Chris Orwig - Flipside

photoshop cs5 / new features

today is the day that adobe announces the new cs5 creative suite. in conjunction with this announcement, i’m excited to let you know that lynda.com just launched a preview of my latest training course titled, “photoshop and bridge cs5 – new features”.

the preview contains 5 movies of free training content. click here to check it out!

*i just got word that the entire 2.5 hour course is live! if you’re looking for a great way to get up to speed on photoshop cs5 new features be sure to check it out!

prints for haiti

Greg Lawler, a good friend and great photographer, created a wonderful site printsforhaiti.com in order to try to make a difference with the recent crisis in Haiti due to a massive earthquake. While the earthquake happened a while ago, there are still huge needs in Haiti. If you like photography and if you want to help out, read on.

Greg’s own words explain it best: “Over the past weeks, I have been moved and saddened by the plight of hundreds of thousands of Haitians after their capital city was destroyed by a massive earthquake. Then I’d arrive at work, dry my eyes, and move on to the business of the day. But the stories kept coming, and I was finally inspired to get off my [donkey] and actually do more than feel sad.”

Greg’s response was to take action and he collaborated with a number of photographers asking them to donate prints. He then quickly created a website were you can purchase prints so that the funds can be directly donated to the American Red Cross and Direct Relief International in order to provide much needed help in Haiti.

As a side note, the image at the top of the post is one of my favorites. It was taken by fellow Brooks Institute photography faculty Paul Leibhardt (see more of his work here). Paul is one of the best photographers I know. You can find this photo, a few of mine and many others on printsforhaiti.com – be sure to check it out!

the sea

the simplicity and solace of the desert, dried and then refreshed my core
now back home, i cannot resist looking out to sea

my gaze searches across the water and i hear a reminiscent tune
its a song that beckons me to become aware
like the song i heard in the desert which forced me to pause
and to drink in the deep and dried out air

looking and listening creates such resolve
i will not let life slip away

if i again am beckoned by a similar call
i will not look the other way

if only for a moment
i will take a true and honest breath

come what may

keith carter

keith carter is a profound photographer and inspiring person. above are a couple of portraits that i made of him just this morning (click on the photo for a larger view). he’s been teaching a workshop here at the conference on finding your personal voice. i couldn’t think of a better person to learn from.

while i didn’t get to take that workshop i did have the chance to sit down and talk with keith at dinner one night. i was impressed and enlivened by his gratitude, humility, honesty, authenticity, transparency, vision and crazy sense of humor. keith is an amazing person. click here to view some of his work.

breakfast with douglas kirkland

ever wonder what happens when two photographers sit down to have breakfast? well this morning i had breakfast with legendary photographer douglas kirkland and we had a lively conversation. douglas’ passion for photography and zeal for life is so contagious. i have learned so much from him about living and about photography.

and of course even though it was breakfast ,we both had cameras with us. douglas had a pocket camera and i had my usual slr with the 50mm lens attached. we sat and talked for quite a while and throughout the conversation we were picking up each other’s cameras and taking pics. on the left is a photo douglas took of me and on the right is one i took of him (click on the image for a larger view). this was yet another reminder to me to bring my camera with me wherever i go.

dinner at palm springs photo festival

one of my favorite parts of photography conferences is getting to hang out with some amazing and inspiring people. at palm springs photo fest each evening they have an outdoor dinner for the faculty – it’s unreal.

last night  i had the privilege of sitting at a great table with some of the world’s best in their respective areas. i was flanked by mac holbert and  peter krough, and sat across from chris rainer and john paul caponigro (pictured above at dinner – click on the image for a larger view).

needless to say is was a dinner full of interesting dialogue, deep conversation and much laughter. thanks a ton to jeff dunas for putting on such an amazing conference!