Rob Knight Photography

Speedlight Speed Session

Rob Knight — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:58:12 +0000

My good friend Rick Sammon was in town yesterday for a class on using small flash to create big, beautiful light. 19 students were on hand to learn basic skills and some advanced techniques for manual and TTL automatic flash. Showcase Photo and Video provided Westcott Apollo soft boxes, backdrops and more.

Rick showed the Canon shooters how it’s done using the ST-E2 transmitter and multiple 580EX speedlights. The students were able to make great photos with minimal equipment with this simple system.

Quick Tip for Nikon shooters: if your camera has a built in flash, chances are you can control Nikon speedlights wirelessly. Check your camera manual and look for “commander mode”. With commander mode you can control the power of remote speedlights in manual and TTL modes right from your camera!

The above photo of our model, Zoe, was shot with a Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, and one SB900 speedlight at camera left.

Summer Classes

Rob Knight — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:31:10 +0000

There hasn’t been much news on this page lately, and I’m sorry about that. The good news is that updates have been few and far between because I have been busy teaching and traveling. I had a great time presenting at the Blue Ridge Photo Fest in Boone, NC with Juan Pons, Leander Hutton and Tommy White. I met some great folks and enjoyed the Blue Ridge Parkway very much. Hopefully I can spend more time in those beautiful mountains soon.

There are a few classes coming up that I wanted to mention on the blog… Rick Sammon is coming to town June 12 and we are leading a hands-on speedlight workshop at my studio in Marietta, GA. There a a few spots left and you can register online at:
Speedlight Speed Session
Rick is also coming with me for my Arenal Eco Adventure in Costa Rica this September. There is a June special for the trip that saves you $500 off when you register yourself and a guest! This is an all-inclusive workshop and you can register here:
Arenal Eco Adventure

I will be teaching digital 101 and digital 102 at the Showcase School of Photography again in July. I will also teach my 6-week Lightroom 3 class at Showcase next session. You can find out more and register at the Showcase School

I hope to see you at a class or workshop soon!

Arenal Eco Adventure Costa Rica Photo Workshop

Rob Knight — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:25:48 +0000

September 11-17, 2011. Monterrey, Costa Rica

Featuring Rick Sammon and Rob Knight

Overview

“Tourism should enhance a community, not overshadow it.”

If you’re looking for something beyond the usual photography tour, this is the trip for you! Immerse yourself in the beautiful Arenal area and leave with a sense of the REAL Costa Rica. You’ll spend six days learning about the people, culture and wildlife of Costa Rica while you pursue your passion for photography. Develop your artistic vision through the lens, and hone your craft through photography and digital darkroom instruction. You’ll also have the chance to compete for prizes in the Leaves&Lizards Through-the-Lens Challenge.

The Leaves & Lizards Volcano Cabin Retreat will serve as your home base for this unique, all-inclusive photography adventure. Leaves & Lizards’ commitment to the community and the environment made them the obvious choice to host this event. Their cabins have a comfortable, rustic feel, while offering modern conveniences like Wi-Fi internet access. Each one is specifically designed to offer you the best possible views of the Arenal Volcano. Your meals at the Lava Lizard restaurant feature all locally produced ingredients , including dairy products from their own cow. Kitchen scraps go to feed the chickens and pigs which in turn produce eggs and meat for us to eat; a perfect circle of sustainability.

In addition to photography instructors Rob Knight and Rick Sammon, local guide Enrique Molena is on staff to act as our naturalist guide and liaison with the community in Monterrey and La Fortuna. Enrique was born and raised in Monterrey, and he has been a professional guide in this area for fifteen years. His knowledge of Costa Rica’s flora and fauna will amaze you!

Your $2000 tuition includes:

six nights lodging at the Leaves and Lizards Volcano Cabin Retreat
All meals (Sunday night through Friday)
All Excursions, transportation and park entry fees
Daily Photography lectures, digital processing instruction and organized photo shoots
Experienced local guide
1 year SmugMug Pro Account (a $150 value)
A copy of Rick Sammon’s Travel and Nature Photography(a $30 value)
A 9″x12″ canvas print of your favorite photo, courtesy of Artistic Photo Canvas(a $66 value)

Click HERE to Register

Itinerary

Itinerary:

Sunday-

3:00- check-in
5:00- Your adventure begins Sunday evening at the Lava Lizard Restaurant at Leaves & Lizards. Get to know the instructors and the other participants as the sun sets behind the Arenal Volcano. Rob and Jesse will give a brief slideshow and outline the photography opportunities and objectives for the week. Enrique will discuss the Through-the-Lens Challenge, and give you up-to-the-minute info about the animals at Leaves & Lizards. After a delicious dinner at the Lava Lizard, the instructors will be available to help you with your equipment or answer questions about the schedule.

