Learning Resources for Creatives
It's challenging to stay positive and motivated during this COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of us are worried about finances, health, when we can get back to work, and what the new normal will be when this is all over. It’s a test of resilience. As for me, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster thus far. We have to keep going; life always moves forward. I’ve been utilizing this “down” time to stack new skills and sharpen current ones. Skill stacking is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. It makes you a more valuable candidate in any market and empowers you to solve problems unique to your abilities. Below you’ll find a list of free or discounted online learning resources. We must stay sharp during this time so we can all hit the ground running when things get back to the new normal.
Online Courses / Webinars
Michael Woloszynowicz Tutorials (Capture one and retouching tips)
Professional Photographers of America EDU (1100+ courses free for two weeks)
CreativeLive (60% off sitewide classes)
University of California Davis Free Online Course “The Strategy of Content Marketing”
Kaist Free Online Course “Meditation: A Way To Achieve your goals in life”
Matt Day Tutorials (Film photography tips/discussions)
Goal Digger Podcast (Solopreneur marketing tips)
Why You Should Be Using A Tripod.
Thomas Ingersoll at Blok Studio's Pierce location.
I'll admit when I started taking photographs I thought tripods were cumbersome. I wanted to move freely while shooting and initially felt tripods would slow down my workflow. Being that photography (Camera, lenses, accessories) can be very expensive, especially when you first start out, I couldn't wrap my mind around spending hundreds of dollars on a tripod. I did what most newbies would do and purchased a cheap tripod that had decent reviews on Amazon. It wasn't long after as my kit grew that I started to realize the importance of having a GOOD tripod. Think about it - you're putting expensive camera gear that you spent your hard earned money on. Outside of making sure you can set your camera up and walk away with confidence, here are a few other benefits for using a tripod.
Low Light Situations.
Tripods are an absolute necessity in low light situations. When you find yourself in a low light situation, you will need to reduce the shutter speed in order to increase light. Unfortunately, reducing the shutter speed means that your camera will be susceptible to camera shake. To ensure that you avoid the blur that may be introduced by your hand movement, a tripod will be essential.
Landscapes.
Landscape photography is one of the most popular types of photography. However, this type of photography typically requires that you use an aperture of at least f/8 and up to f/16 for most of your shots in order to ensure you achieve a wide depth of field that will put everything into clear focus. When you use these aperture settings, they narrow the amount of light coming in. To correct this, you will need either to increase the ISO or reduce the shutter speed so you can get the right exposure for the shot. Be aware that increasing ISO will introduce noise to the image so a good option will be to reduce the shutter speed. Placing your camera on a tripod will ensure you are getting the sharpest images possible by avoiding camera shake.
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY.
As a food and cocktail photographer, I often take photos that are in close range, any movement in the camera is amplified and much harder to control when holding in your hand. When using my favorite lens the Canon 100mm 2.8 L the depth of field is very thin at its widest apertures, so it’s helpful to use narrower apertures — meaning your shutter speed goes down. In most cases, a tripod is essential in food photography to keep your image in focus and your aperture closed down enough that the whole subject is sharp.
LIVE, LEARN, LIGHT.
LIVE, LEARN, LIGHT. These words encompass Blok Studio's entire purpose for existing. We believe that promoting a healthy lifestyle allows a more effective creative process to ensue. At Blok Studio, we provide a platform to cultivate new ideas and collaborate with creatives through our many classes and workshops. Through continued support from our community, we are able add to a wide range of educational services to our programs. These programs provide a supportive setting to creatives from all different types of backgrounds and knowledge. We truly believe it takes a team to build something special. This ability sheds light on the many talented individuals that have helped to shape the new Downtown Phoenix area and beyond.