Because of my extensive history in helping 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 mornings 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 |
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, candid, 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 do not 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 like 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 capturing and editing, and
traditional and creative approaches to composition. There will be
opportunities for field trips, or other field work, 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 | Flexible enough to accommodate most |
| Activity Level | Low to moderate |
| Special Gear | None |
| Mentee Level | Beginner or intermediate |
Kim Wasielewski
I have been in CPS for about 10 years. I have found that I really like capturing people and telling stories. One of my superpowers is getting total strangers to allow me to capture their image. To my surprise and delight I get paid for this on occasion! My niche these days has been author portraits for book jackets. I shoot Nikon but all are welcome! Photography is my happy place, and I feel like I am a good teacher if you are a hands-on learner. My whole philosophy is “get out there and shoot” as well as “no one ever died from taking a bad photo.”
Join me for a fun and joyous learning experience!
Information
| City | Strongsville |
| Camera Brand | Nikon |
| Photography Interest | Portraiture |
| Availability | Weekdays with some weekend field trips |
| Activity Level | Indoor and out door limited walking |
| Special Gear | Tripod, a prime lens and speedlights
All are useful but not necessary |
| Mentee Level | Beginner and intermediate |
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).
Sept. 13 1:00PM – Fresh Fest
Sept. 20 11:00AM – Zoar Civil War Reenactment
Oct. 4 8:00AM – Maria Sunflower Field Avon
Oct. 11 – Pick it.
Oct. 18 – Pick it.
10/25 10:00AM – Back to the Wild
Nov. 1 11:00 AM – Day of the Dead Cleveland
Online meetings on Thursdays at 7:00 PM
Spt. 11, 18, 25
Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30
Nov. 6
Information
| City | Munroe Falls |
| Camera Brand | Sony |
| Photography Interest | General |
| Availability | Plan is outlined above |
| Activity Level | Slow, indoor, outdoor walking and hiking. |
| Special Gear | Tripod |
| Mentee Level | Any level. We can learn from each other. |
Bruce Orr
I have 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 is 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.
Information
| City | Old Brooklyn |
| Camera Brand | Canon, Fujifilm |
| Photography Interest | Nature (both wildlife and landscapes) 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 needed. Part of the learning is making due with what you have on hand. |
| Mentee Level | Beginner and intermediate. |
David Grimmer
I have been shooting since 2017. Started out shooting cityscapes and landscapes and then moved into night sky and wildlife. You do not have to be interested in all my interests. Landscapes and Cityscapes work on bracketing to get a high dynamic range image. Night sky, getting the Milky Way and star trails shots. Wildlife – how to get the sharpest image for a wildlife shot. Not required, but I will do all day trips and overnight trips if you are interested and available to travel.
Information
| City | Parma |
| Camera Brand | Nikon but you don’t have to shoot Nikon |
| Photography Interest | Landscapes, Cityscapes, Wildlife and Milky Way |
| Availability | Saturdays until late Oct. After that, Weekends. |
| Activity Level | Outdoor Hiking |
| Special Gear | Landscape, Cityscape and milky way need tripod wider angle lens. Wildlife will need zoom lens, preferable 400 mm or longer., |
| Mentee Level | Any level. |
Brad Ruebensaal
I have been passionate about photography since age 15. I worked professionally out of college for the Sun Newspapers as a staff photographer covering local events, human
interest features, and high school sports. My tenure as a full-time photojournalist has ended but I still actively pursue my interest in photography regularly through
landscape/nature, wildlife, macro, sports, and concert photography. I hope to impact mentee(s) by sharing photography basics such as the exposure
triangle and composition techniques through online and in-person meetings. I can also provide camera setting, basic image editing techniques in Lightroom, and critique of
mentee images after shooting. Overall goal is to show someone my love of photography. Let us explore together!
Information
| City | Broadview Heights |
| Camera Brand | Nikon Z mount bodies/lenses and Tamron lenses |
| Photography Interest | Nature, wildlife, concert photography and sports |
| Availability | Evenings and weekends (some weekdays based upon workload) |
| Activity Level | Indoor, outdoor, hiking |
| Special Gear | Would prefer to have mentee with Nikon Z mount to share lenses but not a deal breaker. I have extra tripods and other gear to share as needed. Would also prefer mentee to have ability to share files via Google Drive or Dropbox. Potential for Skype or Teams messaging conversations/critiques. |
| Mentee Level | Beginner or intermediate |
Omar Jeffries
I have been focusing my photography on architecture for the past few years. My goal as a mentor is to help mentees photograph and see architecture in a fine art way. We will practice composition and camera techniques on architectural subjects using any lenses you may have. I am also available to help with editing.
Information
| City | Old Brooklyn |
| Camera Brand | Canon |
| Photography Interest | Architecture |
| Availability | Saturday Mornings – Around 8am |
| Activity Level | Indoor, outdoor, walking, hiking, climbing |
| Special Gear | Tripod and any lens between 24mm and 400mm. ND Filters are optional. |
| Mentee Level | Any |
Amy Frank-Hensley
A creative journey centered around the 52Frames – Weekly Photo Challenge Project. We will meet virtually every Sunday evening via Teams to share photos, give, and get feedback, brainstorm for the upcoming prompt, and plan optional weekly meetups/photo shoots. A private Facebook group will keep us connected throughout the week, and occasional guest speakers may join to inspire us further.
My goal is to create a fun, supportive space where photographers of all levels can grow, connect, and stay inspired. I am an avid 52Frames participant who thrives on the weekly challenge and has submitted consistently for over two years—including two selections for the coveted “52 Picks”. As an intermediate photographer with a strong background in group facilitation and a deep love for creative exploration, I am excited to share what I have learned and help others discover new techniques and perspectives.
Information
| City | Amy Frank-Hensley |
| Camera Brand | Nikon Mirrorless |
| Photography Interest | Eclectic: Nature, Birds, Landscapes, Macro, ICM, Cityscapes, Multiple Exposure |
| Availability | Weekends, Evenings, Some early morning (before work) |
| Activity Level | Indoor, outdoor, walking, hiking, climbing |
| Special Gear | No special gear needed, appropriate for mobile phones too |
| Mentee Level | Any |