Photographing nature can provide a brief reprieve from life’s harsh realities. It reminds us of the beauty in all things delicate and fierce, and we do not have to travel far to find it. And indeed, we don’t even need expensive camera gear to make good pictures.
In this online workshop, Xuan-Hui Ng shares her techniques for photographing nature, including her use of natural light, finding patterns, reflections and textures in the rain, snow, or mist. She also covers her use of varied shutter speeds. The challenge, and some would say the fun, of nature photography is the unpredictability of the weather. We cannot order when the sun will shine or when the flowers will bloom, but chance favors the prepared.
The objective of the workshop is to inspire new ways of seeing so that participants will be ready to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. We explore different ways to push beyond our comfort zones, to look for beauty in the mundane, and to photograph when the weather is not cooperating.
The three sessions consist of presentations (images and video) from Xuan-Hui, group discussions, assignments, and group critiques.
Xuan-Hui began photographing as a form of self-therapy. The death of her mother plunged her into a downward spiral until a chance encounter with nature set her on the path to recovery.
Studies show that nature, or even images of nature, can provide relief from symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. She hopes that her photographs bring viewers a brief reprieve from life’s harsh realities, by reminding us of the beauty in all things delicate and fierce. Now more than ever, we need to alleviate the stress in our lives and heal.
Working knowledge of digital workflow and manual mode on your digital SLR or mirrorless camera. Participants must be able to download and select images using image editing software for class sessions.
Please note: Techniques such as multiple exposures, flash, and intentional camera movement are not covered in this workshop.
Class will meet 5:00 – 7:00 pm (Mountain Time) on Wednesdays starting September 20 and ending October 4 (three online group sessions). Enrollment is limited to 12 participants.
Zoom Video Conferencing software (available for no charge from Zoom.com) will be used to facilitate the class sessions. Further details will be emailed to registrants.
Santa Fe Workshops always aims to produce a high-quality experience for our online attendees. That said, variables including regional and local internet provider speeds, traffic on Zoom's servers, and your own computing hardware can contribute to a less than ideal streaming event. While we do our best to minimize the impact of these variables, they are outside the control of Santa Fe Workshops.
View Withdrawal and Transfer Policies for online programs.
For the convenience of participants, recordings of each class session are posted privately for one month after the end of each session. Santa Fe Workshops takes the recordings down after one month to protect the intellectual property of our instructors.
Xuan-Hui was born in Singapore and currently lives in Japan. She has been an artist lecturer at the Griffin Museum of Photography, Lakeshore Camera Club and Artquest Photo Workshops. In 2022, she was interviewed by BBC World Service’s Cultural Frontline on “Creativity and Mental Health.” She is a contributor to ELEMENTS landscape photography magazine and her work is represented by Foto Relevance gallery in Houston, Texas.
Website: xuanhuing.com
Instagram: @xuanhui_ng
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