DIGITAL MEDIA & PHOTOGRAPHY

The photography darkroom is intended to only provide equipment and supplies for purposes of noncommercial and recreational benefit to the community.

NEW  PRIVATE DARKROOMS FOR RENT

Four new private rentable darkrooms.  Each has a special 6 foot commercial photo water temperature controlled sink with space for 11x14 trays and 2 enlargers for up to 2 people with separate timers, related paper easel etc.  Student provides all chemistry and paper and must be experienced, no instruction is provided. Successful completion of the Arts Ed Basic Darkroom Class or previous experience and Arts Ed instructor approval is required. Darkrooms are available M-Th 9 am-9 pm; Fri 9 am-9 pm, Sat 9 am-4 pm. Wireless internet is also available in the facility. Exhibition and sale opportunities available through the program.

Fee:  $6 per hour for minimum of 2 hours.  $4 for each additional hour, or $80 for 20 hour coupon book.  For information contact the Arts Ed Shadelands Office: (925) 943-5842.

CAE Photography Forum

Enjoy up to 12 digital and film meetings per year (June 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010). Share images, critiques, technical developments and meet guest artists. Receive e-news and opportunities to participate in six or more field trips per year. Field trips, entry fees, liability, travel and other costs are the responsibility of the participants. Attendance at one meeting is free to enrolled CAE students. Pre-registration recommended. No prorated fee.

7368
Tu, 7:00-9:30 PM, 3rd Tuesday of each month
Tom Crews; Annex C, Shadelands
Fee: $50 yearly membership 

WORKSHOPS

Create a Web Presence for your Art

Bring 4-5 digital images of your art and you’ll learn to create a web presence including a Blog and a Web Gallery using free tools available on the Internet. The Blog and Gallery you create are yours to keep and use. You’ll also learn to add images to both and how to maintain your site.

8173
Sa, 1:00-4:00 PM, Apr 17
Gene Farley; Youth Art 1, Shadelands
Fee: $30; Classes: 1

Photographing Art Work Digitally

Working artists learn to use your digital camera to produce professional quality photographs. Camera usage, lighting and staging work will be demonstrated and practiced. Computer image processing using Adobe Photoshop will also be demonstrated and discussed. Using these images to create jury slides/show cards/gallery cards and a portfolio book will be discussed. Each student will have the opportunity to photograph their own original art. Bring your own digital camera, camera manual, tripod and 2 pieces of your art to first session.

8174
Sa, 12:30-4:30 PM, Mar 20, Mar 27 & Apr 3
Gene Farley/Christie Ferrell; Annex A, Shadelands
Fee: $96; Classes: 3 

Intro to Social Networking

Are you new to the world of social networking? Get connected! Learn new ways to share your writing, photos, art and videos with friends, family and business associates. This two-part class will show you how to start and manage your own social networking identity using services such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs and more. Bring your laptop or use one available through the office.

8172
We, 6:30 PM-9:00 PM, Apr 14 & Apr 21
Lee Goldin; Youth Art 1, Shadelands
Fee: $60; Classes: 2

Photography Using Outdoor Light

Ever wonder how the professionals make models look so good in outdoor lighting situations? Get the answers in this one-day workshop. Discussion and demonstrations of outdoor lighting techniques as well as posing techniques with a model. Use of large diffusers and reflectors as well as wireless flashes covered. Basic exposure knowledge and use of an SLR camera (film or digital) required.

8158
Sa, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM, Apr 17
Greg Hazard; Lobby, Shadelands
Fee: $40; Classes: 1

Exploring Close-Up Photography

Two classroom meetings will give the photographer an expanded working knowledge of equipment and techniques needed to create fantastic close-up photographs. How to get close to the subject, lighting considerations, how to stabilize your camera, depth of field, compositional elements, and more! A photographic assignment and field trip will provide you with an opportunity to practice the tools and techniques learned in class and allow the instructor to observe and improve your techniques. Field trip will be to the Ruth Bancroft Gardens in Walnut Creek. Provide your own camera and have some working knowledge of the basic photographic principles. No special close-up equipment required. Digital cameras welcome. Note: Additional charge for admission to gardens ($7) collected at first class.

8169
Sa, 10:00 AM-12:30 PM, Apr 17, Annex C
Sa, 1:30 PM-3:30 PM, Apr 17, Field Trip and
Sa, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, Apr 24, Annex C
Tom Crews; Annex C, Shadelands
Fee: $78; Seniors $70; Classes: 3

Color Correction Basics

In this introduction to color correction we will focus on Photoshop  CS3 basics. But if you use Elements or other programs, no fear, the instructions will still apply. Topics include understanding basic techniques using the most common tools such as levels, curves, hue-and-saturation, the histogram, the tool palette and basic adjustments including black-and-white. Objective is to play with your images to make them pop as well as give you a sense of the playfulness and limitless options inherent in color correction. Ideally bring a laptop and software; at the very least bring images you want to work on. Beginning class but all levels welcome.

