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I need some advice...

Bruce Hemingway

New member
I would like to take a photography workshop somewhere in the world this summer. I'm totally consumed with the idea of art photography, without any commercial needs. I have great equipment, and I am a very technically-oriented photographer, so I'm not looking for technical instruction. Some samples of my work are here: http://hemingway.cs.washington.edu/portfolio/

So, can anyone recommend an immersive art workshop that will really push me as to vision, style, and art? I'm an old guy, so trekking in Nepal is out...

Thanks,

Bruce Hemingway
 

Ken Tanaka

pro member
Welcome Bruce.

You live in a wonderful place on the planet for photography. So it makes most sense for you to first check with your own school, the U of W College of Arts & Sciences. Surely they must offer courses and workshops, perhaps as part of continuing education.

Not being a "workshop" person I cannot direct you elsewhere. There are many. Across the country, the school at Rockport has a good reputation, although I thought they recently had some financial turmoil. The Santa Fe Workshops are also quite reputable and somewhat prestigious.

If you're not up for traveling you can probably find something locally. It seems that nearly every "professional" photographer tries to offer "workshops" to supplement their incomes, especially "professional landscape" photographers (whatever that is!).
 

Kathy Rappaport

pro member
Ken's advice

I highly suggest you look at the Santa Fe Workshops as well. I leave in a week for my 5th workshop - this one on Lightroom and PS4. I have taken Beginning Photography with Sarah Meghan Lee about 8 years ago (although I was not a beginner - I went with a friend), Finding Your Photographic Voice with Carlan Tapp - all about Art and the Spirit of creativity), Lighting on Location and in Studio, and now the PS/LR class. The catalog of available classes is filled with exactly what you described as wanting, the locations and light in and around Santa Fe is wonderful and the instructors solid. Feel free to PM me or email me if you want more information. Ideally, I would go up once a year if I can budget for it.

I will be up your way on a shooting expedition this May as well as to visit friends that live on Puget Sound. A magnificent area for your camera's pleasure!
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Bonjour Bruce
I took the time to browse your website.
Taking a course would be imho a great waste of time.
You really don't need that, (course and loosing time!).
"Enough is enough", you said it!
Get outside with both your camera gear, MP3 small machine (and earphones!) and put the world into your digital box, you kow how to do it beautifully…
An example of yours, if one only : "Experience Music Project" briliant in al meanings.

You did dedicate your working life (I guess the other one too;-) thru creation processes, wether it was for computer genarating or marketing (OPFers, if you don't follow me, read Bruce's bio), then you know that this cannot be achieved with training. Training would let other's obssesions and phantsams into your own creative views. No need for that! Would be a spoil.

IMHO ;-D

Welcome to OPF!

PS you will have noticed that, as Ken, I'm not a "workshop" guy…
 
Welcome Mr. Hemingway to the OPF. If you can't find your answer here directly, I am certain someone will be able to help you find your way indirectly.

I too spent some time looking at your website and I must say I was very glad that I did. We seem to have a little in common. I stress the word little and do not mean to compare you and your wonderful present condition with mine. I once had aspirations and direction that seem similar to the path you have traveled, however, for one reason or another, I strayed from that path and went off wildly into oblivion, while you stayed on the straight and narrow and finished what you started. At least for me, on the outside looking in, that is how I see it and I have always admired those that set their goals and followed through on them. I never quite seemed able to do that and it has always bothered me terribly.

I studied Computer Science and Engineering in Texas, back in the 70's, and thought I knew exactly what I wanted and how to get it. I did know but as I stated, I did not have the wisdom and discipline to follow through and achieve what I set out to achieve. You sir, had that discipline and drive, it seems, and have been able to reap the rewards that surely come with such an accomplishment. Just some of the looks in the student's eyes, and their intense interest and attention being paid to you and what is going on in those particular instances in their lives, brings back many fond memories. Not only were you able to teach and inspire, but you were also able to capture the moments photographically so that we could share them with you now. That is exceptionally cool.

