PrairieView Class of 2012

Blog Time

2012-02-17T10:11:00.002-06:00

Hi, I’m Jay, and here is my blog.

I started photography when I got my first Canon Powershot S3IS. Yes, I was a Canon user before this.

But it’s not about what camera you have. What matters is how you take pictures. Photography is the art of creating stories and your view of the world. It's like cooking; you have to know the best recipe in order to make delicious food. And it takes effort to make a great photo.

I'm a working student, and combining school and work is not an easy task. Many times I have felt like giving up. It's tough, and it's going to get tougher as we prepare to make “portfolio quality images”. My only prayer right now is to graduate.

Last year I went for a vacation, back to my beloved country, the Philippines. No matter what sort of negative things people might say about my country, I still love it. There are two reasons why I went home on my vacation. One reason was to see my mom and dad. After eight years of being away, I missed them.

The other reason was to to propose to my beloved Rosey. She said yes! Then she hugged and kissed me. (Shhhhh... We've known each other for two years, and being in a long distance relationship is tough.) That was the highlight of my vacation.

I'm going to return again to the Philippines in 2013 for the "big day", and you folks at PV are all invited, as long you pay for your plane tickets....and don't charge me for being my wedding photographers.

Jay Camanag

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

Life at PrairieView

2012-01-27T12:59:00.003-06:00

Life at PrairieView eh…well here it goes! Like anything new, it’s always scary at first. My first day was a bit of a blur; all I remember was being super nervous and being completely confused. Not confused in a bad way, it was just that everything was so new and I didn’t know anyone. That all changed after the first day when Christine (a fellow classmate) had asked if I would mind driving her to her car. The rest is history folks… the end. Just kidding!

Dian and Sarah shooting in Stephen Juba Park

One of the major things that I discovered within the first month or so at PrairieView is that your mind will quickly be blown away with all this new knowledge. I personally was blown away by the good old histogram I never thought I’d use, and that quickly changed. I feel like I’ve learnt so much already and were just creeping up to that half way mark and I know there’s still so much more to go!

A scared potato for a Creative Imaging assignment

I would like to say that I feel like we’re a family at PrairieView. There’s not many of us so everyone knows who everyone else is and get along great! If you are ever having any problems there’s always either a teacher or a fellow student you can talk to and get advice from. I feel like we all support each other and it’s really a great place to be! The atmosphere at PrairieView is awesome because we all get to hang out with each other whenever we want and its just very easy going. We often get into some in depth conversations about our future assignments from Paolo or what Ross is having for lunch that day or even asking Aaron every question in the book. It’s quite entertaining at most of our lunches, breaks and whenever else we are all together. I'll talk about all the classes now, which is why were all here at PrairieView!

A slide film shot.

Analogue Techniques was probably the most nerve-wracking class for me because the darkroom was a scary, scary place to me before school. I didn’t know anything about developing prints or film and the fact that it had to be done in almost complete darkness was a terrible thought. Now the darkroom is a fun place to be and have fun with your work. It’s very exciting to see that first print and to keep on improving on them afterwards too!

Portrait of a dog.

Digital Techniques is awesome too! In this class though we have learned all about Lightroom, which was also a foreign concept before school started but now I definitely could not live without it. I’m already starting to feel the same about Photoshop and we just started learning all about it. The reason why I enjoy this class is because it gives you a chance to alter your images after you take them and be completely creative without really any limit to what you can do.

Portrait of Steven

Creative Imaging is all about being creative and shooting lots (which I have to work on). In this class we have so many opportunities and unique assignments, which drives you to work harder with each one. We also get a chance to learn about different types of photography there is out there and maybe help you decide which genre you would like to pursue.

Experimenting with Bokeh at Christmas time.

Industry Studies I find is very helpful with learning all the key business aspects that go along with being a photographer. There is so much that you need to know and is a little bit overwhelming at times, but overall a great class. I cannot wait to learn all about contracts, pricing and how to run my own business over the next few months!

On location portrait shoot.

Video Capture is definitely different than any of the other classes and adds a different aspect of the industry. I do enjoy taking video and editing it together almost as much as I like to take photos. Video and photos go well together because they both can tell stories equally as well. I would like to be able to incorporate video into my photography business somehow too because its something more to offer to clients.

Rusted old truck.

Last but certainly not least of the classes is Image Capture. This class I have to say has taught me the most thus far. I’ve learnt so much about how to properly use my camera that I never even knew existed. Histograms have definitely become my best friend along with my tripod! Never would have thought I would say that though. Image Capture has taught me most of the ins and outs of my gear and how to get the best results in most situations. I know how to be a ready shooter and be prepared for a lot of things that I wouldn’t have a clue about before.

Portrait of Dylan.

Overall PrairieView is a great place to be, meet fellow photographers and learn more than you’ll ever image. I feel like I can truly say I’ve become a better person and photographer even after only being here for five months. Thanks PV!

Alyssa Arnold

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

Don't Tell My Parents

2012-01-20T13:15:00.004-06:00

Don’t tell my parents...

I didn’t know for sure I wanted to be a photographer.

(The images above of the same girl, taken before - the first one, and during school - the second)

So there I was, lazing around in my living room playing on my laptop while half watching the TV. My Dad was giving me the speech, you know which one. It had come to the point were I dreaded being in the same room as the man. For the past three years he only every talked about one thing: my future.

I was seventeen and thought I would make millions by just sitting on my favorite chair. I didn’t need to have a career. I wasn’t that “type”.

(A photo of me taking a picture)

He was about midway through his speech, not noticing that I was ten times more interested in my laptop than him when I sudden’y got an idea to make him shut up. I would WILLINGLY go to a career meeting, with the promise that I would look into more jobs that Manitoba has to offer.

I didn’t look into it, in fact I bought and watched all the current seasons of Grey’s Anatomy instead.

(From the recreation project)

Two week later in Subway, after my career meeting at Red River my Dad started his speech, AGAIN! I was sick of it, literally - I was going to spew fluids all over the forty-seven-year-old man if he made me listen to it one more time. So in fear of my ears bleeding, I had a “Brain Blast” (Jimmy Neutron, no? Only me. Okay ... )

I blurted the first career that came to mind: photography. My Dad, who is the owner of an electric business, laughed. Art? HA!

(My brother in the first image and my classmate, Alyssa in the second)

He doubted me, which in all honesty, he was right to do so. I was horrible in school and I was the laziest person I knew. How could I make a living at photography? But I was a teenager and I had just been challenged.

(My brother, for environmental portraits)

Do you see that poster?

My Dad looked behind him, a poster of a footlong sub hung just above his head.

Someone had to take that photo!

