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Category Archives: photo workshop
Having Fun with Motion Blurs
During my photography tours and workshops I take my participants to various beautiful locations. Invariably, we begin our time together focussing on traditional landscapes. We relax and get to know each other as I answer each persons primary questions. We critique composition, discuss how to read the histogram, learn how to double check the image for sharpness, walk through good technical process, observe direction and quality of light, etc. As the participants become more comfortable asking me questions, the learning curve skyrockets.
The excitement builds as each individual becomes more confident through our mutual sharing. After several hours of focussed instruction and learning, I have found that it is beneficial to introduce a fun diversion with something a bit less structured and technically demanding. Motion blur techniques are just what the doctor ordered.
The image above, somewhat of a celebration of spring, was taken early in an impressionistic session. Given that there was quite a bit of light, I set my ISO to 100 (as slow as my camera allows), set the aperture at F22, added a polarizing filter (slowing my shutter speed 2 more stops), and slightly under exposed the scene ( providing yet another 1/3 stop exposure time, and keeping the color rich). My exposure times were just under 1/4 second. Now that I took care of the shutter speed I prefer, I’ll share the technique that seams to work for me (experiment and see what works for you).
Just as with any composition, visual balance is important, and perhaps more important in impressionistic images as it is in traditional shots. Color and balance is all you have. Strength in simplicity. After selecting a balanced composition, I slightly de-focussed the image (making it softer) and made my first exposure. I like to move the camera from low to high, adding a lot of color from the foreground, and creating a nice blending with the strong lines of the aspen trees. This image was enhanced by having water in the spring grasses that add a subtle reflection. After each exposure I check the shot on the LCD. I don’t always move in the linear way I prefer, so I often take 3-4 shots to capture what I envision. If the balance works and the exposure looks good, I’m off to the next shot. Often times, motion blurs don’t have the same impact on the computer as on the LCD, so I take a few more exposures than I normally do. In all honesty, sometimes a “mistake” can be a surprising success. Hey, that’s part of the fun. Experiment, play with different techniques and enjoy.
To finalize my image, I am very open to playing with saturation on selective colors in this type of impressionistic work. Let your creative side go. There are no rules!
The image below was inspired by one of my workshop participants! As snow began to fall (unexpectedly) on our Spring photo outing, Beth had the vision to pursue some creativity with the motion blur concept we had practiced earlier. This is my rendition of what she was experimenting with. We were looking up, through this tree, toward the sun in a cloudy sky. The contrast was interesting, but became extremely artistic when we experimented with Beth’s idea of zooming out from approximately 200mm to 80mm. The camera should be solidly attached to the tripod to reduce vibration. The foggy effect was a pleasant surprise. The appearance of “God Rays” was truly amazing. Lesson learned while just having fun and experimenting!
Remember, motion blurs are all about fun and experimentation. Enjoy it, make mistakes, learn from them, and see if you can create your own techniques that enable you to create impressionistic images that you find beautiful.
“Lake Tahoe Blue”
Lake Tahoe Blue
Spring is approaching, and I am looking forward to the time of year when Lake Tahoe shows us her finest attributes. This is the time of year when mornings are calm, skies are blue, the mountains hold that last bit of snow, and the photography is amazing! The image above, “Lake Tahoe Blue”, is a new release that depicts this time of year. Yes, I’m a little excited to experience spring in Lake Tahoe as a photographer.
I kept the composition very simple and used an elevated vantage point. This enabled me to maximize the angle necessary to capture the clarity of the water, as well as giving the inviting feeling to “jump right in”. The clear sky is where Tahoe gets its azure blue color, and this image is all about the blue.
I used my 8×10 inch film camera to capture this image. Not only do I enjoy the craft of using this type of monstrous gear, but it enables me to capture every tiny detail, and huge amounts of information. Being able to see the grains of sand and texture on the rocks, both above and below the water, brings this image to life. The snow covered peaks, also finely detailed, loom in the distance, adding drama and eluding to where this crystal clear water originates. A large gallery print of this image will absolutely invite the viewer into the waters of Lake Tahoe!
