I get asked where one could learn photography. There is a long list of colleges and institutes. But none of them will be as much fun as Julia Dean's workshops. They are out of this world. Trust me. I have watched her teach. I spent some time as an intern with Julia Dean several years ago. She is a fabulous teacher and photojournalist. You will be inspired by her energy and enthusiasm for all things photographic.

Check out the line up of people for April and May. While she may not be teaching all of these courses, there is something for everyone; from beginner to advanced photographer. Julia's contact information is listed below should you need to get more information. And, yes, while Julia offers workshops in a great many places around the world, you have to be in LA for all these workshops. If you do sign up with her, tell her I sent you!

April 2004

Portfolio Review:
How to Create a Winning Portfolio with Debra Weiss
April 3 (a one-day workshop), Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm
This is a wonderful opportunity to have a former professional photo agent give you advice about your portfolio, how to put it together and how to improve it. Debra — now a creative consultant — was an agent for some of the top names in the business.
Workshop Fee: $250

Lighting and Dramatic Portrait on the Venice Boardwalk
with Michael Grecco
April 12 – 16 (a one-week class), Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
Michael Grecco, one of today's premier portrait photographers, will guide you on a photo journey along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Michael has taught here before, but only for one day. This time, he'll be teaching a week-long workshop, so take advantage of this great opportunity. Michael will show you many different lighting techniques, as well as how to work with the people you are photographing to make them more at ease.
Workshop Fee: $825 (fee includes all equipment rental)
http://www.michaelgrecco.com

The Black & White Course II with Julia Dean
April 12 – June 21 (a six-week class over 12-week time period), Monday evenings, 7-10 pm
This course is all about seeing in Black & White, developing a personal vision and style, and creating a body of cohesive work. We discuss all the genres of photography such as landscape, nudes, portraits, still life's, documentary. Each week, you then pick a genre, and will photograph under a specific lighting situation such as contrasty light, low light, inclement weather, to get a good grasp of how to expose in all kinds of lighting situations.
Workshop Fee: $415

Basic Photography with Julia Dean
April 13 – May 18 (a six-week class), Tuesday evenings, 7-10 pm
(This class is full.)
Workshop Fee: $415

Alternative Photography:
Pinhole Cameras, Plastic Cameras, Polaroid Transfers
with Aline Smithson and Julia Dean
April 21 – May 12 (a four-week class), Wednesday afternoons, 12-4 pm
This class is as much fun as a grade-school art class! People who take this class are either (1) novices who don't know anything about photography or (2) more advanced photographers who want to add some creative approaches to their work. If you want to know more about all of these “alternative techniques,” we will be having an exhibit opening on April 16th of “alternative” work. (Invitation to come next week!)
Workshop Fee: $395
Lab Fee: $75 (covers all supplies and equipment for each process, including a plastic camera that participants will keep
http://www.alinesmithson.com

Intermediate Photography with Robert Rosenheck
April 22 – May 27 (a six-week class), Thursday evenings, 7-10 pm
This class is for those who have had a Basic Photography class and are ready for the next step. Robert will not only be reviewing topics such as exposure and composition, but he'll be adding additional information such as “night shooting,” and much more!
Workshop Fee: $415
http://robertrosenheck.com

Infrared Made Simple with Stephen Schafer
April 24 & 25 (a two-day workshop), Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 pm
This is a beautiful technique, but rather difficult to figure out on your own. Avoid years of frustration with Stephen's simple formulas. Check out Steve's work to for beautiful examples of what you can do with infrared film.
$250
http://www.schafphoto.com

The Photojournalistic Approach with Daniel Milnor
April 28 – July 7 (six-week class over 12-week time period), Wednesday evenings, 7-10 pm
Not only is Dan a fabulous documentary photographer, but he's a natural born teacher as well. For those of you who know me, this was a hard class for me to give up, since it's one of my very favorites. THAT should tell you how much I think of Dan's teaching.
Workshop Fee: $415
http://milnorpictures.com

May 2004

Introduction to Color Photography with Robert Rosenheck
May 1 – 22 (a four-week class), Saturday mornings, 9 am – 12 pm
This goal of this class is to obtain a working understanding of how film reacts to light and records color. You will learn how to “see” color and how to develop a personal color sense. The class covers types of film, such as negative versus transparency, and tungsten versus daylight. You'll learn about cross processing and various other creative techniques too.
Workshop Fee: $350
http://robertrosenheck.com