(My friend, Jacky in the first and my classmate, Jenna in the second)

Then I really got into it. This had gotten the ball rolling! Made me hit the trail? Got my feet wet? Got me underway? Whichever is right, that’s what happened. Someone had to take pictures for the “meal deal”, and each sub on the menu. Then I moved to fashion - someone had to take pictures of the clothes in each catalogue; how about websites? Someone had to take those, too; and how about billboards or all those damn University brochures I had collected (and burned)?

Wow. This career had promise.

(A image I took for fun)

My Dad was shocked. He had never thought of it either. So I now had a choice: photography or business school ... Photography it was! So I researched it - for real this time. I know - shocking, isn’t it?

I built up a portfolio; slaved over it for weeks. I restarted it at least seven times and I still wasn’t a hundred percent happy with it, but I didn’t want to go into business (well now I do, but that’s a whole different story). Plus, during my weeks of taking images, I was getting better and I really enjoyed the feeling I got when I had taken a great photo.

(A perfect example of right place, right time, with my camera)

Also my Mom was now my biggest fan. She loved this idea - heck, she even found PrairieView for me!

And now here I really am, almost nine months later, munching on undercooked chocolate chip cookies. I can honestly say that my photography has improved since I went into my interview. (That’s an understatement!) I look forward to school everyday. Everyone is so nice, and the teachers are amazing. (Maybe if I suck up I will get a better grade?) I enjoying shooting with my new Canon EOS 7D; it barely leaves my side. You just never know when you are going to see that “perfect” shot. I don’t think I can ever be as happy with any other career path. So, my last minute attempt to shut up my Dad turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me.

(The first is a film image, the second is my creative post process)

Sarah Campbell

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

It's More Than Just A "Cliclick"

2012-01-13T12:20:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone! I'm Dee and I'd like to share my story here. At first photography was not my main thing, it was just a hobby. I like to explore new places. I travel around and always bring my small point and shoot camera everywhere with me. One day my friend showed me pictures which are taken with his DSLR. I was so upset because his pictures made mine look like garbage. So I decided to get a DSLR. I worked so hard and I didn't eat for a week (just kidding!) to get a Canon 50D. I was so exited and yea..I became a photography junkie.

On my days off I would wake up early in the morning just to catch the sunrise or I would just walk around to shoot anything that looked good in front of my eyes. I am interested in landscape and macro photography, but I pretty much do any kind of picture. When I have my camera in my hand I become a very patient person. I don't mind waiting until the moment happen.

A sunset picture taken in 2009.
I took this picture at 125 ISO.
Why I put 125? Only God knows why.

I took this picture accidentally. I was walking down the side walk,
a dragonfly was flying around. So I sat down and waited.
Suddenly he came back and brought his lunch. 'CLICLICK'

Night time in South Beach.

It was in the late afternoon, I was taking pictures of the kids running around in the park when one of the mothers there came up to me. She asked me if I wanted to take some pictures of the new clothes in her clothing boutique. I said yes and I was happy but also confused. I had no idea how to do fashion shots and I had never worked with artificial lighting (flash) before. Well I did it anyway, with my limited technique. Portrait photography is also really hard for me. I realized that is my biggest fear. My other fear was the histogram on my camera. I tried to ignore it. I was pretending that I didn't need it. I didn't even know how to read it. Overall my photography technique was poor and I want to be BETTER!

So its been 4 months since I have been attending the Diploma Program at Prairie View School of Photography. Have I made any progress? Yup. I've made big progress. But let's rewind a little bit to the beginning of the school year. AT (Analogue Techniques) class made me nervous. But I loaded a film to my manual film camera, went outside for shooting and made prints in the darkroom. I was so excited when I developed my first print! I have now learned how to add some contrast to my print, did some dodging and burning to spice it up, and can also mak any kind of image border. It is fun. (and it can be stressful too..ssst!). I am also learning how to develop my black and white film.

Double exposure image taken with film camera.

Trains in Dufferin Industrial area.
Image taken with film camera from Slaw Rebchuk bridge

Image Capture class really opened my eyes. Now I understand how the camera works, the settings and the short cuts to be a 'READY SHOOTER'. My fingers can dance faster now to find the setting that I want, and hey, the histogram is my friend now! I've learned aboutcomposition and design, framing, the rule of thirds and I know a lot more about the history of photography. I have learned the basics of portrait photography and the kind of lighting that works for the shot. It's challenging for me. This term I have studio lighting class coming up and I am so exited.

Exposure control and freeze the motion.

Played around with depth of field,
simple composition and ambience lighting.

Alexis upper body shot.
I took advantage of a big window
in her university building
to get the lighting for this shot.

Twilight gives me a very blue sky colour.

Stitching multiple pictures into panoramic

I have so much fun in photography. I know this is my passion, and being in this school help me so much to improve my ability. I want to keep shooting and 'WOW' people with my pictures.

Dian Saraswati

PV Diploma Student

2011-2012

Amateur

2012-01-06T14:10:00.002-06:00

My love affair with photography began when I was a child. It started when my mom let me play with an old camera of hers. Immediately, I began saving my allowance and purchased my first camera when I was six years old.

Photography has always been something I wanted to pursue, but I managed to talk myself out of it for years. I had heard from so many people that photographers don’t make any money. So off I went (with my camera in hand) and enrolled in other post secondary schools. Stressed out, I spent the entire summer up in Northern Manitoba. Out there, I was fortunate to rediscover my passion for photography (and just how strong it was!) and when I came home, I knew that I needed to enrol. When asked to submit a portfolio, I didn’t know if my photographs would measure up.

Fast forward over the first few months of being a PV student. I am confident in my camera techniques. I understand how the DSLR works, how to recognize good lighting and how important it is. I’ve learned the importance of aperture, shutter speeds, and how to direct my focus. I’ve learned the rule of thirds, and why subject placement is so important in a photograph. I’ve learned to see beyond what is obviously in front of me, and actually take the time to discover places. I have a new perception of everything I see. When I hold my camera now, I feel unstoppable. It’s like the possibilities just continue to grow every time I click my shutter button.

One of my “a-ha!” moments was in Image Capture. This may sound silly, but it was when Ross taught us about all the specs that are on a lens, and what they mean. For me, that lesson pieced together everything else we learned in Image Capture. Aperture made sense, and I finally understood what my lens was capable of. I didn’t realize how important a lens could be! I’ve since gone out and purchased a fixed 50mm f 1.8. Which from what I hear, I’m sure is the beginning of a new addiction to lens. Another moment for me was when I saw my first image develop in the darkroom. The possibilities at that moment were just endless! I look back to my first photograph from the darkroom now, and I think it needs contrast, some dogding and burning and a different crop. But it is still exciting everytime a picture appears on that paper.

