Presentations and Workshops 2023
The following presentations are available in the 2023 season via online platforms unless otherwise noted. If your camera club or arts group wishes to book a presentation, please CONTACT ME. My standard speaker fee is $250 for a 90-minute presentation. Pricing for custom presentations and workshops varies with the topic and length. If you wish to attend one of my presentations, please check the SCHEDULE and contact the host club for information.
Making Meaningful Photographs – Coming Soon
This presentation tackles meaning-of-life questions and introduces techniques for turning your answers into meaningful photographs… READ MORE
Finding Inspiration – NEW
A quest for photographic inspiration, in which we identify sources of inspiration, common roadblocks, and methods to kick-start inspiration… READ MORE
Setting Boundaries – NEW
The role of cropping in our photographic workflow and its impact on image composition and storytelling… READ MORE
Behind the Scenes
A thoughtful look at the photographic process, illustrated with stories and before/after examples from my portfolio to show how the… READ MORE
Winter Photography
This presentation celebrates the distinctive features of winter light and offers practical and artistic advice to help you make winter magic… READ MORE
A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
An exploration of the rocky relationship between words and images, with tips and exercises for creating effective titles for your photographs… READ MORE
Other/older presentations, workshops and courses
Sight and Sound: This presentation shares techniques for selecting and combining photographs, music and other ingredients to help you craft an effective audio-visual show. We address some common mistakes – and how to avoid them – and artistic strategies that will leave your audiences asking for more… READ MORE
Image Critique: This participatory presentation/workshop takes a constructive approach to image critique that helps us to see, analyze and talk more thoughtfully about our images, and introduces helpful guidelines that serve as a framework for evaluating images constructively. Offered as a 2-hour camera club presentation, or as a full-day workshop in which half the program is devoted to group discussion of participants’ images… READ MORE
Scenery and Secrets of a Landscape Photographer: A photographic journey across eastern Canada, where we learn some secrets for capturing effective landscape images. This is a non-technical presentation with a focus on storytelling and visual design, so is suitable for general audiences and arts groups, as well as for camera clubs… READ MORE.
The Places We Call Home: An exploration of what “home” means and why it is so important to us, illustrated with stories and photographs from my new home in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. This public presentation is sponsored by ArtWorks East and the Mulgrave Road Theatre, in-person at The Road House, Guysborough NS, July 3-2022.
Landscape Photography and the Meaning of Life: A weekend seminar focusing on ways in which our photographic explorations of the natural world can become a powerful means for personal and artistic expression, for self-discovery, even for recovery. The sessions are sequenced to reflect the photographic process itself, beginning with the inspiration and motivation for our image-making, moving on to craftsmanship, creativity, ethics and environmental concerns, and concluding with possibilities for personal projects that showcase our images. Hosted by the Latow Photographers Guild, Burlington, Ontario, April 2021.
Beyond Technique: An exploration of artistry, creativity, meaning and personal style, and how they work together to create compelling photographs. You will learn how different back-stories, artistic choices, creative approaches and photo processing strategies can impact our personal response to an image, and how to use them to forge a more meaningful connection with viewers. Hosted by numerous camera clubs across the Maritimes and Ontario, 2017-2021.
An Inside Look: This presentation features an integrated approach to the photographic process, from the time we feel the first stirrings of inspiration, through the labyrinth of technical and compositional decisions we make when crafting an image, to the finished photograph we present to the world. Hosted by the Canadian Association for Photographic Art and the Focus Camera Club, Moncton, New Brunswick, May 2021.
Landscape-Seascape Photography: This one-day workshop is an introduction to shooting techniques and artistic strategies for capturing effective landscape and seascape photographs. We begin in the classroom to learn the concepts, then move outside to practice in the nearby coastal landscape. Offered in small-group studio sessions 2014-2018; hosted by the Chester Art Centre 2016, 2018.
Shoreline Views: community workshop introducing participants to the art and science of seascape photography and coastal ecology on Nova Scotia’s South Shore. Co-hosted by the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation and the Ecology Action Centre, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, March 2016.
Digital Manipulation – The Great Reality Debate: The explosion of sophisticated digital imaging tools and software has transformed the photographic process and opened a Pandora’s box of troublesome questions about photographic “reality” and the ethics of image manipulation. This presentation addresses these questions candidly and inspires you to think in a new way about your photography. Hosted by numerous camera clubs in Ontario and Nova Scotia, 2015-2017.
Layers, Masks and Magic: Photoshop’s layers and masks allow us to edit an image selectively and non-destructively for maximum control, and to enhance it with eye-popping effects. But they come with an intimidating reputation that frightens many photographers away. This workshop helps you build a genuine understanding of how layers and masks work, and the confidence to apply them and unlock the full potential of your photographs. One-day studio workshop, 2014-2017; Peterborough SPARK photography festival 2015.
Photoshop Crash Course: Photoshop and its popular spin-off, Photoshop Elements, are the industry standard in photo editing software with a dazzling array of tools and techniques for image enhancement. But the choices can seem overwhelming and the results are often disappointing. This workshop cuts through the confusion and introduces you to an efficient, step-by-step workflow for editing your images. One-day studio workshop 2010-2014; Peterborough SPARK photography festival 2013; Chester Art Centre 2017; five-week continuing education course at the Nova Scotia Community College Lunenburg campus, 2014-2017.
Getting To Know Your Digital Camera: A comprehensive introduction to the photographic process that demystifies your digital camera’s sophisticated technology and puts it to work for you in making images you can be proud of. Topics include: exposure, focus, depth of field, white balance, lens focal length, and visual design. One-day studio workshop 2010-2015; Chester Art Centre 2017; eight-week continuing education course at the Nova Scotia Community College Lunenburg NS campus, 2016 and 2018.