My online pet photography class has launched!

Yay! My online pet photography class is now live and available to pet-loving public. I love teaching and when I was contacted by the folks at Craftsy.com in partnership with the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops I just couldn't pass this opportunity up. Craftsy has classes in all sorts genres–cake baking, sewing, painting, photography and more. I've really enjoyed the classes I've taken with them and can't wait to participate in more. I prioritize connecting with people and teaching is one way I get to do that... I wouldn't put myself on the other side of the camera (a video camera nonetheless, yikes!) unless I felt strongly about the value of the final product.  Thanks to the incredible production team in Denver, CO. as they worked their butts off and were super committed to making a strong video. We all worked HARD and put a lot of of thought into what would bring the most impact into your lives, so here you go!  The class has 7 video lessons with anytime, anywhere access, class materials, hours of close-up instruction and I get to answers questions and review student images via their virtual classroom.

Thank you for continuing to be part of my community as I continue to pursue projects that are near to my heart. I've had a busy few months working on this project and also just got back from teaching pet photography (my 5th season!) at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops– always a true honor to be part of that world.

I invite you to join me in the classroom. Here is a $10 off coupon link for to my class...  Here's a link to the trailer for the class!

More detailed description about the class and what to expect...

In this class, you'll learn how to pose your subjects, work with pets of all colors, and incorporate adults and children into your shoots. To begin, find out how to build your camera kit, scout the perfect location and pose your furry subjects with ease. And remember, you can watch each of these lessons at your own pace and return to techniques as many times as you wish, since this class is yours forever. So, take your time, have fun and learn when it's convenient for you.

Pet Portraits: A deeper understanding of composition, light and color will help you to shoot visually striking photographs. So, in this lesson, explore the essentials of composition, and find out how to frame your shots for impact and allure. Plus, I'll share tried–and–true tips for harnessing light and using color to make your images stand out.

Proper Exposure: In our next lesson, we throw out the idea that some animals are harder to photograph than others. Find out how to achieve the proper exposure every time, whether shooting a black lab or a white poodle, and learn insider techniques for adjusting ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Then, discover how to capture light– and dark–colored pets with tricky contrasting backgrounds. Great cat photos:

Cats: The cat's out of the bag — and successfully into your photo — in our next lesson. Find out how to work with feline subjects using a few simple tricks for grabbing their attention. Then, explore creative new ways to capture each cat's personality purrr–fectly. I'll even show you several ways to use window light for eye–catching images.

People and Pets: Once you've become comfortable with the essentials of photographing pets, we'll add a new element to your shots: humans! I'll share step–by–step instruction for composing authentic, natural–looking portraits of people with their furry friends. Plus, from posing to playing, find out how to capture beautiful, meaningful moments with every shot.

Adults are one thing, but photographing children with their pets is a totally different experience. Up next, discover posing techniques for both older and younger children. I'll show you how to capture subjects that are on the move, and we'll shoot in open shade, for soft, lovely results.

Online Pet Photography Class Launching Soon!

Happy Summer!  I am so excited about this news...I worked REALLY hard to develop an online pet photography class with an incredible company called Craftsy and it's about to launch! This company is fantastic– the classes are interactive and really well organzied.  As an enrolled student you will be able to post comments, questions, and share photos and I'll be responding and participating with you. The classes are available to go back to any time and you can watch them and re-watch them as many times as you'd like. You can even take your own personal/private notes. (SO helpful!) I have participated in Craftsy classes and loved them.

I'm honored that I was asked to teach this class for Craftsy and to collaborate with them and the Santa Fe Photographic workshops to make it a reality. I am so proud of it and excited that it will be launching in early July!

In the meantime, you can enter for you chance to win this entire course for free. I hope you'll check it out! This course is perfect for any pet and photography enthusiast and I'll be sharing more about the class very soon.

http://www.craftsy.com/ext/NorahLevine_Giveaway

-norah

Creative Pet Portrait Workshop at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops

I just returned from teaching "The Creative Pet Portrait"; a fantastic week-long pet portrait workshop hosted by the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. I was so fortunate to teach along side of some amazing photographers and instructors including Joe McNally, Genevieve Russell, Eddie Soloway, Seth Resnick and Bob Sacha who were teaching a variety of courses including lighting on location, photographing people and visual story telling with audio. Participants joined my class from all over the country including New York, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, Indiana, and California! The week was fantastic and intense in such a amazing way because we were going and going every day for long hours. The week was packed with activities that focused on pet portraiture and gaining the skills necessary for photographing both pets and their humans. We were generously hosted by Santa Fe Tails, the Santa Fe Humane Society, Rick Iannucci at his western ranch, and even private homes throughout the Santa Fe area to help my class in their journey. We were also delighted to absorb the advice of animal trainer, Mary Leatherberry, were inspired by fine art photographer Gregg Albracht, and picked up a few Photoshop tips and tricks from Rick Allred. This class had amazing energy. They were up for anything and everything and didn't let frustrations get in the way of their learning experience. They signed up for the class to learn all about pet photography and were ready to have fun doing it. We addressed lighting, trouble shooting on location, style, communication with both animals and people, posing, props, composition, and so much more. I enjoyed each and every one of them and I was thrilled to see them expand their confidence throughout the week as they learned from the class and their fellow students. They seemed completely exhausted by week's end which is always a good sign that I did my job–to provide the participants with as many learning opportunities and experiences as possible.

I absolutely loved teaching this class and look forward to an entirely different experience next year!