Boise Adobe Lightroom Workshops May 15-16

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Workshops by Chad Case

Award winning photographer and stock photo agency owner Chad Case is offering a weekend of workshops on the popular program Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.  This amazing application for both Mac and Window users has brought the two worlds of editing/ organizing and processing/ delivering into one efficient and powerful workflow.  Chad has been using Lightroom on a daily basis since its launch and brings 17 years experience working with Photoshop as well as various digital asset management software.

Lightroom 2 Workflow – The Big Picture

This 4 hour workshop will be an extensive overview of Adobe Lightroom and workshop participants will come away with a well rounded understanding about using this powerful application to organize, create and deliver photography in an efficient workflow.  Participants should bring their laptops with Lightroom already installed for this enlightening hands-on experience.  A free 30 day trial of Lightroom can be downloaded at http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom (do not download the trial version until 7 days before the workshop).

8:30 to 12:30 May 15th
Watercooler Building 1401 W. Idaho Street
Cost: $60.00

Click here to sign up for the workshop.

Lightroom 2 – Tips and Tricks That Work

This 4 hour workshop will dive deeper into Lightroom.  Chad will share what he has found most useful in the different modules to organize, create and deliver photography.  Some of the items discussed will be: creating your own identity plate, emailing photos from Lightroom, speedy editing, processing images in the powerful Develop module, using presets, creating custom web galleries with a personalized identity plate, setting up Lightroom to post web galleries directly to your web site, exporting images for end use, and many other tips and tricks to get the most out of this application.  Participants should bring their laptops with Lightroom already installed for this advanced look at Lightroom.  A free 30 day trial of Lightroom can be downloaded at http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom (do not download the trial version until 7 days before the workshop).

8:30 to 12:30 May 16th

Watercooler Building 1401 W. Idaho Street
Cost: $60.00

Click here to sign up for the workshop.

Testimonials

“Chad Case has an easy, genuine approach to teaching Lightroom. He knows his stuff. He’s both insanely creative and technically proficient but he never makes you feel stupid. Chad can bring a complex subject down to a level where it makes sense — even to a beginner. I have never failed to learn something when I’m in the room with Chad.”

Michael Snell
http://www.michaelcsnell.com

“Chad’s Lightroom workshop has something for every level of user. Starting with the fundamentals, he takes students through a typical digital workflow in a well-paced, easy to follow manner. Using his own images, he demonstrates tips, techniques, and shortcuts that save time and instantly enhance photos. This class is a valuable investment for anyone wanting to improve their digital darkroom skills.”

Eric Lindberg
http://www.ericlindberg.com

“I’ve been to a number of computer training workshops in the past, including ones for Photoshop and Lightroom by a well known photog/guru. Usually my eyes glaze over after the first hour. But Chad Case kept my attention throughout his workshop. And best of all, I learned a few Lightroom tips that I’m still using every day. Way to go, Chad!”

Dennis Cox
http://www.denniscox.com

“I would highly recommend Chad’s workshop. His knowledge and command of Lightroom helped raise me to a new level of understanding of it’s capabilities and workflow.”

Alison Wright
http://www.alisonwright.com

Mexican Charros in Guadalajara

Upon entry to the charreada, a specific type of Mexican rodeo, I was adorned with a long rope necklace attached to a shot glass.  Before I could say buenos dias the glass was filled with tequila and a cowboy hat was placed on my head.  The Charros strolled about the stone courtyard greeting people and tending to their horses.  Charros are traditional horseman with a long line of family history.  Every time I turned around that night there was a bottle of tequila filling the shot glass attached to my neck- thank God for autofocus!  The next day I was treated to a visit to the families home for a deeper look into this culture.

Mexican Charro holding hand made saddle.

Mexican Charro riding horse at the charreada.

Mexican charro belt buckle and chaps.

Mexican Charro holding hat in charreada arena.

Olga a Mexican horsewoman with family sign.

Mexican Charro Ricardo enjoying a smoke.

Mexican Charro Ricardo riding out of charreada arena.

Benefit for Barbacoa Employees Concert at the Egyptian Theater

Boise’s finest musicians come together for a night of great music to benefit the employees of Barbacoa this Sunday January 31 at 6:30 PM in the Egyptian Theater.  Call 387-1273 for tickets.  I photographed a great press event this Thursday at the Egyptian Theater where traffic was stopped and the Boise Fire Department raised Sally Tibbs up over the Egyptian marquee where she serenaded Main and Capitol Boulevard while Kevin Kirk and Phil Garonzik played from the sidewalk below.

