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One-on-One, Remote Light Painting Workshops are now available for individual learning from your home!

You’ll be working with me directly (online), and you’ll be saving on airfare, hotels, meals and rental cars!

***Have you already taken my workshop? Click HERE for the REMOTE Master Class***

I have been teaching my workshop online for several years now, but I never really advertised it because my work schedule was already pretty full, and so, it was reserved for people abroad who couldn’t travel here for various reasons.

That said, we feel very fortunate that we have had many students who were able to travel here from other countries such as India, Switzerland, Australia, England, Ireland, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada!  :-)

Due to the Covid-19 situation, I’ve been teaching online to several students who were originally signed up for in-person workshops. The remote teaching has worked out so welI that I’ve decided to offer it to anyone!

Keep in mind that this learning can be stretched out over time if that suits you, or it can be done in a more accelerated manner. In fact, it can be done at any pace that you prefer!

 Photograph by Harold Ross

***See more about the remote workshop, including the outline HERE***

Photograph by Harold Ross

Photograph by Harold Ross

 

Photograph by Harold Ross

If you think this is something that would interest you, just please click HERE for more information!

Thank you for visiting! To learn more about my image making process, please see the Tutorials page of this blog, or consider taking a workshop!

For workshop information please click HERE .

All images from students over the years are HERE.

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As always, if you’re viewing this in an email, please click the title of this post to see the blog, which offers a better viewing experience.

If you are free this Saturday, please join me for a ZOOM presentation, hosted by the Cape Cod Art Center’s annual CLICK Photography Seminars!

Photograph by Harold Ross

This is a series of four seminars, with each speaker being featured on a different Saturday. In addition to myself, the speakers are David H. Wells, Tony Sweet and Rad Drew.

The description and dates from Cape Cod’s Website:

October 31 – Sculpting with Light: Light Painting Still Lifes, Landscapes & More with Harold Ross fine-art photographer Harold Ross will show you light painting techniques to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

November 7 – Mastering Found light: Light, Shadow, Night and Twilight. Learn all about light from visual storyteller David H. Wells.

November 14 – Visual Artistry with Tony Sweet discover how Tony approaches composition to find the essence of an image. You’ll then have chance to have him critique and edit one of your photographs.

December 5– Rad Drew   –  Creating with Topaz Studio 2 and related Topaz Tools Rad Drew will take you through a workflow using the creative tools of the Topaz Studio plus the powerful DeNoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Mask AI.

You can sign up for all four, or you can sign up for individual seminars. For more information and pricing, Click HERE

As for me, I’ll be giving a (roughly) 90 minute presentation on my work and my image-making process (see description below).

Photograph by Harold Ross

The description of my presentation from the CCAC website:

Join noted fine-art photographer Harold Ross for a presentation of his Light Sculpting process, a technique that he has been perfecting for 30 years. He will show you how his photographic methods using the technique of light painting can transform the ordinary into the remarkable. Harold will explain the tools needed, the advantages of light painting, and the Six Principles of Light that he feels are essential to mastering lighting. He’ll also touch on the amazing power of enhancing dimension and depth through specialized (yet simple) masking techniques in Photoshop. These masking methods, which Harold teaches in his workshops, are akin to painting and drawing, and are not taught as photographic techniques anywhere else. This will be an information-packed program. Be prepared to be inspired!

Hope to see you there! – Harold

For my workshop information please click HERE .

All images from students over the years are HERE.

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As always, if you’re viewing this in an email, please click the title of this post to see my blog, which offers a better viewing experience.

I’m delighted to be featured again in  Medium Format Magazine!

The magazine is a beautifully designed publication dedicated to many genres of photography, with a focus on medium and large format. I urge you to take a look at the website, and consider subscribing!

And please visit their BLOG for articles and lots of great information on photographic vision and gear.

Cover photograph by Richard Thomson III

The magazine is full of beautiful and inspirational photographic work and also has some great educational articles.

The December issue was just recently published and I wanted to share the news with everyone. Although focused on medium and large format, the articles and features will be of interest to any photographer. It is mainly subscriber supported, and so, there are very few ads, and there are over 100 pages of photographic content.

My article is called “The Sculptural Nature of Light”, and focuses on the body of work that I call “STILL”.

In addition to the magazine, the website mediumformat.com, has free articles on gear, photographic vision, and other news. Make sure to go to the menu on the upper right of the page to navigate the BLOG.

From their website: “If you are a medium format photographer or planning to become one, you are in the right place. You will find exclusive content from the best medium format photographers in the world such as Nick Brandt, Ming Thein, Cooper & Gorfer, Marc Koegel, Michael E. Gordon, Harold Ross, Jonas Rask and many more. This is the place where visual ideas are thriving and prompting new ways of seeing and creating imagery. Make sure to subscribe and join us on this exciting medium format journey!”

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To see more of my work, please visit my website HERE.

For my workshop information please click HERE .

All images from my students over the years are HERE.

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As always, if you’re viewing this in an email, please click the title of this post to see the blog, which offers a better viewing experience.

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I’m so excited to be featured as the Photographer of the Month by Digital Transitions, a long-time and well-respected source for all things Medium Format.

A big thanks to all of the folks there!

