Saturday Programs
Inspiration Track
Pro Track
Bird Photography 101
Presented by Frances “Aileen” Harding
Saturday, October 13, 2018
8:30 AM – 10 AM
You don’t have to spend hours hiding in a blind to get great bird images. And you don’t need that $11,000 500 mm prime lens anymore.
Join me as we walk through the in’s and out’s of bird photography. We’ll cover where to find the birds, why you would choose morning versus evening, lighting considerations, how to anticipate their behavior and what equipment you’ll need. Learn about photographic technique such as capturing birds in flight and compensating for white birds so as not to lose the detail in their feathers. We’ll also discuss motion blur and how to use it to create dynamic imagery.
Finally, I’ll walk you through several Loan images, giving an overview as to how I edit my bird images for PPA Print Competition.
Anybody can capture amazing bird images. Join me and I’ll show you how.
Meet the Speaker:
Aileen opened her portrait studio in 2005 and loved (almost) every minute of it. But when her husband retired in 2015 and she saw how much fun he was having, after 12 years as a portrait photographer, she closed her studio in 2017. Thus began a new journey, focusing full time on expanding her creativity and artistic eye by participating in various Fine Art groups as well as continuing to be involved with her local Guild, PPGH, TPPA and PPA.
Now, when she’s not out shooting, you might find Aileen camping with her husband and Mollie, a rescue Lab mix, in their pop-up camper at a State or National Park. Or hanging out with their latest fosters, dogs that is. They’ve fostered large dogs for over 13 years. Or better yet, playing with her Granddaughters. Binge watching Netflix and lunching with friends are also high on the list.
But photography will always be important. “Photographing is an intimate experience. There is something shared, something special, when you create the image. I’m in my happy place when I’m continuing to study the craft, practice and create imagery.”
Essentials of Wildlife Photography
Presented by Joe McDonald
Saturday, October 13, 2018
10:30 AM – Noon
Wildlife Photography is fun and exciting and can be done by almost everyone. However, making great images as you photograph wildlife is more than a matter of luck. Mastering basic skills, choosing the right lenses, and planning are just some of the factors involved in making great shots.
In this program Joe will discuss these factors and more, making you a great wildlife photographer.
Meet the Speaker:
Joe McDonald has been a professional wildlife photographer since 1983.
He’s been published in every major national wildlife magazine and the winner of the BBC wildlife photographer competition in several categories.
Joe specializes in capturing wildlife in action, in revealing personality, and, via flash, capturing unseen worlds.
Check out more of Joe’s inspiring work in this article from The Photographer Magazine, Wildlife Photography: Inspirations from Home.
Nightscapes, Astrophotography, and The Milky Way
Presented by JT Blenker
Saturday, October 13, 2018
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Gearing up and heading out to shoot the stars is becoming an ever increasing pursuit for many photographers today. Are you ready to not only get out under the stars but take the best images you can?
In this program, we will discuss the dynamic range of a nightscape, shooting for the most depth of field, reducing noise in a finished image, and how to combine multiple long exposures for image stacking or to create an amazing panoramic image.
Meet the Speaker: JT Blenker turned the trip of a lifetime traveling through out the country into a career in photography focusing on our sky’s, elusive for many, Milky Way Galaxy. His professional journey has gone from working for some of the most prestigious Fortune 500 companies to becoming a landscape and night sky photographer that’s created engaging workshops where the focus is on developing aspiring photographers into even better artists. The core tenets for every workshop is seeing and understanding light, becoming a creator with intention, and making images into finished art. He is currently staff writer for Fstoppers and now can contribute to the photographic and artistic community on an incredible scale and hopes to grow more as a speaker, writer, and educator. Lastly, continuing education is paramount to any student of photography and he has earned his Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) certification in 2016 and has earned the degree of Photographic Craftsman (Cr. Photog.) in 2018.
The Art of Street Portraits
Presented by Josh Jordan
Saturday, October 13
4:00pm – 5:30pm
Presented By:
When it comes to impactful portraits, oftentimes it’s difficult to get the subjects that you most desire into the studio. There are logistical issues like scheduling and returning email and phone calls. The solution is to get out to where those subjects are and take the studio to them. Engage them on the spot and make the idea of having a portrait made be a winning opportunity for them…and for you.
However, there are multiple potential issues that arise when attempting to approach strangers and ask to make their portrait. How do you make the initial approach? How do you develop instant trust? How do I gauge who will and who won’t sit for me? Model releases? Gear? Settings? The list goes on and on.
This session will cover topics like:
- How to stay safe
- Finding subjects
- What to offer in return
Meet the Speaker:
Raised in Fort Worth, Texas and a current San Antonio resident, I am the proud dad of three wonderful kids and the husband of the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. I’ve got a Bachelors degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Masters of Science degree from Texas Wesleyan University. My photographic journey started on a dive boat in Burma in 2009 and has since expanded to my current business, Josh Jordan Media Group, which currently has three divisions including San Antonio Sports Photography. My current photo project is my Hidden Faces series and I’ll soon be starting on my newest project: Perfect Imperfections.
“First Three Songs…No Flash!”
Cliff Ranson
Saturday, October 12, 2019
8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
For concert photographers, “First three songs, no flash” is the industry standard announcement immediately before leaving the media holding area. After securing your position in the pit, you wait for the lights to go down, the energy rises, and then, there are no second chances. You must capture everything you need for the venue during the first three songs, no excuses.
