Tag Archives: Charleston Spring Photo workshop
Charleston, S Carolina – Photographic Workshop Tour
April 2 – 6 2017 $695.00, Limited to 8 Students

Charleston’s Gas Lights
Botany Bay – Boneyard Photographic Workshop Tour
April 6-7, 2017 $175/ Limited to 8 Students

Botany Bay’s Skeleton trees processed with Topaz Labs Star Effects
Smoky Mountains – Photographic Workshop Tour
April 23-26 2017 $495.00, Limited to 8 Students

Spring Dogwoods at rustic cabin Smoky Mountains
Amalfi Coast – Photographic Workshop Tour
June 25 – June 30 2017 $1150.00/ Limited to 8 Students

Provence Photographic – Workshop Tour
July 2 – 6 2017 $1,150.00/ Limited to 8 Students

Sunflowers in Provence
Lake Michigan Lighthouse – Photographic Workshop Tour
Aug 13-16 2017 $345.00/ Limited to 8 Students

Big Sable Lighthouse – Ludington
Zion National Park and Painted Desert – Photographic Workshop
Nov. 5-9 2017 $695 Limited to 8 Students

Cottonwoods along the Virgin River
Southwest Slot Canyon – Photographic Workshop Tour
Nov. 9-11 2017 $350 Limited to 5 Students

Tumble Weed – Antelope Canyon – Camera raw
I Hope you rang in the New Year with peace and joy in your heart!!
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Nik Software, Paul Christopher James, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs, Tuscany photo workshop | posted in Boneyard, Botany Bay, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Lower Antelope Canyon, Michigan Photographic Workshop, Nik software, Paul Christopher James, Photoshop CS6, Provence Photo Workshop, Slot Canyon Workshops, Smokey Mountain National Park, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity
On this cold snowy morning in Michigan I have Charleston and its world famous gardens on my mind.

Charleston Spring Reflection 24×60
In early April Charleston turns into a photographer’s paradise. The formal gardens on the plantations and the gated gardens in the Battery are in there spring bloom and all of Charleston has splashes of color everywhere.
Last night using Lightroom and Topaz software I transformed three images from 2012 into this colorful panoramic. I used Topaz software to bring out the colors and contrast from the RAW images and then used Lightroom to do it’s magic stitching the images into this 24×60 pano.
All RAW images have to be worked on to give you the colors that was there when you captured the image. This is one of the RAW images used to make the pano in Lightroom and then transformed using Topaz software.

Charleston garden RAW Image
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Angel Oak, Ashley River, Audubon Swamp, Azaleas, Battery Park, Bonaventure Cemetery, Boneyard, Botany Bay, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston's Gardens, Sheldon Church ruins
It doesn’t matter how many times I walk the historic streets of the Battery in Charleston, there is always one window or doorway that stands out a little more than the rest. This historic window on Meeting is always beautiful, and this year I was able to capture it with the perfectly blooming wisteria transforming it.

Wisteria Window – Battery Park, Charleston
Using the transform tool I was able to change the perspective of this window. To boost the color and contrast I used Topaz Clarity.

Wisteria Window – Battery Park, Charleston
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Lightroom, Perspective, Photographic Workshops, Photoshop, Photoshop CS6, Topaz Clarity, Topaz labs, Transform
Composition is what makes an image great. How everything is placed in an image depends on where you place your camera.
“A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”
Ansel Adams

Reclaimed by the Sea – Boneyard Beach on Botany Bay Plantation
The images of the trees reclaimed by the surf that we will capture during next spring’s Charleston workshop at the Boneyard Beach on Botany Bay Plantation will be amazing. There is no shell collecting on the beach which makes this pristine beach one-of-a-kind!
In the darkroom when we needed to bring out shadow areas we would make a variety of wands to dodge the shadow areas. When we needed to bring down the highlights we would expose the sky a second and sometimes a third time while fanning and feathering the edge between the sky and ground with cardboard sheets to give detail to the overexposed areas.
To bring the shadows out and the highlights down I blending 3 HDR files in Lightroom which brought detail into the shadows and highlights. To make the image pop I used Clarity my favorite Topaz software plugin.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Boneyard, Botany Bay, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Edisto Island, Lightroom, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Topaz Clarity, Topaz DeNoise 6, Topaz Labs
Charleston is always a great place to capture images and soak up some of our country’s history.