I always thought of myself as an artistic and creative being. I believe those traits helped me succeed as much as I did in the different avenues I traveled down. In fact, they helped me choose the paths that I ended up taking. Seeing you now and your work, as well as getting a small glimpse of what seems to drive you, I am even more convinced that people are sometimes drawn to a position or path in their life because of that artistic and creative side that they possess. Maybe I am jabbering here. Maybe I am making myself see something that is not really there. I do not know. I do know though that just seeing you here joining us today, it did make me think and feel differently than I would have had you not been here. That is a very good thing for me.
Welcome again to the forum. I for one am glad to have found you and your work and look forward to seeing more and hearing more of what it is that made you end up here with us today.

James Newman
 

Ken Tanaka

pro member
I would echo Nicolas' remarks, and your own declaration, "...I'm not looking for technical instruction.".

Arts workshops are mainly social events. Yes, some promise profound enlightenment at the feet of some guru-du jour. But the main feature of most is the opportunity to immerse oneself in that art in an artificial environment free of real-world distractions. An opportunity to feel connected with your avocation and to connect with like-minded people. A nudist colony for the creative spirit. It's easy for many people to feel isolated in the arts; workshops are the antidote for many.
 

Bruce Hemingway

New member
Thank you all for your very kind and sensitive comments and suggestions. I think I've found a home online...

You've made me stop and think about all of this, and what I'm looking for. I happen to have as my next-door neighbor a wonderful and exciting photographer, Chase Jarvis (http://www.chasejarvis.com). He's so full of ideas and prodigious output that it scares me. While his style certainly isn't mine, I do admire his wonderful technique; I just have to remember that I'm different.

I think I'll look for a mentor/critic in the area, with whom I can do periodic portfolio evaluations. (But, heading off to Europe for the summer would be fun, as well.)

Thanks again.
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Thank you all for your very kind and sensitive comments and suggestions. I think I've found a home online...
We told you, you're welcome!

You've made me stop and think about all of this, and what I'm looking for. I happen to have as my next-door neighbor a wonderful and exciting photographer, Chase Jarvis (http://www.chasejarvis.com).
Obviously he is, but he is a commercial photographer (nothing ad with that ;-) !) and you said
I'm totally consumed with the idea of art photography, without any commercial needs
this is a big advantage for you, you are free! No ADs!

He's so full of ideas and prodigious output that it scares me. While his style certainly isn't mine, I do admire his wonderful technique;
Yours is pretty good too!

I just have to remember that I'm different.
We all are…

(But, heading off to Europe for the summer would be fun, as well.)
You'll be welcome!
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Hi Bruce,

A very warm welcome to OPF, I am glad you've found us. I have spent a long time looking at your pictures, there are many very good ones in there. Please share some of them here with us. Your style of shooting is not dissimilar to mine, maybe it is because we both are electronics/computer engineers who look into the world from a slightly distorted window ;-).

Cheers,
 

Mike Shimwell

New member
Bruce

Welcome to OPF. I too looked through your website and am very impressed. I hope that you find us a warm and suportive community.

If you request it you will receive criticism for your pictures, but the depth of comment is much greater than seems to be the case elsewhere and the intent is constructive. Of course there are also a wide range of approaches here too, which adds further to the discussion.

Reading your post suugests to me that, like many of us, you will enjoy having the opportunity to share and discuss images with a group of interested friends - somehting that we often lack in our own environments. I tried my local camera club also, but alas I was unable to find many people who wanted to sit around and look at each others' prints:)

Mike
 

Alain Briot

pro member
Kubota-06.jpg



Beautiful.
 

janet Smith

pro member
Hello Bruce

Welcome from me too, glad to have you here, I took a look at your website too, some beautiful work there, I also loved this tree shot, it reminds me of a stained glass window, beautiful.....
 

