Owen Biddle
Photo School
April Photo Newsletter
Nature Up Close and Personal
Two-Session Workshop
Fridays 7:00 - 8:30 4/13, 4/20
A macro lens is nice, of course, but not required. To capture all the amazing shapes, textures, colors, and patterns of nature as she stirs from her winter slumber, there are many ways to get in close and express your personal responses. The first session will be a survey of equipment and technique. The second session will be an opportunity for you to show off your work from the intervening week.
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Thursday 3:30 - 5:00 4/12
This stately turn-of-the-century mansion, surrounded by formal gardens, complete with a beautiful old fashioned swimming pool, offers great opportunities for photographing both intimate scenes and grand vistas. The grounds feature unusual plantings as well as some quirky post-modern garden statuary. Our exploration will range from the macro abstractions of flower-portraits to the wide angle accentuated perspective of deep space landscapes. And we won't miss the reflections on the beautiful lotus pond. To learn more about Chanticleer check out this link: Chanticleer Gardens
Location:
Radnor, PA
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Sunday 4:00 - 5:30 4/15
Here's a lovely site for early Spring photography. We will find bubbling fountains, budding trees, pretty flowers, a charming old mill and unusual architecture. And the Eastern College Pond is famous for attracting a host of creatures, small and great. You can check out some of our famous Kitty Kono's work from this wonderful place.
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Thought you might like this!!
Musicians of the Month
We always have a photographer-of-the month, but this month we also have Musicians-of-the-Month. We are so used to using our eyes - now for a true treat for our ears. A supremely talented Brazilian Jazz band, based right here in Lansdowne.
Check out Minas' website.
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Upcoming DSLR Fundamentals Classes
Please note: Private individual classes are always another option. Call (610)-626-7854 for details and scheduling.
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All classes held in Lansdowne
(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.
Saturdays 10:00 - 11:30 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28
Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:30 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25
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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.
Saturdays 2:00 - 3:30 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28
Fundamentals 3: Composition takes photography beyond the subject, and encourages you see the artistic and compositional opportunities in everyday life. Here is a chance for your right brain to come out and play!
TBA
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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.
TBA
Advanced Photography is designed to help advanced students define themselves as photographers
and to move towards independence with their picture-taking. By the completion of
this class, students are ready to take on more professional photography projects
TBA
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Sunday 3:00 - 4:30 April 22
These are very friendly, relaxed get-togethers at my apartment in Lansdowne. 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. These Salons often fill-up, so it's best to confirm your spot early!
Photographer of the Month:
Mike Morell
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Here's what Mike has to say:
Arriving late in life to photography, I picked up the camera lens while briefly putting down my binoculars as a birder, about eight years ago. After seeing photos and contests in bird watching magazines, I decided to attempt to capture some of the rawness and beauty I witnessed on my nature outings. For me, nature photography is about a mixture of harmony and vulnerability. I hope to surpass the basic idea of “beauty” by delving into a moment of both largeness and smallness, of sentient beings existing in nature as they can only be, naturally, as in ‘a natural manner.’ In my photography I hope others find no reason for being, only being. Nature is not there for us; it is only there.
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Mike's pictures perfectly show what we mean when refer to a personal response to nature. His deep connections to nature are obvious in each image. His photographic aims go beyond beauty, but the beauty he finds is unmistakable.
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Click on thumbnails to see full images.
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Photo Tips of the Month: Nature Close Ups
Get out your tripod
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Carry a small flashlight. If you shine your light onto a flower, leaf or vine it will give the golden coloration of dusk.
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If you don't have a macro lens, use your zoom with a close-up lens (diaptor). You'll have good working distance (i.e. won't puncture the spider web) but your zoom will start working very close up.
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While it's almost impossible to take an unattractive picture of beautiful flowers, remember to apply what you know about composition. Think scale. Focusing your attention on the "small" world in front you, rather than the larger view, is a great start. Once you make this perspective shift you will have much more control of those vital elements of composition: light, negative space, shape, color, line, texture etc. Experiment with cutting off parts of your subject to add some tension. Think about interesting juxtapositions. Delight in worm's eye/birds eye perspective.
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Try converting your images to black and white. This can really change the whole feeling and give some very stunning and sophisticated affects by bringing out the abstract.
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Take your time. Close up nature photography can be a form of meditation as you become immersed in the wonderful patterns of vegetation, rocks, bugs etc.
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black & white flowers by Carol Helduser