Connecticut Professional Photographer's Convention (CPPA) speaker

Well it's in print now so I guess it's official!

This coming Friday February 6th from 3:00 PM-5:00 PM I will kick off the CPPA's annual photography convention by speaking on 'Blogging 101.' I am really excited for the opportunity to show how important blogging has been in my businesses success these past two and a half years!

Just his morning I had a meeting with a potential client and she told me how she felt like she got to know me by reading through my blog- the same thing with a client I met with yesterday- they both referenced things that I had written about in my blog and really gave them a strong sense of who I am before they called to set up a meeting with me.

If you want to learn how to bring your blog to the next level (and I am too....I promise!!) or to learn how to get started if you are a newbie then come on down to the CPPA's convention and check me out!

Here are the particulars:

WHEN: Friday February 6th 2009 3:00 PM- 5:00 PM this is my talk: the convention runs from the 6th-9th
WHERE: Crown Plaza Hotel, Cromwell, CT
COST: $250 admits you to all of the speakers and the trade show

or sign up on the spot to be a CPPA member for $250 and enjoy the benefits of being in the organization- a strong network of professional photographers.

To read more about the benefits of membership check out their website HERE

Here are some of the other speakers at the convention:
Motivational speaker Laura Watkins, Ph.D
Joseph & Louise Simone / Fine Art Portraiture
Ralph & Cindy Romaguera / Making a good living with your eyes, heart and camera
Paul Rogers / Illustrating Love
Ben Wilmore / Masterful Adjustments & Photoshop CS4
David Hume Kennerly / Behind the Scenes of History
Stephen Eastwood / Digital convert

Mystic 4 Seminar coming in January- check it out!

Last year a bunch of us went to the Mystic 3 in January and saw some really great speakers. This year proves to be an even more impressive line up with some really talented people! I HIGHLY recommend checking it out!

Read more and sign up HERE

They feature a dinner (which is EXTRA. but only like $31) on Sunday January 17 at the Steak Loft in Mystic the night before that all of the speakers attend- and I am sure some of us will go down earlier and coordinate some type of shooting event...!

Then ALL day on Monday Jan. 18 there is back to back speakers- and a bunch I am really pumped to see! My girl Michelle Turner is back- Mike and I had the pleasure of attending a workshop she taught for two days back in June and we learned so much.

So go on, what are you waiting for!!!!

SIGN UP!

See you there! :)

Ten Eyck Tuesday December part dos winners are...

So I had some very tenacious and dilligent folks out there hunt DOWN that much harder to find than I intended answer....

I served Burritos at my November Ten Eyck Tuesday! Are you sensing a food theme yet? ARRIBA ARRIBA!!!

The winners are:

Valeen Thivierge
Simone Gutkin
Melissa Wilson &
Aurora Onorato

This is for my December 16th workshop, can't wait to see everyone there!

and the winners of the ten eyck tuesday contest are.....

OK, OK!! This was SUCH a HARD decision to make, there was such an overwhelmingly amazing response!!!

So much so that I am offering a SECOND Ten Eyck Tuesday on December 16th for the first four people (from the list of people waiting to hear that I currently already have on file) who can email me what I cooked at the November Ten Eyck Tuesday!!!

email me at: carla@carlateneyck.com
THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED...! ALL SPOTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN!!

***Still need some Ten Eyck Tuesday lovin'?? Sign up for my January 6th workshop!***

The winners of the December 2nd Ten Eyck Tuesday are:

Bruce Thivierge - who's email just made me laugh out loud (but since this is a family site and NOT the naval academy I can't really post his email... :) since the funniest parts have cuss words n all
Andrea Beaubien - her one line 'how can I teach my child to follow her dreams, if I haven't done that for myself...and being a photographer has always been my dream...' COME ON!

The last two spots are actually surprises for the winners themselves...their significant others wrote in on their behalf - which is almost like cheating bc I was so won over by that!

Cheryl Cronin - her significant other wrote 'Cheryl is chasing her dream with photography and her enthusiasm to learn and try new things is unending' yeah, she will pretty much need some unending enthusiasm to deal with me!!! :)

and last but not least...

Jason Henriques- his significant other wrote in 'But something happened to him in that photography class he changed...And every time he gets behind the camera he just glows and it truly brightens up my heart to know that this is something that he truly loves and that he is getting back in to enjoying life again.'

I am really really looking forward to the first of the TWO December Ten Eyck Tuesdays!! All of the winners will be receiving an email from me on what to bring etc. in the next few days, so keep an eye out for it!


