Magic Hour

Any photographic magazine will tell you about "the magic hours:" those times just around sunrise and sunset when the light is wonderful for the photographer:  low in the sky, it provides texturing side-lights, warm with reds and oranges and pinks.

Since all of us live fairly far north — the Peace Country students in particular — we have a wonderfully long "magic hour" that in summer can stretch hour after  hour.  Here's a photo I took on Saturday, making the best use I could of the light in the minutes AFTER the sun had set.  (Of course I needed a tripod: even using - .7 EV).

So give yourself some time at sunrise and sunset to be outside with your camera, ready to capture some of that wonderful light!

The Photographer's Ephemeris

I love gadgets and cool software and I really really love FREE and cool programs.

The Photographer's Ephemeris is one of the best I've seen in a while.  This free program will show you on a wonderfully detailed Google map exactly where and when the sun and moon will rise and set — every day on every spot on the entire globe!  In fact, it is worth downloading for the topographical maps alone.

It allowed me to set up for the photo on the right:  I found a date when the moon was rising directly opposite the sun WHILE the sun was setting!  (This info is displayed in nice full colour graphics: no thinking required).  Then I moved the locator push pin around until I found a place where the visual magic would happen right over a local mountain.

After that, all I had to do was go, set up my tripod and wait for the event to unfold as predicted!

(If you want the program -- you will need the Adobe Air program supplied  to unpack the Ephemeris.  It's right there, just run it first).

Report Time

Hi folks:

Well, it's report card time, and I am going over everyone's work trying to make some kind of cogent comment on your progress.  Don't worry — I'll be kind!

But it also reminded me that this is a two-way street.  I want this to be a good experience for you as a learner so I would appreciate your feedback on how I can improve the course.  It only seems fair!

Some of you have been really good at letting me know when you're confused, when lessons or assignments are unclear, and it's relatively easy for me to make the changes you recommend — for instance, this morning I added a Youtube on fill flash to make the lesson (and assignment) on Fill Flash more clear.

I know you will be gentle in your comments — as I promise to be — but please don't hesitate to let me know where I can be more helpful!

flickr

Well, folks it looks like we're beginning to get that necessary critical mass of people on the flickr site to make it work.

And we're also getting a significant number here on the blog!  Please don't be shy to comment on the postings — we need to start developing our community and this is a great place to do it.

When you get to the flickr site — take a look at some of the photos posted:  we have a couple of truly talented photographers in our midst.  AND comment on their photos.  Let everyone know how you are responding to their work — that way we can all develop as we get a better sense of how our work is received.

Congratulations.  And I'll do another post soon.

Congratulations & Welcome

First of all, I'd like to congratulate those of you who are "following" this blog!  This is a cool way to have an interactive "announcements"-type page.  I am going to send everyone an email to remind them to join:  but congrats to those who are ahead of the curve!

Also:  Welcome to those who have joined us since October 21: Barb McCracken, Alannah Kui, Deb Paterson and Naomi Lawson.  Great to  have you join us.

And please -- I'll also send out an email reminder: make yourself a flickr account and fire an email off to me with your screen name (i.e. flickr account id). 

As soon as I get that, I can invite you to join our flickr group — then we can submit assignments there instead of through email:  that way everyone can see each others' work and we'll create a community and inspire each other!

Update and Upgrade

Hi Folks:

I have just finished updating the lessons on both Camera Modes (PSAM etc.) and Depth of Field.  While looking at assignments and emailing with you, I have found that these have not been as clear as they should be.

Thanks to Duncan for piloting the youtube on Aperture Priority and recommending it for general use:  I've thrown in a few more, hoping they clarify some of these key concepts.  And if you find anything confusing or difficult, please let me know: I am sure when one person finds it tough going, others will as well.  I certainly appreciate the feedback.

And while thanking students, I have to thank Amanda Kruse for introducing me to the young British photographer, Rosie Hardy.  She has created some truly compelling images that have immediate emotional impact.  Check out her photostream.

Have fun making images!  I look forward to seeing your work.

Great Start

It has been great getting to know everyone taking the course.  Thanks for taking the time to say hi and tell us a bit about yourselves.  I sure hope everyone will enjoy this -- even the technical bits about exposure (notice how I keep referring to this topic?)

The next step for us is to establish a spot where we can share photos.  I want to start by trying flickr.  If that won't work, then I'll try something else, but in order for us to experiment with the site, you will need a flickr account.

It's free -- just go to flickr and walk through the account creation process.

• By the way -- if you have already finished your first two PROJECTS -- you can start your reading about exposure here.

O.K. I'll go first

I thought I should start by introducing myself.

My name is Warren Wilson. I have been an avid photographer since high school myself, though back in the day we had to mix chemicals and load bulk film and worry about the cost of every picture. I like digital a lot more!

I tend to take a lot of landscape photos, outdoors, macro and low-light. I also love travel so I take my hobby with me when visiting foreign lands.

As for equipment, I have always used Nikon: not that I think it's better than the other brands, but I just grew accustomed to it and stuck with it.

I look forward to getting to know you and seeing what kinds of images you enjoy making. So just jump right in!

By the way — I have to mention that this course is open to both senior high students and adults. Unless you specifically ask, you might not know if you're dealing with another high school student or an adult — but I imagine we'll all be very civilized anyway!

Welcome!

Hi students:

Welcome to our photography course. As I said in the introduction on the web page — I hope this course will actually change the way you see the world — and make it a more visually exciting place, while you learn how to be even more effective in expressing yourself and capturing those compelling images with digital technology.

This blog should help us to communicate about the course. This is the first time I've offered it entirely using the web, so I imagine there will be lots of opportunities for me to improve it!

I don't want to go on at great length — but let's use this space for us to introduce ourselves.

P.S. I am currently working on identifying an online home for our shared images. Stay tuned.