In particular, Lance Schad and Wayne Cozzolino have been a dependable source of technical advice, equipment recommendations and software support for many years! It’s gratifying to have a long term relationship with people who have such extensive knowledge, which they are always willing to share!

Please check out the article HERE.

For workshop information please click HERE .

All images from students over the years are HERE.

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Photography by Harold Ross

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First of all, I want to say that it has been way too long since I posted my students’ images created during my in-person workshops, remote workshops, and remote advanced training.

Bob Hawkins (Ohio), a returning student, travelled here for another workshop, and later in this post, you’ll see several more of his images. Bob and I have developed a comfortable working relationship over the last few years, and so, at this workshop, we hit the ground running! As an advanced student, Bob often brings along his own subjects (which I always enjoy), and as a fan of old machinery and tools, I was certainly happy to work on these subjects while teaching Bob the nuances of light painting.

Photography by Bob Hawkins

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Kevin Egan and Mike Whalen (Virginia) are friends who decided to take the in-person workshop together. I really do enjoy it when friends attend, as there is already a camaraderie between them, so things run smoothly (and are fun!) from the beginning.

Both photographers did very well with learning the application of light, as well as how different surfaces and subjects require different lighting approaches. Also, both did quite well with the post production. They came to the workshop with a good amount of experience, but neither had done a lot of layer grouping (a simple yet powerful tool that I always teach), so that was certainly beneficial to both. I also enjoyed teaching them about the Fade Tool, and how I use it in a counter-intuitive way to create soft sculptural masks.

Mike very much enjoyed applying light to the inside of the vinegar bottle, and some of the intricate details brought out by the lighting. The end result is beautiful… good work, Mike!

Photograph by Mike Whalen

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I’ve always believed that simpler images have the potential to be stronger images than do complex ones. Both Mike and Kevin resisted the urge to make overly-complex images, and they both “kept it simple”.

That said, Kevin, at the end-of-workshop critique, felt as though he included too many reflective objects. On the contrary, I saw this as an opportunity to teach the nuances of lighting “glossy” subjects like glass and shiny metal. In any case, Kevin did a great job with the highly reflective surfaces!

Photograph by Kevin Egan

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Allan Mendez (California) decided to take a “commercial” remote workshop with me. The commercial workshop that I offer is longer and more involved than the normal one, and it covers more technical information about the use of selections, advanced masking methods, and some of the technical criteria involved with producing images for advertising, which is a demanding occupation!

As an artist already doing commercial photography, mainly shooting food, Allan came to the workshop with a vision and approach that was already well developed. It was my great pleasure to work with him on lighting and  post production techniques to further his goal of creating high end advertising imagery. Allan also has a real talent for procuring unique and beautiful props for his photographs, and as a fan of classical painting, he likes to say that he may go “baroque” purchasing them! As a punster myself, I told him that he then may not have the Monet to buy DeGas to make the Van Gogh. ;-) This image, the end result of some pretty intense work, is gorgeous. Given Allan’s eye for composition, and his skillset and passion for photography, I am sure that he’ll enjoy even more success at commercial photography!

Photograph by Allan Mendez

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Dan Bame (Oregon) chose to photograph elements that would be used in cooking, and he kiddingly called this image “Sauce”. This was a fun composition to work with… the bottle is so beautiful, and there was discussion about whether to keep the end of the wooden “shelf” in the crop. I suggested that this is an element that we see a lot in Old Master paintings, and that it was a device used by them to enhance the feeling of perspective, so Dan decided to keep it in. There was also discussion about the fabric, and Dan decided to add it as a “softening” element. I really like the color scheme of this image. Great work, Dan!

Photograph by Dan Bame

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Susan Oberreither (Pennsylvania), is a collector of unusual things. I certainly identify with that! She is drawn to unusual vintage things (she owns a classic Volkswagen Bus, of which I am quite envious!), and I’m so glad that she brought something to the workshop that I had never seen before… a nut cracker which uses a cam mechanism! I am quite fond of vintage machinery, and seeing this interesting apparatus really made my day. Susan also brought along a monogrammed kitchen towel, which gave the image a bit of personalization! The flow of this composition is fantastic, and her choice of background is perfect, in my opinion. I love this image, Susan!

Photograph by Susan Oberreither

Photography by Vicki Wert

Barb Pennington was concerned about doing well with new concepts, both in lighting and in post production. This is normal! As I always like to say to my students, it is much easier to deal with a huge amount of new information by taking it one piece at a time. To that point, I suggest concentrating solely on lighting when doing the shoot, and not worrying about the post production until later! In fact, the methods I teach in lighting are “liberating” because (and this is counter-intuitive), we are not overly concerned with the final aesthetic of the lighting of the image when shooting! Aesthetic decisions about relative brightness and many other things happen in the post production phase. Barb created a composition inspired by her Italian heritage. And, since I am married to someone half Italian, I certainly appreciate that. I think Barb did a great job!

Photograph by Barb Pennington

Mark Gittleman (Pennsylvania) chose some of my favorites from the studio prop collection (and yes, I am a self-admitted hoarder of vintage objects). One of my very favorite objects, this orange industrial caster wheel, is almost a work of art in itself. Mark found that it was a great object with which to learn light painting techniques! Due to the differing angles, and the fact that it is somewhat reflective, it presented a large number of challenges. The bottle also is unusual; highly reflective on the outside, and having quite a patina on the inside. Mark “pushed” light through the bottle to get the inside illuminated, and he used the glass lighting technique that I teach to create that beautiful soft reflection on the outside. Nice work, Mark!

