Mystic 4 Sponsored by Walter van Dusen: Speaker Line Up

Walter van Dusen presents An Annual Event of Learning and Networking Mystic Hilton, CT (860.572.0731) Sunday January 18th 2-4:40 pm and 7:30-10 pm Monday January 19th 7:30 am - 6:10 pm The Mystic 4 event is for networking with fellow photographers for all to share ideas that help build a community of wedding photographers. Please bring samples of your wedding work (wedding albums, proof magazine, enlargements and etc). SOLD OUT! REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. DINNER IS SOLD OUT. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! Providence, RI (TF Green) is the nearest airport. Southwest Airlines seems to have the best air fares. Video, Sound & Lighting Provided by Power Posse Productions
THE PRESENTERS
SUNDAY, January 18th
2:00-4:30pm	"What every dealer DOESN’T want you to know." Do you perform any "in house printing?" How much ink and media do you waste. Pro Digital Gear, a leading nationwide Epson Prographics Dealer, will enlighten you to a simple, easy to use, color management work flow, that will save you money and time! This seminar will explain why you must calibrate your monitor and how to perform this calibration, assign monitor and printer profiles, how to “soft proof”, and the mechanics of an Epson Printer Driver. You will learn what a “RIP” really is and whether or not you need one. All attendees will receive a Pro Digital Gear/Epson Gift Certificate that has a $50.00-$100.00 value towards specific Epson Pro Products. This will be an educational seminar you won’t want to miss! Bio: John Fast (standing) is retired from a career in nuclear engineering with General Electric. His pursuit of photography as a serious interest began more than fifty years ago. John specializes in wildlife and nature photography and his images have been shown in several galleries in Connecticut. (www.johnfastphotography.com) He has been published in Outdoor Photographer magazine and presents slide programs featuring his photography and adventure travel to clubs and organizations throughout New England. John is currently employed as the leading Sales Executive with Pro Digital Gear. John also teaches digital imaging and Photoshop at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich. Andy Frausini (sitting) brings 25 years of photographic experience to Pro Digital Gear. Andy retired from professional photography and started Pro Photo Gear in 1997, with a name transformation to Pro Digital Gear in 2005. After having run a successful photo studio with their own color lab, Andy noticed most of his large commercial accounts were doing their own work “in house.”.. Andy states ‘ I called on a client and asked them if everything went OK with our last assignment and that I hadn't’t heard from them in awhile. My client told me, they were always happy with my work, but they bought their own “in house” system and hired a college grad who knew Photoshop. This was the trend for MOST of my commercial accounts. So, I said, if you can’t beat them, join them. I began selling my expertise as a consultant and set up studios in many of the corporate accounts. I ended up providing training and selling them all the equipment needed to perform high end digital imaging. The business has just grown from there” The company specializes in high end digital imaging equipment and represents Canon, Epson, HP, Xrite, Eizo, Lacie, and more! They offer installation and training as well. Andy has the advantage of knowing the business from the photographers point of view and prides himself on giving Pro Digital Gear’s clients professional service with wholesale pricing. All of Andy’s staff are professionals!	Enter Wiebetech's photo contest to win a FREE RTX400-QR at http://www.wiebetech.com/photo_contest/.
5:00-7:30pm	GTG/Dinner at the Mystic Hilton	Dinner is SOLD OUT!
7:30-10:00pm	Huy Nguyen "Photojournalism, for real?" Join Huy for a brief exploration outside the normal expectations of conventional wedding photography where "normal" is old news, clichés are shunned and surprises are embraced. Is "real", real? Is "Wedding Photojournalism" Photojournalism? Let's kick the heck out of some myths about PJ and toy with some new blends of concepts and ideas. Bio: Life happens in small moments. On a wedding day, Huy enjoys the challenges of photographing real life as it happens. His images are distinctive and fresh because he is not bound by preconceived ideas and the "rules" of conventional wedding photography. The wedding day is real and so are the wedding images. Huy's creative vision and photographic skills were shaped by years of experience as a staff photojournalist at major newspapers including the Chi cage Tribune (1993-1994), The Virginian Pilot (1995-1998) and The Dallas Morning News (1998-2004) His extensive experience as a photojournalist has helped Huy to develop his unique perspective and approach to wedding photography. Recently he was recognized as the Wedding Photojournalist Association's (WPJA) 2005 Photographer of the Year. Huy (pronounced as "we") resides in Dallas, Texas with his family.
