PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS & PHOTO TOURS

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Q: Will you or other instructors be taking pictures during the workshop or tour?


A:
First and foremost, the absolute overriding goal and of utmost importance is attending to our clients and ensuring their satisfaction with the experience we are trying to provide. In no case will myself or any instructor fail to answer questions or assist any client with a problem by putting our own personal photographic interests above those of a client. Period.

However, this is an often asked, a sometimes a troubling concern, and one I have strong feelings about. These days there seems to be many photographers who have have only been shooting themselves for a relatively short time, then begin teaching in a 'workshop' business in order to have clients pay to fund the photographer's photo trips.

In addition, I've personally witnessed a well-known "Name" photographer leading a workshop, who over the course of a half hour never left the side of his own camera. I've seen other instructors head off into the field to shoot their own photos with a few participants, while leaving the bulk of a workshop class behind. On the other hand, I also know photographers at the other end of the scale who refuse to do any photography on their workshops. While I admire those who take this latter 'ethical' approach, I also feel it does leave a slight gap in creating a full learning experience. (See item #D in the list below.) Students in a workshop can recieve educational value by watching how a professional works in the field as a takeaway learning experience. Unfortunately though, this does create a fine line about how much time is too much for an instructor to be using their own camera during a workshop or tour.

So where do I stand on the subject? The other short answer is Yes, I (and other co-instructors) will likely be using our own cameras at some point or another in either a photo workshop or a photo tour. Why? This can be explained in the following circumstances ranked in order:

(A) setting up in-field shooting demonstrations,
(B) - and which is most often the case, taking photos of the class participants in action,
(C) if something really super-special is happening, and / or if no one has any questions or needs any assistance.
(D) And finally, in workshops where we do a group image reviews and critiques, I find students get a great visual and learning benefit from being able see how I captured the same scene; one where the students witnessed and worked under the same conditions, and relative to their own finished compositions.




Q: What's the difference between a Photo Workshop and a Photo Tour?


A:
Both Photography Workshops and Photo Tours have an educational component, but the primary diffence between the two is the format, structure, and the nature of photogaphic instruction, and the amount of time an instructor might be photographing with his or her own camera.


Photography Workshops are EDUCATION Intensive. While still a social and location-type event, the over-riding focus of a group photography workshop is on providing the client with a learning experience. Format is structured with regard to education, including (depending on the workshop) such things as a pre-workshop consultations, portfolio reviews, classroom-style presentations, hand-outs, in-field demonstrations, individual assistance with questions regarding composition, exposure, equipment, photo-editing, post-processing, group image review and critique, follow-up consulation and image review. Myself or other any other assistant instructor(s) will generally photograph perhaps 15% of the time, relative to the list set forth above.



Photo Tours are more shared Social & Location Intensive Experiences. While still strongly rooted with an educational component aimed at helping individual participants improve their photography skills, the education aspect is less-formal on a tour, with the focus being more on a group shared experience with learning mixed in. Format is less-structured with regard to education, although it may still include (depending on the workshop) such things as in-field demonstrations, individual assistance with questions regarding composition, exposure, equipment, photo-editing, and post-processing help. (Post-processing and editing assistance available as time allows.) Our goal is to ensure that you're having a good time, that we're answering your questions, and helping you develop and improve your photography skills while we are shooting at various locations. Because of the more casual atmosphere, instructors may be shooting along side you perhaps 30-40% of the time. For this reason, and in general because of the more-casual, less-intensive educational aspect, tours are often priced less than workshops.




Q: What experience or equipment do I need for a workshop or tour?

A:
Photographers of all experience levels are fully welcomed, from those who don't know an F-Stop from a Truck Stop, to working professionals who just enjoy hanging out and shooting with other passionate photographers. As for equipment, workshops and tours are primarily aimed at photographers using anything from a high-end Point-n'-Shoot camera, to new mirrorless cameras, to high-end digital or film-based SLR cameras. Unfortunately, film processing is usually not available, and while you're welcome to bring large-format cameras, I'll be the first to say I don't have much experience working with them, so my ability to answer technical questions with those systems will be limited.

The only piece of equipment I would definitely recommend is a tripod, which will be useful for landscapes, low-light, night photography, or learning to maximize depth of field. In tandem with a tripod, I'd also recommend some form of hands-free shutter release system (other than your camera's self-timer) like a cable release or battery remote shutter release. If you have questions about equipment, or if you're thinking of renting gear for a specific purpose, I suggest you contact me directlty to discuss your individual situation.



Q: What will I learn during your photography workshops or photo tours?

A:
Well, my first question back to you would be, "What do you want to learn?" However you answer that question will be exactly what I will endeavor to teach you to the best of my abilities.

On either a Photography Workshop or Photo Tour, instruction will be tailored to help you improve your own photography in areas of learning about how to best use your equipment, composition, exposure, and useful in-field techniques. But beyond that, I pride myself on my ability to help you learn how to see and use light, to develop and strengthen your own personal vision, and to use your camera and eye as a tool for communication.

