PhotographyWorkshops.ca

Open House Demonstration this Saturday!

2012-01-18T22:30:00.000-05:00

Open House at the studio this Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 10:00am to 2:00pm to demonstrate the industry leading Epson Stylus Pro 4900 Ultrachrome HDR Printer. We'll have printing demonstration as well as samples from a variety of photographic and fine art papers to see and feel, including my favourite, the Epson Cold Press Natural Signature Worthy Fine Art Paper.

Drop on in if you have a chance!

What about you?

2011-04-18T19:44:00.000-04:00

This d^#n weather is totally depressing. I'm chompin at the bit for some nice weather to get out shooting again when you don't have to run to the vehicle every 15 minutes to warm up. Don't get me wrong... I love winter photography.. but this transition from winter to spring doesn't inspire me much.

But, it's time to get fired up and start thinking about the warm weather ahead, dust of those cameras and lenses, recharge the batteries from the photos you took at Christmas, clear off the memory cards and get out shooting!

I've got my new Epson 4900 printer on order and hopefully it will be in by the end of the month. This has got me more excited about photography than anything else in the last few years. To get ready for it, I started printing out some images on my old 1280 and was actually quite impressed with the quality. The 4900 is going to blow it away though - from what I've heard - and I can't wait.

Digital photography, in a way, has made us lazy. Looking at the images on screen, for many, is good enough. But when I saw some of my images coming out of the printer, it brought memories of images appearing in the tray of developer in my darkroom. The magic was there again!

This year I'm going to take my photography to a whole new level.

What about you?

New Seminars Added for 2011

2010-12-14T23:08:00.000-05:00

Well, Christmas is just around the corner and shortly after that is New Years, so time to start scheduling some seminars and workshops for 2011. We've got some basic seminars going on; Camera Orientation for those that are getting a new camera for Christmas; Essentials of Digital Photography to know what to do with that camera; Getting to Know Lightroom to help you after you've taken all those wonderful images, and to round off February, the Winter Wonderland Outdoor Photography Workshop.

For more information or to sign up for these sessions, please visit our website.

New home for PhotographyWorkshops.ca

2010-11-21T22:40:00.002-05:00

We are very happy and excited to announce that we have moved (mostly) in to our new location at 4 Queen Street West in the Town of Elmvale, Ontario.

All future workshops will be run from this location. In-class session will be held in the studio and outdoor workshops will start here.

The studio is in the left (west) half of the building beside the CoffeeTime which is on the corner of Hwy 26 and 92, aka Queen St. West and Yonge St., in Elmvale. Those familiar with Elmvale will recognize it as the old Campbell's Pro Hardware building. It's been totally renovated and updated by Advantage Homes (who use the right (east) half of the building.

Plenty of free parking on the street, across the street, or behind the building.

Further note that the mailing address is P.O. Box 3086, Elmvale, Ontario L0L 1P0 and the new phone number is 705-322-2223.

We'll be closed this week for setting up and scheduled to be fully operational again on December 1, 2010.

Oh.. and if you're using a GPS to find us, you may need to try entering "Springwater" rather than Elmvale as we're in Springwater Township.

Feel free to drop in anytime for a tour - but you may want to call ahead just to make sure I'm in.

Cheers!

November 20, 2010 Essentials of Digital Photography Seminar

2010-10-28T07:01:00.000-04:00

I had quite a few people interested in this seminar for October 23rd, but filled up quite quickly. A few of you were added to the cancellation list, but alas, no cancellations (there usually isn't for this seminar). So, I've added another date for this popular seminar, NOVEMBER 20, 2010. Just in time to take control of your photography for the holiday season.

You can find more information and the sign up link here.

Hope you can make it!

What is HDR?

2010-08-01T19:32:00.000-04:00

HDR is a method to record the tonal range of an image when one exposure can't cope with the range and record details in both the highlights and shadows, such as this:

Notice the dark shadows and the burned out highlights with no detail at all. The bright spot through the roots and the bright rock on the right are very distracting.

To get detail in both the shadows and highlights into one image, we first have to create a series of images, recording detail in subsequent shots.

For this image below, I photographed 7 separate images at one stop intervals. The darkest one retained all the highlight details and the brightest one, the details in the shadows.

By merging these 7 images in software such as Photomatix, we can create one single image with all the detail:

Some people don't like - some love it. Sometimes it can be taken a little too far and other times you can't tell it's been done. Sometimes I like both - sometimes not.

I tried to keep this image as realistic as possible - but it's a little overdone for my liking. However, it does reveal detail in every tone and if you didn't see the original - you may not realize it's HDR. Those that know will pick it out right away.

I don't love, or hate, HDR. It's another tool in the darkroom that I'll sometimes use.

Cheers,

Brebeuf Island Photography Workshop

2010-07-14T21:16:00.002-04:00

What a great day for the 2010 Georgian Bay Islands Photography Workshop! Hot - but very enjoyable.

I titled this post the Brebeuf Island workshop since we spent the whole time on this one amazing island right up to sunset. We voted to go to another nearby island or stay put - and no one wanted to give up shooting time to move from island to island.. so we stayed at Brebeuf for the duration.

The Canadian Coast Guard now occupy the island and use the lighthouse as a base to patrol and service the waters of Georgian Bay. We received permission ahead of time to dock our boat and 'occupy' the island for the afternoon.

The high-light of the island of course is the lighthouse. It's been about 30 years since I've last visited the island and it really hasn't changed. The vantage point that I used last time to photograph the lighthouse is no longer available - over-grown and a new Coast Guard building - but there were many other angles to photograph this landmark. This is one of my favourites.

I'd like to thank (pictured below) Vytas, Sali, Cynthia, (Me) and Celso for coming out and a special thank you to Paul Howard, our captain, cook and (literally) bottle washer! What a great host.

Along with the lighthouse are endless configurations of rock formations, wind-swept pines, grasses and of course the waters of Georgian Bay washing up all around the island. The water was very refreshing and I dipped my hat several times to place it on my head wet in an attempt to cool down. It worked.

Although there were great colours to work with, after the sun set, the tones that were available also made for great B&W photography.

We're already planning for next year's workshop. Check back for dates on that, as well as other workshops planned throughout the year.

Thanks again everyone for an amazing day of photography!

Mike

2010 Spring Workshop Summary

2010-05-12T23:33:00.002-04:00

Rain, cold, grey... what a great day for photography!!

