'Tis the season to be jolly ....

From our family to yours ... Hope you have a happy holiday!
Rod, Robin, Holly, Ryan, Tara, Alexis and Jacob

Please note: Two of our family members, Ryan and Tara, were not available for the making of this greeting ... but they wish to extend their holiday wishes as well!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

JUST ONE FLASH OFF TO PUBLISHER


An acknowledgement: There is nothing more satisfying than having the opportunity to share your passion with those you love. With this in mind, we extend our deepest gratitude to both Holly Kidd and Alexis Deutschmann for their willingness to put on a smile under any condition, their participation in the making of this book was invaluable. We also thank Jacob, Ryan, Tara and Jay for their support, as well as the many IFLC students whose quest for the truth have pushed us along the path to perfect our skills and techniques. This experience has enriched our lives immensely, thank you for sharing it with us.


Yesterday, we said goodbye to our third book on flash photography (JUST ONE FLASH) ... as she was was packaged and sent to New York city. She joins our second book (MULTIPLE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) on the desk of our wonderful editor Michelle ... who has her work cut out for her. Not only will she be examining these two with a microscope, but she's also knee-deep in the pre-press and distribution phase of our first book (OFF CAMERA FLASH).

We also had the wonderful opportunity to meet (by phone) our publicist Kate. So full of energy and passion, we can't wait to see what this fireball can do with our 'kids.'

This road to publication has proved to be an exciting adventure. We have learned so much about the business and art of creating a book and want to thank everyone for their help and support throughout the journey.

We've grown as communicators and people, seeing the world a bit differently — as if blinders were taken off. Our respect and admiration for authors (no matter what they've written) has grown by leaps and bounds. We read a lot about the process before jumping in ... but nothing can prepare you for the emotions, energy and (sometimes) turmoil that writing a book brings. It's an arduous journey to say the least and requires a dedication and perseverance well beyond normal. As many of you know we've been in the newspaper business a long time, and while similar in some respects ... it's a whole new animal. We're very lucky though, patience and a smile through adversity is something you get good at with five kids. So we actually were more prepared than we knew. There were times when the pressure was great. Deadlines will do that to you. Shoot after shoot, day-after-day of writing, designing and editing. It does wear you down. But we took it and pushed and ... we wouldn't have done it any other way. We're both aware that it's the journey that's most important. The Road to Hana is our favorite drive (as long as it's not at night).

The best thing to come from this entire thing is that we have grown even closer as a family... sharing equally in the excitement and stress. There is nothing more satisfying than having the opportunity to share your passion with those you love. Plus it proved exceedingly exciting to share it with all of our In Focus family as well. Your support, kind words and inspiration proved invaluable in the creation of all three books as well. You pushed us as artists and as instructors — allowing us not just to hone our skill at creating art but also at sharing with others how its done.

We have so much to be thankful for this season and we want to thank all of you for everything you've done. Without all of our family, without you and the love for expression and truth that we all share — then the In Focus Learning Center wouldn't be here and this bright smile we have on our faces right now wouldn't exist.

Thank you all for everything.

Good shooting and Happy Holidays.

Friday, December 18, 2009

New January Photography Course schedule available

Happy Holidays In Focus family and friends,

Looking into the New Year is a great time to reflect on where we’ve been and plan ahead to where we will go.

For us, this means continually analyzing our classes to make sure we are offering the best comprehensive set of courses for anyone interested in becoming an artist with their camera. We firmly believe that building a strong foundation is key in achieving that goal and are proud to announce the addition of our popular Flash photography class to our In Focus series of core courses. With In Focus I: Mastering the Mechanics, In Focus II: A Field Guide to Composition and now The Flash In Focus: A Practical Guide to Adding Light ... the artist-with-a-camera will be unstoppable in the world of creative message building.


Click to download our current schedule:

Photography Course Schedule JAN 2010



This month, in addition to our core courses In Focus I, In Focus II and The Flash In Focus, we are bringing back our ever-popular painting course In Focus Techniques: Learning to Paint With a Lens. Students wanting to add an arsenal of techniques to their ‘camera bag of creative options’ will find this class doesn’t disappoint. And we still have spots available in our newly revamped Sharp Shooters program ... five monthly sessions plus five popular techniques equals one adventure you won’t want to miss!

This new year also brings the publication of our long-awaited flash books: Off-Camera Flash, Multiple Flash Photography and Just One Flash. As the publication dates become official, you will be the first to know ... but, there is a buzz about all three possibly being released at the same time!

Happy New Year ... and happy shooting!
Rod and Robin Deutschmann

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Holiday Portrait Tips ... as shown by IFLC Students



Our Holiday Portait's students have taken it 'indoors' and shows us with a little lighting ingenuity ... anything is possible!


Photo by Jan Hayman

Lighting is a necessity for photography ... and at no time do we understand this more than when there is a lack of it. Shooting indoors can be an ongoing struggle if you lack the basics in lighting control ... but, with a few tips and tricks, illumination is usually just a finger-press away.


TIP#1: Turn on some lights! There isn't anything mystical about 'photographic' lighting. Light is light. So, make good use of those lamps in your house.

TIP#2: Raise your ISO. Yes, of course you will gain grain ... but, without it, you may gain nothing at all. Just use it wisely.



Photos by Diana Russo

TIP#3: Learn how to bounce a flash. The best way to control the lighting in a room is to illuminate it completely yourself. Flash is a powerful tool to help bring your message out of the darkness.


Photos by Jan Hayman


Planning ahead and taking the time to practice your indoor lighting before the holiday 'hub-bub' begins will ease the stress of your Holiday shooting.

Photo by Diana Russo

And just look how happy your subjects will be ... they'll simply be jumping for joy (frozen AND in low, indoor lighting, no less)!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

IFLC Gift Certificates Available



Give the Gift of Artistic Expression


IFLC Gift Certificates are available for purchase in increments
of $25, $50, $75, $100, $175, and $225


IFLC Gift Certificates are good towards any course offered through the In Focus Learning Center (prerequisites do apply) unless otherwise noted.

To purchase an IFLC Gift Certificate e-mail the following information to savemeaspot@me.com:
1. Your name and e-mail address
2. Amount of Gift Certificate
3. Name of Recipient for Gift Certificate

Payment for IFLC Gift Certificates may be made by check (mailed to our P.O. Box) or by credit card (through PayPal). Payment information will be sent by e-mail once a request is made.

Once payment has been made, the IFLC Gift Certificate will be sent to you via e-mail as a 4X6 jpeg which may be printed on 4X6 photo paper for giving. Recipients can use them towards any course offered through the In Focus Learning Center.


Please Note:
IFLC Gift Certificates must be redeemed by the Recipient named, proof of identity may be required. IFLC Gift Certificates are not good towards Adult Education courses or any courses not offered solely through the In Focus Learning Center, and may not be used through the IFLC Store. Validity of IFLC Gift Certificate will be check against original order, certificate# and Recipient's name and may become void if payment hasn't processed completely. Once the IFLC Gift Certificate is used towards a course, there will be no other monetary value. IFLC Gift Certificates are non-refundable and are not redeemable for cash.

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