Classes

Welcome to Shewmaker's Camera University - SCU

At Shewmaker's Camera University (SCU) we are your ticket to taking great pictures and making lasting memories. We offer the classes that will get you to the next level by teaching you how.

Learn from the Pros: Our staff has done the work for you so you can learn as much as possible from each class, whether you're an avid hobbiest or this is your first class, Shewmaker's has the class for you.

Just take a look below at the classes we offer, and you'll see why SCU is the best place to learn the art of photography and much more.

SCU - Courses Available

Reservations are required. Reserve your space today!

*Notice* There will NOT be any classes taught in month of December

 Instructors

SCU - Instructors and Staff

Overnight trips

Shewmakers Overnight Field Trip!

Aspen, Colorado and Maroon Bells.

Join us for the wonderful fall colors of Aspen Colorado.

When: Coming Fall 2008!

Times: Leave 8:00am on date TBD until 6:00pm the following day.

Cost: TBD (Advanced registration will be required)

Shewmakers will be taking 8 lucky customers to the awesome Aspen Colorado and Maroon Bells for a 2 day trip of education and fun! We will start at our North Location a head out to Independence Pass and the Ghost Town of Independence where we will shoot the past with our present cameras! On the way up there we will be able to talk photography and help you maximize your trip with us. We will arrive in Aspen around 2-3 pm and check into our hotel. The afternoon is free until Dinner time. After dinner the night is open, however we will be taking individuals that want to go up to the Smuggler Mine for a view of Aspen at night and some night photography. The next morning we will be leaving the hotel VERY EARLY to catch the sunrise on Maroon Bells and the fall colors. When we get there we will brake up into groups along with one of the (3) instructors and shoot for a few hours. After we are done we will be going to lunch at the world famous Boogies Diner in down town Aspen. We will then check out of our hotel and head back up Independence Pass to shoot some water falls. Your instructors will bring lap tops for us to view your new treasure landscape photos on and share with others.

What's included:

A great time! Accommodations: (1) night hotel stay.

Transportation to and from Aspen in our SUVs

Drinks & Snacks for the road (you may still wish to bring your favorites!) Photo CDs of all your memories, we will burn these after we shoot each session... But bring extra memory just in case!

Instruction on various shooting situations including depth of field, slow water falls, creative lighting and night photography.

What's not included: Meals: Plan on $20 or so per meal... remember you're in Aspen. Camera equipment, You will need to bring your gear!.

Here is a sample of some photos taken in Aspen and Maroon Bells:

Your instructors for this field trip will be:

Send an email to either Judson or Donna for more information.

Space is VERY limited so call 719-636-1696 to register.

 Day field trips

Shewmakers Star Trails & Long Exposure Class!

When:

June 3^rd, 7:30 PM (Pending the weather *See below)

Where:

Meet @ Shewmakers North

How Much:

$125

Maximum people:

10

Do you want to learn more about long exposures? Have you ever wanted to take pictures of the night sky? Do you want to be able to shoot star trails?

GREAT!!! Come join us for a night of fun and photos! We will be taking a group of our special customers to one of (3) of our favorite places to shoot the stars. We will learn how to make your camera "See" in the dark, how to get proper focus in the dark and how to get great exposures of the starry night. 

Some of the techniques taught here will vastly improve your night exposures. Come join us for a night of FUN!

Your trip Leaders for this class:

John Mitchell

Judson Crossland

You will need:

• A DSLR (Digital SLR) With the capability of long exposure longer than 30 seconds. (Ask a staff member for details)
• A wide angle lens (18mm)
• General DSLR accessories (batteries, memory cards, etc)
• A remote cord capable of locking the shutter open. (Ask a staff member for details)
• A sturdy Tripod
• A head lamp or flash light
• Dress for the occasion… check the weather for Colorado Springs 

This will not cover astro photography through telescopes. 

*About the weather: Should the weather be unfavorable, we will post pone the trip based on the next night of clear skies.

AN EXCURSION TO THE WOLF SANCTUARY!

Join us for a photographic journey to the sanctuary "Mission Wolf"

When: Please call for details 

Times: Leave 8:00am until 6:00pm the same day.

