The Studios 5th Birthday Party was a SMASH HIT!!-ric woods photography

Learning to Shoot on Manual mode -3 Hour beginners photography course-ricwoods photography

We ran a another beginners photography course the other night and the emails we received over the next couple of days from inspired photographers highlighted we are on the money with the course .Its theory and practical in a 3 hr session at the studio in carrington.

All the students are guaranteed to be shooting on manual mode when they leave the studio or they can come to another course for FREE


We talk about, aperture,shutter speed,iso etc. Here Maree talks to Barbara about the focus points inside the viewfinder and how they can be changed

Its a casual visual approach to learning photography.We supply a QUICK REFERENCE FIELD GUIDE for the participants , a remoder of what theylearned when they leave the studio


We show participants how to throw the background out of focus for their portraits..

...and how to throw the foreground out of focus to lead the viewer to important aspects of a captured scene.


Brad Davies sent us a few images from his practise session with his children the next day...putting the theory into practise...well done.Cant wait to see more.

Download the 2012 PHOTOGRAPHY & LIGHTING COURSE BOOKLET here.The beginners course feeds into 13 other courses, including a weekend away.

2012 Photography & Lighting Courses-ric woods photography

WOW!! Maree has put together a great 2012 for those wanting to learn more about photography & lighting. Click on the image below to download the 6 meg 22 page PDF.
Gift Vouchers are available and we cater to all levels from beginner to advanced.Natural light, on location photography or studio lighting....its all here. Call the studio to book on 02 4962 1066 0r email maree@ricwoods.com....SEE YOU SOON...
See our website here or check out the behind the scenes loo into the class by clicking on the links on this blog page here

The Framing Game Competition- ric woods photography

Congratulations to Elizabeth from Speers Point the winner of our FREE family photo shoot and framed collage. Elizabeth was very pleased and said " I never win anything". We are looking forward to the shoot as Elizabeth said she has 6 GREAT GRAND CHILDREN !! It will be a happy and full day in the studio during that session.

The Framing Game owned by Karen Fuller (pictured below with maree nichols drawing the winner) has been our Framer of choice for many years now. Karen and her staff Meg and Pete have always been able to present our studios images at their best.

Our photography and lighting course booklet is available for download here

2 COMPETITIONS 2 CHANCES TO WIN- ric woods photography

Maree in conjunction with 2 of our favourite business Pro Am Colour Laboratories and The Framing Game is running a competition for their customers.Both are free to enter and there are two very different prizes to be had.


The first competition is with The Framing Game. You could win a fantastic studio photo shoot and included is a beautiful framed collage of the images you choose. FREE to enter, just drop into the Framing Game located at shop 3 Charlestown Mall, Charlestown and fill out and entry form,put it in the box provided and GOOD LUCK.

Our second competition involves Pro Am.Pro Am has been printing our quality images for years.David Barnes the owner comes from a Commercial Photography background and can be a a wealth of information for the amateur photographer.
our prize for the Pro Am competition is a place in one of our photographic or lighting courses.We have courses for beginner's to professional

Free and easy to enter ,just drop in to Pro Am Adamstown Plaza Adamstown, fill out an entry form and drop it in the box...EASY !!

Download the 2011 21 page PDF Photographic & Lighting Course Booklet HERE

2011...A great year to make images

Maree Bridie and myself are so looking forward to making images this year.Last year with the studio and admin changes we made we increased our client base by about 300% and look to do better again this year.

We were have Australian and OS clients giving us the figure that we should charge for some photo shoots and the cost they were presenting left no room for creativity and growth of the studio through profit. After making the decision to step up a level and let those commissions go that are not cost effective something shifted, and we have seemed to attract better paying commercial and portrait work.
Running a full time photography studio costs and there is lots of folk that don't have our overheads who's fees are lower.There is room for everyone we feel, doing the sums and calculating profits is very important.We purchased lots of new equipment in 2010 including 4 new Bowens strobes,soft boxes 2 cameras etc, more insurance, staff .....Its good to have the good gear and the secure feeling of back up EVERYTHING ....

We will of course continue to contribute or services to the community at times with no fee as we believe that if everyone gave their skills at times to the community it would be a better place for all.

This year we will do more teaching for those that want to learn the way we do things and we will also have some exciting personal photo shoots in the planning stages...

Looking forward to meeting lots of new clients and students this year.......

thanks to Glenn Judd for the behind the scenes images

maternity and newborn photography workshops

Meela, was the star of our recent workshops on newborn photography, so aware at such a young age. At our course we had several lighting changes.Three lights and how to maximise depth of field and minimising distortion of the subjects through lens and aperture selection.Rim lighting high and low key. One light with reflectors.

mother & child

new family

dad and meela

eye contact and voice recognition

some of the students

Dad was fantastic with Meela, mum looks on

Dad getting ready to change Meela's pose

Small groups are great to teach.

Here I am explaining to one of the group about talking to the subject....I did this with a practical demonstration of pointing the camera at the photographer for 1-2 minutes without speaking and using the shutter...they "got it" and we had fun.One of mothers to be in the background, you will be seeing more of her as her "bump" grows.

Here Maree comforts Meela's under study....the under study wasn't needed at all. Our primary focus is the 1. the comfort of the child 2. the comfort of the parent/s and 3. getting the shot.

Here is the results of images of Amy, one of our previous subjects, using 2 lights

Amy in this shot is illuminated by 3 lights.This creates a whole different feel.

Our workshop "Creating beautiful B&W's" is scheduled to run again in 2011.Maree is compiling lots of new courses for next year.

If you would like more workshop details email maree@ricwoods.com.