Film Photography - Aircrafts at the Winnipeg Aviation Museum Grounds.

So where do I want to be when I’m done school? After listening to Craig in class the other day, I’m not entirely sure now! I took a lot away from his speech in our Industry Studies class, and I feel a new sense of motivation and excitement. I just want to photograph everything I possibly can! So going forward, where I want to be is partially where I already am, an “Amateur.” Craig taught us (and I double checked!) that the root of the word amateur comes from “love” and that’s a part of photography that I don’t want to lose. I remind myself that I may never be the best photographer out there, but I will be the best that I can be.

Shelby - on a self assigned field trip we took to Headingly, MB.

My goal when I entered school was to take photographs that make people happy, or evoke some kind of joy in them, and I wanted to be able to show people things that not everyone has the opportunity to experience. I’m confident that I will do this, though my directions may have changed (and they might change again!) I have a love of people, and I think that will benefit me in the wedding industry. I also enjoy portraits, and working with families. It’s possible that I will tap into some commercial, and possibly even some landscapes and travel photography for my own personal images.. I’m going to keep my doors open, and go full force!

Prairie Dog Central Train Station

Self Assigned field trip to Stonewall

Capturing my nephews expression. What you can't see, is grandma about to give him an icecream cone.

Poncho

Legislative Building - Taken for an assignment that we had to discover somewhere new to us.

Julia smiles! A shot while learning how to use reflectors and natural lighting conditions.

Shelby on a school assigned field trip to the Millenium Library.

In the exchange district.

Ashley Crocker
PV Diploma Student

2011-12

Test week stress & thoughts.

2011-12-15T23:21:00.001-06:00

So it's my turn to write up a blog post for the week. I was super excited about it, wrote out ideas and stuff then I threw that paper into the black hole known as my binder and it was never seen again.

I also made those plans before I knew this week was test week.
It's time for midterms and I've got one left to go. Doing some last minute reviewing, hoping that my test anxiety won't get the best of me.

In the last month, I've gotten to do some amazingly fun stuff! The PrairieView staff like to spring surprise field trips on us--rather, I should say that they like to keep the location a surprise. We ended up going to the Millennium Library to take portraits of each other and then to the Festival of Trees & Lights to just shoot whatever!

Shooting in the Millennium Library was so much fun. Not only because I am a total bookworm, but the light in there was just amazing! The huge windows are definitely great, especially on an overcast day for soft light. It was a great experience, not only for shooting but managing time when you need to scout a location quickly and shoot in it right afterwards.

The Festival of Trees & Lights was awesome, too! I was especially impressed with all the detail that went into some of the gingerbread houses. I don't think I could ever do something that amazing (or cute!). And there were so many different Christmas trees! I think this one here was my favourite, but it was such a tough choice to decide if there was one that I could consider an absolute winner, in my eyes. They were all fantastic.

I also had the opportunity of scheduling a portrait session with my cousins. Originally I was just going to take pictures of one of them, but since they were both ready, I figured hey, why not? Both of them are extremely talented musicians and singers, so while we were taking pictures, we would get a little "show" in between! It was a great shoot, all around and I was blown away by how much easier it was to take good shots. Three months ago I would have never been able to shoot like I am now.

I can't believe it's already December. Time flies so fast at PrairieView and before I know it, it'll be June and we'll be graduating. Every day, I feel like I'm becoming a better photographer without realizing it. I never knew school could be this fun, but that's just another sign that I've found something that I love doing and I want to keep doing as long as I'm able to.

Yesterday, after our Creative Imaging test, we were all notified of the group changes for this coming January. We were all aware that this day was coming--we just didn't want it to. Change is scary sometimes, but sometimes it's for the better. Normally, I would vehemently disagree about this because our group was such a "together" kind of group (we almost always took walks to Photocentral all together, we wore more or less the same shades to our exam yesterday, by accident!) but it's not like they're sending us off to different parts of the country. We'll still see each other at lunch and potlucks!

All in all, this is a great experience. I am unbelievably blessed to be here, learning to better myself in what I love doing; taking pictures.

Claudeen Tiongson
PV Diploma Student
2011-12

Learning Lots at PrairieView

2011-12-09T23:00:00.000-06:00

Hey guys! I’m Kirstyn and I’m a student at PrairieView, obviously. Life at PrairieView is stressful, to say the least. There are always new assignments being thrown at us that require a lot of work and time, but it keeps us busy which is a good way to be. I have learned so much from when I started, and it’s only been about three months. I can’t wait to see where I am when I graduate!

These are some of my images from before school started. I am not proud of them at all, but I feel like you should see them so you can understand just how much I have learned in the past few months. If I had three wishes from a genie in a lamp I would wish for an extra hour in every day, new camera gear, and the opportunity to go back and retake every single image I have with the knowledge I now know. Because with all those things combined, I believe I would have some really stunning photographs!

Now we get to take a look at some of my more recent photos.

These are all photos that I've taken after school started in September, and personally I can see a huge change in the quality of the images. I now know more about the technical and creative components of photography so my images are a lot more interesting to look at now. My skills, both in camera and while editing my photos, are thousands of times better than they were before September. I know how to use light, aperture, shutter speed, etc. all together to make for a more interesting final image. I have learned a lot of editing skills so now after I'm finished on the computer my pictures look better rather than worse! Which is always a good thing.

One of the most important things I have learned so far is to shoot lots! The more you shoot the closer you get to the final image that you have in your head, because you change little things about the composition or the technical techniques you are using. It's always exciting for me when I'm finished with a shoot and my final images are close or the same to the ones I had in my head before I even picked up my camera.

All of the instructors at PrairieView are super friendly and always willing to help out a student in need. They teach in a way that makes learning fun. Or maybe it's just that we're learning about photography which is always fun, who knows! Either way, I wouldn't be where I am right now without them, so thank you very much. I am looking forward to learning even more ane becoming an even better photographer. Like I said earlier, I can't wait to see where I am at graduation. I am sure by then my after photos now will be my before photos, and that can't come soon enough for me!

Kirstyn Rathert

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

Retrospective

2011-12-05T10:20:00.002-06:00

Hello out there,

Today i'm just chilling here in the DT lab. Its going pretty good. I have started to think of how I started to get into photography, I have no clue... lol well I guess I was always interested but have never really tried it out. Before i have gotten into photography, i was always drawing and that's what i was going to originally go for in, I was looking back on my drawings and sketches and i was pretty good at it. i think it sucks that, i stop basically now. i can't really handle my own thoughts to draw. i think i forgotten half of the stuff i've learned over the years. anyways, on my 16th birthday, My parents bought me my first DSLR camera and i fell in love with it. haha It's the one i have today, Canon EOS XS Rebel with the standard kit lens. i felt like I was on top of the world with that camera for the longest time. the thing is for me though is, i had no idea how to work in besides the basic, point and shoot. lol here are some photos of my old stuff.

