Private Tutoring with E. David Luria
Washington Photo Safari director E. David Luria is available to do private tutoring in photography. Tutoring can take place at a suitable architectural site, in a museum, or even over coffee at Starbucks.
Subjects covered can include:
- General Photography
- Use of Your Camera
- F Stops and Shutter Speeds
- Candid Outdoor Photography of Kids
- Architectural Photography
- Photographing Artwork Inside Museums and Galleries
- Nightime Photography
- Travel Photography
- Event Photography
- Careers in Photography
Candid Outdoor Photography of Kids
We all know that the main purpose of children is to make their parents and grandparents laugh! Right? Why else would we go to all the trouble and expense of having children?
Why do they make us laugh? Because they are CUTE! So it is VERY important to preserve that cuteness before they grow up, and the best way to do that is in pictures, good pictures that bring out the child’s personality and the awe-filled discovery of the mysteries of life.
Here is an opportunity for parents and grandparents to learn HOW to take candid outdoor shots of their children and grandchildren in a natural playground setting, how to get those tight close-ups of the joy on the child’s face as he slides down a slide, or swings on a swing , or dangles from a crossbar set, or pokes that little head framed in the window of a junior firetruck, or concentrates intently on making a BIG pile of sand in a sandbox!
This is a two-hour private tutoring session taught by professional photographer and Washington Photo Safari director E. David Luria (himself a proud father and grandfather!) We will go over all the functions of your camera and its lenses, how and when to use flash, how to do continuous rapid shooting to capture that right instant, how to get low and close to the cuteness! After this session your candid outdoor shots of the kids will be MUCH better, guaranteed to make your family say….“Awwwww!”
It takes place in a playground in upper northwest Washington DC just 4 blocks from a Metro stop and with lots of on-street parking available during the day. The best part is that you can bring your children and grandchildren to the session, they play on the playground until we are ready to take their pictures - they are the models!
Bring your camera, all its lenses, and any auxiliary flash unit if you have one. The cost of this one-on-one session is $200/ person, 2 people can come for $350, you can register below. There is of course no charge for the kids, or for non-photographer babysitting spouses!
Architecture – Exteriors and Interiors
For advanced amateurs or aspiring professional photographers with adjustable-lens SLR cameras, this is a special session of one-on-one, on-the-job training in exterior and interior architectural photography. Accompanying professional architectural photographer E. David Luria while on a field assignment, you will learn all the techniques of exterior and interior architectural photography, such as how to time the photo shoot for best sunlight, how to shoot high-rise and low-rise buildings while maintaining straight verticals, how to choose shooting angles, how to dress up and frame exterior views with flowers, foliage and trees, and what filters to use for exterior work.
Moving inside the property, you will earn how to measure interior white balance, how to use strobes to balance indoor and outdoor window light, how to present interiors to best possible advantage for display or advertising purposes, and how to highlight interior architectural or interior design details. Recommended equipment includes digital SLR camera, a wide angle lens of at least 12 mm focal length, and telephoto of at least 90mm, plus an auxiliary flash, a sturdy tripod and a camera level or carpenter’s two-bubble level. Mr. Luria will also demonstrate use of a 28mm perspective control “shift” lens on this Safari.
Sessions may last 2 hours or 4 hours, depending upon assignment, and will take place at various locations in the DC/MD/VA area. Scheduling will be done at client’s and Mr. Luria’s mutual convenience. Clients are invited to travel with Mr Luria in his car or use their own cars. $200/per two-hour session, $375 per 4 hour session.
Washington Photo Safari founder and director E.David Luria is a professional photographer specializing in architecture, landmarks and event photography. Trained in Paris by a protégé of the late Henri Cartier Bresson, Mr. Luria is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers. His images of the nation’s capital have appeared in over 100 publications and on the covers of 30 magazines, and he serves as the event photographer for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. He is a member of the Society of Photographic Educators, and his photo Safaris have trained over 20,000 participants in the techniques of travel, landmark, nighttime, portrait, and event photography.
Choose your subject:
Recent Comments
“I learned a ton from the Corcoran Gallery Safari. The class covered how to shoot in museums without tripods or flash.
“First, instructor David Luria had us practice how to hold our cameras steady. Then he went over tips for ISO (high), aperture (wide, unless it’s a sculpture where depth of field was important), composition (He used the surrounding paintings as examples), and white balance (depends on the light). He also gave us a tip sheet, checklist style, to take home.
“Then we toured the museum as a group, escorted by museum staff, shooting whatever we wanted. Mr. Luria would give individual assignments every now and then (“Try shooting the statue from here.” “How about that stained glass panel right there?” etc.) He’d also share very specific tips for shots gone wrong (“That statue looks too yellow. Try changing your white balance.” “That’s a little dark. Try a shutter speed of 80.”) If a student had a particularly good technique, he’d say, “Hey look at this.” (For example, one student held his camera way over his head to avoid glare, using the flip screen to compose the shot).
“Mr. Luria’s philosophy, I think, is to try lots of different angles and techniques, because the beauty of digital photography is that you can make lots of mistakes. Also, he insisted that we not let the camera be the boss of us. For example, I overexposed one painting, so he suggested I disobey the camera’s light meter and manually set the exposure much darker —It worked great.
“It was also great to get customized hands-on advice with our particular cameras. For example, Mr. Luria taught me how to change the white balance to really bring out the red in one painting (He showed me how to access these settings several levels down my camera’s menu. I never even knew these settings existed!).
“All in all, super helpful!!”
—Angela N, 8/21/10
“Thank you SO MUCH for such a diversified Safari itinerary. The locations you selected for us to practice our photography were excellent. Although I am a native Washingtonian, I admit I rarely travel downtown to view all of the wonderful monuments and museums. I commuted downtown for more years than I care to remember, so it was very refreshing to view the city through the eyes of a tourist rather than a commuuter. You were very patient and shared a wealth of information with all of us, which I will be sure to practice. I am learning to trust my own judgment and not leave the camera on “automatic,” especially since its the latest and greatest in digital photography. I certainly felt I got my money’s worth from this Safari. Keep up the good work!”
—K.P.
“Many thanks for the great day. You have the ability to talk to each person naturally at their level of ability and knowledge.”
—Henry Doggart, Northern Ireland
“Thank you again, David for the class yesterday. It’s definitely taken away my fear, and reduced my ignorance about using F-stops and shutter speeds. I feel ready to practice now and get more proficient. I’m sure I’ll be enrolling in more of your Safaris.”
—K.R.
“I hope to be able to shoot with you again in the future. You provide a very nice service to photographers crossing your path, and I will be sure to recommend your class to others.”
—W.D. (professional photographer)