Welcome to our blog! Come here often to get insights to our creative endeavors and have fun reading about our imaging adventures. We'll keep you up-to-date on our diverse range of projects and share info about our exciting photo workshops. Enjoy!



  • Still a few seats left in my upcoming May 26 "Intermediate DSLR Photography" workshop at the Octagon Center in Ames!


    • Tag: ‘Photo Instruction’



    “Intro to DSLR Photography” workshop this Saturday at The Octagon

    Monday, April 16th, 2012

    I’ve recently added a session of my popular Intro to Digital SLR Photography Workshop to my spring workshop schedule. It’s this Saturday, April 21, 2:00-5:00pm at Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Ave, in downtown Ames, Iowa.

    We just added this to the calendar a week or so ago, but my workshops at the Octagon fill fast so don’t hesitate to register if interested! As far as I know there are still seats available as of today! We’ve pushed the start time on this one back so those of you in Ames can enjoy your VEISHEA parade and still have time to get over to the Octagon for a fun afternoon of photography! (For those of you reading that are not from around here, Ames is a Big-12 college town, home of Iowa State University, and “VEISHEA” is a week-long annual spring festival that’s one of the university’s historic traditions).

    Who should attend? This seminar is targeted at those new to SLR photography – though experienced shooters are also welcome -  who want to understand and master their digital SLR. The session is based on the premise that you can’t get consistent and predictable results with your photography until you take control of your camera – and you can’t do that until you understand why the various settings do what they do!

    We will thoroughly explore basic (and a few advanced) camera settings that will allow you to understand those settings so that you can obtain consistent and predictable results – and no longer merely click the button and hope you got what you wanted!

    The session starts with my “10 Must-Know Controls and Settings” that every SLR photographer must learn in order to consistently get photos you want! We’ll also explore artistry in photography, a few compositional “rules,” and discuss optimal accessories and lenses that will help you grow in photography.

    A few of the specific topics we’ll cover:

    • File Formats (should I shoot jpeg? tiff? RAW? And why?)
    • Understanding exposure (ISO, shutter speeds, and f/stops and how they work together)
    • Technically correct exposures vs. artistically correct exposures
    • Your camera’s Exposure modes
    • Focus modes and when to use which
    • Understanding metering patterns
    • Composition basics
    • Understanding your histogram
    • What to, and not to, buy next as your interest in photography grows

    Is that a long list? Yes! But it’s all so fun!

    And this is a fun, fast-paced, hands-on workshop that alternates between classroom discussion and active studio shooting situations where participants will practice new skills with hands-on instruction.

    More details and registration for this workshop (as well as several other workshops I’ll be doing at the Octagon in upcoming weeks) are available here.  Advance registration is required, so if interested, reserve your spot today!

    Finally, speaking of other workshops, if you’re interested in this one, you may also want to consider my “Intermediate DSLR Photography” workshop as a “next step” – also coming up at the Octagon on May 26. Those who complete the Intro workshop or who have a solid basic understanding of their DSLR are eligible for that one. Details are here.

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    Posted in Photo Instruction, Photography, Uncategorized | No Comments »

    Cool Lightroom 4 Presets, and my upcoming class!

    Tuesday, April 10th, 2012
     
    I posted the below on my Facebook page this morning, but I want to share this here, as well. 
     
    Below is a link to a free download of three very cool Presets for Lightroom 4, from Lightroom guru Sean McCormack over at Pixiq. As a LR power-user, I use a lot of presets, and Sean’s are excellent! I have found this set, which Sean calls the “Faded Series” to be useful for portraits, fashion, landscapes, and scenics. Versatile! Sean offers many great Lightroom and photography tips and tools on that site, so be sure to browse around if you visit to download the presets!
     
    We’ll be covering how to install and use LR presets like these, as well as a full range of LR topics, at my April 28 “Intro to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom” workshop at Octagon Center for the Arts.
     
    Lightroom has been my image database and primary image processing tool since its Version 1.0 was released, and the wide range of free and low-cost plugins available for it - which provide the user a great variety of tools - is one of the many reasons why I am convinced that Lightroom is invaluable to any photographer.  
     
    If you’re in the area, check out my class to learn to master it in an afternoon!
     

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    Posted in Photo Instruction, Photography | No Comments »

    Just Added: Intro to Digital SLR Photography Workshop

    Friday, April 8th, 2011

    Rapid at Bond Falls

    On Saturday, June 4, 1:00-3:30pm I’ll be offering my popular Intro to Digital SLR Photography Workshop at Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Ave, in downtown Ames.

    Whether you’re new to SLR photography or an experienced shooter who wants to improve your technique, this fast-paced, hands-on workshop will help.  We’ll alternate between classroom discussion and several “shooting stations” where you’ll practice new skills.

