Photo Impressionism
City Bones
ZEN & Art of PhotographyPhoto Impressionism and Post Processing
March12— 13, Dallas/Fort Worth
Does improvement mean taking more and more accurate pictures of objects? Do better lighting, straight horizons, perfect perspective and the “rule of thirds” invariably result in better images? Is post processing limited to color correction and sharpening?
This hands-on, goal-driven Master Class ventures into the realm of possibilities. The “rules” are questioned, giving way to new ideas in self-expression. The objects matter not a whit — our attitude towards them is of essence, and our experience is never repeatable. Reality and unreality are freely interchangeable – this quality we call “Art.”
Capturing your experience and then boldly supporting the image in post processing – are at the core of this Master Class.
The weekend-long workshop is roughly divided into 50% shooting, 50% processing, and 50% reviews and discussions. You will, therefore, be asked to give 150% of your talent, commitment and dedication – to your vision.
What to bring: DSLR with the set of lenses covering at least 24 — 200mm range, one fast lens (f/2.8 or better) for night photography, laptop with Photoshop, enthusiasm, humor!
Price: $200 for the entire weekend! The price includes tuition only. Sign up now!
Location: you will be informed of the exact location in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area.
ZEN & the Art of Photography
April 2 — 3, Miami
You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.
– PlatoA photograph is never a realistic presentation of a scene, but one photographer's view of it.
- Ansel Adams
Art is an expressed opinion about the world and about yourself. Photography is not constrained by two-dimensional reproduction of objects — it is a representation of our worldview. The photographed objects are mere vehicles for this self-expression.
In this Master Class we’ll be examining our philosophies of life, the universe and everything, with the single purpose: to enable each participant to express his or her beliefs through photography. The lighting, the perspective, the composition are only as good as the beliefs they represent. In art, a rock is never an array of molecules — it is rather a symbol of strength, or a cornerstone of a city, or a menacing and overwhelming experience. You get to choose what this metaphorical rock is and what it means to you. But can you take a picture of this chosen meaning?
A masterpiece is an open-ended project. There must be a place in it for me, to enter with my own bag of past experiences to complete the story the way I deem fit. A depicted vista that I cannot enter is wholly meaningless and evokes no emotional response. A work of art — is a collaborative effort between the artist and the viewer. There are no innocent bystanders.
All photographs are created equal — perfect! The “imperfection” is merely a gap between the intent and the final “product.”
These are some of the games we’ll play during this Master Class, and in so doing — we’ll discover more of ourselves, and acquire more abilities to express it.
What to bring: DSLR with the set of lenses covering at least 24 — 200mm range, one fast lens (f/2.8 or better) for night photography, laptop with Photoshop, enthusiasm, humor!
Price: $295 for the entire weekend! The price includes tuition only. Sign up now!
Location: you will be informed of the exact location.
Cityscapes: City Bones — pure geometry
March 19 — 20, Chicago
Chicago is the city of pristine architectural elements and a rather purist geometry. These support each other in every vista, be it a broad city panorama or a detailed close-up.
And yet, photographing Chicago presents some formidable problems:
- crowding the photo with too many competing details, sometimes to the point that the subject is lost;
- difficulty in finding the “golden” point of view where the diversity of the architectural elements form a cohesive geometrical pattern; “A good photograph is knowing where to stand,” observed Ansel Adams;
- repeating the iconic views that already appear in most postcards; finding one’s own interpretations of the essence of Chicago.
This weekend long Master Class is dedicated to resolving these common issues in cityscapes photography. There’s an added twist to the tail: we’ll discuss emotive vs. descriptive photography and attempt both.
What to bring: DSLR with the set of lenses covering at least 24 — 200mm range, one fast lens (f/2.8 or better) for night photography, laptop, enthusiasm, humor!
Price: $295 for the entire weekend! The price includes tuition only. Sign up now!
Location: Meeting at River Plaza, 405 N Wabash, Chicago, IL 60611; shooting all over town! March 19, 9 a.m.
Upcoming Master Classes
- Breaking the Bounds, Part I: behind the camera (Fort Worth)
- Breaking the Bounds, Part II: from realism to impressionism, including Alien Skin Exposure 2, Photoshop Blending Modes and Orton technique (Fort Worth)
- Travel photography: being there — the sense of place (Philadelphia)
- Travel photography: belonging — the sense of culture (New Orleans)
- Travel photography: odd man out — cultural juxtapositions (New York)
- Street photography: the subject vs. the object
- Street photography: candid in the open, rapport and emotional impact
- Street photography: city ghosts and long exposure
- Cityscapes: city bones — pure geometry (Chicago)
- Cityscapes: the habitat defines the inhabitants (New York)
- Cityscapes: reality and unreality — blending the natural with the manmade and other subject juxtapositions
- Dance photography: being invisible — the stage work
- Dance photography: dreaming the dance vs. portraiture
- Dance photography: studio action and shaping the bodies (includes nude photography)
- Focus: the art of exclusion
- Focus: the art of inclusion
- Focus: storytelling
- Self-contained worlds: from fisheye to macro
- The art of innuendo: what does not meet the eye and artistic minimalism
Please email alex@platophoto.com for details if you are interested in a specific Master Class. They will be scheduled with your interest in mind.
Master Class structure
Each Master Class is designed to take place over a single weekend, with the following structure in mind. It will be modified to suit the specific requirements of each Master Class.
- Saturday
- 8 — 9 a.m. portfolio review
- 9 — 10 a.m. goal setting
- 10 a.m. — noon scouting location/initial guided shoot
- Break
- 1 — 4 p.m. guided shoot #2
- Break
- 5 — 7 p.m. supervised post processing
- 7 — 11 p.m. night shoot (optional)
- Sunday
- 8 — 10 a.m. review and goal setting
- 10 a.m. — 2 p.m. unguided shoot
- Break
- 3 — 4 p.m. advanced post processing
- 4 — 6 p.m. final review, self-assessment
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Share them! Email alex@platophoto.com.