WalleyFilms just released a video that highlights our Night Photography workshop in West Texas.

It was really fun having Angela and Mark Walley out filming during our annual workshop in Big Bend, TX. They are super talented and do amazing work. Between the photographers and videographers the creative process was quite alive that week with image making all day and all night long. You can check out more about WalleyFilms at walleyfilms.com

As a long time still photographer, I’m pretty blown away with the power of video as a communication tool. As our DSLR cameras gain HD video capability I’m enjoying getting my feet wet. I think all photographers need to keep an eye on this medium and think about how we can embrace it and make it a part of our work. This is my first experience incorporating it into my own business and I’m looking forward to more exploration with it.

Q: “When I process a RAW file, I use the RAW image processor in Photoshop. I then save it as a TIFF file (and then to a JPEG for clients and stock agencies).  This already seems like so many steps. Why would I want to use Lightroom?”

A: Photoshop wasn’t designed to work with camera RAW files – it was designed to work with film scans. IMO, the Camera RAW plugin and Adobe Bridge represent an inelegant approach to modernizing an application based on 1980′s technology.

Lightroom is the new Photoshop written from the ground up with Camera RAW imaging in mind. It’s a paradigm shift. With it, we inch closer to a workflow that allows us to do everything (more…)

Febrary 24th-25th, 5pm – midnight
The Liberty Bar Restaurant
1111 South Alamo, San Antonio, Texas 78210
led by Lance Keimig and Scott Martin

This two night workshop is designed to be a quick introduction to the joys of making photographs at night. We will start with dinner and classroom instruction at 5pm in the fantastic new Liberty Bar Restaurant before heading out into San Antonio’s vibrant “Southtown” neighborhood to make images. Participants can shoot side-by-side with the instructors or wander around to discover their own images. Expect Lance and Scott to give a few light painting demonstrations in the field. When out at night, participants can stay out shooting as long as they, or their camera’s batteries, hold out. Shooting by moonlight, streetlights, light painting, multi-hour exposures, and equipment recommendations will all be discussed. Because this workshop has two instructors, each participant will get lots of attention.

Target Audience

This workshop is specifically for digital photographers who want to learn night photography techniques. Night photography beginners who have a sound understanding of basic photography principles, advanced amateurs, and seasoned professionals looking for a fresh approach will all benefit from this workshop. A good working knowledge of photography and an SLR camera are (more…)

We get the paper version of the New York Times and enjoy their apps for the iPhone and iPad while traveling. Among other things, my wife and I have long obsessed over the “Modern Love” column in the styles section on Sundays.

Today, the NYTimes is featuring an essay of Jenny’s in that very column. It’s a deeply personal piece that reminds us to appreciate what we have, and do what we can while we can. Whither on paper or on your device, please check it out.

Last month’s night photogrpahy workshop in the Big Bend / Terlingua area was exceptionally fun. There was a total of 17 of us there and we did some unusual things at this workshop. We rented out all the rooms in the Terlingua ghost town so we had the whole town to ourselves for a week. We met on the front porch of the old Perry Mansion each morning to import and develop images. We met in the 120 year old church every afternoon for critique and our afternoon lectures. We drove down dirt roads at night, went into an old mine shaft and got access to some neat areas on private property. Here is some of the participant’s work from the workshop, as well as a few candid shots:

It’s one thing to showcase my own work on this site but it’s another to exhibit workshop participant’s work. I feel like I’ve seen some great work from workshop students this past year and I’d like to start sharing that work. Here is some of the participant’s work from our 2010 night photography workshop in the Eastern Sierras of California. More specifically, the images are from Olmsted Point in Yosemite, Bodie Ghost Town, and Mono Lake itself.

I was just in San Diego doing some private training with a client that included night shooting each evening. One of these evenings, I was detained by military police for about 30 minutes while making photographs on a public sidewalk. On this particular night we were apparently near, but not on, a naval base. It was 2am, and I had my tripod setup under a streetlight. I was enjoying the playful, intermingling colors from neighboring mercury vapor, metal halide and incandescent light along this particular street. I was making images of the streetlights and of the streets themselves, not of the naval base or its industrial gate entrance down the street. Here’s the image I was making when a hummer full of soldiers in camouflage pulled up and said “Hey – what are you doing? Don’t move!”

I love telling people what I’m doing when I’m shooting and night, and often show images to explain the concept of making this kind of art. But these guys didn’t want to see my images; they called for backup (more…)

October 16th, 5:30pm – midnight, Pearl Brewery, San Antonio, TX
led by Lance Keimig and Scott Martin

This one night workshop is designed to be a quick introduction to the joys of making photographs at night. We will start with classroom instruction at 5:30pm before heading around the complex after dark to make images. We have arranged to have access to some of our favorite areas, including areas that are typically restricted. Participants can shoot side-by-side with the instructors or wander around to discover their own images. Expect Lance and Scott to give a few light painting demonstrations in the field. When out at night, participants can stay out shooting as long as they, or their camera’s batteries, hold out. Shooting by moonlight, light painting, multi-hour exposures, and equipment recommendations will all be discussed. Because this workshop has two instructors, each participant will get lots of attention.

Target Audience

This workshop is specifically for digital photographers who want to learn night photography techniques. Night photography beginners who have a sound understanding of basic photography principles, advanced amateurs, and seasoned professionals looking for a fresh approach will all benefit from this workshop. A good working knowledge of photography and an SLR camera are (more…)