by successfulbob | Lumix Lounge, photography education, success education
In Albuquerque, New Mexico for the PPANM annual convention. Will be serving as a judge for print competition today (Sunday) starting at 1 PM. Then tomorrow I’ll be presenting my ‘Photo-Synthesis’ program with a side of print competition from the state through PPA District through PPA International. A bit about the why it’s good for your business and how to do your best in what the judges may be looking for in your images.
Will I see you there?? Or, at another one of my speaking programs?
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art photography, photography, photography - art quote, photography education
There are often conversations with photographers of whether they are creating art or fine art with their imaging. Some are – some aren’t – but who are we to judge? The point is once we get over whether we are artists or not we need to work, not just dream, to make our dreams happen. Today’s Photo/Art quote from Constantin puts it very succinctly. (especially the second sentence!)
“Art career goals make your career happen. To see far is one thing, to go there is another.” Constantin Brancusi
What are you doing to work on your career and push it into the direction you would like it to go?
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | architectural photography, fine art photography, graphic design, Lumix FZ 1000, Lumix Lounge, photography, photography education, photography seminar
Exercise.
Makes you stronger.
Exercise makes you better.
Exercise doesn’t have to physical to be helpful to you.
As part of a workshop I conducted for the Photographic Society in Chattanooga, Tennessee we all went down to the aquarium and waterfront area downtown to begin the day. I shared ideas I have about gathering textures for the ‘Photo-Synthsis’ technique I teach. The exercise was to gather textures and subject matter to work with later in the day. There was one mandatory subject, the Market Street Bridge. After heading to our computers we all were tasked with creating an image of the bridge. It proves once again that you can give multiple photographers the same subject to work with and come out with a variety of finished images. Here’s a few the class shared with me.
This was by Mickey Rountree. If you would like to see more of Mickey’s work which contains, as he says, lots of HDR and pin up art. (I saw some of Mickey’s work and it’s definitely worth a look. Some very stylized interesting techniques) Go here. © 2015 Mickey Rountree
“Bob, I thoroughly enjoyed both days (of instruction) and have enough new ideas that it will take weeks to play around with and learn the techniques well. You are a great teacher; knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and yet easy going and approachable. Hope you enjoyed your time in Chattanooga.” Mickey
This one is by Myra Reneau. © 2015 Myra Reneau
“Thanks Bob for a great workshop both days this weekend. I especially liked today. Thanks for your help in working on my selections (as well as well as everything else). Anyway, safe travels! I am looking forward to learning more. Thanks again,” Myra Reneau
By Rosemary Jardine. In addition to using the textures and techniques we talked about in the class I enjoyed Rosemary’s
composition and framing of the secondary bridge. © 2015 Rosemary Jardine
“Thanks for the compliment using my work on your blog! I shared the link on my facebook page. Here is my finished project from the workshop yesterday. I finished this up with a layer that I painted some highlights on the water canons as well as a warming mask. Thank you once again for coming to our area and sharing your knowledge with us. most of my current skill came from the internet, tutorials and so forth. It was a blessing to have the personal training. You have given me the desire and skills needed to proceed forward with my passion for fine art photography. I can hope to one day produce they quality of work you, yourself are doing. That is if I have enough years left in my life, although I do consider myself a fast learner. I also want to let you know your slide show is perfect, the music suits it so well!” Sincerely, Rosemary Jardine
© 2015 Bob Coates
I used the Lumix FZ 1000 to have a complete zoom range to vary my captures. Able to go wide for scenes and also able to get close-ups of various textures. A handy camera to work with indeed! Here is my Market Street Bridge rendition…
Four photographers. Four images with a totally different feel. Have I told you lately that I love photography!
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art photography, photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Inspired!
Just finished up two days of teaching the Photo-Synthesis program in Chattanooga, Tennessee (that city name sure has a lot of letters!) and I am inspired by how excited the students were. Today’s class was a hands-on follow up to yesterday’s program.
We went out early in the morning and did a little photo safari around the waterfront. I shared my thinking on photographing and gathering textures for use in working with the Photo-Synthesis process of blending multiple images together. We shot for about an hour gathering source materials to work with on our individual computers.
Which brings me, in a roundabout way, to the quote from Margaret. After we spent an hour talking, shooting thinking and capturing textures everyone in the group was tuned into it. As we drove to the meeting room students were looking out the window saying, ‘Wow there’s a cool door! Wouldn’t that make a great texture for the background of an image?” As we took a break for lunch the restaurant we went to had lots of character and everyone was lamenting we had left our cameras back in the classroom.
The point is after just spending the morning absorbed in and thinking about textures and their use we were seeing things that would have normally been passed unnoticed.
Think about it. Just that morning working toward new knowledge and all eyes were now primed to see and capture new things.
“Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand.” Margaret Bourke-White
Sooooo….
Let me ask you an important question.
What are you saturating your brain with?
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | bird photography, fine art photography, graphic design, Lumix Lounge, photography, photography education
WOW! What great people in the Photographic Society of Chattanooga!
Taught an all-day class today, thanks to Panasonic Lumix being a sponsor, and prepping for tomorrow with an all day advanced Photo-Synthesis class and after coming back to my room after a wonderful dinner I received my favorite kind of email from one of the attendees…
Hi Bob,
I really enjoyed today’s seminar and am looking forward to the workshop tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to put some of the new knowledge I gained today into practice. Below you will see my before and after images. I am not happy with the birds, but as you taught today I saved my work in PS format so when I am fresh I can go back and tweak it. I put my mouse away, used my Wacom and keyboard shortcuts, I need a cheat sheet! I used 4 texture layers three with masks, an burn layer ( I learned about that today ;-) ) added a vignette and dropped in a few birds. I also increased the detail from my original image using topaz adjust.
Oh I forgot to set a timer and now need to move and stretch. Thanks again for such a great seminar!
Until tomorrow,
Rosemary
Here’s the original image © Rosemary Jardine used to start playing with ideas she learned in yesterday’s
Photo-Synthesis class at the Photographic Society of Chattanooga.
Art image using textures, blend modes and masks by © Rosemary Jardine.
Way to put the ideas to work Rosemary! Can’t wait to see where you take your images we talked about in class and what we’re going to learn about tomorrow in the advanced class! I figure you had a good basis to start… Hopefully some of my thoughts spurred you on to this, and more, creativity….
Your in Creative Photography, Bob