Charleston’s Gas Lights brought into sharp focus by focus stacking two images
I have photographed the gas light in Charleston before, but this spring everything lined up and I produced a new favorite. It doesn’t matter how long you have been shooting, sometime a small change happens and you see things a little differently. That little difference gives you the image you have been wanting to capture. I have a favorite shooting spot a few steps away that I like to take clients to, and while I was there I finally saw this composition. The clients that I travel with often give me input which alters my perception of the environment and locations where I am shooting. The more I listen the better my images and composition have become.
Chuck and his wife Jenny joined me for the Spring 2016 Charleston workshop and they spent time looking at some of the local artist at the market and the gas light paintings and photographs of Charleston. Their enthusiasm for the wonderful gaslights brought my attention back to this composition.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Charleston Doorways, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston South Carolina, Flower Boxes, Focus Stack, Gas Lights, Photographic Workshops, Photoshop CS6, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs
Angel Oak is one of my favorite Charleston locations and I am looking forward to seeing her again.
In the morning I am flying to Charleston to start shooting and do a little image scouting before the workshop starts.

Angel Oak- The Oldest tree east of the Mississippi
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Labs | posted in Adobe CS6, Angel Oak, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz BW effects 2
Early in the morning and later in the evening the ancient cities have very little foot traffic and are wonderful time to capture images. After our sunset shot of San Gimignano we went into town for a nice dinner and on our walk back to our hotel the piazza was empty which gave everyone the opportunity to capture great images of this piazza which is usually crowed.

San Gimignano processed with Topaz Clarity
When I am teaching on location my main focus is making sure that everyone in capturing great images and learning their camera. Going to great locations makes my job easy and having so many wonderful people travel with me has enriched the time that I spend traveling.
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Charleston Photographic Workshop, Lightroom 5.7, Michigan photographic workshops, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, San Gimignano, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Topaz Labs, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Photographic Workshop Tour
Bighorn sheep are on the shy side and it is hard to get them to pose. Last fall I was lucky and capture a few images as I watched these beautiful animals traversing the rocky terrain with a balance that amazed me. Watching them scampering along the rocks was just fun and still brings a smile when I see the images.

Bighorn Sheep of the Southwest

Bighorn Sheep of the Southwest
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Michigan Photo Workshops, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Labs, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Bighorn Sheep, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Lightroom, Michigan photographic workshops, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Rome photo workshop, Rome Photo Workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Tuscan Photo Workshop, Venice Italy Photographic Workshop, Venice Photographic Workshop Tour, Zion National Park
Spending a day photographing the rivers in the Smoky Mountains is a great way to study movement while capturing great images. Every few feet you will find different patterns in the swirls and flow of the river. By working with different shutter speeds you will find what work best for you.

Rivers Flow
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Charleston Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Michigan Photographic Workshop, Michigan photographic workshops, Paul Christopher James, Rome Photgraphic Workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Time exposures, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Italy Photographic Workshop, Venice Photographic Workshop Tour
Every Spring I teach a workshop in the Smoky Mountains to capture images of the park coming out of its winter sleep.
It is always enjoyable seeing images that clients capture during the workshops.
Bob thanks for sending over some of the images that you and Linda shot.
Looking forward to this spring’s workshop and will enjoy seeing the images you capture!

Flour ground in a Smoky Mountain Grist Mill

Spring Dogwoods in Sparks Lane

Spring Dogwoods at rustic cabin Smoky Mountains

Bonsai Dogwood Smoky Mountains

Last Light – Rustic cabins Smoky Mountains
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Antelope Canyon, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Michigan photographic workshops, Nik Software, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Rome Photgraphic Workshop, Slot Canyon Photo Workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Italy Photographic Workshop, Zion National Park