Owen Biddle
Photo School
photo by Owen Biddle
July Photo Newsletter: The Wonders of Shutter Speed
“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.”
~ Martha Graham
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June Photo Contest:
Still Life
Click on thumbnail to see full image
First Place
Walt Miles
Third Place
Steve Kalish
Second Place
Nan Feyler
Honorable Mention
Shelley Friedman
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Dear Reader,
Last month we pondered the art of holding still. This month we are on the move with a romping exploration of what can be achieved with our shutter speed controls - stop action to freeze the a dynamic movement, and panning to track a blur of motion whizzing by. And then there's the beautiful effect of capturing the trail of headlights and tail lights at night. Or the power to make people disappear with super slow speeds. Join us for this tour of all we can do with the simple shutter speed dial.
Stop action with a shutter speed of 1/1000 second or faster, freezes the movement for a crystal clear image that can be very dramatic and also reveal informative details of the action.
Panning uses a slower shutter speed (e.g. 1/30 second) and tracking the subject with the camera to yield a blurred image with a streaked background. These images are impressionistic, giving a feel of speed and are often intriguing and artistic.
photo by Owen Biddle
photo by Philippe Halsman
Phillipe Halsman, photographer, discovered the irresistible charm of a subject caught mid-jump. He found that by having his subjects (no matter how elevated, famous, serious or revered) jump for his camera something wonderfully playful was revealed.
First session: Go into the the how-tos to get your own fun jumpology shots.
Tuesday, 7/14 7:00 - 8:30
Second session: Share your work from the intervening week.
Tuesday, 7/21 7:00 - 8:30
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Photo Field Trip
Freezing Time on Forbidden Drive
This field trip is an opportunity to develop your skills for freezing and blurring motion in your photography. Forbidden Drive in Fairmount Park is a favorite stretch for bikers, joggers, and even an occasional horseback rider - all excellent subjects for practicing the capture of motion.
Sunday, 7/12 10:00 - 12:00
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Not a photo but....
this painting by Marcel Dechamp (1887 - 1968) shows his attempt to capture the human form in motion. Panning with a slow shutter speed may explore the same idea.
July Photo Contest
The Wonders of Shutter Speed
The drama of stop action, the artistry of panning, what have you got?
Limit of three images per entry.
Deadline July 25
Email your images to: owenbiddlephotography@gmail.com
The winning photos will be featured in our next Photo Newsletter.
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Sunday, August 16 2:00 -3:30*
(*note: this is a change from our last notification)
These are very friendly, relaxed get-togethers in our apartment in Havertown. (Please note: this is a new location - be sure to RSVP to get address and directions) Photographers of all levels are welcome to share pictures, get photography tips, and discuss camera equipment. You can also get ideas for entering photography contests, submitting to photography magazines and having photo shows. Feedback from the group provides encouragement and inspiration to go out and take more pictures. These informal photography critiques offer an excellent opportunity to start identifying themes in your work and to get ideas for new directions. Group size is limited, so if you can come an RSVP is required by email or call (610) 626-7854. Cost is $10.
Check out our online Photo Salon
https://www.facebook.com/groups/owenbiddlephotosalon
Our purpose is to provide an online place for our community to stay in touch, stay inspired and get out there and keep snapping. You can post pictures and get feedback, ask photo questions, make suggestions etc.
DSLR and Mirrorless Fundamentals Tutorials
Below are descriptions of the basic units of our curriculum available to students ranging from beginner to advanced. Most units are five lessons and include a set of assignments designed to give practice in targeted skills with opportunities to get feedback from the instructor so that you learn from your experiences.
Just give a call and we can set up individual sessions to keep you moving forward with your photography.
Call (610)-626-7854 for details.
(click on links for more information)
Fundamentals 1: Camera Operations is for students who are just starting out, or want a good review of the basic camera functions.
Fundamentals 2: Applications is for students who have some comfort with the camera and want to start applying their skills to expand their photographic range.
Fundamentals 3: Composition takes photography beyond the subject, and encourages you to see the artistic and compositional opportunities in everyday life. Here is a chance for your right brain to come out and play!
Fundamentals 4: Lighting Across the Genres is for students who are ready for the next critical step: lighting. Explore sophisticated means of controlling both natural and artificial light for portraits, landscape and still life to get just the mood and effects you want.
Advanced Photography - Using self-generated assignments and in-depth critiques we will help you move forward in your work.
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photo by Owen Biddle
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Photographer of the Month
Andre Kertesz
Andre Kertesz (1894 - 1985) is one of the giants of photography. His work spans a tremendous range, from intimate still lifes to moving street photography to revealing portraits. At the same time, his unique style is recognizable throughout. While the still life photos below represent a small subset of Kertesz's life's work, they beautifully show his eye for striking shapes, strong contrasts and inspired use of light and shadow. Kertesz brought photography into new realms - for instance inviting us to consider simple objects for all their artistic potentials. He was also a pioneer with using distortion as one more means of expression.
Kertesz has been a major inspiration for Owen over the years. We hope you too, will find inspiration in this selection.
Click on thumbnails to see full images.
