Seascape Workshop

Next workshop scheduled for February 11th and 12th 2012.

I’ve had a number of photographers enquire about some instruction on how I capture and post produce seascape images.  While I have done the odd private lesson here and there, I’ve decided to offer a more structured workshop for anybody that is interested.  So if you are interested in taking your seascapes to the next level, this will give you an intense 1 day workshop that will cover equipment, the capture and the entire workflow process in great detail.

Workshop Schedule

Optional Beginners Session: Photography 101 Saturday from 1PM – 2PM

This is a new session that I have put on specifically aimed at beginners.  The old hands don’t need to attend this hour of the course, it will focus on a lot of the photographic essentials such as:

• Exposure: How aperture, ISO and shutterspeed work in combination
• Depth of field: What impacts it and how to control it
• Understanding Lens Focal length: How different focal lengths impact your composition etc.

Session 1: Theory Saturday from 2:30pm – 6:00pm

In this first session we’ll lay the foundations for the course including reviewing course notes, and running through equipment preparation for the first practical shoot. I will show you the techniques I use to capture my seascape images in a special way based on how I process them later on. In addition we will cover:

• Equipment for seascape photography (filters, cable releases, misc gear)
• Researching and scouting your sites (Research tools, tides, swell, sun/moon etc.)
• Preparing your camera settings (aperture, shutter, ISO, focus, lens)
• Seascape photography methods including
  • Bracketing
  • Tricks to capturing water
  • Shooting to blend
  • Composition
  • Visualising your image while shooting
  • How and when to use different filters
  • Shutter blending
• Shooting Panoramas

Session 2 Dusk shoot Saturday from 6:30pm – 8:30pm

This second session will be on location at one of the gorgeous beaches around Sydney (location will be chosen based on weather and surf conditions). We will all go out and shoot a dusk scene as the light fades.

Session 3: Sunrise Shoot Sunday from 5:00am – 6:30am

A bright and early start for day 2. We will meet at another of Sydney’s stunning beaches and put the theory into practice a second time shooting a sunrise. You will get to apply all of your learning in the field in a group workshop environment

Session 4: Seascape workflow Sunday from 7:00am – 1:30pm

After capturing the sunrise, we will have a lovely cooked breakfast in an outdoor cafe and move into the post processing hands-on sessions where you will process a couple of your shots from the two practical sessions.  You will be split into pairs and each pair will have their own computer to work with.   I will teach you all aspects of my post-processing workflow including:

• File management
• Image review and prioritisation
• Colour management
• Optimising your RAW conversion
• Photoshop workflow
  • Preparing your image
  • Working with layers and masks
  • Blending image
  • Stitching Panoramas
  • Colour balancing images
  • Global adjustments
  • Some recommended plug-ins for Photoshop
  • Local adjustments
  • Cool seascape techniques for optimising your images
  • Preparing for output
• Printing, Matting & Presentation

To book your place please send an email to brentbat@gmail.com

Testimonials

When I came across Brent’s blog I was amazed by the stunning images and his generosity in passing on his techniques for everyone to share. I had to contact Brent and thank him for the inspiration he gave me to move forward in my photography. After a one-on-one lesson with Brent my photography has progressed in leaps and bounds.
For me the best money I have spent.
This guy is the real deal and up there with the best!!

Colin Bates
http://www.flickr.com/photos/c_bates/