On the more education-intensive workshops, we'll cover all of the above, plus spend added time in each of these areas, along with working on the post-capture processes of editing (selecting the best photos), cropping, JPEG vs. RAW, and Raw conversion and post-processing using Lightroom and Photoshop, as well as having critical reviews of images taken during the workshop.



Q: How much personal attention and instruction will I receive during a workshop or tour?

A:
In general, you'll get plenty of personalized attention on either a workshop or tour. We're here to help you and answer your questions. However, as a group activity, we need to make sure every participant feels they are personally attended to, so we can't be overly attentive to any one particular participant at the risk of degrading the experience of other paying participants. Because Photography Workshops are more education-intensive than Photo Tours, and that they may also include individual pre- & post workshop consultations, and also because instructor(s) will be siginificantly restricting their own photography to an absolute minimum (see Question #1), you'll definitely get more personalized time to interact on an individual level during the course of a workshop experience. If you feel like you would like more dedicated attention than a group setting will allow, consider the option of taking a private photo workshop, where you're guaranteed to get 100% of my personalized attention, even to the point of tailoring a photographic experiece specifically suited to what you are trying to learn.



Q: Why should I attend a Photography Workshop or Photo Tour with you? What makes your workshops or tours special?

A:
First, I love teaching and working with people on a close and intensive basis. I find out what you want to learn, or what you are having trouble with, and I work with you on your priorities. I was extremely fortunate to learn my own skills from one of the very best in the business, and it is with that same humble appreciation that I love to pass on that knowledge to new, aspiring, and experienced photographers alike. Secondly, in addition to my twenty-five years of experience as a photographer, I've also worked on the other side of the fence as a Photo Editor and professional Portfolio Reviewer. It's from that side of the fence that I excel in communicating or demonstrating why some photos work better than others, or why some photos just don't work at all.

In addition, I don't believe that the Workshop Experience should begin and end at the start and finish of the actual workshop event. With many of my own Photography Workshops, I also include with the course fee a personal pre-workshop consultation (including a portfolio review of your existing work if you wish) and a post-workshop follow-up consultation. Pre-and Post Workshop Consultautions are up to an hour each, and can be done via phone or Skype. Post-Workshops consultations can include a more detailed review of images from the workshop, help with processing or editing images, or follow-up discussion of techniques or equipment. However, on the Post-Workshop Consultations, you're not limited to working with images taken on the workshop. I'm equally happy to work with any other images you've taken. It's your time with me, and I'm happy to let you use it in whatever manner you think will be most beneficial to you. In fact, you can even 'gift' your Post-Workshop Consultation hour to another person if you like.



Q: What does the registration fee cover, and what about transportation, lodging, and meals during the workshop?

A:
The registration fee covers instruction and guiding for a given workshop or tour. Where noted, Photo Workshop fees also include an hour each of Pre- and Post-Workshop personal consultations. In general, and unless otherwise noted with a specific workshop or tour, transportation to and from the workshop or tour location, accommodations, and meals are not included. If any transportation, accommodation, or meals are included in the cost of a workshop or tour, tipping is left up to the individual participants, and strongly encouraged as situations warrant. During the workshop, we will carpool to locations.


Q: What is your cancellation / refund policy?

A:
Depending on the workshop or tour, either payment in full or a deposit will be needed to secure your space for the event. Full payment is due 90 days in advance of a workshop or tour start date.

Workshops and tours run regardless of weather. There will be no cancellations allowed or refunds given due to weather. We *strongly* recommend that you purchase travel protection insurance in case of extreme weather that you'd rather not endure, the tour being cancelled in case we are unable to meet the minimum number of participants, or for any other unforeseen circumstances for which we cannot control. Cancellations made prior to 91 days before the start date of a workshop or tour will receive a full refund minus a $75.00 administrative cancellation fee for workshops or tours costing under $1,000.00, or $150.00 for workshps costing more than $1,000.00. Cancellations within 60-90 days will be refunded 50% of workshop fee, and cancellations made within 60 days of workshop start date are non-refundable.

If a workshop or tour is cancelled because we were unable to fill our minimum participant requirement, you will be refunded 100% of the workshop or tour fee.


Q: What kind of physical activity will there be / Health Considerations?

A:
The level of physical activity can vary based on the type of workshop or tour, but in general you can expect that there will be some level of walking, hiking, and walking on uneven ground. Participants should be in good general health with the appropriate level of mobility and capability to carry one's own equipment and gear for up to a couple miles over the course of a day. If you have questions about the activity level for a specific workshop or tour, please contact me directly.

*** SPECIAL NOTE:*** Because all outdoor activities carry some inherent risk, each participant will be required to sign a waiver of liability or acknowledgement of risk form. We do not assume any responsibility for specialized medical care.


Q: Are non-photographer spouses, partners, or other people allowed to attend a workshop or tour?

A:
Any non-photographer spouses, partners, or other people are welcome to stay with you in your own accommodations, and to join us for any non-included group meals, or to pay for their own food at any included meal events. However, to be fair to all the other paying participants, we ask that only those people who've paid the workshop or tour registration fees participate in the actual workshpop or tour activities.



Q: What if I have any other questions related to your Photography Workshops of Photo Tours?

A:
Please contact me through my web site.