NYC Digital Photography Workshops

 
 
 

iPhone photographers are welcome to join us!

We all know the works of Ansel Adams, Helmut Newton, and Cindy Sherman. How do we know these photographers? We simply know these photographers through their personal unique styles that draw a viewer into their realm of works.

Whether you are picking up a camera for the first time or have been shooting for years, finding your photographer's eye is key to creating your own unique style of photography. There is no final destination to this quest, but rather, a never-ending exercise in "seeing", experimenting, creating, and ultimately, loving every minute of the journey.

This Workshop is a MUST for anyone looking to get beyond taking just snapshots. Through creative exercises and examples, this Workshop will inspire you to shoot images you truly love and to reach new levels of image creation using your powers of imagination, awareness, and observation.

Topics to be covered include:

• What makes a good photograph
• Choosing or creating a subject for your images
• Tips for avoiding the creation of a cliche image
• The role of “awareness” in photography
• Seeing beyond what’s in front of you
• The power of imposing constraints
• Tips on finding your own photographer’s eye and developing your unique style
• The barriers to creativity and tips on how to overcome them
• 30 keys to creating better pictures
• Shift your physical & mental perspective to produce powerful photographs
• And so much more!

You will leave this workshop with a better understanding of and direction for how to make your work stand out from the crowd.

Requirements: You must bring a tangible portfolio of 20 of your favorite photos (not necessarily your own), developed in 3x5 or 4x6 prints if they are your own photos. Do not bring these digitally! There will be outdoor class exercises toward the end of the workshop, so please bring your camera w/ charged batteries and empty memory cards, plenty of hydration, and dress accordingly!

About the Instructor:
Dawn M. Wayand is a professional photographer, exhibition curator, photography educator, and founder of NYC Digital Photography Workshops. Having published nearly 100 feature photography articles and gear reviews since late-2015, Dawn has written for the Adorama Learning Center, B&H Photo, and Digital Photography School. Dawn has been shooting travel, street, and candid portraits since 2001 and has been working with models and actors shooting portraits, headshots, and fashion portfolios through her own photography business, Dawn M. Wayand Photography, since 2014.

 
 
 

iPhone photographers are welcome to join us!

As technology grows, everyday people are becoming able to produce the same images as photographers who have studied photography and/or have had many years of experience in producing exceptional images. Think of something completely new and different that you can create with your photography, something extraordinary. Can you? Where could your photography go if you learned to see things in a more unique way?

Setting yourself and your work apart from everyone else becomes difficult without understanding yourself as a “photographer”, your unique vision, and unlocking the creativity that resides within you.

In this workshop, we will cover the following:

• What people tend to like visually
• What makes a photograph cliche?
• Overcoming the “that’s been done before” mentality
• What is creativity?
• Proof that everyone is creative
• The Science of Creativity and how your brain is not always your friend
• Shooting from your heart, not your brain
• Dealing with instincts and gut feelings
• Stepping outside your comfort zone
• Learning to see creatively
• 7 photography elements to help you create ideas for your work
• Imagination and inspiration
• Setting limits
• Tips for dealing with creative blocks
• And much more…

You will leave this workshop with a new way of how you look at the world around you in general and when you are creating images.

Strongly Recommended: Finding Your Photographer’s Eye: Developing Your Unique Photography Vision workshop on June 24, 2023

Required: Pen and paper. Your camera with fully charged batteries and empty memory cards. We will start with a Powerpoint presentation at the meeting point and then you will be released into a nearby area with exercises to practice what you learned. Please bring plenty of hydration and dress accordingly!!

About the Instructor:
Dawn M. Wayand is a professional photographer, exhibition curator, photography educator, and founder of NYC Digital Photography Workshops. Having published nearly 100 feature photography articles and gear reviews since late-2015, Dawn has written for the Adorama Learning Center, B&H Photo, and Digital Photography School. Dawn has been shooting travel, street, and candid portraits since 2001 and has been working with models and actors shooting portraits, headshots, and fashion portfolios through her own photography business, Dawn M. Wayand Photography, since 2014.