Yes, it rained almost all day, but the weather provided some great opportunities for creative photography. Starting from the Penetang Town Dock, we headed east and made a quick stop at Midland's Wye River wharf (near St. Marie Among-the-Hurons) and then on to the small town of Coldwater. You'd miss this place if you travel the 400 hwy - you have to get off the beaten path! Then heading up Upper Big Chute Road we caught some great river scenery before arriving at Big Chute itself. The wet rock made it quite treacherous for getting around, but even the view from the Chute's stairway offered us plenty of photographic opportunities.
Being a portrait photographer, I got quite excited as we wound our way back to Coldwater and stopped at a very small, non-descript museum - at least from the outside. We were fortunate enough to arrive while the blacksmith was working on some pieces (actually, they were rods to hold a display of quilts) in the old blacksmith shop with a hand powered forge and classic smithy's anvil. This guy was amazing - and obviously knew what he was doing. This is one of my favourite images from that series.

Thanks to John, Paula and Vern for braving the weather. I hope you got something out of the day - at least something more than getting wet! :)

Cheers,

2010-04-07T22:59:00.002-04:00

I found a great way to keep in touch with friends, family and customers. I've been wanting to print some greeting cards to do this, but the minimum orders are huge, I can only use one photo (or one collage of photos) per card and they can't be individually customized. That's where SendOutCards came in. They allow me to choose from thousands of Greeting Cards or I can create my own with my own images! I can send one card out at a time, or to multiple recipients. And each card can be customized including my own hand-writing!

I liked the system so much, I bought the company!! Nah.. just kidding - but always wanted to say that. So instead, I've become a Distributor and now not only can I use the system (all online by-the-way and very easy to use) but I can sign people up to do the same - AND - YOU can earn some extra money too!

Check them out at SendOutCards.com. You can sign up directly using my Distributor (ID) number, 99639, or if you'd like more information or to try a free card, please contact me directly.

Cheers!

WALK for KIDS HELP PHONE, MAY 2, 2010

2010-04-06T14:51:00.001-04:00

Today I'm proud to participate in a very worthwhile cause, the Walk for Kid's Help Phone taking place on May 2nd, 2010 all across Canada, including right here in Barrie.

As part of the event, there will be the "Guns & Hoses" Challenge featuring the men and women that serve our community in so many ways. This photo is the first group that we photographed - the Barrie Police Service - featuring the Police Chief himself along with four of his posse. Visit again to see who else is taking up the challenge!

Click here for more information or to get involved with the Walk for Kids Help Phone.

Southern Shores of Georgian Bay Workshop

2010-04-01T22:12:00.003-04:00

This popular workshop has been scheduled for July 17, 2010. For more information or to register for the workshop, please visit the website.

2010 Georgian Bay Islands Photography Workshop

2010-03-05T15:08:00.004-05:00

We have an official date now for the 2010 GBI workshop:

Sunday, July 11th, 2010.

Again we're limited to 4 participants so it's going to fill up fast.

Click here for the direct link.

Hope you can make it!

New Workshops Added for 2010

2010-03-03T22:48:00.002-05:00

I've added two more workshops to the Spring/Summer Schedule. The first is an early morning (well, not TOO early!) workshop starting at 7:00am from the Penetanguishene Town Dock to take advantage of the sweet morning light.

The second workshop is another new one, the Dusk & Dawn workshop. We'll start in the evening to capture the Golden light (weather permitting of course) of sunset and then up at the crack of dawn the next day for the morning light.

For more information, please visit the website. And remember, if you book before June 1st, you can avoid the HST!!

Winter Wonderland 2010

2010-02-07T23:04:00.002-05:00

Man it was COLD! At least when we started out that morning. When the wind died down it wasn't bad - but oh, so bitter when it blew.

What a great day for photography though. Bright sun, vibrant blue sky and plenty of opportunity for great images. With the sun so bright, the snow so white and shooting mid-day, we had lots of contrast to contend with but by thinking differently, exposing for the high-lights and even including the sun in our picture frame we came up with some amazing shots.

I'd like to thank Celso, Lisa, Kelly and Rob for braving the cold and coming out to the workshop. I hope you guys picked up some tips, learned a little, or at least had some fun despite the cold. I look forward to seeing your images on our flickr group.

Cheers y'all,

Mike

New Workshops Added for 2010

2009-12-17T20:48:00.003-05:00

Tis the Season! Time to start setting dates for the 2010 photography workshops... at least the first few. I've established the date for the Winter Wonderland workshop and added a new workshop for 2010, a combination photography/Lightroom processing workshop. Check out the website for more information and registration.

Gift Certificates Now Available!

2009-12-08T19:15:00.003-05:00

Tis the Season! Everyone else has 'em so why not PhotographyWorkshops.ca eh!

We've added a Gift Certificate page to the website where anyone may purchase a registration for one of the regular outdoor photography workshops offered throughout the year. These are the workshops such as the recent Deserted Beaches, the upcoming Winter Wonderland, Spring Rejuvenation, Summer or Fall Series workshops. Specialized workshops such as the Georgian Bay Islands are not included I'm afraid.

A Workshop Gift Certificate makes a great gift for anyone receiving a camera for Christmas, Hanukkah, a Birthday or any other event throughout the year. In addition to family, we've sold them in the past as gifts for someone at the office (everyone chips in to purchase the gift as a thank you, retirement, promotion, etc.), as part of an award, and as an auction item.

For information and to purchase a Gift Certificate, please visit the website or click here!

Merry Christmas and all the best of the Season to everyone.

Mike

2009 Deserted Beaches of Wasaga Photography Workshop

2009-12-05T22:25:00.005-05:00

Many thanks to Jason, Jonathan, Jason and Helen for braving the bitter cold of December winds coming off Georgian Bay, for the Deserted Beaches of Wasaga workshop. We started in Wasaga Beach itself, along the boardwalk with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of 'still-life' images available at our feet. From shells, wood and stone captured in the frozen and drifted sands to the gulls, a hawk and even a few brave ladybugs (that Helen found) there was plenty of opportunity for some interesting photography.

The next beach was totally different. Rocky, wind-blown trees and shrub,s and we found a little ice to work with. Hard to walk on this terrain, but again, plenty of opportunities. The next location is one of my favourite for photographing rock and ice in the winter - but we haven't had much of a winter yet (not that I mind) so decided to head north to a familiar location for many workshop participants - the infamous Rock Beach! And once again, no disappointment here. The waves were awesome even if the sunset kinda fizzled. Still got some colour to work with in the sky and rock too. It was a choice of long telephoto or wide angle shooting - not much in the normal range.

Thanks again everyone for another successful workshop. I look forward to seeing some of your images in our Flickr Group.

Cheers,

2nd Deserted Beaches Workshop Added

2009-11-10T22:27:00.002-05:00

The first Deserted Beaches workshop has filled up for December 5th so I've added a second workshop on December 12th just in case anyone is interested. If you're wanting to take a break from Christmas shopping, the malls, Christmas music and/or relatives, here's a great opportunity to get away for a day and indulge in some 'cool' photography. Dress warmly - it gets cold at the beach in December!

