Future Programs

Here are the new photography program ideas that I am working on. This Digital Image Programs are available originally for libraries, but can be for any interested group (including historical groups, cultural organizations, camera clubs, camera stores, etc.)
Please note the Expected Date of First Available Bookings - as these are works in progress.
If there is a topic that you do not see here, please ask. I might be able to work something up.
As I am working on new program ideas, I will keep information on this page. Once a program is available, I will give it its own page.
There will be no charge for Michigan libraries or nonprofits.
Available for virtual presentations or in-person if close to Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Michigan area. For in-person events greater than one hour from Ann Arbor, I may ask for mileage reimbursement.
These programs will be updated regularly to reflect the continually changing landscape for photography.
If interested - please write Corey at coreyseeman@gmail.com.

The Everpresent Camera: Understanding Photography On Your Smartphone

Description: The smartphone has revolutionized photography by enabling almost everyone to have a camera with them at all times. With the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and Android phones a year later, the number of photos taken with phones far outnumbers the ones taken with digital cameras of any kind. This program is designed to provide an overview of smartphone photography, storage and some best practices so you can make the best use out of this amazing tool.
Key Takeaways:
1. Discover an overview of the growth of phone photography.
2. Understand where the images and videos are stored and how to manage them on the phone and the cloud (including backing them up).
3. Learn the best subjects to use with a smartphone and where it is not as good as a camera.
4. Review basic phone settings on both Android and iPhone/iPad devices
Format: In-person or virtual
Length: 60 minutes plus time for questions
Expected date of first available booking (August/September 2024)

Description: For as long as I can remember, the camera was an essential part of packing for any vacation one might take. Now with smartphones never leaving our sides, we have even more opportunities to take pictures of our time away from our normal lives. So how do we manage, save and share these pictures during our vacations? There must be a better way than scrolling rapidly through months and months of pictures to find last year's holiday? This program will introduce you to photo sharing services that are available from companies such as Google, Apple, facebook and flickr (among others) and how to organize them for easy retrieval. We will look at ways organize, backup and share pictures with friends and family. And hopefully I can help answer why your pictures (nor mined) are not as good as the postcards?
Key Takeaways:
1. Discover a bit about the history of vacation photography as its own genre
2. Learn some best practices on organizing your vacation photos
3. Learn about keeping photographs private or sharing them broadly - and the services that will enable you to do that.
4. Learn some ways to enhance your photography so that your pictures capture your time away and are closer to the postcards!
5. What to pack if you are bringing your camera gear along!
Format: In-person or virtual
Length: 60 minutes plus time for questions
Expected date of first available booking (August/September 2024)

Description: While we have benefited from artificial intelligence (AI) for years, the development of using Generative AI over the past few years has potentially transformed our interactions with technology. Long since the days of predictive text that guesses what you might type next, AI now creates content, pictures and just about everything else. The power of AI can also be a very attractive tool when it comes to making life easier, but it may not be the cure-all that people are hoping for. In this fast-changing environment where AI is being used everywhere, we will learn about the benefits and drawbacks of AI as an organization tool for your digital pictures.
Key Takeaways:
1. Learn about how photo management services are using Artificial Intelligence.
2. Learn about what Artificial Intelligence does well and what it does not do well.
3. Determine what you can do to enhance this tool to ensure that more than the subject is identified.
4. Learn when to use Artificial Intelligence as part of your tool kit or when to not rely on it.
5. An attempt to see where this might be going in the future.
Format: In-person or virtual
Length: 60 minutes plus time for questions
Expected date of first available booking (Fall 2024)

Description: We tend to think about vacations and travel as a reason to break out the cameras. However, we can get amazing pictures right around the corner from where we live. A walk in the park can reveal plants, trees, birds, squirrels and other elements that make for a great photograph. The more we visit and photograph these local spots, the richer the possibility of capturing life during each of the four seasons. Using the state of Michigan as both my muse and my subject, I will share some of my favorite locations for photography and day trips. A local spot for photography is fantastic because you can capture at different times of the day or during different seasons.
Key Takeaways:
1. Learning about locations where you can visit more frequently that are wonderful for photography in Michigan.
2. Planning day trips across the state or even in your own county.
3. Sharing and using those pictures with others both in and out of the state.
4. Learning about any admission fees or photographic policies in advance at locations such as parks and museums.
5. Where are some great places to get great shots of squirrels (and who would not want that)!
Format: In-person or virtual
Length: 60 minutes plus time for questions
Expected date of first available booking (Fall 2024)