There's a lot more... but i don't feel like showing them. haha through out the summer of '09 all i have done was take photos of whatever i thought was cool, or just interesting. My friends were so jealous of me because i got a DSLR camera. but i always let them try it how, as school started though, i slowed down a lot on taking photos because school was becoming to much for me and it was also football season at the time, so it was football practice every night. it was crazy. but there were some weekends where, i just dropped everything and i took my camera and went out shooting whatever i could see. i felt so relaxed.

(here's a piece I did about week or two, back)

A year passes and i have taken any photos in a long time because i was to busy with school. My highschool added a new club. The photography club. i was surprised and excited for it. we had fun a little assignments for it and i was had a lot more fun, got a little annoying because the girl in the club would have always treated as a contest and wanted to see who was better. wanted to give them a smack for it but i just let it go. more pass on and i came to the final months of grade 12 for me. looking for school and i wanted to study photography and was originally was going to go to the U of M for that but then i saw a brochure for Prairieview. went onto the website saw what they had to offer and i thought it was awesome, I applied for it and got an interview. i was pumped for it and went out to go shoot for my portfolio. here are some of the pictures.

(sorry, i don't have the original files. so i had to get them off my old website.)

These are just a few and i feel more happy with these ones then the other ones i have picked. I went for my interview and I felt pretty confined about it after the interview with ross and not even a week later, i got my acceptance letter and it, was, the happiest day of my life. swear to god, i was jumping and scream all around and through out my house and my mother and father were happy for me also. i ran out for my friends told them. they were happy for me also. :) months pass and now i'm here. Sitting in the DT lab. feeling happy for myself, because i made it here. The next thing is for me is, what am I going to do? i honestly don't know what i'm going to do after i'm done here. i know i'm going to keep taking photo's, thats for sure. I am planning on going backpacking through the UK. Maybe in two years. and maybe in time i'll start up my own business. one of my dreams is to have my photos featured on a big name brand, Like "Drop Dead, Clothing", "Unif", or "Obey". or maybe for "Gucci" and other high end fashion Labels.

Well this is basically how i started and what i want to do. hope you enjoyed the read. :)

Sebastian Watt

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

Before and not so After

2011-11-26T14:57:00.003-06:00

Hey Guys! First off I am not into blogging but since it's a Major assignment I guess I have to do it. I'm Kahren :) after finishing high school I went back to the Philippines to study and I got a diploma in Culinary Arts and when I was about to start my career in the world of food I felt like this is not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. A career shift will be the answer. What do I want to do while having fun and getting comfortable at? I have been doing photography as a hobby for 2 years, taking pictures of my family, friends, travelling and parties and I must say that this will be it, I am having a lot of fun while doing it and seeing my friends and families smiling and giving me compliments at the results is a one big happiness for me. Before going to the Philippines I got my first DSLR a Nikon D40, tried to read the manual but didn't happen cause I was so excited to start taking pictures, and then three years after, September 2011 I'm officially a student at PrairieView School of Photography.

When I was in the Philippines and have nothing to do, I travel for an hour or more just to take pictures of the sunset or go to other places that interest me at or sometimes go to events and snap some pictures, and you need someone to come with you or else it will be boring and you have no one else to talk to. Now, looking back at the pictures that I took before going to school.

sunset at Manila bay

light show

sunrise by the beach

and me at the longest and highest zip line in the Philippines, fun times. This is how they cross mountains :D

Now, I want to go back to all the places I've been to and take photographs and ofcourse apply all the things I learned from school, Before I did not know some of the buttons in my camera and I get surprise in class that there are some shortcut buttons on it and I don't have to look at the viewfinder just to switch some settings cause I only have to press one button away and it is done. It's been only two months and I already learn a lot of stuff, and looking forward in June when we are all done to those weekly assignments, have new knowledge about Photography and ready to enter the industry. And here are few shots that I took during the first two months of school.

Night City scape

The Tourist

Royal Canadian Mint

After seeing my before and during school images there's definitely a big difference aside from the location of course :)) I mean how I balance the exposure, using histogram, white balance and a better knowledge on Lightroom. We still have seven months and have LOTS of things to learn. Get the updates every week on what's happening at PV by checking on to this blogsite and watch us grow as we finish the program.

Nikon FE shot

Kahren Sabater

PV Diploma Student 2011-12

Learning Takes Time

2011-11-18T10:28:00.001-06:00

When I first started photography, all I wanted to be was a landscape photographer who took all these amazing shots that know one has ever seen before. I used to spend all my free time taking pictures in the summer, and to my surprise I actually took some great shots. Some of my most favorite photos are the ones I took without knowing what shutter speeds were, or what the word aperture even meant. My camera was always in a preset mode like sunset or night time. Never did I manually set anything. My interest in photography became even bigger when I got positive feedback from my family. I knew I needed to take his hobby to a new level. So I got a job and the firs big ticket I bought was a Canon Rebel XSI. I bought not even knowing what all the buttons and options were about.
My high school career was coming to an end, so I wondered what I was going to do with my life. Never could I see myself going to university or college. I didn't have the brains or ambitions. So before I graduated high school, I found out about a photography school in Winnipeg that offered a 10 month diploma course in professional photography. I knew it was for me, but I didn't want to rush anything. So I took a year off after high school and worked. It gave me time to decide if this choice was right for me.
I worked hard on putting together a portfolio of my finest work for my interview. I got accepted into the diploma program, so I guess they saw something that they liked. This career choice has been one of the best since.
My photography has improved greatly, and I'm making use of all the buttons that my camera has, and I even know what they all mean. I have had so many moments were I go " Oh....that's what that means". What you learn here is everything you need to know. To make it even better, it's a relaxed environment, were you don't have to worry about essay's and book reports, but rather focus everything you got on your own personnel creativity.
At this school I have been pushed to my creative limits and I know what I'm good at and what I'm not so good at. All of this though makes me a better photographer.
As I'm learning so much, I see my future as a photographer shifting from landscape/nature and heading more into the direction of people photography and weddings. If you would have asked me this 3 years ago, I would have said that I would have never become interested into people photography.
After assisting a photographer at a wedding this past fall, I knew I had hot another "Ah-ha" moment, and I'm really starting to like taking people portraits. Capturing both candid and staged pictures are my favorite. Putting all my creativity into shots is something that comes really easy to me.
I enjoy everything I learn here and will continue to until I have learned the business and am ready to graduate in June 2012. As for my future, I hope to become a wedding photographer and own my own photo studio. I girl can dream can't she not......

