This Weekend: WWA Night Photography With a Holiday Twist

Tonight, my friend and fellow photography Sean Donnelly and I will be attending a Night Photography class hosted by Working with Artists. The class will be held at Hudson Gardens and Event Center where we will be learning how to mix ambient setting sun sky light with an artificial holiday light display. I'm excited about shooting in a location I've never been before. Instructor Ellen Yeiser, known for her boundless energy, hopes that we will be able to do some shooting in downtown Littleton as well, given time constraints.

At just $25, this affordable course is an amazing deal, and I appreciate my buddy Sean letting me know about it. I haven't yet had the opportunity to take a class with Working With Artists, although I've had one of my photos on display there in it's gallery in the past. If I like this class, I intend to join the WWA's recently organized camera club called "Click!" that hopes to inspire passion for photography through outings and in-house programs presented by its members and visiting artists. For $35 a year we get:

Lectures presented by artists engaged by WWA to present workshops, local celebrity photographers and members
Peer critiques of favorite images
Photographic field trips followed by critiques of images taken on the trips. Examples of photographic outings include the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Art Museum, Hudson Gardens and so much more...
The WWA Photography Book Club
Periodic competitions
And Wine!

Meetings are planned for the third Thursday of each month, from 6 - 8 pm. Outings will usually occur on the weekends, with critiques following at the next third Thursday meeting.Dues associated with the club are as follows: Membership is $35 per year. Membership will be automatically included in a $100 membership level to WWA. To become a member of Click call 303 837 1341 or email click@workingwithartists.org

NEXT MEETING: November 19th @ WWA

Socializing: 6pm
Meeting: 6:30p - 8:30p
Program Agenda
2 Member Portfolio Critiques
Excective Committee Reports

An Aside: Local photography instructors in the news!

Photo Credit istockphoto.com

An article I wrote in today's Denver Post "Inside & Out" section features four local photography instructors! My editor thought it would be a great idea to write an article explaining to readers how to take better vacation photos. And since I'm the budding photog in the department, she thought I would have the perfect perspective to help demystify the process.

I turned to nature and people photographer Russ Burden, who's weekly photo tip appears on my blog on Mondays, Efrain Cruz, the director of Illuminate Workshops, Jeffrey Rupp, an instructor at the Denver Darkroom and Greg Cradick, executive director of the Working With Artists photography school and gallery. What I found interesting about these interviews was how each photographer was able to offer a specific piece of the photographic pie in an easily digestible format.

Get the Job Done: My Image in a Traveling Exhibit

This week I visited the Working With Artists gallery where one of the first digital images I ever took is on display. The photo is part of the Digital Photo Academy's First Annual traveling exhibit sponsored by Panasonic and MPIX.

Beginning in August 2007, Digital Photo Academy students were invited to submit photos based on different monthly themes, including classic topics such as sunrises, fall foliage and landscapes. I won the August 2007 assignment, "The Allure of Water" with this image of a young girl running through fountains at the Northfield Stapleton shopping center in Denver.



Now those winning entries by myself and eleven other DPA students are being featured in a traveling exhibition in 10 of the museums and art galleries where DPA classes are held each month around the country.

I want to personally thank my friend and photography colleague Amy Martin for making the drive from Colorado Springs to check out the exhibit with me earlier this week. It was great to be able to experience this moment with a friend.



The display can be easily seen from Saulsbury street in the trendy Belmar Shopping district. Each image was printed to about an 11x14 and then mounted on foam core board. I thought the colors were impressive and eye catching. I like how my photo was positioned at the end because I think it helps it to stand out more among some already fabulous images.



Plus, it's not too late to submit an entry for January 2009's topic: NEW BEGINNINGS. Entries should be uploaded by Friday, Feb. 20th. And remember, the winner who is selected will be part of the DPA's 2nd annual 12 Assignment images that will be on display in museums, galleries and studios in 2010.



I also appreciate having the show be available at Working With Artists because it gave me the chance to spend some time there and learn about opportunities the program offers, including juried art shows and gallery showings where photographers can sell their images. For a $35 annual membership fee, I would get to show business cards and pamphlets at the front desk and get to submit 8 instead of just 5 images to each "Call for Entry" to be judged and possibly entered into a showing. Check it out! This could be an opportunity for you to gain visibility and payment for your art.