    Complete details and registration for this 2.5-hour workshop are available on the Octagon website, here.  Advance registration is required, so sign up now to reserve your spot!

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    Posted in Photo Instruction, Photography | No Comments »

    2011 Midwest Nature Photography Field Workshops – Dates and Locations

    Friday, April 8th, 2011

    I’m pleased to announce a great lineup of workshops for 2011!  The Midwest Nature Photography Field Workshops are designed to be affordable, fun, hands-on educational one-day photography field events delivered at “hidden gem” locations here in the Upper Midwest!  This year, we’re going to stay close to home and host these events at small but fabulous locations for highly productive nature photography!  You don’t have to travel to the National Parks and stand in line with throngs of other photographers to obtain fantastic nature images!

    Whether you’re a novice with your first DSLR, or an experience shooter, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your nature photography skills with these very hands-on instructional workshops, while you capture great images in the field.

    As a former college professor, I have carefully developed a curriculum for each workshop to maximize your learning.  Group size is small so that I can work with you to build your skills in the field, and to help you attain publication- or exhibit-quality nature images.  During these workshops, I do not photograph other than to demonstrate technique. Rather, I spend 100% of my time helping workshop participants to develop strong field photography technique.

    Dates and Locations for 2011

    Saturday, May 7 ~ Spring Wildflowers and Landscapes, Central Iowa (Story County)

    • Macro, Spring Wildflower, & Landscape photography

    Saturday, June 18 ~ The Summer Prairie, Central Iowa (Story or Marshall County)

    • Macro, Summer Wildflower, & Landscape photography

    Saturday, October 15 ~ Autumn Color I, Wildcat Den State Park near Muscatine, Iowa

    • Fall color & Landscape Photography

    Sunday, October 23 ~ Autumn Color II, Ledges State Park, near Boone, Iowa

    • Fall color & Landscape Photography

    November 19-20 ~ Migrating Birds & Landscapes, DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Reserve, near Omaha, Nebraska

    • Bird & Landscape Photography
    • Desoto Bend NWR is a migratory stop for over 500,000 snow geese and other migrating birds each year at this time, including Bald Eagles.

    The one-day workshops are a very full day of photography!  We’ll meet before sunrise and photograph well into the morning.  We’ll break from shooting in the middle of the day for group discussions and lunch, and will work on nature photography techniques again in the afternoon, shooting into the evening.  The exact location for the May and June Workshops will depend on local conditions a day or two before the event, for the most productive day possible!

    The two-day event at DeSoto Bend NWR will include two full days of shooting, and an evening image critique on Saturday.

    At each workshop, we’ll be completely immersed in photography during the entire event.  A robust handout will be provided, focused on topics covered.  This allows you to focus on your hands-on shooting rather than trying to take notes in the field.

    Costs

    ~ one-day Field Workshops – $99 per person

    ~ two-day Field Workshops – $99 per person each day, or $169 for the full two-day event

    These prices are for Workshop registration only, and do not include meals, transportation, or hotels.  Nearby, reasonably-priced, comfortable hotels will be recommeded for photographers traveling to the area.  High-quality, gourmet boxed lunches are available for pre-order purchase at nominal cost, with your registration.  Snacks, bottled water, and soft drinks are provided throughout the day of the events.

    Registration

    Class sizes are kept small and these workshops fill fast - so please register soon to reserve your spot!  For registration materials, simply email us and we’ll forward complete registration information!

    Questions?

    Email Mark

    Thanks for reading, and thanks for your interest in the Midwest Nature Photography Field Workshop Series!  See you in the Field!

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    May 7 Spring Wildflower and Landscape Workshop – Details

    Friday, April 8th, 2011
    Topics covered: Macro, Wildflower, Landscape Photography

    Prairie Phlox, Iowa

    Join me in the field for a full day of nature photography field education, while we photograph wildflowers and landscapes in a lush, Midwest forest setting!

    This workshop meets early-morning (before sunrise!)  in Ames, Iowa, and travels ~20 minutes to one of my favorite “hidden gem” locations for fabulous Midwest spring wildflower photography.

    The objective of this workshop is to help photographers build solid field macro and landscape photography techniques.  We’ll photograph wildflowers such as Dutchman’s Breeches, Bloodroot, Wild Ginger, Rue Anemone, Spring Beauty, Hepatica, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, May Apple, Sweet William, and Trout Lily [*see note].  Landscape photography opportunities also abound at the workshop location.  Additionally, those who photograph birds may want to bring their bird lens, as well – kingfishers and several other bird species are frequently active at the location of this workshop.

    The exact location of this Workshop will be chosen from among my favorite “hidden gem” forest locations in beautiful rural Story County, depending on local conditions and wildflower blossoms the week of the event.  Exact meeting location and maps will be emailed to participants prior to the event.