Taken in 2008, No photo editing

My first time assisting wedding.

A picture taken at a recent field trip to a boat museum.

A picture that I took using my oh-so-cool film camera.

A photo taken back in 2009 with my new Canon Rebel. The camera is at the top of the list of best camera, but I think it does swell.

A self-portrait of myself. The theme for this assignment was called " Beyond the Obvious". I thought it was a pretty nifty idea.

Kristen Klassen
PV Diploma Student
2011-12

Setting Yourself Apart

2011-11-10T11:58:00.002-06:00

I’d have to say that the thing(s) that I am struggling with the most in this course thus far is wanting to make my images stand apart. There are so many photographers out there right now and in 2012 they’ll be 30 more so the question for me becomes, how do I make my photographs stand apart from other photographers. It’s very frustrating for me to think about the work & effort I put into creating a photograph that I believe to be unique, only to find out that someone else took basically the same photo (I was told not to get too hung up on this though). The other struggle is coming up with creative ideas. There are times when I have my camera in hand and have no idea what to do with what’s in front of me, I’ve hit a wall, I’m at a creative block. I’ve heard that there is no original idea, that everything has already been done and if this is the case, how then do I put our own spin on something, how do I make it my own? I think these topics come hand in hand with each other so I decided to do some research and along with advice from professors and my own experiences, I created a short list that I hope will be of use to other students. In no particular order

1. shoot, Shoot, SHOOT! I learned this lesson from the 100 shots assignment which really forced me to try different angles, perspectives etc. That’s the beauty of digital cameras, you can take as many shots as you’d like. Somebody told me that If I ever see something that makes me take a second glance or stop for even a second to photograph it. This of course means carrying my camera at all times. I’m sure we’ve all been there when you encounter something that would make a great picture and are without a camera…IT SUCKS!

2. Free-writing. I find this exercise to be extremely helpful. During a Creative Imaging class we had 15 minutes to shoot, our topic was the spirit of the exchange. Personally, I took pictures of whatever was around me there was no rhyme or reason (I was more concerned about the time). When we got back to class we had 5 or so minutes to do some free writing where you just write everything that is going through your head even if there isn’t a thought to be found. The Exchange for me is very artsy. It’s about the unique shops & boutiques (such as Ragpickers) you don’t see everywhere, I thought about the hustle and bustle etc. so now I had a clear idea of what I wanted to photograph & why I was photographing it. I went back, took the time play to play around and believe my pictures turned out much better because of that exercise

3. Embrace your curiosity. Be curious! Embrace it! Use it!. Ask yourself those why and what questions like “what if I shot it this way?’ Try different scales, perspectives, angles, compositions etc. Take a risk!

4. Be confident! Our creativity can be hindered by insecurities about our abilities. Eliminate that negative thinking & self-criticisms and focus on strengths and the positive

5. Fight that fear of failure. I’m a terrible one for always wanting to get the perfect shot the first time. Remembering that mistakes are simply part of process is key. My friends constantly have to remind me that I’m in school to learn and therefore can’t expect to get something right away. It’s better to take a shot (good or bad) decide what you like and don’t like about the shot and improve from there. We’re here to improve on our skills. Phil had a quote that I really liked at the end of his blog about failing http://prairieview2012.blogspot.com

6. Brainstorm & use create mind maps. This is where you have an idea usually in the center and branch out from there with related ideas, solutions, terms, then clarify and refine those ideas even further

7. Challenge yourself. Try new things. Being creative is partly about discovering new ideas and in order to do so we must be willing to try new things

8. Creativity journal. Use a creativity journal (which we will hopefully be getting soon (fingers crossed)) to write down thoughts or ideas that come to you

9. Look for sources of inspiration. Look at the work of other artists, read books, listen to music etc. I love music. I played piano for many years and found I played best when I poured myself into the music. I listen to music regularly and listen to every genre possible. I’ll close my eyes & just listen or have paper and pen in hand and write what comes to me as I’m listening

I’m currently reading Your Creative Brain by Shelley Carson, PhD and there’s a joke in there

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go on a camping trip. After a good dinner and a bottle of wine, the retire for the night, and go to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes wakes up and nudges his faithful friend.

“Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.”

“I see millions and millions of stars, Holmes,” replies Watson.

“And what do you deduce from that?” Watson ponders for a minute.

“Well, astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three, Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful, and that we are a small and insignificant part of the universe. What does it tell you, Holmes?”

Holmes is silent for a moment. “Watson, you idiot!” he says. “Someone has stolen our tent!”

10. The point Dr. Carson was making was to stop overthinking. According to Dr. Carson, overthinking can keep you from seeing solutions that are right before your eyes. This idea of overthinking, I think, also ties into Freeman Paterson’s idea of letting go of self, which he says is a precondition for real seeing.

Well I hope this helps. Below are some more resources

Try the following:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Photography and the Art of Seeing by Freeman Paterson

Your Creative Brain by Shelley Carson, PhD

http://improvephotography.com/2353/needle-in-a-haystack-how-photographers-can-make-their-photos-stand-out-from-the-crowd/

http://www.advancedphotography.net/creative-photography-12-tips-creative-creative-photography/

http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.htm

Rebecca Watters

PV Student 2011/2012

What's going on!

2011-11-04T15:37:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! My name is Stephanie Wiebe and I am currently a student here at Prairieview. It is such a blast coming to school everyday! I know what your thinking..."Who in their right mind says going to school is a blast?" Well you clearly have never been to photography school. From crazy field trips to haunted boats, creative writing, and learning to take beautiful pictures whats not to enjoy? Something about me is I picked up a camera around 2 years ago. I decided "Hey if I ever to meet Justin Bieber I better be able to take a killer picture of him!" Okay that's not exactly how it happened but pretty close. I wanted to take pictures that captured beauty and froze time. I am now everyday getting better and better but not on my own but with the teaching and guidance I am getting from my amazing instructors! I am being taught how to tap into my creativity, how to make properly exposed pictures, to do post camera manipulation, all angles of the industry and so much more! So if you every thought you were not good enough to go to school here or that maybe you should practice photography a little more...forget that and just apply! Trust me you will be surprised with yourself and surprised with the level of knowledge you will receive everyday.

