CapMac Forums

[Alex Suarez]

Next SIG meeting:

On Thursday (July 22nd) we will be covering Lighting Basics. We'll discuss topics such as the four basic portrait lighting styles, how the size of light source affects the image, painting with light, the Inverse Square Law and much more. Even if you don't use off-camera lighting, it's important to get an understanding of it as many of the concepts apply to ambient light. Come armed with your technical questions. We'll get you answers.

Don't miss this event. Do your friends a favor and bring them along on Thursday. Here are the details:

• Next Meeting: Thursday, July 22, 6:30-9:00 PM at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection - Parish Hall
• Address: 2008 Justin Lane
• Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2110+Justin+Lane,+Austin,+TX+78757
Note that the Parish Hall is East of the church building and its parking lot is accessed from Justin Lane. The parking lot entrance is directly across from where Muroc St. intersects Justin Lane.

This event is free and open to the public. Tell your friends. Better yet, bring your friends! Hope to see you there!


Future SIG meetings:

August 26, 2010: Have we got a great one for August! Wildlife biologist and guide, Shaun Powell, will be joining us fresh from the Arctic where he is right now guiding photographer Paul Nicklen on a photo expedition for National Geographic. His topic: "On Assignment with National Geographic in Arctic Svalbard." He'll speak of how the assignment was produced and share some anecdotal stories of the adventures and misadventures along the way, while showing numerous shots taken throughout the shoot, both by Shaun and by Paul Nicklen. Come find out what it's like to be on a Nat Geo assignment in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. Come hear the details of how they risk their lives to get some of the most impressive images imaginable. Mark your calendars for August 26 so you don't miss Shaun Powell's presentation. Below are some pictures of Shaun in action.




Past SIG meetings:

June 24, 2010: featured photographer John Langford speaking on his Box Humana project as well as some of his other work. For Box Humana, John collaborated with more than 70 subjects to capture an impressive collection of images set in the simplest of settings, a plywood box.

Also, John is doing something most people only dream about. He is pulling up roots and beginning an amazing worldwide journey. This is your chance to meet John before he embarks on this grand adventure. After this, you'll only be able to follow his adventures on his blog cosmiccandidcamera.com.


May 27, 2010: featured Glamour and Pinup photographer Mark Duaghn. <== Link not safe for work (NSFW). Mark is exceptionally talented at photographing women and hosts seminars around the world teaching others his knowledge and techniques. Mark has been published in all the fashion magazines including Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue. Mark's fashion background, impeccable lighting and uncanny ability to create powerful images are just some of the reasons you owe it to yourself to learn from Mark. Even if you never intend to shoot glamour or pinup images, you can apply what you learn to people photography of any kind.


April 25, 2010: featured CapMac member and Landscape photographer Craig Gowens discussing compositional techniques and showing example photographs.




March 25, 2010: For March's CapMac Advanced Photography SIG meeting we had a very special guest, world-class sports photographer, Liz Kreutz spoke to our group. Liz is the photographer behind the book Comeback 2.0: Up Close and Personal, a book chronicling Lance Armstrong return to the sport of cycling. Liz has also photographed the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Her work has graced the pages of numerous magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Triathlete, Inside Triathlon, Texas Monthly, and Tour. She has also worked as a freelance photographer for Triathlete Magazine, The Austin-American Statesman, and Carmichael Training Systems.




February 28, 2010: At the CapMac Advanced Photography SIG meeting we discussed Aperture 3. This month, Apple introduced a new, long-anticipated update of its professional photo workflow software, Aperture 3. With over 200 new features, this is a huge leap forward from Aperture 2.

January 28, 2010: The CapMac Advanced Photography SIG meeting featured Pete Holland speaking on Infrared and HDR landscape photography.

December 3, 2009: The CapMac Advanced Photography SIG meeting was a photography critique as well as a photography Q&A session. We discussed the language of critique and participants had their images critiqued.

October 22, 2009: Guest speaker: Photographer Will van Overbeek.

Don't miss an evening with photographer Will van Overbeek. Will consistently brings an incredibly unique and fresh vision to both editorial and commercial photography. With over thirty years of national shooting experience the list of magazines and clients he's worked with is extraordinary. In 2007 Will delighted 13,400 museum goers with his look at the Barton Springs Pool. The show was called "24 Summers of Barton Springs." A collection of his work has been purchased by one of the most prestigious museums in the world. Will is witty and charming. And even though the work speaks for itself Will's stories will rivet you. This Thursday he'll be showing a rich assortment of great work, including: Stories done for National Geographic Traveler, Images from "24 Summers of Barton Springs", Black and white images from his compelling book about the Texas Aggies, Images from his whimsical "Wet Dogs" photo essay and, a scintillating collection of rarely seen personal work. According to photographer, Kirk Tuck, "Will may be the most important artist working in Texas today!"

When you combine his powerful images with Will's engaging story telling you'll have an evening to remember. Be sure to invite friends and students who love photography because this is the real deal. A bonafide photo event.




September 2009:
Guest speaker: Photographer and Author Kirk Tuck.

Kirk Tuck is part zany advertising photographer, part serious writer and part photonic engineer. His assistants bemoan that fact that he rarely shoots the same way twice in a row, even for the same clients, changes camera and lighting systems more often that most people change underwear and absolutely loves figuring out how to light and shoot things differently. His photographer friends credit his success to "dumb luck". Case in point: He decided to shoot a CEO portrait with small battery operated flashes, on location, on a tight deadline. Miraculously it worked. So he wrote a web post about it for David Hobby at Strobist.com. A magazine got wind of the post and asked Tuck to flesh it out into an article which then ran both in print and on the Cygnus Publishing website where the publisher of Amherst Media happened to see it and, impressed with the writing more than the photos, asked Tuck to write a book on the subject (Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography) which hit #19 of all books on Amazon.com which led to immediate contracts for three more books.

