Zooming in on the Zone System Some 75 years ago, Ansel Adams and Fred Archer devised a simple (to them, anyway) method for analyzing the various brightness levels of a scene and using that information to anticipate and manage the way those brightness levels would appear in the final print. They called it the Zone…
Exposing Exposure
Exposing Exposure One of the few absolutes in photography is exposure. If you blow out your highlights or lose your shadow detail, you won’t have the raw material necessary to play with and interpret your images in post-processing or in the darkroom. If you take too long to figure your exposure, your scene may have…
Introduction to Selective Masking
Introduction to Selective Masking An effective and compelling silver print is all about tonal quality and nuance. Sometimes the smallest tweak on the smallest element in your image can have an enormous impact on your final result. All too often, though, achieving that small tweak can be difficult or near-impossible with traditional darkroom printing methods,…
Visualization: Where an Expressive Image Begins
Visualization: Where an Expressive Image Begins In April 1927, a 25-year-old Ansel Adams trekked up to the “diving board” on the west shoulder of Half Dome in Yosemite. He made a dramatic image of the monolith using a mild yellow filter to darken the sky a bit..a generally accepted practice in those days. But what…
Post Processing: Small Tweaks for Big Results
Post Processing: Small Tweaks for Big Results Getting the most out of your images doesn’t necessarily means hours in front of the computer. More often than not, a series of small tweaks and adjustments that take 30 minutes or less can make the difference between “ho hum” and “wow.” Using both his own and participant…
The Magic of Black and White
The Magic of Black-and-White Working in black-and-white can be extremely liberating, both artistically and photographically. By its very nature, black-and-white is an abstraction of reality, giving the photographer an incredibly free hand in interpreting shapes, colors, textures and relationships in a scene. Join Alan for this information-packed small group workshop and discover the magic of…
Online Workshops
In-person workshops are great, but sometimes just not possible due to timing, finances, or work obligations. That doesn’t mean your photography learning has to come to a standstill, or that you can’t experience the energy and enthusiasm that comes from spending time with others who share your passion for photography. Thanks to Zoom and other…
Videos
To view more of Alan’s videos, visit his YouTube channel.
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Santa Fe – October 2019
An Immersive Photographic & Cultural Experience October 19 – 25, 2019 Santa Fe is affectionately known as “The City Different” by locals and visitors alike. Its history, culture, art, cuisine and landscape are like no other, making it a one-of-a-kind destination with an almost magical appeal. Join renowned photographers Robert Bullivant and Alan Ross for…