Carl Scheider, Master of Ceremonies, Shawn Brazell, Andrew Cortens, Gayle Chapman & Sandy Sanford, Marcus Eaton, Steve Eaton, The Frim Fram Fellas, Phil Garonzik, Justin Gause, Camden Hughes, John & Pat Hyneman, John Jones Trio, Kevin Kirk & Onomatopoeia, Jon Klein, Tom Moore, Wendi Phelps, Rebecca Scott, Mike Seifrit, The Sidemen, The Sally Tibbs Jazz Quintet, Tom Tomkins, and Janessa White.

Kevin Kirk & ONOMATOPOEIA in 3-D

I photographed Kevin Kirk, Tom Tomkins, Mike Seifrit, Jon Hyneman, Greg Perkins and Phil Garonzik for the ONOMATOPOEIA 3-D concert last year.  These guys were a hoot!  We had the Egyptian Theater for one hour to get the photos done and it was a bit of a mad dash but we pulled it off.  The result was a poster with the guys playing on stage with stretched 3-D like instruments as well as them as the audience.

ONOMATOPOEIA IN 3-D

Kevin Kirk, Tom Tomkins, Mike Seifrit, Jon Hyneman, Greg Perkins and Phil Garonzik ONOMATOPOEIA 3-D

Camera confiscated at Tulum on the Yucatan

Tulum Mayan Ruins on the Yucatan

Tulum Mayan Ruins on the Yucatan

Me taking a photo from the rocky point I managed to climb down on. Photo by Steve Bly.

4:00 AM wake up call at the The Royal Real Resort in Playa del Carmen to make it to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum at sunrise. Steve Bly and myself had attained special permission to photograph the ruins at sunrise instead of 8:00 AM when they opened….. or so we thought we had permission. Instead of an orange sunny sunrise we were treated with the ominous storm clouds of Hurricane Ida looming over the ruins. It really was an amazing site! We wondered around the ruins all by ourselves for an hour before the light turned completely grey and headed back to the car. We took cover at the entrance to let a torrential downpour pass and while waiting we were accosted by the park rangers wanting our official paperwork proving we had permission to photograph this historical treasure. Within the English / Spanish language barrier tensions built. I was asking for five minutes to make a call on my cell phone and they were pressing to delete all of our photos and said we would have to pay a penalty. One of the men tired of the communication process grabbed my camera. We both struggled in a tug-o-war before I succeeded and released my camera. He locked in a room and said he would be back in two hours. Long story short many phone calls and two hours later I was able to get my camera and keep all the photos taken. Lessons learned 1.) Get permission in writing or have the person with you who gave you the permission. 2.) Wear briefs instead of boxers so you have someplace to stash you camera cards.

More Snow PLLEEAASE!!

Okay sub zero temperatures and not enough snow!  Anyone know how to do a snow dance?  I tried wearing shorts and flip flops yesterday in protest of the lack of precipitation and well…. as you can see today it didn’t work out too well for me.  I decide to post this photo of a snow covered Bogus from January of this year as a form of positive thought.

Bogus Basin at twilight with the city of Boise beyond. Photo taken January of this year.

Ireland- it’s green… I mean really, really greeeeennn.

Rent a car the size of a soda can, stick a gps to the front window and make your way to the left side of the road for a round about tour of Ireland.  This place glows green in a good way.  Beautiful fields of green grass undulated in the wind putting the brain in a trance.  Green hillsides spotted with white sheep and gray mountain cliffs dappled with green vegetation.  Maybe that’s why the Irish Spring soap is green and pratically every Irish tradition be it Leprechauns or green beer is because the whole country is green.  I highly recommended a visit even if green isn’t your favorite color!

Working on Slea Head, Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

Cashel, Ireland

The Rock Cashel Ireland

Tea Shop

Sheep on rock wall Slea Head

Beara Peninsula

Miss Latina 2009 Dominican Republic

So there I was, surrounded by beautiful women with two cameras strapped around my neck.  What’s a photographer to do….. get to work.  This seemingly dandy of an assignment turned turned south when nasty weather came in from the north.  They don’t call it the rainy season for nothing.  Rain seven days out of eight made it challenging to photograph the destination and the Misses having fun in the sun.  I wouldn’t call pool shots in the rain fun in the sun.  Post production was a major key in the success of the shoot.  The hotel flooded, elevator quick working, power went out and I told myself to keep smiling.

Here’s some of the photos:

http://www.chadcasephotography.com/090616-Latina/index.html

The eyes of Miss Peru.

