Workshop 2

MAKE A MONET

The art of flower photography is as much about making pictures as it is about taking them.

The process starts with seeing and visualising the finished picture. Once you know what you are trying to achieve you can set up the subject, the lighting, the camera and the background, compose and shoot. Preview and review the results. When you have captured the correctly exposed image, the next bit of the fun starts with using the processing and image editing tools to finish and perfect your image.

Using a series of different techniques, lots of hands on practical activities and clear, easy to follow demonstrations, you will plan your shot, set up your camera with appropriate backgrounds and lighting, apply rules of composition to express your creativity. Project ideas will include wide apertures with shallow depth of field, using multiple exposures to create 'in the round' impressionist images, panning and In-Camera movement, and "shooting through". But this is just the beginning of the creative journey. With a well exposed and well planned image, the subsequent effects that can be applied in Photoshop will show you how to create the art.

There will be plenty of opportunities for you to practice the demonstrated techniques with one-to-one guidance ensuring you develop your photography and post processing skills.

What will I learn?

What will I create?

Understanding characteristics of lenses and how using different lenses can be used to create distinctive flower art.

How lighting, composition, backgrounds are used to create painterly style images.

The basics of multiple exposures and 'in the round' images.

General Lightroom and Photoshop techniques as part of the photographer's workflow

Working with Photoshop layers, masks and filters.

A set of artistic interpretation/impressionist images using techniques such as 'In the round'; 'Shoot through'; Shallow depth of field; and soft gaussian, motion and radial blurs - all using an inexpensive bouquet of supermarket flowers (which you can take home afterwards!)

What should I bring?

Your camera, lenses (macro lens, if you have one), tripod, remote shutter release and ideally your laptop with Lightroom and Photoshop. Your camera manual and loads of enthusiasm.

Who should attend?

Where and When