Before we say our goodbyes to Winter 2010 (which I’m sure we are all looking forward to doing), I wanted to share my favorite images captured during the season of cold and quiet and subdued light. Locations photographed and shown within this online gallery include Dayton and Hocking Hills, Ohio and Zion National Park, Utah. Gallery – The Best of Winter 2010.
Also, I’ve created a short “Pictures You Can Hear”slideshow presentation to accompany the Winter 2010 web gallery.
I’m happy to announce the addition of a second, full-day photography workshop for spring 2010, to be held on Saturday, May 29 at Cox Arboretum. Class is limited to the first 25 people who call (937-432-6711) or email me to register. As is the case with all of my past workshops, the cost is $89 per person which does include a box lunch.
Summer Garden Photography will be an entry-level workshop program for those who are just starting out in digital photography and wish to take their picture taking capabilities to the next level by capturing the natural beauty of gardens and nearby parks. The emphasis of the workshop will be upon basic photography of flowers, insects and wildlife, particularly birds. Jim will discuss the importance of understanding both the craft and the art of fine art nature photography, including choosing the right lens for particular subjects, use of filters, lighting for creative effects, aperture, shutter speed, film speed, time exposures and more. There will also be an overview of basic digital editing and enhancements on the computer using both Apple Aperture and Adobe Photoshop.
Part of the workshop instruction will be held within the MeadWestvaco Theater room in the main building facility at Cox Arboretum. This facility allows for comfortable seating with optimal viewing of speakers and presentations. Jim will be using a laptop computer with LCD projector throughout the workshop to clearly demonstrate the photography techniques discussed as well as slideshows of various nature and landscape images from his award-winning and often published stock library of his most popular photographs.
During the day Jim will also guide the group out to the gardens and outside areas of Cox Arboretum to demonstrate the photography techniques discussed within the classroom. More information . . .
Spring Details will be a mid-level workshop program for those who are experienced in digital photography but wish to take their picture taking capabilities to the next level. The emphasis of the workshop will be upon macro (close-up) nature photography, particularly as it applies to small details discovered in the early spring landscape of Ohio. Jim will discuss the importance of understanding both the craft and the art of fine art nature photography, including choosing the right lens for particular subjects, use of filters, lighting for creative effects, aperture, shutter speed, film speed, time exposures and more. There will also be an overview of basic digital editing and enhancements on the computer using both Apple Aperture and Adobe Photoshop. More . . .
This past Saturday – January 30, 2010 – marked my third in what is now becoming a regular presentation of full-day photography workshops, directed primarily toward the subject of nature and landscape photography. Each program has been held at the teaching facility at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, just south of Dayton in Miami Township.
Photography by Greg Wise at Jim Crotty Winter Nature Photography Workshop
Although we didn’t have much of a snow cover to work with, I was pleasantly surprised at the unique photographic discoveries made by all of the workshop attendees. They did a great job in putting into practice on the grounds of Cox Arboretum what it was that I was teaching within the classroom. I was also worried that the colder than usual weather would cause most attendees to want to stay inside, however, once we started into the practical application and technique demonstration portion of the program – which at first I was going to do in the atrium lobby of the facility – everyone was anxious to get outside. Seeing and sharing what was photographed became everyone’s favorite part of the day. We were having so much fun that Zip, the resident geese-control dog, followed us inside to be part of the group.
I try to keep a good balance to my workshop outline. I provide a good, solid overview of photography fundamentals in the morning (exposure theory, aperture, shutter speed, and learning to use camera settings and controls for creativity) followed by an outdoor session, without camera gear, to demonstrate how to see nature and landscape as an artist. We then head back inside the classroom for a solid run-down on the mechanics of nature and landscape photography, discussing the benefits of different lenses, such as wide-angle, normal, telephoto and macro.
We have a delicious “working” box lunch, served by Benham’s Catering of Dayton. Then it’s back outside for actual photo shooting, when everyone has some time on their own to capture images amongst the gardens and grounds of the Arboretum. When we return to the classroom it’s time to go over the basics on effective digital editing and work-flow. The last part of the program is where students are encouraged to share their images of the day, via my laptop and LCD projector. Here I provide constructive critiques. What always impresses me is how workshop students often learn and are inspired by each other as they are by the instructor.
I am currently in the initial stages of planning my next, full-day photography workshop. It will most likely be held in early April with the primary subject being flower and landscape photography for spring. More details will be announced soon. To maintain quality of instruction I limit these programs to 20 people. Once I announce (by way of my e-newsletter mailing list) the exact date and location, registration is open to the first 20 people who contact me, either by phone or email.
. . . While at first the only sound heard was the scraping of the snow plow and the occasional passing train outside, the more time I spent with the old instruments, the more I began to see the notes that were once played. As I focused my camera lens upon an interesting array of strings or lines of well-worn organ keys I began to realize that each instrument was at one time the extension of an individual musician, perhaps some accomplished professionals; maybe others just students. Here were the artfully crafted tools used to share a talent and give to others the pure pleasure of simply getting lost in the notes, whether it was with family in a living room, in the church loft above some congregation or in the music room of a grade school.
In many ways being in a room full of such reminders of life moved onward is like the feeling of walking into a child’s room, still adorned with toys and murals from more innocent times, after the child has grown and moved away. I think there’s something in all of us that secretly hopes for a return to those earlier days. Unfortunately the painful yearning of that hope often arrives too late. Yes there’s an element of sadness involved when photographing still life subjects that were once part of someone’s life experience and musical expression. Not surprisingly that’s exactly why such subjects have such a strong appeal to most visual artists. The resulting work is the expression of the heart exposed and is the proof presented of honest intent to just simply share that which is felt within.
It is just plain COLD. Scenes captured during a brief outing today, January 9, 2010. I was over at the Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark assisting with a recent photography contest. I took the opportunity to do a bit of photography myself, on the grounds of Wegerzyn and then at one of my favorite locations for images of the Dayton skyline. It was frigid. So much so that as soon as I returned home it was home I remained for the rest of the day.
Over six inches of snow fell over the Dayton area yesterday. All the white stuff on the ground creates the perfect light box just outside my studio window. Here I’ve photographed an orchid using just window light and a black background. The image was captured using the Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens. I also employed a technique now available in Photoshop CS4 that effectively combines multiple exposures of the same scene, each with a different and distinct focal point, for maximum depth of field and detail.
The second image was taken later yesterday evening, just after sundown in the prairie at nearby Sugarcreek MetroPark.