More information, as always, on the website.

Cheers

Autumn Equinox Workshop

2009-09-01T22:29:00.003-04:00

The demand for the Fall Colour workshops has been so great that I've added a new workshop on September 26th. At first I thought this may be too early for fall colour, but we're starting to see some changes already so it may be pretty good by the 26th. I'm not officially calling this a Fall Colour workshop, but it is after the Autumn Equinox (September 22nd this year) so it is 'officially' the fall.

But anyway, you can check out the details and sign up here.

Cheers,

2009 Deserted Beaches of Wasaga Workshop

2009-08-28T06:55:00.004-04:00

The 2009 Edition of the Deserted Beaches workshop has been scheduled for December 5th. Although not our most popular workshop (I think it's the temperature that deters people from coming out) it's one of my favourites. The ice formation on the rocks, the colour of the water (assuming it's not frozen over yet) and the possibility of a storm approaching over the water make for exciting photographic opportunities and great images.

Check out the Workshop Galleries for images from previous Deserted Beaches workshops.

Georgian Bay Islands Workshop

2009-07-20T19:59:00.003-04:00

It could've been a little bit warmer, but the rain held off and we had some amazing clouds to work with for our workshop. First off though, I'd like to thank Paul Howard for Captaining his boat, the Over-Exposed, and treating us all like royalty, shuttling back and forth to the islands and cooking a great home-made hamburger feast.

We arrived at the Gin Rocks mid-afternoon and started on the outer island. Although quite small and barren, there was no lack of opportunities for some great images. The shades, lines and colours in rock were simply amazing. After a couple of hours we were shuttled over to the larger of the two islands, but not before LeAnn spotted a humongous black Rattle Snake on the way to the boat. I went running up to see the monster - but it turned out to be a really cute, about 14" long Water Snake. It allowed me to take it's picture and then slithered off into the bush.

There was so much to photograph on the next island - absolutely amazing! The rocks, formations, waves, trees, everything about this island is photogenic. We spent a little time getting to know our way around but it was getting close to dinner so decided to take a break. During dinner we discussed the choice of either heading over to Brebeuf Island and the lighthouse, or stay at Gin Rocks for the sunset. It was unanimous and we choose to stay. Better opportunity if the sunset would cooperate.

Unfortunately, the clouds disappeared and sky turned clear which leaves for a less than spectacular sunset, but the colours on the rocks before the sun dipped below the horizon was still incredibly beautiful. We managed to get some amazing images in the short time before it was time to board the boat and head back for Penetanguishene Bay. By the time we got back, all were exhausted, but smiling. Seeing some of the images the group shot, it's not wonder at all.

Thanks again to Paul, and to Al, Leony, LeAnn and Ramesh for attending.

Take care...

2009 Worldwide PhotoWalk

2009-07-20T19:44:00.004-04:00

What a great day! We had quite a good turnout for the PhotoWalk - about 25 or so participants with many of the group coming from as far away as Guelph and Waterloo as well as several from Toronto/Somewhere (you know who I'm talking about). I'd like to thank all that participated and I look forward to seeing some of your work from the event. Don't forget to send in TWO images for the contest and possibility of some prizes!

All in all, I believe the final count of photographers was over 32,000 in over 900 cities around the world. Quite an amazing feat, thanks to the efforts of Scott Kelby. For more information about the walk, please visit the Worldwide PhotoWalk website.

The fine young man in the photo wasn't one of our walkers, but he did stop for a quick hello and smile for the camera.

Thanks again everyone... hope to see you all again (and maybe a few more) next year!

Cheers

More Workshops Scheduled for 2009

2009-06-22T00:03:00.002-04:00

We've added a few more workshops to the 2009 schedule. On July 24th and 25th we'll be having a Dusk & Dawn workshop, starting on the Friday evening to capture the 'Golden Light' just before sunset (and weather permitting, sunset as well) and then pick it up in the morning again at sunrise. More information and a link to accommodations in Midland can be found on the www.PhotographyWorkshops.ca website.

We've also set the dates for the ever popular Fall Colour Photography Workshops - October 3rd and 10th. I realize that October 10th is Thanksgiving weekend, but this was the peak of colour in this area last year and I don't want to take the chance of missing it. Book early - these both fill up fast!

Cheers,

Scott Kelby's 2nd Annual Worldwide Photo Walk

2009-06-03T22:01:00.003-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything - just been busy. But I've got some great news and need to post this right away!

I've been accepted as a Walk Leader for Scott Kelby's 2nd Annual Worldwide Photo Walk on July 18, 2009. Although my studio is in Barrie, I'll be leading the walk in Midland, starting (and ending) at the Midland Town Dock at 1:00pm. The walk is scheduled for two hours with a get-together afterwards, probably at Scully's Crab Shack at the dock. For more information and to sign up, visit:

WorldwidePhotoWalk.com

Everyone is welcome (up to 50) and it's FREE!! Hope to see you there!

Mike

April 25th Spring Workshop Summary

2009-04-26T09:36:00.002-04:00

A big thanks to Al, Albert and Celso for coming out to yesterday's Spring Workshop. It was a bit of a drive, but we made a bee-line for Owen Sound to capture the flow of Inglis Falls. We weren't disappointed. The flow was the best I've seen there in over 10 years.

Although it was supposed to rain most of the day (my kind of workshop!), we had sun at the falls for a while so it was challenge to get the correct exposure for the sunlit falls and the dark roots and rocks in the foreground. I'm looking forward to seeing some of Celso HDR work here.

The woods surrounding the falls were also filled with photographic opportunities and we spent quite a bit of time there too.

It was clouding over and I could tell a storm was approaching so we headed back towards Collingwood to stop along the shores of Georgian Bay near Craigleith to hopefully catch a bit of the storm over the water. We weren't disappointed and we all instinctively knew when it was over and had to run for cover in the van.

Thanks again guys for a great outing. Looking forward to see your 'stuff'!

Winding Down Winter Workshop Summary

2009-04-01T23:50:00.003-04:00

What an amazing day! Thanks to Albert and Celso for attending the Winding Down Winter Workshop (sponsored by Nikon-Digital.ca). Matt and Elizabeth, really wish you were here too and sorry you couldn't make it.
On our way to some of the last remaining snow, we stopped at the Coldwater Mill. It's been favourite location of mine for years, probably close to 30, and a few years ago it was bought and restored after closing in 1994. That's right. It was still a working mill up until 1994. Cool eh! I'll be going back there in the next few months to photograph the entire site, interior and exterior. It's a fascinating heritage building.
After the mill we wound our way up towards Big Chute, stopping at the Severn River and photographing the remaining ice flowing in the currents. Then headed on back to the studio to download our images and discuss the day's shoot.

