The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation, in a beautiful turn of the century mill building in Waltham, MA, is a tribute to the fine craftsmanship and great inventions of this nation back during the Industrial Revolution. Founded by Francis Cabot Lowell, the man who inspired the city of the same name, the Boston Manufacturing Company, was America’s first, “integrated” textile mill built just two years after the War of 1812. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as America’s first factory.
There are many amazing things to focus your camera on inside, including over 50 displays of steam engines, gears, bicycles, typesetting equipment, line shafts, pulleys and belts from the first assembly line, a horse-drawn fire engine, the original collection from the Waltham Watch Company and various ground-breaking inventions like the first flat bottomed paper bag making machine which was invented in 1871, by Margaret E. Knight. Opportunities abound for unique images, whether shooting details or wider perspectives of the many fine lines and intricate forms. The natural light bathes the room from gigantic windows above, along with the high ceilings and one can imagine each machinist at their posts on the assembly line.
To properly showcase these industrial works of art, your instructor will share composition techniques such as leading lines and the rule of thirds, discuss getting proper focus and depth of field to enhance the storytelling aspect of your images, and give feedback on your shots.
Join us while we explore the past of this great nation and share our love of photography.
Each Composition in the Field class begins with a talk with one of our experienced instructors, and then you and your fellow students take a stroll through one of a variety of photogenic locales (in any of the 20+ cities the DPA encapsulates). There is street photography, magnificent interiors, farmers markets, zoos, landscapes, and more, photos of which are included within. These photos are a mix of student and instructor images in many different venues and cities across the United States and Canada.
You will have fun in the three-hour session, learn to shoot strategically, get more interesting photos of the event, and walk away with a foundation to improve your photographs in the future, whether you’re traveling, or at a birthday party and everywhere in between.
Please note – if a class must be canceled due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control we will be happy to work with you to reschedule. If you should need to cancel and require a new class date, contact us. A $25 transfer fee will be imposed without a 3-day notice before the scheduled class.