Workshop May 22-23, 2010
$175 FOTM Members		$195 General Public
Please note: All participants must register by Thursday, May 20th to allow our staff adequate preparation time.   The Ventura County Arts Council and FOTM have made available a limited number of scholarships that will reduce the cost of the class by 50%. Scholarships are available for those who need assistance with tuition on a first, come first served basis.  No proof of finances is needed……we operate on the honor system.  Please email your request to Donna@FocusOnTheMasters.com . All requests must be in email form. Classroom facility provided by the City of Ventura.

The May 22-23 two-day workshop is designed for artists who wish to create quality photographs of their flat and/or three-dimensional artwork. The workshop, held at 505 Poli 5th floor, presents techniques that utilize readily available and affordable equipment and set-ups.  Scott Miles, Brooks Institute Faculty member and FOTM board member, will lead the workshops assisted by Donna Granata, FOTM founder and fellow Brooks Faculty member. The class will combine lessons on how to photograph both flat art and three dimensional objects that will fit on a table top. No jewelry please.

Quality photography of one’s work is essential for marketing an artist’s career, selling individual pieces and opening doors to shows and gallery representation. Often, the photographs are the only representation of the artist’s work that is available to jurors, gallery owners and prospective buyers. Learning to produce quality photographs of one’s work is a key to career advancement and sales.

“Learning how to photograph my own work was one of the best investments I have made in my career. I am deeply grateful for the guidance I have received allowing me the technical means to achieve my own objectives. Now, not only can I reproduce the work as I see it, but I can  present the work to galleries and museums knowing that the images are at professional standards. I highly recommend this class to every artist in the community.”
~Cheryl Ann Thomas, Ceramist

By participating in this workshop, students will be able to:

• Make informed choices regarding appropriate equipment (available at a reasonable price).
• Properly expose digital photographs.
• Capture color-correct images that accurately represent the artwork.
• Minimize or eliminate the need for image corrections after capture by capturing a near perfect image in the first place.
• Use lighting effectively to document flat art and dimensional artwork.
• Include standard references in images to facilitate accurate color reproduction.
• Format digital image files for posting to web sites or Zapplication.
• Set up an organizational scheme for archiving their images.

Participants should bring:

Camera with lens (and manual).
(Bring your whole outfit if you want – extra lenses, battery (charged) etc.)
Compact Flash or SD card media for your camera.
A media reader to transfer files into the computer.
Optional – USB “Jump” drive (for storing image files).
Tripod.
Artwork that you plan to shoot.
Examples of photos you have taken, including problem photos.
A pen and notebook.
Bring a laptop computer if you like to use one.

This workshop is ideally suited to the working artist who wishes to photograph his/her own work without investing an excessive amount of time, money or effort. The workshop is open to those with beginning to intermediate photography skills using a wide range of camera types. Although the best results are achieved with digital SLR cameras, a high level of success is achievable using good point-and-shoot cameras with manual capabilities.

“As an artist, I know I will benefit from this workshop.  Getting good photographs of my work is a critical concern of mine, and a professional skill that's invaluable to learn. Having access to such a respected professional photographer and educator is an opportunity every artist in our community should not miss.”  
~ Ruth Pastine, Painter

For information and reservations, please contact Focus on the Masters at 805.653.2501 or register here online.

About the Instructor:
Scott Miles earned his Bachelor of Arts in Professional Photography at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA in 1982. His career has included work for the Andy Warhol Foundation, The Guggenheim Museum, many galleries and collectors, and commercial photography. In the fall of 2002, Scott returned to his alma mater to become a full time faculty member at Brooks Institute. In 2007, Scott became the Professional Photography Program Director at Brooks Institute and joined Focus on the Masters Board of Directors in 2009.