Class: Photoshop CS4 Throughput

Please contact Dixie State College at (435) 652-7675. Classes are filling up now!

Class: Photographic Principals and Camera Operation

Please contact Dixie State College at (435) 652-7675. Classes are filling up now!

SWU Shoots is born

If you go back in time, you will find that I was the founder of NEO Shoots, an organization that existed in NE Ohio to help enthusist photographers gather together for to field shooting excursions and fellowship. In it’s day, that orgainization was a big hit.

I now live in SW Utah, so it is time to revisit this concept.

Without any further babbling, I invite you to visit www.swushoots.com for the main webite. There you will also find a link to our Facebook page where you can join and enter the discussions.

Here is an explanation of our purpose…

SWU Shoots is a group of people that get together at somewhat organized photo shoots in the SW Utah region. Since 2009, we’ve been open to ideas and having more fun going to cool places and shooting photographs (and the breeze) than holding meetings and competitions. This web site is the glue that holds it all together. We’re somewhere between a camera club and a recurring, roaming field workshop. If you are so inclined, we welcome your participation.

Our events are an opportunity for enthusiastic photographers to gather to share insight and techniques while getting an opportunity to spend a morning in a picturesque outdoor venue when the “time is just right”. These “birds of a feather” sessions will not be instructional per se, giving you the freedom to maximize your photo yield. On the other hand, if you need some specific help, you will be amongst folks that will be happy to share their knowledge.

We are not charging any guide or instructional fees for these events. Organizers will be like any other participant. We will be shooting and exploring right along with everyone else. The locations we choose are productive photo venues. We try to optimize the timing of the visits to suit the subject matter.

Due to the lack of any organized general training curriculum, SWU Shoots events are intended for intermediate and advanced photographers.

Many of these events are planned for early mornings. It’s a sacrifice, but the magnificent light is worth the effort. We generally provide map links and venue details on this web site ahead of time (and via email to those that sign up). Members sometimes organize car pools and plan nearby meals through our discussion forum. A little drizzle won’t deter us, but the event will be cancelled (and possibly rescheduled) if there is an obvious downpour. Watch the web site calendar for late breaking details.

We hope this casual approach establishes a group of like-minded individuals that will continue thrive. The goal is great photography and fellowship. If that sounds like your cup of tea, let’s give it a try.

Main Website Updated

I am pleased to announce that my main website www.bobkulonphoto.com, has been updated today.

Changes made:

• (12) new gallery photos
• additions to shows
• revisions to training

Keepin’ up

Somebody told Debbie Bice that if she is published 6 times in a year, Nikon will extend her pro status. (Thanks for that Jack!)

So, be that as it may, here is #3. This is an issue of Flying Disc Golf Magazine, page 48. From what I can tell this was taken at Ponderosa Resort Ranch near Zion National Park last fall.

Congratulations Debbie! Three more to go.

4 New Saturday Clinics Sponsored by HVAA

In conjunction with Hurricane Valley Arts Alliance (HVAA), we are pleased to announce four new one day clinics to be held in Hurricane, Utah. If you will recall, these are the great folks that recently sponsored my successful DSLR Boot Camp.

Each of these clinics are independent – you can pick and choose, mix and match, to suit your individual needs. They are held mid-day on Saturdays in late September and early October. These clinics will take place at the Rainbow Canyon Community Building in Hurricane, Utah. The clinics run from 9 AM to 4 PM with an hour break for lunch. Registration fee for any of these is a mere $65 (which includes handouts). Contact Carol Larson at (435) 635-6966 or musiccarol@msn.com.

Here’s the rundown on what we have in store…

Taking Better Digital Pictures – September 12, 2009

• Composition
• Focus
• Lighting
• Exposure
• Posing
• Intended for Point and Shoot owners on up!

Photoshop Elements – September 19, 2009

• File cataloging
• Easy Editor
• Full Editor
• Special Effects
• Printing and Output
• Intended for folks that [want to] use Adobe Photoshop Elements

DSLR Camera Concepts – September 26, 2009

• Lenses
• RAW files
• Macro Techniques
• Tripod Usage
• Camera Modes
• Accessories
• Perfect for the Digital SLR owner or someone contemplating a DSLR purchase

Juried Art Shows – October 3, 2009

• Finding and Planning
• Entering
• Preparing
• Setup and Tear down
• Marketing
• For all artists and crafters seeking involvement in the world of juried shows.

No Pain No Gain!

OK, many of you have wondered about the summer heat in St. George. It is here. I am fine with it; actually embracing it. Perhaps I have acclimated sooner than normal. This morning, at roughly 9:30 AM, the temp is 105 and rising, the humidity is is 17% and going down. It actually feels tolerable, if not comfortable. Call me nuts but I am digging it. Given the benefits of locating here; I’ll take the heat any day. No sweat!

New Classes Arranged: Create Your Own Photo Note Cards

Dixie State College Community Education in St. George, Utah is sponsoring my new class: Create Your Own Photo Note Cards. This class will be held on your choice of one of two offered dates: 11/17 or 12/1. The classes run from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. The college’s fee for this class is $25 including materials.

