Light, Shadow, Form, and Texture

Photographic Composition and Creative Vision

This workshop id offered by the Berkeley Arts Council and will be held at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street in Martinsburg, WV.

Saturday October 19, 12:30-4:30; 4 hrs
Composition and Creative Vision Part One

What is it that makes one picture of a particular subject ordinary while another image of the same subject is a work of art? This workshop will explore how composition, light and shadow, form and texture can work together to express something beyond merely recording a scene. The workshop will start with a discussion of the basic concepts of composition and then, through an analysis of some of Smith’s images, will demonstrate how those concepts are applied in practice from conceptualizing the image in the viewfinder to the final adjustments on the computer.  In preparation for Part Two of the workshop, Students will be given assignments to put the ideas and techniques into practice.

Saturday November 2, 1:30-4:30; 3 hrs)
Composition and Creative Vision Part Two

During the two week interval between part one and part two, Students will take their cameras out to practice the ideas and techniques discussed in Part One. They will bring in a selection of images for discussion and “gentle critique” during the second session.

Information for Students

Age: 16 yrs and up; Level of experience: beginner through intermediate.

Students are not required to have any specific equipment or computer capability but putting the concepts and techniques into practice requires a digital camera and a computer with at least basic image editing software. For those who need it, recommendations will be given for software to enable the various techniques.

Tuition: Parts 1 and 2 $90
(Pre-Registration Required)

This workshop is offered by the Berkeley Arts Council and will be held at the Berkeley Art Works, 116 North Queen Street in Martinsburg, WV.

Private Instruction

In today’s world, our schedules are often so crammed that finding the time to take a workshop, even for one weekend, is difficult. Also, in a workshop the instructor must conduct the program to meet the needs that are common to all of the students and providing indivdual attention to specific needs is difficult at best.

With individual instruction, I can completely focus on your needs without worrying about whether I am neglecting others who are in a workshop and who may have needs that are different from yours.

If you are looking for a way to improve your photography, learn a particular technique or skill, or develop your creative vision, I can help.

Some of the areas where I can help:

• What kind of camera should I buy?
• I just got a new camera. How can I get the most out of it?
• Could you look at some of my images and tell me how I can improve?
• I’m taking a big trip and I want to learn how to get great photos.
• I’m new to digital photography and I need help with image processing software.
• I would like to make good prints of my images.
• Can I accompany you when you are out photographing so I can learn how you work?
• I can work with you in all of these areas and more. I’ll start by meeting with you for an initial consultation at no charge, so I can get an understanding of where you are with your photography and where you want to go with it.

Whether you just want to take better photos of your friends and family or you have ambitions to be a fine art photographer I will develop a plan of instruction tailored to your specific needs.

Then we will work together to implement the plan on a schedule that will fit into your busy life.

Rates for individual instruction:

Basic rate: $25/hour, $75/half day(4 hours)

Two hour portfolio review and/or development of individual plan: $60

For more information or to schedule an initial consultation, you can call me at (304) 596-0873 or email sterlingimageswv@gmail.com.