Calumet Photographic Chicago Presents Digital Days Photo Craze

(Vocus) November 27, 2007 -- Digital Days kicks off with five compelling seminars at the Meridian Banquet Center 1701 Algonquin Road in Rolling Meadows, Monday, November 26 through Thursday, November 29. More seminars follow on Friday and Saturday at Calumet Photographic, 1111 N. Cherry Avenue in Chicago.

Each evening features a two-hour seminar about digital photography, incredible door prizes and a mini-tradeshow that includes specials from Calumet and its sponsors. Doors are open one hour before and after the seminar so you can take advantage of all the great prices, tech advice and demonstrations. Complimentary snacks and refreshments will be served. Free parking.

To register for one of the seminars, please call 1-800-CALUMET.

Monday Seminar ? 7 to 9:15 p.m. at Meridian Banquet Center ? $29.99

Art of Previsualization in a Digital Age with Timothy Wolcott, Sponsored by Phase One

This is a rare opportunity to learn and grow from innovative landscape photographer, Timothy Wolcott. ?My vision is guided by the spirit of the dunes, the quiet of the light, the sensual curves, and that magical time when the dunes reveal their most intimate secrets.?

During this enlightening seminar, Wolcott will discuss Preemptive Photoshop?the ability to conceptualize, visualize and create your master vision. He will share his own images and delve into the process behind their creation. This seminar will not only ignite your passion for photography, but help you see the final print before you click your shutter. The end result: shoot it once?shoot it right.

Wolcott?s photographs have the passion of the great photographers who have traveled before him, such as Weston, Adams, Watkins and William Henry Jackson. Wolcott however, distinguishes his work by capturing America, not only in black and white, but also as a master color photographer. Pushing the boundaries of color photography, his Symplicity Collection creates a new direction through his unique use of light, color, line, space and form. Timothy Wolcott is featured in the current edition of Calumet Focus. His images can be viewed at galleryoftheamericanlandscape.com.

Tuesday Seminar ? 7 to 9:15 p.m. at Meridian Banquet Center ? $29.99

Photoshop Tips and Tricks with Jeff Schewe, Sponsored by Epson

Jeff Schewe is a Photoshop Guru. He is on the inside of the development and testing of Photoshop and has helped guide and direct many features since Photoshop 4.0. Short of Thomas Knoll and Mark Hamburg, there are probably not many people who know Photoshop like Jeff. An award-winning advertising photographer for more than 20 years, he is a veteran of creating the impossible image often under impossible conditions. He has developed tricks and techniques that amazed the Photoshop software engineers. As an indication of his skills and knowledge, he has been named a Canon Explorer of Light as well as an Epson Stylist Pro. He is a past Apple Master of the Medium and a former member of the Apple customer Advisory Board. For more information about Jeff Schewe, please visit: http://www.schewephoto.com

Wednesday Seminar ? 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Meridian Banquet Center ? $75

The Canon Printmaster Workshop with Vincent Laforet

(Cost includes buffet lunch and a coupon for $50 credit towards a purchase of over $500 in Canon goods within 30 days. If you sign up for this seminar and the Mastering Wedding Photojournalism Techniques with Bob Davis, you will receive a combined savings of $20!)

During this intensive all-day workshop, you will discover how to produce fine-art quality prints that meet or exceed the quality that you have come to expect from conventional custom prints. You will be learning from one of the best: Vincent Laforet is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer at The New York Times. He will share his expertise in: monitor profiling, Canon driver/export module operation, color management practices, color settings in Photoshop, media selection and optimizing your shooting settings for the best prints. A Canon Pro Market Representative will also present information on Canon?s EOS system and printers. Bring all your technical questions!

Laforet has regularly been called on to cover major news and sporting events around the world ranging from natural disasters, international conflicts to the Olympics. At the age of 30, his work has been published in most major publications around the world including Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, Life, The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Stern, and Paris Match. He recently modified his staff position to become The Times' first national contract photographer and is now engaged in editorial, portraiture, commercial, and corporate projects. His approach to aerial photography has been singled out as one of the most unique and interpretive amongst photographers today.

Laforet's work has been recognized in the World Press Photo Awards, The Pictures of the Year Competition, The Overseas Press Club, The National Headliners Awards, The Pro-Football Hall of Fame and he was recognized as one of the 30 Photographers to Watch Under 30 by PDN in 2002 and was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Photography by American Photo Magazine in 2005. He and four other photographers were awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography for their post-9/11 coverage overseas in 2002. Laforet has been invited as a guest speaker by a variety of organizations and universities from around the world. He serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

Attendees will receive a chance to win valuable door prizes including a Canon PowerShot SD900 digital camera?a $359.99 value!

