Calzor Suzay
Suspended / Banned
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- 432
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- Steve
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Did anyone go to this yesterday (1st Sep) at the flash centre?
This was my first venture into a course/workshop etc and have to saw I'm sorely dissapointed with what knowledge I took away from the event. I understand Syl Arena couldn't make the event and was replaced by Rick Friedman which is a shame, Rick was pleasant and obviously been working in the business for a while but the day lacked any real structure and consisted of Rick talking through his photos for 80% of the day and a small rushed bit at the end with a model doing basics.
It was useful for a few hints and tips that Rick passed on from experience but from the synopsis:-
Speedlites Demystified & Untangled (09:30 - 12:30) - Morning Session
How you see vs. how your camera sees - Not covered
Using Speedlites to craft light - Perhaps this was touched on from example of Ricks photos
Speedlite Controls - Consisted of Rick pressing a few buttons on a 580 EX II and to be honest fumbling about a bit at that
Deciding between manual and E-TTL flash control - "I just use TTL then if I need it tweaking I'll put it in manual"
Putting Flash Exposure Compensation to use - He said when he'd used it in a photo but not the thinking behind it
Learning all the Syncs: High-speed, 1st-curtain, 2nd-curtain, Slow-speed - We where showed how to turn HSS on the flash but not why, 2nd curtain was vaguely covered again with an example of a photo but why or when you should use it
Modifying Light - Probably briefly covered and demonstrated with black tin foil and making a hair light, not exactly expanding on the subject
How to build a visual vocabulary when looking at light - Not covered
Using your Speedlite’s bounce and zoom as a light modifier - Not covered
On-flash modifiers: diffusers and bounce reflectors - Not covered
Larger modifiers: umbrellas, reflective and diffusion disks - Covered with Rick's approach of use a portable soft box for everything
Moving The Speedlite Off-Camera - Sort of covered
The best uses for on- and off-camera Speedlites - Not covered
Corded solutions for moving your Speedlite off-camera - We saw a cable...
Setting up the 580EX/EXII as a wireless Master - Showed how to press the button
Setting up the 580EX/EXII and 430EX/EXII as wireless Slaves - 430 not covered
Taking Creative Speedliting To The Next Level (13:30 - 16:30) - Afternoon Session
Off-Camera Strategies - Strategy?
Sorting out radio triggers: dumb vs. intelligent - Not covered
Options for 3-group wireless set-ups - Not covered
wireless strategies for event and wedding photographers - Not covered
High-Speed Sync - Vaguely covered
The mechanics of High-Speed Sync - Not covered
Turning noon to night - Not covered
Freezing action while Speedliting - Not covered In fact the only 'action' shot I remember was a juggler who rick had used 2nd curtain and and a long exposure to show motion.
Advanced Light Modification - Not covered
Expanding your visual vocabulary as a Speedliter - Not covered
On-flash modifiers: grids, snoots, ringlights - Briefly touched on but in passing
Off-flash modifiers: softboxes, beauty dish, panel diffusers and reflectors - A softbox, No beauty dish, diffusers and reflectovers covered with board foam and a 5 in 1 reflector
Speedlite Strategies - Not covered
Custom functions: Optimizing your Speedlites
Gels: The When, Why, & How: Touched on with white balance
Why Hollywood invented gels - Not covered
Mixing Speedlites with other light sources - Not covered
Using white balance and gels together for creative effect Touched on to make the sky blue
There was even someone heckling Rick in the second session but he remained upbeat and carried on but I think he reflected the views of many there.
This was the first day and I'm hoping it gets better for others booked on the future dates.
*EDIT** Apparently SWPP just seemed to organise the booking of the workshop not the actual content so my email to SWPP has been forwarded to Canon, I can't edit the title if a mod would like to change it.
This was my first venture into a course/workshop etc and have to saw I'm sorely dissapointed with what knowledge I took away from the event. I understand Syl Arena couldn't make the event and was replaced by Rick Friedman which is a shame, Rick was pleasant and obviously been working in the business for a while but the day lacked any real structure and consisted of Rick talking through his photos for 80% of the day and a small rushed bit at the end with a model doing basics.
It was useful for a few hints and tips that Rick passed on from experience but from the synopsis:-
Speedlites Demystified & Untangled (09:30 - 12:30) - Morning Session
How you see vs. how your camera sees - Not covered
Using Speedlites to craft light - Perhaps this was touched on from example of Ricks photos
Speedlite Controls - Consisted of Rick pressing a few buttons on a 580 EX II and to be honest fumbling about a bit at that
Deciding between manual and E-TTL flash control - "I just use TTL then if I need it tweaking I'll put it in manual"
Putting Flash Exposure Compensation to use - He said when he'd used it in a photo but not the thinking behind it
Learning all the Syncs: High-speed, 1st-curtain, 2nd-curtain, Slow-speed - We where showed how to turn HSS on the flash but not why, 2nd curtain was vaguely covered again with an example of a photo but why or when you should use it
Modifying Light - Probably briefly covered and demonstrated with black tin foil and making a hair light, not exactly expanding on the subject
How to build a visual vocabulary when looking at light - Not covered
Using your Speedlite’s bounce and zoom as a light modifier - Not covered
On-flash modifiers: diffusers and bounce reflectors - Not covered
Larger modifiers: umbrellas, reflective and diffusion disks - Covered with Rick's approach of use a portable soft box for everything
Moving The Speedlite Off-Camera - Sort of covered
The best uses for on- and off-camera Speedlites - Not covered
Corded solutions for moving your Speedlite off-camera - We saw a cable...
Setting up the 580EX/EXII as a wireless Master - Showed how to press the button
Setting up the 580EX/EXII and 430EX/EXII as wireless Slaves - 430 not covered
Taking Creative Speedliting To The Next Level (13:30 - 16:30) - Afternoon Session
Off-Camera Strategies - Strategy?
Sorting out radio triggers: dumb vs. intelligent - Not covered
Options for 3-group wireless set-ups - Not covered
wireless strategies for event and wedding photographers - Not covered
High-Speed Sync - Vaguely covered
The mechanics of High-Speed Sync - Not covered
Turning noon to night - Not covered
Freezing action while Speedliting - Not covered In fact the only 'action' shot I remember was a juggler who rick had used 2nd curtain and and a long exposure to show motion.
Advanced Light Modification - Not covered
Expanding your visual vocabulary as a Speedliter - Not covered
On-flash modifiers: grids, snoots, ringlights - Briefly touched on but in passing
Off-flash modifiers: softboxes, beauty dish, panel diffusers and reflectors - A softbox, No beauty dish, diffusers and reflectovers covered with board foam and a 5 in 1 reflector
Speedlite Strategies - Not covered
Custom functions: Optimizing your Speedlites
Gels: The When, Why, & How: Touched on with white balance
Why Hollywood invented gels - Not covered
Mixing Speedlites with other light sources - Not covered
Using white balance and gels together for creative effect Touched on to make the sky blue
There was even someone heckling Rick in the second session but he remained upbeat and carried on but I think he reflected the views of many there.
This was the first day and I'm hoping it gets better for others booked on the future dates.
*EDIT** Apparently SWPP just seemed to organise the booking of the workshop not the actual content so my email to SWPP has been forwarded to Canon, I can't edit the title if a mod would like to change it.
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