Photograph by Mark Gittleman

Bob Hawkins (Ohio) returned for another One-on-One workshop, and we were able to shoot two images.

Photograph by Bob Hawkins

Bob also brought along a beautiful leather journal, which he worked into this lovely composition. The simple color scheme is beautiful, and through the use of proper angle, distance and motion of the light, he brought out the subtle textures that are present throughout the image. Excellent work, Bob!

Photograph by Bob Hawkins

Charlie Marley (Pennsylvania) wanted to learn how to light a vehicle at night, but I am currently only teaching studio work, so we decided to shoot a vintage metal truck model, but to try to give it an outdoor look. Basically, the only difference is the size of the actual light source. Lighting methods and post production are identical. Charlie included a background image of a photograph that he shot of Comet Neowise , which was discovered in March of 2020. Charlie and I had a lot of fun shooting this, and I was so glad to see him use his own image as the background. We also had fun creating the light for the headlights! Well done, Charlie!

Photograph by Charlie Marley

Donna Dobbs (Michigan) was drawn to photograph some of my pewter collection, one of my very favorite subjects. There is something about the beautiful aged patina, combined with the slightly reflective, neutral metal. Even the little salt shaker has a pewter top. Donna did a great job with this composition, and I really like the simple color scheme she came up with. The pitcher itself is a wonderful subject for instruction, as it has quite a few different shapes going on, each one requiring a certain approach with the lighting. Excellent work, Donna!

Photograph by Donna Dobbs

Tyler Byun (New Jersey) also chose to photograph pewter as part of his composition. His composition is very formal, yet it has a good deal of interest, and the color scheme is quite nice. Tyler, as is the case with most of my students, was a bit surprised at the huge amount of information taught at the workshop. It is intensive, and at the end, it feels a bit as though one just completed a marathon! This is certainly true, but I do provide a large amount of backup information in the form of written information and some custom made tutorial videos created for my students. And, as Tyler said during our end-of-workshop critique, it is a lot of learning, but the end result is worth it. I couldn’t agree more, Tyler!

Photography by Tyler Byun

Susan Oberreither (Pennsylvania) decided to come back for a one-day refresher course. Since she already had the basics down, we were able to jump right in to creating the composition. There wasn’t time to do the post production, so Susan did it after returning home, working with me remotely. This is a very special grouping of elements, which Susan brought along; it is a serving set for the dining cars of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Line. The silver plated items are so beautiful, but of course, that glimmering silver also creates lighting challenges! We worked most of the day just to get the still life photographed. I LOVE the “hit” of red from those beautiful pomegranates in an otherwise almost monochromatic image!

Photograph by Susan Oberreither

Maria DeKoker and Doug Hall are friends who travelled here from Washington State.

Maria created a very unusual composition! I like to say that one of the greatest pleasures of teaching is to see the combinations of objects that my students come up with! We’ve all heard the term “matchy-matchy” as a negative, yet fun reference to the natural tendency of humans to put things together that go together. In my own work, I love to play with disparate elements, so I was very pleased to see Maria’s eclectic grouping. I was also happy that she chose to photograph something very meaningful to me; a pencil sharpener that was given to me by my father. Along with it, she placed a surgical clamp, a holder for industrial stamps, a leaf and a marble. It’s such a fun construction. These differing elements certainly provided a variety of lighting challenges. Great work, Maria!

Photograph by Maria DeKoker

Doug Hall’s image contains some of my favorite props, and I really like his arrangement. There is that fantastic cast iron wheel, along with a small oil can from my collection, and some other industrial artifacts. Lighting this was a challenge, given the differences in scale and reflection of the objects. The little gear itself represented no small task to light! I could go on, but I think the image speaks for itself. Great work, Doug!

Photograph by Doug Hall

Randy Kostichka (Wisconsin) had fun. He found my little collection of toy blocks, and to my amazement (because there are only a handful of them), he was able to find all of the letters he needed! In this image, I do like the extreme difference in surface quality between the very rough toy blocks and the ultra-smooth glass marbles. This image speaks to the child in us… if we could only recapture those days when our focus was only on toys! I sensed that Randy almost felt that as we reviewed the image at the critique! Great work, Randy.

Photograph by Randy Kostichka

Jackie Sajewski (Ohio) created an image that has such a beautiful flow. I just love how the eucalyptus acts as a “framing element” and arches over the pomegranates, and those two colors work so well together! In fact, the color scheme of this image is fabulous. Jackie learned that pomegranates are challenging… they are at the same time textural, yet quite reflective, and that always creates questions… do we light them as purely reflective, like glass? Or, do we light them as having a matte patina, like the pewter? Or, better yet… do we light them both ways and then combine those? The answer is implied in the last question, of course! In any case, Jackie did a terrific job with the entire image.

