Thanks to Charles Tibbs for taking the photo.

Yeah… that’s me lookin’ all serious and cold leaning against the back wall of my studio. Fact is, it was a bit chilly that day.

Unlike today where it is pushing a bit over 70.

But the weather is not the subject here – it is the CreativeLIVE show I am doing in Seattle with the great folks up there in the PNW.

Yep – I will be doing a Creative LIVE show April 6, 7, 8, in Seattle and hope all of you will be watching. I will be blogging and tweeting the entire experience as well, but it is nice to know that some loyal fans are watching and having fun along with me.

Creative LIVE is a free, online, 3 day workshop. You can watch it from anywhere you are with an internet connection. Free…wait, I already said that… but still good to know.

We will of course be discussing… LIGHTING.

And the basics of lighting that I like to refer to as the ESSENTIALS.

So we decided to call it… wait for it… Lighting Essentials.

Pretty cool, eh?

My bud Charles Tibbs and I made a video for the trailer and you can see it here. I decided I looked too serious, so I did another one with my bud Megan, and it is black and white and I don’t look so serious… I dunno. Working on a blooper reel that is running about 2.5 hours now.

(hearing that the piano music is distracting… hmmm. Maybe I will remix it then.)

Now I am not going to go through all the f-stops and shutter speeds and how to take your flash off camera. I would recommend Zach’s great program for all that basic stuff. He covers it really well. I am going to be talking about the way that light interacts with subjects. How we can control that interaction and what it means to us as photographers to be able to light the shots we see in our head.

  • I will be covering “Subject Centric Lighting” – something that is near and dear to me, as well as working with talent and light.
  • Working on location with light.
  • Using light to create a reality that doesn’t exist.
  • Creating the most incredible, flattering, soft luscious light you can.
  • How light and subject create what we see.
  • Emotional light.
  • And something I call “What to do when you don’t know what the $%#&^% to do.

It will be an amazing weekend.

In fact I think it will rank right up there with VJ Day, the Moon Landing and the last episode of Mash in importance to humanity.

This workshop is perfect for the photographer who wants to understand the finesse of light, and how working with a consistent understanding of what light does can translate into more creativity and comfort in working.

“Light does the same thing every time…” – Me.

It is our subjects that change. Their texture and shape and dimension and surface efficiency and color… all are part of our subject’s qualities.

Light is light… and how that light interacts with the subjects is what makes the photograph we see.

Subject Centric Lighting means we understand the qualities of our subjects, and how the light renders those qualities back to the camera.

Everything we do as a photographer is ultimately based on these properties of subject / light / capture.

And just as a pianist has to be sure that middle “C” is always going to be the note that is played when the key is depressed, we need to know that our light is consistent, and dependable.

Lighting isn’t a guessing game or an alchemist’s nightmare.

We can KNOW its properties, KNOW what to expect and begin to tame it to make our photographs.

AND THIS IS REALLY REALLY COOL!

I can have 6 photographers come to Seattle and be a part of the workshop experience.

You do have to do something to be in the ‘chosen’ 6 though.

And it is pretty easy. Really.

Sorta…

Make a 60″ (that’s sixty seconds) video of you telling me why you should be there and what you particularly want to learn. Don’t gush about how good looking I am (you will be disqualified for having terrible taste) or beg. No begging. It is not attractive and embarrasses me every time it happens.

Just make it fun. Make it you. Make it 60 seconds.

THEN – POST IT on YouTube, Vimeo, Viddler, Facebook, Flickr… wherever you like to post the videos you make.

And Tweet the URL to @wizwow / #creativelive.

We will find those videos and a team of highly experienced “choose a photographer for cool stuff” guys will choose the top 6 entrants based on enthusiasm, fun- factor, and overall “IwannacometoSeattle-ness”.

If you are chosen, the airfare and accommodations are your responsibility, but the workshop is on us.

Things to keep in mind: I am not a “sit on your butt” workshop guy. You will be ON camera and moving around and doing stuff – even shooting stuff – so you must be prepared for that.

DEADLINE:

As with all things there is a deadline… those videos must be up by March 1.

No later.

Period.

We will notify all the lucky folks who want to come out as soon as possible.

So that’s the scoop.

Me, wizwow (Don Giannatti), in Seattle on April 6, 7, 8, 2012 – at CreativeLIVE (www.creativelive.com).

Ohhh… this will be so fun!

Heh.

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