Midwest Photography Workshops

Around 1500 BC, Euclid (yes of Geometry fame) wrote a book called The Elements. In it he proposed that the ideal shape of objects was four units wide by three units tall. He believed that everything in life could be made better with mathematics (sculpture, painting, architecture and more). His theory became known as the Golden Mean. We know it now as the rule of thirds. In this theory, there are four "power spots" in which artist will place the main subject matter, but SELDOM in the center of the image. He used a chambered nautilus as his guide. That part of his theory became known as the golden spiral. This staircase in Portugal exemplifies that theory as the handrail becomes a leading line to the main subject matter (not placed in the center) is one third of the distance from the side and one third of the distance from the bottom. Artists have been using this as one of their design examples for hundreds of years to this day.
Nikon D-100 camera, Nikon 17-35mm lens @ 17mm, f/4.0, 1/60 sec. ISO 1600
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I photographed weddings and portraits for fifty of my fifty eight years in photography. I am grateful that I don't need to do that anymore. But I did enjoy sharing my expertise to serve the needs of others. Here is a happy college grad jumping for joy. To photograph her just standing with cap and gown would be boring. Find a way in your photos to make the subject active.
Nikon D3 camera, 85mm lens @ f/8. ISO 200, 1/125 sec with studio lighting. , , photos

In 2007 Linda and I went to Basque del Apache National Wildlife Preserve in southern most New Mexico. It is where over 6,000 Sandhill cranes and 60,000 Snow geese winter. Great Bird photography occurs there! But since it is in the desert, there are Cholla Cactus. I photographed this specimen backlit just before sunset. This cactus blooms from April to June with greenish white to yellow/red flowers.
Nikon D-4 Camera body, Nikon 500mm f/4 lens @ f/5.0. ISO 400, 1/1250 sec. , , ,

Back in the day, when you had to trespass to enter the Michigan Central Train Station; back in the day when the building was a shinning example of "Urban Decay", photographers would go inside and find wonderful backgrounds and environments to make fine art photographs. I love Black and White images much more than color image (usually). So I met a young aspiring model by the name of Tania (Her real name). Walking through the rooms and corridors, we ran across this spray paint graffiti. From the lyrics of a Rolling Stones song "I see a red door and I want it painted black". The graffiti spoke to use so we shot some images there.
Pentax 6x7 Film Camera. Pentax 135mm lens, Kodak T-Max 400 Film. f/8, 1/125 sec.
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2004. Linda and I visited a Fishing village in Venice, La. Most of the shrimp boats were still in the marina. We walked up and down the docks looking for interesting subject matter. We found this man taking a break from washing his boat. He spoke about how poor the fishing was as most fishermen are want to do. Mostly what we saw were some rusty old fishing boats and a couple of characters like this guy.
Nikon D-100 camera, 28mm lens, ISO 200, f/18, 1/60 sec.
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