| Backyard Fine Art - Online

NOTE: This class will be held in a live, online format using the Zoom Platform.
Class will meet M – F, 10am–12pm ET and 3 – 5pm ET.  Instructors will be available from 1 – 2pm ET for additional questions and answers. Students must have updated Photoshop installed on their home computer.

“If you want a rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.”

-Stephen Wright

Sometimes all it takes is slowing down to the speed of life that allows us to see the bigger picture of the world around us. I have found that one of the biggest life lessons is that there is just as much grandeur in a simple plainness, the confines of our backyard, as there is in a sweeping gesture like the Grand Canyon or the Taj Mahal.

The goal of this workshop is to see a small moment in a big way, to learn the considerations needed to capture that moment, and how to create an image from that capture to a file ready for output. It’s taking that moment “that takes you” and making it into an image that causes others to accuse your expression of being “Art”. Simply put, the focus is shooting and then editing images ranging from single capture to multiple captures as we explore just how big a small world is.

This class will be a shooting intensive/shooting theory intensive workshop with the focus being primarily on capturing and documenting the “art” to be found as close as your backyard. Because in reality, you do not have to travel to faraway and exotic places to create beautiful images. A breathtaking image is as close to you as just opening the back door.

We will endeavor to explore the tools, from the expensive to simple, affordable solutions, the capture techniques, from complex to simple, and what considerations you need to make at the point of capture to generate files to create images that will take the viewer the way the image took you.

*Please note Lightroom will not be harmed in this workshop though that cannot be said for other Adobe products and other image editing software.*

Students will need:

• Camera and lens capable of focusing close in (not Macro)
  • Something like a, 105mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, 70-200mm.
• Tripod: a strong tripod means all the difference. Ideally with an Arca Swiss mount and ball head)
• Bag of citrus
• Flower
• 2 LG (> 24×20”) piece of White and Black foam board (or the equivalent.)
  • freestylephoto.biz/ or your local photo or craft store. 
• One diffusion panel (a 7 in 1 Westcott) or a cheap less than 200 thread count sheet from a store.
• Water spray bottle (your laundry one is fine)
• Woven place mats (dollar store variety)
• Cutting board
• Ceramic bowls, colanders, wood bowels, etc.

These should be simple items that you might already have around the house used for making these images.

Note: “Older used items photograph much nicer than new.”

Note: See examples of the equipment if you have a question don’t be afraid to ask first.

We will be working in the updated versions of Photoshop, please have it installed and opened at least once.
Adobe Photoshop demo can be downloaded at Link.  https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html.  Vincent will also be demonstrating Helicon Focus  https://www.heliconsoft.com/software-downloads/