Dubbo Photo Trip

Rhino, by Kerrie Murphy

In June I am leading a photographic trip to South Africa and Botswana for the first time. 15 of us are headed into the wilds so we decided to test our skill first by spending a day and a half at Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo.

Local wildlife at Dubbo zoo, by Alan Taylor

Lunchtime, by Don Barnes

Meerkat using the keeper as a lookout. Pic by Natalie Hitchens

Awesome otter action by Jim Stace

These otters were moving fast so getting a shot as sharp as this is excellent. By Mary Barnes

Another impressive otter shot (I gave up as they were moving so fast!). This one by Phil Young

One of the best Cheetah shots from the weekend by Caralyn Taylor.

Fabulous close-up of a giraffe - pic by Kerrie Dixon

Big lens lineup

Royal Easter Show, Sydney, 2013

Supercoat flyball contestants ready with their humans (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

Hungarian Puli being woman-handled into the arena (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

Runaway staffie apprehended in heat one - for leaving the course prematurely. (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

It's been 20-plus years since I last visited the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It's a great opportunity to see the massive range of products that Australia produces, from flowers to beef cattle, sheep to cake making, racehorses to big hats and plenty more...

Twin shots of a small terrier (Jack Russel mix?) showing the rest of the team how to do it!

Weimaraner championship - final judging, pics by Natalie (proud weimaraner owner)

The winner gets a kiss - pic by Natalie (EF70-200 + 1.4 Extender)

The only problem I have with the show is with all the other people. There are massive queues to get in, to get food, to use the toilets, even to get out. It's a popular event by any stretch of the imagination.

Refreshments for the heat winners. (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

For me the best event was the canine flyball - because it involves regular dogs belting up and down a set course all day long. Heats are held on most days with only a few minutes between each two team competition. Each team is made up of a range of different pooches, from large to very small - despite the size differences, each has to race over four small hurdles and return with a tennis ball without being distracted by the other dogs, or the mayhem in the ring.
  

Who, Moi? Shi-tzu by Natalie (EF24-105mm f4)

At the final judging, pic by Natalie (EF 70-200mm + 1.4 Extender)

At the judging finals. Pic by natalie (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

Maltese to the rescue! The finalists line up. (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

Maltese to the rescue! The winner. (EF300mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender)

Testing each axe to see that it complies with the regulation width and weight

Axe man in action - he won the heat. EF300mm f2.8

Same heat, different contestant. Impressive but not fast enough. EF300mm f2.8

Chook lady and real chook at the Royal Easter Show

A pug and its owner. EF 24-105mm

Champion Great Dane and owner dancing in the ring. EF300 f2.8.

Champion Great Dane and owner. Pic by Natalie. (EF 70-200 f2.8, 1.4 Extender)

Alpaca at the Royal Easter Show. EF 300mm f2.8.

All the fun of the race. Supercoat flyball contestant enjoying a high speed heat. Pic by Natalie, EF100-400mm f2.8 + 1.4 Extender

First Flash Class of 2013

We held the first DSLR Flash Class for 2013 in March - these are some of the excellent results produced by my students. The general premise of learning about flash is to both gain confidence and to create images that, while they don't look like flash was used, definitely benefit from using flash, either on camera or off-camera.

Andrew photographed by Kirsten

Andrew, photographed by Dan

Rochelle photographed by Jack, Zeiss 135mm portrait lens.

Jasper the drummer, photographed by Kirsten

Patrick shot by Rochelle

Muso photographed by Rochelle

Dan, a self-portrait "of the musician"

Well done to all of you - I thought the images submitted were excellent: sharp, well exposed highlights and shadows, a good balance of ambient and flash light. The reality is, you can hardly tell flash has been used in most of the results. And that's how it should be. Nice job...

Cuba Photo Trip Reunion

It was the most prolific book-making photo group I have ever had the fun to lead. Cuba 2012 took a group of budding photographers from Sydney to Havana, Santiago, Las Terrazas, Cienfuegos, La Trinidad and Cameguey among other places in this exciting and photogenic Caribbean island. Along the way my group shot tens of thousands of images and created more than 10 books on their trip - with a few still to come. All were published through Blurb. Last week we got together for a reunion and general catch up to see the books 'in the flesh'. You can of course check the digital versions of the book online but actually holding one in your hands is a far better experience. Well done every one, I was most impressed.

Havana icon, by Charles Jaggers

If this is your first experience with bookmaking you'll no doubt have a few pages that did not come out quite the way you thought they might. Best lesson to learn is to open the original Booksmart document on your computer and take a good look at the printed version to get a clearer idea of how close your screen versions is to the printed version. This will stand you in good stead for your next book.

