The groups for this Autumn are listed below. Please email your choices to outings@offshoot.ie before 24th September 2014:
Groups:
1. ) Star Trails – Leader: Emily Gallagher
Description
We will go to the tower in Glendalough and use that as a pivot point for our photos.
Requirements
Tripod, remote/cord trigger, torch/headlamp/spare batteries, rain gear
Notes
You can use Photoshop or other software, but www.startrails.de/html/software.html is good; it’s free, quick to install and does its job well.
2. ) Portraits in a Home Studio – Leader: Barry Dillon
Description
Portraits using a set of studio lights. Members will have a chance to learn how to set and use studio lights and a flash meter. (Max Participants: 4)
Requirements
A kit lens or short telephoto.
Notes
There may be a small charge for a model.
3. ) Still Life (Renaissance / Vanitas style) – Leader: Olive Gaughan
Description
A bit of art history; becoming more aware of light; work with individual objects; construct an image; Shoot. (Max Participants: 4)
Requirements
Camera, tripod, flash, trigger / receiver equipment (I have canon equipment but it will not work with other brands). Items to photograph.
Notes
Sat 18th Oct & Sat 1st Nov. Two sessions of up to 3hrs each, in home (Rathfarnham area). Participants need to be available on both dates.
4. ) Wicklow – Leader: Keith Mitchell
Description
Photography around Wicklow.
Requirements
Tripod, standard zoom lens. Optional gear wide angle lens, filters, remote/timer and rain gear.
5. ) Scotland – Leader: David Whitaker
Description
Photography by the Offshooters on the Scottish trip.
Note
A cheat but it all counts!
6. ) Still Life and the Orton Effect – Leader: Seamus MacKenna
Description
The Orton Effect is a photography technique which blends two completely different photos of the same scene, resulting in a distinctive mix of high and low detail areas within the same photo. It was originated by photographer Michael Orton in the mid-1980s. The simplest way to explain the in-camera approach is to take both sharp and blurry shots of the same scene and then merge them a certain way in Photoshop. The result can be an image where detail is evident but where a soft focus type glow is also present to give a slight dreamy or painterly look to the shot. (Max Participants: 4)
Requirements
Camera, kit or short telephoto lens, tripod and a willingness to bring lots of props and ideas for the still life scenes. Basic Photoshop skills or knowledge and access to other processing software where you can work with layers is preferred but we can help if you do not have this skill.
Notes
This is an indoors WWM activity where we will create a still life scene and then capture and process using the Orton Effect.
7. ) Photographic Scavenger Hunt – Leader: Joe Tulie
Description
Designed to get you thinking, planning shots, trying out all your lenses and even some of the buttons you’ve never used. The idea is to visit the botanic gardens on 2 separate half days (1 morning and 1 evening – for different lighting conditions). We will not be focussing exclusively on plants. All participants will be given a scavenger sheet in advance. From the 50 titles given you will try and capture 26 pictures (1 for each letter of the alphabet) Just to make it a bit more interesting you will also have a list of 18 colours, 16 photographic themes/styles, and 36 compositional elements which should all be included among your 26 shots. For example for the letter K the title is “knot” you might decide to shoot either a knot on a tree or a knot on a piece of string. In the case of the tree you could then also tick the boxes for Colour: Brown, Theme: Macro and Composition: Texture. If you shot the string you could tick Colour: Green, There are no prizes. You are only competing against the scavenger sheet. We will have a meeting before the visits to hand out and discuss the sheet and give people a chance to plan some shots and answer any questions about the challenge.
Requirements
Sense of humour, Scavenger sheet and pen, camera and all your lenses. If you bring extra lenses the sheet will require you to use each for at least 4 shots. If you have 10 lenses just bring 5 the first day and 5 on the second.
8. ) Portraits / Lighting / Fashion – Leader: Kyle Tunney
Description
This WWM will be customised to suit the group we have & what you want to learn/shoot. It will mainly focus on lighting (studio, strobe & natural). Depending on what type of shoot we have decided on, we will make a plan for the day (organise a stylist, model, studio if needed etc). If you would like to create any images similar to these www.kyletunney.com/WWM.pdf then this WWM will suit you!
(If we have enough time we will also go through how to edit & process your photos in Lightroom / Photoshop)
Requirements
A DSLR that you can use in manual mode (you do not have to know how to shoot a camera in manual). Cost €20 – 60 each, I would like to keep this as cheap as possible. If we can shoot this in somebody’s house, I’m all for it, if we need / want a studio, we can do that.
9. ) Windows and Doors – Leader: Mike Smith
Description
There is something about doors and windows. Doors and windows tell us so much about the streets, about history, about culture and they are everywhere. Doors and windows are big, small, plain, colourful, old, new, modern and antique; they come in all shapes and forms. Sometimes you will find open doors and windows, sometimes closed, with or without people, and even sometimes the door or the window are gone, but you know where they were supposed to be.
Requirements
A kit lens, short or long telephoto lens and a tripod, remote/cord trigger will be an asset. With Irish weather raingear is also recommended.
Notes
We’ll probably do a trips from Fitzwilliam Square to Grafton Street and the village of Ballyknockan in Wicklow.
10. ) Painting with Light – Leader: Tom Murphy
Description
Try several different methods of light painting. Locations that I have in mind are : Sandymount strand and the tunnel at Killiney Dart station.
Requirements
Camera, wide-angle lens, tripod, speedlight, torches, colour gels to covers flashes, steel wool, Sparklers, spare battery. Bring warm clothing and footwear suitable for walking on sand and two most important ingredients – enthusiasm and a sense of humour as Murphys law may apply from time to time.
11. ) Silhouettes – Leader: Ian Gemmell
Description
A silhouette is a photograph where a dark figure or shape is against a light background or with the sun as your back-light. We will try different types of silhouettes in a variety of locations with animate and inanimate subjects. The reason silhouettes are so engaging is because they are so open to interpretation.
Requirements
Camera, kit, short zoom or wide-angle lens, tripod, remote/cord trigger. With Irish weather warm clothing.
12. ) Bracketing – Leader: Matt O’ Brien
Description
Try your hand at Bracketing.
Often a bit daunting, Matt will lead a group to take some images at different bracketing settings then show us techniques in Photoshop and Lightroom, how to blend these images together to dramatic effect.
Requirements
Camera, tripod, Laptop (an advantage though not essential) & Enthusiasm.