Monday-

Start your first full day with a sunrise shoot at Leaves & Lizards, or sleep in and meet for breakfast around 7:00am. You’ll learn tips and techniques for great wildlife photos before heading to the Proyecto ASIS Wildlife Rescue Center for a program customized for the Arenal Eco Adventure. There are more details of the Proyecto ASIS program HERE. You will have the afternoon free with access to the photo instructors and naturalist guide. You can shoot the sunset over the Arenal Volcano before Rob’s Lightroom workflow class, then it’s dinner at the Lava Lizard.

Tuesday-

Day two is all about the local flora and fauna. Enrique will give you a special tour of the Leaves & Lizards property and teach you about the wildlife you’ll find there. Today should be a great opportunity for you to check off items for the TTL Challenge. In the afternoon, Enrique will give you a guided tour of Arenal National Park. You’ll hike to the lava field at the base of the volcano and shoot the sunset over Lake Arenal. Dinner will be served at the Lava Lizard, followed by an optional review and critique session.

Wednesday-

Practice your visual storytelling on day three. Enrique will be your guide when you visit a working Tico farm. You’ll find out what daily life is life is like on the farm, while Rob will help you tell the story through your photos. Find out more about the Tico farm tour HERE. You’ll be free to work on your TTL Challenge list after (and during) the farm tour. Rob will host a Lightroom Q&A session at Leaves & Lizards before dinner, and there will be a review and critique session afterwards.

Thursday-

You’ll start day four in La Fortuna for the Independence Day parade, then you will head to the ArenalHanging Bridges. This amazing facility offers lost of opportunities for wildlife and landscape shooting. You can learn more about the Hanging Bridges HERE. The evening session will feature HDR processing techniques from Rick Sammon and HDR Efex Pro. After dinner, Rob and Rick will review your favorite shots from the first two days.

Friday-

Your last day at the Arenal Eco Adventure will feature unique photo opportunities. After a lesson in working with light you will have the chance to practice what you’ve learned with a live model. The geothermal hot springs at Eco Termales will be your backdrop for amazing portraits, and then provide you with a relaxing soak and a home-cooked Tico meal. You will have the afternoon free for last minute TTL Challenge shots. Final critiques and door prizes will be offered before dinner. The TTL Challenge winner will be announced after dinner, and you will have the chance for any last minute questions.

TTL Challenge

DphotoA/ Leaves&Lizards “Through-the-Lens Challenge”

As a student in the Arenal Eco Adventure Photo Workshop in Monterrey, Costa Rica, you will have an opportunity to build an impressivewildlife photography portfolio, and enter your new wildlife photos in the DphotoA/ Leaves & Lizards Through-the-Lens Challenge.

Thanks to Oscar at L&L, we have a list of the birds and other animals that you might see on the L&L property. Each animal has a point value based on how likely you are to see it. The more rare an animal is, the higher it’s point value. The student who has the most points at the end of the week will receive a prize package including a 30”x40” gallery wrap canvas print from Artistic Photo Canvas, and a gift certificate from Outdoor Photo Gear. Winning photos will also be featured on the Leaves & Lizards website and the DphotoA website.

Enrique and Oscar will be teaching you about the local animals throughout the week, and giving you tips on where you can find the more rare animals on the list. The L&L property has lots of trails between the cabins and it should be easy to check off several exotic species by simply taking a walk. You can enter photos you take anywhere during the workshop, and our trip to Proyecto ASIS Wildlife Rescue Center will surely give you a good head start.

Didn’t bring your 400mm lens with you? No problem. As long as the photo is clear and the animal in the photo is identifiable it will count toward your point total. Of course, you should make the best images you can, but don’t be intimidated if other students have equipment you don’t have. The point of the contest is to learn about Costa Rican wildlife and most of all have fun making pictures!

Register for the Arenal Eco Adventure Photo Workshop today to be entered in the Through-the-Lens Challenge. The Through-the-Lens Challenge is brought to you by Artistic Photo Canvas and Outdoor Photo Gear.

More Information

Tuition for the Arenal Eco Adventure is $2000. Additional photographers (or guests) sharing the same cabin are $1500. This includes lodging, food and excursions. The double cabins are set up like a double hotel room with two beds and a shared bathroom.