After the seminar, there will be a mini-tradeshow and sale featuring Canon and Calumet products.

Wednesday Seminar ? 7 to 9:15 p.m. at Meridian Banquet Center ? $29.99

Black & White Hollywood Glamour with Tim Meyer (M.Photog.Cr. CPP), Sponsored by the MAC Group

Recognized internationally for his innovative style and technique, Tim Meyer will spend the evening discussing techniques he uses in capturing striking black-and-white portrait photographs. His sophisticated portraits conjure the image of glamour presented by Hollywood marketing images of silent screen stars of the 1930s and 1940s. Meyer will present new approaches and a progressive update to the classical style of the past, characterized by exaggerated shadows, unusual lighting and nontraditional camera angles.

Tim Meyer is currently Portrait Department Chair at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. Meyer is a PPA Master Photographer, contributing editor to Rangefinder magazine, winner of numerous international awards and competitions, and continues to operate his custom portrait and wedding business. Tim possesses the Professional Photographers of America?s coveted Masters and Craftsman degrees, and has also been awarded a Master of Arts degree in Fine Art Photography. In addition to numerous one-man exhibitions of his fine art work, Tim?s photography has been internationally recognized for its innovative style and technique.

Photographer, educator and writer Tim Meyer is passionate about the field of photography. With more than 30 years as a professional photographer, he currently teaches full-time and serves as the Portrait Division Chair at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. Tim maintains a commission-based portrait business and is also a highly respected wedding photographer. Tim lectures internationally and is a regular contributor to Rangefinder Magazine. To view Tim Meyer?s images, please visit: www.meyerphoto.com.

Thursday Seminar ? 7 to 9:15 p.m.

Mastering Wedding Photojournalism Techniques with Bob Davis, Sponsored by Canon

Bob Davis believes that the power of photojournalism lies in its ability to tell a story, by documenting moments in time and reflecting them back to the viewer. His passion has taken him around the globe, pursuing meaningful storytelling opportunities that cross cultural barriers and show others how we live, work, celebrate and worship. Bob loves to photograph weddings for the pure joy and emotion of the occasion. Capturing those fleeting moments creates a record of one of the most important days in a couple's life. Bob covers weddings with the same energy, enthusiasm and professionalism that he brought to his award-winning photojournalism career.

For Bob, being welcomed into the sacred tradition of a wedding is a privilege, and ensures that he never failed to focus on the details and special moments that every wedding offers. Wedding photojournalism is not only capturing the pomp and circumstance in pictures, but also creating a record of a defining moment in the lives of two families, forever joined as one. The basic traditions are time-honored and true, but the details are unique and intimately personal. The photographs become a living archive, preserved for generations to come, allowing others to reflect on those images and recall all of the love bestowed on the nuptials that day.

After attending Columbia College in Chicago, Bob began working full-time in the field of photojournalism. He spent 14 years as an award-winning photographer at the Chicago Sun-Times. He also does work for several publications such as Time, People, the American Bar Association Journal, and Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine. His clients include Oprah Winfrey, Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Draft Worldwide Advertising. He was commissioned to work on the America 24/7 book, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show and was a New York Times Best Seller. Bob is also the Chief Photographer for Bella Pictures, The First National Wedding Photography Company and was recently honored by becoming a member of Canon's Explorers of Light.

Friday Seminar ? 10 to 11:00 a.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Introducing Canon's EOS-1D and 1Ds Mark III Cameras - presented by Elizabeth Pratt, Canon Pro Markets

Here is your chance to see Canon's highly anticipated EOS-1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds Mark III cameras. Elizabeth will cover the extensive capabilities of the two new cameras and address their differences. She will also demonstrate the features and benefits while answering all of your questions.

Friday Seminar 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Sony HDV Production Workflow ? presented by Rich Hoffman, Sony

With the introduction of low-cost, high definition camcorders like the Sony HVR-A1U, V1U and Z1U, it is now easy to shoot excellent quality video, but how do you turn your footage into something special? The footage needs to be edited to tell your story and entertain your audience. The workflow is extremely simple and the production of high quality finished programming is within reach of almost any person or group at a fraction of the old linear costs.

We will take a look at what is involved in shooting, editing and distributing your HD projects and also discuss what still needs to be developed and where the technology is taking us. Products covered will be Sony HVR-series camcorders and Sony Vegas NLE / DVD Architect.

Rich Hoffman is a 30-year veteran of broadcast and production engineering and has designed, constructed and operated video production systems for a wide range of applications. He also worked as a Product Specialist at Sony involved with high-end production switchers and systems used in sports, news and network programming.

