A Sneak Peak at Winter Classes!

I'm busy getting the Winter Catalog courses together and couldn't wait to tell you about some of them!  We're getting creative and offering some new classes in Winter 2012, so here's a sneak peak:

 *I Have This Great Camera, Now What Do I Do With It? A great hands-on class taught by new instructor Hooman Bahrani, an international award-winning professional photographer and all-around great guy! This would be the perfect class to give as a Christmas present, along with a great new camera, of course!
*Selling Your Art on ETSY!  A great way to learn the in's and out's of selling and promoting your photography and art on the wonderful artist community ETSY, taught by Katie Chasteen.
*Healing Grief and Loss Through Photography. Using photography to explore the grieving process and aid in self-expression. Taught by former therapist and current Photography Department Coordinator, Amanda Sullivan.
*Not Your Average Photo Scrapbooking Class! A very unique class that is more art than scrapbooking, taught by new instructor Amanda Worley.
*Photo Recreation. A fun, hands-on class taught by our ever-entertaining Dan Simonson! Here's your chance to recreate a famous photo and make it your own!
*Shooting RAW: An Intro to Working with RAW Format Files. A great course for RAW shooters taught by Dan Simonson and Will Willner
*Studio Lighting: Fashion and Faces.  A great lighting course geared toward portraits and fashion photography taught by a secret professional photographer!
*Master Class: Understanding Your Camera's Manual Settings.  An intensive, hands-on class designed to help you better understand your camera's manual controls.  Taught by Amanda Sullivan.
*Introduction to Pinhole Photography. A fantastic class that gets back to the basics and explores the artistic genre of pinhole photography.  Taught by our wonderful and talented Mary Bailey Thomas.

And this is just a taste!!!  Of course, we'll have our standard courses as well, and a few other new classes added to the mix.  Look for your catalog near the end of November, and I'll keep you updated on the blog!
Until we meet again,

Amanda











Manchester, England by Amanda Sullivan

Ye Old Film vs Digital Debate. Where Do You Stand?

Chunky vs Smooth.  Plain M&Ms vs Peanut M&Ms (and a million other flavors now...)

Everybody likes a great debate, and it's no secret that the film vs digital roar has been heard (often fiercely)  in chat rooms, pubs, campuses, and coffee shops all over the world.  

Here are a couple of good links related to the subject:
http://www.twinlenslife.com/2009/05/digital-vs-film-real-deal-nikon-d300-vs.html
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmgoingaway.htm

As for me, I use both.  I will never, ever give up my film cameras, and my time in the darkroom is my therapy. I wish more people would explore the darkroom, especially those who have only known digital in their lifetimes. Most who do learn darkroom techniques--especially younger students in their early-mid teens--are amazed and hooked on film afterwards!  My film cameras are fast, fast, fast and just feel better when I push the shutter release.  I will always hold the belief that black & white film prints are superior to black & white digital prints.  Having said all that, I will never, ever give up my digital cameras, either.  I can spend hours on Photoshop just playing around until I get an image that I really love. And you can't beat looking at an image right after you shoot it to make sure it's the way you want it. It's interesting, though, because most of my joy in shooting film cameras is immediate, while most of my fun shooting digital comes later on the computer as I work with the images.  That's a bit ironic, isn't it, considering the immediacy of digital vs film! But it's true.  I like the process of shooting with film cameras, especially my older ones, and I like the process of manipulating images with digital.  The fact that you can digitize film through the use of scanners is a bonus for me, like the best of both worlds. 

So is there any point in debating, really? I suppose it all boils down to what works best for you and what gives you the most joy.  We cater to the film fans and the digital here at Sawtooth, so all bases are covered.

Variety is the spice of life so they say, and a good debate gets your endorphins pumping.  So where do you stand?

Until we meet again,
Amanda

Want to Take Better Pictures of Your Family?

There's still time to register for Better Baby Photography with instructor Dan Simonson! The workshop is scheduled for one Saturday, October 22nd from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  If you've ever taken a class from Dan, you know he is very entertaining!  And he knows his photography! It's a fun and informative class that will not only help you take better pictures of your baby, but your whole family as well.

Cost of the workshop is $50 for members and $65 for non-members.  Sign up now by calling the Sawtooth School at 336-723-7395 or register online at http://www.sawtooth.org/classes/photo.html

 Photo by Dan Simonson

  Photo by Justin Doub

Until we meet again,
Amanda

There's Still Time!

There's still time to register for our fall classes!   We still have lots of great photography classes that are open.  Many are introductory classes that will be perfect building blocks for the more advanced classes we will be offering in the Winter session (more to come on that soon!).  Log on to www.sawtooth.org to register or call 336-723-7395.

Everyone can take pictures.  But it takes that special edge to be a photographer.  Let Sawtooth give you the edge!

Until we meet again,
Amanda 

We Need Your Ideas!

That's right!  The photography department needs your ideas for new photography classes.  Do you keep searching our catalog for a particular subject that never shows up?  If so, please let me know at photo@sawtooth.org

We've got some great new classes and teachers coming for our Winter session, so stay tuned.  I've already put into place 6 new classes, but I would still love to hear from you and find out what you would like to learn.  We're going in a great new direction, and I'm very excited, but we still need your input.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Until we meet again,

Amanda

Photographers Remember 9/11

Here's a great link from The Guardian, a short film of photographers recalling 9/11.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/sep/08/9-11-attacks-photographs-interactive

Join Me...

...in a cozy, dimly lit room. 

The delicate sound of running water soothes your nerves. 

No children tugging at your shirt.
 
No cell phones. 

No bosses.

No pressure. 

Just you, and the memories you are about to create.

The Sawtooth School for Visual Art Darkroom. Make your escape now...

684 A Darkroom Exploration with Mary Bailey-Thomas. 6 Wednesdays, 9/21-10/26, 6:30-8:30 pm
684 B Darkroom Exploration with Polly Meares. 6 Thursdays, 9/22-10/27, 6:30-8:30 pm
650 Independent Darkroom (Darkroom Rental), 9 week (Sept. 19-Nov. 18), unlimited usage rates and hourly rates available
http://www.sawtooth.org/classes/photo/darkroom-exploration.html