The Symposium - August 11, 2012 On Saturday, five of the instructors will give 50-minute presentations presentations at the Auraria campus. Each talk will focus on a different theme related to photography and will be accompanied by a slideshow of the photographer's work. A description of each of the presentations is provided below. There will be a 10 minute break between each of the talks. We will wrap up the day with a roundtable discussion, in which participants can ask any of the instructors questions. 9:30 am - 9:50 am - Grant Collier (www.gcollier.com) The Basics         Grant Collier will give a brief introduction followed by a short talk on the basics of photography. This talk will include information on f-stop and shutter speed settings and on photography equipment and filters. Since these topics will only be covered briefly, those who are newer to photography will be able to get more hands-on instruction during the workshops on Sunday. 9:50 am - 10:40 am - Colby Brown (www.colbybrownphotography.com) The Power and Responsibility of Photography         The digital revolution of the photography industry has already begun to change the world. As more and more individuals are able to afford quality digital cameras, the importance of the freedom of artistic expression has never been more visible. But at what costs have these changes occurred? As artists and photographers, we have the opportunity to help dictate how the world views life on this planet. From receding glaciers to species preservation, atrocities against humanity to natural disaster relief, we all have a role to play in shaping the image of the future of this planet. 10:50 am - 11:40 am - Russ Burden (www.russburdenphotography.com) The Art of Wildlife Photography         Wildlife photography is a challenge. It requires patience, dedication, determination, frequent visits to your favorite locations, all mixed in with a bit of luck. But why is it that some wildlife photographers seem to be “luckier” than others? Russ will share with you the tips and techniques he uses to make you one of the luckier ones. He will show examples of the photos he’s captured and talk about what he did to make them successful. He’ll discuss important concepts such as lighting, composition, proper head and body angles, backgrounds, time of day and many other aspects to improve your captures. Russ has a passion to share his enthusiasm and knowledge with all. 11:50 am - 12:40 am - Stephen G. Weaver (www.stephen-weaver.com) Photographing the Intimate Landscape: Finding and Extracting Photographic Gems from Nature.         Stephen’s presentation will illustrate that artful and evocative nature and landscape photography is not restricted only to grand landscapes such as mountains scenes and spectacular sunrises/sunsets, and that by focusing on “intimate” images photographers can successfully pursue their own unique art and vision of the natural world. The talk will present and discuss the essential “right brain” creative aspects of making an excellent photograph, namely composition and the use of light; as well as the some of “left brain” technical knowledge needed to capture the image with todays modern digital cameras. Tips and techniques for seeing and extracting artful images from the often chaotic “messiness” of the natural environment will be presented, as seeing and fine tuning a composition is an essential aspect of excellent photography. Additional techniques used in more specialized macro photography will also be discussed, as macro images could be considered the most “intimate” of images. 12:40 pm - 2:00 pm - Break For Lunch 2:00 pm - 2:10 pm - Raffle We will be raffling off several photography related items to participants of the festival. 2:10 pm - 3:00 pm - Mark S Johnson (www.msjphotography.com) HDR Nirvana: Using Your Digital SLR, Photomatix Pro, and Photoshop to Create Phenomenal High Dynamic Range Photographs         High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography has electrified the world of photography, ushering in an era of expanded tonal range and broader creative freedom. Mark Johnson introduces you to HDR and inspires you to create formerly unimaginable imagery. Using colorful examples, Mark covers how to capture exposure-bracketed images, how to ensure that you've grabbed the entire tonal range, how to tone map using Photomatix Pro, and how to finish with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) and Photoshop. 3:10 am - 4:00 pm - Marc Muench (www.muenchphotography.com) The Art in Adventure         Marc’s presentation will focus on the art in adventure. There are many ways to create images, but none quite as captivating as participating in them. Marc will be sharing life changing adventures that opened his eyes to the power of nature and gave him a deeper understanding of his presence in it. He will include stories of past trips with his parents, Bonnie and David Muench, and images from his grandfather, Josef Muench, which influenced him creatively. 4:10 pm - 5:00 pm Roundtable Discussion         At the end of the day, all of the presenters will hold a roundtable discussion, in which participants can ask any questions they want. This discussion may be a little shorter or longer than 50 minutes, depending on whether we are behind schedule or ahead of schedule.