Spring 2011 Classes at the Hui Noe'au Visual Arts Center Announced

More info on the digital photography workshops starting in the Spring of 2011 is here!

Come join me! The Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center in Makawao will be adding the following workshops to their Spring Schedule.

A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Photography: Part I — Navigation #101954

Instructor: Aubrey Hord

Saturday, 1 day

February 5 / 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

So you bought a DSLR camera, now what? This intensive one-day workshop covers the basics of how to navigate your new camera and how to get started on shooting with the manual setting. From ISO to shutter speeds to f-stops, this class will get you started and shooting in the right direction.

Tuition: $75 ($94 nonmember)

List of supplies provided upon registration

A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Photography: Part II — Composition #101954

Instructor: Aubrey Hord

Saturday, 1 day

February 19 / 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Composing a shot correctly can make the difference between a basic image and an award-winning work of art. Aubrey will go over basic photography composition techniques, how to utilize your shutter speed and f-stop, and methods for capturing the image you want in camera the first time. We will spend some time in the classroom and then head out into the beautiful grounds of the Hui to practice what we’ve learned and to experiment with composition. This workshop is the second in the series on basic digital photography.

Tuition: $75 ($94 nonmember)

List of supplies provided upon registration

Creative Food Shoot #101954

Instructor: Aubrey Hord

Saturday, 1 day

March 5 / 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Bust out your creativity, macro lens, or long lens and be sure to bring some colorful food to shoot for this workshop. We will focus on patterns, designs, colors and textures in food. Get ready to use your artistry and dive into the food options (think lemons, limes, strawberries, dragonfruit, mint, tomatoes, chocolate etc). Let your imagination run wild!

Tuition: $75 ($94 nonmember)

List of supplies provided upon registration

Classes are limited to 8 students.

Classes are sure to sell out quickly due to the limited size. Don't miss out! Register now!

You may also contact Jessica or Lana at the Hui to sign up

You can also call the Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center at (808) 572-6560.

This is just a start... more fun, creative classes to follow in Summer, Fall and Winter 2011.

Hope to see you at the Hui!

Warmest aloha,

Aubrey

(808) 264-5226

www.aubreyhord.com

Food shoot with Alan De Herrera

I recently had the "wonderfully delicious" opportunity to attend a day-long food photography workshop with famous food photographer and humanitarian photojournalist, Alan De Herrera from Los Angeles. Alan was on Maui along with food stylist, Tamara Kaufman shooting a Moorish cookbook and gracious enough to offer a class while he was on the island. We had a great time in the small class and were able to spend time listening to Alan talk about techniques in shooting food as well as getting some hands-on time practicing what we learned.
Alan started the workshop with setting up a bowl of soup. Simple right? Not even close! It took about an hour to get the right shot of soup. Food photography is not for the impatient photographer or anyone who doesn't pay strict attention to detail. So if you are detail oriented this is perfect for you!
We spent time learning how to set up different backgrounds and also how to get just the right angle on the food item before we lit it up using off camera lighting, reflectors and even mirrors. It was fascinating! (that's not my camera below, by the way)
Finally, we got to enjoy the food we had been shooting with an impeccably prepared meal by a personal chef. It was delectable!
I'm getting hungry again. Now it is off to shoot food- and EAT!!

A hui hou,

Aubrey

www.aubreyhord.com

Ka'anapali Maui Wedding Photographer - Melanie & Francois say "Oui" do!

Melanie and Francois brought family from all over the world to their destination wedding on Maui. They had a gorgeous wedding in a private wedding lawn right on the ocean at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel.
The details were colorful and fun, just like the bride and groom. From the extensive flowers for the bridal party, parents and guests to the table decor to the cake, the couple had an eye for the colorful.
Paster Laki Ka'ahumanu presided over the ceremony and was entertaining as always, making the bride and groom comfortable and laughing all the way through the ceremony.
My thanks to the team that helped shoot the wedding with me- Nicole Angel, Zach Pezzillo and Frank DiMarco. Always a pleasure to work you all!
Congratulations and best wishes go out to Melanie and Francois- have a wonderful life together filled with creativity and fun!

Thanks for choosing Aubrey Hord Photography to be a part of your Maui wedding!

A hui hou,

Aubrey

www.aubreyhord.com

Ka'anapali Maui Wedding Photographer - Mary & Tory

On 10-10-10 I had a great opportunity to capture a really fun wedding of a friend from the mainland who decided she wanted to get married on one of the busiest wedding days of the year.

It was a total joy to photograph Mary and Tory as they took the plunge on their journey together.Mary and Tory are simply fun!!

