Swept Away

Swept Away

 She was impetuous and changeable, unpredictable and dangerous, and more beautiful than an ocean sunset on a summer day.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a workshop hosted by three well respected photographers / time-lapsers whose work is inspiring and emotive – David Gaiz, Toby Harriman and Michael Shainblum. They assured me they will be hosting more clinics in the future, mostly on the west coast, so if you’re out that way and you have the opportunity, I highly recommend taking a class with them.

Without giving away too much, their workshop focused mainly on seascapes, and went through everything from the technical aspects of camera settings and filter use, to the creative process and using the environment to your advantage…the shapes of the changeable water, allowing the water to wash away footprints in the sand (or not, depending on what you’re looking to accomplish with your image), etc.

The three guys were very open and generous with their time.  I really enjoyed hanging out with them, a few of their photographer friends from TX and my good friend David Pasillas for the weekend. A gal can’t ask for a better trip. 🙂

Now, as for the images we created – we spent the afternoon and evening on Marshall Beach near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, watching the fog roll over the area and dash our hopes for a sunset. Haha  But, a little challenge never hurt nobody.  The fog added texture to the sky (which I happen to like) and mood to the scene.  There were plenty of interesting rocks, a bridge and of course, the water with which to compose a scene and tell a story.  It was also a prime opportunity to play with filters, long exposures, etc.

Overall, this workshop (and the weekend as a whole) was just a great opportunity to get creative, meet other artists and feel inspired.  As I told David Gaiz after I sat got back to the east coast and sorted my shots, I can think of at least 3 blog posts, lessons and personal projects all stemming from my time in California.  Furthermore, it was an opportunity for me to talk to the guys about the ins and outs of running a workshop because (spoiler alert) that’s on my future to-do list. 🙂

Keep your eyeballs peeled for future workshops with these three, and in the meantime, do yourself a favor and check out their photography and time lapse pages.  You won’t be disappointed!