Josh Ritter Ireland to Idaho

“[My wife Kathleen and I] celebrated July 4 with Josh Ritter and thousands of other fans in Cork, Ireland. After a 24-hour, sleep-deprived journey from Boise to Dublin, Ireland we stumbled into Josh Ritter at the Dublin Airport. Kathleen exclaimed, “We came all the way from Boise to see you!” He was very gracious and we chatted for awhile whereupon he offered to share his cab with us. We declined on the account we were renting a car and Josh gave us both hugs as we said our goodbyes.

The concert was amazing! The full band plus a 24-piece orchestra aptly named the Cork-estra after the town. Cork and Ireland in general love this Idaho guy and the crowd roared back the lyrics of songs like “Kathleen,” “To the Dogs or Whoever,” “Right Moves” and “Empty Hearts.”

His smile was infectious and he was as tuned into the crowd as the crowd was to him. To top the night, off Josh introduced the world to his first violin performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” with the U.S. flag projected behind him.

Now from Ireland to Idaho we look forward to our next Ritter concert at the Egyptian this Wednesday night.

Check all the photos from the Ireland show here: http://www.chadcasephotography.com/090710-Ritter/index.html

Josh Ritter in Cork Ireland

Josh Ritter in Cork Ireland

Josh Ritter in Cork Ireland

Owyhee Canyonlands Wild and Scenic Rivers

The Owyhee Public Lands Management Act finally passed in the Senate this year classifying 517,000 acres of wilderness on public lands and 316 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers. See http://www.idahorivers.org for details.

Below is a story from seven heavenly days spent in the Owyhee Wilderness

Magical Owyhee
Journey to the Edge of the Earth
By Chad Case

Serpentine canyons of red and brown cut through the high desert in one of America’s most remote territories, the Owyhee Canyonlands. I expected another paddling adventure and was thankfully surprised to be awarded a true wilderness experience, drifting off the edge of the earth into a magical land.

Our exotic journey to the brink of civilization began at a local hotel parking lot in Boise, Idaho, loading trucks, suburbans, and trailers with gear, food and people. As I sipped my coffee and chatted with my fellow paddlers, I gazed out the window at the flat sagebrush step and snow capped Owyhee Mountains beyond as we rumbled down the highway through Mountain Home, Bruneau and Duck Valley Indian Reservation. It was mid May and we were embarking on a 7 day expeditionary style float trip down the South Fork of the Owyhee River.

It had rained the night before and Marvin, a cowboy that grew up ranching in these parts, gently guided our fully loaded suburban with trailer attached down the slippery muddy road with one hand draped over the top of the wheel. As we started to slide off the road Marvin stopped, kicked the vintage suburban into 4 low and crept up the hill fish tailing from side to side.

Floating rivers in the Owyhee Canyonlands is challenging to say the least. Unpredictable river flows, a short season, and washed our roads make the Owyhee an intimidating landscape. It is these very reasons that have kept this land a hidden jewel from droves of people and where you can experience isolation and the magic of a last true wilderness.

After we aired up the kayaks and lashed down the gear, we wiggled into our neoprene bibs, cinched up our personal floatation device, and put on our helmets. Dustin Aherin, our lead guide, proceeded with the safety talk in which he told us everything that could go wrong and what to do to prevent or survive those situations. It began to sink in that we were alone in an isolated land of 2.5 million acres. A satellite phone and a long lifeflight were the only options if something were to go wrong.

With the safety talk fresh on my mind I launched my kayak loaded with my personal gear into the current. There was not a cloud in the sky and we had little time to get used to the kayaks before our whitewater initiation on “Devils Pinball”, a succession of eight Class III rapids.

Anxiety and excitement began to build along with the sound of the whitewater in the distance. Dustin went through first with the supply raft and barked back orders on which line to follow. Two additional guides in kayaks, Lexie and Tyler, took us into the frothy roller coaster. My heart raced and my hands gripped my paddle with adrenalin as I feverishly paddled through wave after wave. The cold water rushed over my face and body taking my breath away at times. I could hear whoops, hollers and wee hees over the churning of the whitewater from the rest of the group.

That night there were big smiles on a lot of faces as the magic of this land started to sink in. After thunderstorm raged through camp nearly taking some tents with it, we enjoyed a prime rib dinner, then kicked back around the sagebrush fire with nothing to hear but the pops and cracks of the flames, the song of a bird and the gentle hush of the river flowing near by.

