Read all about Michelle, who was our Featured Photographer a few weeks ago! ]]>
Read all about Michelle, who was our Featured Photographer a few weeks ago! ]]>
What Studio 3 has to Offer
The best way some people learn is within a small group, according to Cross, and his workshops will focus on that more hands-on feel with only 12 to 15 attendees. “I really feel like I want to do something different with a smaller group setting,” he said. “My goal is to have a wide range of courses from a wide range of teachers. Through Photoshop World … I’ve met top people who I’ve considered friends.” And many of those top people will be teaching courses over the next few months at Studio 3.
Cross said what makes the new space unique is that participants can shoot in the mornings and work on a Photoshop or workflow lesson in the afternoons. And he hopes that the studio will be a multipurpose space: a traditional photo studio, a rental studio, and a classroom. Some classes will be straight Photoshop and some will include photography and computer work. “My goal was to find a space that allowed for that range of possibilties.”
Check out the awesome lounge:
And especially exciting for Cross is that his daughter is a photographer and is taking a fairly active role in the new space. She is really into family/child portraits and some pet photography, which will bring something unique to the studio. And to make this a family affair, his son just graduated with a degree in graphic design and may be helping out with his expertise as well.
In the future, Cross envisions doing a demo day with some groups where photographers can try out gear before they buy. Also he hopes that he can open the space up to photographers in the area as a meeting location where those who shoot just for fun can gather and share portfolios, techniques, stories, ideas, etc. “This is an additional aspect on top of the workshop schedule,” he said. “Photographers love to share images. Having a social gathering to pull out a portfolio so everyone can look and offer suggestions is great.”
This venture is all very new with Cross hosting an open house in May and his first workshop last week but he is excited to be back in his roots of teaching in a small setting. He hopes the studio can be a great learning center where photographers can ask questions and offer suggestions about future workshops. For example, if someone is asking about using other Creative Suite products, the studio can set up a tailored “InDesign for Photographers” class.
Lots of Studio Space
What a great resource for photographers! See for yourself, http://davecrossworkshops.com/
Take the video tour of the studio!
Starting with Adobe Illustrator classes in 1987, Dave Cross has taught Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign to thousands of users around the world. He has a Bachelor of Education, is an Adobe Certified Instructor in Photoshop CS5 and is a Certified Technical Trainer. ]]>
My kids on the left and their cousins are on the right. We were just going downtown to do some shopping and get a donut, when we crossed the railroad tracks. I pulled out my Olympus with the Panasonic/Leica 45mm 2.8 (90mm on a full frame camera) and took a couple quick shots. I love this photo.
This was processed with out of camera BW + the Gentlemen’s Grunge from the Fundy Mentals action set.]]>
Add yourself as a vendor.
Create a profile for those couples searching in your area.
Gather up those reviews.
If you get a rave via email, ask if your clients wouldn’t mind reviewing you on Wedding Wire for those other potential brides looking to hire a recommended photographer. Create a free “storefront,” upload great shots in the gallery and start collecting reviews, which will enhance your word-of-mouth status.
Continue thinking of ways to improve your presence and ultimately grow your business. Check them out, www.weddingwire.com.]]>
One of the other things I like about their work, is the way they use lines in their compositions. In this shot strong lines are established by the train tracks, the subject’s position on them and lastly their adjoining hands.
Such a simple shot, but so well executed. It’s nothing more than the tack sharp focus on the groom’s face as he sees his bride being walked towards him. This shot is about impact and fast skills. Remember, there are plenty of great moments happening outside the attention we often pay exclusively to the bride and groom.
In this shot, again they’re using lines. The frame of the door behind the model grabs your eye and helps drive it right in on the center subject. The flowing dress breaks the linear shape and draws the eye down and to the left.
This shot is a great example of what you can get with a little play and creativity. The story on the blog says the bride found their fun location–an old prison. Using the rope ties into the theme of captivity and establishes lines and texture in the image. This is such a fun series, definitely check it out on their blog.
Big thanks to Sean and Melanie McLellan for letting us show off some of their awesome work. Check out more of their awesome work on their blog and follow them on Twitter.]]>
Lost Generation
The Japanese school system is a bit of an enigma. Kindergartens and elementary schools are somewhat magical, as if existing perpetually in 1957. The kids are happy, they learn a ton, do a bunch of art and creative things, and then Jr. High hits. While the world has changed drastically, the schools have not. Jr. High and High School is based solely on tests and wrote memorization. In a fast moving world economy, the kids just can’t keep up with their eduction. They graduate from high school or college just waiting for jobs that aren’t going to exist anymore. The result of the wrote memorization is often just blank stares and boredom in schools. This girl reminded me of this.
On Time?
Need to be perfectly on time somewhere? Then you need to take a Japanese train. It’s odd, the train schedules say things like 11:38 to Okayama. Why not just called it 11:40 and be done with it? Well, the reason is that the train will take off at exactly 11:38, without fail. If a train is more than 1 minute late there will be an announcement with an apology. Our Shinkansen (bullet train) arrived two minutes before departure, everyone got on and it took off at the exact time it was supposed to. Trains! Ah, no check in, no hassle. Man, if they could build a bullet train between Vancouver BC and San Francisco, that would be awesome (I left LA out on purpose…)
Books
The Japanese have the highest rate of literacy in the world and, man, do these people read. If you can get one hit book in Japan, you’ve got it made. These things sell like hot cakes. There are bookstores everywhere and not only are they filled with books, but with magazines galore. There are at least a dozen high quality camera magazines. And when I say high quality, they are mostly filled with photos, not gear reviews. It’s like heaven.
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Before
Now, I’d like to post an image that I would never use a texture on, except in this case, to show you how bad it looks. Here is a shot done completely front lit and a close up.
Before
Now we see this shot with a texture on it. I just hate the feeling of the image, not to mention the orange child!
Want some more information on when and how to use textures? Watch the video.
Click To Download Action + 1 Free Texture
