Learning from pro photographers is not always easy.
Sometimes, we've even been accused of being "precious" or "cute", but this does tend to hide or mask the real issues. Most of the professional photographers I work with, (and I have worked with a lot as they grapple with the transition from film to digital) are just very focused individuals. They are not professional verbal communicators, teachers or presenters. They are typically quite intuitive photographers, for whom the technical aspects of using a camera have become second-nature, and their decision making sub-conscious.
What are they good at teaching?
Of course, you can't tar everyone with the same brush, much less make sweeping generalisations, and I have great respect for Australian photographers like Ken Duncan and even Pete Dobré and their willingness to speak about their work, and to not hold back their secrets, but neither of them is a technical trainer - they are communicating a contagious and infectious love for great light, beautiful scenery and nature in all it's glory, and encouraging others to get out and enjoy it, and capture it with what skills they have. Perhaps there are exceptions - I rarely come across them.
As an example an English client of mine was doing a workshop with me in the Flinders Ranges, and following that, a New Zealand workshop (admittedly much longer and more expensive) with another Australian photographer who shall remain nameless. Her priorities were the learning, and then the photography opportunities. Besides telling me that one of the things she learnt with the Flinders Ranges tour, was how important it was to be up before the sun was up (we did have some great light every day on that tour), she also told me two weeks later that she had left the NZ group after a few days because she was sick of being told she should shoot black and white film; she was sick of waiting for people to finish breakfast at 9AM so she could get out shooting; and finally, she was sick of not getting answers to her questions. If you're going on a photography tour, make sure your priorities mesh with the group leader's.
Challenges for burgeoning camera clubs
But Camera Clubs - there seems to me to be a new injection of life into camera clubs as digital cameras become pervasive. This has to be good, even to the die-hard competitive "Fellow" who knows how to create work that will be judged well. The "Fellow's" work will be admired by more, leadership respected, and fellowship enjoyed - I trust. The cost, however, is that the technical issues when slides and prints were being judged have been supplemented with a whole new lot of technical issues. Further, the new questions are being raised. In the past, members who could afford to use pro-labs could have their prints hand-crafted and respectfully created. But they could hide behind the negative and the print. Now, however, the newest member of the club, not only has access to Photoshop or other image editing tools, he or she may well be much more qualified or capable in their use, than the old hand, and thus capable - using different skills, of course, of producing different but in some ways better work, by different means.
The Paradigm Shift
We can get into the trap of forgetting that even with film, the images we capture are at best the camera, film and photographer's created reality - and that, capable of being twisted one way or the other, by lens, by aperture, by perspective, by shutter speed, by film stock, and finally by the printing process - and I am sure I have missed a few.
The New IQ Issues
So, have you noticed that the digital images submitted to your club have technical issues - things like severe noise, over-saturation, chromatic aberation, blown highlights - even whole blown skies where it matters ... these are all the things that I have noticed. I have also noticed that some of these things are being overlooked by the judges who are not used to having these issues, and consequently the learning opportunities are being missed - well, the judges are no more qualified to teach the avoidance of these issues than the contestants.
The transition from film to digital also is somewhat of an issue for many who struggle with obtaining the same tonal range, or who are challenged to get the same sharpness despite having spent mobs of money on glass.
So let's summarise some of the common issues that I see that could be easily avoided with just a little education (and add some abridged comments that will help improve the situation):
- Blown highlights - where it matters ... learn to use your camera's histogram and exposure compensation and careful image adjustment
- Clipped shadows that detract from the image where shadow detail makes for nicer tones ... avoid high in-camera contrast settings, and heavy-handed contrast adjustments
- Noise - sometimes horrid noise ... avoid high ISO settings, particularly in compact digital cameras, but also, edit carefully, and try to use 16-bit TIFF or RAW where possible (and learn about JPEG compression artifacts)
- Extreme saturation and noise ... typically from over-editing - in one word "don't"
- Prints with colour shifts ... buy an inexpensive colorimeter and calibrate often - it is easy, it is cheap, and you can achieve what you see is what you print colour reproduction
What do we teach?
These are all things that can be covered in a Vivid Adventures Photography Workshop or Workshops. These could be in the club calendar, or just organised by interested members. You will be surprised how inexpensive these workshops can be. Emerald (Queensland) Camera Club had a workshop for just six that worked out to be very affordable by planning ahead and scheduling the workshop when we were in the area.
Contact Us and let's discuss the next opportunity you could take advantage of.
We are also pleased to present on adventure photography, our tours, workshops, RAW workflow, Photoshop, scanning transparencies, ... even image quality! Well, actually there is a very long list of things we would be pleased to present on, so don't hesitate to ask for us to put your program in ours.
Make your club a learning place
And if you don't have the opportunity to have a workshop with us, I implore you to work with your club committee to ensure that the program for the year includes education on some of the key issues from people willing to share their real knowledge and skill.