I'LL ANNOUNCE THE SECOND ROUND OF WINNERS ONCE I GET FOUR OF THE CORRECT ANSWERS IN!!

GOOD LUCK!!

ten eyck tuesday contest...are you in?

Ten Eyck Tuesdays have been such a ray of light for me in so many ways- I love the chance to change things up and teach; I love cooking for everyone!!....and I really enjoy seeing everyone start to see and think and then shoot differently. That's my favorite.

For December I am going to change it up a bit- for a host of reasons-and want to offer this workshop at a discounted rate- did YOU get the memo about the economy being in the toilet? You didn't? Well Dave can email it to you! (sorry honey!! :) So in honor of that, and the holidays and the fact that we have a new President (yay!) Here is what I am proposing:

This December 2nd's Ten Eyck Tuesday will only be $150 instead of the regular rate of $350!

Here's the catch:

email me why YOU deserve a break- the top three best reasons will be the next workshop participants!!

Don't be shy! Send in your story! Make me laugh! Make me cry! JUST DO IT!!

carla@carlateneyck.com

New to the Ten Eyck Tuesday experience? DON'T BE! Here's the 411:

Ten Eyck Tuesdays, are appropriately on every first Tuesday of the month! Here we focus on learning how to make good images to start instead of back tracking and trying to fix stuff in the computer!

It's a full day workshop and it is very hands on- we talk, I set up a fun shoot, we eat, we laugh, and then we upload our images and do some post production on your computers. To wrap up we have a group critique. This last part has proved to be such an integral part of making people better shooters- they can see and identify why their image works or why it does not and then use that information the next time they are shooting!

I limit my class size to three students so that they get a lot of hands on attention and teaching.

Ten Eyck Tuesday October Edition

Yesterday was the first official Ten Eyck Tuesday Workshop at my studio in Hartford- and it was a BLAST! Big super props go to my friend and fellow photographer Robin Dini and her husband Frank, aka THE FRANKNESS for being so much fun to work with!

My next all day Ten Eyck Tuesday workshop is scheduled for TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH! Send me an email at info@carlateneyck.com or call the studio at 860-906-1993 to sign up- class size is limited to only THREE spots

Also- I have some spots open for models so if you are interested, call or email me! This list is booking up FAST so get on it!

We started the day with a review of the basics of what makes a good image- and introduced some more sophisticated image making concepts to get everyone thinking about this before going out and shooting...Robin shot these next two during the class

I limit the class size to only three people so that everyone gets plenty of personal instruction and discussion time- here are the ladies of the day: Val, Eileen and Claudia

OK so i use my hands a lot when I talk...Robin and Mike were dogging me out about this as they were trying to get some decent pictures of me but I just kept flailing around! Here I am demonstrating how to play the bongos

Enter.....the talent! Mr. and Mrs. Dini! While at this location at Riverside Park in Hartford, I was showing them that there is always a place to do some intimate close ups and to create the lighting situations you want despite the bright craziness of high noon- which is exactly when we were shooting!

Here Miss Eileen changes it up by changing her perspective while shooting- she got a really great shot of this, I hope she posts it on her blog! (hint, hint)

See the thing about shooting Robin is, it is all about her GRILL!! This girl just loves to laugh, as do I, so of course we LOVE hanging out and just laughing!

I caught a rare, quiet moment with Robin in between us laughing! I love it!

Now I have been driving under this overpass for YEARS and have always wanted to go up and shoot here...so why not? I knew it would create some really dynamic shooting conditions but also introduce some challenges as well - super bright crazy light with really no escape....it was a big hit with the ladies- they got some crazy good shots here!

Check them out working it- we were really seeing what different lenses do for the same situation and it was pretty cool

Who doesn't like a little foreground action?

Eileen is rocking her shot of Robin here

So the longer view of the overpass was pretty cool- but man, turn to the side and WHAT??? This was a cool location to really illustrate how exposing differently for an image can dramatically change the whole feel of each picture

We extended our shooting time by going to this cool tunnel in Hartford where Mike and I shot our clients Jessica and Eric a few months back- here Claudia is working her angle

Enter....THE FRANKNESS! I just LOVED shooting this guy! He was so comfortable in front of the camera, many thanks to Mrs. Dini for breaking him is for our shoot- it certainly helps to have your wife be a professional photographer ;)

Miss Val McCormick aka the new Butterfly QUEEN! :) Shooting it up!