Photograph by Jackie Sajewski

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Jeff Puckett (Colorado) took his workshop remotely. Covid was a huge concern, and we both felt that a remote workshop was best. Jeff brought a good deal of passion for photography to the table, and he very handily adapted to the muscle-memory and coordination needed to apply light in an effective way (the man pilots a helicopter, so you know he has lots of hand-eye coordination!) One major difference between an in-person workshop and a remote one is that, of course, the student provides their own subject matter. When Jeff mentioned that one of the elements had special meaning to him, I assumed that it was the beautiful water pitcher. Instead, I learned that the dried orange is something he found in his high school locker when cleaning it out decades ago! And I thought I was a “collector”! Love this image, Jeff!

Photograph by Jeff Puckett

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Meathead Goldwynn (Chicago, and yes, “Meathead” is his nom de plume) is a well known chef, wine critic and author. He has written a NYT best seller, as well as many articles, and is highly regarded as one of the most knowledgable people in the world of Bar-B-Q, as well as cooking in general. Meathead wanted to improve his light painting methodology (he has been light painting for a awhile), and so, he scheduled an in-person workshop with me, but due to the pandemic, we “converted” it to a remote one. It was great working with him, as he was already quite skilled in Photoshop and photography in general. He is currently producing a book which will feature his light-painted images of food. I highly recommend his book on Grilling and Barbecue HERE.

Photograph by Meathead Goldwyn

Canice Dunphy (Ireland) has travelled here to attend several workshops in the past. We have developed a great working relationship (and friendship) over the years, and I am so impressed with his dedication to learning the nuances of lighting, as well as the masking techniques in post production, and his studies with me are in the “Master Class” category (returning students who want to go deeper into my image-making process). This year, however, due to the pandemic, he decided to take a remote series of training sessions. Canice has, like me, a real appreciation for unusual vintage objects and he has a knack for finding things that I’ve never seen before! Also, I love the whimsical feeling of his images. The subjects seem to be alive! Nice work, Canice!

Photograph by Canice Dunphy

Irina Nekrasova (California) was such a pleasure to work with. She brought an artist’s creative mindset to the workshop, and I could tell that she was already visually sensitive, something that is so helpful to any working artist, of course. In this image, I love her props, and there is a real variety of shapes and surface qualities. This provides a good learning ground for light painting, and Irina handled this variety very well. As simple as they seem, the brushes were quite challenging, but the final result is gorgeous. Great job, Irina!

Photograph by Irina Nekrasova

Mark V’Soske (North Carolina) took a “Master Class” workshop, as he is an alumni, and wanted to “brush up” and go deeper into some things. The Master Class allows me to teach prior students the even finer nuances of both lighting and post production. Mark’s image is beautiful; I love the subtle coloration and the formal, yet relaxed composition. It really has an old-world feel, and each element in the image provided an opportunity for Mark to learn and develop a more thorough understanding of how light works, as well as how we create depth and dimension with it. I love teaching the Master Class, as we are able to focus in on issues that the student needs, as well as delving into new areas that the student wants. This is quite rewarding for me personally. Gorgeous image, Mark!

Photograph by Mark V’Soske

Linda Flicker (Oregon) also attended (remotely) a Master Class. As a returning student, she wanted to further hone the skills that she developed in the first workshop with me. Linda is so great to work with; she had specific goals in mind and we approached them directly! The image is very nice, and her choice of background really works. I believe that backgrounds should stay in the background, and one of several things that we can do to make that happen is to choose a background color that recedes. We tend to sense warm colors as coming forward, and cool colors as receding, so this concept works quite well here, especially given the warmth of the wine and the fabric and the old crate. Linda wanted to learn more about lighting glass and specifically, glass with colored liquid, and I think she did a terrific job. I also really love the scarf that Linda used as a major element in the image, and the way in which she positioned it in the composition.  Nice work, Linda!

Photograph by Linda Flicker

Another remote student, Alec Peck (Massachusetts) was also interested in learning to light glass and reflective metal. I love the subjects, especially the tall brass grinder and the very unusual vase. Both presented challenges; the curvature of the vase required a bit more attention in the lighting, given the various contours. One of the “Six Principles of Lighting” that I teach is that the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. This means that we have to place the light in a position that reflects onto the surfaces as we desire. Sometimes, this is not so easy, as in this case! Alec first photographed the grinder using a small diffused flashlight, as it seemed to have some patina, but we discovered that it was actually quite reflective. Therefore, it ended up having to be lit with a softer light source. Great job, Alec!

Photograph by Alec Peck

I like to say that the workshop is not about making a masterpiece, but instead, it is designed to teach a process and a way of thinking about light. I believe that my process, which uses light as a method of “sculpting” the subject, is very transformative, and the images of ordinary objects shot by my students is a testament to that.

For workshop information please click HERE .

All images from students over the years are HERE.

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Hi everyone!

I’m very pleased to announce that I’ll be participating in the Out Of Chicago LIVE event this year! Due to the pandemic, it will be a webinar event, and I’m quite excited, as there are so many great photographers (and several of them are friends) participating! Please join us for what promises to be a fun and valuable learning experience.

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From Out Of Chicago’s website:

“Pewter Bowl and Marble”
Photograph by Harold Ross

During the event, I’ll be giving a presentation on (what else?) my methods and use of Light Painting. More akin to painting or sculpture, I use the light in a very controlled way, in order to optimize lighting to a higher degree than normally possible. This optimization results in a great level of depth, dimension, and detail in the images.