View Camera Workshop: Portraits and Landscapes
with Norma C. Smith
May 1 – 22 (a four-week class), Saturday afternoons, 1-4 pm
This hands-on class will give you a chance to learn and practice skills using large format cameras. The class will cover all aspects of view camera use, such as movements, exposure, equipment choice, lens choice, film handling, and filters. There is nothing more beautiful than a BIG negative. And Norma is a great teacher!
Workshop Fee: $395 (Fee includes view camera rentals and Polaroid backs)

Studio Portrait and Location Lighting
For the Working and Aspiring Photographer with Harold Sweet
Manager of the Rental Department at Samy's Camera
May 25 – June 29, (a six-week class), 7-10 pm
(This popular class is full.)
Workshop Fee: $600 (Fee includes all rental eqiupment)

Julia Dean & Associates
The Julia Dean Photo Workshops
3111 Ocean Front Walk, Suite 102
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
310-821-0909 phone
310-821-0809 fax
email: julia@juliadean.com
workshops: http://www.juliadean.com
child labor project: http://www.childlaborphotoproject.org

Freelance photographers at the New York Times are getting hit really where it hurts – their wallets. According to a New York Post article, photographers who work with the New York Times but are not on staff will be required to sign a freelance contract that borders on the ridiculous.

One disgusted photographer said that the new contract “demands that photographers relinquish their copyright, resale opportunities and entire take, without any added compensation.”

The American Society of Media Photographers and Editorial Photographers are fighting hard to bring some parity to a moribund dialogue between management and freelancers.

Quite frankly, the Gray Lady is shooting herself in the foot (no pun intended). Lower wages and total control of images (from copyright to resale) means the paper will likely drive good (or even great photographers) out of business and attract low-ballers (those who choose to sell their work rather than license their images for a rate far lower than the competition or the market really demands). Unless the paper is hiring photojournalists, any work submitted to the paper will now be of lesser quality and the veracity and credibility of the images published in the paper, in my opinion, will be suspect. When you have seasoned photographers who have some sense of ethics being effectively fired from their jobs only to be replaced by hacks, well, you know American journalism can expect more troubles ahead.

What with Air America Radio going live today, it looks like the left is swinging really hard this week. Let's hope they hit home runs back to back (or sixers, depending on where you live). I received this via Mediabistro.com:

GORE SET TO CLOSE ON TV DEAL
Former Vice President Al Gore and business partner Joel Hyatt will pay around $70 million to Vivendi Universal this week for digital-cable channel Newsworld International, which they plan to convert into a youth-oriented public-affairs channel.

Via Sree Sreenivasan

My name is Sam Seder, I am co-hosting the 8-11pm radio show with Janeane Garofalo on Air America, launching this Wednesday. I was hoping, perhaps, you could assist us in our search for interns.

We are looking for two individuals who can assist us with research, audio production, and assist in the administration and development of our show's blog. Initially at least, we anticipate these individuals to be working offsite (i.e. not in our offices).

We are looking to fill these positions as soon as possible.

Thank you,
Sam Seder

After years of listening to conservative talk-show host Rush “the rambler” Limbaugh [for the sheer sake of amusement folks!], I might have just found the reason to run out and buy a XM Satellite Radio for my long drives to and from work. Air America Radio will launch at noon today. How successful will it be in thwarting ditto heads? And as quickly as rumors and pigs can fly, I have to ask is the former Vice President Al Gore behind this project? Is broadcast next?

If you are wondering why I have jumped on the topic of radio all of a sudden, the answer is quite simple. It's simply another medium that has the capacity to create and sustain a perception or an ideology. Rush Limbaugh, Don Imus and Howard Stern are perhaps the best known because they are good at one thing – provoking a quick and unmeditated response from us. They quickly build an idea together and deliver it. Our imagination takes over once we hear what they have to say. Pure reason and rationale gets chucked out the door. I imagine with Al Franken at the helm of this new radio service, the format isn't going to be any different. He will likely say something that is loosely based in fact and then let the callers chime in. A radio riot in the making.

Here is a story in today's New York Times about the new radio talk show.