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to experience a private or group workshop here in Lake Tahoe this spring! April, May and June are the most spectacular months of the year to experience Lake Tahoe as a photographer. Clear water, raging waterfalls, beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I would love to share “my mountain backyard” with you this spring. Contact me directly through Jon Paul Gallery!
530-544-4269 jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com www.jonpaulgallery.com
Grand Tetons Workshop / Tour Offerings for 2013
Oxbow Bend Fall Reflection Panorama
(See more images an testimonials below!)
Grand Tetons in the Spring & Fall, 2013: June 20-23 and September 26-29
This will be a four day adventure focussing on iconic Teton landscape images, as well as wildlife photography (baby critters will be out and about). Along with putting us in the right place at the right time to capture our dream photos, I will be teaching about composition, exposure, light, perspective and proper technique. 100% of our time will be spent in the field, where we will learn while doing. While our days are long and tiring, they are also extremely rewarding both photographically and personally. Comeraderie is a huge part of our experience. We will have a great time in a world class wilderness environment and come away better photographers for it. This will be limited to a small number of participants so everyone has all the personal attention required to get the most out of the experience. This is not a physically demanding tour, but participants should be able to walk on uneven ground with distances ranging from 1/2 to 2 miles. You will be expected to rise early to start the day, and be considerate to the groups time requirements in order to ensure that we can meet our “magic light” timelines!
Cost: $975
jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com
530-544-4269
NEW Private Workshop Days available in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone!
I have added the option of private, one-on-one workshops, both before and after the official Grand Teton dates. I will offer these private sessions at the same price as my local private sessions! Call to arrange your custom dates 530-545-2896. Cost: only $500/day
Jon Paul with his 8x10 film camera near his home in Lake Tahoe
Jon Paul’s Approach to Workshops / Tours?
“Bringing the Fine Art of Nature Home”
Many participants come to me believing that all of the functions on their digital camera, their Raw converter, HDR software and editing software are photography. They are quite overwhelmed by “everything they have to learn”! I have created a methodology that eliminates the intimidation factor and brings you back to the reasons you wanted to do photography in the outdoors to begin with:)
As my catch phrase, “Bringing the Fine Art of Nature Home”, intimates, we look through the lens together and create a simple procedure, consisting of just a few steps, that enable you to enjoy photography and increase your success rate. This process has been a great success for participants ranging from relative beginners to professionals. From scouting and planning to composition, solid technique and filter use to light and exposure, and using your “digital cheat sheet”, we will learn while doing!
Each one of us learns differently, has a different ability level, and wants to do photography for their own reasons. I work with each person individually every day, at each location. I address each participants needs one-on-one, along with sharing details with the group as a whole. The natural world is our classroom, and I will help you reach your personal photographic goals while also creating a fine portfolio of images in this amazing location!
The combination of my teaching methodology, a world class location, diverse wildlife, small group size and and enjoyable camaraderie make this an experience of a lifetime! I look forward to sharing this time with you.
Please call to discuss any details that may help you make your decision.
Dates: June 20-23, 2013
Cost: $975
jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com
530-544-4269
Schwabacher's Beaver Pond Reflection
“Jon, I would just like to thank you for the amazing workshop in the Grand Teton NP this fall. It way exceeded my expectations as a professional photographer and you have all the social skills, technical talent, great sense of humor and the “7th” sense to find the coolest spots and make a special visit even more special! You have to use your amazing talent and lead many more. I would highly recommend you as a workshop LEADER in the photo community ! ”
Marcell Puzsar Tetons 2012
Grand Tetons and Horses Black & White Panorama
“I really would like to encourage those that interested in photography (at all levels) to sign up with Jon. I recently completed a photography workshop with Jon and learned so much within a short time. Jon has an incredible eye for detail and is so willing to share his ideas and knowledge. With his encouragement and enthusiasm, you will not only leave with a better knowledge of photography but also, take a little of piece Tahoe memories with you in your camera!” Ju Shen, Singapore 2012
Bull Moose in Evening Light
“I want to thank you for an outstanding workshop in the Grand Tetons. The camaraderie and team interaction was awesome. I think it is a tribute to you that a group of total strangers could come together and feel as if they knew each other for years.The photography experience was one of the best I have ever had. Your ability to blend both the technical and creative is outstanding. I learned as much about the art as the photographic skills.The selection of the locations and your knowledge of how the weather and conditions would play out was both impressive and a critical factor in creating a great experience. Thanks for an outstanding workshop.”