I will detail probably the most exciting fifteen minutes a photographer can experience from the pit directly in front of the concert stage. And also what it is like to deal with all the backstage personalities associated with the music industry. Having been the House Photographer for the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo Texas since 2003, I have photographed over 400 concerts and events. This program will teach attendees how to photograph in large or small venues, whether professional or amateur events.
Meet the Speaker:
Cliff Ranson began his professional career as a high school football and baseball coach while teaching biology and chemistry in the classroom. His photography business started in the late 80’s and overlapped his educational career until he retired in 2003. He joined PPA and TPPA in 1992 and served as the President of Texas PPA in 2011. When not working, he enjoys traveling, playing table tennis, and listening to an extensive collection of vinyl lps on the stereo.
Find Your Sword
Presented by Brad Barton
Saturday, October 13, 2018
10:30 AM – Noon
“People don’t care what you do. They care why you do it.” – Simon Sinek
Whether you already have a photography business or would like to start one, this inspirational program will set you on the path to finding your passion. When your work is your passion, it stops feeling like work. You can be excited to do it every day. Find Your Sword is about finding passion in your work again and the legacy you leave behind.
When your passion is your work, your work is more genuine. Your clients will be attracted to that passion and you gain not just clients, but fans.
Whether you already have a photography business or would like to start one, this inspirational program will set you on the path to finding your passion. This candid talk will cover not only the successes, but the mistakes that led me to where I am now – with two published books, a successful photography business, and a burgeoning art business.
Meet the Speaker:
Brad Barton is a North Texas based artist who tells people’s stories and captures their emotions in sometimes fantastical, sometimes bizarre, sometimes surreal ways. Using his imagination, camera, and digital tools, he has created work for clients big and small. His work has been published in nationally distributed books and magazines, has been featured in feature length motion pictures, and has won numerous awards.
His book from Amherst Media titled Retro Glamour & Pinup Photography was published in January 2017. His second book, Beautiful Monsters was published in May 2018 and he is now working on some new, exciting projects.
He holds Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degrees from Professional Photographers of America and continues to teach and write about art and photography. #ImaginationCaptured
High Octane Digital Workflow
Presented by Rob Hull
Saturday, October 13, 2018
1:30 PM – 3:30PM
If you’re a professional photographer, chances are you want to spend more time as a photographer and not a digital image editor. The more time you spend behind the computer, the less money goes into your wallet. So let’s fatten your wallet with a High-Octane Digital Workflow.
You’ll see how to streamline your image processing so that you have better quality images with less computer time. We use Adobe Lightroom as the foundation for our workflow. And, when you learn to use it the correct way, it will become your BFF.
You’ll learn how to design a system so that what you see on the back of your camera is what your previews look like when you import them into Lightroom. No more twiddling with your images just to get them to match your camera.
We’ll also explore hidden features of Lightroom that will make you wonder how you ever got along without them. Prepare yourself for a real Lightroom epiphany. And what about plug-ins and editors outside of Lightroom? You’ll learn how to integrate them into your workflow in the most efficient and effective manner.
Meet the Speaker:
Rob Hull is someone who loves photography but doesn’t take life too seriously. After all, his business partner is Tony Corbell. Together they host workshops and other photography education events throughout the world.
Rob has hosted photography workshops in the Greek Islands, Canada, throughout the United States, Columbia and Costa Rica. Most recently they returned from two workshops in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Rob’s earned a business degree from the University of Texas in Arlington and then worked as a systems engineer and sales rep at IBM for 12 years. Photography has been in his blood since elementary school when his older brother set up a dark room in their home.
He began to seriously pursue photography at the turn of the century and today enjoys sharing his knowledge with aspiring photographers – both amateur and professionals alike. A published author, Rob has earned his Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) and also Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. He is also a Master of Photography (M.Photog.) and a Photographic Craftsman (Cr.Photog.)
Architectural Photography Post Production, from Bland to Beautiful
Presented by Ethan Tweedie
Saturday, October 13
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
After learning exactly how Ethan shoots in his Excursion workshop, the instruction continues in the post production studio. Through extensive frame blending and photo manipulation, Ethan walks you through every step he takes to turn a mediocre photo into an incredibly polished image ready for publication.
We will discuss shooting in RAW, processing in Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK Collection, image storage and organization, exposure histograms, color management and color calibration.
What you should know- It would be great if you attended the Excursion Class, but not necessary. A basic working knowledge of Lightroom and Photoshop would be helpful. We can share the files from the workshop so that you can work along with Ethan as he discusses his workflow.
Meet the Speaker:
Ethan is an Austin based commercial photographer, he photographs some of the World’s most compelling architectural spaces. He specializes in Architectural Photography, Interiors Photography, Hotel and Resort Photography and is a FAA licensed Aerial Photographer.
Ethan’s clients include:
Eric Cohler Design NYC, Barclay Butera Design, Willman Interiors, Four Seasons Hotels, Hilton Hotels, University of Texas at Austin, Hawaiian Airlines and Concierge Auctions
Ethan’s images have been featured in the following publications:
Architectural Digest, American-Architects, Architect Magazine, Forbes Magazine, National Geographic, Discovery, CNN Travel, Hana Hou Magazine (Hawaiian Airlines In-flight Magazine), Old Farmers Almanac, Luxury Home Magazine, Christie’s International Magazine
Ethan was voted the 2013 Photography For Real Estate (PFRE) Photographer of the Year, June 2013 Monthly PFRE Contest and the July 2012 Monthly PFRE Contest Winner. If you are interested in one on one coaching please let Ethan know.
