Spring is a wonderful season to adventure out to the coast for a day, weekend or longer. The change from winter to spring is highlighted by spring storms and warmer sunny days. The migratory birds are passing through to their nesting destinations, which include species of sandpipers, seabirds and others.
For the entire article, visit http://www.examiner.com/article/recreation-opportunities-on-the-coast?cid=db_articles
“It was perfect for all levels. It was a great combination of technique and artistry.” Susan H.
We will have minus tides during this workshop, which will allow students to view and photograph tide pools, walk closer to bird nesting areas and marine mammal resting areas. It’s a great opportunity to learn the details of bird and marine mammal photography, and shoot at beautiful locations. The coastal waters are filled with harbor seals, gray whales, and sea birds during the late spring season.
The workshop starts in the classroom, with an interactive presentation about exposure, techniques and equipment. Then, students go out into the field and practice what was learned in the classroom, ask questions and learn how to spot wildlife. Composition is discussed through-out the workshop, both in the classroom and in the field. The workshop is about 30% in the classroom and 70% shooting in the field with instruction.
This last photograph is the students photographing harbor seals in the surf. Most of the subjects can be photographed with a 400mm lens or shorter. It is recommended that students bring a tripod. For more information or to sign-up, visit Sitka Center.
The Oregon coast is a great place to visit in the fall. The weather is pleasant, and it offers great opportunities for photography. Please check it out. If you enjoy the articles, please consider subscribing to receive them via email. Hope you enjoy. . .
For the complete article, visit Great fall adventures on the coast.
This is a wonderful area to photograph. The sunsets are spectacular with all the sea stacks against the colors of the sky. Please check out my article and like it. Thanks & Happy Shooting. . .Karen
I’ve been a photographer for years, and started with film. I wanted to be like Art Wolfe. I had seen his photos in National Geographic, and wanted to work for them. I decided to become one of the best photographers in the world, and that would be my life. I would travel the world, take photographs, and people would pay me a lot of money. I was 13 years old at the time.
Through the years, I have been blessed with the teachings of many different photographers. I attended a workshop taught by Frans Lanting in the 1990s, and he told us that nobody in the room would make it as a professional nature photographer, except for the 1 or 2 that did not listen to him. I love a challenge!
Bryan F Peterson’s workshops brought in the idea that creativity and light were the foundation for all successful photographs. I’ve taken several workshops from him through the years, and have “wow-ed” him with a few photographs. This photo of the Painted Desert was the first “wow”, and it was at a workshop. It was followed by silence, in a room full of 50+ people. It is one of my fondest memories about photography.
The other factor that brought me to this point in my career was being recognized as a talented photographer by a local photographer. He taught introduction photography classes, and asked me to assist him. This was in 1995, and lasted for two years. He also encouraged me and others to show our work, by organizing a gallery in LaConner, WA. I was covering a shift at the gallery one weekend, and had the opportunity to listen to a gentleman critique all my work to a friend without even acknowledging my presence in the gallery. Listening to others can give insight, and knowledge about the artist’s audience.
So now when I do a show or talk, people ask me “how do you do that?” I could be anything, such as how did you get the background to go dark. How did you get the picture so colorful? What kind of camera do you use?
Well, a good photograph doesn’t have much to do with owning an expensive camera. It does have a lot to do with knowing how to use the equipment that you own or can afford to own (Point and Shoot or DSLR). It comes down to understanding light, exposure, composition, and how to manipulate the camera to get the artist vision. It takes practice, using all this knowledge to hone a photographer’s skills.
I teach student’s these skills through several venues. On the weekends, I teach through Nature’s Photo Adventures. The 2 hour workshop is called a Photo Walk. This format allows students to learn these skills, practice the skills, and ask questions regarding application of the skills. Many of the Photo Walks happen at the zoo, where there are an abundance of photo opportunities. For the more advanced students, I offer a 1 day workshop (4 hours) of classroom time, and opportunity to practice skills. The format of the classes focus on skills, and students being successful with their photographs.