Love this shot of Frank as he was being photographed by the ladies

Meet the cast: Miss Val McCormick

Miss Eileen Broderick- her eyes are just amazing!!

The super sarcastic Claudia of Fabuluxe Photography

Mrs. Robin Dini!

The Frankness! aka Frank Dini!

So after our shoot we went back to my studio and I made a big dinner while everyone downloaded their images and picked their favorites for our critique. This was another one of my goals for myself- to cook more- and I really loved bustling around the kitchen making rice & beans, tortilla soup and corn muffins for the crew! Great shot Robin!

Here my littlest one, Miss Georgie, was Mommy's helper and did such a great job making the corn muffins! It's a family affair at Ten Eyck Tuesdays! Great shot Robin!

Rediscovery Workshop Part Deux! IS BOOKED FOR OCTOBER

**October's workshop is booked already, which is great but I wanted to remind people that I am doing this EVERY MONTH on the first Tuesday and I have spots open in November!





OK, I am FINALLY catching my breath enough to announce that I am going to start something that I have been wanting to implement since my last work shop in March- the SECOND workshop in a series of monthly workshops (the first Tuesday of each month) right here at my studio in Hartford, Connecticut, hosted by yours truly.

Announcing.......

TEN EYCK TUESDAYS!

Starting Tuesday October 7, 2008

Now here is the scoop:

I love teaching and I love inspiring people and I love kicking people's creative juices into gear and getting them going where they want to go with their photography!

My Rediscovery Workshop in March made me realize how much helping others makes me feel fulfilled. I want to continue that, but on a much smaller scale, class-wise.

So.... I have decided to offer a full day shooting and post-production intensive workshop that is limited to only THREE photographers per class.

Here is what we will cover:

We are going to SHOOT!

The focus will be on portraits- they can be bridal or engagement- the point being it has to be a solid portrait, which you can then apply to whatever you love shooting.

But: we are going to focus on GETTING IT RIGHT IN CAMERA, the first time! That's right! No shooting and then saying, 'well, what if you asked them to look this way- your shot would be perfect', or 'I wish that you had opened your lens up more' etc. NO.
Set it up.
Shoot it.
LOOK AT IT!
Is it working?
WHY NOT?

And then..... learn how to MAKE IT WORK!

I know, I know, there is a whole lotta shouting going on here.... but I get excited just typing this stuff alone here in my studio! Wait till I get you with me!!

After our shoot we will focus on post-production- how to take your shot to the next level because it doesn't stop at tripping your shutter.

Lunch is included.

What you will need:

Your gear- whatever you have to shoot with, bring it! Have a lens you love but rarely get to break it out? Bring it! Find you are always using one lens over the other? Let's switch it up!

A computer is great to bring, I have some as well to share.

All of this shouting, lunch and butt kicking for only $350 per person!!

So.... what are you waiting for??

Send me an email at carlateneyck@comcast.net to sign up

This class is for ALL levels, not just pros!

lens flare tutorial

So it's not big secret that I love lens flare and I shoot as much of it as I can get my 50 1.4 lens on! It feels good to look at, it feels good to shoot- especially since it seems like a kind of elusive thing for some....well it was for me until I kind of figured it out... but didn't realize what my 'formula' was until I actually went back in Light Room and checked my settings and found the common denominator.

I mean, I knew it as I was shooting - but kind of innately- I'd check, adjust my settings, check, adjust, GET IT, flail, shoot, flail, YELL, check, FLAIL, probably punch Mike out of excitement, shoot, YELL.... you get the picture!

Lens flare is pretty exciting stuff!

So, after being asked a bunch of times how to actually 'get' sun flare I figured I would post some shots with their settings and let you all see the common denominators!

This first shot was from a recent e shoot in the sunflower fields as sunset- time of day plays a major part in getting the warmest flair.
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f2.2
ISO: 100
shutter: 1/800 sec

Mary & Justin were shot in the late afternoon as well. Another determining factor in successfully getting your flare is that you actually have to SEE it in your lens. I play around until it is in just the right spot, probably looking pretty foolish in the process!
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f 3.2
ISO: 160
shutter: 1/1000 sec

My boy Jeff Reilly's wedding on the shore:
Again, late afternoon (common denominator)
I see the flare in my lens
and my settings are:
lens: 70-200mm @ 75mm / @ f2.8
ISO: 100
shutter: 1/800 sec