The Arenal Eco Adventure workshop is suitable for photographers of all skill levels. The small class size insures that beginners can get the time they need with an instructor, and experienced photographers will have unique shooting opportunities and the chance to fine-tune their work.

A DSLR camera is recommended, as well as a laptop computer with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Other recommended software includes Adobe Photoshop, Photomatix Pro, Nik Silver Effects Pro and Nik Color Effects Pro. Past students have done well in our workshops with Apple Aperture as well, but please note that the workflow demos will be performed using Lightroom.

You can save 15% off of Photomatix Pro by using the discount code “RobKnight15” at www.hdrsoft.com.

The workshop price does not include airfare to Costa Rica or transportation to Monterrey (near Arenal/La Fortuna). It is quick and easy (and cheap!) to get to the Arenal/ La Fortuna airport from San Jose or Liberia via regional airlines such as Nature Air or Sansa. We can arrange transportation to Leaves and Lizards from the airport in La Fortuna.

If you would like to rent a car, it is a beautiful, 3.5 hour drive to La Fortuna from San Jose, and about 4 hours from Liberia. There will be a presentation Sunday night, so please plan to arrive Sunday afternoon. Students will check in Sunday, September 12 and check out Saturday, September 18.

We strongly recommend you purchase comprehensive travel insurance in case of emergencies.

Ask about group discounts for your students or camera club.

Register
Click HERE to visit the Digital Photography Adventures site and register

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Atlanta Lightroom 3 Classes: Lightroom 3 Start to Finish

Rob Knight — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:37:04 +0000

This is a six-week comprehensive class on Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 that covers the Lightroom workflow from beginning to end. This is no one-day Lightroom overview. I want to teach you how to use Lightroom, not just show you what it can do. The class is available Friday mornings from 9:00am-11:00am. The next Friday classes start April 8, 2011.

The classes are held at DiDomizio’s Old World Art Centre in Sandy Springs. The fee for the six-week class is $200 per student. There is a limited number of computers available for students to use, but you are encouraged to bring your laptop. Register HERE or stop by Old World Art with a check or money order.

Subsequent Lightroom classes will be held at my new studio in the Artisan Resource Center in Marietta, GA. For more information please visit http://dphotoa.com/workshops/adobe-lightroom-start-to-finish/

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3

Start to Finish

Course Description

Day 1: Introducing Lightroom

How Lightroom handles your files

The Lightroom interface

Configuring Lightroom Preferences

Identity plate set-up

Asset management suggestions

Importing photos into Lightroom

Day 2: The Library Module

Navigating the Library Module

File management and workflow

Using the Quick Develop panel

Sorting your images and picking your favorites

Working with metadata and keywords

Filtering and searching

Working with Collections

Day 3: The Develop Module

Develop module workflow

The Basic panel: How to correct white balance, exposure, and tone

The Tone Curve Panel: Correcting contrast

The Detail Panel: Sharpening and noise reduction

The LENS CORRECTIONS panel

The CAMERA CALIBRATION panel for accurate color

The HISTORY panel

The SNAPSHOTS panel

Synchronizing develop settings

Day 4: Getting creative in the Develop Module

Making virtual copies

HSL panel: Color correction, Hue adjustments, and B&W conversion

Split Toning Panel

Effects Panel: adding Vignettes or grain

Crop Tool

Spot removal tool

Red Eye correction tool

Graduated filter tool

Adjustment Brush

Develop presets

Day 5: Working with other applications

Plug-ins and image editors

External Editing settings

Working between Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop

Open as layers

Merge to Panorama

Working with NIK plugins

HDR workflow

Day 6: Sharing your work

The SLIDESHOW module

The WEB module

The PRINT module

Publish Services

Export presets

Showcase School of Photography

Rob Knight — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:15:56 +0000

Atlanta area photographers can find lots of great classes at the Showcase School of Photography. The school offers photography classes for beginners and advanced photographers. If you are just getting into the world of photography, there are classes like Digital 101 and Digital 102. If you are ready for the next step you might consider a 1-day Flash Crash course or a weekend-long studio photography workshop. You can also find classes for Photoshop and Elements.

