each other.

Above: That's Mark on the left and me on the right.

What could be more fun? Well, I'll tell ya. At the end of my workshops I go around the room and ask the students, "What does your photography mean to you?" This is a good question that you may want to ask yourself. It may help you define your photography.

During my "What does your photography mean to you?" sessions I ask the students to give a short answer, which I break down to one word. We put that one word on a white board. New for me to hear this session: Loving, Confidence, Blessing, Celebration and Heart. Always something new.

I hope to see you on one of my 2014 workshops. We learn a lot and have non-stop fun.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. If you can make a live workshops, you can take a virtual workshop with me on-line. Check out my Kelby Training classes here.