Bruce Hemingway

New member
Alain,
Those ARE the colors-- I just pointed my D3 with the 14-24mm set at 14mm and the tree did the rest. It was perfectly backlit by late afternoon sun.

That was one of those days when the light is just right, and you have to work to make a bad picture. It doesn't happen often. Of course, Lightroom's vibrance control helped a bit. :)

Bruce
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Hi Folks
I have to say that I was one of the very first here to react so positively to Bruce images that I saw on his website.
Now Cem and Alain have posted 2 images they do like most, that must be very nice to Bruce, but it would be nice and wise to let Bruce to keep his hands on the choice of pictures/images he would like to show here… or anywhere else in OPF.
I surely don't want to stop such an enthusiasm, but I would like that Bruce's choice be preserved (and encouraged!). Please Cem and Alain, be sure that I could have done the same and don't feel personnaly targeted!

): -D
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hmm, Nicolas!

You are our conscience! On a besoin de ça!

I myself do choose an image from someone's website to post but usually remember to ask first. There may be reasons why one might want a particular set of pictures to be seen only in the context of more of that particular set.

So thanks Nicolas for reminding us all to be careful to respect this.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Please, post any that you like. I'm flattered.


-Bruce

Thanks, Bruce,

Obviously everyone likes you work and would love you to post them here! However, it's generous for you to encourage folk to find their favorites too!

Asher



To Would be internet police:

There is no © violation, TTBOMK, as the work was discussed for editorial comment only!

There's no issue with bandwidth as the amount used there is budget dust!

It's certainly not rude, as there is no malintent.

In fact. each picture shown did a good job of showing Bruce's work as examples of his standing beyond mere technical competence that he modestly asserts.

So those pictures can be re-referenced with all the blessings of everyone!

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Oh la la!

I tried to be as smooth and cautious as possible, but obviously not enough!

I never said or wished to let feel that either Cem or Alain were thieves or doing malicious things, I know both of them too much to even think that kind of things.

I DO KNOW THAT THEY BOTH WORK HARD TO PROTECT PHOTOG RIGHTS!
I know that Cem devote day long his time to enhance OPF and keep all fora on track with nice, tolerant, respectfull and honest behavior. What a mistake to ever think he could miss that…

I just thought and still think that with their enthusiasm, and speed inherent to Internet, they forgot to ask Bruce permission first.

As I said, I COULD HAVE DONE SO, ALSO.

Additionnally, Bruce did not post any protest after the first image was posted… I just wished that Bruce would post himself here.

As for the bandwith, I don't think it's really an issue, we're not dealing whith HD videos…

Now Bruce has allowed posting of his images here, everything should get back in order.
 

Alain Briot

pro member
Bruce,

Thank you for the original conversion. I'll look at it in CS4 and see what I get.

Here's a quote I like about art and that I decided to include:

All art is a vision penetrating the illusions of reality, and photography is one form of this vision and revelation.
Ansel Adams, foreword to Yosemite and the Range of Light, 1979.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I must commend the moderators for doing a great job in affirming Bruce's good wishes for us to show his pictures. So that discussion being behind us, let me tell you Bruce that you do not need artistic instruction. You are already isnpired by what you see around you and that is being expressed in your photography.

I can only suggest, showing more of your work and listening to the reactions. That provides a windows and a compass to where you might be flying in reference to the landscape other folks are limited to.

That and going to art galleries is what I'd suggest as well as a plan for what to do in the next year.

Asher
 

Mike Shimwell

New member
Cem, Alain

please take no offence. Having been privileged to have communicated with you both over the months I know that in neither case was there any intent to steal etc. My take is that you were both enthused by Bruce's excellent work and considered it worthy of more general exposure. A laudable aim.

Nic's gentle post, I believe, was concerned with not causing offence to our new member and , hopefully, friend.

Bill's post appears a little hasty in our environment, albeit there is an epidemic of image theft in these internet enabled times that he is right to be concerned about. That is not the case here though.

Peace,

Mike
 
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