Cost: $100 (Includes Transportation, a Mission Wolf Decal, One on One Instruction (if needed) and a 'Picnic Lunch" with ALL the fixins! (Advanced registration will be required seating is limited)

Shewmakers will be taking 8 lucky customers to the awesome Mission Wolf Sanctuary in Silver Cliff Colorado. We will meet at Shewmakers North at (TBA) to 'load up;' into our SUV's and head south for the adventure. The drive will last approx. 2.5 hours and we will have a chance to talk about what ever photography subject you would like to explore! Our experts know Wildlife, Macro, Landscape and Portrait inside and out!

Once we get there we will be guided by the wolf experts of Mission Wolf on an educational journey that will bring you to a wonderful awareness of the wolves around you... We may see them feeding, playing, napping, and perhaps get close enough to touch some of them!!! (this is strictly up to the guide)

After we are though, Shewmakers will Donate a portion of the class fees to our friends and furries at Mission Wolf to perpetuate the health of the sanctuary for our future.

Your instructors will bring lap tops for us to view your new treasure photos on and share with others. What's included:

A great time!

A picnic lunch (please bring your own 'snacks')

Transportation to and from Mission Wolf

A Mission Wolf Decal

Photo CDs of all your memories, we will burn these after we shoot the session... But bring extra memory just in case! Instruction on various shooting situations including depth of field, zoom and shutter speeds

What's NOT included: Camera gear (bring your telephoto lens and a good monopod)

Any extra donation can be given to the kind people of Mission Wolf

Your instructors for this field trip will be:

Send an email to either Judson for more information.

Space is VERY limited so call 719-636-1696 to register.

Check back SOON for details on the BIG cat sanctuary trip! We have talked with the owners of this amazing facility and they are looking forward to seeing Shewmaker's come and take photos of Bobcats, Lions, Tigers, Cougars... up close and personal... not your typical Garfield cats!!!

We can't wait to work out the details!!!

Taught by:
Krista, John S., Judson, and John M.

 Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Have a question concerning film, cameras, print archiving, or just photography in general? We may already have an answer for you! Check out out Frequently Asked Questions Page.

Q: When should I use slide film as opposed to print film?

A: The simple answer is use slide film if you want slides, print film if you want prints. Though slide film tends to be better quality, with more vivid colors, it is fairly expensive to make prints from it. If you are going to use your photo albums or distribute them to family and friends, print is the way to go. Most people choose one type and stick with it for all situations so they only have to choose one type of storage media. Talk with a photo expert to decide which film will work best for your situation.

On a side note, both slide and print film can be scanned to make digital media that you can then email or digitally manipulate.

Q: Photography seems to be moving towards digital technology more and more each day. If I were to buy a digital camera, how many pixels should I ask for?

A: The simplest way to look at pixels is this: the more pixels you have, the larger picture you can print. If you plan mainly to use your camera for email or web-quality images, a 1.3 megapixel camera would be more than sufficient. However, if you want to make prints from your images – especially 8x10 or larger- you will probably require more pixels. The bottom line is that you should always consult with a digital imaging specialist before you make any decision about purchasing a digital camera. There are always knowledgeable professionals available to help you out or just simply talk photography at Shewmakers.

Q: There are so many different types of film out there. How do I know which one to choose?

A: Choosing film should be based solely on the environment in which you will be taking photos. Lighting is key, as is the subject you will be photographing. The following chart can give you a basic outline of the most common color films available and the situations in which to use them. If you have any unusual or unique photo environments that you have questions about, always consult with a photographic specialist for advice.

Q: I’ve recently decided to rearrange my photo albums and have found that the peel-off pages I used to use seem to be ruining my photos – any suggestions?

A: Most scrapbooks and photo album aficionados are aware that they should request acid-free albums and photography storage. However, below are listed a few more facts that you may need to know. Many albums claiming to be acid-free still use glues and covers that contain acid and other components that may damage photos; always be sure to ask if ALL the ingredients are archival and acid-free.

Photos should be left open to air; covering them with plastic sleeving may cause photos to deteriorate up to 10 times faster than those left to breathe.

