Urban Night Photography

Urban Night
Photography with John Douglass Callow
 
July 17 through 20th 2008
 
Cost: 350.00 Including Lab and material fees

 

Photographs from this Workshop will be used To benefit the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) through SNAP!

With Toronto, one of North America's most beautiful cities as the subject, Mr. Callow escorts his charges from understanding the subject and all the attendant photographic requirements, through the city's streets, alleys and pathways, and finally to the creation of an intelligently thought out print, series or portfolio.

This workshop will help establish an understanding of the beauty of night under manmade light with the intent of making all night time photographic pursuits far more fulfilling.

John will teach the student how different photographic materials and techniques influence the rendering of a given scene and how this impacts the emotive value of the print.

Consistent methods for metering, and exposing will be covered throughout the workshop, so that the photographer can have greater confidence in his or her mechanical technique. Thus freeing the photographer to apply greater focus on creating and composing photographs.

More than any one thing this workshop will try to either place the photographer onto a path of 'seeing' or help move them further down the path they are on. Where path is a euphemism for life long learning and seeing is the building of a visual vocabulary that the student will access and grow innately.

The workshop follows a cyclical pattern of lecture, shoot, review and repeat. The first cycle begins on Thursday evening where the group is given a lecture on the fundamentals followed by an outing on the streets of Toronto. The film or digital capture will be processed and proofed Friday morning and reviewed by the class during that evening's meeting. This cycle continues through to Sunday when the group will meet in the afternoon for a final review and critique followed by a barbecue and an optional final night of photography.

The workshop price includes film processing, digital contact prints, 3 matted 8x10 prints, Jason Brunner's coil bound, 105pg Exposure Record, transportation costs within the city during the photography sessions and food on Sunday. In addition, all photographers will have the opportunity to have their work used to benefit one of Toronto's great charitable organizations.

Helping the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) through SNAP!

Framed and matted 20" x 30" photographs from this workshop will be included in an auction to benefit ACT in October this year. The auction will be sponsored by Elevator and supported by SNAP! and ACT. SNAP! is a photographic fundraiser created by ACT with the proceeds going directly to help deliver free programs and services to people living with, affected by, and or at risk for HIV/AIDS. In addition, SNAP! hosts one of the biggest and most lively photo based art auctions in the country.

The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) delivers responsive, effective, and valued community-based HIV support services and education, prevention, outreach and fundraising programs that promote the health, well-being, worth and rights of individuals and communities living with, affected by and at risk for HIV/AIDS.

Schedule

Thursday 17 July

• 6:00pm: Lecture at Elevator on how to shoot at night and why.
• 9:00pm Photographing Toronto Hotel and Business district (Younge Street)

Friday 18 July

• 6:00pm: Critique and Technique Review at Elevator
• The first review will focus on identifying the myriad of issues that can arise when shooting at night, correcting individual errors, firming up good techniques and identifying higher ground.
• 9:00pm The night will begin in one of Toronto's two China Towns.

Saturday 19 July

• 1:00pm: Colour Darkroom Primer at Elevator
• 3:00pm: Digital Workflow Primer
• 5:00pm - 6:00pm: Dinner Break
• 6:00pm: Critique and discussion of advanced techniques
• The Second review will be used to iron out any remaining problems with the fundamentals and discuss ways to develop visual goals and achieve those goals.
• 9:00pm: TBA

Sunday 20 July

• 3:00pm: Final Review and discussion of future steps at Elevator
• Following the final review there will be a discussion on where to go next and how to take what was learned and use it to provide continual improvement long after the end of the workshop.
• 5:00pm: Barbecue
• 8:00pm: optional final night of shooting.

Requirements

Each photographer will need to bring the following:

• Camera that can be operated in manual mode, with either a 'B' (bulb) or 'T' (time) exposure setting. Digital Cameras do not need to have 'B' or 'T' setting, but should have good exposure and white balance control. If you are not sure that your camera has this capability email us at info@elevatorworkshops.com.
• A sturdy Tripod
• Film (if not shooting Digital)
  It is highly recommended that the photographers use 24 exposure 35mm, or 120 (opposed to 220) medium format and that sheet film and slide be avoided. Longer rolls will result in wasted film and E6/slide film as well as sheet film may not be processed quickly enough to meet the tight time constraints of the workshop. Everything learned in this workshop can be applied to slide/E6 materials and sheet film with some small adjustments that will be covered. Photographers are encouraged to notify us in advance as to what film they are interested in using so that we can be better prepared to advise with regard to exposure and to dissuade choices that are not suitable for urban night photography.
• Rain gear (water proof outer clothing and umbrellas) if it should rain. Rain soaked streets make for excellent night shots.

Who should Attend

This workshop is built around John's's way of approaching the subject of night photography. It stresses sound fundamentals and places equal if not greater importance on content and visual direction. The combination makes this workshop suitable to novices who wish to compress the learning curve, and reduce the mistakes. It is also suitable for more advanced photographers whose desire is to add to their skill set, and get a different perspective on a popular subject. At its most successful this workshop will help photographers of every skill and experience level to recognize connotative and subjective elements that help make a photograph emotive and or moving.