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The Creative Mechanic – Olympic National Park
Original price was: $147.00.$87.00Current price is: $87.00.
Out of stock
Original price was: $147.00.$87.00Current price is: $87.00.
Out of stock
Colin Baterip (verified owner) –
I think that anyone wishing to improve their image processing and see just how you can use Photoshop to create visually stunning images would benefit from The Creative Mechanic. It isn’t the traditional on-line training course where you get detailed instructions and are slowly taken step by step through “functions”. This is watching two highly skilled and imaginative photographers explain how they see and imagine and then execute. These are two guys with completely different approaches and styles and I was astonished at what they visualised from each others photos. The PDF’s that come with the course detail the steps and settings and the images are provided for you to experiment yourself. I am not a newbie photographer, I have been at it for 4 years now. Nor am I a Photoshop expert but i have used it it and understand layers and blend modes. This course really expanded my understanding of some of the tools available to really visually stretch an image and gave a jump start to my own imagination and creativity. There is also a Facebook group open to purchasers of the course and I would highly recommend joining it. It is a joy to see how other photographers have interpreted and used what is on show in the Creative Mechanic.
TomB (verified owner) –
I’ve done a few courses with both Jim and Blake separately, this course, however, provides a very different approach to learning. Seeing 2 different creators approach the same image from their own mindset and explain their mindset and approach while working on the same image is definitely an eye-opener and learning approach. While I have enjoyed this course it has definitely taken me on a completely different tangent for my own work. I have no problem recommending this.
Eitan Raz (verified owner) –
Dear Blake and Jim,
On finishing that course, Immediately I was looking forward for the next one with you two.
For me it was a new experience to participate in a course like that.
It influenced my attitude on creating a photo art.
David Walker (verified owner) –
Excellent programme brought together a lot of different concepts. Excellent course
Declan (verified owner) –
Although I have not yet seen this, the idea of sharing the eyes and minds of two different photographers photographing the same thing is very inspiring. We all see things differently and to see opposing opinions encourages thought in ones own mind and proves that there are more than one way to skin a cat.
Chris Flemming (verified owner) –
Learning how to actually *look* at a photograph in order to bring out its full potential, or maybe even a quirky alternate experience, is the mission of this course. Two photographic artists show their processes and in so doing make us realize that this is more about really *seeing* rather than just using tools in the hopes of making a better image. Well worth experiencing!
Joseph (verified owner) –
The Creative Mechanic course developed by Blake and Jim recognizes each of us as a developing artist. We start off with a seedling of interest that sprouts into a small passionate vision and then grows into a full majestic portfolio of our unique interpretation of the world. Blake approaches his art more mechanically and Jim more creatively; using the same set of tools and interpreting the same image. Blake is an insanely brilliant technician that has tested the limits and nuances of each feature within the Photoshop toolset; essentially a master craftsman. Jim is an intuitive virtuoso who follows the muse within his mind riffing, reacting and interacting with the images until he is satisfied that his mind’s eye is one with the image.
The point of their course is that each of us have creative strengths that go beyond learning the basic mechanics of each post processing tool. Watching them work, then interpreting their base images for ourselves gives us the opportunity to be mentored, inspired and to grow as artists. By the end of the course the question is not are we artists or can we be artists but what type of artist do we want to be and how far do we want to grow?
Dave Sordi (verified owner) –
I really liked this new addition to Blake’s training program. Rather than a training video on panels and action, it provided a much more creative approach to processing a photo. I picked up quite a few new tips on processing a picture and creating a work of art
Daniel Johnson (verified owner) –
There’s a worn out cliche’ used by many people to offer the value of differing viewpoints – “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” I truly believe that, and I will also offer a different cliche’, “Art is in the eye of the beholder.” Never before have we, as Photographers, been given the opportunity through technology to ramp up our photographs to the level once reserved for true artists, a spot once reserved for those that were darkroom masters in the days of film photography. I started my journey in the darkroom, developing film and making prints using an enlarger. As I turned to digital photography, I felt let down because the creative process just wasn’t there. I found Blake Rudis and Jim Welninski through separate quests to learn different methods from different teachers and elevate my images to the level that I wanted. I didn’t want my images to look like Blake’s or Jim’s. I wanted them to look like the vision I had at the time I captured the image. Through their combined efforts in The Creative Mechanic course, Blake and Jim have helped me get there. Different approaches, different processing steps and, above all, a different goal and vision for the finished product make The Creative Mechanic the perfect course to help you develop your approach to image processing with your own personal artistic license. Trust me, it is worth every penny you pay, and every minute you spend in front of the screen learning the artistic and creative process through Blake and Jim and their superb teaching methods.
James (verified owner) –
This course is less about how to use Photoshop than it is about how to push you to look at a raw file and see what you want from the finished photo. It’s about how you think about a photo and secondarily about how to edit a photo. I’ve been a photographer for most of my life and this course re-kindled my interest in the creative and pushed me to stop editing every photo the same way.
