Past Workshops - Light, Shadow, Twilight and Night

Light, Shadow, Twilight and Night

Light and shadow are the most basic building blocks of expressive photography. Learning how to harness control of these elements is key to making compelling photographs.

This class is for students who can operate their cameras on manual. The class will work mostly with available light. Some use of basic flash photography will be included as needed.

DATES: Thursday, April 10: 4 pm - 8 pm
Friday, April 11: 10 am - 7 pm
Sunday, April 13: 6 pm - 9 pm.
LOCATION: to be announced
FEE: $140 PWP members. $170 non-members.

LIMITED: limited to 12 people. This is a hands-on workshop.

Class schedule:

Thursday April 10: 4 - 8 PM. Class time. Lecture with David's images to show examples of specific techniques that highlight controlling and utilizing the play of light and shadow, twilight and night. Review of student's existing work reflecting use of light and shadow.

Friday April 11: 10 - 7 pm: Morning class time - afternoon and evening on location to photograph, taking advantage of the best afternoon and early evening light. David Wells will work one-on-one with each student. (Location(s) will be determined by the weather)

Sunday: April 13: 6 - 9 pm. critique of images taken on Friday.

In class, these topics will be explored:
• specific issues of time of day / morning vs. evening light
• quality and direction of light
• basics of twilight / night photography
• basics of flash photography
• scouting a location with a compass to plot the play of light
• lens choice / composition
• the importance of the photographer' s position
• the use of lines, light and dark
• framing to create dramatic images when no dramatic light exists

David H. Wells is a photographer specializing in "Light Studies," (bodies of work that explore the light and atmosphere of a given place.) He has produced these on locations across the globe, for a wide range of exhibitions and publication. Talking about these works, one critic wrote, "Wells uses light and dark like a surgeon."

His "Light Studies" have been published in magazines such as Aramco World, Mid-Atlantic Country, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Rhode Island Monthly. Portfolios from these projects have been published in Camera and Darkroom, Communication Arts, and Nikon World among others. These have also been exhibited at the Bristol Art Museum in Bristol , RI , Moore College of Art in Philadelphia , PA , Museo Bardini in Florence , Italy , Southern Light Gallery in Amarillo, TX , and the University of Rhode Island in Kingston , Rhode Island.