Because of my extensive history in helping out with the Fundamentals class, I have become aware that some students may not have achieved a working knowledge of their cameras by the end of the class. My time with mentees will be devoted to giving a firm grasp of the basics through instruction and practice on actual subjects. The objective is to bring the mentee to the level of an intermediate photographer. We will shoot at mostly park locations including waterfalls. I live on the west side but am open to other locations within a reasonable distance if there is a particular interest. Weather permitting there will be a night shoot in Cleveland. Normally I spend 4 to 5 sessions of about two hours each, but there is flexibility here. Most shooting can be done with a kit lens, but I can help you with any lens you may have.
Information
| City | North Olmsted |
| Camera Brands | Canon, Fuji, Sony. |
| Photography Interest | General. |
| Availability | Weekdays with some Saturday morningsm occasional weekday evening. |
| Activity Level | Indoor and outdoor with some short distance walking of less than a mile. |
| Special Gear | Tripod and remote shutter release |
| Mentee Level | Beginner |
Marge Brady
I have been a member of CPS since 2020. Flowers are my passion. I use a variety of lenses: 18-400 (my go to lens), Lens Baby Velvet, Macro 105 mm, 70-200. I can teach flower photography both using a tripod and without. I would like to meet on Monday mornings to shoot and then do a Zoom photo review, perhaps Thursday evenings. I would like to go to such places as Rockefeller Gardens, Strongsville Horticultural Gardens, Miller Nature Center, possibly Holden Arboretum. I also would like to show how to shoot flowers through textured glass, and on a tabletop using assorted backgrounds. We could do that at my house. We could also do macro using oil and water. I am extremely mechanically declined – I know how to use my camera and may be able to help with a Nikon, but probably not with other cameras, so come prepared with knowing your camera’s settings! I ask for no smoking or cell phone use during our sessions I am fairly knowledgeable about Lightroom, but do not use Photoshop. I feel that editing is a very important part of photography and would love to help with editing in Lightroom. I also use Topaz AI, Topaz Denoise, and around with Topaz and Nik. Sharpening. I also have the Smart Photo Editor program, which is fun to play.
Information
| City: | Cleveland West Side |
| Camera Brand | Nikon |
| Photography Interest | Flowers and Macro |
| Availability | Monday Mornings and Thursday Evenings. |
| Activity Level | Outdoor, limited walking |
| Special Gear | Tripod, Diffuser, Cable Release, kneeling pad or bench. |
| Mentee Level | Beginner |
Team of Rick Mills and Dave Korosec
Rick Mills |
City: Medina |
This marks my seventh year as a mentor, guiding photographers from basic to advanced techniques. Through five hands-on outings, I’ll demonstrate how to apply these skills in real-life scenarios. We begin with fundamental photography principles, gradually introducing new challenges with each outing. Our Wednesday online Team Meetings will provide an opportunity to review your work from the previous outing and refine your skills. The pace will be tailored to your abilities to ensure steady progress. I’ll be working with David Korosec as my co-mentor, along with additional helpers available during outings for extra support. If you anticipate missing multiple outings, I encourage you to consider a mentor with a more flexible schedule. Looking forward to working with each new Mentee.
Dave Korosec |
City: Painesville |
I’ve been a lifelong photographer and while traveling or out shooting I would get excited about a beautiful new location; implementing a spray and pray method that would only get me a rare keeper. I joined CPS in 2021 and signed up as a Mentee in Rick Mills and Dennis Wert’s group I’ve been Mentoring alongside Rick and Dennis over the past year. I look forward to helping Mentees improve their composition and technical skills while learning to be more thoughtful about their images. At our in the field shoots we focus on techniques, building on the Fundamentals Class; we share ideas and problem solving on location. We then provide gentle feedback and suggestions on image review during online meetings.
Information
| Camera Brand | Nikon |
| Photography Interest | Travel, Landscape, Nature, Waterfalls |
| Availability | Saturday morning outings; Weekends and weekday evenings. Online teams conference Wednesday evenings. |
| Activity Level | Outdoor walking and hiking |
| Special Gear | Tripod, Polarizer filter, ND filter, remote shutter release |
| Mentee Level | Beginner or intermediate |
Schedule
| Team Meetings |
| Wednesdays 7pm |
| April 9th – May 7th |
| Outings |
| Saturdays 9am-12pm |
| April 12th – May 10th |
Dave Ciborek
We will go out to photograph together and learn from each other. We will photograph flowers, birds, people, animals and whatever else we see. We will talk about composition and the effective use of camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO). Some of my favorite places to photograph are Sandy Ridge, Rockefeller Greenhouse, Cleveland Zoo, and Cleveland Botanical gardens, A couple of events on my list are Parade the circle and the Cleveland Asian Festival, We also might consider the Chagrin Balloon Glow and the Biggest Week in Birding (warblers). We will be going out on Sundays with sharing of Images between our get togethers.