A wedding in Vienna:
Late afternoon, yes
but: a little bit of a change here. I stopped my lens WAY down to f 13 and look at the difference in the actual flare towards the top of the flare- the hexagonal shapes are popping out.... You can see the weird shapes that appear- I really like it!
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f 13
ISO: 250
shutter: 1/80 sec

An E shoot with Liz and Pepsi in Fairfield:
Again, I stopped WAY down and got the crazy shapes here again too:
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f 16
ISO: 100
shutter: 1/80 sec

I snagged this picture of Mike's to show you how a different lens can change up your flare:
He shot this with his 50 mm 1.8 (I have the 1.4, that is like 20 years old and a very different lens)
I can always tell Mike's flare shots from mine as his tend to have a red cast on the rings
Cool, right?


SO....
Time of day to me seems like the biggest overall connector: I don't think I have gotten lens flare in the morning, or maybe I'm just not up that early shooting, is more like it!! So:
LATE AFTERNOON
LOW ISO
PRETTY OPEN LENS FOR THE BIG LORD OF THE RINGS FLARE
STOP DOWN FOR CRAZY TIME SHAPES
DIFFERENT LENSES YIELD DIFFERENT FLARE
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY.... SEE THE FLARE IN YOUR LENS!!

I felt like shouting those out, Nikki Nicole style!

2008 PUG photographers retreat

This past Monday & Tuesday about 28 photographers from across this great state that we call Connecticut and some folks from MA, NJ and NY converged on Amanda Harris Herzberger's family lake house in the Berkshires for our second annual PUG retreat!! It was very relaxing and motivating and I left with a renewed sense of direction and purpose with my business.

The only scheduled class, so to speak was when Mary & Justin sat us all down and we wrote what we struggle with in the five areas of life: personal; family; spiritual; business and financial. We then did the same for what our goals are in those five areas.

The rest of the time was spent coming up with 101 goals to achieve in 1001 days. My list includes personal things like #48. 'put curtains up in the entrance' to #60. 'Get fitted properly for a bra' to Business related items like #53. 'Learn a new function on my D3' to #75. 'Add Maternity section to my website'

to much loftier goals like #98. 'Shoot U2 in concert' and #58. 'Learn how to make tamales'

I encourage everyone to do this, not just photographers! Make yourself a DOER and LESS of a TALKER!!

Check back in a few days, we are all supposed to pick one goal from our list that we have accomplished and blog it!!! I'll be checking on everyone so get ON IT!!!

Miss Julia from Salty Grapes in Guilford is just one of the most genuine and lovely people I have met in a long time... she just lights up a room when she is in it!

Mr. Justin Marantz is one hot ticket!

Miss Mary was reading this book called 'Skinny Bitch' out loud to us on the dock, and I was cracking UP! It's basically a book about what certain foods do to your body so that you can make educated decisions about eating but told in a let's just call in 'honest as hell' slant!!

Nikki Nicole loves herself some fishing! One of my goals (#37) is to go fishing with Miss Nikki!

Amanda Harris Herzberger and the other man in her life, Strider

Jacob Bergmeier of NoDo Photography in NY, is such a HAM! I tried to be so sneaky but this guy had some serious C 10ike radar on and every time I came with in a 50mm lens of him he was ON, all flexing and stuff!

Travis Flynn of Travis Flynn Photography in Milford TENNESSE! Just kidding, in CT- he sounds like he is from down SOUF with his crazy southern lilt.

Could Amanda be cuter? I am sure she is laughing at some dig on me as innocent as she looks, that girl will keep you in LINE! :)

Mr. Strider, looking all regal

I told you that book was GOOD

Christy Murray (my fellow Mafia member!!!) was taking it all in- the sunset and the photographers!

Tina Parsadanov, also a Mafia alum, laughing it up- or just clearly uncomfortable with em shooting her! But she can make a MEAN peach martini....

Dave & Jo of Allegro Photography- the narrator and townsfolk respectively...

Miss Eileen Broderick of Eileen Broderick Photography (the INFORMER!) having an intense conversation with Mrs. Mary Marantz!

Miss Joy Moody of soon to be Philly fame striking a pose for Krystal Prue of Studio Foto and Mr. Justin Marantz. How crazy do those two look with their one eyed willy eye!!

Ummm.... I wanna look this hot when I shoot! Go Mary!


The Marantz's did a mentoring session with miss Val McCormick and asked Paul & Krystal of to model... they are SO CUTE!!!! I loved these two I shot of them on the dock.