The next morning the green slopes of grass, sagebrush and willow transformed into thousand foot high red and brown cliffs characteristic of Bryce and Zion Parks in southern Utah. Jaws dropped and necks craned as a mystical silence blanketed the group while we paddled slowly down river being pulled further into the heart of this land.

Time melted away from day to day. The tranquility and serenity of the canyons occasionally gave way to the exhilaration of whitewater. Some whitewater broke the stillness of the canyon with a deafening roar. Cabin and Cable Rapids were both so mammoth we portaged our gear and boats around the rapids and put in downstream. The Cable Rapids portage was a character building experience; climbing up steep slopes with shifting rocks and working as a group to get the support raft through the dangerous, frothy water.

Seven days, eighty miles and no shower made our final day soak at the hot springs near Three Forks extra special. Lush green vegetation and the cascading waterfalls contrasted the desert environment as we nosed our boats into shore. After a “power shower” in the pounding waterfall, we soaked in the deep pools above and stared up at a cobalt blue sky with a sigh of accomplishment and melancholy as we finished the trip and headed back to civilization.

After one week on the river, the unique power of this rarely visited place had sank into my soul. I pondered the current state of the Owyhee Canyonlands and the proposed wilderness area. Native Americans, ranchers, the military and conservationists are working together with the Bureau of Land Management on this multi-use land. Off-road vehicle use, overgrazing and the bombing range threaten the purity of this awesome place. As an individual who has done a fair amount of world travel, the Owyhee is the first place I truly felt like I had dropped of the edge of the earth and I sincerely hope we can preserve and pass on this pristine area and its rugged isolation to future generations.

If you go:
ROW Adventures 800-451-6034, www.rowadventures.com

When: April to late May

Look for:
Big Horn Sheep
Antelope
Eagles
Mule Deer
Otter
Rattlesnake

The Nitty Gritty:
Seven days and 80 miles of river
Paddle through one of the lower 48’s most remote open spaces
Plenty of Class I to Class III rapids to get your blood pumping
Two monster rapids to admire and portage around
Thousand foot high canyon cliffs
Variety of topography from canyon floor to desert plain

The Red Sea is NOT Red

Just back from a press trip to Egypt. Truly humbling to stand next to a 5,000 year old pyramid towering toward the sky and wondering how the did it without heavy equipment. Conversation after conversation with the locals turned into Obama talk. They were all very excited for our new president. Sharm el Sheik on the Sinai Peninsula was a nice Red Sea beach scene. Although the Red Sea was not red, it was more of a bluish green watery color. This was the only beach I have been to where one could view a fully clothed in black with only the eyes showing (Bedouin), a nice good old fashion western woman (Bikini), a modern fully clothed from head to toe Muslim women (Burqa) and a more liberal european fashion of topless (Breasts). Bedouins, bikinis, burqas and breasts!

Sharm el Sheik. Bedouin, camel and Red Sea.

Sharm el Sheik. Give me baksheesh and I will smile.

Cairo, the eyes of Tut.

Camel and driver, Pyramids at Giza.

Felucca boats on the Nile River at Sunset.

Caleche horse carriage.

Man selling rugs.

Muslim man at Luxor Edfu Temple.

Inside temple.

Fisherman Nile River.

The Abita Mystery House

The Abita Mystery House was birthed from the crazy mind of John Bullard. Also known as the UCM Museum this once country gas station has been turned into an interactive exhibit with memorabilia and previously used particles from the past. Unknown spectacles such as Darrel the Dogigator (half alligator half dog), Edmond the Allisapien (half alligator half homosapien) and a house full of hands on dioramas with red buttons to push and phones tapped directly into the neighbors as well as the pentagon. The photography here is a small glimpse into a strange world located off a small country road in Abita, Louisiana.

Abita Mystery House.

Abita Mystery House. Mastermind john Bullard.

Abita Mystery House. Please no obscene talking.

Abita Mystery House.

Abita Mystery House.

Abita Mystery House. Martians at Mardi Gras.

Abita Mystery House. New Orleans Jazz Funeral.

Abita Mystery House. Tragedy on Dogpound Road.

Abita Mystery House. Smily head.

Abita Mystery House. Mastermind john Bullard plays his own game.

Abita Mystery House. Pick up the phone and hear what they are saying.

Abita Mystery House. Mastermind john Bullard.

Abita Mystery House. Mastermind john Bullard.

Abita Mystery House. Mastermind john Bullard.

Abita Mystery House. Darrel the Dogigator.

Gator in swamp. Abita Mystery House territory.