Ted Maddux Takes Flight with His Camera

One of the things I like about leading digital photography workshops is that I get to meet some very talented photographers, as well as all around great people. Ted Maddux is both a great photographer and a ton-of-fun guy.

Recently, Ted participated in an air-to-air photo workshop organized by my friend Hal "Bull" Schmitt, who heads up Light Photographic Workshops.  

Ted's images were so good that I thought I'd share a few with you. Not bad for a photo enthusiast. :-)

Here's what Ted had to say about the workshop: "

Air to air photography is as good as it gets. The promo read, "Join Hal "Bull" Schmitt and industry leading aviation photographer Scott Slocum for a hands-on, heart-pounding aviation photography experience. I took this workshop with my son-in law (we were both on an Alaska workshop with Rick and Hal). We had an epic trip and will do it again. Expensive, yes. Value, 11 on a scale of 10. A trip you will never forget with some great people. Every person in our workshop had stunning photographs and a great experience. Hal and Scott thanks again."

Bull is currently planning more air-to-air workshops. Stay tuned to Light Photographic Workshops for info. 

And Bull and I are doing a Death Valley Workshop next year. We hope you can join the fun. Ted "Mr. Fun" Maddux was the first to sign up.

Explore the light,
Rick

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Close Encounters with Force Fields and Spaceships on Photo Workshops

At the first photo shoot on the first day of most photo workshops, photographers show up and something interesting usually happens: invisible force fields are produced. The photographers set up their tripods at about the same place and about at the same height. Basically, everyone is locked into about the same position – taking about the same shot. 

Of course, there are times when there is a "best place" to take the "iconic" shot. But after taking that iconic shot, I suggest to my workshop students that they use a camera like a spaceship – moving it left and right (sometimes inches, feet, yards and so on), up and down, and back and forth – for unique photo positions. Often times, the workshop participants come up with images that make them smile more so than the iconic image.

Here is a link to some of their images taken on my workshops. Good stuff. No?

I also suggest to the students that they envision a final crop - because cropping gives us a second chance at creative composition.  

If you need some hints on creative composition, check out my Kelby Training class: Composition - the strongest way of seeing on my On-line Classes page.

Of course, I also suggest thinking like painter and shooting like an artist - with creative plug-in effects in mind. If you are new to the idea of using plug-ins, you can download and save a few-bucks on my favorite plug-ins here.

I am planning "Think Like a Painter and Shoot/Process Like an Artist" workshops here in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. The workshops will be designed around creative shooting and Photoshop/plug-in processing. Shoot me an email to get on the info list. 

So my friends, the next time you go on a workshop, use your camera like a spaceship and avoid force fields. :-) 

Explore the light,
Rick

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We Have a Ton of Fun My Photo Workshops

If you are new to my digital photography workshops, here's the thing: sure, we work hard at making and processing our pictures. But we also have a ton of fun, as illustrated by this group shot from my Oregon Coast Photo Caravan.

We have plenty of time to shoot and process our images. That processing time, by the way, is very, very important. It's a great way to learn and to grow as a photographer and image-maker. In those sessions, you see what you are doing right and doing wrong.

What's more, you can look over the shoulders of the other photographers in the group to see how they are shooting and processing. Of course, I am there to share with you my digital darkroom tips, tricks and techniques.

You may have heard of workshops where there are no processing sessions (or maybe just 1). That's a big missed opportunity for learning. So, if you attend one of my workshops, I encourage you to attend all those sessions. But, if you are tired and have jet lag, take a nap and we'll catch you later.

I will be with you most of the time - from dawn to dusk and beyond. If you are traveling alone, you will always have someone to hang out with - if you so choose. Again, you may have heard of workshops where the leader drops the group off and says, "We'll meet back here in three hours." I know of one workshop where that actually happened three times! That will not happen on my workshops.

You will be part of a team, working toward the same goal: to make great pictures and to have fun doing just that!

We have a welcome dinner during which we'll all get to know each other. We also have a goodbye dinner and a group slide show.

That group slide show is, for me personally, the highlight of a workshop. That's when we all see the fruits of our hard work.

Finally, I have found that the more one puts into a workshop, the more one gets out of the workshop. So ask questions, make friends, get to know the other workshop participants. Have fun. Be fun.

I hope to see you on one of my workshops. 

Explore the light,
Rick

Subject, Light & Composition

When it comes down to it, good photographs have a good/interesting subject, good light and good composition.

I talk about that stuff on my workshops and in my on-line classes.​

I also cover those topics in my books.​

When you look through the viewfinder, before you shoot, think about the importance of light and composition – and how these element can be used to make a good image.

Explore the light,​
Rick

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iPhones Welcome on My DSLR Workshops

Canon 5D Mark III image, processed in Photoshop.

I've been teaching photographers how to make better digital images with their digital SLRs for about 15 years. We shoot from sunrise to sunset and process our images on site. My workshops are designed for serious photographers, but we also have good fun.

Recently, my wife Susan has been shooting with her iPhone on the workshops. While I share my DSLR techniques, Susan shares her pictures,  showing the students new iPhone apps and accessories.

Canon 5D Mark III, original image.

For those of you who have not been on my workshops, I thought it would be fun to do a post with one of my before-and-after pair of images and one of Susan's before-and-after pair of images.  I think you can see why her pictures and techniques are popular :-)

iPhone image, processed in Nik's Snapseed.

The message of this post: all photographers are welcome on my workshops . . . so if your spouse is not as serious as you are, drag him or her along for the fun. 

Original iPhone image.

We hope to see you on a workshop in 2013. All of 'em are listed on my Workshops page.

If you can't make a workshop, I teach 24/7 and 365 - via my on-line Kelby Training classes.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Yes, the DSLR photographers play with plug-ins, too. They are listed on my Plug-in page.

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