Rod Deutschmann

"A camera can't design, a lens can't compose and a sensor can never pick the perfect amount of light needed for your message. That takes a photographer, that takes an artist, that takes you." Rod Deutschmann

With more than 25-years experience, veteran photography instructor Rod Deutschmann brings something special to each of his digital photography classes and books. His down-to-earth, comical and brutally honest approach to photography has not only garnered him a large and faithful following of local San Diego photographers, but also has made him one of the premier photography instructors in all of California. Deutschmann takes real photography apart and slices it up into easily digestible bits and shows how anyone, no matter what gear they may have, can become an artist with their camera.

Deutschmann is an award-winning fine-art photographer, a San Diego photography instructor, 20-year newspaper editor and veteran Marine Combat Correspondent. He's spent his life exploring artistic expression -- highlighting the difference between simply 'taking' a beautiful photograph and 'creating' a moving piece of art. "The camera is my paintbrush," he says. "It has been my life."

During the last few years Deutschmann has shared his unique vision of 'art with a camera' with his San Diego students. He's shown them that true expressionism comes from an understanding of who you are -- not what you own. He proves time and time again that with passion, drive and determination anything is possible and that Photoshop or any other type of after-the-fact manipulation isn't really needed.

With wife Robin, an award-winning fine art photographer as well, they are penning a new set of photography books. Books that speak to the artist inside all of us.

"With our new upcoming series of books I want to share this passion with have for true expressionism with you. I want to share with you this passion I have for photography and to prove to everyone that it's not just the camera that can take a pretty picture but it's in how you can be the artist that creates one." Deutschmann says.

ABOUT ROD DEUTSCHMANN

Award-winning Marine Combat Correspondent (1989-1991)

Veteran newspaper photographer/journalist/editor (1991-2008)

Co-founder of San Diego In Focus Learning Center

Published photographer - books, magazines, catalogues (1991-present)

Recipient of the 2006 Abe Ordover Gallery Award

Contributing artist 2006 Photoshop Wow Book

Multiple awards, S.D. International Photography contest (2006-present)

Professional fine art, wedding, stock, news photographer (1994-present)

S.D. Photo instructor - Grossmont, Coronado, San Dieguito, Poway school districts (2003-present)

2007 Thomas Jefferson communication award winner (Newspaper Category - The Camp Pendleton Scout)

'Painting with a Lens' lecturer and instructor throughout San Diego (present)

FULL BIOGRAPHY

Rod Deutschmann is an award-winning, fine-art photographer, author, instructor, husband and father. He cut his teeth in the graphic communication field as a young Marine Combat Correspondent being instructed by such iconic combat correspondents as Lee Tibbetts and Earnie Grafton. Before his departure from military service in 1994 Deutschmann garnered many prestigious awards, including six from the Marine Combat Correspondent's association. Deutschmann's internal investigative series on the service-related malaria outbreak during the Solmolia conflict led to Marine Corps policy changes and the eventual state-wide recognition of the problem as service members returned home. The series also garnered him his most prized correspondent's award.

Deutschmann then moved into the newspaper field working for such well-known and respected publishing firms as Lee Enterprises and the San Diego North County Times. He started as a writer/photographer working his way up to Managing Editor. He ended his newspaper career ironically at the helm of the Camp Pendleton Scout, the very newspaper where he began his military career. Under his leadership the Scout won the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award in 2007 for best Civilian Enterprise Military Newspaper world-wide.

During this time he began teaching photography to the next generation of Marine Combat Correspondents ... offering guidance, insight and support. His straight-to-the-core, teach-them-what-they-need-but-keep-them-in-manual approach garnered the attention of other Marine Corps Public Affairs offices as many sent their own correspondents for training. Through this, Deutschmann developed his own unique teaching style and began offering it the outside world.

Deutschmann began working for the San Diego County adult education school system in 2000 -- starting small with just one course. Quickly this changed. As news of his practical and brutally honest style emerged, his wait lists increased and demand grew rapidly. He added more classes, then more schools. Eventually his influence would spread throughout the county as his classes could be found at the San Dieguito, Poway, Coronado and Grossmont school districts. He became one of the few photography instructors in San Diego to ever teach at four schools simultaneously.

Deutschmann is best known as the father of Southern California Photographic Expressionism. His ground breaking images have been featured in newspapers, magazines, museums, galleries and books. He's a multiple award-winner at the fiercely competitive international photography competition held yearly at the world-famous San Diego County Fair and his unbelievable in-camera 'painted' work has recently been highlighted at the San Diego Natural History Museum -- as part of a special exhibit hosted by the celebrated Ordover Gallery.

With his wife Robin (an award-winning fine-art photographer herself), he has recently penned three books on off-camera flash for Amherst Medea: Off Camera Flash, Multiple Flash Photography and Just One Flash. They are currently working on two new book projects: Off Camera Flash for the Macro Photographer and Enough is Enough: A Practical Approach to Modern Photography.

Together they founded the In Focus Learning Center in 2006 and have committed themselves and their company to the arduous yet rewarding task of bringing creativity, expressionism and passion back to photography -- one In Focus artist at a time. Their belief in full manual control and individual responsibility has earned them the dubious (though proudly accepted) title of photographic purists. Their unique insight, specialized courses and hands-on workshops continue to grow in popularity making the IFLC one of the premiere photography training institutions in Southern California.

They continue their march today -- spreading the word and sharing their vision, vowing to never give-in, to never give up until their message of personal pride and individual creativity is heard by all.

Visit their Web site at: www.iflcsandiego.com.