Mike Miller Grand Tetons 2012
Sunset Reflection, the Oxbow
“I took part in the Tetons fall workshop offered by Jon Paul and couldn’t be more happy about that. Besides being a master photographer Jon is also a great teacher and a super friendly person to be around. The workshop was well structured yet flexible, the scenery was stunning and the atmosphere of camaraderie provided an additional icing on the cake! Jon was very personable and freely offered his advice making sure all of the participants were progressing with their skills and vision.I’d highly recommend his workshops to anyone interested in taking their photography to the next level.”
Anna K. Grand Tetons 2012
Bison & Snowfall, Grand Teton
See Grand Teton National Park Thru the Eyes of a World Renowned Gallery Photographer!
www.jonpaulgallery.com 530-544-4269 http://www.facebook.com/JonPaulGalleryLakeTahoe
I Felt the Image, but had to Wait for Mother Nature to Paint it.
Sugar Pines in Fog, B & W Panorama
As is often the case with special photographs, I felt that an image was here, but it took several years to present itself to me. Sugar Pine trees are unique, majestic beings made even more impressive by their backdrop of Lake Tahoe. The rich brown bark and green needles are strongly set off by the azure blue waters of Lake Tahoe in the background. While that scene is wonderful, and beautiful to experience, I had felt the possibility of a more dramatic image that alluded to the age and mystery of this forest scene. As fog is rare in the mountains around Lake Tahoe, when it arrives, I put everything else on hold and venture into the shrouded world. On this particular morning, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. The vision was pulling me. Fortunately, the fog was dense enough to obscure all but the silhouettes of the Sugar Pines. I chose the panoramic format, focussing on the tops of the trees, which had more dramatic and defined silhouettes. The panorama also offered a greater sense of depth, showing trees both close to the camera, and at incrementally greater distances from the camera, disappearing mysteriously into the fog. I also chose to produce a black and white image, as Mother Nature had presented the scene largely in that manner. The little bit of color that would have been rendered would have merely “muddied” the scene. The strength of this image is in its simplicity. I had an emotional response to this composition, but had to exercise a bit of patience until Mother Nature was ready to paint the scene for me. It was well worth the wait!
Photo Tip:
Shooting in fog can be difficult. To begin with, your light meter will render the white fog as a neutral grey. I find that an exposure compensation of +1 (overexpose 1 stop from meter reading) adds the brightness I want in the scene without “blowing out” the highlights. I am conservative and don’t like to risk losing details. I can then compensate another 1/2 to 1 full stop in processing if I choose. Furthermore, we have to choose whether we want the “solid” subject matter (in this case the trees) to be strong and dark, or soft and relatively light. As I am a large format film shooter, I spot meter each area of the scene and expose for a relatively neutral outcome, which I can fine tune after the fact. If you are shooting digital, as most of my workshop participants do, you can use your histogram as a guide. In this instance, I would definitely “expose to the right” of the histogram, keeping the fog white and the trees light. Even with the white fog, however, I would try not to clip the highlights. Again, I am conservative and like to leave myself as much information in my file / film as possible so I can use my artistic judgement when fine tuning the final print.
If we make a good exposure (I find one exposure to be plenty), we can fine tune our final image with a couple of simple adjustment layers. It all comes down to an understanding of the basics of exposure and metering. Simple, simple, simple.
NOTE: Feel free to contact me for a private or group workshop. I specialize in keeping it simple, eliminating the intimidation factor of the digital world, and bringing success and joy back into outdoor photography.
