Geophotography Webinar Series 2013

February 26, 2013

Geophotography: Getting the Most out of your Images - Jerry Magloughlin, Colorado State University

This event has already taken place

Duration - 1 hour.

Format - Online web presentation via phone and Blackboard Collaborate web conference software with questions and answers following.

About the Author:

Jerry Magloughlin is a life-long photographer and Geoscientist/Geoeducator who teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses, mostly in petrology and structural geology. He developed a series of 35 videos for Introductory Physical Geology instruction for showing in the classroom as virtual field trips. He is the president of JFM Geosciences, Inc and has photographed geology all over North America, Hawaii, Europe, and New Zealand. He has promoted the idea of 'geophotography' as a unifying aspect of geoscience research, with the idea that great geoscientists can learn to be great geophotographers.

Webinar Overview

A few years ago, while thinking about photography, geology, and geology textbooks, three things became increasingly apparent: a) photography, in its many forms, is a central pursuit in the geosciences and one of the most important ways we convey information in research, teaching, and to the public; b) geoscientists have some of the best opportunities in the scientific world to observe and photograph the most stunning natural features; c) most geoscientists find their images of those stunning natural features fail to do justice to the features and processes they visited; d) there is virtually no instruction of any sort at any level to help geoscientists improve their geophotography. Indeed, I discovered that, surprisingly, the obvious term 'geophotography' had essentially never even been used to describe its most evident application.

My approach is a pragmatic one, namely, that while one can improve in all aspects of geophotography, most of us do not have endless time and money and really just need to get the best possible photograph when the opportunity presents itself. This webinar will run through a series of basic approaches to help with sharpness, basic composition, interest, color, and avoiding the dreaded geologic "mug-shot". After a few words on planning and equipment, the emphasis is on what to do when you're on-site, and simply want the best possible image.

Webinar Goals

Understand the overall nature of 'geophotography'.
Break down the four basic steps of doing great geophotography in order to help students see how they can improve, at different times and with different budgets, their geophotographic efforts.
Introduce participants to pre-trip considerations of equipment, light, mobility, and weather.
Introduce a useful checklist to use on-site to help insure interesting, well-exposed, color-balanced, and sharp images.