We're doing layers and image stacking at the moment in our photography class at MAMA Albury.
Had fun combining a flower from Falls Creek in winter with a bit of scrub from the beach at Durras at summer.
Black-and-white or colour, please?
In the lead up to EduTECH last year, I made three videos on one of my favourite subjects to teach and talk about — Photoshop.
I posted them up to LinkedIn, enjoyed some nice comments and discussion, then the feed — and time — marched on.
But I came across them the other day, rewatched them, and, I quite liked them. So here they are, covering:
The layout of Photoshop, fast editing in Camera Raw filter and the futuristic abilities of the Neural filters.
Customising Photoshop, especially the layout and my favourite preferences and settings.
Free Transform and other image warping and editing tools.
(By the way … I actually made a pretty big mistake on the camera in the second video … check it out and let me know if you can see it in the comments.)
G’day All —
I recieved some nice feedback regarding my last post, so I’m going to keep going through the archives and sharing some of my favourite old videos.
(I’m also posting these in Instagram if that’s more convenient for you to watch, there.)
This video is a little habit I do with my camera strap to reduce the chances of me dropping it.
Let me know if it works for you.
Thanks and more tk —
Ben
G’day All —
I’m having a great time lately, going through some old archives and finding some gems!
Back in 2017 I set a pretty ambition task of making a video every day for my photography students in the lead up to Christmas.
The first one was about using Vibrance in Photoshop to gently clean teeth in photographs. It’s a really basic and subtle technique that looks natural.
Here it is. Let me know what you think?
More tk —
Ben
Sometimes, when you get your hands on a great camera with a terrific buffer, all you can do is rip into it and let that magnificent shutter and drive motor sing!
Filmed some years ago up late in the shed working on photo projects with the incredible Mark Jesser.
Photography is hard work, but when I’m with Jesser, it’s always good, honest clean fun.
Thanks, Mark!
More tk —
Ben
Gosh it’s so exciting to announce this … I’m back in the classroom!
I know this doesn’t sound like news because I’m in classrooms all the time hosting training and demos for Promethean — BUT — this time I'm back in the photography classroom … my absolute happy place!
Let me explain … I’ve been given a chance to lead some beginner photography classes at MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury), one night a week.
It’s started as a fill in gig, but it looks like it could be extended and I am beyond thrilled.
The eight-week course kicks off in Term Three on July 15, 6pm-8.30pm. The classroom is really great and every photographer in the room is really excited to be there — especially me!
You can read all about it on MAMA’s website here.
More tk.
Ben
#unfiltered picture by Laura Eyles. Me barbecuing breakfast for the family on a crisp Albury morning surrounded by kids toys and warm light.
I don't say this often enough, lately. But I still follow, and am intensely proud of, the photographers I have taught. I don't always say it, or leave a comment, but I'm trying to take in as much of their work as possible and I'm usually blown away by the quality and the creativity.
Luke Hunter, of Hunter Media, is one such source of pride. I'm so glad I got to help him a tiny bit on his way to becoming the automotive photography juggernaut he is destined to be.
Luke’s story is worth following … as is his Instagram. Get started and inspired at www.lukehuntermedia.com
There was also this great interview here to get you up to speed.
During Lockdown 2020 Luke made a run of merch and I had to snag a jumper. Warms my heart in more ways than one.
More tk—
Ben
I’ve started studying again, with Adobe, on how to ensure I’m always layering creativity into everything I teach. I always thought I was really good at this, but the ACE (Adobe Creative Educator) course is fantastic and I’ve picked up plenty more good ideas. I can’t wait to attain each level! #AdobeEduCreative
This was a very special day! I got the chance to head home to speak to the very audience of photographers that inspired me to pick up a camera many years ago. And I had the very stressful honour of judging some of their work.
Here’s the presentation.
What an honour! Speaking to a crowd of wonderful photographers at the Eurobodalla Camera Club recently.
This here rockpool is one spot Mum used to take me all the time as a kid to splash around in with my brother. You’ll find it in that small stretch of sand between Surf Beach and Denhams Beach, near Batemans Bay, NSW.
(Shot on Samyang 7.5mm fisheye on an Olympus OM-D EM-1, ISO 400, 1/1600s about f5.6 or f8. September 24 at 6.14am.)
FINALLY got a minute to take some holiday days last week. It worked out really well as the day before I left I got the nod from the shoulder surgeon that my fracture had healed okay and I’d be right to drive and shoot and make pictures again.
It was such a relief to hit Batemans Bay. I got down to Surf Beach before sunrise (which wasn’t that hard, Mum and Dad’s house is only a 30-second walk away) with a couple of cameras and shot my way through it.
I cannot remember the last time I did that: shot my favourite camera with my favourite lens on my favourite beach. Which seems really silly. Why don’t I do this more often? What’s stopping me?
I could explain it away with a few practical reasons — work, kid, family, more WORK, — but that’s not really WHY.
