Indy Photo Coach

This course is designed as a "next step" after grasping the fundamentals of photography to provide a taste of 4 different genres of photography. Each session is held at a different location around Indianapolis. Students are challenged with a new topic or theme to shoot. For example, gardens at the IMA. After a brief in...troduction, the students are given time to practice and produce images relating to that week's theme.

The instructor is available at all times for 1-on-1 help and guidance. The following week, photos are critiqued and a new concept is introduced. Please bring a SLR or DSLR camera to the first class.
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Tentative schedule:
8 am Meet in Nashville, IN for breakfast and discuss the day's shoot.
9 am Travel 2mi to Brown County State park for the first of two hikes
10 am 3+ mile trail hike -moderate terrain with many steps. (Periodic stops for instruction and shooting opportunities)
12:30 Bring your own picnic lunch and eat... at a beautiful overlook. Group picture
1:30 Hike 1.75 miles -rugged -steep terrain with steps (Periodic stops for instruction and shooting opportunities)
3:30 Head to Nashville for incredible photo opportunities and dinner (not incl.)
6:00 Back to Indianapolis
Note you may stay as long as you want. You may leave after lunch as well.

Cost: $45 per person (8+hours with an instructor) + $5 registration fee.
Park fee: $4 per vehicle. Breakfast between $5 and $10

Provide own transportation, or carpool
Should be physically capable of hiking between 3-6 miles with camera gear.
Should be prepared for weather changes and wet trail conditions.Read More

The focus of this class is workflow: beginning with camera file formats, downloading, sorting & organizing, editing/developing & finally printing. Lightroom is a groundbreaking software that allows you to sort through many images to find the best ones, then make "batch edits" or quick fixes to get the image ready for P...hotoshop or print. We have several workflow suggestions, but we will give you the knowledge to make your own decisions.

This class will cover:

1. The Lightroom interface & layout
File structure
2. Workflow overview:
Non-destructive, Multiple edits, Virtual copies, Exports copies, Copy settings
3. Lightroom Modules:
* Library: Importing images, renaming, keywords, View options, Flagging images
* Develop: WB, Tone, Presence, Tone curve, HSL/Color, Grayscale, Split toning, Detail, Sharpening, Noise reduction, Chromatic Aberration
* Slideshow: Basics, Export,
* Printing, exporting for web use and slideshows for clients

Students must provide their own laptop for use during the class. A full-priced copy of Lightroom is not required; a 30-day free trial is available for download from Adobe.comRead More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More

Limited dynamic range is the first frustration many photographers experience during the learning process. As you attempt to shoot a portrait during sunset, you expose for the beautiful colors in the sky and your subject becomes a silhouette. Or if shooting an interior room with windows, you notice the extreme over-expo...sure of the detail in the windows.

There are obvious limitations to exposure which cannot be digitally captured the same as viewed by the human eye. This course will explain how to create HDR (High Dynamic Range) images to overcome these exposure limitations. You will learn how to photograph scenes where the dynamic range is much greater than can be recorded in a single image.

Course Outline:

* Understanding tonal range and dynamic range.
* How to shoot a bracketed exposure sequence for
HDR.
* Using Photoshop's Merge to HDR function demo
* Using Photomatix Pro's Exposure Blending function.
* Creating a photo-realistic effect.
* Understanding tone mapping.
* Using the Tone Compressor method in Photomatix
Pro.
* Using the Details Enhancer method in Photomatix Pro.
* Creating the 'illustrative' look.
* Using Photomatix to enhance a low-contrast scene.
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It's time to get serious. You've been practicing with your camera, honing your skills and know that in order to get to the next level, you need to understand lighting. Whether you want to shoot professional portraits or just great family photos at home, great lighting is essential to creating a great photograph.

Light i...s an art form in itself. In order to create the perfect mood for your photo, the right lighting can make or break an image. We've all had times when you capture the perfect moment and can't wait to see how it turns out, only to find that there is a yellow tint to the entire image or that the subject is too dark. Lighting is everything.

This class will be a mixture of both classroom learning & hands-on experiences.

This class will cover:
Types of light
Basic on-camera flash vs. external flash
Window / natural light
Reflections
Posing
Fill light
Outdoor lighting
Basic studio lighting & "hot" lightsRead More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.
Read More

There is a lot of science that goes into photography... don't let it scare you! Depth-of-field, shutter speeds, F-stops, film speeds, lenses, just to name a few aspects. This class is designed as a "crash-course" to help you understand these complex topics, along with some hands-on time shooting outdoors, practicing le...arned skills. During these 4 weeks you'll gain confidence and abilities to improve photo-taking of your favorite subjects. Please bring a dSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera to the first class. After these 4 weeks, the Level 2 "Experience Booster" class is designed to follow-up and expand the knowledge gained and promote further learning through experience.Read More