My presentation will delve into what I believe is a powerful image-making process. As many of you know, I’ve been light painting for 30 years. That means, of course, that I was using the technique with film (and because I was a commercial advertising photographer, it was transparency film…talk about challenging!).

After 30 years of practicing and perfecting, I am still excited every time I make an image. In my presentation, I’ll touch on why this method of working has held my interest for so many years. One of the main reasons is that I consider it to be so transformative. All photographic genres are transformative, of course, but in my work, I attempt to use the incredible power of light alone in order to transform the ordinary subject into something remarkable. I believe that by simply revealing the full essence of a subject, we can get across to the viewers of the image the spirit of it.

I’ll explain the tools I use (very few and inexpensive) and you’ll learn why such simple tools can be so effective. I’ll also discuss the lighting tools that I use in my landscape light painting work.

Also, as part of my presentation, I’ll discuss my “Six Principles of Light”, a technical talk, which gets across what I feel are the most important physical properties of light and how they relate to light painting. You’ll learn why light painting is the only method where we get the benefits of a smaller light source while retaining the beauty of a larger light source.

Of course, I’ll be using examples of my work to illustrate these important points.

So, mark your calendar and register for this exciting event!

As always, if you’re viewing this in an email, please click the title of this post to see the blog, which offers a better viewing experience.

Cover photograph by Anna Devis and Daniel Rueda

Olaf Sztaba, the Editor-in-Chief of Medium Format Magazine  once again asked me to write an article for the June 2021 issue. Of course, I was happy to do so, as Medium Format Magazine is beautifully designed, and it features some terrific contemporary photography! I was especially taken with a series of photographs made at White Sands, New Mexico, where I grew up! There are many other gorgeous images in this issue. I think that a subscription to this publication is well worth it! You can subscribe HERE.

The magazine is full of beautiful inspirational photographic work and also has some great learning articles.

The June 2021 issue was just published, and I wanted to share the news with everyone! Medium Format Magazine is the #1 publication dedicated to medium and large format photography. It is 100% subscriber supported, and so there are no ads, and there are well over 100 pages of great photographic content.

My article is simply called “Light Painting the Still Life”.

In addition to the magazine, their blog, mediumformat.com, has free articles on gear, vision, and other news. Make sure to check out their website!

From their website: “If you are a medium format photographer or planning to become one, you are in the right place. You will find exclusive content from the best medium format photographers in the world such as Nick Brandt, Ming Thein, Cooper & Gorfer, Marc Koegel, Michael E. Gordon, Harold Ross, Jonas Rask and many more. This is the place where visual ideas are thriving and prompting new ways of seeing and creating imagery. Make sure to subscribe and join us on this exciting medium format journey!”

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To see more of my work, please visit my website HERE.

For my workshop information please click HERE .

All images from my students over the years are HERE.

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Connect, engage and energize your photography alongside the world’s best photographers.

Hi everyone! Sorry for the duplicate email….the dates in my title were incorrect.

I’m very pleased to announce that I’ll again be participating in the Out Of Chicago LIVE event this year! Scheduled for March 11-13, 2022, it will again be a webinar event, and I’m quite excited, as there are so many great photographers participating! Click HERE and scroll for the entire list of instructors. The amount of photographic talent represented at this event is without parallel.

Among the 60+ great photographers participating, there are several I feel fortunate to call my friends:

Brooks Jensen, Cole Thompson, Mike Moats, Steve Gettle, and Don Komarechka.

With 100+ sessions to choose from on a wide range of topics and photography fields, choose how to plan your own schedule of events. From photo challenges leading up to the event, to a full three-day weekend of in-depth photography presentations, team collaborations, group image reviews, and more, there are so many opportunities to hang out with people that inspire!

Everything will be recorded exclusively for Out of Chicago LIVE! attendees to watch for 12 months.

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Register and be part of a community as passionate about photography as you are.

“Sunflower, Drying”
Photograph by Harold Ross

Mark your calendar and register for this exciting event HERE.

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“The Bowl of Hygieia”
Photograph by Harold Ross

Connect, engage and energize your photography alongside the world’s best photographers.

Hello everyone! This is a reminder that the Out of Chicago LIVE! 2022 photography conference begins this month on March 11th! That’s less than 9 days away!

This is an online global conference where over 60 photographers gather to give live talks and inspiration from Friday, March 11th through Sunday evening, March 13th.

The fee is the same as last year, but there are 20 additional photographers this year! All sessions are recorded and available for 12 months after the event.

My Light Painting presentation is on Saturday, March 12th, and my Photo Challenge Image Review (where I review your submitted images live) is on Sunday, March 13th.

I’m quite excited, as there are so many great photographers (and several of them are friends) participating. Here are a few examples:

My Two Greatest Passions with Cole Thompson, From RAW Capture to Published Photo with Brooks Jensen, Developing Your Abstract Eye with Charles Needle, How Do You Show Up to Make Photographs with John Barclay, Photographing Flowers and Plants with Mike Moats, Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet with Don Komarechka, and Building an Image with Steve Gettle.

In addition to the presentations, there are several Photo Challenges in which you can participate. You can find the initial Photo Challenges on the Out of Chicago LIVE! 2022 Blog page HERE, and as a registered attendee, you may submit your images to have them reviewed live over the conference weekend!