New Wedding Workshop

2009-03-13T09:29:00.003-04:00

By popular demand I've added a new wedding photography workshop on photographing the Bridal Portrait. Follow the link for more information.

Newest Gadget - Hoodman LCD Loupe!

2009-03-06T22:30:00.008-05:00

I saw this gadget on a workshop last year. One of my students had one and I instantly fell in love with it and had to have one. It's the Hoodman LCD Screen Loupe! The problem was that it was only good for up to a 2.75" LCD screen (on the back of the camera) and I had just upgraded to the D300 with a 3" screen... so I held off.

But now, Hoodman has brought out the Hoodman SLR LCD Screen Loupe 3 to accommodate the 3" screen. As soon as I saw this I checked the Henry's website and sure enough, there it was. I called my local store and had them set it aside and within the hour, had it in my hot hands.

This is one of those gadgets that you think you don't need, but once you have it, wonder how you did without it. The rubber 'cup' covers the LCD screen of my D300 (or any other LCD screen up to 3") perfectly and the built-in diopter allows me to focus it to my eye-sight (wearing glasses). Now, no matter what the conditions, I can see my LCD clearly - even in bright sunlight!

It comes with a carry case as well as the lanyard with a quick release mechanism so you can detach it for someone else to use (and they all want to use it!). And personally, I think wearing it around my neck definitely makes me look more professional. ;)

Highly recommended accessory for under $100.
Website: www.HoodmanUSA.com

Cheers

Transform - by Zack Arias

2009-02-19T02:16:00.007-05:00

The comments from this short video are beyond words. Inspirational and a must see for any photographer. It was originally posted by Zack on Scott Kelby's blog but I had to post it here for easy access to view again and again - whenever I need it.

Midland Camera Club

2009-02-03T17:39:00.004-05:00

I'm very pleased to have been asked by the Midland Camera Club to speak this coming Thursday evening on Photographing Architecture & Structures. This will take place on February 5th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre (behind the Midland Curling Rink). The meeting is open to the public and you can find details at the Midland Camera Club website: http://www.midlandcameraclub.com/

One Month Left Before Wedding Seminar

2009-02-03T17:35:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that there's only one month left to register for the Introduction to Professional Wedding Photography Seminar on March 7th (2009). Check out the PhotographyWorkshops.ca website for more information.

2009 Spring Rejuvenation Workshops posted.

2008-12-15T20:25:00.004-05:00

Winter's just getting going but I'm already looking forward towards spring.

Our Spring workshops last year were a great success so we're offering two dates again this year. The first is April 25th and the second is May 2nd. Last year, these Saturdays were perfect for spring shooting. We didn't have many wildflowers, but the buds were on the trees and bushes, there was green grass coming up all over through the brown, matted-down old grass of winter, the rivers were full - and the black-flies were not bad at all. Hopefully, this spring will be just as good.

You can register online, as usual, and just pick which day you're interested in.

March 28, 2009 - Nikon-Digital.ca Exclusive!

2008-12-15T19:58:00.003-05:00

We've partnered up with Nikon-Digital.ca Forums for an exciting Workshop/Lunch/Discussion and the first Ontario N-D.ca Meet & Greet all happening on March 28, 2009 at PhotographyWorkshops.ca.

We're calling it the Winding-Down Winter Workshop and it's open to any member of the Nikon-Digital.ca forum. It costs nothing to join, and you receive a discount on the workshop registration. For more information and a link to the registration page, you have to go through the Nikon-Digital.ca forum. Look under the Ontario regional section, or the PhotographyWorkshops.ca section at the bottom of the forum page - or just click here!

February 28, 2009 - Principles of Composition Seminar

2008-12-15T19:51:00.003-05:00

We already have our New Camera Orientation and the Essential Photography Basics seminars scheduled for January of 2009. So as a natural progression from those, we've added the Principles of Composition seminar for February 28th. This is a good seminar to attend no matter what 'technical' skill level you are at. If you're having trouble creating WOW in your photographs, composition could be the key. Register online here.

2008 Deserted Beaches of Wasaga Workshop

2008-12-06T21:08:00.007-05:00

I think I'm finally thawed out. Man was it cold by the water today. I hope it's sunny and warm in Brazil Celso... 'cause it's sure the opposite up here. Too bad you weren't here though.

Some of these images are in a slideshow in the Galleries section of the website. Click on the link above and then select the 2008 Deserted Beaches slideshow.

We had a pretty good day despite the cold. The conditions were an almost perfect 1/60sec at f:8 all day. With an overcast sky and soft snow, hard sand and no snowfall to speak of, our exposures were rarely changed and recorded detail in the brightest snow and the darkest shadows.

The mostly consistent exposure throughout the day enabled us to concentrate more on composition. There was plenty of elements to work with too. From the golden grass in the mixture of sand and snow, to the hardened patterns of different coloured sands on the beach, the frozen waves at the water's edge and then the ice and rocks at Ossossane provided lots of compositional challenges, but many opportunities too.

One interesting find was the string of fishing line caught in the rocks that icicles had formed on. I guess it's nature's way of making something beautiful out of man's discards.

Everything today was shot hand-held too. Goes against my better judgement and rules, but it was just too d&m% cold to fuss with a tripod. Most of the time the shutter speeds were well above 1/60th through, so there shouldn't be too many OOF images from camera shake (unless of course the shivering was faster than 1/60 sec eh?!)

From the initial scan of images both on site on the digital displays, and what I've seen so far from my download, I would have to say we've got some keepers.

Funny how you can get a group of people to go out in adverse conditions but you'd hardly ever venture out like at on your own in the same conditions.

Thanks LeAnn and Leony for braving the cold. I'm looking forward to seeing your work from today.

Cheers y'all.

Adobe Lightroom, LIbrary & Develop Modules

2008-09-29T22:26:00.002-04:00

I've added a new workshop on November 15th, 2008. It's Adobe Lightroom, specifically the Library and Develop Modules. As usual, more information can be found on the website.

Outdoor Portrait Workshop Summary

2008-09-26T10:58:00.002-04:00

What a great group! We started out looking for light, finding the great 'softbox in the sky' to use as a mainlight, fill light, a scrim to block light, and even a hair-light to create our portraits. Partnering up to create portraits of each other, we worked in quite a few different lighting situations, shot full-length, 3/4 and head & shoulders. Our last part was to create a family portrait of our group.