Bill Posner –
The idea to take two artists, one left brain, one right brain and merge them together in one course was brilliant. Blake and Jim really play well together, and to get these insights from both of them has brought my Post Processing skills to another level. I will go back and review this course again soon, as there is so much included! Great Course!
Wolfgang (verified owner) –
Excellent course, speaking is a little too fast (Blake Rudis) for non-English viewers. But with many stops I can understand it well. Thank you.
Robert Van Maele (verified owner) –
At the beginning it, was a bit wear, but at the end it was great to see the different approach and results of two masters in photography-editing! Really an eye-opener and a great stimulant to experiment and follow your mood and feeling and try to create that sphere. At that point it encouraged me to get further and try to use the tips given by both authors. A great advantage is that you always can go back to a point in the course that was not very clear for you. By doing aso, you better understand and get comfortable with this way of work.
The live webinars helped me to better understand the vision and the way of work Jim and Blake have, what their background is and how they learned from each others knowledge! I’m sure I’m not an expert yet, but it changed my editing work and make my photographs more colorful and artistic! Thanks for that…
LillianG (verified owner) –
This course is not about using the tools of Photoshop, Blake and James put your personal knowledge and experience on the differences between an “automated” view and another more artistic view on the same subject. In fact, see your photo and try to reproduce your feelings the instant you made the picture. Photography is art, photography is feeling, you are not just photographer, you become an artist and begin to develop a different look.
Lynn Buente (verified owner) –
Great course! Two superb teachers with different approaches. Looking at photos from different points of view encourages us to be flexible and personal in the way we edit.
I’ve only gone through the course once so far, but each time I go through it, I know there will be something new. This is true of any course offered through f64.
Heike –
I love the layout of this course – two outstanding photography coaches show their really different approaches to interpret and process four images. Different not only in their workflow but also in their imagination and the resulting edits.
Blake and Jim share their processing knowledge along with their thought process – what message do I want the image to convey, and how can I achieve this – step by step explained from the raw to the finished image. And these workflows are not ideal polished presentations but real life editings, with meanders and circles as happens to everyone in the creative process. They discuss their respective thought process and difficulties openly and it is an eye opener to see two great educators even learning from each other.
The course comes with a membership in an increasingly creative facebook group – in the end there are the masters approaches to four images in the course, together with a docen or more different and inspiring interpretations to each of the raws, and many many more artistic photographs, posted by the members, inspired by Creative Mechanic.
MCpsychDoc (verified owner) –
I’m always amazed by the approaches utilized by these two awesome and creative photographers. Blake and Jim each approach several images and come away with very different versions at completion. You get to hear what they think about doing and why so that the creative vision becomes an important aspect of learning to see creatively; whether it’s during the photographic or the post-processing of the images. They discuss their process openly and are forthcoming about any difficulties encountered. It really is nice to see such inspiring interpretations to the raw images by both of these special individuals who, by the way, come from very different and diverse backgrounds. Quality all the way around and I can’t wait for them to come up with a follow-up course that takes these concepts even further, if that’s possible. Would love for them to do a couple of artistic composite images and compare their methodology for each. I, for one, would certainly learn a whole lot!
Al Thompson (verified owner) –
Thought provoking. These two fellows lead you on a journey of introspection, sharing their respective journeys in a very casual and inclusive format. The tone is friendly and supportive and the kind of conversation that assures and challenges you to set aside self-doubt and continue to develop your art.
B. Sensenig (verified owner) –
Blake and Jim,
You both have been mentors and instructional leaders into my Photo Shop experience. My growth behind the camera and in the digital darkroom has been immeasurable since beginning my journey with both of your many courses and now the latest, The Creative Mechanic. If anything, the course has heightened my self awareness as to my process and helped me better embrace my inner artist. I find myself applying my technical knowledge in PS in more artistic and creative ways, slowly building the piece as if it were on canvas. Yes, I have a basic flow (Mechanic), but once basic tone and color are addressed the artist takes over and the fun begins. Keep up the great work and the many contributions you both offer your media groups! Bill
Ken Wilkie (verified owner) –
This is a fascinating and educational piece of work, easily understood using a variety of approaches. I recommend anyone who takes their photography seriously to take this course as I for one have benefitted enormously from watching these two experts produce such artistic work.
Julie Boyle (verified owner) –
A completely different approach to a training video course. Just loved it. The comparison between the two approaches was so interesting. I learned a lot and haven’t as yet had the time to process their images ‘my way’ but will certainly do so in the near future. Thoroughly recommend it.
Bradly Duerr (verified owner) –
Fu Shan Un (verified owner) –
Clyde (verified owner) –
Eye opening!
Carlos A. Carrion (verified owner) –
Like always, Blake delivers top notch learning information. Highly recommend!
Doug W. (verified owner) –
I have only watched your first video (Exploring the Experience) to date. I must tell you my head was swimming a bit. I felt a bit overwhelmed with all your shortcuts and masks. Perhaps I need go back and look at some more Photoshop basics.
Rolf Sjölander (verified owner) –
Very Good.
Changed the way I approach a scene as well as post processing.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Sonya Messier (verified owner) –
MEHRZAD GHOBADI (verified owner) –