Truthfully, I don’t know why ... yet ... but I’m working on it.
But here’s some things I do know: life is finite and you can run out of road real fast. I was working late on paperwork when our two-year-old kid pointed to a map in a book and said “Australia” for the first time. I wanted a fisheye lens so bad all my 20s and my family gave me one when I turned 30, but it wasn’t until this week — THIS WEEK — as a 33 year old — THREE YEARS LATER, that I got around to getting to my favourite beach literally meters from my Mum’s house to make some pictures with it.
Do you ever feel this way, too?
Do you ever think about what are we doing with our short lives?
Or maybe more importantly, what aren’t we doing with our lives?
Took kid Flash to his first every Anzac Day parade. He's usually such a bubbly, happy kid, but as soon as he arrived, he was much more subdued, almost a bit sad. It was like he felt the weight of how serious and special today was.
Turns out he's a happy, bubbly and respectful kid, too. We are really proud of him.
Was asked recently if I ever get scared or nervous about approaching strangers and asking if I could make a picture of them.
The answer is yes, of course. Approaching a stranger is nearly always a little bit nerve wracking, especially if you want to generate a photoshoot with the stranger out of thin air. It is SCARY STUFF.
But you know what I'm more scared of?
Leaving and NOT asking the stranger for their photograph. Because when you walk away from a potentially ripper portrait with NOTHING in your camera ... well that just feels worse.
So when we witnessed something incredible while we were on holidays in New Zealand, recently, I had to take a deep breath and ask.
We had popped into Oamaru, New Zealand, and found a whole heap of creators crafting sculptures from huge chunks of sandstone. One bloke seemed really interesting. He was carving bears out of the stone.
My head said:
* But what if he says "go away"?
* What if he says "no, thanks"?
My heart said:
* What's the worst that could happen?
So I asked him what he what he was doing, where he learned how to do it and I asked him how long he'd been at it. I asked him where lived and how far he had traveled. I asked him what he liked about Australia, and, if he would ever visit again. I was interested in what he had to say and I listened and responded.
The sculptor we spoke to said he'd be at this creation for days. The sandstone carves quickly BUT the time consuming part was in refining the art. Sandstone carving sounded similar to photography, in that regard, I said. Fairly quick to grasp, very slow to master.
We had a great chat, and, then, I asked if I could make some pictures.
He said yes and I got to work.
It was a pleasure to meet you, Sir, and wonderful to watch you work. Thank you for the pictures. I'm really glad I asked.
Always talk to strangers,
Ben
New website for a New Year. Designed by the legendary Mark Jesser.
I'd love to hear what you think about it. All constructive feedback welcome.
One of the first things I think I need to do is seriously update the portfolio. But what do you think?
Please let me know. Thank you,
Ben
Posting the best shots from our New Zealand trip over on Instagram.
Wonderful trip with great company. Love to hear what you think of the photos.
Black-and-white or colour?? ⚫️⚪️ or 🌈 🤷♂️
Attitude by @lilie_wilcoxx 👊👊 (at Wodonga TAFE)
It boils down to this: People don’t want to pay you for something they could do themselves.
I’ve had so many chats with photographers over the last week, in the classroom and in industry, about why are things so damn hard, complex or tiring?
Yes, lugging a bunch of extra lighting gear around can be hard.
Yes, Photoshop is complicated to learn and hard to use.
Yes, that camera technique takes more than a minute to get good at.
And that’s a good thing because …
“That’s why people pay you to do it.”
Your skills, your patience, your persistence to learn frequency separation or back-button focus – all of the sweat, strain and hours of practice – that’s why people hire you, because you can do something they can’t.
It’s why I pay my hairdresser or my mechanic. They can do stuff I can’t do at home.
People pay photographers that are willing to sweat for them.
Look at the legends. @chasejarvis. @joemcnallyphoto. @zarias. It’s not just talent. They’re better than most because they outwork most.
Photography is great like that. It’s a muscle, not a gift. Flex it often, and you’ll be rewarded. (at Albury, New South Wales, Australia)
I don’t want to go all fanboy on a city – BUT SERIOUSLY … how GOOD is the morning light in #Sydney?
Where else on the planet can you find these warm tunnels and shafts of light that kiss old concrete and buildings, exposing bodies yet shading and hiding heads at the same time?
DAAAAAMN … Grab your camera and go out and get some good clean fun in your favourite city’s streets.
(Melbourne – You’re pretty sweet … too!)
I was in town for Adobe’s Make It event. I’m literally still buzzing from it. Please give me a couple more days to process it … and I’ll start posting some more meaningful content.
Do you even shoot RAW?
If so? What do you use? Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw? Or are you a Capture One Pro user?
Check out this video and see how differently Adobe and Capture One treat the same raw file.
Horizons. (at Albury, New South Wales, Australia)
The best thing about photography is talking to people.