MONDAY, January 19th
7:30-8:25am	Christopher David "The Power of Aperture and Nik Plug-ins" Christopher will talk about Apple's Aperture. He will discuss some of the hidden features in it's all-in-one workflow as well as dispel some of the myths surrounding managed libraries verses referenced libraries and plug-ins. He will take you through a simple start to finish project demonstrating the power Aperture offers wedding photographers. An emphasis on utilizing Nik Plug-ins to further enhance images will be demonstrated. Christopher will show how the power and sophistication of Nik's U Point technology can dramatically save you time. Even if you aren't an Aperture user you can benefit from being introduced to the Nik suite. It works seamlessly with Photoshop too. Bio: Christopher David is a New England based photographer working out of his home studio in New Hampshire. His introduction to photography came from his grandfather using his old 4x5 camera and photographing landscapes. Christopher David had divergent interests, finding himself drawn instead to people. After pursuing a career in clinical psychology, focusing on people's hardships, he began focusing on photographing the happiness embodied in weddings during 2004.
8:30-9:25am	Vladimir Chaloupka “Digital Video for the Still Photographer" Vladimir will speak about the impending convergence of still photography with digital video and explore what this means for the modern wedding photojournalist. Vladimir will discuss a variety of shooting styles that can be used to create a fun and memorable wedding film that breaks the mold of the run-of-the-mill wedding video. He will talk about new and exciting technologies such as the video capable Canon 5D Mark II D-SLR and outline a typical workflow including: methods for stabilizing the camera to achieve steady shots, capturing your footage, basic editing in Final Cut, combining stills with video and a variety of ways to output your final project to DVD or the Web. Bio: Vladimir Chaloupka was born in Prague, Czech Republic. He has worked as a photojournalist throughout Europe including the position of photo editor for The Prague Post. He received numerous awards from the Associated Press as a staff photographer for the Las Cruces Sun-News before relocating to Santa Fe as a full time wedding photographer and film maker. Vladimir recently completed a video project in Cabo San Lucas, documenting a 5-day wedding that was also featured on the WE Channel's Platinum Weddings.
9:30-10:40am	George Weir "Sees, Shoots and Leaves" Shooting: Where does the inspiration to see, find and capture great images come from? How does one ensure that all the pieces are in place allowing one to do so every time? Capture: There is more than “Knowing where to stand” as Ansel Adams said to make a good photograph. There are also attitude and equipment. Edit: “Never mind the quality; feel the width!” or when to say, “Enough is enough.” Albums: Thinking down the road and avoiding pitfalls. Keeping design simple and unique. Preparing files, designing and producing. Bio: Full time professional photographer for 25 years. Fifteen years in Ophthalmology taught the artist in me that being a professional photographer means, “Getting the images every time. No excuses!".