Then it was into the studio to work with Lightroom. It's an amazing piece of software and I hope everyone managed to grasp all the technical aspects we covered. Celso for sure was having fun and I think he may be off on a new quest using some of the techniques we covered.

Thanks to all that participated!!

October 25th Fall Colour Workshop Added

2008-09-25T07:09:00.002-04:00

The colours in this area are really just beginning to change, so hopefully they'll last for a while. I've added a 3rd Fall Colour Workshop to the schedule for October 25th. Even if the leaves are mostly down, there should still be lots of colour to work with, especially on the ground. Still plenty of photographic opportunities. For this workshop we'll be starting out from Midland. As always, more information available on the website.

Basic Digital Photography Seminar

2008-09-17T23:20:00.003-04:00

We've add a Basic Digital Photography Seminar to our 2008 fall schedule on November 1st. For more information, please visit our website at PhotographyWorkshops.ca.

Wedding Seminar!

2008-09-16T07:02:00.003-04:00

Ok, ok! I've had so many requests, so I've finally put together an Introduction to Professional Wedding Photography seminar. I've scheduled it for March of next year (2009) so there's plenty of time for sign-ups and let everyone get the busy Christmas season out of the way.

The seminar is geared towards photographers that are interested in getting into the wedding photography business, or are just starting out and need some direction. It's a no-holds-barred seminar where I will explain the pitfalls of wedding photography as well as the responsibility, commitment and fun.

The morning session will cover the boring business aspects which can make or break your business. The afternoon will cover the more exciting elements of equipment for and shooting of a wedding. You can't have the fun of shooting without the sound business knowledge backing you up.

You can find more information and the sign-up link at www.PhotographyWorkshops.ca.

Hope to see you there!

Outdoor Portrait Workshop

2008-07-31T23:21:00.002-04:00

A two-part workshop has been added for September, 2008. The first part will be an actual, on-location, outdoor portrait session where we will learn shooting and posing techniques to maximize the natural light and surroundings. The second half of the day will be spent in the studio downloading and processing the images from the shoot in Adobe Lightroom. RAW processing and creative 'Lightroom' techniques will be discussed. Check out the website, as usual, for more information to come.

2nd 2008 Fall Workshop Added

2008-07-31T23:20:00.003-04:00

We've opened up October 5th for a 2nd Fall Colour Outdoor Photography Workshop. Demand has been high, so there's not many spots left. Check out the website for more information and registration.

Summer Workshop Synopsis

2008-07-06T12:25:00.004-04:00

WHAT A GREAT DAY!
The weather was fantastic - warm, sunny and just enough clouds to make it interesting. I'd like to thank Ken, Cheryl and Chris for attending and making the day a great one. Hopefully you all left with some extra knowledge, understanding, inspiration, or some combination of those.

Our first stop, Craighurst was a goldmine. We got some great images of the old railway section house, but even more, go to photograph and ride the scale model steam train of Ambrose Cook. Ken spotted the canola field in full bloom after that we spent some time capturing the vibrant yellow field against a bright blue sky with very cooperative clouds.

Next was Hillsdale where we met "The Bicycle Man", Rolly Hallyburton. What a fine gentleman. He was gracious enough to let us photograph his bike shop (close to 1000 bikes on the premises) and even posed for a few environmental portraits himself. Ken (always on the lookout for opportunities) then spotted the huge ice cream cone poster on the general store - so we had to stop for a little cold treat - very enjoyable Ken - good eyes!!

Now wanting a taste for something scenic and rural, we stopped at a beautiful property, the Covered Bridge Boarding Kennel. I had actually left 'Rosie' (my Bassett Hound) there earlier that day with Mike & Marion and they invited my group to stop by. From the rows and rows of hay bales, to the unique accents, reflection pool and the covered bridge itself, we had a great time photographing the landscape.

It was getting close to dinner time, so we headed to Penetanguishene and famous Dock Lunch for a bite to eat. The town dock also had many opportunities with the old boats (or were they ships?) and bright colours of the location. It also gave Ken another opportunity for an ice cream cone!

The sun was now heading for the horizon so we packed up and headed for Georgian Bay. The location I scouted out earlier in the week (see the previous post) turned out even better this day. Although the sunset at 9:05 (it's in my MetaData) we were able to linger and photograph 'til almost 10:00pm. The colours, light, water, rocks and shear ambiance of the place was magical. Even a bright crescent moon made an appearance for our photographic pleasure. Cheryl particularly liked that it seems. ;)

Hopefully over the next few days I'll be able to post some of the photos. Check them out on the PhotographyWorkshops.ca website under the Past Workshops link in the photo galleries.

Thanks again to Ambrose, Rolly, Mike and Marion for graciously allowing us to photograph on their properties - and especially to Cheryl, Chris and Ken for making the workshop a success.

Good shooting guys!

Scouting Locations

2008-07-02T20:06:00.004-04:00

One of the challenges with running a photography workshop is coming up with a location that can be interesting to photograph, easy to reach and provide the necessary elements for teaching things like exposure, depth of field and composition.

The photo shows me at one of my favourite locations for this. It's easy to reach, although it's a bit of a drive, but the photo opportunities and elements mentioned above are abundant. QUESTION: What do you take photos of while you're waiting for the sunset? Yourself of course!! A little Lightroom magic and this is what you get.

I had already composed the image I wanted to shoot for this particular sunset and had to wait about 15 minutes til the sun was where I wanted it. So, jump into the image and create a self portrait. I had to play with a variety of flash exposures to get something close to what I wanted. The image was exposed for the sunset, but I was like a rock in the foreground - kinda dark. So, throw a little artificial light into the mix and voila!

Now, if you're scheduled to attend the workshop this Saturday, this may be where we end up to capture that golden light just before sunset. This night it kinda fizzled away to not much - still nice images - but not what I was hoping for. The trick to great sunsets is to be at the right place at the right time. I've created many great images here so know the potential is there.

I'm going to check out a few other locations so there's always options, depending on the participants and the weather. With a little luck, we'll get to enjoy the 'golden light'.

Cheers y'all

July 19th Camera Orientation Seminar

2008-05-19T00:29:00.004-04:00

Just get a new camera and not sure what all those buttons and icons mean? This is the seminar for you. In three hours, we will show you everything you need to know about your camera to get out and shoot with confidence. As always, check out the PhotographyWorkshops.ca website for more information.

Slowing down shutter speeds.

2008-05-14T23:40:00.002-04:00

Here's an example of one of the lessons from the Spring Workshop.. how to handle flowing water. The first image was taken at 1/10 second, and the second image at 1/3 sec. Quite a bit of difference. You need to get your shutter speed down in the 1/4 or lower speed to really get that flowing water effect. To do this, use the lowest ISO setting you can (and still maintain quality of course), a small aperture (I used f:22 for these images) and if that's not enough a Polarizing filter (which I also used here) or Neutral Density filter will help to cut down the exposure time.