8167
Sa/Su, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM, May 1 & 2
Beth Witrogen; Annex C, Shadelands
Fee: $62; Classes: 2 

Photography Shoot-out

An intensive, fun and different workshop alternating between photographing and reviewing your images all in the same day. First hour includes lecture on how best to use your equipment (Bring manuals) plus a time for you to bring questions and goals. Then we’ll go out and shoot with instructor assignments. Next we’ll critique so please be sure you have a card reader or some way to transfer the images to instructor’s laptop. We’ll shoot again with review and critique afterward. Discussion of equipment settings, composition, light play, basic color correction and much more. All levels welcome.

8168
Sa, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM, Jun 5
Beth Witrogen; Annex C, Shadelands
Fee: $50; Classes: 1

How to Shoot Exciting Travel Photos
See description under CORE CLASSES 

CORE CLASSES

Get Started with Your Digital Point and Shoot Camera

Having trouble getting your digital camera to give you the results you want? Learn all the features and controls of your digital camera. We’ll discuss making better creative decisions, how to control lighting, movement and flash. Basic image editing software will be discussed. Bring your camera manual and questions to class for individual help.

8156
Mo, 7:00 PM-9:15 PM, Mar 29-Apr 19
No class Apr 5
Greg Hazard; Youth Art 1, Shadelands
Fee: $54; Classes: 3

Get Started with your Digital SLR Camera

If you own a digital camera with interchangeable lenses this class will answer questions you have about its use. Go beyond the automatic settings with an expanded knowledge of your camera settings to learn creative control and the many functions of the camera. Learn to load images from camera to computer and edit them. Different types of image editing software covered. Bring your camera and manual to the first class for individual help.

8157
Mo, 7:00 PM-9:15 PM, Apr 26-May 10
Greg Hazard; Youth Art 1, Shadelands
Fee: $54; Classes: 3

How to Shoot Exciting Travel Photos (Beg/Adv)

Taking photographs while traveling is when ‘it all comes together’; when you are on a trip it is for real! Now is the time to bring your experience and expertise to bear. We’ll start with pre-travel planning, what and how much equipment to take with you. We’ll also cover researching your trip, local regulations, xray damage to film, customs and more. To improve your photography we’ll address three questions: What is the subject of my photograph? How can I emphasize my subject? How can I simplify the image? We’ll cover photographing landmarks and people, payment for photography and shooting in places of worship. Field trip is planned to the San Francisco Farmers Market; transportation planned by Ferry from Oakland Terminal ($11 fare not included in class fee).

8171
We, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM, May 19 & May 26 plus
Field trip May 22
Tom Crews; Youth Art 2, Shadelands
Fee: $72; Classes: 3

INTERMEDIATE CLASSES

Photographing Cities Day & Night (Int/Adv)

Dramatic compositions, intense color and contrast, atmosphere, people--the urban landscape is full of photographic possibilities. Class covers composition, locations and photographic strategies, exposure for digital and film, color, B&W films (including infrared), film processing and more. Two field trips will let you explore some of our best local cityscapes at the best times of day: early-to-mid morning and late afternoon, dusk and night. Share results during second and third classes. Please bring an SLR or advanced compact digital, or 35mm or medium format film camera that allows manual adjustment of focus and exposure, tripod and cable release. A hand-held spot meter is helpful.

8166
We, 7:30 PM-9:30 PM, Apr 28, May 5 & May 12 plus
2 field trips Sat May 1, 8AM-1PM and May 8, 4-9PM
Bill Helsel; Annex A, Shadelands
Fee: $84; Seniors $76; Classes: 5

Photoshop Beyond Basics

Adobe Photoshop CS is the professional standard in desktop digital imaging. We’ll concentrate on those features needed for photographers and other artists to edit your digital images. Review the basics of Photoshop including viewing and saving your files, resizing and cropping and using the canvas, understanding layers, image adjustments, using levels and curves, hue/saturation, color balance, black and white conversion. We’ll cover Noise Reduction and Sharpening,  Blending Modes and more. Finally we’ll discuss Color Management and workflow techniques. You should have a laptop with Photoshop CS3 (or earlier) installed or Registrar can assign one to you for use in classroom. Please come early enough to set up your computer. Prerequisite: Beginning Photoshop, computer skills including how to create, open and save files.

8170
Th, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM, Apr 22-Jun 10
Tom Crews; Youth Art 1, Shadelands
Fee: $94; Seniors $85; Classes: 8

Professional Studio Lighting 

Discover the wonderful world of studio lighting. Uncover the mysteries of light. We will light tabletop objects as well as people and cover lighting techniques with wireless camera flashes, incandescent lights and studio strobe lights. Umbrellas, soft boxes, large and small diffusion panels as well as reflectors will be used. Must have basic exposure knowledge and use of an SLR camera (film or digital).

8159
Mo, 7:00 PM-9:15 PM, May 17-Jun 7
No class May 31
Greg Hazard; Rehearsal Rm, Shadelands
Fee: $48; Seniors $43; Classes: 3