Sessions about Photography

Digital cameras make it easier than ever to snap pictures, but that's no guarantee they'll be useable. This session helps non-photographers get familiar with digital camera capabilities, offers easy-to-remember photo composition tips, shows ways to rescue photos through editing software and takes some of the mystery out of pixels and dots per inch for print or online use. Lots of examples will help illustrate the do's and don'ts of photo-taking. Presented by a non-photographer who often needs to churn out a decent picture, this session has been requested numerous times in the presenter’s home state and is always well attended. Bring your digital camera for some hands-on practice.

Do photographers see the world differently? Do other people see great pictures in situations where thought there could not possibly be anything to photograph? Recent work in the field of visual cognition is helping to explain how our brains process visual information. Why we can all look at the same thing and see different things. More importantly by knowing how our eyes and mind work together we can understand how to see pictures in the world around us and become better photographers. Understanding how viewers see and mentally process the resulting photograph completes the process of making of great images.

• Session Audio  

For anyone that has digital photos, we'll review Apple's iPhoto and other photo album tools. You'll learn how to organize your photos with keywords and albums, how to archive photos you are ready to "put away", and learn tips and tricks on printing and making special projects.

In 2006 we found a new, more useful way to present a set of pruning photographs that were shot in the 1970s. We'll talk about the original shoot, show how the photos were presented in earlier publications, and demonstrate what we did to give the images new life. We're hoping this will inspire you to look at some of your own older publications and graphics in a new light.

Learn how to make studio quality pictures without the studio. Using a minimum amount of small portable lighting equipment we will set up portraits and product shots that look slick and polished and can be done quickly wherever you happen to be. We will walk through each set up as a group live before your very eyes. The presentation will feature and explain small wireless TTL flashes, reflectors, backgrounds, and light modification devices you can make yourself. The presentation is geared towards digital photography but would also apply to video.

Discover how easy it is to create electronic 360 degree photographs for the web or a computer. The software, Photovista, is easy to use and enables you show others a 360 degree view of a room or object. You can put the 360 degree photographs together for a complete tour of a building and surrounding area.