Workshops, Instruction, Consulting and Tours
November 2008 New!!
Workshops top
Friday through Wednesday, 7-12 November, 2008: Taos, Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico.
Hope to see you there! Any questions? Ask Dave Wyman at that link, as Dave is the organizer.
I love New Mexico (see more of my New Mexico photos). Ansel Adams lived in Yosemite, yet much of his greatest work, like Moonrise, was done in New Mexico.
Ongoing:
Saturday and Sunday, 25 & 26 October 2008, 7AM Details
Saturday and Sunday, 15 & 16 November 2008, 7AM Details
Nature Photography Workshop: Bird, bug and dragonfly ace Steve Cirone is doing a workshop in San Diego. The dragonflies are hot right now and the birds are fewer in August, so he'll be doing a lot of bugs.
See these shots? They're not Steve's best; they're just quick picks from recently!
A Black skimmer ejecting accidentally snagged eel grass. A photographic first. They are fish eaters. No veggies!
Steve was chest deep in the channel at sunset. Canon 500mm f4 IS, handheld with the lens hood 3 inches off water surface.
The skimmer was so close he almost hit Steve. Steve could feel the air flow off his wing flaps. Decisive moments in spectacular light. Living a dream!
I've known Steve since the 1990s. Steve's bird work is the best I've seen, better than Artie Morris and as good as, but different from, Franz Lanting.
Steve is out there every dawn shooting birds, and has made the most incredible bird shots I've ever seen. What makes Steve's work special is that he's able to capture birds actually doing things with each other, while in motion, while in killer light.
Steve's workshop is only $285 each day ($525 for both days) and Steve will even let you try shooting with his personal 1D Mk III, 1Ds Mk III and 500mm f/4 IS on your own CF card, if you ask nicely. Sign up four freinds, and you go free! Bring your spouse, and they're 50% off! if you pay at the same time!
Most photographers are still trying to figure out exposure and focus. That's the easy part with modern equipment. Steve is out there trying to figure out how to get the birds in the right light and then get them to perform.
I've also seen Steve teach. He's a riot! He's able to explain everything in the funniest and simplest possible terms. Steve isn't out trying to sell you idiotic exposure calculators with 59 different scenes and exposure compensations, Steve gives it to you straight.
I'm not going to be there since I have a new baby.
If you're a birder or bug shooter, you'll want to take Steve's classes before he gets too popular and starts having to charge $1,299. $285 is as good as free for an all-day workshop and what you'll learn from Steve.
Steve does this because he digs it. Steve takes a maximum of 10 people for each workshop. Details.
Group Instruction back to top
I teach when others invite me to events they have planned. For instance, I taught for a week in Italy in October 2003 and it was the most fun I've ever had. A university in Torino invited me to teach at their summer program.
I don't have any of my own scheduled workshops. I'm too busy photographing to spend the time it takes to manage and organize these. The photographers you see offering workshops usually spend more time doing workshops than photographing.
Please ask if you'd like me to address your group, whether it's graduate students at Oxford, a class of excitable first graders, the local Police or Fire department or your local photo club or charitable organization. For most groups just cover my expenses and I'm probably yours. I love to teach! Why else would I put so much effort into this website?
I give presentations a couple of times a year through volunteer organizations like the Sierra Club. Ask and I'll address your group, too.
Also take the photo tours my friends offer below. They'll also give you all the hands-on help you want. We all love this stuff!
Private Instruction back to top
Steve Cirone will tour you around San Diego for $595 a day. He's your guy, and he's very good.
Market Consulting back to top
If your business organization needs to learn how to deploy photography in the field, if you need to know the market viability of a new photo product, if you need to know how and where to sell your photo product, if you need executive-level product, market or design feedback, or anything else to be a sucess in your market, contact me.
Phone rates are $500.00 per hour, and of course I have to bill for any travel time in-person.
Day rates are $3,000/day, plus travel.
If you want private lessons, you want Steve Cirone above. I'd love to help you personally, except that my demand has skyrocketed my rates to corporate levels. If your organization is the local Police or Fire department, I'm probably free as mentioned at Group Instruction.
Tours back to top
As I've said, I'm not an outing organizer. These are personal friends of mine who take the time to organize these trips, as well as do great photography.
San Diego, California (two hours south of Los Angeles)
My freind Steve Cirone runs San Diego's best nature photography tours. Details
Africa
My photographer friend Paul Renner is always going to Africa. He was born and raised there and spent most of his childhood chasing or running away from wild animals. Paul's website is RennerSafaris.com.
Latin America
I suggest my friend Jim Cline's tours of Latin America. I've known Jim for years and he really takes the time to do the forward research for his trips. Every time we get together it seems he's just gotten back from a scouting expedition in advance for his next trip, in other words, Jim has probably been down there the month before the formal trip to check everything out before you go. Jim has been all over Latin America for a long time. He's not one of the usual guys who just lets you pay for his vacations; Jim puts a lot of work into these tours!
The Rest of the World
Another friend I've know for decades is humanitarian photojournalist Karl Grobl. Today Karl spends most of his time today documenting the efforts of humanitarian organizations throughout Asia, Oceania and Latin America. He's usually away on assignment for weeks at a time, but keep checking to see if he has anything recreational planned. He'll get you places for which you'll need to consult an atlas. If you want to get places no one has been before he's your guy. See what he has planned here.
Paul, Jim and Karl are accomplished, published, multiple award-winning photographers skilled at getting in and out of the right locations at the right time, are articulate and a lot of fun with whom to travel. I've been all over with all of them and wish I had the time to do more!
Previous Workshops top
October, 2008
Bodie and California's Eastern Sierra. and Autum Light in Yosemite National Park.
January 2008
The Route 66 Workshop, January 25-27 2008.
The 2007 Route 66 Workshop was written up in The New York Times's Travel Section, June 10th, 2007. The same great guy, Dave Wyman, is behind all of these.
October 2007
California's Eastern Sierra, October.
Thursday through Sunday, October 18-21, 2007: Bodie and the Eastern Sierra.
Stoneman Meadow, Yosemite National Park, October.
Monday through Wednesday, October 22-24, 2007: Autumn Light Photography in Yosemite National Park, California. I'll be helping teach this workshop sponsored by The Yosemite Association. Also see more about it here.