Light Studies Workshop
Registration reduced to $180

Light Studies Workshop
Registration reduced to $180

  • David H. Wells, photographer & instructor
  • At Peter Miller Fine Art Photography Gallery, 118 North Main Street, 2nd Floor, Providence RI 02903
  • Saturday September 24, 2016 from 2 to 8pm (Waterfire Providence) & Sunday September 25, 2016 from 1 to 4pm
  • Class limited to 12 participants
  • Registration fee $210 reduced to $180 per person

Improve your photography with mastery of photographing light, shadow, night and twilight… These are the tools David H. Wells uses as he makes his award winning “Light Studies”, photo-essays exploring the light and atmosphere of different places. On September 24, 2016 David will guide participating photographers through the strategies, subject matter, location scouting, and shooting of the art performance “Waterfire” in downtown Providence. The next day David will lead a review and critique of images shot. Please join us for this award winning photographer’s favorite workshop!

Wells will share specific techniques and particular images that highlight:

  • Specific issues of time of day, and morning vs. evening light
  • Quality and direction of light
  • Scouting a location with a compass to plot the play of light
  • Importance of the photographer’s position
  • Use of lines, shadows, light and dark

This lecture and shooting class has extensive visuals to introduce you to the important and useful approach to using available light. Participants will gain a better understanding of natural light, how it is shaped by the time of day, seasons, and the photographer’s perspective.

Light Studies Photography and Critiquing Workshop at Waterfire Providence

The class will meet Saturday September 24, 2016 from 1 to 5pm at PMFA photography gallery then photograph the set up, lighting, and other rituals of “Waterfire” until about 8pm.

The class will meet the next day September 25, 2016 from 1 to 4pm at PMFA photography gallery to review the works since photographing AND critiquing work is the VERY BEST way to improve your photography. For more workshop details please visit the PMFA website. Register here:




About David H. Wells

David is a freelance editorial photographer who specializes in producing photo-essays on location, across the globe. His finished “Light Studies” have been published in general interest magazines as well as photography magazines, and have been displayed in numerous exhibitions. He was voted one of PDN’s Best Workshops Instructors!

See David’s work.

About Peter Miller Fine Art Photography Gallery

PMFA opened in March 2015 in Providence dedicated to fine art photography. Located in the Russell house (built in 1772) in downtown Providence, the gallery is around the corner from the Providence Art Club and across the street from Mills Tavern restaurant at 118 North Main Street, 2nd floor.

The gallery is open by appointment.

Please contact [email protected] or by phone at (401) 225-6792 with any questions or to discuss exhibiting your work. Visit the gallery online. Find us on FaceBook and Twitter

Workshop Details:

Registration fee: $210 reduced to $180

Class size: Limited to 12

What happens during the workshop?

Saturday September 24, 2016: Intros, techniques, and shooting

  • 2:00 – 4:00 pm: David’s “Light Studies” presentation
  • 4:00 -5:00 pm: Walk all around the basin/river as a group and talk about options (location scouting)
  • 5:00 – 7:00 pm: Set up for shoot and eat dinner (participants are on their own, dinner is not provided as part of the workshop)
  • 7:00 – 9:00 pm: Shoot “Waterfire”. David will walk among the participants and provide advice as needed

Sunday September 25, 2016, Review, Critique, and Discussion,  1:00 – 4:00 pm

  • Bring about 50 images, JPGs only, about 2000 pixels (+/- ) on long dimension. JPGS out of camera are good! No need to post process
  • 5 to 10 situations (no more!),
  • 10 or 20 images per situation (work situations!)
  • Bring images on HD or USB drive or flash card/memory card (no CDs or DVDs please)

Who is the workshop designed for?

The workshop is designed for photographers of many levels who want to improve their skills — from the weekend shooter to the advanced photographer. At minimum, participants need to be comfortable using either manual exposure or aperture or shutter priority automatic exposure setting. You will need to know how to download images from memory cards to your computer and select the best 50 of the 200 plus you will shoot during the class.

If you have taken this class before, you’ve experienced both David’s friendly style and his ability to share his immense knowledge on every facet of photography. Come again and move your skills another big step forward!

What kind of equipment do I need?

A semi-advanced digital camera, mirrorless, or DSLR with zoom lens with autoexposure and manual settings. Please email or call with any questions.

Where is the workshop?

Peter Miller Fine Art (PMFA) Photography Gallery, Providence RI

118 North Main Street, 2nd Floor, Providence RI 02903

Directions and parking

More about David H. Wells, photographer, instructor, video-maker and blogger

David is an award winning freelance photographer/video maker using whatever technology he can to create visual narratives. He is based in Providence, Rhode Island, affiliated with Aurora Photos and is also a photo-educator. One editor described him as a “…specialist in intercultural communication and visual narratives that excel in their creative mastery of light, shadow and sound, stills and video.”

His project on the pesticide poisoning of California farm workers was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Over the years he has worked on assignment for such magazines as Fortune, Life, National Geographic, Newsweek, The Sunday New York Times, Time, etc. He also worked for corporations such as Consolidated Natural Gas and DuPont as well as for non-profits such as the Ford Foundation and the New Israel Fund.

He has received two Fulbright fellowships, a grant from Nikon/N.P.P.A., a fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and fellowship from the MacArthur Foundation’s Program of Research and Writing on International Peace and Cooperation.

His work has been in over fifty exhibitions and he has taught workshops at the International Center for Photography in NYC and at the Maine Media Workshops. He was featured in Photo District News as one of “The Best Workshop Instructors.”

See more at: http://davidhwells.com/about/resume.php

Cancellation Policy

Cancelled Workshops

  • If we are forced to cancel a workshop for any reason, your entire tuition will be transferred to another workshop or you can have it refunded to you.
  • For anyone traveling to workshops, we highly recommend purchasing trip insurance to cover your expenses in case of cancellation.

What does it take to cancel a workshop?

  • A lot. If there’s rain in the forecast, snow in the forecast, thunderstorms in the forecast, we will typically still hold the workshop. This type of weather can make for some incredibly dramatic images and it’s not something we shy away from. In addition to that, we are cognizant of the fact that our students have purchase plane tickets, made hotel reservations, rented cars and even gear and canceling these things can be a big hassle (with or without travel insurance).
  • The only time we will ever cancel a workshop is if conditions are absolutely guaranteed to bring un-shootable and/or miserable conditions or some sort of (God forbid) family emergency that can’t be ignored. Again, if something like this happens we will work with you to move your registration to a later date or get you a full refund.
  • If Waterfire Providence is cancelled due to bad weather. Again, we will work with you to move your registration to a later date or get you a full refund.

Personal Emergencies

  • If you have a personal emergency such as a death in the family, please contact us as soon as possible, we are willing to work with you to reschedule or refund your fee on a case-by-case basis.

Under-subscription

  • Partnered workshops require a minimum of 6 participants. In the event we don’t sell out or reach our minimum we reserve the right to cancel the workshop. In this case your registration will be transferred to another workshop or a refund will be given.
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