Be sure to purchase your albums and supplies from a reputable dealer who carries only archival, acid-free materials; when in doubt, ask.

If you are planning to redo a very old family photo album, make sure you carefully remove photos from older pages and glue from the back of photos as these will only add to their deterioration.

Q: I love Black & White photography, but it seems so expensive. Is there any way I can cut costs without cutting quality?

A: Although B&W film is no more expensive than color film, you are correct in that true Black & White prints (meaning on actual B&W paper) do tend to be more expensive than color prints, and generally take a little bit longer to create. One nice option is to try the new “color B&W” film. This may seem a contradiction in terms, but the film is actually a Black & White film that can be developed with the less expensive color process. (One example is the Kodak T400CN)

The other nice feature of this film is that you actually have three different printing options. You may have your photos printed on true B&W paper, on color paper with B&W tone or on color paper with sepia tone. The sepia toning gives your prints that “old fashioned” orangish/brownish hue, as if they were taken a hundred years ago and allowed to age properly.

If you want real, true-to-tradition Black & White prints, you should probably stick with actual B&W film, processing and printing. But for the amateur who likes to experiment, the above suggestions allow for a wider range of options without the professional expense. As always, it’s best to consult with your favorite photographic expert to find just the right supplies for your needs.

Q: I’d like to do some nice close-up photos while I’m hiking this summer. Do you have any hints for me?

A: There is quite a broad spectrum of options for taking great close-up pictures. The most obvious solution is to purchase a macro lens. This will magnify your subject- be it a flower, a bumblebee or simply a coin. There are macro lenses available for most single lens reflex cameras on the market today. One important note: because this lens has such a great magnification, it is usually necessary to employ the use of a tripod. The steadiness of a tripod- and even the added help of a cable release- will ensure that you obtain the most clear focus, so your subject does not come out fuzzy.

If you have neither the desire nor the budget to purchase a new lens for your camera, there is also the option of a close-up filter that can be mounted on the end of your existing lens. Not only is this a less expensive option, but it also eliminates the need to be constantly changing your lenses in the field. Magnifications vary, so be sure to inquire before you buy.

Close-up photography can be lots of fun. Just be sure to consult with your neighborhood photo expert to make sure you have the right ingredients for your particular situation.

Q: When I use my flash to take pictures of my kids, why do their eyes come out red?

A: Though you didn’t specify, I’m guessing you use a standard point and shoot camera with a built in flash. This is the type of setup that most commonly causes red-eye. When your subject is in a dark environment, their pupils dilate in order to absorb more light. When a flash directly aimed at them goes off, the bright light reflects the red blood vessels at the back of the eye, causing the eyes to look red. This is not as likely to happen if you are using a pop-up or independent flash- the further above your lens that your flash is situated, the less likely it is that red-eye will occur.

Though it is difficult to prevent red-eye, there are a few things you can do. When you are in the market for a new camera, look for one that has red-eye reduction, a function that fires the flash several times to adjust the pupils before the shutter actually opens. If you have photos that you’ve already taken and fear that red eye may occur, ask your favorite photofinisher if they have the digital technology to remove red-eye as they print each photo. It may add minimally to the cost, but it is a nice touch when distributing photos to friends and family. Another option is to purchase a red-eye pen. This low tech solution is a do-it-yourself option. The inexpensive pen contains bluish ink that will, in effect, cancel out the redness of the eyes, but you do have to apply it to each individual photo. Keep in mind, as well, that it does not restore eye color, it simply returns the pupil to black. The ultimate way to prevent red-eye, though is to take advantage of natural lighting as often as possible.

Q: I recently purchased a new compact point-and- shoot camera and there is one feature I just don’t understand. What is the difference between “fill-flash” and the regular flash function.

A: Most point-and-shoot cameras have an automatic flash attached to the camera. To make them easier to use, the camera is programmed to be “smart” enough to read lighting situations, based on your film speed, and decide whether or not to use that flash each time you take a picture. For the vast majority of point-and-shoot photography, you are safe to let the camera do the work. However, not every camera is perfect for every situation. Fill-flash was created as an override for just this scenario.