Sign up soon for the next session that begins in January. I will be teaching Digital 101 and Digital 102. You can find the complete course listing and schedule at www.theshowcaseschool.com

Just two kids with a tandem bicycle: Jon & Lauren

Rob Knight — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:22:44 +0000

I shot my friends Jon and Lauren with Jon’s new (vintage) tandem bicycle. He asked me to pinstripe the fenders, so I thought I would bring my gear over and try to make a few photos. The sunset was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen! The light was mostly two Elinchrom Ranger Quadras, with an AB1600 thrown in for good measure. My buddies Damian AhChing and Anthony Childs came along for artistic inspiration and to carry gear Damian made some great shots, and you can check them out on his blog HERE. Fun stuff!

Private Classes and Workshops

Rob Knight — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:40:45 +0000

I am available Mondays and Tuesdays for private classes in basic camera skills, advanced photography techniques, HDR shooting and processing and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. No matter what your skill level, I am confident that I can improve your image making. I can come to your home or office in the Atlanta area to teach the classes.

My rates through June 2011 are:

$100 per hour for up to five students.
$200 per hour for up to ten students.
*Please contact me for classes larger than ten students.

I am also happy to lead private workshops for groups of five or more. This could be as simple as a trip to north Georgia to shoot waterfalls for a day, or as involved as a week-long trip to Costa Rica. The price for a private workshop varies greatly depending on the length of the trip and the destination. Please contact me to discuss details of the trip you would like to take, and I will get back to you with pricing and availability.

Drive Invasion 2010

Rob Knight — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:14:06 +0000

There were a lot of changes for Atlanta’s Drive Invasion this year. The annual music, hot rod and movie party has traditionally taken over the Starlight Drive-In for most of Labor Day weekend. This year the event was only 1 day, and it was moved to mid-October. The weather was definitely cooler than usual and the bands were great. Among my favorites were Jason & the Scorchers, the .45′s, The Biters, Grinder Nova and Gargantua. The car show seemed to receive less attention than usual this year, but maybe I was just at the other end of the party. I got to see a lot of folks I don’t get to see very often, and I made some new friends.

My friend Johnny is the proprietor of Trailer Vics Tiki Lounge each year at Drive Invasion. He graciously gave me a corner of his establishment to set up a photo booth. I printed souvenir postcards for folks all day, and generally had a great time. Thanks to my assistant Katrina! Here are some of my photo booth favorites and a few shots of the .45′s and Jason & the Scorchers…

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TTL Flash Tips

Rob Knight — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:17:20 +0000

: Photo by Eric Thomson

I recently hosted some local photographers for a visit to Atlanta’s Dragon-Con Science-Fiction and Fantasy convention. Besides vendors and celebrity guests, DragonCon is home to hundreds of attendees in elaborate, often homemade costumes. It was a great opportunity for the photographers in the group to shoot some out-of-this-world people and practice shooting an event using on-camera flash. Here are some tips they learned for using TTL flash…

Set the camera to manual exposure mode and set your exposure for the background. Your TTL metering will adjust the flash output so that your subject is properly exposed. You will probably want to underexpose the background a stop or two so that your foreground subject pops.
Try the spot meter. Meter for your subject so the background will not affect your TTL flash exposure.
Use a diffuser on your flash for softer light when your subject is close, but remove the diffuser to throw the light farther onto distant subjects. A good TTL flash will zoom automatically to match the focal length of your lens.
Adjust the TTL flash output using flash exposure compensation. Changing the aperture value will only affect the ambient exposure if you are shooting TTL. The wider your aperture (lower f-numbers) the less power your flash will need and the longer your batteries will last.
A final tip for shooting big events like DragonCon… Don’t forget about the background. Find an interesting background and either wait for interesting folks to walk by, or ask people to pose for you in front of your “set”. If you’re shy to ask for a shot just remember… Attendees at these events WANT to have their photo taken. Give them your business card and offer to send them photos

Photo by Lou Hablas

DPE Atlanta, 2010

Rob Knight — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:15:05 +0000

Photo by Roger Pratesi

Rick Sammon and I just wrapped up the first Digital Photo Experience Weekend in Atlanta. The 20+ attendees were treated to Rick’s presentation of photo and HDR tips Saturday morning, and (hopefully) enthralled by my Lightroom presentation on Saturday afternoon

We had beautiful models and great locations on Sunday as we modified light using reflectors, diffusers and on and off-camera flash. Stay tuned to the DPE Flickr group for the latest uploads from the weekend.

Thanks to our sponsors we had some great door prizes… we gave away gift cards from Nation’s Photo Lab and Showcase Photo & Video, two Color Checker Passports, and copies of Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro.

If you missed it, I’m sure we will do it again next year. Maybe not in August though!