His latest boook, Commercial Photography Handbook: Business Techniques for Professional Digital Photographers, has just been released.

We think he's going to talk about the future of the business, where photography is headed, where it's been and maybe tell some funny stories about screwing up work and having a few successes. We don't think he'll be talking about HDRi (which he thinks is the "tube top" of photography) or large format film or microstock (which he is convinced is the work of the devil...). We're pretty sure you'll be either interested, laughing hysterically or really pissed off by the end.

Ask him about photographing highways......and his experience with Snow Leopard.





August 2009:
Guest speaker: Magnum photographer Eli Reed



Eli Reed was born in New Jersey and studied pictorial illustration at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, graduating in 1969. Reed began photographing as a freelancer in 1970. His work from El Salvador, Guatemala and other Central American countries attracted the attention of Magnum in 1982. He was nominated to the agency the following summer, and became a full member in 1988.

In the same year, Reed photographed the effects of poverty on America's children for an NBC film documentary called "Children: Poorest in the Land of Plenty," narrated by Maya Angelou. He went on to work as a stills and specials photographer for major motion pictures. He has worked on many films, for such directors as John Singleton, Robert Townsend, Spike Lee, and Robert Altman. While working in the motion picture industry, he has gained a reputation as one of their best photographers.

His video documentary on Detroit gangs "Getting Out" was shown at the New York Film Festival in 1993 and honored by the 1996 Black Film-makers Hall of Fame International Film and Video Competition in the documentary category. His first book, "Beirut: City of Regrets," was published by Norton. His book, "Black in America" with a forward by Gordon Parks, was also published in 1997 by Norton.

Reed has lectured and taught at the International Center of Photography, Columbia University, New York University, and Harvard University. He currently works as Clinical Professor of Photojournalism at the University of Texas in Austin.

http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.Biography_VPage&AID=2K7O3R133KKJ

http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0007/erintro.htm

June 2009:
Guest speaker: Eric Doggett
Eric is an Austin-based pro photographer with a fresh and unique approach to portraiture and a style all his own. Eric covered a variety of topics including:
- His lighting techniques
- Using video lights and shoe-mounted flashes for painting effects
- Combining multiple shots in PS
- His workflow with Lightroom
- A little bit about marketing on Facebook

May 2009:
Guest speaker: Mark Daughn on glamour/pinup photography
This SIG meeting featured photographer Mark Daughn on glamour and pinup photography. Mark is exceptionally talented at photographing women and hosts seminars around the world teaching others his secrets.

April 2009:
Guest speaker: Jack Hollingsworth on "World Photography"
Jack Hollingsworth presented on "World Photography." World Photography is a mixture of travel, lifestyle, portraiture, landscapes, still-life and architecture. Jack has many inspirational images and stories. He's has been making a living at it for 20+ years.

March 2009:
Guest speaker: Craig K. Gowens on Composition-Way Beyond the ‘Rule of Thirds’.
CapMac member and Landscape photography enthusiast Craig Gowens discussed compositional techniques and showed example photographs.

February 2009:
Guest speaker: Trey Ratcliff on HDR.
Another special treat is that we've scheduled fellow Austinite Trey Ratcliff, (a.k.a. Stuck in Customs) for the February 2009 SIG meeting.

January 2009:
Guest speaker: Michael Sidoric will speaking on Digital Asset Management (DAM).
This will be one to the best DAM presentations you'll see. Michael will give you valuable advice on what to do after you've captured your image on your camera or with your scanner. Don't miss out on this one. Put this on your calendars now for Thursday, January 22, 2009 (6:30-8:30 PM).

November/December 2008:
Topic: Emory Osgood from Apple spoke on Aperture.
This event was sponsored by Precision Camera & Video
Emory tours the nation representing Apple delivering Aperture seminars. Emory spoke to the CapMac Advanced Photography SIG about Apple's powerful photo editing and management software. Everyone who attended this SIG meeting was eligible to receive special discounts on Aperture licenses as well as coupons for substantial discounts on pro Apple hardware.

October 2008:
Topic: Alex Suarez presented on Night and Long Exposure Photography.
For this meeting I presented on the many concerns and consideration when shooting night and long exposure photography.

September 2008:
Topic: Digital workflow and tips on getting your work published
For this SIG meeting we had special guest speaker Mike Murphy who spoke about digital workflow, plus provided some tips on getting your work published. Mike Murphy recently retired as photo editor at Texas Highways, magazine. This was a very well received meeting. The feedback was very positive.

August 2008:
Topic: Outdoor Portraiture
For this meeting we went on location to Bull Creek with professional photographer Greer Evans for an interactive demonstration on outdoor portraiture.

July 2008:
Topic: Lighting Basics
I brought in a variety of lighting gear including reflectors, light modifiers and even a 2400 Watt-second studio pack and three strobe heads. This was an interactive demo. I walked us through demos of various lighting situations and explained the four basic types of portrait lighting.

June 2008:
Topic: Creating Panoramas
Craig Gowens walked us through all the steps involved in creating panoramas. He started with the planning and equipment, then steped us through what's involved in shooting a panorama, and took us to a finished product, including stitching the images together. Craig shot and stitched together a panorama of the audience during the meeting.

May 2008:
Topic: Organizational meeting
The first one was an organizational meeting to determine what the future of this SIG would look like.