Best practice is to calibrate your monitor using a device like a Huey or a Colorvision Spyder and then download the special profile supplied by Blurb. This is then imported into Photoshop [CS] and used to preview how your image looks if printed using Blurb's presses. You have to switch it on and off in CS but it gives you a remarkably accurate preview of how the finished article will appear. Unfortunately it's not available for Photoshop Elements...

WOW! Colour from Marietta McGregor in Hemingway's El Floridita bar, Havana

Wow! Colour from Natalie Hitchens. An original Cuban car in resplendent pink!

Afternoon tea Chez Charles - thanks to Marion for the amazing spread, fit for a president!

Did someone mention scones?

Colin and Janice discussing the merits of bookmaking software apps over lunch at Fairy Bower

Anyone for Photoshop? Textures overlaid using Blend Modes and more by Robin Nichols

Parramatta Road, Inner West

A few months ago I was on a bus heading towards Strathfield. It stopped at a bus stop right outside the Olympia Milk Bar in Stanmore. I couldn't believe that such an ancient-looking milk bar could still exist is this day and age. Its cracked windows are stapled up, taped together with sticky masking tape and its interior appears to be stuck in the fifties. Other shops surrounding the Olympia in this area of Stanmore appeared to be in a similar shabby state so we spent half a day in late December shooting in and around the area surrounding the milk bar. It has some great old shops, plenty of decrepit shop houses, peeling paint and a unique feel that the world has passed much of it by...

Parramatta road shop, Petersham, HDR by Natalie Hitchens

Here are some of our (mostly HDR, high dynamic range) results. If you are not sure what HDR means, it's three exposures, shot using the camera's Auto Exposure Bracketing function and assembled into one super-wide tonal range picture. HDR images are typically very characterful, detailed and 'gritty'. The three (or more) images are exposed differently (i.e. 'plus' two f-stops, 'minus' two f-stops and one 'normal' exposure) then 'assembled' using special HDR software such as Adobe Photoshop or Photomatix Pro (www.hdrsoft.com).

Chinese medicine shop, Parramatta road, Petersham, HDR by Natalie Hitchens

Old house off Parramatta road, Leichhardt. HDR by Natalie Hitchens

Olympia milk bar, Parramatta road.  HDR by Natalie Hitchens

Olympia salon detail. HDR by Natalie Hitchens

For rent: Parramatta road, Petersham, HDR by Robin Nichols

Posters on posters, Parramatta road. HDR by Robin Nichols

For rent. HDR by Robin Nichols

Factory outlet. HDR by Robin Nichols

In a foreign language. Pic by Robin Nichols

Meat, meat, meat. Italian butcher near Norton St, Parramatta road. HDR by Robin Nichols

Learning Photography Online

Here's a new class I'm running through CCE called Learning Photography Online: The Complete Guide to Photography Basics.
4 March to Aug 1st, 2013
Here's a link to my latest online class held through the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE)

The Complete Guide to Photography Basics

4 Mar 2013 - 1 Aug 2013 5 sessions + assignments all online

Tutor: Robin Nichols

Cost: $450 inc GST

Learn all about the capabilities of your camera online. Learn its features, how to master the controls, discover how to unlock and exploit the creative potential offered by the technology at hand.
This photo class is 100% online. Working online allows any student access to a wide range of specific training videos on subjects ranging from; shutter speed, the effect of aperture, camera metering modes, scene modes, ISO sensitivity, colour control, White Balance and sharpness, to composition, focussing, troubleshooting, and more.
Learning online provides students with the luxury of studying the materials without the limits of a regular classroom. Online learning also opens the door for students living away from the city, allowing anyone to mix work, family and even holidays with the online class assignment schedule.
The tutor provides in-depth video resources of the topics, plus multimedia feedback on all the completed assignments.

Here's a sample from one of my online video tutorials:

 

 

Course Content

The Basics

• Anatomy of a camera, features, image stabilisation, and more
• Camera parts, device terminology, accessories
• Understanding exposure
• Shutter speeds, Aperture and ISO
• Shooting Modes
• Scene Modes – when and where to use them
• Using shutter speed creatively
• Using aperture creatively
• Handling ISO
• Focussing techniques
• Colour control
• Problem solving:
• Techniques for getting your shots pin sharp
• Resolving high ISO noise problems
• Setting up customised colour settings
• Downloading images to a computer
• Basic photo processing overview

Several assignments are set for each monthly session and are uploaded to the tutor’s personal www.flickr.com site for critiquing. Multimedia feedback is then posted at www.vimeo.com and students are given the option of private feedback, or leaving tutor comments open to the other students on the course. Looking at the work of the other students is also a good way to learn.

Resources needed: DSLR or advanced point-and-shoot camera with Program, Aperture, Shutter and Manual exposure control
Software required: Software is not essential to the course but it would be useful to have some software available on your PC. I’d recommend Picasa (free) or Photoshop Elements (approx $140).