When: Saturday, May 26th
Where: Mohonk Preserve, NY
Max Students: 8
Fee: $225.00 |
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Summary
Join me for an exciting day of nature and landscape photography in the dramatic Mohonk Preserve and Shawangunk Mountains of the Hudson Valley. The workshop consists of a field trip, and a return to my private studio for a slideshow presentation and critiques of photographs made by students during the day.
The workshop will start with a sunrise shoot overlooking the Shawangunk Ridge at the Mohonk Preserve. I’ll demonstrate my approach to capturing dramatic and expressive images, covering all aspects of making successful nature images. The afternoon portion will include time to develop your images in Adobe Lightroom, constructive critique, and a q+a session.
What You Will Learn
• Composition
• Understanding and using light creatively
• Seeing photographically
• Camera techniques
• Using graduated neutral density and polarizing filters
• Making the most of your camera’s functions
This workshop typically sells out very quickly, so reserve your spot now!
Skill Level
This workshop is designed for serious photographers – beginner to advanced – who want to improve and expand their creative potential. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
IMPORTANT- This workshop involves some basic hiking over uneven terrain.You should be comfortable carrying your gear while hiking. Any questions, please call or email.
Included in Workshop
Brenda’s famous home-made lunch and refreshments including coffee, tea, and water.
Laptop computer with Lightroom 3 is highly recommended. This workshop is limited to 6 students to give you the best possible learning experience and personal attention.
• Read past workshop reports from students
• Cancellation Policy and FAQ’s
Today I’d like to present a new and exciting direction for me – the first Beyond the Lens Photo Journal e-book. I’ve always been rather frustrated with the limited presentation options on the web, and always loved the look and feel of a great photography book. So I decided to create something similar in the form of a PDF e-book. While this issue is a great start, I have plans to include more images and writing in the future with the goal of eventually creating a physical book of my favorite landscapes.
Volume I is available now, and best of all, it’s free – my way of saying thank you for your support and for reading the blog. The only thing I enjoy more than photographing inspiring landscapes is sharing that passion with others. I hope that the Photo Journal inspires you to appreciate the beauty around us each and every day. If you like the e-book, please forward the blog to anyone else you think would enjoy it-thanks.
Click to download the PDF
Following up on my last post about editing and the fine line that separates a good image from a great image, I thought it would be helpful to share some of my own experiences with a recent “self-assignment”. By this I mean my own personal project, which I highly recommend as a learning tool (I often have several projects going on at the same time).
I was recently asked by the Mohonk Preserve here in New York if I would be able to donate another print for their annual fundraiser held in June. This area, also know as the Shawangunks, has been designated by The Nature Conservancy as one of the “75 Last Great Places on Earth”, and certainly one of my favorite locations for photography, mountain biking, and hiking. I’ve been visiting since 1996, and never get tired of exploring its varied terrain and hiking trails. Needless to say, just as I did last year, I agreed to donate canvas print.
Though I have many images of Mohonk to choose from, I decided I would try to capture something new for the auction, and hence the self-assignment was born. Given the size of the location, and the small amount of time I have to work with, I narrowed it down to a specific composition. You might be wondering why would I limit myself this way. Well, in addition to the reasons I mentioned above, I think it actually helps me in several ways. First, by narrowing my focus, I can really fine-tune my efforts without the distractions of another location or scene. Second, it gives me a better chance of getting “lucky” with regards to weather and timing since I’ve eliminated many variables, and left only those that can have the potential to produce the photograph I’m after.
So far I have a made a few attempts, and the image above is the closest representation to what I originally had in mind. It shows not only the expansive ridge in the background, but what I think are the defining features of the Shawangunks, pitch pines atop the beautiful conglomerate rock with its eroded jagged cliffs and small narrow canyons. It also moves the eye from foreground to background in several ways,adding depth and interest for the viewer. While I’m very happy with this image, there is still something missing for me, and that is the quality of light. Finding that light is so difficult, but when it happens, it can add that magic touch to an image that brings the emotion to the forefront like no other aspect of a landscape can. It can transform an image that is perhaps 99% done to 1000%, and that’s where the patience and perseverance comes into the equation.
Will I manage to find that last 1% in time for the auction, or ever? I don’t know, and it is a risky and potentially frustrating proposition, but I’ll give it my best effort and keep you updated in the weeks to come. I’ve been visiting as often as possible, and my son has also joined me to help with his own “meditation.” Stay tuned…
