Got a camera? I've got a workshop! | Atlanta GA Photo Workshops

I'm holding another workshop! Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 9th, and join us for a fun, hands-on learn-and-shoot workshop in Cumming GA.

Bring your camera (digital SLR or point-and-shoot) and be prepared to have fun! During the workshop, we’ll cover improving your composition, creating beautiful portraits, and taking photos outdoors and indoors using available light. We’ll shoot together so you know how to apply these with your digital camera, no matter what model! It's a hands-on, in-depth learning experience that will change your photography for the better.

Minimum 3 attendees, maximum 8. $45.00 per person

(Price includes a non-refundable retainer of $20.00. Gift purchases require entire workshop price.)

This is the last time my portrait photo workshop will be offered at this price. Please contact us for more details or to register!

 

And some of our workshop participants' photos. Please note that these photos are straight out of the camera, no editing applied. Aren't they great? I love when I can teach workshoppers to get great photos in camera without editing!

Photo Workshop | Alpharetta GA Photography Workshops

Last month, I decided to hold my first Photo Workshop for photography friends who either had participated in Photo Club or were interested in learning more about photography. Because it was my first time teaching a workshop, I kept the price very reasonable and hoped that at least 3 people would sign up. On workshop day, we had 7 participants. Hooray!

The workshop was such a success. We covered the basics of photography, composition, and camera control, then practiced shooting in and outdoors with some wonderful models. We also had a chance to touch on some editing tips. Whew! It was a lot to get through in three hours, but I know everyone learned a lot. Here are a few of the exit comments: 

• It was cool to be around people who have a love of photography.
• I loved learning about the technique/settings, and then applying the knowledge through shooting.
• The best part? The shooting. I learned a lot in this session. 

And yes, I am planning to hold another Photo Workshop, but after Christmas when things calm down a bit. I'm so busy shooting for clients this season! Contact me if you would like to be notified of an upcoming Photo Workshop. 

We worked on shooting at high ISOs and no flash indoors. 

Shooting in open shade helped us avoid weird shadows on our models' faces.

Getting close, close, close is important in portrait photography.

We loved this little model. Such a darling face!

Posing our models for the birds eye shot.

Most amateur photographers who shoot in bright sunlight during the middle of the day get pictures like this . . . 

But we turned that bright light to our advantage and got pictures like these: 

The models took our group photo!

Images from some of our workshop participants:

You can see some more of Dora's images here. 

You can see some more of Michelle's images here. 

Mom and Baby Mentoring Session

I have a new passion--mentoring! These are photos from an in-person mentoring session last fall with my very good friend and her sweet daughter. In our session, we both shot and then reviewed our work before moving on to another set of shots. It was a fun way to work, and I could give immediate feedback on how to shoot that particular scene better. Then, we tried again to get better shots. In the process, we covered photo-taking tips such as . . .

Getting close and filling the frame . . .

Using the flash when your background is brighter than your foreground . . .

Shooting from different angles to avoid mergers and busy backgrounds . . .

Framing using available elements in the setting . . .

Working with different levels of exposure . . .

Using uh, props . . .

and taking photos from unexpected perspectives . . .

It was an awesome session! I love how I captured mom taking a photo of baby . . . and the resulting photo from her camera! (Fun color work on her part, don't you think?) And then the feet are just precious. I love feet pics!



For more of this mom's work, visit her blog, Schaer Talents.

Online Mentoring: Basic Editing

Ever wanted to pick my brain about photography? I now offer mentoring sessions both in-person and online, thanks to a few interested clients like Phallin of Maries Cottage Photography. Phallin already had a good sense of composition, but needed help with lighting, editing, and business practices. Our first online session focused on photo editing. We covered exposure, hue and saturation, vignetting, sharpening, and had a great time over the phone and over email. I'm so proud of the completed image Phallin produced from our session! Interested in having me mentor you? Contact me through our contact form for more information.

Teaching and Photography

Lately I've been combining my love of photography with my love of teaching. It's a thrill to take something I'm passionate about and share it with others in plain language that they can understand. (And photography is filled with odd vocabulary--aperture, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, exposure . . . )

Anyway, this summer, I taught a photo class to the young women at my church. Then a friend of mine told me she wished I'd offer to teach the "young at heart." In fact, she's not the only one who has expressed an interest in learning more about photography. So last night, despite the fact that I'm crazy-busy with editing and shooting lately, I held my first Photo Club meeting for other moms interested in learning how to improve their photography. We shared food, had a friendly critique of our best photos, laughed at my examples of silly mergers (sometimes I take a photo with a merger just because it's funny!), and talked shop about photos. I ate way too many Doritos and Almond Roca. Oh yes, and whoever brought the chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies, they were delicious . . . all of them. (Cookies are my Achilles' Heel!)

It's so cool to teach other people what took me years to learn on my own. And besides hosting Photo Club, I'm starting to do in-person and online mentoring with other budding photographers for a budget-friendly price. It's awesome! (And way better than laundry or dishes, which explains the state of my home right now.) So, if you are interested in working with me or learning with me, drop a me line on my contact page. I know some of you are getting new cameras for Christmas (woohoo!) and are going to need someone to teach you. That someone could be me!

Isn't this kid precious? His mom is one of my Photo Club members, and I took a series of photos of her boys in her backyard! It was so cool to find a little spot to do portraits as a surprise for her birthday.