What to expect at The Nik Summit
this spring in San Diego.

The Nik Summit, May 13-16, 2010:

The Nik Summit is a unique educational event spanning 2 1/2 days in May 2010 and located in San Diego, CA. From the time you register, all the way through the event and beyond, you can expect an exceptionally entertaining, personal, and highly educational photographic experience.

We’ve assembled some of the best photographers and industry leaders we know to help us guide on-location shoots, conduct workflow seminars and hands-on labs, provide incredible insights into their lives and work, and create a classroom without boundaries. Our hope is that you learn more and come away having had the kind of genuine connections with leading pros and your peers most only dream about.

Reserve your place at the Nik Summit today.

Details:

When: May 13 - 16, 2010
Where: Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa on Mission Bay
Cost: $599
Transportation for on-location workshops provided
Optional "green" transportation services provided by Terramoto Transportation
Meals while at hotel provided

2:00pm - 6:00pm - Registration opens in lobby at San Diego Hilton Mission Bay

6:00pm - 8:00pm - Welcome reception (no host bar)

6:30am - Board buses to Cabrillo National Monument

7:00am - 11:30am - Shoot in groups at Cabrillo Lighthouse, Monument, and Tidal Pools

• Each group will learn camera and lens techniques, working to achieve proper exposures, color balance and best lens selection.
• Group leaders will also discuss composition and etiquette in public places.

11:30am - Buses to Old Town

12:00pm - 2:00pm - Lunch (no host) in famous Old Town San Diego

2:00pm - Buses to hotel

2:30pm - 3:00pm - Introductions and welcome by Michael Slater and Nik Mgmt Staff

3:00pm - 3:30pm - Technology presentation (U Point) – Josh Haftel

• Attendees will learn the new way to edit and enhance images selectively from editing light and color to applying effects and adjustments.

3:30pm - 3:45pm - Afternoon break (Digital Lab opens until 6 p.m.)

3:45pm - 4:30pm - Lightroom/Photoshop workflow discussion – Rob Sheppard

• Rob Sheppard has been a leading editor, photographer and workshop instructor for years and will illustrate how he has optimized his workflow utilizing the most up-to-date methods for saving time while achieving the highest quality.

3:45pm - 4:30pm - Advanced Portrait Retouching Techniques – Janice Wendt, Digital Lab

• Learn the "Secrets of the Masters" as Janice shows amazing retouching techniques that can truly enhance and elevate your photography. Features advanced use of Nik Software products.

4:30pm - 5:30pm - "State of the Industry" Panel discussion – featuring Vincent Versace,Douglas Dubler, Chris Robinson, Wes Pitts, Bill Hurter, Nils Kokemohr, Rob Sheppard

• Discussion will focus on current trends in photography from image capture to editing, sharing and preserving. This esteemed panel of leading experts will answer a series of thought provoking questions from the moderator and audience.

6:00pm - 7:30pm - Dinner (hosted by Nik Software)

7:45pm - 9:00pm - Keynote Presentation #1 – Robert Beck, Sports Illustrated

• Follow Robert on location as he shoots some of the most memorable events of the last two decades on the front line of Olympics, heavyweight boxing, NFL football, major league baseball and World Cup Soccer.

9:00pm - 11:00pm - Fireside Chats, South Pool area (no host bar)

6:30am - Board buses to Balboa Park

7:00am - 9:00am - Shoot in groups in Balboa Park

• One of the most visited locations in San Diego, Balboa Park offers beautiful architecture, unique compositions and more.  Each team leader will share their vision as they walk through this most photographic of locations.

9:00am - 1:30pm - Shoot in groups in San Diego Zoo (no host lunch)

• Working with live animals can be a challenge.  From understanding their behavior to learning how to best select lenses, camera position and techniques for creating the best image possible.  All team leaders are well experienced in this type of photography.

2:00pm - 3:00pm - Every Black and White Conversion Technique Known to Man – Vincent Versace

• Learn how to make a Black & White image that not only rivals Silver Gelatin images but surpasses them. Not only will we review why you should not use every conversion approach, but we'll also look at when you should!
• You will learn how to transform an RGB file to B&W, replicating the physics of how it would have been recorded had the image actually been shot on black and white film–all without ever leaving the RGB color space.

3:00pm - 3:15pm - Afternoon break Digital Lab opens until 6 p.m.

3:15pm - 4:15pm "Concept to Completion" digital workflow – Douglas Dubler

• One of the top fashion and fine art photographers in the world, Douglas has created his own way to organize his workflow from how he captures the image to the final output. His quality is second to none and you'll learn great tips from this highly respected and talented photographer.

3:15pm - 4:15pm - Advanced Image Enhancement, Janice Wendt, Digital Lab

• Picking up from the previous day's advanced editing session, Janice will showcase work from some of the top photographers and how subtle enhancements can result in dramatic and stunning work.

4:15pm - 5:30pm - The Lazarus Effect: Raising the Dead Pixel – Vincent Versace

• Learn how to take an out of focus image and non-destructively bring it back into focus using minimal image manipulation. Using Vincent's amazing workflow techniques you will be able to revive and breathe new life into all of your images.
• This class is for anyone who has ever taken an image and found the focus to be a wee bit "off," or tried to photograph a waterfall, and no matter what, the image was a little too soft. Then there are those images that you know were in focus when you shot them, but because of the type of sensor, or the way the RAW file was processed, the sharpness you expected just was not there. This class is about a new way of thinking about your images, as well as a new way of seeing and creating.

4:15pm - 5:30pm - Getting The Most From Your Speedlights, Nikon Presentation, Digital Lab

• Nikon's leading technical representatives will offer training on Speedlights and how they might fit more easily into your photographic work. Understanding the latest technology can free today's photographer from the complexity of flashes in the past.

6:00pm - 7:30pm - Dinner (hosted by Nik Software)

7:45pm - 9:00pm - Keynote Presentation #2 – Joe McNally

• Easily one of the leading photographers working today, Joe will take the attendees on a trip inside his world of memorable work including commercial, editorial portrait photography and more from shoots throughout the world. His magazine cover work, images from the World Trade Center and others, entertaining as well as educate. We're in for a great event.

9:00pm - 11:30pm - Fireside Chats, South Pool area (no host bar)

11:00pm - Official End of The Nik Summit

9:00am - 2:00pm - Meet at the San Diego Wild Animal Park Sunday morning after the Summit ends for a fun shoot with Nik Software staff. You'll go north of San Diego to the Wild Animal Park to enjoy a morning of shooting animals in this truly magnificent location, built to replicate the plains of East Africa. While this is not a part of the official Nik Summit, we welcome any attendees who would like to spend time working on skills they learned during the last couple of days.