Registration to open for free photography workshop

Registration is about to open for the next Susan McClendon Art Workshop, to be held next week, which will focus on photography.

Highly regarded local photographer Charlie Sawyer will teach the workshop “Taking Better Photos with Charlie Sawyer” on Wednesday, April 17 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Franklin County Extension Office, 261 Dr. Frederick Humphries St. in Apalachicola.

This is the fourth in a series of six art workshops offered by the St. George Island Book Club in partnership with the Elder Care Community Council of Franklin County.  The workshops are offered to the public at no charge in memory of book club member and art enthusiast Susan McClendon. 

Registration is available open at the link https://betterphotos.eventbrite.com The rain date is Wednesday, April 24.

Sawyer’s agenda is to help participants get the most out of any camera or phone. He will cover the characteristics of composition, camera controls, light, lenses, focus, and exposure. “You’ll learn how to use your eye and the camera or phone controls to take better looking photographs,” he said.

The class has four parts: presentation about photography, instructional workshop, outside walk to take pictures, and optional critique session. In the critique, the class will review a photo that the participant has taken during the class or one that was brought with them, discussing possible improvement.

Participants are asked to bring:

• A camera or phone with a fully charged battery
• Paper and pen for notes
• Comfortable shoes for walking outside
• Optional: a photo you took previously. Email it to CharlieSawyerPhotoArt@gmail.com, or bring it on a memory card or USB stick.

Sawyer lives in Apalachicola and has been capturing images of the Forgotten Coast for many years. Now mostly retired, his career includes television broadcasting, FSU faculty member, and adult educator. His style is naturalistic, with minimal adjustment or manipulation of the image. He will tell you that a great compliment is people mistaking his photos for paintings. 

“Painters can manipulate the subject, composition, light, and color as they desire, creating the perfect balance of elements,” he said. “To mistake my photo for a painting means I’ve achieved that balance in an image directly from life.” 

His extraordinary eye for composition, light, and detail can move the viewer not only aesthetically, but emotionally. “I want the viewer to see and feel what I did when I took the picture.”

 Locally, Charlie exhibits at The Pearl Gallery in Apalachicola; his website is www.CharlieSawyer.com.

For more Info call 850-370-0116