Charleston Photographic Workshop Tour 2-6 April , 2017

On this cold snowy morning in Michigan I have Charleston and its world famous gardens on my mind.

Charleston Spring Reflection 24×60

In early April Charleston turns into a photographer’s paradise. The formal gardens on the plantations and the gated gardens in the Battery are in there spring bloom and all of Charleston has splashes of color everywhere.
Last night using Lightroom and Topaz software I transformed three images from 2012 into this colorful panoramic. I used Topaz software to bring out the colors and contrast from the RAW images and then used Lightroom to do it’s magic stitching the images into this 24×60 pano.

All RAW images have to be worked on to give you the colors that was there when you captured the image. This is one of the RAW images used to make the pano in Lightroom and then transformed using Topaz software.

Charleston garden RAW Image

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Charleston Photographic Workshop Tour April 2 – April 6, 2017

Charleston Church Steeples – April 3 – April 7, 2016

This beautiful city is known as the “Holy City” because of the abundance of churches on the city skyline. As they approached Charleston from the sea, the colonial sailors could see 20 church steeples. Charleston boasts over 400 places of worship of many different denominations throughout the city, religion is deeply embedded in this city’s rich culture.

This Steepled church in the historic Battery Park section of Charleston is one of my favorite to take clients to during the blue light hour.

Charleston Steeple – Battery Park

Charleston Photographic Workshop Tour
April 3 – April 7, 2016
$695/ Limited to 8 Students

Click here to get to my Links page for the 15% off discount code for any of the Topaz products.

A Photographers View of Charleston – eBook

I have finished an eBook of images from Charleston using the Topaz Labs software. I am using it as a promotional giveaway to help promote Topaz software and my workshops and would be grateful if you share it with your friends.

To download “A Photographer’s View of Charleston” click on the link below

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fa00odinw6cg967/A%20

Photographers%20View%20of%20Charleston.pdf?dl=0

A Photographers View of Charleston

Charleston is an American treasure, rich in our early history. This beautiful city shows visitors what southern charm and grace were like in the colonies. When you photograph the streets around Battery Park, you capture images of homes and churches that were built before the signing on the Declaration of Independence. Stroll through my collection of favorite images in this eBook.

Topaz Labs software plug-ins for Photoshop and Lightroom were used to give my images the finishing touches that make them sing and make you will feel like you are there.

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Charleston spring location workshop March 29 – April 2

On cold winter nights like this I find my thoughts wandering to the warm shooting locations that I have planned for this spring. In late March and early April Charleston emerges from its winter sleep and explodes in vibrant color. Hope you are able to join me Charleston for early an early spring location shoot in some of Americas best gardens.

Southern Charm – Charleston Spring

In lightroom 5.7 I used the Develop module to for a few basic adjustments and then exported Southern Charm into Topaz Clarity to make this image pop.

Southern Charm – Charleston Spring – Raw adj. in lightroom

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Charleston Photo Workshop – March 29 -April 2, 2015

After teaching last springs Charleston workshop Jonathan sent me a nice email and a few of the great images that he captured while we were on location.

Civil War Memorial

This infrared composition that Jonathan shot in a Charleston graveyard that we visited is amazing.

Old Charleston Church

Hi Paul, Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your workshop.  I learned so much on this workshop that I am looking forward to going out with you to Las Vegas next year. I was really touched by the way you welcomed me and Gina into your group even though I was the only shooter you did not leave out the non shooters. It was a pleasure to meet you and learn from you.  You are a very gifted photographer and teacher. Here are a couple of images I processed.Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and friendship.
Great Workshop!
Jonathan and Regina Davis

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Charleston’s Spring Photo Workshop

This morning Charlie W and I worked on a early morning reflection image he captured during last spring’s workshop in Charleston. Charlie’s composition and exposure were great and we only needed to spend a few minutes working in Lightroom 5.7 to make the image sing.

Live Oaks Charleston processed in Lightroom

On this cold winter night I am looking forward to capturing images and working with clients in late March and early April when Charleston’s spring colors explode.

Live Oaks Charleston unprocessed

Charleston Churches-Charleston Photographic Workshop

The churches in and around Charlestons  are some of the oldest in our country and the photographic opportunities are amazing. I found the ruins of this old church during my last visit to Charleston and am looking forward to spend more time photographing the grounds during next springs photographic location workshop.

Sheldon Church processed using Nik HDR efex pro 2

 To process this image I used the Deep 1 preset in Nik software HDR Efex Pro 2

Sheldon Church processed using Nik HDR efex pro 2

All images need a little post processing. If an image is exposed properly it can be turned into a great image you can hang on your wall in a few minutes. This is the unprocessed raw CR2 file that took me 10 minutes to process.

Canon Raw CR2 file

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Botany Bay – Boneyard Beach Workshop April 2-3 2015

Botany Bay_Boneyard South Carolina

Next spring On April 2-3 2015 I am going to be giving a 1 day workshop at Botany Bay also known as the Boneyard just South of Charleston, South Carolina. This will immediately follow the Charleston Spring workshop March 29th through April 2nd 2015. The Bone Yard which is over an hour drive from where we stay in Charleston is too far to drive back and forth for either a sunrise or sunset location shoot.  Several clients have been asking to spend time in the Bone Yard and I have decided to schedule a one day class immediately following the Charleston workshop to enjoy this rugged stretch on National Seashore on Edisto Island.

Botany Bay_Boneyard South Carolina

Morning Reflections – Charleston

One of the best parts about teaching is seeing the enthusiasm the students have especially when they are capturing great images. This images from the morning shoot at the Audubon Swamp during the Charleston workshop was captured by Elizabeth. Still morning reflections have always been one of my favorites and it was fun to see everyone capturing great images.

Swamp Tree-Charleston

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Sunset at Foley Beach – South Carolina

Over the last 20 years I have been able to spend a week or two capturing images in Charleston on my way home from the Florida art shows and each time I find something new to photograph or something old that stands out for me.

Foley Beach Pier Processed using Topaz Clarity and Topaz Clarity

This year the light at sunset at Foley beach pier was exceptional. There is always something special about capturing an ocean pier at sunset but there was a little nicer glow and I enjoyed the motion of the water in the longer exposures at the end of the day.

Foley Beach unprocessed

To process this image I used Topaz Clarity and Detail to make the image look as close to how I had remembered it.