Try it for youself.

The DAM Book!

2008-05-05T22:09:00.001-04:00

A few students were asking about cataloging images. I read a book, called The DAM Book by Peter Krogh that was an excellent source of information and a great guide for setting up your "Digital Asset Management" software. (That's where the DAM comes from!). You can find more information about it, as well as a forum discussing DAM issues here.

Highly recommended, although I believe it was written before Lightroom was available. According to the author, based on discussions in the forum, I don't believe he sees LR as a viable product for DAM - yet. But I also believe that Adobe is committed to making LR more robust in this area. I'm banking on it 'cause that's what I've committed to for my own DAM solution (Gotta love that acronym!) and I'm actually quite happy with it.

Cheers,

Spring Workshops Summary

2008-05-04T22:58:00.003-04:00

I'd like to thank the participants for attending the two Spring Rejuvenation Outdoor Photography Workshops over the past two Saturdays. The first Saturday consisted of Sheila, Nancy, Leeann and Richard with Dave, Celso, Will and Vern making up the second Saturday just past. Although we had rain on both days (more on the 2nd workshop), the black-flies and mosquitos held off for both.
Our destination, along the River Road in Dufferin County, provided more than enough opportunities to experiment with both fast and (very) slow shutter speeds as well as trying out various compositional techniques to capture the scenes in front of our lens as seen by this S-Curve composition provided by the local beavers with their new spring dam.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves, learned something new and took home with them a little more confidence in their abilities as photographers. It certainly was a pleasure meeting you all and I certainly hope to hear from you and see your images, from the workshop and more, in the near future.

JULY 5, 2008 "Summer Series" Outdoor Photography Workshop

2008-04-22T00:05:00.004-04:00

BRING ON SUMMER!!

The first of our Summer series of Outdoor Photography Workshops is announced. Details can be found on the PhotographyWorkshops.ca website here.

Space is limited so book your spot now.

Sorry.. no Ginzu Knives included, but dinner is.

PhotographyWorkshops.ca Flickr Group Started

2008-04-09T23:40:00.003-04:00

Greetings! I've started a new Flickr Group for all participants of various workshops we run through-out the year. You don't have to have taken a workshop to participate and welcome anyone that is interested in learning more about photography. There you can post your photos for comment and critique (we're all pretty kind - but truthful), start discussions by asking questions, or comment on an ongoing discussion.

You can check it out here.

We hope you'll join us!

Workshop Status

2008-03-17T22:43:00.002-04:00

Some of the recently added workshops are already filling up. The Georgian Bay Islands workshop and the first Spring Workshop are now filled. We've opened up a 2nd Spring workshop on May 3, but there is only one spot left for it as well. I'm trying to keep the website up to date with the availabilities, but I sometimes forget to update here - so - I will only be updating it on the website itself. Please visit the website to ensure availability for any workshops you may be interested in.

If the workshop you are interested in is full, please email me to let me know which one interests you. If I receive enough interest, I may be able to open up an additional workshop. But I won't know unless you write me.

In the meantime... I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Easter and please be safe during the upcoming long weekend. Our office will be closed March 20-24, inclusive.

Take care

1 Opening remain for Georgian Islands Workshop

2008-03-03T22:49:00.003-05:00

Even though it's not until July 20th, there is only ONE openings left for this workshop. Visit the website for more details!

New Spring Workshops Added

2008-01-31T00:12:00.001-05:00

Spring is just around the corner and we've added a New Camera Orientation Seminar and a Spring Outdoor Photography Workshop to the 2008 schedule. Check out the website for more details!

January 19, 2008 - New Camera Orientation Seminar

2008-01-19T23:58:00.000-05:00

Get a new camera for Christmas? Not sure how to use it? Already have a camera that's a mystery to use? Confused by all the buttons?

This three hour in-studio session will get you started in understanding the features and functions of your new camera. This is one seminar that point-and-shoot cameras are welcome along with digital SLR's or even film SLR's.

We'll cover things like understanding the different Modes, Auto functions, shooting RAW (if your camera is equipped) vs. jpeg images, shooting techniques and much more.

This seminar is geared towards the absolute beginner.

Please visit PhotographyWorkshops.ca for more information.

RRS Wedding Pro Flash Bracket Review

2007-12-19T22:57:00.001-05:00

I was quite excited when I received the parcel from Really Right Stuff, affectionately known as RRS, and days before it was promised. My first impressions of the WPF-1 Bracket is that it's very well made, lightweight and easy to attach to the L-plate. If you've never heard of, or tried an L-Plate, you should. Information on L-Plates can also be found on the RRS site here.

I tried it first on my D200 without grip. The screw-type clamp is very secure and the knob large enough to make it easy to tighten and release. I don't feel the need to over-tighten - it's very secure. Although you can mount it to the bottom of the L-plate, I recommend mounting to the side. The flipping works better this way and if you're using a rectangular shaped flash head, the vertical/horizontal direction is maintained with the camera. It literally fits in your hand when folded together and will easily slip into a small pocket on most camera bags, tucked nicely out of the way until needed.

When using it, you simply press the release button at the joint and pop it open. It will slide easily onto the L-plate and if you don't open the clamp all the way, it will slide on from either the top or bottom - I just find it quicker this way. I use an SC-17 extension cable with my SB800 and the mounting screw to connect the flash shoe to the bracket is included and secures the SC-17 shoe very well. I then mount the SB800 to the shoe and connect the SC-17 to the D200. I have the original cord on my SC-17 so it's quite long. But the bracket has two 'accessory' threaded holes positioned on the flip part as well as the upright attached to the L-plate. I attached a couple of wire ties here and secured the extra cable from the SC-17 to keep it out of the way. Works like a charm!

I then mounted my battery grip to the D200 and attached my new L-plate (for camera with grip). Again the flash bracket mounted easily and securely. Since the L-plate is secured to the grip rather than camera, and the flash bracket secured to the L-plate, I found that if the battery grip wasn't attached well to the camera, I did get a little play. Once I made sure the grip was screwed in all the way, it was much better, but I'd still be careful if using it this way on a tripod. I'm sure if you knocked the flash in any way, you'd create some vibration and motion in the camera. But for hand-held shooting, I really don't think it will be a problem.

Using the flip action took a few minutes to get used to since you have to push a release button to allow the flip to take place. Once the flash is flipped, the bracket locks in place so that you don't get a flop once it's flipped - if you know what I mean! In other words, it's stays in place until you press the release button once again to flip it back to normal. Within a few minutes this became second nature and just as fast as without a release button, but definately more secure when shooting at odd angles.

