This workshop will be led by David Rosen and comprises three online sessions of 2 hours each:

Monday 3rd April 2023: 10:30-12:30

Tuesday 4th April 2023: 10:30-12:30

Wednesday 5th April 2023: 10:30-12:30

Creating a fine art image starts in the mind of the photographer. Colour or monochrome, high or low key, minimalist or dramatic and bold, each are decisions that will influence not only how the shot is captured, but equally how the image is handled during each stage of post-processing.

Spread across three days and involving 6 hours of workshops and interactive discussion, David will share his highly structured and in-depth fine art processing workflows. They have been designed as a post-capture blueprint to provide photographers who wish to take maximum advantage of their creative vision to create fine art photographs, but who lack in-depth experience of the necessary fine art processing techniques and skills.

Each of the three workshops has been designed to provide an in-depth insight into one of three fine art techniques. These will be high-key minimalist B&W, low key dramatic B&W and fine art colour. For each technique the role and importance of envisioning will be explored, followed by live processing backed up by explanatory slides. Each of the key steps and milestones will be explained and how envisioning should drive each of the processing steps and the choices between alternative techniques.

The topics covered and techniques shown will include image file preparation (colour space and profile settings) and their influence on subsequent processing as well as important early choices in Camera RAW prior to B&W conversion. In addition the various B&W conversion options and their strengths and weaknesses are shared, including the issue of image degradation and how to avoid it during processing. The importance of selections are pointed out and the key strengths and weaknesses of luminosity and vector based masking. Throughout the workshop, the role of processing milestones will be stressed and how to use grouped and stamped layers to separate and maintain the integrity of earlier processing stages. The combined use of blend modes, layer masks and image adjustments will be demonstrated and how they can be used to transform selected areas of the image. Finally, the later stages of fine art image editing will be shown including various dodging and burning techniques, gradient mask overlays and recommendations on how to best sharpen fine art images.

With regards participant interaction, each of the 6 members attending will be asked to submit a RAW image that they believe has significant potential two weeks before the start of the workshop. David will provide individual feedback on each image, including suggestions as to a fine art processing strategy. Having consolidated their thoughts, participants will be invited to briefly share ideas on their selected image at the end of one of the workshop days. Included as part of the workshop will also be one opportunity for attending members to share their image after it has been processed for any feedback and suggestions.

By the end of the workshop participants will have gained an initial grounding in the role of envisioning in the creation of fine art photography and the current genres of fine art photographic styles. They will have also been exposed to the various techniques and processing strategies needed to create several different styles of fine art images. Finally, whilst this workshop is not intended as a comprehensive course on fine art photography, it should however provide an inspiring background and early stage post-processing technique backgrounder with regards the exciting possibilities of fine art photography.

Specific topics covered will include:

The creative journey:

• Setting up negative space
• Creating a viewer’s journey
• Removing visual clutter
• Visual tension
• Defining the mood

Processing strategy:

• Exposure strategies suited for fine art images
• RAW image profiling in Camera RAW
• RGB Channel optimisation
• Avoiding image processing degradation
• Dynamic range maximisation
• B&W conversion strategies
• Vector and luminosity based selection techniques
• Blend modes and their role in fine art image creation
• Selective gradient masking
• Using blend modes, masking & gradients to create fine art effects
• Luminosity and sharpening in fine art images
• Dodging and burning using blend modes
• When to use Silver and Colour Effex Pro to enhance images
• Saving and archiving your workflow

Terms for Participants in RPS Landscape Group Events:

Carbon offsets

Tickets for events that involve travelling include a £2 carbon offset charge that will be paid to a carefully researched and selected offsetting partner.

Joining Instructions

Most of our events have the meeting time and place specified on the relevant event page on the RPS website (this is a link to the Landscape Group events calendar). In some cases, however, the event leader may email you shortly before the event with more detailed instructions. Please keep an eye on your incoming emails prior to an event but if you do not receive any specific instructions, then you should meet at the time and place advertised on the website.

Cancellation by You

If you wish to cancel your booking PLEASE let the event leader / organiser know with as much notice as possible. If nothing else, this can avoid them delaying the start of the event while they wait for you.

If you have paid for an event, please note that this fee/ticket price is non-refundable unless we are able to sell your place to somebody else. You are welcome to sell your place yourself but, again, PLEASE notify the event leader / organiser in advance of any change.

Cancellation by us

Event leaders are asked to make plans for alternative activities or locations in the case of poor weather and, in most cases, events will proceed despite poor weather unless, in the view of the event leader, the weather will lead to unacceptable safety risks or very little chance of successful photography. It is inevitable, however, that occasionally an event will be cancelled for this or another reason beyond the RPS’s control.

Occasionally an event may also be cancelled owing to lack of bookings. So if you wish to attend an event, don’t leave it till the last minute to book as it may be too late.

If an event is cancelled we will give you as much notice as we are able and any payment by you to the RPS in respect of the event offered as a full refund. In the case of events cancelled because of lack of interest we will aim to give at least three weeks’ notice wherever possible.

Please note we are NOT able to refund any associated or consequential costs including but not limited to travel, accommodation, insurance premium or other costs incurred by you in order to attend the event.

Responsibility

You are responsible for your own health and safety and must appraise your own strength, fitness and mobility. The event leader is NOT responsible for your safety, welfare or attendant medical conditions. Strictly the event leader is there to introduce you to a location and/or to teach you particular skills.

Liability for any accident, injury, medical condition, loss or damage to property, inappropriate behavior, dress, equipment and third party liability is accepted by you when signing up for the event. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Royal Photographic Society from all claims of whatsoever nature.

Insurance

You are advised to consider having insurance to cover: event cancellation by you or by us, accident, medical, personal equipment and public liability.

In particular you should also consider, in the case of high cost events, the likelihood and consequences of you having to cancel or not attend at the last minute because of accident, medical or other unforeseeable circumstances.

Using your data

Your personal details (name, telephone number and email address) will be provided to the leader of the event or workshop you have booked in order to enable them to:

• send you joining instructions for the event
• contact you at short notice in case of any emergency or last-minute change to the event.

If you do not want your details to be shared with the event leader please cancel your booking immediately. You will not be eligible for a refund as this information was provided on the web page where you made your booking.

Thank you,

RPS Landscape Group Committee