New Photoshop Classes added to my Workshop Schedule

Beginning in February, I will be offering a series of one day workshops and classes at The Winston School San Antonio in San Antonio, TX.  These classes are open to the general public and are a great opportunity to master your photographic and digital media skills.

The first two course offerings are:

Photoshop – Level 1
  • Saturday, February 12, 2011 (9 am – 5 pm)
  • Join me in this exciting introduction to Adobe Photoshop.  Designed for beginning students who are just getting started in Photoshop or have some background with the program but seek to expand their knowledge and understanding.  This one day course will provide you with the tools you need to take your digital images to the next level.  Topics covered include the tools of Photoshop, layers and layer masks, tonal adjustments, and color correction.  We will also spend time discussing the key steps to making your images look their best.  Cost of the course is $125.  To enroll in the class, or for additional information, contact me at info@chrisgamel.com or (210) 723-5999.
  • Enrollment is limited to 11 participants.
  • Each participant will be provided their own iMAC digital workstation with Adobe Photoshop CS4 to use during the course.
Photoshop – Level 2
  • Saturday, March 19, 2011 (9 am – 5 pm)
  • Building on the material covered in Photoshop – Level 1, this class will focus on selections and some of the more advanced features of Photoshop.  Topics covered include making and refining selections, digital compositing, advanced imaging techniques, and an introduction to portrait retouching.  Cost of the course is $125.  To enroll in the class, or for additional information, contact me at info@chrisgamel.com or (210) 723-5999.
  • Enrollment is limited to 11 participants.
  • Each participant will be provided their own iMAC digital workstation with Adobe Photoshop CS4 to use during the course.

Upcoming Conference - Imaging USA

This weekend (January 16-18, 2011) my home town of San Antonio, TX will be hosting Imaging USA.  Imaging USA is the annual conference for theProfessional Photographers of America (PPA) and a great place to go if you are into photography.  I attended this conference four years ago and the amount of stuff going on was overwhelming.  The presentations are highly educational, the tradeshow is huge, and the print display is enormous (over 2,000 images will be displayed this year).  Don’t be discouraged if you are not a people photographer.  The quality of the presentations and the work on display is outstanding and it is always a good idea to explore various forms of photography.  You never know where inspiration will come from.

Upcoming Conference - North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA)

In March (March 9-12, 2011), the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) will hold their annual summit in McAllen, TX.  The NANPA summit is a great educational experience with a focus on wildlife and nature photography.  I am also happy to announce the I will be presenting one of the breakout sessions this year: Wildlife Filmmaking for Still Photographers.  So join me in McAllen for a few days and don’t forget your camera, the Rio Grande Valley (south Texas for non Texans) is one of the best bird hotspots in the world.

Written on January 12th, 2011 , Announcements, Classes, News and Notes, Photoshop

Utah prairie dog standing up and calling, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.

(click on the image to see larger version)

Tell your friends!  I will be giving a slideshow program to the Greater San Antonio Camera Club this Thursday (January 6th) at 7:30 pm.  The topic will be Tips and Tricks to Capturing Better Wildlife Images.  The presentation is open to the public and I hope to see you there.

Written on January 4th, 2011 , Announcements

I recently wrote a guest post on Andy Biggs’s photography blog The Global Photographer.  The article is about how a knowledge of biology can help the wildlife photographer get better pictures.  Please check it out.

Written on January 4th, 2011 , Announcements

Photo safari group photographing marine iguanas in the Galapagos Island, Ecuador.

(click on the image to see larger version)

Announcing a new Galapagos Family Photo Adventure for this summer (July 30 – August 7, 2011).  Gather your family and join me on the photographic adventure of a lifetime.  Explore Incan ruins and discover cultural marvels as we travel through the Andrean Highlands of Ecuador.  Complete the adventure with the sights and sounds of the Galapagos Islands.  Follow in Charles Darwin’s footsteps as we come face to face with some of the tamest wildlife on earth.  For further details about this and other photographic adventures, click here.

Written on January 3rd, 2011 , Announcements, Ecuador, Galapagos, Photography Workshops

Two small grasses sticking out of a field of snow, Salt Lake City, Utah.

(click on the image to see larger image)

Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season.

Written on December 27th, 2010 , Announcements, Personal

Last week I completed a journey that started many months ago.  In every field there are certifications that attest to your skills.  In the case of Apple’s Final Cut Pro software (film editing for anyone who doesn’t know), Apple provides several levels of certification.  The first level (becoming an Apple Certified Pro, Level 1) involves a comprehensive test about the ins and outs of the program.  I passed the level 1 test in  July.  From there, I decided to take it a step further.  This past week I attended Apple’s Train-the-trainer (T3) course in Cupertino, CA.  The purpose of this class is the coveted Apple Certified Trainer certification.  Being an Apple certified trainer means I would be able to teach Final Cut Pro classes at any Apple Certified training center.  The class was four intensive days and included lectures, student teaching segments (we each got to teach and were evaluated on how we did), and comprehensive test about Final Cut Pro.  I am happy to say that I passed and now bear the official title of Apple Certified Trainer (Final Cut Pro)!

