Fine Art Bugtography

Fine Art Bugtography
Sunday, October 15
1:30pm-4pm

This is a basic course for anyone wanting to try a creative approach to Macro photography on insects.  Macro can be highly technical–but this workshop will show it can also be very intuitive and creative!  We’ll come at this topic from the standpoint of creating Art–to show both standard and out-of-the box macro techniques and tips, as well as quick editing methods for this fascinating photographic subject.

We open with a quick overview of a few different methods, lighting, and equipment, as well as explanations and techniques of working with specimen insects.  We’ll go over off-camera lighting and light painting techniques and other options.  Then a short demonstration to show actual methods, creative options, and how these affect your overall images.

Hands-on practice: Several stations will be set up for participants to photograph different insect subjects.  For the hands-on portion we will be using constant light set-ups or light-painting options.  (Insects, set-ups, and backgrounds are provided)

Afterward, there will be a quick session of editing the images in Lightroom and Photoshop, to show a workflow option and how to stack images and enhance them.  This will be followed by a short Q&A if needed.

What you will learn from this workshop:

• Equipment, techniques and methods (and how they influence the look of your resulting images)
• How to select good subjects and prepare them to be photographed, as well as reliable sources for ‘specimen’ insects
• Hands-on practice with your camera
• Editing workflow: ways to edit and finalize the images you just captured, using Lightroom then Photoshop.

What you will need for this workshop:

• Camera with a macro lens
• Working knowledge / familiarity with your camera and settings (if you choose to take part in the hands-on section)
• a Tripod
• Focusing rail (optional)
• Shutter remote (optional) OR know how to set your shutter speed for longer exposures
• Note-taking materials
• Your Laptop if you wish to work on images in Photoshop / LR while there.  (please bring card readers, extension cords, etc or any other supplies you will need)

Meet Lyne Raff

Lyne Raff is from Lumberton, in deep southeast Texas.  She has a BFA degree from Oklahoma State University and began her professional career as an illustrator in Austin, TX before becoming a photographer in 2005.  She worked in publishing through the mid 2000’s, and photographed equines for two decades until becoming a portrait photographer in about 2016. She began to photograph insects not long after that, after acquiring her first macro lens.  Lyne shoots both film and digital cameras and finds her biggest and best influences through old cameras, art history, and historical photographs.  She was featured in the March / April 2023 Issue of THE PHOTOGRAPHER.  Learn more about her work at www.LyneRaffPhotography.com