Natural Lighting Portraiture Workshop

So this weekend (May 23, 2010), I ran a Natural Lighting Portraiture workshop, for both TriCity Photography Club, and the Clear Focus Club; and while the weather looked grim first thing in the morning, the skies brightened up and the sun actually came out to play for us too.

There was a few brave souls that did attend, but the ones that did, I think had a great time. We had to run under cover a couple times for a spot of rain, but that was no more than 2 minutes at a time, and just a light rain. I hope everyone did learn something from it, I did hear the occasional "Oh, look at that" as they looked on the back of their cameras, so I think the attendees did learn. I want to thank Brennan and Scott for their help with the workshop. And to thank Toni & Valerie for modeling for us.

And a special thanks to Wayne (my former manager and now counterpart at Kerrisdale Cameras) from the Coquitlam Store for coming out to observe and help out where he could. This image was taken on a Olympus E-P1 (the Micro 4/3 system), with a Leica M to M4/3 mount, to have a Leica-M 90mm F4 Elmar lens (as can be seen HERE). For those of you that have ever used a Leica before, know what amazing qualities their lenses have. Leica has the ability to give the out of focus background a dreamy blur; to make the subject pop in the image. So this is proof that bigger is not always better...

That said, the images I took on the Nikon D700 did just blow me away, and I will post some of those to the Flickr group as soon as I get them edited at home. Well, I am off back to Victoria, so I hope everyone had fun, and please for those that did attend, put all your images on a CD/DVD, get them to the Kerrisdale Cameras Coquitlam store, and they will forward them off to me so I can get the images to the two lovely models.

Until then, continue the good shooting Cheers JR

Thanks that was Fun

Just a song that I thought was fitting.

Thank you everyone, for the last few years, I leave you in the capable hands of Grant, who has agreed to take on the presidency for the remaining part of the year, and Alana, who will remain as the VP.

Cheers

JR

Barenaked Ladies Thanks That Was Fun (Video Version)

Why I teach

I got thinking a few days ago, on one of my long trips home while working at the Olympics, about what I have written here, and I put this on my phone during the wee hours of the morning waiting for the last bus of the night to pick me up at Braid Station.

In the last 6 years, I have gone from a fairly serious advanced amateur, to just shy of a fully working professional photographer. And what have I done over that time, that I haven't done in the 6 years previous, or in the 10 years before that? Yes, I've photographed a lot of Weddings, some Portraits; many for free or really inexpensive, just to get the experience... and I have improved, so much over that time.

But is it all in the experience alone?

I read lots, lots of photography magazines and books... other photographer's blogs... just ask my girlfriend, I'm always reading blogs or on Flickr/Model Mayhem.

I live, breathe and eat photography. I'm not joking with that either... ask around, you'll find that it's true.

But still, as many people will point out, being book smart on one topic alone, will not make you an expert on it. You know the technical, but lack the real world experience.

So where have I gotten that real world experience?

I really have to say, it's from teaching everyone... I've been a part time employee of Kerrisdale Cameras Ltd this whole time (and before that Photo Express, and before that Broadway Cameras). And I truly think it's been because of people like the club members, and other customers, that come up to us, and ask us the hard questions. I've been forced to learn things about photography, that I had no clue to how to go about in doing; because someone asked me how to do it.

There's always been the people that just need the basics, but there have always been people that need something more, something special, something out of my knowledge base.

There was once a time, where I was all about natural lighting portrait, and that using flash was a horrible thought... now look at me, I'm working my way up to be like Joe (Numbnuts) McNally, and living in the comfort zone of flash photography.

But someone a long time ago, asked me how to do some flash photography, and being so customer supportive, I looked it up, learned and helped people out. And now, I don't go anywhere without carrying at least 2 flashes with me.

So I just wanted thank you all, for asking me the questions, that has made me drive myself to be at this point in my life. Without all of you, my fellow club members, the loyal customers and the random people I end up teaching photography to; I would have never had a reason to look up, learn and expand myself.

If it wasn't for all of you, I'd still likely be shooting B&W Film only, using a fully mechanical camera and being a great technically correct photographer, without the feel to the images I have today.

Also, I should thank Kerrisdale Cameras and all my coworkers, for putting up with me, all these years; I wouldn't be here without them either.

Because it's really been the last 6 years that I have really grown, by leaps and bounds.

Cheers

John R.

Vancouver 12x12 and a couple other things

Ok, so a couple of things before I bugger off for the 2010 Winter Olympics, as we discussed at the last meeting, Brennan has been working on the website, and it is now up and running, well, the basics of the site are running. You can view it HERE!

And I think I speak for all of us, when I give a big thank you to Brennan who has put quite a bit of effort into the creation of this website.

As you can see by the image, the Vancouver 12x12 results are in, and this is Tyler's winning image of the theme 'Blank'. You can view all the entries for the 2009 12x12 HERE.

Or you can just view all of Tyler's entries HERE.

So this blog will be quiet for the next 9 weeks or so, as I am working for the Olympics, but I hope all of you get some great shooting in while I am away, I know I will be carrying a camera with me.

Cheers

John R.

TCPC President

Kerrisdale Cameras Pro-Sales

Too funny not to share

HOLY HISTOGRAMS, it's a video from Joe McNally....