There are social events as well, where you can join in with some of the presenters to chat about photography.

Please join me for what promises to be a fun and valuable learning experience!

You can learn more about it and see the schedule of the sessions and the speakers HERE, as well as register for this event.

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Register and be part of a community as passionate about photography as you are.

Mark your calendar and register for this exciting event HERE.

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As a youngster, I was told that I was an “Oily Achiever”… OK, enough with the puns!

It’s been a number of months since I’ve posted as I’ve been so busy! I finally found some time to share some images.

It’s no secret that I love oil cans, or “oilers”, to be more exact.

In today’s day and age of modern technology, we sometimes forget that machines had to be oiled regularly to function properly. The “oilers” used to perform that task came in every size and shape imaginable.

For me, there is something beautiful about the design of these utilitarian objects. I see them as sculptural elements, and it’s also no secret that I love to photograph them. My goal is to bring out their form and the “patina of time” in a way that speaks to the spirit of the people who used them.

Oil Can #7

Oil Can #8

Oil Can #9

Oil Can #10

Oil Can #11

For workshop information please click HERE .

To see more of my work, click HERE.

                                  Follow me on Instagram: @haroldross_sculptingwith light

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Photography by Harold Ross

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Connect with and learn from the world’s best night photographers.

Hello everyone! I wanted to let you all know about the Night Photo Summit 2023 online conference!

This is an online conference where over 35 photographers gather to give live presentations from Friday, Feb 3rd through Sunday evening, Feb 5th, 2023.

The fee is $399 USD and that’s over 45 hours of night photography education, plus all sessions are recorded and available for 12 months after the event.

Lance Keimig, one of the partners and instructors at this Night Photo Summit, had asked me in the past to be a presenter, but my scheduling conflicts precluded me from doing so. This year, however, I was able to accept! Although I do create Light Painted landscape images, my talk will focus on Light Painting the Still Life.

My “Light Painting the Still Life” presentation is scheduled for Friday, Feb 3rd, at 2:30PM Eastern, and you can sign up using my personal link HERE.

I will also have 4 giveaways for people that attend my presentation! To qualify for a giveaway (after you register) be sure to add my talk to your schedule so that you will be eligible.

Three attendees will each receive a copy of my LensWork Monograph “Stillness & Light”, and 1 attendee will receive an 11×14 signed print of one of my images!

PLEASE NOTE: If you are able to register before tomorrow (Friday) Jan 13th, at 2PM Eastern, you’ll receive prior to the conference, a Swag Bag which includes gifts from sponsors and a custom-printed glow-in-the-dark Summit T-Shirt.

If you register after tomorrow at 2PM Eastern, you won’t receive a Swag Bag, but you’ll still receive a T-Shirt after the conference has ended.

(If you are located outside of the US and would like a T-Shirt, please contact their customer support to arrange for shipping.)

There are presentations for all levels: Basic, Intermediate and Experts. And if you’re new to Night Photography, they’ll have a series of 5 presentations to cover all of the fundamentals, and all attendees will have access to them before the Summit begins.

There are over 35 speakers specializing in high end Time-Lapse, Lighthouses, Milky Way, Exploring Responsibly, Light Painting, and more.

Every presentation has a live chat and Q&A time at the end. There are social events as well, such as panel discussions, virtual parties, and networking where you can join in with some of the presenters to chat about photography.

In addition to mine, there will be dozens of giveaways from the sponsors and the other speakers!

Please join me for what promises to be a fun and valuable learning experience!

You can learn more about it and see the schedule of the sessions and the speakers HERE, as well as register for this event. Again, if you decide to register, please use a link from this post.

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Register and be part of a community as passionate about photography as you are.

Mark your calendar and register for this exciting event HERE.

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Connect with and learn from the world’s best night photographers.

Hello everyone! Just a reminder about the upcoming Night Photo Summit 2023 online conference!

This is an online conference where over 35 photographers gather to give live presentations from Friday, Feb 3rd through Sunday evening, Feb 5th, 2023.

Although I do create Light Painted landscape images, my talk will focus on Light Painting the Still Life.

My “Light Painting the Still Life” presentation is scheduled for Friday, Feb 3rd, at 2:30PM Eastern, and you can sign up using my personal link HERE.

Here’s a video by Matt Hill describing the Summit:

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In my presentation, I’ll discuss why the distance, angle and motion of light are all very important things to consider when light painting. I’ll show examples of how the proper application of light results in what I call “The 3Ds”: depth, dimension and detail. I’ll talk about the inexpensive (and minimal) lighting tools needed for still life work, and why knowing about the physics of light is more powerful than owning any one piece of lighting equipment. I’ll also touch on exposure evaluation, and how shooting tethered is such a big step toward technical excellence.

AND…I will also have 4 giveaways for people that attend my presentation! To qualify for a giveaway (after you register) be sure to add my talk to your schedule and follow the instructions so that you will be eligible.

3 attendees will each receive a copy of my LensWork Monograph “Stillness & Light”, and 1 attendee will receive an 11×14 signed print of one of my images!

There are presentations for all levels: Basic, Intermediate and Expert. And if you’re new to Night Photography, they’ll have a series of 5 presentations to cover the fundamentals, and all attendees will have access to them before the Summit begins.

