Image Group Goes on the Road!
Icing BJ’s award-winning german chocolate cake of photography is his role as beloved/feared professor of photography at Olivet Nazarene University.
(I like to think of it as coconut icing, but you can choose your favorite)
I had BJ as a professor for a handful of photography classes at Olivet, and his knowledge of every aspect of the art intimidated me to no end. True Story: in Intro to Photography as a first semester freshman, I was convinced that I’d never make it as a photographer after BJ failed me on an assignment that I thought I had done very well. He assured me, however, that I could push through and come out on top. Like always, he was right– I made it out and even like what I do!
One of his classes that challenges students the most (or maybe it’s just me) is Studio Photography. There are so many aspects that people don’t realize– ISO, shutter speed, depth of field, white balance, lighting ratios, shadows on faces, fall off of light, subject-to-background ratios, etc. There are so many scenarios that require a thorough knowledge of studio equipment and how to utilize it effectively. Think about it… each ad that makes use of photography in every newspaper, magazine, or on every website was, 9 times out of 10, shot using some sort of studio lighting or outdoor lighting manipulation. That’s the basis of photography- the manipulation of light, whether it’s the light on the subject or the interpretation of light through exposure in the camera.
BJ likes to hold his studio classes here at Image Group and I thought y’all might like to see his instructor face that he does so well. This is the first assignment of the semester and trying to peg down the basics is the first and largest hurdle. Maybe I’ll photograph class at the end of the semester and we’ll see the dramatic boosts in confidence found in well-guided yet still surprising success.
Happy Friday, y’all! –Jacqueline
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