Camera Club Lecture - suggestions?

[Izzy]

If you had to give a short (1/2 hour) presentation about photography, what would your topic be? I am looking for some ideas for a presentation for my camera club. I was think of zone metering but to cover it right I think it would take longer than a 1/2 hour to cover. I was thinking of something as simple as DOF.

Any suggestions?

[autofocus]

what is the level of your audience? If they're mostly on the same level as you I'm sure they already know about DOF

[Izzy]

Most of the people in the club are point and shooters in skill level I would say out of 30 people 10-15 are SLR shooters. I did mention DOF at a recent meeting and most had no idea what i was talking about. I have yet to go on an outing with the club so I maybe wrong with my head count of SLR shooters.

[RLucas]

You can make the zone system as simple or as complex as you like. I think that would be a good topic.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by RLucas

You can make the zone system as simple or as complex as you like. I think that would be a good topic.

Seeing that snow is prevalent here for the next few months maybe zone metering would be a good topic.

[autofocus]

I think in a typical situation like you have here is that depending on your chosen subject matter you run the risk of putting 50% of the audience to sleep because the subject is something they already have knowledge of....always a problem when you're addressing a mixed crowd. Why not a "how I did it" photoshop presentation with all the steps from before to after displayed. Post processing is probably one of the more difficult things to learn and deal with in digital photography. A simple subject like how to make a good B/W illustrating the various ways that it can be done, and the merits of each method. Or, I'm sure many people don't have a clue about layers and masks. Or, the value of your histogram, and how to read and interpret it. Of course, if the subject matter is too much over your target audience's heads, you'll also run the risk of putting them to sleep.

[autofocus]

...or, how about a discussion on flash and lighting (when, and why to use it, controlling it, modifying it, bouncing, etc)

[theosus]

Originally Posted by autofocus

...or, how about a discussion on flash and lighting (when, and why to use it, controlling it, modifying it, bouncing, etc)

here here! +1 on that. "Why Flash is of no use to you idiots from the back of the auditorium, and how to turn it off."

I was working a dance recital and this lady in the balcony had a d-something-expensive with a long lens. Every few seconds, POOF, the auditorium would light up. I went to tell her to stop blinding everyone, and she said "I just bought this thing, I dont know how to turn the flash off".

what?

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by autofocus

...or, how about a discussion on flash and lighting (when, and why to use it, controlling it, modifying it, bouncing, etc)

This one is always asked for and I quite frankly suck at flash. I cheat and use a "puffer" and use the on cam flash. It could be that I am too cheap to by a real speedlight. With that said I think I could do one like "overcoming poor lighting", now this is something I know as I have been doing it for years which is the second reason I suck at flash.

Maybe I should learn proper flash use and studio lighting this year?

+1 million Theo

Originally Posted by Izzy

This one is always asked for and I quite frankly suck at flash. I cheat and use a "puffer" and use the on cam flash. It could be that I am too cheap to by a real speedlight. With that said I think I could do one like "overcoming poor lighting", now this is something I know as I have been doing it for years which is the second reason I suck at flash.

Maybe I should learn proper flash use and studio lighting this year?

+1 million Theo

Yea, you'd have to be fairly proficient at using speed lights to really show people what to do. Nothing like talking about a subject you have no clue about.

I was going to mention lighting, I have 8 speed lights, so passing one around to everyone for me would be fairly easy.

~Eric