February 3 – Visual Design for Photography Workshop with Kathryn Delany (QPSA) via Zoom 7-9pm
Do you want to create images that leave an impression on your viewers? If you answer yes, then you should study the elements of visual design, which are essential for creating visually pleasing and aesthetically balanced images. The principles of visual design will enhance the visual impact of your image by helping to guide the viewer’s eye, convey emotions and messages, and improve your storytelling. All of which help to convey a sense of your style and story. Consistently utilizing design principles can elevate a photographer’s portfolio.
An understanding of visual design will help in the following ways:
- Enhance the visual impact of your image
- Guide the viewer’s eye to your focal point/subject
- Convey emotions or messages; Provide and improve your story telling through the visual narrative
- Create a sense of professionalism and aesthetic appeal
The workshop will cover:
1. Understanding the key design principles and their benefits to photography:
- Line – leading lines
- Shape – defined by lines or edges like a circle or square
- Space – negative/positive
- Form – 3-dimensional shape or objects in a composition
- Colour – evokes emotions
- Texture – refers to visual or tactile qualities of an object
- Value – color tones and contrast, how light or dark an image is
2. How to apply visual design principles to your images
- Preparing for your photo shoot which includes planning and visualizing your composition; post processing editing techniques such as dodging and burning.
3. Analyzing photographs and their effective use of design principles.
4. Tools and resources list for further research and study and a PDF of notes from the workshop
Members at all photography skill levels are welcome.
https://www.victoriacameraclub.ca/club/Events_view.aspx?Eventid=36400c6a-e06c-41c1-ab4e-a50cfb44eb97
February 11 – Visual Storytelling: Mastering Fine Art Photography with Marina Shipova via Zoom 7-9pm
In this workshop, Marina will take you on a comprehensive journey through the conceptualization and execution of a fine art photoshoot. We’ll go behind the scenes to explore the entire process, from the initial spark of an idea to the final polished image. You’ll learn about:
- Concept Development: How to transform a creative idea into a visual narrative.
- Planning and Preparation: Organizing the shoot, selecting locations, and choosing props and models.
- Execution: Techniques for capturing stunning raw images, including lighting, composition, and camera settings.
- Post-Editing: Detailed steps in refining the images, including color correction, retouching, and enhancing details.
- Compositing: An in-depth look at blending multiple images seamlessly to create a cohesive and compelling final piece. We’ll cover techniques such as masking, layering, and adjusting lighting and shadows to ensure all elements integrate perfectly.
About Marina Shipova
Marina Shipova, an artist and professor of graphic design and photography for almost 30 years, has over 20 years of teaching experience at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Washington. She has exhibited her images in many galleries worldwide and is an award-winning photographer in both domestic and international competitions. Marina is also a world-renowned artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and publisher. Her images have been displayed at Marvelous Art Gallery (Poole, UK), PH21 Gallery (Budapest, Hungary), Milan Image Art Fair (MIA) in Italy, BSIDE Gallery (Melbourne, Australia), and Valid World Hall Gallery (Barcelona, Spain), as well as being sold to private collectors. Before immigrating to the United States, Ms. Shipova worked at a Russian television studio where she wore many hats. Besides being the premier graphic designer, she also produced and starred in various commercials.
Marina’s creativity and passion for classic painterly style photography is her trademark. She is now integrating cutting-edge AI elements into her photography, as well. Her attention to detail, masterful lighting and compositional skills have given her international acclaim.
https://www.victoriacameraclub.ca/club/Events_view.aspx?Eventid=912bca10-10f1-4ee7-a5f6-e09329ac318b
February 18 – Novice Image Review with Pam Irvine, via Zoom 7-9pm
This is an opportunity for Novice members to get a few of their images reviewed by some of the more experienced members of the club. This is NOT a competition. You can be anonymous if you wish, but our intention to is create a safe place to honestly discuss your images and help you to improve your photography.
Your images will be viewed and discussed by the reviewers and simple suggested edits will be performed live with Lightroom giving the participants a chance to see before and after recommendations and to learn some Lightroom techniques and tricks. You are welcome to attend to learn from the discussions even if you do not have an image being reviewed.
Please email 1 – 3 images to Pam Irvine at at least one day before the scheduled session. Images sent at the last minute (less than an hour before) will not be able to be downloaded and reviewed. Images can be raw or jpgs.
Please send images in jpg format if possible. If your image is cropped out of a larger image, please send the original larger image as well as the cropped one as this will be useful/educational to see the original and the cropped versions.
If you have problems sending your images email or phone Pam at 250-479-8152.
Minimum 4, Maximum 20 participants
https://www.victoriacameraclub.ca/club/Events_view.aspx?Eventid=47c46fe5-da07-4439-a84a-23349ba2a0be
February 24 – The Story of an Image – Photographing with Intent with Nick Delany, via Zoom 7-9pm
Lack of preparation can lead to lost opportunities on our photographic adventures. Most photographic opportunities appear suddenly and can disappear before we have set ourselves or our camera into the correct position or settings. The animal disappears, turns its back or the sun goes down are common refrains & laments.
In this workshop, I will share examples of my photo design process plan for six images of completely different subjects in unique locations I will visit in 2024. With each of these images that I have pre-visualized come as a result of ideas created from my preparation and research. The exciting thing is that you will not know whether I succeeded until the night of the presentation as these images do not yet exist. The list below shows some of the projects I am actively planning at this time of July 2024
- Hiroshima Atomic Memorial – a new perspective
- In search of Gisa the Black Leopard
- In search of the Painted Dogs
- Roses…. the ultimate B&W abstract
- Street Photography in Japan
- Mystical Autumn landscapes from Japan
In advance of each trip, I identified a specific image I wanted to capture based on my research and preparation. In each case, I came home with what I wanted even when they only happened in a few seconds of a multi-day trip.
Through the learnings from photo guides and experience, I have developed a distinct process to prepare for a photo expedition that makes me predetermine what I want to shoot, what conditions I will face and what will I need to do to be successful. This allows me to react more quickly to recognize the photo opportunity when it occurs and increase my chance of success.
Photography Design Process Outline:
1. Research the Opportunity – review different tools available and how they can be utilized. (Google Images, Pinterest, etc.)
2. Map out a photography plan – digital cork boards with examples of desired images. Manage your expectations
3. Identify challenges & conditions likely to be experienced in the field
4. Research a plan for what is needed to succeed from equipment, clothing, travel restraints, conditions (physical, weather, light)
5. Preparation – photo settings and techniques to suit the trip and the desired outcome
6. In the field best practices
7. Post trip image processing & identifying the opportunities and image evaluation
While Nick Delany photographs with Sony and Leica systems and post processes with Capture One Pro and NIK Collection, the workshop will be presented in a way to describe methods and outcomes that will be transferable to other brands and processing software.
https://www.victoriacameraclub.ca/club/Events_view.aspx?Eventid=7307e8f0-1cd8-4d67-a623-22cb58cbaff2
How To Register For Workshops:
1. You can click on the link provided in this email or you can click on the workshop on the VCC calendar just as you would if you were registering for a field trip. This will bring you the workshop description and bio of the workshop presenter.
2. At the bottom of this page, click on Registration Information, then click on Register for Event.
3. Final Step: Click on Register – you will then get a message that says you are currently registered for this event. If you don’t click on this final “Register” you won’t be registered. Think of it as a final verification.
Mary Weir, on behalf of the Workshop Committee