10:45-11:40am	Walter van Dusen "What do you do with all of that stuff?" Using multiple cameras on a wedding day can be challenging. Walter will demonstrate how and why he uses up to four cameras, three flashes (on camera Nikon SB-900 and Q-flashes) and a Lowel ID video light. Techniques on bounce flash and back lighting will be among those discussed. Walter van Dusen, M. Photog., Cr., CPP, is a Connecticut based wedding photographer since 1997. His accolades include: Three time Photographer of the Year in Wedding, Portrait and Creative categories, Best in Show Wedding Album (PPANE and CTPPA), two PPA Loan Collection Prints, five Court of Honor awards, Kodak Gallery and two Fuji Masterpieces. Walter attends numerous photographic conventions, seminars and workshops to further his formal education and to open his eyes to new possibilities. Pictobooks Mystic 4 Show Special
11:45-1:00pm	David Murray "There are no perfect pictures, only perfect moments." How can you take photos showing the events of the day while remaining a quiet observer of that day's event? What techniques do photojournalists use to make images a true reflection of moments that occur during the course of wedding? David Murray will discuss and demonstrate some of the methods he uses to create images where reality and art coincide. Bio: David has been a photojournalist for over 25 years. Starting as a staff photographer for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and then on to a variety of assignments in Atlanta for AFP (Agence France-Presse), the New York Times, Time Magazine and a picture editor for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is a Pulitzer Prize Finalist as well as a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award runner-up for his work in Haiti. In 2007, he was rated one of the top five wedding photojournalists by the WPJA. David initially took his photography inspiration from the Life Magazine images that were part of his childhood. The drama and impressions of daily life captured by such photographers as Eugene Smith, Robert Capa, and Larry Burrows remain with him to this day. He now uses this documentary approach to the very civil ritual of marriage.
1:00-2:30pm	Lunch! Time to hit the buffet!
2:30-3:40pm	Michelle Turner "Just Go Stand Over There: The Art of Interacting with Couples" In the age of photojournalism, what happens when you have a couple that has difficulty interacting beautifully? What do you do when you have a wonderful couple that simply looks awkward when you say, "Just go stand over there," to them? How do you refine their movements and "poses" to capture beautifully orchestrated moments? Michelle will walk you through her interactions with brides and couples (even the awkward ones!) showing how she prompts her clients and creates "moments" that they love. Bio: Michelle lives in the rustic splendor of Maine. To avoid frostbite during the frigid winter months, she photographs destination weddings and photographed over 12 international weddings last year. Whether photographing at the Ritz or at a cottage on the beach, Michelle infuses her images with fun and passion. Michelle's first book on wedding photography and the evolution of the image is due out in early 2008 from Ilex Press. Sponsored by FINAO and Pro DPI.
3:40-4:55pm	Ben Chrisman "Looking Beyond the Obvious" Ben will talk about pushing your photography to a new level of creativity by revealing his thought process behind his wedding photographs and discussing the ways he approaches a scene before clicking the shutter. There are several things that Ben looks for in each situation and he will show how a few small adjustments and decisions can expand your vision. Looking past the obvious is always a challenge with the repetitious nature of weddings. Ben will explain what he does to avoid feeling like a conveyer belt at a wedding photography assembly plant. Bio: Ben lives in San Francisco traveling nearly every weekend to weddings around the United States and beyond. In 2007, he was ranked as the Photographer of the Year with the Wedding Photojournalist Association. In 2008, American Photo Magazine named Ben as one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World. More importantly, Ben loves taking photographs that are meaningful, a little bit different and hopefully in the end, timeless.
4:55-6:10pm	Anne Ruthmann "How an Ugly, Fat Girl became a Popular International Photographer" She didn't get lucky photographing celebrities. She isn't skinny enough to fit into designer clothing. She doesn't have a portfolio filled with lavish, over-the-top weddings. Yet, clients are willing to book her sight-unseen, fly her across the world, and even pay 5 figures for her work. Anne has learned what clients want most and why they will go out of their way breaking their budget just to have it. She'll share her secrets to branding, pricing, and client care that have contributed to her rapid success in wedding photography. Bio: Anne is a self-taught photographer who started photographing weddings in 2005 while living in Detroit, MI, went full time in 2006 while moving to Terre Haute, IN (a rural farm city) and just recently moved to Lowell, MA in 2008. In those few short years she has gained an international following of wedding clients, won awards in AGWPJA and WPJA, been published in several different wedding magazines and was recognized as one of PDN's Top Knots for 2008. Before realizing her passion for wedding photography, Anne spent 10 years working in finance, marketing, and management for everything from large corporations to small non-profits. She regularly shares her extensive business knowledge and experiences on various forums, in private consultations, and on her business blog PhotoLoveCat.com.
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