For those who prefer a classroom setting, I teach a series of Digital photography classes through the City of Edmonds. There are 4 individual classes that are 2 hours of instruction. Each one builds off of the knowledge learned in the previous class. Students can sign-up for these individually. The first class starts with basic camera operation. Class two focuses on exposure and light. Class three works on composition, and the application of exposure/light. Class four finishes with the digital darkroom, and what software programs work best for their costs.
I teach longer workshops through the Pacific Northwest Art School on Whidbey Island. In 2013, I will be teaching a one-day (6 hour) workshop called “From Camera Knowledge to the Digital Darkroom Intensive.” This will be one day focused on basic camera operation, exposure, composition, light, practice shooting, and finishes with the Digital Darkroom. This will be on Saturday, March 23, 2013.
The second workshop I will be teaching here is “An Island Photographic Adventure – Birds, Wildlife & the Environment.” It will be a 2 day workshop with classroom time, and shooting on location. The shoot locations will be on Whidbey and Fidelgo Islands. The workshop will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, 2013.
My other teaching venue is the Sitka Center for Arts & Ecology on the Oregon coast. I will be teaching “Of the Land, Sea & Air – An Oregon Coast Photo Adventure.” It will be in June, though I do not have the final date yet.
So, when asking a photographer, “how did you do that,” consider taking a photography workshop. . .
Just taught at the Sitka Center for Arts and Ecology last weekend. Absolutely incredible venue to teach through. My “Of the Land, Sea & Air – A Coastal Photographic Adventure” filled months ago, and had a waiting list. The students were great, and the wildlife made its appearance. The coastal weather was misty one day, and simply overcast the second day. Overall, a great experience to teach in, and a wonderful school to work with.
The students photographed the Common Murre colony, fledgling Peregrine Falcons, Great Blue Herons, Black Oyster Catchers, Pigeon Guillemot, Black Guillemot and more. One student watched and photographed a Humpback Whale that was breaching.
The following photographs are from the workshop. . .
More Later, and Happy Shooting. . .Karen
Every photograph is built from the elements the photographer sees through their lens. On the surface, it is a subject like the ocean, bird or person. Beyond the obvious, our photographs consist of lines, patterns, shapes, color, textures and more. What goes into our compositions is what we see, and how we arrange it in our viewing space.
The photograph below is of the incoming tide along the Oregon coast. The ocean is lit by bright sunlight, and the waves are crashing over the rocks. Other people like this photograph, because of the subject. What I see in this photo is its subject. Then, I see the lines, texture and color of the image. The waves create diagonal lines. Splashing water and the rocks create texture. The colors of the water are vibrant greens and blues, due to the sunlight.
Many of these concepts are the basics learned in an art class. A photograph, like a painting, is made up from the same principles. With the painting, the artist has the choice of brushes, paints, color and artistic license of subject placement. The photographer is working with different tools. Being based on light, a photograph at different times of the day or different weather, will affect the photograph. Our brushes are exposure, lens choice and camera choice. Our color is dependent on the amount or quality of light. Subject placement is limited only by our ability to move or observe a subject.
In the photograph below, both the rocky shoreline and the wave make powerful lines. Between the two, they meet creating an arrow pointing to the left and out of the frame. The perspective is from the cliff top. A lower perspective would have changed the relationship between the wave and rocks. It’s up to the photographer to decide how to place the elements in the frame.
With landscapes, many of the elements are stationary. Waves do have a short life-span, but they will repeat themselves. Birds perch, swim or fly. They may not repeat an action. A bald eagle will catch a salmon out of the ocean. If the photographer misses the shot, he/she may not get another chance to take the photo. Living beings add some unpredictability to any photographic scenario.
The photograph below is of Stellar Sea Lions. At the moment of the photograph, they were sleeping on the shoreline. This can make a static photo, since they are not doing anything. In this case, I used the environment to bring in interesting elements into the composition. The sea lions are on the left side of the photo, yet a small whirlpool sits on the right side. These three elements make a triangle for the viewer to look at. The texture and color of the water complete the composition.
More later, and happy shooting. . .Karen
Here is the information on my upcoming workshop on the Oregon Coast. It is on June 30th and July 1st. It would be great to see you there, and feel free to pass this on to other interested people.
Thank, and have a great day. . .
Sitka Center: Of the Land, Sea & Air: A Coastal Photographic Adventure.