Turn an ordinary scene into something completely unexpected.
A crystal ball—or glass orb—can transform the way you see and photograph the world. Landscapes, architecture, city scenes, and even everyday moments take on a surreal quality as the scene is refracted, inverted, compressed, and creatively distorted inside the glass.
Join renowned nature photographer Kathy Adams Clark for an evening of creative photography and experimentation. You’ll learn how to use a crystal ball as a unique photographic tool, discover how different orbs affect your images, and explore techniques for creating compelling compositions that go far beyond the typical snapshot.
This fun, hands-on class is all about seeing differently, experimenting with perspective, and discovering new possibilities with your camera.
What You'll Learn
Choosing the Right Crystal Ball — Explore different sizes and styles of glass orbs and how they affect your photographs.
Understanding Refraction — Learn why the scene appears upside down and how to use that optical effect creatively.
Composition & Perspective — Discover how to position your crystal ball, subject, and camera to create stronger, more interesting images.
Camera Settings — Learn practical settings for achieving sharp, well-exposed crystal ball photographs.
Lens Selection — Understand which focal lengths work best and how different lenses change the look of your images.
Working With Light — Explore how available light, direction, and background choices can make your orb images stand out.
Creative Techniques — Experiment with perspective, scale, reflections, and unusual compositions.
Common Mistakes — Learn what can go wrong and how to avoid soft images, distracting backgrounds, poor exposure, and awkward compositions.
A Creative, Hands-On Experience
Bring your camera and get ready to experiment.
This workshop is designed to get you thinking differently about composition and perspective. Rather than simply photographing what's in front of you, you'll learn how to use the crystal ball to reinterpret the scene and create an image that makes people stop and look twice.