Information
| City | Munroe Falls |
| Camera Brand | Sony |
| Photography Interest | Almost anything |
| Availability | Plan to meet on Sundays but I am retired. We can meet other times as well. |
| Activity Level | Slow, indoor, outdoor walking and hiking. |
| Special Gear | I use a tripod when necessary and allowed. My ‘go to’ lens is a 70-300mm. I also use a 200-600mm and a 14-26mm, however no special camera, lenses or equipment is required. |
| Mentee Level | Any level. We can learn from each other. |
Team of Bruce Orr and Karen Isaac
Bruce Orr |
City: Old Brooklyn Cleveland |
I’ve been involved with photography as long as I can remember. My grandfather was a wonderful travel photographer, which is where I draw my inspiration. The transition from film and the darkroom to digital has been exciting and as much as I loved the analog world, the digital world has proven to be a wonderful bridge, combing old school techniques with ever changing technology. I enjoy all types of photography, but nature and wildlife are always a favorite. Overtime, I have grown to enjoy architecture, people, sports and some still life. Recently, I find myself gravitating to monochrome images. The type of sessions I like to hold are informal and free flowing. Find a place, set out and learn as we go. The overall flow would be one week, we take photos and the next we meet up to review. I think it’s important (but not necessary) to have some type of project in mind; a picture for the den, gift, photo-book – anything that will help give focus.
Karen Isaac |
City: Northfield |
I have loved photography since I was young. Growing up I had several cameras that I took everywhere-documenting friends, family, and vacations. Before I had my first child, I took some classes and used a Minolta film camera. My husband would come with me & write all my settings down on a clipboard! I set my hobby aside when my son was growing up. I joined CPS a few years ago. After taking some classes, I joined a mentorship group with Bruce as my mentor. I love nature shots, birds, and flowers.
The theme for this spring session will be black and white photography. We’ll pick locations and subjects that highlight the beauty of this style. We’ll also explore various techniques, including use of filters, high-key and low-key, long exposure and toning to enhance photographs in post processing. We’ll also touch upon methods for converting color images to monochrome and ways to take advantage of the underlying image data. Outings will generally be on Sunday mornings, but there might be other opportunities based on weather or events. Some flexibility is appreciated. There will be a good deal of walking in a variety of environments and, if the opportunity presents itself, we may add a quick bite to eat to the agenda. During the week, we’ll have a critique night where you’ll receive constructive feedback on the previous weekend’s photo session. Images will be uploaded using a provided Dropbox link and we’ll review the images on-line and make some quick, light edits. There is the potential for an in-person review session as well to work on editing techniques. Overall, the sessions are relaxed, where you’ll learn by doing. You’ll be working at your own pace, giving you the opportunity to improve upon areas you’re interested in and to experiment. The intention is to have an outing every weekend with a corresponding weeknight review. Knowing, however, that life and weather happen and there will be an occasional gap.
Information
| Camera Brand | Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon |
| Photography Interest | Nature (wildlife, landscapes, birds and flowers) fairs, travel, including cityscapes and architecture |
| Availability | Weekends mostly, but some weeknights as well. |
| Activity Level | Outdoor, walking, hiking, climbing |
| Special Gear | No special gear is needed. Part of the learning is making due with what you have on hand. |
| Mentee Level | Beginner or intermediate |
Brian O’Riordan
My photography may best be described as personal journalism. I like to photograph what interests me, be it where I am, what is going on around me, or what I would like to examine later to study or learn from. Landscapes, events, candids, nature, architecture, and still life have all drawn my interest and attention. And I enjoy the creative manipulation of images – usually in some mathematical transformation – to deemphasize reality and prod imagination. I don’t seek perfect photos as much as interesting ones, but the ones I find interesting I hope to perfect as best I can, and share when I can.
I think of photography as a form of expression much like language. Improving technical understanding is similar to learning the rules of good grammar. The “art” of photography is what is communicated to the viewer – how the eye of the viewer is directed and the brain engaged, and is the direct result of the compositional skills used. A good image is one that is “read” and appreciated as intended. If you have a range of interests and experience – wide or narrow – that you wish to photograph and share with others, or simply to preserve, then perhaps I am a good mentoring fit. My approach is to discuss with you ways to improve your photography using one-on-one meetings, or exchanges, of individual images. We will examine equipment and settings, techniques for capture and editing, and traditional and creative approaches to composition. There may be opportunities for field trips, or for the assignment of certain tasks, all based on what skills or interests you wish to work on.
Information
| City: | Brecksville |
| Camera Brand | Nikon but all brands and types are accepted |
| Photography Interest | Landscapes, events, candids, nature, architecture, and still life |
| Availability | Flexibility enough to accommodate most |
| Activity Level | Low to moderate |
| Special Gear | None. |
| Mentee Level | Beginner or intermediate |
Erich Botzki
I have been a photographer for about 15 years. I feel the last 4 years is when I realized it was a passion of mine, which led me to where I am today. I am a well-versed zoo and wildlife photographer, with a particular love for big cats. I joined CPS in 2022, learning much from those who taught me what I know today. I always welcome the opportunity to gain experience and still consider myself a mentee. I am excited to share my tips and tricks that I have learned in my experiences throughout the years. I consider myself a very technical person and have a good understanding of most cameras and equipment. My approach would be to visit the zoo one weekend and capture as many moments we all can. The following Sunday we would all meet and review our images. Discuss our favorites and give some feedback and tips for all to apply on our next outing. What I admire most about capturing Zoo life is it is always changing, and you rarely capture the same image twice. This is what drew me to my passion, and I hope we can find what drives you along our journey.
Information
| City: | Parma |
| Camera Brand | Canon but all brands and types are accepted |
| Photography Interest | Wildlife and Zoos |
| Availability | Sunday mornings |
| Activity Level | Outdoor walking |
| Special Gear | A lens that reaches to at least 200mm is helpful but not required |
| Mentee Level | Beginner |