(Double Exposure with 35mm film)

Lately we have been learning more and more about the technical aspect about things. Learning how to pick apart pictures using the proper descriptions, figuring out which way the light was falling from the image and how large or how small the light source is. We really have also started dodging and burning in the dark room which I would explain to you but I would probably just confuse you. It is very interesting! Last week we had a group critique which is when we all get together in the large classroom as one large group, grab some popcorn and submit 3 photo's that we would like to have critiqued by our teachers and fellow classmates! The first time was so nerve wracking! I think it was because it was at the beginning of the year and my pictures were not at a calibre that I wanted them to be at. Now with the most recent critique I felt way more confident even with only 7 weeks of photography schooling. I felt like my photo's were at least 95% better than they were and now I knew that it was not just a fluke picture it was knowledge that I knew and therefore used to create a great picture! Now by no means do I think I am anywhere near where I want to be quality wise and creativity wise with my photo's but I am on my way! Everyday everyone here gets at least a little bit better. I am so excited for the end of the year where we all get to look around at each others work and appreciate what everyone went through to get to the place they are then.

I am so amazed at the amount of information everyone can retain here on a weekly basis. I guess its because with each new concept we learn about we receive an assignment to put it into practice. We recently got an assignment in our creative imaging class which had us recreate styles of photography such as pictoralism, straight and surrealism. It was so interesting to see everyones attempt at the styles. Every week we also get a board assignment which is basically a word which you are to interpret into a photograph. You then make a 8x10 print and post it in the school for everyone to see. That is always so interesting because you get to see everyones interpretation of the same word! Sometimes it is really challenging to put your mental picture of the word into a photograph but sometimes a challenge is good for you, it gets your gears turning!

(Pictoralism)

(Straight)

(Surrealism)

This program is really amazing and the classes are so much fun! I recently asked a former student which class they liked the best and they surprise me with an answer that I thought was great! They said " I looked forward to all of my classes with equal enthusiasm always ready to soak up new information." I agree completely.

Stephanie Wiebe

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

The Marine Museum of Manitoba

2011-10-21T12:05:00.002-05:00

The Marine Museum of Manitoba Selkirk

For this field trip assignment our class was given the task to create interesting images based on the design elements that we have been learning in class. These images were to be taken at the Marine Museum of Manitoba. Prior to this assignment I had no knowledge of this museum so I decided to visit their website to learn more about it. I found that the museum has been in Selkirk since 1973 and still adheres to its original plans to collect artefacts that relate to marine life on Lake Winnipeg and the Red River.

The location of the field trip was kept a surprise however, we were informed that it would be both indoors and outdoors. Since its cold at this time of year everyone got a little taste of what’s to come for shooting in the winter time. It was necessary to make sure that we were dressed appropriately to shoot in any weather, rain or shine. Luckily there was no rain but it was definitely cold enough for mitts, hats, jackets and even leg warmers in order to keep warm.

Even though it is cold at this time of year, we were fortunate to see some of the Halloween decorating they do for the occasion. The rooms may not have reached their full frightening potential due to the fact that it was the middle of the day but I can imagine all the frightening little details that they added really standing out in the dark. What I enjoyed most about the decorated rooms was that everywhere you looked there was something different to see such as jars of blood filled with things like human eyeballs and fingers and a room dedicated solely to creepy children.

Not all the ships were decorated for Halloween. I thought the non decorated ships were interesting because nothing was restored on them and everything has a lot of wear and tear because of its age. I liked this because it reminds you of just how old the ships are as well as the objects in them.

There were even random items like books, cooking appliances, and displays of tools used throughout the ship. I thought this was a great collection of artefacts that you wouldn’t normally get to see and made for really good photo opportunities.

The lighting inside the interior of the ships we entered was very low and offered opportunities to get practice using our tripods, even though it’s not much fun to carry them around and they didn’t necessarily fit well in the smaller locations on the ship. I’ve learned that a tripod is a great tool to have in such situations and definitely came in handy on this assignment.

Due of the nature of the objects being photographed I found that at any given time when I was looking around at the other photographers they could be seen contorting into strange positions in order to get the specific shots they were looking for. The assignment also had everyone twisting around in order to get pictures for some of the specific design elements like Worm’s eye view. It was a fun and unique challenge.

The field trip to the Marine Museum of Manitoba was a great learning opportunity since we got to see some interesting things and try to take attractive pictures of some unusual and abnormal subjects. We got more experience using our tripods and a chance to practice doing whatever it takes to take compositionally interesting photos of somewhat challenging subjects. Overall I believe everyone enjoyed their visit to the museum.

Shelby Fraser

PV Student 2011-12

Field Trippin'

2011-10-14T16:01:00.001-05:00

Salutations to all,

as the nerves begin to settle, getting through the initial first couple of weeks of school can be pretty rattling. New faces, new names to learn, and of course new teachings to soak up. Which ever level of learning it may be, every student is reminded of the fun and good things that come out of school. You make friends, you learn new things, and you build some character along the way. We all have high hopes to make a contribution to society, and finding our place in the world.

Sometimes we can't grasp the concept that work can be rewarding AND fun! I am pretty sure I can speak on behalf of everyone attending the 2011/2012 diploma course at prairieview, that we are certainly having a ton of fun thus far. Success is what you make of it, if you are in it more for the rewards then you will probably be rich and famous. If you have perhaps a slightly different outlook on life, you might be able to see the value in enjoying this life to the fullest and it becomes more valuable than money, cars, a beach house etc..

In my life so far, I have been learning more and more that I can be gone at any moment. So as it stands, i'm here for a good time, not a long time. Enjoying all opportunities to have fun and remember what I'm in it for. I'm reminded of a short story how I took an interest in photography. I was on a hiking/portaging trip with a few buddies, and one of my friends was a really good photographer. He was always lugging his gear with him everywhere we went. The one time I didn't see him taking pictures, was when we reached a summit of rock cliffs, with gorgeous waterfalls around us. He had his camera packed up while he was just in awe, as were the rest of us. I said what are you waiting for take some pictures this is awesome! he turned to me and said I'm taking mental pictures first. That stuck in my head to not only enjoy the moment, but to make them last by remembering them well. We are often reminded to well that if you don't stop and look around, your life might just pass you right by!

So even though I have been in school for less than a month, I can easily put our last field trip up there for a great time! Thanks Tristan btw! It was fun for all. We took the whole student list to Grand Prix amusements! I've been there plenty of times on my own, but to be there on official school business somehow made it more exciting. It's weird to explain how that is, but we put what we learned to the test and having so much fun at the same time. Productive fun is the only way I can describe it.

The instructors of course kept it a secret to where we were heading until 5 minutes before departure. WHAT THE HECK! WHERE ARE WE GOING!? people were anxious to say the least. But it worked! we were all happy to be going somewhere fun and exciting. I think everyone enjoyed the afternoon. I have nothing but big smiley faces in all my pictures I took. The instructors who came along had a blast too! even though I'm sure they've been going there for years, they made it feel like it was their first time. No matter if it was someones first time or 50th time, everyone made the most of it. How can you go wrong with Go-karts, and mini golf! and to top it all off we made use of that big bouncing balloon! which was a first timer for me.

