It’s that time of year …. Early bird registration is now open for my online natural light workshops!

Early registration starts today December 20th  at 3 p.m. Eastern

I’m very excited to announce the first workshop of 2012  dates with you ! I will be starting a new class February 21st 2012. This class is will be smaller than the Spring class , as this time of year is not right for everyone.  I usually start the first workshop in January but with the loss of my father this year I put it off till February! The first two weeks the assignment we will be working on will be indoors!  This should keep most of you out of the cold:)  This workshop will continue into the Spring, I hope this allows for somewhat better assignment weather. The next workshop will be adding three new videos !!!!  New actions, presets, and more!!   So don’t miss out because spots are very limited!
With early registration you will receive an awesome discount ! If you sign up within the first 24 hours for a full participating spot , you will get $100.00 off and receive a free full participating alumni spot for my Spring 2012 workshop. If you miss the 24 hour mark and sign up within the first 48 hours after this post you will receive 100.00 off the full participating spot and a free silent participating alumni spot. If you want to sign up for the non-participating spot you will get 50.00 off the regular price and free non -participating alumni spot for early 2012 workshop but you must register and pay with in 48 hours ~  If you miss the 48 hour mark and sign up with in the first 72 hours after this post you will receive 50 off the non- participating spot or 100.00 off the full participating spot! I hope you can join us !!!
***Silent spots will be going up in price starting January***

My workshop includes over 12 hours of live classes with access to the 24-7 workshop forum! I have 1-2 videos included and content with assignments and I have more videos located in the video selection for you to watch. Each workshop I add and improve I have been teaching these for over five years .  In addition to myself I have two other Instructors on the forum! Don’t miss out! For full class details click on the logo to take you to the blog! Please join our facebook fan page, the link is found on side of my blog!

**Special Review!**
Regular pricing for February 2012 Workshop
60 DAY ONLINE WORKSHOP FULL PARTICIPANT 575.00
60 DAY ONLINE WORKSHOP NON PARTICIPANT 300.00
60 DAY ALUMNI FROM A FULL PARTICIPANT SPOT 100.00
Contact me if you would like pricing on upgrading from Silent to full spot next year!

Early Registration Pricing
60 DAY ONLINE WORKSHOP FULL PARTICIPANT 575.00 -475.00 and a free full participating alumni spot in my spring workshop if you sign up within the first 24 hours of registration.
48 hours after registration the price remains at 475.00 and a free noon participating alumni spot in my spring workshop!
72 hours  after registration the price remains at 475.00 (alumni spot not included in this special)

60 DAY ONLINE WORKSHOP NON PARTICIPANT 300.00
250.00 special price  and a free non participating alumni spot in my spring workshop if you sign up within the first 48  hours of registration.
72 hours after registration you will receive the 50.00
(Price of the silent member will be going up in price in January)

60 DAY ALUMNI FROM A FULL PARTICIPANT SPOT 100.00

Week 8 here we come, week 7, you’ve got flare

In last weeks post I left you with the task to pick and choose which photograph went with which assignment the students have completed.
You had four choices:
a) blown backgrounds
b) pocket of light
c) natural reflectors
d) colour theory.

the answers are as follows 1) a. 2) b. 3) b. 4) a. 5) c. 6) b. 7) a. 8.) a. 9) b 10) c. 11) a. 12) c. 13) c. 14) c. 15) c.

This past week has been all about sun flare on the workshop. My favourite topic. I LOVE me some flare and the students have been knocking my socks off with the flare they have been capturing. YUMMY

Alison Mulqueen of Lollypop photography

Chris Davis

Cris Stephens

Joanne Strom of cowbrough photography

Leslie Maxwell

Stacey Siegal

Leanne Trudeau

you can click on an image here to view it bigger.

…and we’re back..

These last couple of weeks on the workshop have been tough. Despite the bad weather and time crunches this time of year brings for many students, we’ve also been facing great sadness with them too. Some significant tragedies have happened in the families of several students this workshop and our collective hearts are aching for them and the loss of their loved ones. And if that wasn’t enough, there has also been a very sad loss for Detra and her family this past week. Her beloved Daddy passed away on Thursday (11/10). We are sending you all warm hugs and hopes for comfort, healing and peace to each of you. I wish I could fly to each one of you and snuggle you to pieces and take all that sadness away, but sadly…the flipside of the great blessing of love, is the anguish of loss.

We are so blessed as photographers to be a part of maintaining the records for our own families, and the family of others through the gift of photographic memories. Get in your photos, snap images of your loved ones often, and don’t forget their (and your) friends…capture the things you love so your grandkids kids will know you a little more…snap your daily, strangers, special places, anyone and anything you can find…shoot shoot shoot, get the idea? – who knows how long we have?

