“I have a bone to pick with you” these are so words that people usually don’t want t
o hear, especially me. The thoughts that ran through my mind were, what have I done now, I couldn’t think of any thing that I had said or done to cause J T to utter those words. J T led me aside and in a low voice he said “You need to shoot tighter, let your subject fill your frame, quit thinking in terms of 8×10″
J T was right and I believe that my photography took a big step forward on November 9th, exactly 3 years after I attended my first SuperShoots event. SuperShoots is an event that helps photographers improve there skill sets. The Treasure Island SuperShoots event was held November 8 & 9th at the Bilmar Beach resort in Treasure Island, Fl. This was my 6th workshop all of them have been Supershoots.
A better title for this blog might be ode to SuperShoots, and while my opinion might be biased, I wanted this first blog to pay tribute to an event which has help to dramatically improve my Photographic Skills.
The events leading up to my first SuperShoots event was a desire to kick start my photography skills. I am not a newbie to using a camera. but my skills were rusty and my confidence was lacking. I grew up with cameras, mostly Kodak brownies, and instamatics. I didn’t graduate to SLR’s until my college years when I studied Journalism. My first job after a hitch with the U.S. Army was at Ft. Benning,GA. the job was a combination portrait photographer and photo journalist, the company I worked for photographed the basic training of recruits, the airborne school and ranger school. That job progressed to working in the school photography, weddings, and portraits. I made a living for 7 years with a camera. Then I stopped, I quit, I went cold turkey and did a 180 degree switch in careers. I became a paramedic, and went to work in EMS. In June 08 I celebrated 16 years in EMS. Thirteen of those EMS years I did not even touch a camera. My desire to try photography again happened in 2005, while out at a bar one night I ran into a Photographer I had known many years ago, the photographer introduced me to his wife as “this is Kenn he use to be one of the best photographers I have known”. The words best and use to, struck a cord and rekindle that desire to try and pick up a camera.
The ember that had started glowing that night continued to glow. I soon started shopping for that new camera, that thing called a DSLR. If I was going to do this, I was going to do it digital. In December of 05 I purchased my first new camera in 13 years a Canon 20D. The journey ,or as I call it chasing the image had begun again. I learned everything I could about the DSLR, I reintroduced myself to f-stops, and shutter speed, etc.. In April of 06 I found a young lady willing to model for me. I went to the storage unit and retrieved my photogenic power packs and lights. I tested the power packs and retested, I was ready, but Murphy had other plans, on the day of the shoot the power packs died not just one but two. Here I was with a model and no lights, so I improvised, I turned on every light and upped the ISO to 800 and went to work. The young lady loved the photographs, but I didn’t. I needed to learn, I needed some re-education.
The path to a SuperShoots event began on the internet, as I searched for educational opportunities in my area. I found one event called Hit The Lodge, it was being held in North Georgia in August. the event was well out of my price range, but the website showed another event in the Tampa bay area. I e-mailed J T Smith about the event and what one might learn at this event. The response that I received convinced me to sign up for my first photography workshop.
It is hard for me to describe a Supershoots experience, the event is not only informative and educational, but I would classify it as photography overload. A person doesn’t recognize everything he learns at this event immediately, it could be weeks down the road. You could be out on a location shooting and an idea comes to you that weeks before you wouldn’t have thought of. The self realization of the idea makes you aware that a mentor had discussed a point of view or a different way to see, that spawned your idea.
The typical SuperShoots event is broken up into two parts mentor education and shooting. The morning hours are the mentoring sessions. On day 1 all of the photographers gather at the appointed site. Introductions are made. The class is then broke down into 4 groups, and the mentors go out with the assigned groups to instruct. Example of this mentoring session is J T Smith, Seeing The Light, J T takes his group out and shows photographers how to see light quality, how to use buildings, sand and even cars as natural reflectors. He is a master of creating beautiful head shots. After about 90 minutes the groups rotate. The second session usually ends 90 minutes later followed by lunch on you own. The afternoon session is devoted to photography. The photographers are divided into groups of 4 and usually assigned 2 or 3 models. They are then allowed to go out and shoot on their own, a mentor is available for questions about posing or how to accomplish an idea that the photographer might have. SuperShoots also has a studio set up for use, and a mentor is also there to instruct in lighting and posing. The photography rotations are 90 minutes in length to try and allow everyone to get a variety of photographs with different models. The last session of the day is usually a sunset shoot. Where photographers learn to blend flash and sunset.
The suggestion that J T made about shooting tighter was correct. The lessons that I know I learned at this event was to try and compose the image you want in your camera. Its not about 8×10′s or 11×14′s etc. When putting a composition with the correct exposure, and pose you can create a dynamic image. The above image is of Elizabeth , It was my very last shot of Sunday night. The details of the image are listed below it, after I captured the image and look at the viewer with Josh, one of the mentors, it was immediately a keeper. Which goes to something that is always stressed at a Supershoots Event, Get it right in the camera, and the less post processing you have to do.
If you think you would be interested in a Supershoot event. You can visit their site at www.supershoots.com, If you like to participate in a great forum of Photographers, I invite you to check out SuperShoots.net.
Keep blogging!