Interview on the Luminous Landscape Video Journal

Late last fall Michael Reichmann and Chris Sanderson of the Luminous Landscape paid a visit to my studio and gallery in Port Carling to film a segment for their Luminous Landscape Video Journal. Now released, LLVJ 19 features a 45 minuet interview with me about my business and canvas printing techniques. To watch my segment along with the many other features on the video simply visit The Luminous Landscape website.

It's All About the Light

How do you turn the ordinary into the extraordinary? Wait for the light! That is exactly how I turned your everyday swamp into a mysterious and compelling photograph. On one of my workshops last fall we were heading back to my gallery after a great morning of photography when I noticed how beautiful the light was as it shone through the stark dead trees of a nearby swamp. I have never given this swamp the time of day before as it is right off the road and not very photogenic (or so I thought), however, today was different. The sun was shining though the mist creating very dramatic light, the vertical lines of the trees were further emphasized by their almost silhouette appearance. The mist had the effect of softening the background and eliminating the sense of clutter normally found in these types of scenes. I just had to stop to photograph it!

I new right away that I wanted a panoramic format for this shot so I set up my composition to allow for cropping later. I focused just slightly ahead of the foreground grasses and used an aperture of F/18 which resulted in a 1/100th of a second shutter speed. These were "high key" lighting conditions which usually result in a slightly underexposed image so I needed to add about 2/3 of a stop of exposure.

All said and done this image when printed 18"x54" is stunning. I brought two copies to the One of a Kind Show in Toronto and they were quickly snatched up on the first day. Just goes to show that in the right light the most ordinary of subjects can be transformed into the extraordinary.

One Of A Kind Show

Today I am heading down to the One of a Kind Show in Toronto for an 11 day exhibit of my artwork. If you happen to live in the area and will be visiting the show then please stop by and say hi, I will be at Booth F-24.

Toronto Camera Club Lecture

A big thank you to the fantastic response to my lecture at the Toronto Camera Club last Thursday night. There was standing room only and I was very flattered by the warm reception I received. This is a fantastic club with a very dynamic lecture series so if you live in the Toronto area please check them out.

Ottawa RA Camera Club Lecture

Just a quick thank you to all the wonderful photographers at the RA Camera Club in Ottawa who turned out for my lecture on Tuesday night. It is always a treat to speak to such a responsive and energetic group. If you are a photographer who lives in the Ottawa area and are looking for a camera club to join and be inspired by than by all means check them out.

2010 Workshop Schedule Announced

As of today my 2010 workshop schedule has been announced and is posted on my website, www.andrewcollett.com
I have added several new workshops including a late spring workshop in Tobermory and The Bruce Peninsula National Park and have also added three two day printmaking workshops at my gallery and studio in Port Carling. Last year all my workshops sold out so if you are considering improving on your photography skills in 2010 then stop by my website to see all the details.

Hamilton Area Waterfall Shoot

I just got back from one of the most successful days out shooting ever! I was visiting a location that I have never explored before and I guess I just timed it perfect. The weather was dull and gloomy (just the way I like it) and there was plenty of fog for atmosphere. I spent 7 hours shooting and hiking and if I had to count (you know I will) I would say there are at least 6 portfolio quality images from my shoot.

For those of you looking for somewhere spectacular to shoot close to Southern Ontario than check out the Webster Falls area near Hamilton Ontario, just do a google search to find out the details and be prepared to hike down into the gorge as that is where most of the action is, not from the tour bus lookouts at the top!

I particularly enjoyed using the Canon 45mm Tilt Shift lens to create a gorgeous panorama of a lower Tews falls (see image below). I used the shift function of the lens to take 3 separate images and then merged them together in Photoshop.