Friday Seminar 1 to 2 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Retouching with Wacom Tablets ? presented by Wes Maggio, Wacom

Find out about the buzz over Wacom Tablets! Join Wacom senior tablet evangelist, Wes Maggio, as he demonstrates all the innovative features that creative professionals say they cannot work without. You will discover how working on a pen tablet is simply the most natural way to retouch photos, and it allows you to produce results in less time.

For photographers, using a Wacom pen with Adobe Photoshop gives you all of the traditional tools of a darkroom and all of the benefits of the digital world! Using the lasso tool or polygon lasso for selecting detailed areas of a photo for enhancement is faster and easier with a pen. Couple this natural hand-eye coordination benefit with pressure-sensitive pen control to create visual effects with just a few brush strokes that may not even be possible with a 100 mouse strokes.

Attendees will have a chance to win a copy of PhotoshopCAFE's acclaimed training DVD, a Wacom Tablet and Photoshop CS3.

Friday Seminar 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

From Scene to Sensor to Output: Demystifying Digital Challenges ? presented by John Van Steenberg, Tamron

Known for his "Hard Nose Truth" seminars about the state of digital photography, John will spend one hour demystifying why so many people get conflicting image quality. He will lead you through the relationship of lenses, sensors issues, monitor issues, software and output preparation (the major issue-areas in image production quality). Optimizing time, workflow, color and understanding the absolute trade-offs that are inherent in the choices studios must make. The goals of the seminar are clarity and perspective in problem isolation, production improvement in the studio and providing important safeguards for successful process management along the way.

Saturday Digital Days Craze 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Enjoy more than 30 vendors from the best in the biz as they show off their cutting-edge digital photo and video equipment. You will enjoy expert tech advice, hands-on demos and exclusive offers guaranteed to save you a bundle! In addition, you will have a chance to win one of our many door prizes donated by our vendors. Special GECAF financing is available, but please see store for details.

Vendors include Apple, Azden, Bogen, Bowens, Brilliant, Broncolor, Cambo, Cambo Video, Canon, Canon Video, Casio, Chimera, Custom Brackets, Delkin, Domke, Dynalite, Eizo, Elinchrome, Epson, Formatt, Fuji, Gitzo, GTI, Hahnemuhle, Harman, Hasselblad, HP Printers, Induro, JVC, Leaf, Moab By Legion, Leica, Mamiya, Metz, Multicart, Museo, Nikon, Noritsu, Olympus, onOne, Pentax, Phase One, Pocketwizard, Profoto, Quantum, Rololight, Samsung, SanDisk, Sekonic, Sigma, Sinar, Skooba Design, Stroboframe, Tamrac, Tamron, Tenba, Tiffen, Toyo, Wacom, and X-Rite.

Saturday Seminar 10 to 11 a.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Perfecting the Cinematography Look ? presented by James Daniels, JVC

Discover new areas of digital cinematography, letting you unleash your creative potential with results that are nothing short of spectacular. Learn proper set-up techniques for cinematography, newsgathering and field production shooting with JVC GY-HD110/200/250U. The ProHD series offers multiple frame rates recording including full-frame 720p 30/60 imaging and real 24p.

The seminar will also explore the unique electronic image processing features in HDV camcorders for the novice shooters with minimum technical expertise.

Saturday Seminar 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Managing Your Color ? presented by Denis Nervig, MAC Group

Getting an image from your desktop printer to resemble your monitor can be a frustrating experience. But thanks to this short course on color management and printing, your frustrations will be over! During his one-hour seminar, Denis Nervig of the MAC group will cover how to use a variety of tools for capturing, viewing and printer profiling. He will share his technical expertise on how to use Sekonic meters for proper exposures and demonstrate color accuracies with the Eizo monitor. Finally, you will discover how to use X-Rite color management tools for maintaining reliable color and learn how to create profiles to accurately print your image.

Saturday Seminar 1 to 2 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Introduction to Aperture ? presented by Vidas Neveraukas, Apple

Designed from the ground up for professional photographers, Aperture provides everything you need after the shoot. Featuring a RAW-focused workflow that makes RAW as easy as JPEG,

Aperture lets you import, edit, catalog, organize, retouch, publish and archive your images more effectively and efficiently.

Saturday Seminar 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Calumet Chicago ? free

Fujifilm UVIR Release ? presented by Charlie Tucek, Fujifilm

Join Charlie Tucek, Fujifilm expert technical representative, for a Friday filled with Fujifilm products and technical expertise. You will be among the few to see and test the new Fujifilm UVIR (Ultra Violet Infrared) cameras. These two cameras move UVIR technology from trial and error film, to quick and easy digital. The new UVIR suffix model has been modified to be able to take photographs in the UV and IR parts of the light spectrum, this feature aimed primarily at law enforcement, science, medical and fine art. Calumet is only one of a handful of dealers selected to distribute these cameras.

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