Los Angeles Center of Photography

Lightroom 1: The Basics with Rollence Patugan (Six sessions)

Instructor: Rollence Patugan. This workshop focuses on the most essential workflow and developing features of the new Adobe Lightroom CC with the needs of the photographer in mind. Students will learn how to import, sort, organize and enhance their digital images, as well as batch process groups of images, quickly and efficiently. In addition to the software's new developing capabilities, participants will learn how to take advantage of Lightroom's local adjustment tools for retouching and correction. Other processing utilities such as white balance, black and white conversion, sharpening, and noise reduction will be covered in this workshop. Further, the class will be instructed on how to export images in various formats such as JPEGs for emails and websites or high-resolution files such as DNGs, PSDs, and TIFFs. Lightroom also has a Book module where it's possible to design and create a photo book that can be sent for publication directly from within the program. Finally, students will learn how easy it is to create a slideshow with an audio track, as well as web galleries without needing knowledge of HTML. Hands-on training and close instructor supervision reinforces concepts presented through lecture and demonstration. Please bring a portable external hard drive that will be used to create your own Lightroom Catalog, as well as your own RAW files so techniques learned in class can be applied directly to your images. Six Sessions: Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 12-28, 7-10 pm; Enrollment Limit: 10 students; Skill/Experience Level: Students should be comfortable working with the Macintosh OS X operating system. Location: Venue: Los Angeles Center of Photography; Venue Phone: (323) 464-0909; Address: 1515 Wilcox Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90028, United States

The Art & Business of Actor Headshots with Michael Sanville (One session)

Instructor: Michael Sanville. During this one-day intensive workshop, Michael Sanville, a headshot photographer with 20 years of experience, will share his knowledge of the industry, including how he has photographed literally tens of thousands of actors and continues to do so. Students will learn the proper tools it takes to begin a career as a headshot photographer including: How to find your style. How to avoid the trappings of trends. How to find makeup artists that are not only professional but reliable. How to decide between flash and natural light and why some prefer one over the other. How to make an effective and inexpensive marketing plan to build your business. The do's and don't of working with actors and how to relate to them one on one. This class will prepare students to deliver a top quality headshot that will get the actor noticed, and more importantly, in the door of agents managers and casting directors alike. Students will have a chance to work with actors/models in the afternoon for hands-on shooting practice. Students are encouraged to bring a DSLR camera equipped with a hot shoe or sync connection. One Session: Dates: Saturday, November 19, 10 am - 6 pm; Enrollment Limit: 15 students; Skill/Experience Level: Open to all levels, but students should have a working knowledge of their camera and the ability to shoot in manual mode. No lighting experience is necessary. Location: Venue: Los Angeles Center of Photography; Venue Phone: (323) 464-0909; Address: 1515 Wilcox Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90028, United States

The Steps to Success: Advancing Your Career as a Photographer with Sherrie Berger (Five sessions - West Side Annex)

Instructor: Sherrie Berger. This class, designed for all levels of photographers seeking to advance their careers, provides the insights, tools and resources necessary to achieve a higher level of success. Student challenges will be addressed, both as a group and in one 20-minute private session per student (to be scheduled individually.) Are you stuck, overwhelmed or on a plateau? This course will address these concerns and help propel you along your path to success. Divided among five in-class sessions, the course will analyze where the photographers' careers are currently and where they are headed. (Class session #4 will be devoted entirely to private 20-minute sessions with each student, to be scheduled in-class.) We will set short and long-term goals, share practical resource materials, and connect with fellow photographers who might be at a similar point in their careers. As a class we will cover self-promotion and marketing tools and come up with a clear vision of what is necessary to accelerate one's photography career. Individually and as a group we will embark on website effectiveness, group portfolio reviews, and discuss mailers, contests, exhibitions, publishing and the business of the stock industry, editorial vs. advertising assignments, building relationships, client lists, and diversification and copyright/licensing. We will also explore networking via helpful professional organizations and online communities. Students will be given time to implement changes to their websites and promo materials prior to the final class which will allow all to share accomplishments and solve challenges that may not yet be fully resolved. Five Sessions Dates: Thursdays, September 15 - October 13, 7 pm - 10 pm; Enrollment Limit: 12 students; Skill/Experience Level: Open to all levels. Location: Venue: West Side Annex @ dnj Gallery; Venue Phone: 323-464-0909; Address: dnj Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue, Suite J1, Santa Monica, California, 90404, United States

The Portrait Series (Six sessions - West Side Annex)

Instructor: Ken Merfeld. In this workshop we will discuss all aspects of creating a poignant, meaningful portrait series, including the importance of communication skills, the psychology of dealing with people, design continuity of your work, and the element of trust within the artistic exchange. In working within the structure of a "theme related" body of work, an artist not only gains deeper insight into his or her subject matter but also learns more about him/herself as a producing artist. This course stresses the importance of developing a conscientious work ethic and challenging yourself on a regular basis to produce new bodies of work within specific periods of time. With 25 years of commercial and fine art photography experience, instructor Ken Merfeld will offer careful guidance for class participants as they develop an outline for creative organization, execution, and completion of their personal projects. Lighting and "technique" applied to subject matter is emphasized, analyzed, and fine-tuned. Print quality and presentation of work is also addressed. All students will choose and produce a personal portrait series with a minimum of six images. These projects will be discussed and critiqued during class, defining a course of action to continue and/or apply to other subject matter for future portfolio enhancement. This workshop is open to beginning and intermediate levels of photographers interested in going beyond the surface level of portraiture. Project prints are due each class session. The final class session will be held at Ken Merfeld's studio in Culver City. Please bring portrait and people-related portfolios to the first class meeting. Six Sessions: Dates: Wednesdays, July 6 - August 17, 7-10 pm (no mtg. 7/27); NOTE: This class will have a no meeting date on July 27th. Enrollment Limit: 15 students; Skill/Experience Level: Open to all levels. Location: Venue: West Side Annex @ dnj Gallery; Venue Phone: 323-464-0909; Address: dnj Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue, Suite J1, Santa Monica, California, 90404, United States

The Wet Plate Collodion Workshop with Allan Barnes (Two sessions - SMC Campus)

Instructor: Allan Barnes. In efforts to advance photography in the mid-19th century, Fredrick Scott Archer, an English sculptor and photographer, experimented with collodion in the hope of producing a photographic negative on ordinary glass plates. The process was perfected in 1851. This two-day workshop serves as a hands-on introduction to this demanding but beautiful photographic process. Participants will use large format period-correct cameras to explore the craftsmanship of tintypes and ambrotypes. After a brief historical discussion of the process, students will be trained in the coating, exposure, development and preservation of the photographic plate. The goal is to provide a taste of how the process works, with each participant walking away with 3-4 plates. We will be making photographs at/around the location of the workshop. Participants are invited to bring their own props, old costumes, etc. All chemistry, media and cameras will be provided, in addition to information on purchasing one's own WPC equipment. Please bring disposable latex or nitrile gloves, aprons and work clothing (materials used can easily stain skin and clothing). The course is taught by Allan Barnes, a former photojournalist who has been working extensively with the process for almost ten years. A recent transplant to Northern California, Allan teaches workshops in the process at the Los Angeles Center of Photography, and also teaches photography classes at Petaluma High School in Petaluma, CA. His studio is located in Santa Rosa, CA. Two Sessions: Dates: Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31, 10 am - 4 pm; Enrollment Limit: 12 students; Skill/Experience Level: Open to all levels. Locations: Fri: LACP; Sat & Sun: Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA. Location: Venue: Santa Monica College; Address: 1900 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, California, 90405, United States