 
 
 

Each time you pick up your camera and select a scene and subject to photograph, you’re probably confronted with a challenging time capturing the scene as you see it, and more than that, as you want it to be seen in your photos. Picking settings that cater to your environment, especially if it is changing dynamically with shifts in lighting and focus, can be intimidating. The longer it takes for you to adjust, the more your head is occupied with what your camera’s doing, the more you are out of touch with your original ideas and creative impulses.

This class aims to cut through the confusion, putting you in the position of making necessary adjustments on the fly, with as little drag on your creative process as possible. Head out into the world confidently, knowing that no matter the situation, you can come away with expertly produced photos. Stop guessing, wondering, and worrying about your settings, and start making great photographs.

Topics to be covered will include:

• Manual vs. automatic exposure
• Aesthetic and narrative-driven setting choices (aperture & shutter)
• The Exposure Triangle (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO)
• Effective exposure streamlining - keeping it simple and spontaneous
• Automatic and custom white balance
• Your world vs. the world your camera sees - bridging the gap
• How to get accurate predictable and consistent results - every time - using your camera’s internal meter, and helpful feedback tools (histogram, blinkers)
• Metering modes: spot, center-weighted, matrix - which ones matter and when to use them
• Discussion of dynamic range & raw imagery
• Effective autofocus strategies: AF-C vs AF-S, single versus multi-point, cross-type sensors, mirrorless sticky boxes, etc.
• How to use the “limitations” of your camera for creative effect - high-key/low-key, high contrast, intentionally blown out highlights, silhouettes, and more

The Workshop will be both lecture-based and fully interactive with hands-on experience and demonstrations of these concepts and techniques discussed.

Requirements: Any camera with manual mode settings, and an understanding of how to access settings to change them - bring your camera manual if you’re unsure how to change the aperture, shutter & ISO on your camera

About the Instructor:
Jim is a NYC-based freelance photographer specializing in dance editorial, commercial beauty & fashion. He also produces personal commissions for artists and performers. His images reflect a love of human connection & spontaneity. His clients include Converse, Maybelline, Stitch Fix, Uniqlo, Marc Fisher, and Jones NY. Selected publications include Allure, Cosmopolitan, Porter, Glassbook, and Flanelle.

 
 
 

iPhone photographers are welcome to join us!

As photographers, it’s our job to look for and incorporate certain aesthetics that keep a viewer interested while viewing our photographs. The aesthetics boil down to subject matter, how we use light, and composition. You may have heard of The Rule of Thirds and that following this guideline increases the quality of the composition.

However, the Rule of Thirds is only ONE element that can enhance a good composition. There are SO MANY elements of composition that make up an extraordinary photograph. Effective composition is no more than a puzzle, requiring the photographer to arrange the key elements of a scene in such a way as to capture its very essence.

In this workshop, we will cover the following:

• Elements that make up a great photograph
• Understanding The Rule of Thirds
• 10 instances when you can break the Rule of Thirds & still have an extraordinary composition
• 14 other elements of composition which include an in-depth discussion on lines, shapes, patterns, symmetry, and many other elements
• Even more tips and advice about composition for creating amazing photography

You will leave this workshop with a better understanding of what to look for when you are shooting to create better compositions and how to break all the rules and still achieve extraordinary photographs.

Strongly Recommended: Finding Your Photographer’s Eye: Developing Your Unique Photography Vision workshop on June 24, 2023 AND Creative Photography: Expression Outside-the-Box workshop on July 8, 2023

Requirements: Please bring your camera, fully charged batteries, and an empty camera memory card as well as a pen and paper for notes. We will start with a Powerpoint presentation at the meeting point and then you will be released into a nearby area with exercises to practice what you learned. Please bring plenty of hydration and dress accordingly!!

About the Instructor:
Dawn M. Wayand is a professional photographer, exhibition curator, photography educator, and founder of NYC Digital Photography Workshops. Having published nearly 100 feature photography articles and gear reviews since late-2015, Dawn has written for the Adorama Learning Center, B&H Photo, and Digital Photography School. Dawn has been shooting travel, street, and candid portraits since 2001 and has been working with models and actors shooting portraits, headshots, and fashion portfolios through her own photography business, Dawn M. Wayand Photography, since 2014.