At first I was a little concerned that there was some play in the bracket. In other words, there is a slight bit of play in the joint. Same with the flip arm. I called RRS about it to find out if that was the norm and I was informed that it was. They had tried a prototype that didnt' have any play, but then the flip locked in place too securely and it was difficult to flip it back. The little play allows you to 'unlock' the arm much easier and the little bit of play is really quite negligible... certainly not enough to affect shooting or security. It's hard to explain this in detail, but if you get one, you'll know exactly what I mean. After playing with it and shooting with it, it's not noticeable anymore.

All in all I'm quite impressed. It's light, easy to attach, secure and a pleasure to use. And most of all, it allows me to use my L-plates for attaching the camera (and flash bracket) to my RRS BH-55 ball-head. I wasn't able to do this with my old flash bracket (in addition, the old bracket wouldn't allow me to open the batter door on either the D200 itself, or the D200 with battery grip attached - now I have complete access to either).

At $149US it's not a bad price for a flash bracket, especially if you already have the RRS L-plate. If you need to purchase an L-plate, that brings up the price considerably, but I still feel the flexibility, compactness (when not in use), lightweight and ease of use still make it worthwhile.

THE WPF-1 (WEDDING PRO) IN ACTION
I used it at my next wedding and all I can say is... the bracket worked amazingly. After using it for only one wedding I'm convinced that it's the best flash bracket I've ever used (and I've been doing this for close to 20 years). I had two cameras with me - both D200's - one with battery grip and one without... both with RRS L-plates. I had the bracket mounted to the one with the battery grip since this was my main camera using the Nikkor 17-35 AF-S and 28-70 AF-S. The other D200 had the 70-200 VR. I use the 70-200 VR mainly for candids, during the ceremony and some portraits as well. But the D200 with the flash bracket was used the most.

Once you get used to pushing the release to unlock the hinge and rotate the flash, it worked very well. Actually, just using it and playing with it for about 15 minutes the morning of the wedding was all I needed to become comfortable with it. It flipped easily and since it locks into place once flipped, it never flopped.. no matter what angle I tilted the camera. The movement was quick, clean and precise and positioned itself directly over the lens at an appropriate height each time. As mentioned above, I had wire-tied the cable from my SC-17 cord to the bracket and it stayed out of the way better than any other bracket I've used.

It's also light-weight so I had no problem hand-holding the set-up at any time. The flash (an SB-800) didn't feel out of balance with the set-up and it was easy to hold. And when I did use a tripod, for the family groups, I was able to shift from horizontal to vertical on my BH-55 very quickly and smoothly. The flash bracket has the integrated Acra-Swiss style mount so switching to vertical was no problem at all.

I switched the flash from one camera to the other only once, but the clamping bracket built into the flash bracket came off in an instant and remounted very easily - and back again. I really don't need two brackets - this worked so well one bracket is enough.

And the coolest thing of all... was that when I was done, I unclamped it, folded it up and stuck it in a side pocket of my camera bag. Nice and neat, compact, quick and out of the way. I've never had a bracket do that before!

All in all.. I'm very pleased with the RRS Wedding Pro Flash Bracket. Well worth the money even if you have to puchase the L-plate to go with it. In fact, I just ordered a new RRS L-plate to go with my new D300.

Deserted Beaches Summary

2007-12-18T22:03:00.000-05:00

Well we had snow rather than sand, but that has to be expected this time of year, even though last year snow didn't arrive til mid-January, we weren't so lucky this year. As we headed out the sun poked through and snow squals danced in the distance.
Upon arrival at Wasaga Beach, we first surveyed the fire damage to the East Mall of Beach Area 1. The fire destroyed all the buildings along that strip and the monstrous metal beams twisted and bent fueled the imagination for the intensity of the fire. But, it was all fenced off an nary a way to photograph the desolation.
So on to the boardwalk we went to find some drifts and ice. We found them in plenty along with biting cold winds coming off of Georgian Bay. The bitter cold got the best of us and we headed back to the van. Good timing too as we could see the squal blowing in off the lake and turning a perfectly clear view to almost zero visibility.
We warmed up in the van as we drove up the beach area toward the Tiny Beaches district and found a perfect location for capturing the turmoil of wind, water, ice and rock. We probably spent the most time here as it was not nearly as windy or cold as Wasaga. There was plenty to see and an abundance of photographic opportunities.
We finished off the day with a short side trip to Penetanguishene to check out the Town Dock and the ships moored there for the winter. One brave soul was even stringing Christmas lights from the mast.

Check out a sample of the images from the day at: Deserted Beaches of Wasaga Photography Workshop.

December 8, 2007: Deserted Beaches of Wasaga Photography Workshop

2007-12-08T07:58:00.000-05:00

At this time of year the beach areas in the town of Wasaga Beach are boarded up and abandoned. The sand and (sometimes) snow has drifted inland. The muted colours and stark buildings provide a wealth of photographic opportunity. Lone gulls crouch and bear into the cold north winds blowing driftwood across Georgian Bay and landing on the hardened sand.

For more information, visit out PhotographyWorkshops.ca website.

Fall Colour Results

2007-10-14T23:24:00.001-04:00

Well it happened to me again - rained all day! But we had a full turn-out and everyone 'said' they enjoyed themselves, but more importantly, that they learned something. The rain was relentless but that didn't deter the group from venturing forth and capturing some of the splendid fall colour that Central Ontario has to offer. The tyrant that I am, I made everyone take their camera OFF of AUTO mode. There was some grumbling, but they all complied and by the end of the day were glad they did.

Click here to view some sample images of the day.

We had some great locations with the colourful trees overhanging the wet road providing us with great depth to work with. We covered exposure, learned what Apertures were and their relationship to depth-of-field and how shutter speed controlled movement. They also took turns jumping in and out of the van during one particular down-pour to see the effects of a polarizing filter (while I stayed out in the rain of course). The only time it stopped raining was while we took a break in Tim Hortons. As soon as we left, it started to rain again.

For me, the best moments were when I heard that now, they understood how to control their camera and get the results they wanted and not rely on what the camera dictates from shooting in any one of the auto modes. That's what it's all about - learning to control your camera to produce, create or duplicate YOUR vision, your version of the scene in front of you.

We ended back in the studio with a quick PhotoShop lesson on using the Orton Effect to create that dreamy, painterly quality of image that was made popular by Michael Orton by sandwiching two slides together in one mount. See photo above. And this one is a variation:

Many thanks to Carrie, Bobbi, Lauren and Marie (left to right in photo) for braving the October weather of Central Ontario. Hope to see you all again! ... and thanks to Outdoor Photography Canada for sponsoring this event with complimentary copies of the latest edition for each participant.