They love to laugh and enjoy life on multiple levels, which is not surprising since Mary works for Six Flags.

The two of them combined their beautiful children into one happy family and had a great party for their Maui wedding.

Mary is also a big fan of B&W imagery so I shot a bunch of images with B&W in mind. The details were the best!

The details were really fun to capture. Mary is a part time floral designer on the side and she was able to ship in beautiful orchids and floral arrangements for the wedding from her suppliers on the mainland.

Thanks to second shooter Frank DiMarco, intern, Zach Pezzillo, and our wonderful lighting tech, Nicole Angel, for keeping up with the fast paced couple and Mary and Tory's delightful group of family and friends who made the trip to Maui to celebrate.

Thanks for having us along for the ride!

Best wishes,

Aubrey, Frank, Zach and Nicole

www.aubreyhord.com

Gallery Wraps now available at Pictures Plus

Good News!

Pictures Plus in Kahului has picked up a line of Aubrey Hord Photography gallery wraps ranging in size from 11x14 to 18x24 including this little guy! They can pack and ship as well for any client who are off island or out of state. Pictures Plus is located at Maui Marketplace next to Petco. The phone number is 808-893-0632. Stop by anytime to see the current collection!

A hui hou,

Aubrey

www.aubreyhord.com

Teaching Photography at Boys and Girls Harbor 1987

I came across a shot of my first job teaching photography when I was looking through some old photos a few weeks ago. Here you go. I still can't believe it. I first taught photography 23 (gasp!) years ago at a summer camp for Boys and Girls Harbor, in East Hampton in 1987. The Boys and Girls Harbor summer camp in East Hampton was started by Anthony Drexel Duke who owns a large parcel of property on the island which lent itself perfectly as a summer camp for inner city kids from Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn. Many of them had never left the city and never experienced "the woods" and it was a joy to get to know them, watch them grow and teach them photography. I wonder where they are now and if any of them pursued photography...

The Harbor still operates in the city and offers several education programs for children from New York City. Cool!!!

A hui hou,
Aubrey
aubrey@aubreyhord.com
www.aubreyhord.com

Ashley and Chris are Expecting!

Little Mason is due to arrive in October which will be very exciting for Chris and Ashley! He is their first child and Ashley has always wanted a little boy.
We did Ashley's maternity session at 28 weeks so she would be showing enough to be able to wrap her up in fabrics that flowed around her growing belly. We like to schedule sessions about 27-29 weeks into a pregnancy so it is good to plan to schedule your session in advance so we can get you on the books.

The shoot was fun and casual with lots of laughter and moving around the apartment to get the right afternoon light.








We were able to hold the session at Ashley and Chris' place since they had lots of room and it would allow us a place to get our mom-to-be changed and into new outfits quickly.












The shoot lasted a couple of hours with breaks in between to reset the home studio and figure out which outfits we wanted to use.

We had some fun poses with jeans and a simple white tank top pulled up around the belly.

We also had some more elegant fabrics in which to wrap Ashley that flowed down around her body and belly to create long, lean looks with beauty and elegance.

Our soft lighting was perfect for the shoot too!

Congratulations Ashley and Chris on your newest addition (already named Mason Christopher)!

Call (808) 264-5226 if you are interested in rates or booking a maternity session. Gift certificates are available! A photo session makes a great baby shower gift!

A hui hou,
Aubrey
http://www.aubreyhord.com/

Maui Portraits - Family Fun with the Kartsens!

Last week I received a last minute request from a wonderful family from Texas wondering if we could do a photo session the next night at sunset. Their request was simple- "We love casual, creative, and a bit funky and unique." I think I can do that! This is a photographer's dream client!

We chose Po'olenalena Beach down in Makena,which is simply stunning as a backdrop. So after a few warm up poses walking up and down the beach as a family, we played at creating a variety of images that were a joy to shoot and fun for the family.

It is also always my goal to try and capture natural personalities and poses throughout the session. One of ways I do this is by asking questions about my subjects during the session.

For example, the Karsten's daughter is a ballet dancer and so she pirouetted in the sunset as the gentle waves rolled in around her. It took a few takes to get this one just right with the waves and the spin but we had fun doing it.

The oldest son plays guitar so we had him jump and do a cool air guitar move midair. Totally fun!

The youngest son didn't need any prompting as you can see from the shots we took of him, he just had a blast just being himself at 7!

And of course we took the ever popular "face breaks" throughout the shoot to give the smiles a rest, have some fun and be able to make a great outtake video after the photo session!

The Karstens had a ton of great ideas for poses they had always wanted to do in addition to traditional poses and some new ones we came up with on site. Creative spontaneity at its best!