Our task was basically to put what we had learned about controlling our cameras shutter speeds with all the crazy motions that can happen in different environments. Whether it's fast paced movements on a race track with cars flying by you.. or you are snapping pics of some wreckless, face palming, knee slapping mini golf!

Well, now I ask myself - How can they top that?? What's next? I guess we will find out. There is lots of photo op's out there! my answer to myself seems to mostly be ''it doesn't matter where'' aslong as we make the most of it, you will always have fun. Doesn't even matter if it's pouring rain sideways ahem, *cough* Fort Whyte *cough* we will always have a blast!

Shoutouts to our predecessors by the way, I hope everyone who keeps coming back to check in now and again can be proud to have graduated from prairieview. I hope we don't let you down, and keep the spirit of the school rolling just as you remember it. And for all the students this year, Good-luck in all your endeavours and let's have some fun in the short time we have! I hope that what I speak has some effect on who's reading, but if not I shall give you some gooders below.

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. "

-Michael Jordan

Cheers

Phil Starr - PV student 2011/2012

The Best Field Trip Ever!

2011-10-07T09:00:00.002-05:00

Hello again everyone out there in Internet land. I’m back again with another super exciting blog post! This entry is more of a story rather than random information spewing from my brain to my hands. A tale of excitement, terror, romance and, above all, giant bouncy pillows. So prepare yourself for... The Most Amazing Field Trip Of All Time!!

So there we were. standing around at 1 o’clock in the IC classroom when all of a sudden none other than Paolo and Tristan burst through the door. We all turn our heads, mesmerized by these crazed characters who have entered our midsts. The two of them quickly leap about the room handing everyone a single sheet of paper. When I am handed mine, I look down and realize where we are going on our field trip today. Grand Prix Amusements! A very cool outdoor amusement center with mini golf, bating cages and go karts. I am a huge car nut so when I saw this I could barely keep my cool.

So what the assignment actually was, was this: we had to split into two groups and take turns driving the go karts and taking pictures of the other group driving. My group was first up to photograph. So we all scrambled into the center of the circuit and set up in what we thought would be the best spot to photograph carts speeding past us at a million miles an hour. My spot was pretty awesome as you can see by the pictures. It was overall a great experience since we had the whole place to ourselves and could move about freely. You won’t get those kind of privileges at Monaco. This was great

since we had to get a lot of different types of shots; such as motion blur and stop action as well as different reactions from drivers as they flew past. After Group One had finished their laps, it was our turn. So I quickly placed my gear on the picnic table next to the track, grabbed a helmet and squeezed myself into a kart. Next thing I know, I’m flying around the first corner on what feels like two wheels. Passing people left and right I was quickly tied for first! Neck and neck around the second to last corner I suddenly find myself falling behind my arch rival! The apex! How could I be so blind.

Being too enthralled in the battle I had taken the corner to fast. Utterly defeated, I picked up my camera and tripod and sulked back to the grassy knoll for round two of picture taking. But all was not lost! There was still a hope of recovering my dignity. Mini golf was next.

As before, we all had a wide variety of images to capture while minigolfing. Some stop action and motion blur again, but this time we also had to capture the very essence of the game of mini golf. The Clap and The Nod. Very rare and hard to capture in their natural habitat. I managed to capture both of these phenomenon. Very exciting I know. I also had the chance to capture a few of the various reactions from the golfers themselves. Some were very excited from just sinking a ball in one shot, others very angry in not sinking a ball in ten.

As we journeyed on through the many pirates and mighty sailing ships, we discovered that there is more to life than work and papers and finance. There is a calmness, even on the windiest of days, that you can only get being out in the world photographing life. Not just passing everything by in a rush, but really seeing. The little details as well as the bigger picture. Living life to the fullest. I hope you too can live life to the fullest and start to appreciate the little things in life more after reading this.
Until next time, this is Patrick Rocheleau signing off.

Patrick Rocheleau
PV Student 2011-12

2011-09-30T16:13:00.002-05:00

An interview with a PrairieView student! Me!

How many pictures have you taken so far this school year? (It's only
been a month)

I've already taken 1892 photos for the first month of the year.

Is it true that your tripod is your best friend?

Yes! Like any relationship, the first move is the hardest. Once
you hang out with it more and more you learn to be comfortable around
it. Then, when you least expect it, you're in love! Everything is so
clear and sharp! You wonder why you left the house without it! Then
you go out everywhere together and people start to notice how much
happier you are with it.

What did you learn on your first field trip? (Fort Whyte Live)

Be prepared! Luckily I came with rubber boots, splash pants and
our very handy... garbage bags! That day it was raining a lot, so you
learnt quickly to cover up your gear. Pointing your lens up wasn't an
option, because your lens would get drops on it right away. Over all
great learning experience! Make sure to bring extra garbage bags,
elastics, change of socks and maybe extra change of clothes. We learnt
to use your time wisely and research your subject before hand. Think

ahead on what your really want to capture and make sure you know how
much time you have at each "station". Have your gear ready the night
before and look up the weather the night before so you know what your
in for. Next time, I'll bring extra lens cloths and research my
subject before hand to maximize my time.

What are you most excited to learn to learn about this school year?

I'm excited to learn how to take pictures in a studio. How to
play around with all the lights and backdrops. To be creative with the
lighting and positioning your subject and changing the backgrounds to
show your creative side. Can't wait to take my first studio picture!
Just like the big leagues!

How is the atmosphere at PrairieView?

The atmosphere is great! People are friendly and polite,
already found a carpool buddy. Group A is already joking and helping
each other out . The teachers are very helpful and if you have a
question their just an email away. Paolo is always jolly and always
ready to help. The pictures around the building are super inspiring
and you can't help but to get great ideas from past and present
students images. Lauralee is just a door bell away (just joking) ...
she'll help you the best she can and do it with a smile! Because there
is less then 40 students in the diploma program it's a very tight knit
group. Were all going through the same thing so if we can help each
other out, we will, cause next week, you'll probably be the one
wanting help.

How have you been looking at images differently since attending PrairieView?

I have definitely been noticing "rule of thirds" a lot more in
images. I look at the shadows to see what time of day they took the
picture and to see how much light they would have been working with.
I've been now noticing the obvious pictures that must have been taken
on a tripod. In the back of my mind i'll notice if that picture had to
have been taken with a tripod, because the shutter must have been open
for a long time. Knowing how someone took that really cool night shot
is pretty cool! Cable release and tripod are your best friend for
those shots!

Over all we've been learning lots, meeting new people and having a
great first month at PrairieView.

Christine Morin

PV Diploma Student

2011-12

PrairieView Class of 2012 begins ...

