Modules for 2010

[Eifion Williams]

Lee and I are starting to put in place our Evening Academy Nights for next year.

What we want are ideas from all of you, please give us ideas on what YOU would like to take part in during the coming year .

We would like to keep the hands on theme which we have at each session, are you happy with that ?

As you know we have 2 modules per night both lasting around one to one and a half hours each plus the buffet at half time.

Do you like this formula??

These are your evenings so let us know what you want :yahoo:

[Lee Iggulden]

Hey Guys, since when are you lot speechless lol :speechless

The Academy Evenings are YOUR nights, give us some help on what you would like to do so we can organise them....

We can put together a whole lot of stuff but we really want to know what it is YOU want to do...

More product, more studio and portraiture, out and about, visiting galleries, more computer based modules, more lectures.... You get the idea....

You lot are brilliant and seem to love whatever we do but we want ot improve on that....

:yahoo:

[Rob Hughes]

Hi Guys,

I think it would be good to have more outdoor sessions, architecture and town night life, traffic trails obviously when the weather gets better!!!!!

also would be good to do some modules on macro. perhaps get some pro togs in to talk to us about the different genres of photography that they make a living from and give us an insight into theyre particular genres?

Also another one i think would be good to do is food photography.

what do the rest of you think? im hoping to be a more perminent feature at the academy evenings next year!!

[Dave Mills]

Hi Eifion & Lee,
Just some quick thoughts -

How about:
1) The general rules of composition and when and where they can be successfully broken?
2) Close-up photography and depth of field control?
3) Correct exposure including using spot meters and the zone system?
4) When and where to use HDR.
5) Producing panoramas, how to scroll around 360 degrees and upload them to the web.
6) Have you done single source lighting (portraits)?
Cheers,
Dave

[TonyHoward]

I would go along with Dave's suggestions, particularly 1-5. I would add optimal processing of HDR images using Photoshop (and in comparison with HDR specific software) in relation to 5. Another topic to consider might be how to obtain the sharpest images in low light scenarios without flash.

Tony

[Starbugmel]

Tony's suggestion about sharp images without flash sounds good.
Also Rob's architecture and traffic trails suggestions are something I'm interested in.
And Dave's suggestion about spot metering and when to use which ones, correctly.

Liking these ideas, these would definately be something I'd be interested in. :-)

[Paul Smith]

I like the panoramas idea as well. Plenty of good locations within a few minutes of the AA as well.
A demo of a few different PS plug ins/add on's could be good, things like silver efex, exposure 2, photomatix and the like. I know thay have demo's but a few of the pros have mentioned them and it would be good to see them in action and get some pointers on their use before thinking about which ones are really worth the asking price.

I mostly just come for the food though so if that stays good I'm happy. :)

[Lee Iggulden]

Ok Guys this is all great stuff:)

You are all thinking along the same lines as us which makes it easier to organise and it is an indication that we (Eifion and myself) are on the right track as to what you guys are wanting.

We are also in the proceess of organising our Urban / City / Nightscape workshop, all of which can be based around creative, portraiture, architecture, lighting etc.

We are also planning on doing a lot more "mini" workshops and not just around the Menai Bridge area as well.

Dont forget, your membership entitles you to visit both academy's and as the locations are very different we will be able to offer different courses and workshops.

On the 8th December at the Cheshire evening we have an HDR / Nightscape / Cityscape photographer coming down to show what he does and what he will be doing for Welshot Imaging.

More info to come :yahoo:

[Pearl]

I would be really interested in any aspect of HDR as I have yet to try it. Also a practical session on on-camera flash photography. Some more practical night photography sessions too.

Pearl

[Marian J]

Agree with all those mentioned above,

and would add possibly something on sensor cleaning?

[TonyHoward]

I would add strong support for Pearl's suggestion re on camera flash.

Tony

[Lee Iggulden]

We are at this moment arranging modules for Feb to cover on camera flash and off camera flash.

We are also trying to secure sponsorship regarding "Sensor Cleaning" so we can bring these benefits to Academy Members.

One step ahead of you guys again ;) but I must admit you lot are keeping me on my toes...

Hope you all liked the newly created postition of an "Image Library Consultant". Welcome to Pearl Bucknall to the Welshot Imaging Team :)

Fomal announcemnet coming soon in the form of her own Forum Board for Academy Members only :)

[JohnTudor]

What about how to processing RAW files.

[Dave Mills]

Anyone interested in digital AV's?
I have used Pix2exe a few years ago, but only in a basic form for work. I have Proshow Gold at home, but not sure if its that good. It would be great to get the real pro's and con's of both softwares and examples of what can and con not be done with each system. I would love to get into more AV's as I used to do it 100's of years ago in my youth with slides, but my Imatronic disolve system recently died.
Looks like I have no options but to use the PC.
Cheers, Dave

[Lee Iggulden]

We use Pro Show Gold Dave and love it.

Hopefully we will be running a mini workshop on this sometime soon, I am trying to persuade John Arnold into doing it for us, he is such a great teacher and all the Academy members seem to like his style.