There has been some fabulous learning and recording going on over at the workshop these last couple of weeks. We have been completing assignments in blown backgrounds, pockets of light, natural reflectors and colo(u)r theory. See if you can pick which image went with which assignment. I will post the answers next week!

-gail

Jen Stafford 

Toni Burks

Sherry Ferrante

Kelly of BuckiKiddies

Kami Friday

Jessica Marchetti

Irene Hilhorst of Mamaraza fotografie

Chris Davis

Alison Mulqueen

Rashelle Cuperus

Nichole Burnett

Tiffany Meehan

Lisa Sheehan

Debbie Stafford of Little Debbie Photography

Leanne Trudeau

A beautiful butterfly fairy…

We are continuing to work hard over on the light workshop and currently we are on assignment 6. I can’t believe there is only 2 more weeks left and it is at this point we start to sigh a sad sigh as we anticipate saying goodbye to our fabulous students. We all feel a sense of loss as the last assignment is submitted from each student and want to cling on to them tightly and not let them go out into the world again. Of course I jest, we feel excited for them to take their new skills out into their client work and wish them each the best as they continue to “find the light”.  I will have a post up of students work later in the week.

However despite our sadness at seeing the class end it’s an enormous thrill to follow the light filled journeys of past students. It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to a fantastic photographer (and friend) who consistently wow’s me with her masterful use of light in the stunning captures she creates whether with her own family, clients sessions or weddings. Rachel was a student on the Light Workshop nearly 2 years ago and continues to go from strength to strength with her amazing work. I want to be her when I grow up! ~ thanks for being a constant source of inspiration Rachel, arohanui – gail xoxo

Pop on over to see a gorgeous session she had with her beautiful daughter Emmie recently. HERE

you can view her work here RACHEL CHANEY PHOTOGRAPHY 

Another wonderful workshop week.

I get a little giddy putting together these posts and showcasing the work of our fabulous participants in the Finding the Light Workshop. I hope it gets you all excited to join us for the next one. Speaking of which – the next online natural light workshop will be the winter workshop and will most likely be starting at the end of January or beginning of February 2012. Keep a look out on the blog for updates on that.

Now on with the show.

Week 3′s assignment is about using the same delicious backlighting techniques students learned during the previous assignment, but for week three we ask them to throw in the addition of a reflector. Love or hate the reflector when it is used well it produces some stunning results. As you will see from the images I spotted on the forum this week.

Image by Rebecca, of Rebecca Spencer Photography 

Image by Anna, of Anna Debrenski 

Image by Gigi Herrera, you can view her work HERE

Image By Irene Hilhorst of www.mamaraza.nl

Image by Marissa, of Marissa Easterling Photography

Rashelle Cuperus of Rashelle Cuperus Photography

Image by Joanne, of Cowbrough Photography

Image by Mel McNamara of Cheeky Elephant Photography.

Image by Kim Benesh Photography

Image by Kylie Sabine

The bonus assignment was capturing silhouettes. I know what you are thinking, silhouettes are a whole lot of fun, and you are right! They really are. Here are some

silhouette  fun from some of our students.

Gemma of Gem Photography

Image by Janeen, of  janeenkelley.com

full sun and bring on the rain.

Here we are at the end of the week again, and the students have just completed assignment 2 of the Finding the Light Workshop. Assignment 2 is all about capturing images with full sun during the middle of the day and maintaining good skin exposure – it can be a challenge for sure as everyone knows full sun at mid-day is the harshest time of the day to photograph for sure, right? Right!

I {Gail} remember back when I first did the workshop (May 2010) learning to shoot in the mid day sun was the most freeing thing to happen for my photography, no longer was I trapped into photographing during ‘golden hour’. Sure, we all know that  golden hour light is truly ‘golden’ and absolutely delicious light but golden hour is also the most inconvenient time of the day for a family. It’s hard to have children be in the zone for photographs when they are tired and hungry, or just done for the day and ready to be horizontal and dreaming. So learning to handle harsh light is so helpful for scheduling sessions, and one of the many great things students learn during the online 60 day workshop.

Now shooting in the bright sun is one of my favourite times to photograph. So proud of the students as they continually ‘bring it’. There is so much more to come over the next few weeks – but for now, here are a few images I picked off the forum to showcase. – gail

Image by Alison, of Lollypop Photography

Image – Flo Dupuy of Yummy Faces

Image by Jen, of Jen Stafford Photography

Image by Jessica, of Jessica Marchetti Photography

Image by Rhonda, of Rhonda McMaster Photography

Image by Sunny, of Sunny Wright Photography

Image by Debbie Wibowo, her blog is here Delight in little things

 

 

The bonus assignment for this week seems to be the opposite of the full on sun, it’s what we call ‘bring on the rain’. Very pretty light can be found just before, or just after a storm.

