By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— The official photographer for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Hank Siegel, is teaching a series of photography classes at the Oak Mountain Interpretive Center at Oak Mountain State Park Oct. 17.

The class will begin at 9 a.m. and will last until 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., depending on the size of the class. It’s targeted at middle school aged students. The class will teach concepts of photography that most impact artistic imagery and show the basics of how to use a camera’s power to capture artistic images through four sessions.

“Since developing this class series over eight years ago, it always fills me with a sense of awe at how readily the kids grasp the technology and how creative they can be in using their new-found artistic talents,” Siegel said. “It is easily the best day of photography that I have.”

He said all of his photography classes stress two basic concepts. Siegel focuses on identifying and understanding the physical qualities of light, and he also identifies more subjective and artistic qualities of light that takes an image from technically correct to a work of art.

Session one will be a classroom session covering the physical and artistic properties of light and how to operate/control cameras to capture artistic images. Session two will be fieldwork, capturing images at Oak Mountain State Park.

Session three, the lunch period, the instructors will help students download images from their camera and select their best ones for presentation. The final session will be presentations.

Parents are welcome to stay and observe the entire learning experience and are particularly urged to return for the presentations session at the end.

“(My favorite part is) being in a position to see how people take much of the information exchanged in the classroom and adjust it and shift it to fit them; and with that adjustment begin to really expand their abilities and enjoyment in capturing the light,” Seigel said.

In addition to being the official photographer for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Siegel has won numerous awards and has had his photography displayed in numerous galleries and art museums throughout the region.

Other club members, including David Frings, Lauren Muncher and Brittany Muncher, will also be on hand to help with the class.

Registration is $35 per student and all fees will be donated to the interpretive center. This event is a volunteer effort by members of the Shelby County Camera Club.

Seating is limited to 20 students. To reserve a spot, call 903-5095.