    Please note that the prospective locations we will work, each require some fairly moderate hiking, possibly including a stream crossing to get to the best Virginia Bluebell locations. You’ll want to see and photograph the Bluebells, but come prepared with comfortable hiking shoes/boots or rubber hunting boots!

    [*note: there is no guarantee that we'll be able to photograph each of these wildflower species, but all are regularly found here during this timeframe.  Actual blossoms the week of our workshop, of course, will depend on local conditions which vary year-to-year]

    Timing

    We’ll meet pre-dawn on the edge of Ames, Iowa, and carpool to the workshop location about 20 minutes away.  We will shoot and explore nature photography technique throughout the day, into the evening.  As with most nature photography, the best shooting times are morning and late-afternoon/evening; the middle of the day will be used for discussion, hands-on education, and technique practice.

    What to bring

    Photo Gear: A Digital SLR camera, normal- , wide-angle, and telephoto- lenses, and a dedicated macro lens if you have one!  A sturdy tripod and plenty of media cards for a full day of shooting are also essential.

    Appropriate clothing and safety gear: dress in layers. You’ll probably want long pants and long sleeves due to brush, bugs, and possibly poison ivy in areas.  Hiking boots or rubber hunting boots (we will be off-trail much/most of the time, and the forest floor can be very wet).  Bug spray.  A hat.  Sunblock.  Plenty of water.

    Workshop Cost

    $99 per person

    See the Workshop Series overview information here, and contact me for complete information and registration materials!

    In past years, this workshop has filled quickly, and the date is fast approaching – register now to reserve your spot!

    Questions?

    Email Mark

    Thanks for reading, and thanks for your interest in the Midwest Nature Photography Field Workshop Series!  See you in the Field!

    Midwest Nature Photography Field Workshop

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    Suddenly, a photography class broke out!

    Monday, May 17th, 2010

    So yesterday, I’m minding my own business (literally) in my artist exhibit booth at the Valley Junction Spring Art Market in West Des Moines, Iowa, and suddenly there’s a commotion in the street and someone yells, “Hey Mark!”  I start to duck for cover, but then I realize, it’s only my buddy and fellow photographer Charley Starnes initiating an impromptu photography lesson with some photographers he’d met in the street, and he wants some back-up! 

    Some of you reading this may know Charley as the Superintendent of the Iowa State Fair’s fabulous annual Photography Salon competition.  This juried competition has been known to draw some 5,000+ 11×14 print entries some years, from amateur and professional photographers from all 50 states, and always results in a fascinating and diverse exhibit of about 1,000 displayed prints.  For many of the tens of thousands of visitors to the Iowa State Fair each year, the Salon is a highlight of their visit.  

    Charley’s also a diehard photo educator, and he and I have collaborated on some photo education projects (more on that in an upcoming blog post).  I know many of you reading this are also aspiring photographers, as well, who have attended my own photo classes or field photography workshops (and you are among the key reasons I started this blog, by the way - thanks for following!).  And I also know others of you are photography afficianados who have visited with me at art shows or exhibits, and you are aware that I, too, am only too happy to use my exhibited photos as teaching examples to offer photo tips and advice to interested photographers.

    Anyway, Charley had stopped by the Valley Junction show and after hanging out at my booth for a while, left to walk the show.  But before making it even 50 feet, he encountered Ann Brody of Greenfield and Sandy McCurdy of Bridgewater – two budding photographers who had attended the 2009 Living History Farms Photography Day, at which Charley and I had both taught classroom sessions.  Ann or Sandy asked Charley a question.

    So what happens when you approach Charley on the street with a camera around your neck and ask a photography question?  Well, as Ann and Sandy discovered, you may just get a free hour of custom photo instruction, that’s what!  After covering basics such as aperture selection, exposure, and depth-of-field, Charley called me over to participate in a discussion of composition, and we briefly explored the importance of working a subject, making various compositions using an interesting neon-green doorway of a nearby business.

    This ended up being a very fun part of the day.  In fact, due to it being a cold and windy day, visitor traffic at the art festival was quite slow, so it was a great diversion.  Before long, a couple other past workshop participants browsing or vending at the art market discovered the discussion, and joined in for a while. Even the fiber artist next to me, who had recently purchased a DSLR to photograph his artwork for jury submissions, asked if he could join!

    So the moral of the story… 

    If you’re an aspiring photographer – and Digital SLR sales data in the US make clear that there are MILLIONS of you! – take your camera along when you go out, and don’t hesitate to ask experienced photographers you may encounter for assistance or pointers.  In my experience, most pro or semi-pro photographers are generally happy to help, and this can be a great way to learn!  Plus, if you happen upon someone like Charley, you never know when your simple question or two may lead to a full hands-on lesson – right in the middle of the street – custom-tailored to your needs!

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    Posted in Festivals & Events, Photo Instruction | No Comments »

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