ImagebyToni Raper of Maeve Photography

Image by Lori O’Brien

and here is one from me, there isn’t much rain around these parts currently …so he tried his new rainboots and umbrella out on the sprinkles.

Assignment one completed.

We are slowly getting into the swing of things again over on the Fall 2011 class of the Finding The Light Workshop. The students are producing some fabulous work and giving one another wonderful encouragement and support. It’s a beautiful thing to see in the industry, because we could all use a pit crew hanging off our camera strap from time to time. Detra, Jenny and I are grateful to be a part of that kind of goodness.

The students have just finished up the first assignment – the dramatic black and white, along with the bonus side lighting assignment. These are the assignments that challenge the photographers the most in the workshop and the participants have been really working hard at honing and perfect their skills, based of the feedback given to each individual photographer. Often it takes several attempts but they just keep clicking away until they get it. Love that fighting spirit lol.  I am so happy to share a few images from our photographers showcasing light kissing their subjects in all the right places. Keep up the great work guys!

Leah

Sherry

Lisa 

Stacey 

Shauna

Cris

Kami

I never get sick of seeing assignment 1, not only is it a great moment when people conquer it, but also by week 8 sometimes there has been a striking transformation that has taken place. it is truly such a thrill to be at this point with the excitement of anticipation of what may lay ahead. I hope you will tag along for the ride and/or perhaps consider joining us on the next one – most likely around end of Jan/beg Feb 2012. perfect time for our Southern Hemisphere people to make us all jealous with your sunshine and beaches! .  Next assignment is shooting in full mid-day sun. My FAVOURITE – g

We are under way…

The first assignment has been posted, the first virtual class has been held, the questions have started to pour in, and people are all excited… that means that we are underway for the fall 2011 workshop. It’s been great to meet all the new students for this workshop, and to catch up with some returning alumni.

We have photographers in different time zones across north america and from different countries around the world. I have to say this is the fascinating wonderful thing about doing an online workshop… the easy access for people from every corner of the earth. It helps to build a global community of light loving photographers – who sometimes get together in real life.

Like Sunny, Val and Breeze did recently.

This from Sunny Wright “At the end of our light workshop, we all felt so refreshed and inspired, that a few of us got together for a fun little shoot. We had MANY theme ideas but we decided to go with Prairie Girls. After 2 hours in the car to a meeting place, the lovely Val Spring, amazing Breeze Floyd and myself enjoyed the last hour of light with our lovelies. They were like long lost prairie girl friends and had a blast. So did we! Thanks for inspiring us Detra!”

We look forward to more inspiring shares with past, current and future students. Well done ladies… magnificent work.

Fall 2011 Contest Winners

Oh my… you guys really rocked it out and submitted the most amazing images – we can’t say that enough. they were truly truly A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. It was a tough decision but we are pleased to announce the winners for the contest for the Fall 2011 Workshop Starting on Monday the 26th of September.

1st place

2nd place -

3rd place

AND

AND as an added bonus…

And for wonderful alumni students

Congratulations everyone, truly the most amazing, stunning images from everyone. Places are very limited, register asap using THIS LINK

Looking forward to seeing you all next week.
the finding the light team.

“Interpretation” {Announcing Fall 2011 Contest}.

It’s that time of year …. The Fall Workshop Contest !! Don’t miss out !!!! The theme for the fall contest “”Interpretation”

“in·ter·pre·ta·tion- an explanation of the meaning of another’s artistic or creative work; an elucidation: an interpretation of a poem”

(Directions:)

You will pick one of the following three quotes and interpret the meaning into a photograph!

“I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings.”
~Gustave Flaubert

“I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.”
~e. e. cummings

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.”
~Elizabeth Lawrence

Grand prize – Free spot in the fall workshop
2nd place- Half off
3rd place – $150.00 off

All entries posted on my blog that are not in the top three will get 75.00 off the full participant workshop fee.( Can not be combined with any other discounts and is subject to availability)

Send in your entry to ftlentries@yahoo.com and please use your name in the subject line (this email is only for the contest entries, all other emails please send to thelightworkshop@yahoo.com)

Rules
1. Include an image that represents the theme
2. Your image must have a person in it.
3. It must of been taken with in the last 3 months!
4. Only one image submission per person.
5. Please put your name on the image itself
6. Taken with natural light
7. You must put your quote on the image or in the email !!

Remember it’s about getting creative!
Must be submitted by September 14th!
HAVE FUN!!

Winners will be announced September 20th by midnight eastern time~ I will post it on the Finding the Light Facebook page and blog!!

The Facebook page is some what new, so please join our page and show us some love! We would also appreciate if you share the contest on your page or blog!
FACE BOOK FAN PAGE

*can not be combined with any other offer and subject to availability*