I'm in Florida for My Seminars and Workshops

My free Florida seminars (Orlando, Jacksonville, Delray Beach) started this week. I hope you can join the fun, as I like to make learning fun.

In my talks I cover exposure, composition, lighting, HDR, speedlites, Photoshop, plug-ins, photographing people, wildlife photography, street shooting - and getting motivated and inspired.

My 2014 digital photography workshops also begin next week. The Florida workshops are sold out, but I have other workshops around the country - and world - scheduled. Lots of shooting and lots of image processing.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. If you can't make a live seminar, check out my on-line classes.

Dates Set for My 2014 Florida Seminars and Workshops - learn digital photography from start to finish

St. Augustine at sunrise.

I've set the dates for my 2014 Florida Photo Seminars and Digital Photo Workshops. I hope you can join the fun in the Sunshine State. All info is on my 2014 Workshops page and my Seminars page.

Our fastest action will be at the motocross track near Tampa. 

Seminars vs. workshops: My seminars are sessions in which I give a keynote show, packed with info, for a few hours. Most are free or only cost a few bucks.

My workshops are all-day, hands-on, shooting and processing sessions - ranging from a few days to a week. Cost varies from workshop to workshop.

St. Augustine offers many photo opportunities. 

First, my workshops:

You'll learn HDR, flash and close-up photography - and Lightroom and Photoshop - in Delray.

January 17 - 19 • Tampa-Area Action Photography. We'll photograph motocross, horses and dancers using natural light and speedlites.

January 24 - 30 • My Annual Photo Caravan. We travel from St. Augustine to South Beach, shooting all along the way.

Here's a look at my Exploring the Light Seminars:

January 13 • Orlando Camera Club

January 21 •  Jacksonville PPA

February 1 • Delray Beach, hosted by the PBC Photo Walkers.

I'll show you how to do this easy Photoshop trick. 

I hope to see you in the Sunshine State in January. Again, all info is on my 2014 Workshops page and on my Seminars page.

Speaking of the sunshine state, Florida is a great place for sunrise and sunset photography.

Never miss another sunrise or sunset again. My Photo Sundial app shows the position of the sun, as well as phases of the moon, a five-day weather forecast, and more! It's on sale for $2.99 until September 30th.

Also, if you can't make a live event, check out my on-line classes. As you will see, live and on-line, I like to make learning fun!

Explore the light,
Rick

Hey: Looking for some great prices on some great gear - for you or a loved one for the holidays? Click here.

My site is hosted on Squarespace. Give these guys a try. Awesome sites and customer service.

An Awesome Deal for Creative Image Makers - for only five days!

What a deal for creative image makers!

Read all about it on our Digital Photo Experience Web site: http://dpexperience.com/

Also . . . if you are not a subscribe to the PDE Podcast, sign up today. We have interviews with some of the top image-makers in the country, and Juan Pons and I answer our listeners' questions.

Juan and I also head up the Digital Photo Experience Google+ Community. It's a great place to share your work - and to get inspired.

Explore the light,
Rick

Canon 70D Test Shot/Quick Video

I picked up a Canon 70D yesterday from Adorama... mostly for the educational videos that we shoot (listed on the bottom of my On-line classes/Video page). Of course, I will be be shooting stills with the cool camera, too.

As always, I test and familiarize myself with all my new gear, which is something I stress to all my digital photography workshop students. So this morning, when it was 7° F outside, I swung by the New Croton Dam (where I teach summer and fall workshops) and took a few shots and made a quick HD video - before my fingers started to freeze!

Back home, after I defrosted, I downloaded my files. The camera is working perfectly - and the images are looking awesome.

NOTE: Waterfall was loud! You may want to turn down your sound.

If you are looking for a DSLR that shoots both stills and full HD videos, check out the Canon 70D. Among other features, including an awesome auto-focus system, you'll like the flip-out screen, which is great for moving making.

My main camera is still the Canon 5D Mark III. All my gear is listed on My Gear page.

Above: Here's a video we shot with the Canon 5D Mark III in Myanmar. As you will see, it's important to envision the end result.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. My Croton Creative Workshops, a.k.a. Rick's Backyard Workshops, fill up fast. I hope you can join the fun in the sun. :-)

Got Kids? Are You a Kid At Heart? Check Out My Latest iPad and iPhone Educational App: Underwater Wonders

My latest app is here: Rick Sammon’s Underwater Wonders. This universal app is a fun-filled, interactive and educational app for the iPad, iPhone, iPad mini and iPod touch running iOS 7 only. The app, designed for kids, and for adults who are kids at heart, features my favorite underwater photographs of my favorite marine animals. The photographs are accompanied by fascinating and fun facts, as well as some of my personal anecdotes.

This app was designed by app developer Craig Ellis, who also designed my Light It! and Photo Sundial apps. All my apps are listed here.

Key features include:
• Beautiful color photographs of underwater animals and plants.
• Interesting scientific facts, including why fish don’t sink, why fish change color, and how fish hide from predators and seek out prey.
• Daytime and nighttime photographs from the Caribbean, Pacific, Indo Pacific and Indian Ocean.
• Introduction to the coral reef.
 

• Marine life glossary.
• Voice playback with controllable playback speed.• Parallax effect for creating a sense of depth or 3D effect.• Photo sharing option to twitter, Facebook and Airdrop.
• Coloring book option for added fun.

My goal with the app is to entertain and educate, and to give the reader a greater appreciation for the fascinating and fragile marine environment – an environment I explored and photographed for 20 years a president of CEDAM International, a marine conservation organization dedicated to Conservation, Education, Diving and Marine research.

Most folks don’t know this, but while I headed up CEDAM International, I was honored to win the coveted NOGI Award (the underwater Oscar) and the Ben Franklin Award for producing a popular children’s book, Hide and Seek Under the Sea. I am also a proud inductee to the Diving Hall of Fame and a member of the Explorers Club.

Glub, Glub,
Rick