Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Fall Workshops Announced: October 15th and 16th

Weekend with a Pro
Two Photographic Workshops with Acclaimed Nature Photographer
Anthony Gibson

After great demand and requests from the local community, Anthony and the Olney Arts Council are pleased to present two photographic workshops this fall in Olney, Illinois. Spend the weekend learning and working alongside Anthony in White Squirrel Studio and the surrounding area amidst the beautiful fall colors. White Squirrel Studio is situated next to the water on Anthony’s private property with over 100 acres of woods, fields, and water to explore. His private studio/gallery is equipped with the latest in camera, computer, printing, and framing technology, as well as having a number of his stunning Limited Editions on display. Do not miss this chance to learn from a professional Nature Photographer in his private work environment. Each class is limited to 15 participants on a first come/first serve basis, so do not delay!

Saturday, October 15th, 2011: Introduction to Photography

This is an introductory class for the beginner/hobbyist who wants to learn how to take control of their camera, as well as learn the basics of composition. Learn how to take your camera off “Automatic” and begin understanding exposure controls. Anthony will show you how basic camera functions like ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed are connected, and how to properly use them in the field. Even if you just use a “point -and-shoot” camera and are just interested in composing better images, this class will benefit you greatly. After a brief discussion in the studio, most of the class will be hands-on instruction in the field practicing these techniques with Anthony right alongside you. Anthony is familiar with both Nikon and Canon equipment, and will have his professional gear on hand to demonstrate for those who do not own this type of camera setup.

9:00AM - 12:00PM: In and around White Squirrel Studio with discussions on cameras controls, composition, and demonstrations.

12:00 – 1:00: Lunch Break

1:00 - ?: Spend the rest of the day in the field practicing and reinforcing the basic techniques learned.

PRICE: $100 per person Limited to 15 participants

Contact us to sign up: anthony@anthonygibson.com or call 1-877-977-8834

Save 20% by registering for both classes. Take advantage of the savings and spend the whole weekend with Anthony for $180!

Sunday, October 16th, 2011: Nature Photography

This is a class for anyone wanting to learn how a pro works in the field and what is done with the images afterwards in the studio. Anthony will be shooting in the field with you so you can observe his techniques, equipment, and eye for composition. This class is designed to be fluid and shape itself to the needs of the group. Anthony will attempt to show you what he looks for in compositions, light, and locations with the proper techniques and equipment to capture it. Then we can spend some time on the processing of your images in the studio. We will have no set schedule in order to take advantage of the best photographic opportunities and the individual needs of the group.

9:00AM – 12:00PM: In and around White Squirrel Studio with discussions on creativity and technique.

12:00 – 1:00: Lunch Break

1:00 - ?: Spend the rest of the day in the field shooting, working in studio on image processing, perhaps an assignment/contest?.

PRICE: $100 per person Limited to 15 participants

Contact us to sign up: anthony@anthonygibson.com or call 1-877-977-8834

Save 20% by registering for both classes. Take advantage of the savings and spend the whole weekend with Anthony for $180!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Forgotten Pier

photo by Jim Walton





"Forgotten Pier"



I was recently in Ocean City, New Jersey with my family. While I always take some photographic equipment along on vacations, it always ends up being hard to find time to scout for locations and get back to shoot when conditions are right. Especially when you have young children along...as I am sure most parents can relate to this. We were walking the beach one evening after dinner when we stumbled upon this old fishing pier that had been abandoned long ago. There were other piers along the newer areas on the boardwalk, and they were always packed with people. It made me wonder why this pier had been left for the sea to slowly tear down. At the same time, it is still a popular site to see and people would wander down there to take a look at the old pier. I instantly knew I had to try and capture this wonderful relic.

I knew that the sky was going to make or break the image because there needed to be a sense of movement both above and below the pier to convey the ghostly isolation of this old structure. Luckily, there had been clouds and fronts moving through just about the entire time I was there. The problem with that is a lot of the times the clouds will block the sunrise until it is too high in the sky and you will lose the first light "glow" and colors. That is exactly what happened the first morning, but the second morning (last day of my trip) mother nature came through for me.

There were many nice compositions using the rocks and the shore, but I decided that I wanted this image to just be about the beauty of this broken down pier. I also wanted to enhance the mood and isolation with movement in the clouds and the surf, luck also provided a nice mist in the air to aid in my goal. I waded out into the surf and composed very close to the pier at 16mm with a 5 stop density filter to kick my exposure time up to 25 seconds. This long exposure time would cause the surf to blur together and the clouds to streak just a bit. In order to keep the tripod still enough in the surf for such a long exposure I had to almost fully extend the legs and sink them deep into the sand, then give the tides time to settle the sand around them (a very quick way to ensure your tripod never opens/closes well again without breaking apart every part to clean out the sand). The clouds were still thick on the horizon so it took a moment for the sun to clear them which left only a few moments of the warm first light before the sun was to high. At 25sec exposures, I only got 3 shots before the magic was gone and everything in the sky brightened up. This was the first of the 3, a single exposure processed twice and blended together.

I would also like to say thank you to Jim Walton, a young kid who has a passion for photography that is very rare for his age. There are few teenagers that will rise at 4:00 AM and ride their bike several miles to take a picture. Not only did he do it once, but he was there the second morning trying again just as I was. He was kind enough to take the above picture of me just after the magic moments had passed and I began moving around trying to capture other perspectives, you can still see a hint of the early morning colors in the distance. He sent it in a email and I had no idea he even took my picture. Thanks bud, and keep shooting!