Owen Biddle
Photo School
April Photo Newsletter
It's a Material World
Surface vs. Structure
photo by Cassandra Walwendah
"All that glitters is not gold..... but it can still be really pretty" ~ Anon
Dear Photographers,
Two ways to look at the world: the surface, which can be beautiful and dazzle the eye, and the underlying structure, which holds it all together and speaks to us of basic geometry and architecture. This month we'd like to keep these two perspectives in mind as ways to think about our image making.
photo by Owen Biddle
This workshop invites you to loose yourself in all the aspects of a particular material. What is it that makes glass glass? What makes concrete unique? What are the characteristics of water that make it watery? What about trees says "trees", or sky "sky"? We are so accustomed to thinking about the objects that make up our world, we rarely pause to consider the materials that make up those objects. By shifting our habitual thinking and seeing, we can discover beautiful new worlds in those very materials and thereby enhance our photographic and compositional reach. We can create works that fascinate as they hover between abstraction and reality.
Participants will share their work with special attention to "the material world". If you come to one (or both) of the field trips this month (see below) , feel free to bring along your work for review.
Tuesday April 29 7:00 - 8:30​​
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Photo Field Trips
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Do you believe you can convert downtown Bryn Mawr into a fantastic surreal world? You can, and this trip will show you how. We will be photographing our way through Bryn Mawr, with its multitude of stunning shop windows which make for phantasmagorical shots combining high style manikins, set-design surroundings and of course, the latest in fashion. Add in the layers of reflected light on the glass window, and you have the ingredients for some surreal photography.
Saturday, April 19 1:00 - 3:00
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This is a small nature sanctuary in Lansdowne, PA that offers a surprising variety of photographic subjects. The delicate greens of emerging leaves against the textures of old logs, rocks, moving water and a sandy bank provide a great chance to celebrate the season in this little-known gem.
Location: Lansdowne, PA
Saturday, April 26 4:00 - 6:00
photo by Owen Biddle
​DSLR and Mirrorless Fundamentals Tutorials
Below are descriptions of the basic units of our curriculum available to students ranging from beginner to advanced. Most units are five lessons and include a set of assignments designed to give practice in targeted skills with opportunities to get feedback from the instructor so that you learn from your experiences.
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Just give a call and we can set up individual sessions to keep you moving forward with your photography.
Call (610)-626-7854 for details.
​(click on links for more information)
Fundamentals 1: Camera Operations is for students who are just starting out, or want a good review of the basic camera functions.
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Fundamentals 2: Applications is for students who have some comfort with the camera and want to start applying their skills to expand their photographic range.
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Fundamentals 3: Composition takes photography beyond the subject, and encourages you to see the artistic and compositional opportunities in everyday life. Here is a chance for your right brain to come out and play!
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Fundamentals 4: Lighting Across the Genres is for students who are ready for the next critical step: lighting. Explore sophisticated means of controlling both natural and artificial light for portraits, landscape and still life to get just the mood and effects you want.
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Advanced Photography - Using self-generated assignments and in-depth critiques we will help you move forward in your work.
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March
Photo Contest:
Photos that tell Stories
First Place Winner
Tom Clark​
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Second Place Winner
Dave Cassie
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Third Place Winner
Nicole Llabres
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Honorable Mention
Eloise Boccella
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April Photo Contest:
It's a Material World
Looking for photos that celebrate the "superficial": color, design, pattern, texture.... To enter simply email your photo to : owenbiddlephotography@gmail.com Limit three images per entry.
The winning photos will be featured in our next Photo Newsletter.
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Sunday March 23 2:00 - 3:30
Sunday, May 25 2:00 - 3:30
​These are very friendly, relaxed get-togethers - location to be determined. Photographers of all levels are welcome to share pictures, get photography tips, and discuss camera equipment. You can also get ideas for entering photography contests, submitting to photography magazines and having photo shows. Feedback from the group provides encouragement and inspiration to go out and take more pictures. These informal photography critiques offer an excellent opportunity to start identifying themes in your work and to get ideas for new directions. Group size is limited, so if you can come an RSVP is required by email or call (610) 626-7854. Cost is $10.
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Not a photo but....
in this painting Claude Monet (1840 - 1926) discovers an entire universe of shimmering color on a small patch of the surface of a pond.
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Photographer of the Month
Cassandra Walwendah
Here's what Cassandra has to say:"A favorite song of mine is 'For the First Time' by Darius Rucker. The artist asks a
simple question, “When was the last time you did something for the first time?”
Recently, I pursued my love for life-long learning and application with an additional
interest in photography for the first time.
I sought the challenge to move beyond the casual “snapshot” and aim high to provide a
well-lit and composed picture in the likes of Edward Arthur Mauger and Gordon Parks.
With Owen’s help, I have grown to appreciate expanded classroom experiences in
reviewing the works of Mauger, Parks and other photographers. While I have
photographed sports, landscape, and travel destinations, I enjoy photographing historic
architecture such as the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. My ultimate desire is to use
photography to bring visibility to the overlooked areas of our world for others to
experience."
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As you can see below, Cassandra's adventurous spirit takes her in directions that both reveal the structure of things and revel in beautiful surfaces. We love her range and her passion for capturing our world with these different visions.
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Click on thumbnails to see full images.