There are over 35 speakers specializing in high end Time-Lapse, Lighthouses, Milky Way, Exploring Responsibly, Light Painting, and more.

Every presentation has a live chat and Q&A time at the end. There are social events as well, such as panel discussions, virtual parties, and networking where you can join in with some of the presenters to chat about photography.

In addition to mine, there will be dozens of giveaways from the sponsors and the other speakers!

Please join me for what promises to be a fun and valuable learning experience!

You can learn more about it and see the schedule of the sessions and the speakers HERE, as well as register for this event. Again, if you decide to register, please use a link from this post.

The fee is $399 USD for over 45 hours of night photography education, plus all sessions are recorded and available for 12 months after the event. You’ll also receive a custom-printed glow-in-the-dark Summit T-Shirt! (If you are located outside of the US and would like a T-Shirt, please contact their customer support to arrange for shipping.)

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Register and be part of a community as passionate about photography as you are.

Mark your calendar and register for this exciting event HERE.

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As always, if you’re viewing this in an email, please click the title of this post to see the blog, which offers a better viewing experience.

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My wife Vera and I have a collection of Japanese teapots, and I have, over time, been making a series of photographs of them.

Many of the subjects I’ve photographed over the years have been very generous gifts, given to me by friends and family. The three images below are no exception… the teapot in the first image was given to me by my friend Fadi Acra. I was so immediately in love with this teapot; the design, the materials and that patina!

“Japanese Teapot and Vase”

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The ceramic teapot below was given to me by my friend Wayne Cozzolino. I struggled with working out a composition with this particular subject. It occurred to me that I had another wonderful object, an industrial factory pattern (from my friend Steve Silveria) that I also didn’t quite know how to approach. I decided that it would be interesting to photograph them together.

I often consider combining subjects that might be considered to be incompatible. I am always surprised at how often these subjects work well together in a composition.

“Wayne’s Teapot”

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The teapot in the photograph below belonged to my mother, and it’s a special remembrance of her. It, too, was a gift (from my sister, after my mother’s passing).

Something that I love about still life photography is that one can make images of personally meaningful subjects, and those images can then be shared with others in a way that the actual subjects cannot be.

I believe that an object can sometimes carry the spirit of the person that owned it, and my goal is to, in some small way, capture that spirit in a photograph.

“My Mother’s Teapot”

Photographs by Harold Ross

For workshop information please click HERE .

All images from students over the years are HERE.

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Connect with and learn from the world’s best night photographers.

Hello everyone! Just a reminder about the upcoming Night Photo Summit 2023 online conference!

This is an online conference where over 35 photographers gather to give live presentations from Friday, Feb 3rd through Sunday evening, Feb 5th, 2023.

Although I do create Light Painted landscape images, my talk will focus on Light Painting the Still Life.

My “Light Painting the Still Life” presentation is scheduled for Friday, Feb 3rd, at 2:30PM Eastern, and you can sign up using my personal link HERE.

Here’s a video by Matt Hill describing the Summit:

****

In my presentation, I’ll discuss why the distance, angle and motion of light are all very important things to consider when light painting. I’ll show examples of how the proper application of light results in what I call “The 3Ds”: depth, dimension and detail. I’ll talk about the inexpensive (and minimal) lighting tools needed for still life work, and why knowing about the physics of light is more powerful than owning any one piece of lighting equipment. I’ll also touch on exposure evaluation, and how shooting tethered is such a big step toward technical excellence.

AND…I will also have 4 giveaways for people that attend my presentation! To qualify for a giveaway (after you register) be sure to add my talk to your schedule and follow the instructions so that you will be eligible.

3 attendees will each receive a copy of my LensWork Monograph “Stillness & Light”, and 1 attendee will receive an 11×14 signed print of one of my images!

There are presentations for all levels: Basic, Intermediate and Expert. And if you’re new to Night Photography, they’ll have a series of 5 presentations to cover the fundamentals, and all attendees will have access to them before the Summit begins.

There are over 35 speakers specializing in high end Time-Lapse, Lighthouses, Milky Way, Exploring Responsibly, Light Painting, and more.

Every presentation has a live chat and Q&A time at the end. There are social events as well, such as panel discussions, virtual parties, and networking where you can join in with some of the presenters to chat about photography.

In addition to mine, there will be dozens of giveaways from the sponsors and the other speakers!

Please join me for what promises to be a fun and valuable learning experience!

You can learn more about it and see the schedule of the sessions and the speakers HERE, as well as register for this event. Again, if you decide to register, please use a link from this post.

The fee is $399 USD for over 45 hours of night photography education, plus all sessions are recorded and available for 12 months after the event. You’ll also receive a custom-printed glow-in-the-dark Summit T-Shirt! (If you are located outside of the US and would like a T-Shirt, please contact their customer support to arrange for shipping.)

****

Register and be part of a community as passionate about photography as you are.

Mark your calendar and register for this exciting event HERE.

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“1966 Wilton Bullet Vise” by Harold Ross

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I know that it’s been a while… but there is a good reason!

After many years of having students from around the world attend my In-Person Light Painting Workshops (I feel so fortunate and honored), and after getting a great number of requests, I made the decision to create a complete and comprehensive set of self-guided online videos. It has been years in the making!