Have you ever taken a photo in bright sunlight or a well-lit area where your subject came out shadowy? This is a situation for fill-flash. When your subject is lit from behind the camera’s meter may still think the light conditions are bright enough and it will decide not to use the flash. However, if there is not sufficient light on the front of your subject, you will need to set the camera on fill-flash. This will light up your subject nicely without washing out your background.

The best way to learn how to use this feature is to experiment. Borrow a friend or a family member as a model and take various photos in different lighting situations both with and without fill-flash. Just be sure to jot down notes on what you did for each shot so you don’t forget!

Q: All of the photos I’ve taken outdoors seem to have the sky washed out even though the exposure looks ok. What can I do to keep our Colorado skies blue?

A: Sounds like you need a polarizing filter! This moderately priced little accessory should be in every Colorado photographer’s camera bag. A polarizing filter fits onto your lens and is perfect for shooting outdoors. It deepens and intensifies blue skies as well as reducing glare from water and glass. And it is easy to remove if you choose to photograph indoors.

If you shoot with an auto focus camera you will need to purchase a circular polarizer. A manual focus lens requires a linear polarizer. Filter size will depend on what type of lens you have. The best thing to do is to bring your camera and favorite outdoor lens into your local camera shop – the professionals there will be happy to help you choose the right filter for your style of photography.

Q: If I were going to buy a camera to start a portrait studio, which camera would be the best choice.

A: This is a simple question, but the answer is a bit more complex. For the most part, any camera system from a 35mm SLR to a large format system will do a fine job. But, there are systems that are designed more for this use. I would strongly recommend that you consider a medium format system, which has a larger negative, that allows for very sharp enlargements, giving you the ability to produce beautiful large prints.

When selecting a camera system for any use, consider the final product you are shooting for. Brand name makes little difference, but be sure that you buy a system that is fully expandable and has a good reputation among many of today’s professionals.

 Digital terms & definitions

Analog: Information presented in continuous form, corresponding to a representation of the “real world.” A traditional photographic print is an analog form, but when this same image is scanned and converted into digital form, it is made up of bits.

ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASCII is a standardized computer code for representing text data. The code has 96 displayed characters (characters you see on the screen) and 32 non-displayed characters (some of which you can see, others that you can’t).

Binary: A mathematical system based on the numbers one and zero. This is ideal for computers, because electrical signals can be represented by electrical current being positive and negative, on and off.

Bit: Binary digit. The smallest unit of information with which a computer can work. Computers are digital devices because they represent all data—including photographs—using numbers, or digits, that are measured in bits.

Bit Depth: This refers to the number of bits that are assigned to each pixel in an image. The more bits you have, the more photo-realistic the screen image will be. Let’s look at the typical choices in bit depth for computer screens:

1-bit: If a computer has the ability to display 1-bit per pixel, each pixel can either be black or white.

4-bit: Some computers, especially laptops, offer 4-bit video capability, which translates into 16 shades of gray or color.

8-bit: With an 8-bit color depth, you can see 256 colors or levels of gray. An 8-bit system can work well for black and white photographs, but is just barely adequate for critical evaluation of a color photograph.

16-bit: This bit depth has the potential to display 32,000 different colors. At 16-bits and above, the video signal must split into thirds, providing one each for the red, blue, and green channels. Your computer devotes 15 bits to color (5 bits per color channel) and the one remaining bit is used to overlay all these colors.

24-bit: Each pixel on a screen can handle up to 256 colors, which lets systems display 16.7 million colors. A 24-bit model provides true photographic quality.

32-bit: Often when someone is talking about 32-bit color, they really mean 24-bit. Only a few computers offer 32-bit capabilities.

Since 256 levels of gray are displayed on an 8-bit system, that’s all you really need when working with black and white digital photographs, but if you plan on working with color images, you should use a computer that has a 24-bit display.

Bitmap: There are three classes of graphic files: bitmap, metafile, and vector. A bitmap (sometimes known as “raster”) is any graphic image composed of a collection of tiny individual dots or pixels—one for every point or dot on a computer screen.

BMP: Short for bitmap. A Windows based digital image format, BMP—often pronounced “bump”—is really a file extension for a specific kind of bitmapped graphics file.