One question might come to mind, “Who cares?”  Potentially, no one.  I took this course for a variety of different reasons.  First, I teach Final Cut Pro to high school students on a daily basis and the certifications provide a level of credibility.  Like a teaching certificate, software certifications ensure students and parents that I have a good understanding of the programs covered in my classes.  Certifications also act as outward signs of quality and knowledge.  Second, and probably most important, I am a lifelong learner.  I enjoy learning and I see no reason for my learning to stop because I am done with school.  When I find a topic I like, be it photography, video editing, or martial arts I start the learning process and I usually delve deep.  Five years ago I knew nothing about video.  Today I hold professional certifications in video editing and have spent countless hours assisting students in the creation of their own films.

The best piece of advice I can give is to learn to love learning.  Find your passion and commit yourself to becoming a lifelong learner.

Written on December 9th, 2010 , Announcements, Personal, video

Two male lions fighting over a female lion.

(click on the image to see larger version)

I recently learned that one of my images (shown above) placed in the 2010 NANPA Showcase competition.  It as a tier 3 winner, meaning it was one of the top 250 images entered in the competition.  3,046 images were entered this year and I am happy to have one of my images place.

I also found out that my spotted hyena cub picture will be appearing in an upcoming issue of National Wildlife as part of their promotion for their caption contest.

Written on October 26th, 2010 , Africa, Animal Behavior, Announcements, News and Notes, Tanzania

As part of my weekly News and Notes, I though I would share some of the different photography related websites that I have come across.  In many cases, these are sites that I visit regularly, often finding an abundance of information that helps to shape and develop my photography as well as provide inspiration.  My hope is that this information will help you as you develop your own photographic path.

Recommended Site – Sean Fitzgerald Photography

For a great source of photographic inspiration, visit Sean Fitzgerald’s photography site.  Sean is a former lawyer turned nature photographer.  He is based in Dallas, Texas, but travels widely in pursuit of images.  Well known for his successes in both the Valley Land Fund and Coastal Bend Photography Contests, Sean is currently involved in a long term project of photographing the Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas.  For a glimpse at what is possible with a camera, visit Sean’s website or join him on one of his workshops.  Enjoy.

Upcoming Classes:

I will be teaching a two day course “Introduction to Photography and Photoshop” at the Austin School of Film in Austin, Texas (October 17 & 24).

Written on October 13th, 2010 , Announcements, Classes, News and Notes, Recommended Sites

Yesterday I completed my first ever olympic distance triathlon: .93 mile swim, 26 mile bike ride, and 6 mile run (33 miles total).  My finishing time was 4 hours and 6 minutes.  Not a record, but not bad for someone who almost threw up 14 months ago when he swam 6 laps (I have come a long way).  Completing a triathlon was one of my goals for the new year and this marks my third triathlon this year (the others were sprint distances (read significantly shorter)).  So, no image of the day today, but I did want to share my weekend adventure.  I will be back to my usual photography topics tomorrow.

Written on October 4th, 2010 , Announcements

NANPA Summit Registration is Now Open

Few events focus on wildlife and nature photography as much as The North American Nature Photography Association’s (NANPA) annual summit.  Showcasing keynote speakers like Daniel Beltra, Jack Dykinga, and Michele Westmoreland as well as breakout sessions ranging from birds to Facebook (yes, it does relate to photography), the NANPA summit is an ideal place to join other nature photographers for education and inspiration.  This is a great event for anyone interested in nature photography.  In fact it will be my 8th time attending the summit!

This year the summit will be held in McAllen, TX one of the premier bird photography destinations in North America, so come for the summit, stay for the birds (or the other way around if you like).  The summit runs March 9-12, 2011.

I am also happy to announce that I will be presenting one of the breakout sessions this year.  Join me on March 10th as I discuss Wildlife Filmmaking for the Still Photographer.  It is going to be a lot of fun and with a little bit of luck you might even learn something.

You might have noticed that most of my recent News and Notes have been about NANPA related events.  I want to make it clear that I have no affiliation with NANPA other then being a satisfied member of the organization who believes that the organization is an asset for all nature photographers.

Upcoming Classes:

I will be teaching a two day course “Introduction to Photography and Photoshop” at the Austin School of Film in Austin, Texas (October 17 & 24).

Written on September 22nd, 2010 , Announcements, News and Notes

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Through the lens with Chris Gamel

Musings of a photographic educator.