October 13, 2007: Fall Colour Photography Workshop

2007-10-13T09:58:00.000-04:00

Sorry, we're filled up.

October 13th is the date of our most popular photography workshop - The Fall Colour Workshop. Of course it's hard to predict where the fall colour will be on this date, but at this time of year, inspiration flows like no other time of the year. If the colour is in the trees - that's what we shoot. If it's on the ground, we'll be there too. This workshop will focus (pun intended) on composition using colour and creating a 'custom' negative or digital file, in camera, under whatever conditions prevail that day... and we go rain or shine.

For more details and information about our other workshops, visit our Workshop site.

Colour Progress

2007-10-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Took a drive yesterday to Oro-Medonte area and Horseshoe Valley, following the Images Studio Tour. Saw some great artwork. It's amazing how many talented people live in this area.

It was a great day for fall colour too. I'm confident it will still be quite good for our workshop next Saturday. Not all the leaves have turned yet and they're just starting to fall, so by next weekend there should be some good colour on the ground as well some left in the trees.

Georgian Shores Outdoor Photography Workshop

2007-07-14T13:39:00.000-04:00

What can I say... it rained.

At times it poured and didn't let up til near the end of the day. Even the crow at the Collingwood terminal was looking for cover. BUT... what amazing light!! From the vintage 1952 pickup truck reflected in the wet pavement, to the incredible colours in the sky and waters of Georgian Bay and the milky smooth Inglis Falls in Owen Sound, we had an amazing time.

You can view a sample of the images taken that day here.
This will become one of our annual events for sure!
Many thanks to Heather and Angie. Cheers!

Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head Review

2006-08-16T22:27:00.000-04:00

Received my RRS BH-55 Ball Head - earlier than promised which was a great surprise. Out of the box I can say it's beautifully made, smaller than I expected but a nice 'heft' to it. Even with the large main knob, it still is smaller than the old Manfrotto ball I'm replacing (I think it was called a Midi, but I'm not sure anymore - had it for about 15 years). The 55 has a very low profile, part of the design, but makes the head look and feel very sturdy.

It was simple to attach to my Manfrotto 058 (Triaut). Screwed on without a fuss. The Manfrotto column also has three set screws that help keep the head locked in position. I read somewhere not to overtighten these as it could lead to less than smooth panning action - so I didn't. Just tight enough to feel the resistance.

Next was to mount the RRS L-Plate to my D200. Nothing could be easier and it's such a tight, secure fit. The plate isn't intrusive at all and my hand still holds the camera the way it always does for handheld work. The two rubber doors are a little tricky to open, but I rarely use them anyway, so it's of no concern to me. It's light but solid and mounts quickly with a supplied allen key.

Now to attach it on the BH-55. The lever clamp is very well made. A little stiff to close at the moment, but I think that will loosen up a little (I hope), but on the other hand, there's no mistaking it's not locked in place. The action is smooth and positive. The camera/plate easily slid into place and a quick press of the lever and it was locked. I played for awhile switching from horizontal to vertical, checking the lens displacement when switching (virtually none). This operation took only minutes to become second nature and is much quicker than dropping the camera down one of the two slots for vertical and repositioning the tripod. My only problem is that on the Manfrotto 058 tripod, there is a knob to lock the geared centre column in place when it's extended. Unfortunately, this knob prevents the camera from going to a full 90 degree drop into the left side slot. I have to either raise the centre column slightly or use the pan and move the head around a little to avoid the knob. It's not a fault of the head, but more of the tripod. But since I have the L-Plate now, it's not of any concern.

Ok, the camera is mounted, now the knobs. The main locking knob is large, fits nicely in my fingers and is positive and precise. You don't have to 'crank' it to lock it tight. And joy of joys - I found no creeping or slight movement, or dropping, or shifting (when locking) what-so-ever. I frame an object precisely and once locked - there was not shift at all. I'm VERY satisfied in this regard.

Next was the tension control... a seperate knob, tucked away nicely but easy to get to if needed. I already like the seperate knob and find fine-tuning it quite easy. Although, the manual recommends that you loosen the main knob, and tighten the tension until you feel the desired control. I found this method produced rather jerky results and was hard to turn to the point I needed. I was quite disappointed all of a sudden. Movement of the head was jerky, stiff and difficult to position the camera precisely.

However, I then locked the main knob first, then tightened the tension control until I felt some 'good' resistance. Loosened the main knob and the tension was almost perfect. Of course with a larger lens on the camera, it becomes very 'front-heavy' and needs a little more tension to stop if from drooping when the main knob is loosened. This makes it harder to move the camera around, but it's still possible. As I used the head throughout a shoot today, the smoothness increased. I think it needed to be broken in a little. My initial disappointment turned to pleasure. The more I worked with it, the more I liked it.

The manual recommends that you place the drop notch to the left and the other drop notch to the front. This places the main knob pointing at about a 45 degree angle to your left and towards you and the other knobs slightly forward and to your right. This seems logical, allowing you to hold the camera in your right hand as you tighten the head with the left. However, I found it much easier to place the main knob to the right. I thought I held the camera with my right hand, but more often than not, I'm actually cradling the camera and lens with my left. I found that I could hold the camera steadier with my left hand and there was less movement to lock the head with my right hand. Once locked, and my right hand back on the camera controls, my left hand was then free to work the panning and tension control knobs. Wow - this worked beautifully!! This does place a drop notch directly to the rear rather than to the front, but again, with the L-Plate it's of no great concern. In fact, I prefer it this way as I can always drop the camera 'back', so that I can see the settings and the top of the camera more easily when changing something... especially when the camera is positioned higher than me (which at 5'7" is more often than you would think! :p ) Of course if I need to point the camera farther than the top of the head will allow, I can always pan a little and reposition the notch for the odd time I need it. The other advantage of no notch at the front, is that if you loosen the ball and the camera does flop forward, it only goes about 45 degrees rather than the full 90 and stops before being damaged. (This happened to me before I got the tension control working the way I wanted it.)

I received the 55 literally moments before I had to leave on a shoot. Within 10 minutes I had the plate mounted to the camera and the head to my 058. Played a few minutes and the rest was 'on the job training'. But within an hour of the three hour shoot, the 55 was performing like it was second nature, a natural extension of my hand, and mind. Very intuitive, ergonomically excellent, and simply a pleasure to use.

I'm one very satisfied user. This is my first purchase from RRS and it was a very pleasant experience throughout. The product is excellent and I would recommend it highly.

I want to thank everyone that put up with me, including my wife, over the last 7 months or so that I was trying to decide on which head to get. Your many comments, insights and all your feedback was invaluable to me in making my decision.