Equipment:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Canham 6×17 cm roll film back, Fuji RDPIII 100 film, Rodenstock APO Sironar -S 150mm lens, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head
New Workshops / Tours Update! (dates approaching)
Field Photography Workshops / Tours
NEW- February 22-24 Yosemite Semi-Private Tour – SOLD OUT
I will only take 4 people, offering us amazing camaraderie and teamwork. The intention is to enable you to experience the type of photography experience often reserved for my close friends and fellow pros. This will be a budget friendly trip with total immersion into the photographic experience, day and night. We will share in decision making, scouting and shooting. Weather, as always, dictates our shooting choices. This is the right time of year to capture the famous “fire fall” (conditions permitting). While I will be shooting with you, my main focus is your learning experience! You come first. I get us there, get us set up and answer EVERY question. I am working for you:)
Call me for specifics and to reserve your spot 530-545-2896.
Cost: only $479
Grand Teton National Park Workshop / Tour Dates Set! (see flyer below)
Grand Tetons in the Spring, 2013:
June 20-23:
This will be a four day adventure focussing on iconic Teton landscape images, as well as wildlife photography (baby critters will be out and about). Along with putting us in the right place at the right time to capture our dream photos, I will be teaching about composition, exposure, light, perspective and proper technique. 100% of our time will be spent in the field, where we will learn while doing. While our days are long and tiring, they are also extremely rewarding both photographically and personally. Comeraderie is a huge part of our experience. We will have a great time in a world class wilderness environment and come away better photographers for it. This will be limited to a small number of participants so everyone has all the personal attention required to get the most out of the experience. This is not a physically demanding tour, but participants should be able to walk on uneven ground. You will be expected to rise early to start the day, and be considerate to the groups time requirements in order to ensure that we can meet our “magic light” timelines! Please call to discuss any details that may help you make your decision.
Dates: June 20-23, 2013
Cost: $975
jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com
530-544-4269
NEW Private Workshop Days available in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone!
I have added the option of private, one-on-one workshops, both before and after the official Grand Teton dates. I will offer these private sessions at the same price as my local private sessions!
Call to arrange your custom dates 530-545-2896.
Cost: only $500/day
I have added the option of private, one-on-one workshops, both before and after the official Grand Teton dates. I will offer these private sessions at the same price as my local private sessions!
Call to arrange your custom dates 530-545-2896.
Cost: only $500/day
Winter in Lake Tahoe
I have left a large number of dates open and available for private one-on-one or small group workshops / tours here in Lake Tahoe (or wherever you would like). This is a beautiful time of year to photograph Lake Tahoe, aspen groves, rivers, waterfalls, ice patterns, mist, black & white, sunrises and sunsets. The sun is low in the sky, providing soft light and long shadows. We can generally shoot a little later in the morning, and earlier in the evening. Snow and ice provide a new look to the land, and very different opportunities for familiar subjects. Composition and metering, along with managing the cold and snowy conditions, however, become unfamiliar. Join me in the field and allow me to share my experience with you. Let’s create some unique images, while I help you gain confidence in the snow covered photographic world!
Cost: $750/day only $500/day
Spring in Lake Tahoe
Dates will be announced shortly! Private workshops / tours are still available!
This is the most popular time of year to photograph Lake Tahoe! A majority of my signature Lake Tahoe images were composed at this time of year.
Often the lake is calm, providing iconic clear water images, along with beautiful sunrise and sunset reflections. Waterfalls are rushing with snow melt, rivers are full, and there are still very few visitors. We have the place to ourselves! Honestly, this is the stuff photographers dreams are made of:) Please join me, as I share the most outstanding locations to photograph in this region, along with my knowledge and understanding of the art of landscape and wildlife photography. As one of the few successful gallery photographers in the country, I have a different approach to this art. I am not attempting to create huge volumes of work to fill magazine space. Nor am I attempting to produce “digital art” from mediocre images. I will share with you the simple steps and tools necessary to capture “the fine art of nature”, eliminating the intimidation factor of the digital world. All questions are answered, as we learn by doing. Let’s look through the lens together, create amazing images, and learn to become more successful photographers in the field.
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