Cheers to all my clients who love to get creative (i.e. sandy) and have lots of fun at their photo shoots! Thanks guys!! You're the best!!!

A hui hou,

Aubrey

http://www.aubreyhord.com/

Green Ti Boutique and Day Spa gets wet!

Green Ti Boutique and Day Spa located on Market Street in historic Wailuku town, just picked up a line of water and beach matted prints images for the store, reflecting the relaxing spa theme. The matted prints are in addition to the framed pieces on the wall and line of fine art notecards they currently carry. Stop by anytime for a relaxing experience and schedule a massage or facial. The professionals on staff are AMAZING at taking away the cares of the day. Stop by anytime and say hi to Erica, Michael and the talented staff at Green Ti!

A hui hou,

Aubrey

http://www.aubreyhord.com/

Aubrey Hord Photography | Maui Hawaii - new blog announced!

E Komo Mai (Welcome!)
Well, I finally did it! Here is the first edition of my new blog which will be updated regularly when I am on island and in the country.

I have had the most incredible journey over the past few years after deciding to go full time as a professional photographer after many years in the corporate marketing world. I am honored to have been hired by some of the top brands in the world including Nike and Starbucks and grateful to my teammates and managers over the years for encouraging me to follow my dreams. Thanks everyone!

My journey into photography began as a high school student where I managed the high school darkroom. Not a very glamorous job for a high school student, I realize, but an incredible experience, nonetheless. I met a National Geographic photographer when I was in high school who encouraged me and taught me more composition and the technical side of the profession.

When I entered Colorado College, I continued my study of photography through coursework and continued to work in the darkroom. My first "big" camera was a Nikon F2 and I still have it!

My love of travel began at an early age since my family moved almost every four years to a new state. My first international trip took place in middle school at the age of 14 with a trip to England. Since then, I have explored, studied or worked in 14 countries on 5 continents. My favorites stops included working on the island of Palau and diving on the weekends, exploring the volcanic activity on the island of Dominica while living with the Carib Indians, scuba diving off the coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia...

working with Peace Corps volunteers in the National Parks of Uganda and photographing the Mountain Gorillas...

exploring Abel Tasman National Park and visiting with Maori master canoe carver and national icon, Hector Busby in New Zealand...

and living and studying on the island of Kalymnos in Greece (yes, I speak Greek- go figure).

Can you tell I have a love for islands??

I have also been fortunate to explore Bali, Pohnpei, Kosrae, France, England, Ukraine, Hungary, Australia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Believe it or not, I don't surf very much right now but I love to scuba dive, hike and stand up paddle board if you ever want to go! Just be ready for a long day on the trails or water.

These days my husband and I are fortunate to call the beautiful tropical island of Maui our home and I am continually inspired by the people I meet on the island as well as the intricacies of this culture and vivid beauty Hawaii has to offer. What could be a better jumping off point for travel to islands? When I moved to Maui in 1991, I met more National Geographic wildlife photographers, most notably Michael S. Nolan http://wildlifeimages.net/ with whom I worked as a naturalist and world famous underwater photographer, Flip Nicklin (who also photographs for Getty Images and does not even need a website he is so in demand- amazing!).

Currently, I focus my work on fine art, portraits and weddings along with special events and concerts http://aubreyhord.com/.

I am grateful to long time Maui photographer and master of light, Greg Hoxsie, http://greghoxsiephotography.com/ who believed in me and taught me how to use off camera lighting as well as how to capture weddings and portraits in the most spectacular light.

I am a current member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) http://ppa.com as well as Maui Professional Photographers (MPP).

My local client list over the past few years has grown extensively and includes high end clients on Maui, Oahu, the Big Island, Kauai and the mainland. My fine art clients have come from all over the United States and most recently I have had international clients from New Zealand, Canada and France.

As for equipment, I am a Nikon fan and have Nikon camera bodies, lenses and accessories. I currently shoot with two D700 camera bodies. My Nikkor pro lenses include a 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, 70-200mm f/2.8, classic 50mm f/1.4 lens, and my macro lens is a Nikkor 105mm.

Living and working in the tropics can take a toll on my equipment so I am grateful to Nikon Professional Services (NPS) for keeping my gear clean and ready for anything.

Recent print work includes covers of Real Estate Maui Style (April and June 2009) http://www.maui-style.com/and images in Global Traveler USA (January 2009) www.globaltravelerusa.com/.

I look forward to bringing you news from the Hawaiian islands as well as engaging images to you to enjoy!

A hui hou! (until we meet again)

Aubrey

www.aubreyhord.com