Gold Coast’s character and architecture attract visitors from far and wide to gawk at the magnificent mansions and classic brownstones. After all, Gold Coast is one of the most affluent and beautiful neighborhoods in the country. Yet it has more to its charm than wealth. Since its establishment in the late 1880s, Astor Street has been filling the Gold Coast with rich history and intrigue. Join your Digital Photo Academy instructor to photograph the prestige, wealth, and history of Chicago’s Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast is perfect for shooting architecture in a variety of styles, including Romanesque, Tudor, and Art Deco. Capture the windows and doors that help distinguish one house from another and the brick or stone work that helps define a style. You will also photograph city and street life as you note the locals and the day visitors strolling along or peeking out of windows.
Shooting alongside a professional photographer, you will learn the secrets of the trade and new ways to create powerful images. Think about the use of color, light, and angles, learn to manipulate your aperture and shutter speed, and experiment with compositional techniques like leading lines, depth of field, and the rule of thirds. Use a slow shutter speed to a capture a photograph like the one below of the bicyclist whizzing by, notice the small details of fountains and architecture, and highlight the leading lines of a wrought-iron gate.
We will meet outside of the Charlney Persky House located at 1365 North Astor Place, Chicago, IL 60610. Please bring your DSLR or another type of digital camera that you use, a fully-charged battery, and the equipment that you can carry. You should dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.
Each Composition in the Field class begins with a talk with one of our experienced instructors, and then you and your fellow students take a stroll through one of a variety of photogenic locales (in any of the 20+ cities the DPA encapsulates). There is street photography, magnificent interiors, farmers markets, zoos, landscapes, and more, photos of which are included within. These photos are a mix of student and instructor images in many different venues and cities across the United States and Canada.
You will have fun in the three hour session, learn to shoot strategically, get more interesting photos of the event, and walk away with a foundation to improve your photographs in the future, whether you’re traveling, or at a birthday party and everywhere in between.
Please note – if a class must be cancelled due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control we will be happy to work with you to reschedule. If you should need to cancel and require a new class date, contact us. A $25 transfer fee will be imposed without a 3 day notice before the scheduled class.
