Monthly Archives: October 2024

Digital Photography 102 Workshop Fall 2024

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The “Digital Photography 102 Workshop” is offered through the Chester Municipality Recreation “Explore Life” Program Starting Nov 6th, 2024. You can Register, which is now open and subsequently closes on Oct 31st 2024, by calling Chester Recreation at (902) 275-3490.

This Workshop has been offered since 2018, and consistently receives A+ student reviews. This is the second of the Digital Photography Workshop Series “Digital Photography 102 Workshop“.

Digital Photography 102 Workshop, (Cost $100), the second of the two-part workshop series is a comprehensive workshop that includes; six in-person sessions plus three on location field trips, weekly assignments, professional slides in pdf format, and the recorded in-person class session videos. We concentrate on techniques and composition intended for the beginner to intermediate photographer, who wants to learn more about; self assessment, understanding light, colour, resolution, controlling your camera in different situations, making better images through composition, introduction to post-processing and how to create a calendar.
We also review Student assignment and field trip images during the in-person sessions providing positive feedback to help everyone improve their photography. Prerequisite is the Digital Photography Workshop 101 or already acquired similar knowledge. The camera requirement for this course is the use of a DSLR, Mirrorless, or Bridge camera with manual control. Post-processing software is not required for this workshop but can be helpful.

See you at the workshop!

Note: if you are using an iphone or android phone and want to use the QR code, just save the image to your photos app and then push on the QR code and then click on open it in your default browser which will take you to the the training web site for more detailed information or please visit our courses page.

October 2024 Theme Challenge – “Landscapes, Waterfalls & Fall Colour”

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For this month’s challenge it’s a more general approach to provide you with more possibilities of creating an image allowing for lots of subject options. Hopefully, you’ll be able to create an image you may want to print and hang on your wall. I encourage you to get outdoors taking advantage of the most colourful time of year experiencing the fresh cool air while creating an image that you will be proud of. Whether your final image is a Landscape, or Waterfall you will have the fall colour to add that extra punch to your image. Spend the time to enjoy nature, put in the time, be patient, and you will be rewarded with not only great images but inspiring experiences.

Landscapes

Fall can be a bit windy as a result the main tip for shooting a successful image is to use a high enough shutter speed to minimize the motion of the trees and leaves. If the conditions are less windy, as with the images below, you can see the water is calm providing reflections, therefore your shutter speed can be a bit slower allowing for a lower ISO for a higher quality result.

While checking your images on location, review your RGB histogram, it’s easy to over expose the Red channel because of the vivid colour. An overcast damp day provides perfect conditions, plus using a circular polarizer can help minimize the light reflection from the leaves to get a more saturated colour with better contrast.

Don’t limit yourself by just using a wide angle lens, use a longer focal length (zoom lens) to isolate the scene which can help reach places you are not able to physically get closer to.

Waterfalls

Fall is also a great time to photograph waterfalls as well. Use your polarizing filter to minimize reflections and select a shutter speed enough to smooth the water but still maintain texture in the water. To get slower shutter speeds, go earlier in the morning or later in the day when there is less light, or try using a 2 stop or 3 stop neutral density filter. Work the location, take the wide angle shots but also get those intimate shots as well by using a longer focal length or getting closer to the subject.

As an additional challenge, after a storm or a bit later in October you’ll find lots of leaves on the ground, take the opportunity to shoot a closeup (macro) of a leaf back-lit you will be amazed at all the things you’ll see that you may not have noticed before. The first image of the leaf (full size) was placed on a frosted diffuser on a 7″ reflector just using the modelling light of a Godox AD600 to light the leaf. With the same setup get closer, use a macro lens to reveal all the detail which looks like an areal view of a town.

As always check the result on the camera display by zooming in and around the image to make sure it’s sharp, review the RGB histogram, and check the composition for minimal distractions to make sure everything is just right before you leave the location or consider being finished taking your image(s).

Additional Resources

As always with our monthly theme challenges we try to seek out an instructional resource, below are some YouTube video links to help with some important tips, hints and ideas.
Fall Colour Photography instructional aids:
■ 7 Photo Ideas to instantly Improve your Autumn photography: by Nigel Danson (15min 17sec)
■ 5 photography Tips to ensure your Autumn Photos are Amazing: by Nigel Danson (10min 44sec)
■ Photography in the Woods | Autumn Colour: by Thomas Heaton (21min 16sec)
■ Autumn Landscape Photography Tips and Techniques: by Landscape Photography iQ (5min 36sec)

You’re encouraged to develop the ability to “tell a story or invoke an emotion“, as well as learn to plan and troubleshoot while creating images.

  • It’s important to not only create an image but to also include a “Title”, this process helps with; determining your subject or story, and composition.
  • Try writing a short paragraph about; how you came up with the idea, any interesting back ground that compelled you to make the image, and describe any techniques how you overcame any obstacles.
  • Do some research and include any relevant information behind the subject of your image. This helps with planning and your approach for a story

An important part of improving your photography is practice, practice, practice which is one important aspect of the monthly theme challenge, in addition you have an opportunity to learn about different genres, techniques and tips that you are not familiar with.

Share your images and stories experienced this month

Even though this website is not setup to directly upload your images, you can achieve something similar by commenting on this post; firstly pasting your social media link to your image in the comment, then type any additional message you’d like to share. Everyone who visits will be able to visit your link. Note comments are moderated so it will not show up right away. We do get notifications when any comment is posted, so it won’t take long to get approved and subsequently show up. By pasting your social media link in your comment, it gives everyone visiting the bog a chance to click the link to see your image for the challenge and also the ability to look at your other work by viewing your social media through your pasted link. We want sharing to be a positive experience and we hope you have fun with this month’s dual photo challenge.