2011-09-27T10:59:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone out there. I am one of the new students this year. I was graciously asked to write the first student blog of the year about the first week at school. Nervously I accepted, and will attempt to share with everyone what it was like for me in the first week.

A basic background of me and photography. I am very new to the world of photography. I received my camera as a gift from my boyfriend 2 years ago, and fell in love with photography. I have a background in art, as a painter, so I felt that photography was a way to express my viewpoint faster then painting.

Skip ahead 2 years and here I am on the steps of school, with many emotions running through my head. Its been 8 years since I last attended school ... what am I doing?! Oh my goodness I am scared. Wow ... I feel like Iʼm finally starting my life. Iʼm sure at some point all of us as new students have felt, scared, nervous, excited, and stressed about the first day, or first couple of days of this new venture for us.

I can remember walking in the very first day. Smelling this weird smell, and realizing now it is the dark room. Which got me excited. As we all sat down, I could feel this nervous energy in the room. Everyone looking scared and nervous at the same time. Wondering what will be in store for us. We received a schedule for those first full 3 days of classes and were split into 3 groups and taken on a tour of the school. I am in group B and our guide was Sarah, who is our Creative Imaging teacher. She let us in on some “secrets” about different things and made me feel at ease, lightening up the mood as best she could. We got our student pictures taken by Paolo and were dismissed for the day.

The second day, our group was lucky enough to sleep in, and our first class was Creative Imaging with Sarah. Everyone started to open up a bit more, especially when she asked us what got us interested in photography and if we were a kitchen gadget, which one would we be. I explained that photography was a way to capture everyday life, that I wanted to be a sports photographer, and my kitchen gadget was my red Kitchen Aid mixer.

Image Capture was the next day with Tristan. This is where we finally got to take out our cameras and learn about them. We then got to go out on a scavenger hunt and shoot a bunch of objects on our the list. At first this sounded pretty easy, but when you got outside to do it, it was harder then it looked. It was nice because we got some time to interact with each other and get to know each other a bit better.

Digital Techniques was next up with Bram. This is where we got to sit in front of our computers and start learning Lightroom. I started to feel more at ease after this class. It was nice to learn some tips on how to use a Mac computer, since I just purchased mine earlier this year.

This week has been a bit more of everything. We have started Analog Techniques. It was pretty awesome when Tristan put these mounds of film and other supplies on our tables. It was fun to see everyones reactions as things started to become so much more of a reality.

As the assignments start piling in and we start to get to know each other as students a bit more, things seem to be getting exciting and less scary.I have found in the first week that I have learned A LOT of things that I didnʼt know before.

How refreshing it is to be in a supportive school environment. There are so many interesting and creative people in my class. I am blown away everyday by this. The teachers are accommodating and extremely helpful. Always making sure that we understand what we have discussed in class, and they always seem to be around if we have any questions. As tough as it has been for me to adjust to school life this past week, I am truly excited to get up and go to school in the morning and learn something new about the people I go to school with and the classes Iʼm in as well.

I look forward to getting to know everyone much better throughout the year and am honoured to share this experience with you.

Ill leave you with a quote to hold onto. “If I could tell the story in words, I wouldnʼt need to lug around a camera.” - Lewis Hine

Michelle Moulson

PV Diploma Student 2011-12

Back to School!

2011-08-23T16:09:00.003-05:00

With plenty of hot summer days still left to enjoy, it is hard to believe that a brand new school year is right around the corner! But in just a few short weeks, a shiny new group of diploma students will be starting their studies with us and all our evening and weekend courses and workshops will be in full swing.

PHOTOGRAPHY 1 Putting the FUN in fundamentals!

Photo 1 is a terrific introductory course designed for anyone who wants to learn how to take better photographs. Learn the in's and out's of your camera and the elements of basic composition. Through informative and entertaining lessons you will go from hoping one or two shots “turn out” to knowing how to take photos you can be proud of. This eight-week course is presented by the Winnipeg Art Gallery. To register, please call 789-1766.

7 pm - 10pm weeknights (Mon or Tue or Wed or Thu)
Sep 6 - Oct 27
OR
Oct 31 - Dec 22
$259.00
Prerequisite: NONE
Register on-line here.

PHOTOGRAPHY 3: Hot-Shoe Flash Achieve flash photo enlightenment!

Pro photographer and flash guru Bram Singleton will show you all the latest super-cool flash techniques for combining flash and ambient light, stopping super fast action, and creating sophisticated studio looks with just a couple of hot shoe flashes and more.

Mondays, 7pm - 10pm
Sep 12 - Nov 28
Price: $459.00
Prerequisite: Photography 1
Gallery Show Friday, Dec 2, 2011
Register on-line here.

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR TEENS 1

This course is specifically designed for teens aged 15-18. Lessons focus on using photography as a form of self-expression. Students will explore darkroom and digital techniques, location and action shooting, instant photos, creative photo-art projects and more. Students will need to bring their own film SLR (single lens reflex camera).

Sept. 17 - Oct. 29 (Saturdays)
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Price: $159.00
Supply kit $40.00
Prerequisite: None
Register on-line here

PHOTOGRAPHY 3: Colours of Autumn

There’s more to autumn in Manitoba than red, orange and gold. There’s burnt sienna, auburn, bronze, ochre and cinnamon (You get the idea; there’s a lot of brown!). From sunrise to sunset, discover awe-inspiring fall landscapes, including the intimate details of autumn, as you explore the southern part of the province with a passionate Manitoban landscape photographer. Show off your best in a stunning gallery display to culminate your learning experience!
Sep 10 - Nov 26 (Sat)

1-4 PM
Price: $459.00
Prerequisite: Photography 1
Colours of Autumn Show Friday, Dec 2, 2011
Register on-line here

LOMOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

PrairieView presents the Don't Think, Just Shoot! Lomography Workshop. Join us for a 4 hour session that explores the fascinating world of low tech, low-fidelity, toy camera driven photography.

I love shooting with my Holga. Working with its plastic lens, locked exposure settings, square frame and fuzzy rangefinder seemed to exercise an entirely different part of my brain compared to digital shooting, a part that's slightly more creative and intuitive. Its not that I threw everything I knew out the window... its still photography and requires all the same technique any other camera would... its just a new approach, with different results. Toy cameras like the Holga and Diana have become quite popular thanks in part to Lomography, the company that makes these and many other lo-fi photo gear. I encourage everyone interested in photography to try one of them out, especially if you've been shooting digital for a while and need a change as refreshing as the other side of the pillow. -- Duncan McNairny, Lomographer and part time super hero.

Sunday, September 25
1 to 5 p.m.
Price: $59.00
Prerequisite: None
Register on-line here.

2011-07-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

Patrick Rocheleau
PV Student 2011-12