I’ve been concentrating so much on this project that I’ve had to step away from social media for a time. 

Very soon, I am going to be introducing my Light Painting Foundation Course. It is based on the methodology that I’ve developed after 30 years of practicing and perfecting my Light Painting techniques. These videos cover everything that I have been teaching in my Light Painting Workshop for years, but there is even more detail and information than what I was able to convey in my 3-day workshop.

These techniques are simple in concept, yet they do require some practice and dedication!

Included in the course are over 30 videos, practice files and exercises for both lighting and editing, my Photoshop Plug-in Panel to make editing fast and smooth, and the opportunity to participate in my monthly Private Group Zoom Meeting.

This monthly Zoom Meeting that I will host will allow you to ask questions of me and get feedback on your work and progress! Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to be a part of a community along with other members of my Light Painting Foundation Course.

The launch date for my Light Painting Workshop Online Video Course is getting nearer!

If you have any interest in my Light Painting Method (and learning it from the definitive source), then simply register your interest HERE, and you’ll be notified when the series is launched! You’ll also find a short video explaining what the course is all about.

The Foundation Course price has yet to be finalized, but I encourage you to join my mailing list HERE and be the first to be informed!

Thanks so much!

Harold

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AT LAST!!

“Industrial Light Bulb” by Harold Ross

After years of hard work and preparation, I’m excited to invite you to join me on my creative journey.

I am happy to announce the launch of my Light Painting the Still Life Online Video Course.

You can now explore and learn my method of creating beautiful Light Painted Images, made possible through my carefully crafted, self-guided online course, which includes over 30 videos, and much more!

For additional information and to view a Video about the course, please click on THIS LINK

Thank you so much!

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www.lightpaintingworkshops.com

“Mallet and Nail” by Harold Ross

 I have heard that people ask the question: “How does Harold Ross create depth in his photographs?”

It has nothing to do with the camera, but everything to do with the light! This is the core of why Painting with Light is so powerful and transformative.

By using light from a particular angle, distance, and motion, one can get the benefits of a small light source, and at the same time make it beautiful like a large light source! Also, keeping in mind that our subconscious gives us the impression that lighter things come forward and darker things recede, one can create a tremendous amount of depth, as in the image above.

I am very grateful for the wonderful feedback and suggestions I’ve received regarding my Light Painting the Still Life Video Course. It means a lot to me that some of you have taken the time to share how much you are enjoying the course and how excited you are about it!

Thank you all so much!

There is a lot of information below for current and prospective Foundation Course owners!

As promised, we have already added new content to my Foundation Course. Additionally, we have updated certain videos!

• We have added a PDF as a guide for Lightroom users; although I strongly recommend Capture One, I understand that some people are very comfortable with Lightroom, and this PDF points out the things you need to know to use it as your tethering software! (See the FAQ area).

• Years ago, while beginning the work on my Video Course, I created what I called an “Image Kit”. It consisted of practice files provided to students who, for whatever reason, couldn’t shoot right away but wanted to try their hand at the editing process.

I’ve decided to include a similar module in this course. The image is a particular area of the main image featured in the training videos. It consists of my original captures (exported as Photoshop files), ready to be taken through the entire editing process. You can follow along with the editing videos, working on the same image!

• We have also added “Timestamps” to the longer videos; this is to help you navigate to the point in the video in which you are interested! The Timestamps are located in the “lesson” windows below the videos.

• We have also updated our FAQ area to include a lot more information (including information on using Lightroom instead of Capture One (as above), a video guide for Using Unsupported Cameras (in Capture One), and much more!).

• I have also updated the Equipment List with new items, and I’ve included a note at the top of the PDF regarding VPNs. It came to our attention that if you have a VPN in place, and you live outside the USA, it may cause some links to become inoperative.

• And most exciting, I’ve also updated my Photoshop PlugIn Panel!

My panel is an integral part of my editing process and Version 2.0 has been completely rewritten from the ground up, so it offers improved speed enhancements and functionality.

The Panel layout is designed in chronological order, which helps the user navigate through the simplified and codified editing process. The use of this panel has significantly improved the editing proficiency of my students in the light painting still life process that I teach.

The Panel now offers you updates automatically, but if you want to check manually, go to the “hamburger” menu on the upper right and pull down to “Check for Updates”. The current version is V2.02.

You can use my Photoshop PlugIn Panel and the additional resources that I mentioned above for FREE (for personal use) for students of my Foundation Course.

Thanks again, and always remember… Skim the Light! – Harold

www.lightpaintingworkshops.com

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“Industrial Light Bulb” by Harold Ross

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For many years, I have been hosting my Light Painting Photography blog here on WordPress, which has served me very well, and I wish to thank my subscribers and followers!

Now that my Light Painting The Still Life Workshop has moved over to an Online Video Course, I have decided to bring my blog over to the same platform.

This WordPress blog will remain active for reference to the many articles that I have created over the years, and you will also still be able to view the student images and testimonials.

Any future articles will be posted on my new platform (link below) and will not be posted here, so if you sign up for notifications to this WordPress blog, this is just a reminder that there will be no new articles here.

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to follow my new blog, which will feature articles on my images, techniques, and other topics! 

The Link To My New Blog Platform is HERE.

Thank you so much and I’ll see you over there!

Harold Ross

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