Just in time for the Winter Holiday season!

Some people call them note cards; some call them greeting cards. There is a growing popularity in the creation of personalized cards by serious photographers. This is for personal or commercial reasons. Maybe it is just for fun! Once you decide to go beyond the drugstore prints and the drop‐in folders, there is a certain craft to producing hand printed, fine art miniature renditions of your precious photos. Producing really professional‐looking greeting cards (AKA note cards) is an acquired skill that can benefit from some insider knowledge. There are techniques and resources that can significantly reduce the trial and error.

Clinic Topics

• DESIGN — how to use Photoshop to layout your card, creating aesthetic appeal
• PRODUCTION — how to print the cards on different types of photo printers and use color management
• MATERIALS — card stocks, inks, envelopes, boxes, bags, displays
• MARKETING — placing in stores, consignment, fairs and shows, holiday markets, sales tax

Materials Students Bring

• Bring a reasonable high quality JPEG or TIFF file you would like to possibly have a sample card made from (on a CD, DVD, or thumb drive).

Who is This Class For?

• Enthusiastic digital photographers that have some experience editing and printing their files for themselves. Usually, such people consider their skills at least at intermediate level.
• Students that have completed the Photographic Principals and Camera Operations class are well qualified..

Contact Vicki Baldwin at (435) 652-7664 to sign up.

New Class Arranged: Lightroom 2 Throughput

Dixie State College Community Education in St. George, Utah is sponsoring my new class: Lightroom 2 Throughput. This class will be held in seven 2-hour Thursday evening sessions on the following dates: 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12/, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10. The classes run from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. The college’s fee for this class is $99 + $25 for materials. The following topics will be covered:

• All about RAW files and how to expose them properly.
• Understanding color spaces (Pro Photo, Adobe RGB, and sRGB).
• All about Metadata and the Catalog/Folders/Collections concepts.
• File ingestion using Library Module.
• File backup and storage strategies.
• Evaluating, ranking, labeling, and keywording files using Library Module.
• Using the Develop Module…
  • Color & Tonal adjustment
  • Noise reduction, Sharpening, and CA removal
  • B&W conversion and Toning
  • Spot removal
  • Vignetting
  • Presets & Batching
• Using the Print Module
• Using the Web Module
• Using the Slideshow Module

Materials Students Bring

• You should own a Digital SLR Camera. The camera you have is probably just fine. Bring it.
• You should own or intend to purchase Lightroom 2.
• Bring some examples (files or prints) of your work for us to discuss in class.

Who is This Class For?

• This class assumes you possess the fundamental skills of camera operation. You should be adept at exposure setting and operating your camera. Photographic principles of a fundamental nature will not be covered (see the Photographic Principals and Camera Operations course for that).
• The typical attendee is an enthusiast, ready to move into a self-structured process of working so they can work efficiently and effectively.
• People that believe that they want a solid grasp on fundamentals before they become confused with all the “razzle-dazzle” “tips and tricks” seminars out there.
• You do not need to know Photoshop to attend this course. There is no connection.

Contact Vicki Baldwin at (435) 652-7664 to sign up.

New Class Arranged: Photoshop CS4 Throughput

Dixie State College Community Education in St. George, Utah is sponsoring my new class: Photoshop CS4 Throughput. This class will be held in eight 2-hour Wednesday evening sessions on the following dates: 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/28, 11/4, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9. The classes run from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. The college’s fee for this class is $99 + $25 for materials. The following topics will be covered:

• All about RAW files and how to expose them properly.
• Understanding color spaces (Pro Photo, Adobe RGB, and sRGB).
• File ingestion using Bridge.
• File backup and storage strategies.
• Evaluating, ranking, labeling, and keywording files using Bridge.
• Using Camera Raw to extract working files…
  • Color & Tonal adjustment
  • Noise reduction & Capture sharpening
• Workflow in Photoshop itself…
  • Lens Corrections
  • Principles of Layers & Masks
  • Tonal and Color touchups
  • Cloning and Healing
  • Using Filters and Plug-ins
  • Actions & Automation
  • Printing techniques
  • Other outputs (Web, ProShow, PowerPoint)

Materials Students Bring

• You should own a Digital SLR Camera. The camera you have is probably just fine. Bring it.
• You should own or intend to purchase Photoshop (CS4 is not essential).
• Bring some examples (files or prints) of your work for us to discuss in class.

Who is This Class For?

• This class assumes you possess the fundamental skills of camera operation. You should be adept at exposure setting and operating your camera. Photographic principles of a fundamental nature will not be covered (see the Photographic Principals and Camera Operations course for that).
• The typical attendee is an enthusiast, ready to move into a self-structured process of working so they can work efficiently and effectively.
• People that believe that they want a solid grasp on fundamentals before they become confused with all the “razzle-dazzle” “tips and tricks” seminars out there.

Contact Vicki Baldwin at (435) 652-7664 to sign up.