The Power of Black & White
Black and white photography has captivated us since the first photograph was recorded in 1825 by Joseph Niepce on a metal plate. While most of us don’t use metal plates any longer, enthusiasm for the black and white process has endured. Color in a photograph can be a very compelling visual element. It can also make it more difficult to notice underlying elements that can be even more important to the success of a photograph, such as shape, form, line, texture and tone, even the decisive moment might take a back seat. In the grayscale world, these visual elements become much more powerful visual tools for self-expression.
This workshop will take you from image capture to post-processing in black and white photography. It will help you see compositionally with a monochromatic eye and guide you through a post-processing workflow using Lightroom Classic and Silver Efex Pro 2* to get consistent results. Through lectures, software demonstrations, assignments, and critiques, you’ll gain skills to harness the power of black and white photography to create and communicate your own unique vision.
Included for workshop participants is a 1-hour, one-on-one meeting with Doug that can be scheduled within two months of the conclusion of the course to provide support and answer questions that may come up as you engage in the course material and black and white processing.
*A note on software: Two monitors are recommended for participants (a laptop and external monitor are fine). If you use just one monitor, contact Doug to discuss a workflow during the workshop. If you use an editing software other than Lightroom Classic, the concepts of black and white processing presented with Lightroom can be adapted to any software you use. However, participants should have Silver Efex Pro to use during the workshop. You can download a free 30 day trial version at DxO.
The Power of Black & White Registration
Tuition ~ TBD
“To see in color is a delight for the eye, but to see in black and white is a delight to the soul” - Andri Cauldwell
Online workshop: The Power of Black and White
Workshop dates dates: Friday - Monday
Workshop time:
Friday 8-9:30pm ET
Saturday 9:30-10am Computer help, 10am-2pm, (Lab 2-3pm, 6-7pm), 7:30-9pm ET
Sunday 9:30-10am Software help, 10am-2pm (Lab 2-3pm, 6-7pm), 7:30-9pm ET
Monday 8-9:30pm ET
One on One: 1 hour follow up session with Doug / Scheduled within 2 months after the last session
Schedule Details:
The intensive weekend format is designed to maximize your learning and the meeting times above provide an overview of the time commitment. We will kick-off Friday evening with an introduction to B&W. We’ll meet Saturday and Sunday in the morning for class, break in the afternoon when you will practice what you’re learning through creative assignments, and reconvene in the evening for critique of the daily assignment. We conclude on Monday evening with a celebratory slide show of everyone’s work. During the weekend, there will be open lab for additional help. To keep you motivated and growing, participants may schedule an hour-long one-on-one meeting with Doug within two months of the workshop.
***Note: Two monitors are recommended (a laptop and external monitor are fine). If you use just one monitor contact Doug to discuss a workflow during the workshop.
Class size: Limited to 12 students
One on One: 1 hour follow up session with Doug / Scheduled within 2 months after the last class
Platform: Sessions will take place via Zoom (available for no charge from zoom.us). Additional details will be emailed to participants.
Skill level: This workshop is designed for photographers with an intermediate skill level using editing/processing software. Participants should be comfortable using their photographic equipment (phone camera’s are welcome too!) and must be able to upload assignment images to the web for workshop critiques. Instructions will be emailed to participants.
FAQs about Online Courses
*Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received 10 or more days prior to the class start date will receive a refund of 100% of the tuition minus a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations received 10-5 days prior to the class start date will receive a refund of 50% of the tuition minus a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations received 5 or fewer days before the workshop start date are not eligible for a refund. In the unlikely event that the workshop is cancelled by Doug Johnson Photography, full tuition will be refunded. Transfers to another workshop will only be allowed if the request is received 5 days or more prior to the workshop start date.
If you have any questions about the workshop, please feel free to call Doug at 303-829-2215
“The Power of Black & White workshop was extremely enjoyable for me. Doug’s teaching style is clear and his presentations are interesting. He goes beyond describing how to do things by explaining why to do them too. I learned that the black and white processing of photographs can also teach us about art itself at its base level.”
“The Power of Black & White is overall a GREAT class - good class camaraderie and so appreciate your continued sense of humor and very critical and excellent eye.
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