Bundle: Part of a software or hardware package, which may or may not be a good deal. When you purchase a product that’s packaged with a product from another company at no additional cost, the extra product is considered to be “bundled” with the main product.

Byte: Each electronic signal is one bit, but to represent more complex numbers or images, computers combine these signals into larger 8-bit groups called bytes. When 1024 (not 1000) bytes are combined, you get a kilobyte, often called K.

Calibration: A term used in Color Management Systems (CMS). Calibration stabilizes the inevitable variables in the way devices reproduces color. To produce optimum results, all color-reproducing devices must maintain a consistent, calibrated state.

CCD: A Charge-Coupled Device is the same kind of light gathering device used in flat-bed scanners, digital cameras, and even video camcorders to convert the light passing through the lens into an electronic equivalent of the original image. These images become digitized by the CCD device.

CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read Only Memory. This is a disc that resembles a musical compact disk but can contains all kinds of data—including photographs.

CD-R: Compact Disc Recordable

CD-RW: Compact Disk Re-Writable

Characterization: A Color Man-agement System (CMS) term that establishes the relationship of your calibrated device to what is referred to as a device independent Reference Color Space or RCS.

Clipping Path: A path is a series of line segments connected by endpoints. Paths are created by the pen tool and can be reshaped and moved—even exported to other files or programs. Clipping paths silhouette an area to mask out the background, so only that part of the images within the path appears when the image is placed in another program or combined with another image file.

CLUT: Color Look Up Table. A table—it can be in hardware or software form—that contains information on the mixing of red, green and blue color intensity in a palette.

Compression: Compression is a method of removing unneeded data to make a file smaller without losing any data, or in the case of a photographic file, image quality. There are many techniques and technologies for compressing graphics and how well each works depends on what is more important to you: file size or image quality.

DCS: Desktop Color Separation. The QuarkXPress format for defining color separated output using a personal computer.

DCT: Discrete Cosine Transform. This is an algorithm that converts data—including pixels—into sets of frequencies. The first frequencies appearing in the set are the most meaningful; the latter, are the least. For compression purposes, such as JPEG and MPEG, the latter frequencies are removed on the basis on allowable resolution loss.

Despeckle: A feature of image-editing programs, and some plug-ins (e.g. Extensis Intellihance) that detects the edges of an image—the place where significant color changes occur—and blurs a selection except the edges. This has the effect of removing noise while preserving detail.

Device Resolution: Refers to the number of dots per inch (dpi) that any given device, such as a monitor or printer, can produce. Screen resolution for computer monitors varies from 60-120dpi. Don’t confuse this with line screen, which refers to the number of lines per inch (lpi) in the screen used by printers to reproduce a photograph.

Dither: A graphics display or printing process that uses a combination of dots or textures to create the impression of a continuous tone gray scale or color image.

Dynamic Range: One key feature to look for in a scanner or digital camera is its dynamic range. A scanner’s dynamic range depends on the maximum optical density that can be achieved and the number of bits captured. In simple terms, the greater the density range the better the scanner.

DVD: Digital Versatile Disc, sometimes referred to as Digital Video Disc.

FPM DRAM: Fast Page Mode DRAM is the most common type that is used in Mac OS systems because it speeds the overall readout of data but does introduce a wait state.

Gamma: All photographs have a characteristic called gamma. The amount of gamma present in an image is measured as the contrast that affects the mid-level grays (the mid tones) of an image. The good news for digital imagers is that this gamma is adjustable by most image-enhancement programs, and you aren’t stuck with the gamma that is present in the original negative or print.

Gamut: Every output device (e.g., a printer or monitor) has a range of colors that it can accurately reproduce. This range is called the gamut of the device. Every device from every manufacturer, whether it is a monitor or printer, has a unique gamut.

Gaussian Blur: Photoshop’s blurring filter gets its name from the fact that it maps revised pixel color values according to a Gaussian curve. A Gaussian curve is typically used to represent a normal or statistically probable outcome for a random distribution of events and is often shown as a bell shaped curve.

GIF: (Pronounced like the peanut butter.) Graphic Interchange Format developed by CompuServe is completely platform independent: the same bitmapped file