Many photographs since my last post. Looking back over the past year, I was fortunate to be able to photograph a number of subjects ranging from portraits and an opera to weddings, family get-togethers, concerts, and a museum exhibition. As with any skill, doing something regularly improves quality as does working with others in the same field, along with continuing education. In my other profession, gynecology, I always learn when working with other physicians in the operating room. The same thing applies to photography. A few times a year I try to attend photography workshops, forums and meetings.

My first workshop last year was in California with a world-renown portrait photographer, Greg Gorman, who is known for his celebrity photography. We spent the week photographing two models along the dramatic backdrop of the Northern California Coast. I must say the food and wine in the evenings was a great way to end the long days – Greg has his own personal chef, owns his own winery. There were 10 photographers attending the workshop with skill levels from advanced amateur to professional. We were divided into two teams of five photographers, to assist each other with lighting and setup. My wife and I were in a team with a husband, wife and daughter. The husband was Thomas Knoll; for those of you not familiar with Thomas, he wrote the original programs for Photoshop and Lightroom. He was very laid back, quiet, and fun to work with (as were his wife and step-daughter). As if that was not enough “celebrity among us,” Yaniv Gur was on the other team. Yaniv is the Senior Director of Engineering for Apple. A really fun and educational week! These are a few photographs of mine from the week. The first is of Thomas Knoll, then a few of the models, having fun at a winery, and finally an evening at Greg’s home.

The next workshop we attended was The D-65 Lightroom Workshop. It is put on by Seth Resnick and his wife, Jamie Spritzer. Seth was the second pro presenting at the portrait workshop with Greg Gorman in California. Although most photographers find Lightroom much easier to use than Photoshop, using Lightroom correctly requires more knowledge than meets the eye. Internationally-know portrait photographer, Gregory Heisler, calls the D-65 Workshop a must do. I humbly agree with Greg. There were a total of 9 photographers attending this workshop, one for the fourth time. I could see going back for a refresher in a few years. By the way, Seth is quite a wine connoisseur and knows his way around the kitchen. The next to last night night, he and Jamie presented an elegant, delicious, and decadent dinner – need I say more. This is a photo I took of Seth, along with one of the many dishes presented that evening.

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