Photography workshops abound, likely as result of an explosion in interest in photography as well as its accessibility. Whatever the reason, professional photographers have answered the call to provide a variety of workshops from travel-style workshops to adventure photography workshops to comfortable, but intense portrait photography workshops. I've picked out a few here to highlight for 2012. This is only the smallest representation of what photographic workshops exist in the world. If you're looking for something very specific, keep searching, as there is likely the perfect workshop for you.
NEEDLES/CANYONLANDS PHOTO WORKSHOP (MAY 6-13, 2012)
Moab Photo Tours will run this extensive workshop with Tom Till as the guest instructor. The Moab Photo Tours 2012 Needles / Canyonlands Back-country Workshop will be eight days and seven nights, Sunday-Sunday, May 6-13, 2012. The Needles is a beautiful but very rugged and relatively inaccessible section of Canyonlands National Park, characterized by many red sandstone spires which give the area its name, along with arches and Native American rock art. It is accessible only by serious 4WD or by long hikes. The workshop will provide that serious 4WD access. It should also be prime wildflower/cactus blossom time as well at this time of year. World famous landscape photographer, Tom Till, will be our guest instructor along with Moab Photo Tours owner, Jon Fuller, on this workshop. In addition to giving participants the opportunity to photograph in Arches National Park and the Moab area prior to traveling to the Needles District, there will also be two days of more formal classroom instruction at the beginning of the workshop. Workshop Website.
UTAH PHOTO WORKSHOP'S "THE GREATEST HITS OF SOUTHERN UTAH" (JUNE 5-13, 2012)
The brainchild of successful Italy Workshops leader Drake Busath, Utah Photo Workshops has started to lead tours closer to Drake's hometown of Salt Lake City. In June 2012 Drake will personally lead the tour "The Greatest Hits of Southern Utah" photographing Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Antelope Canyon, as well as a few interesting spots in between. This 8-day trip includes friendly photo instruction, ground travel, guides, entrance fees and first class lodging. Photographers will start and end in Las Vegas or St. George, Utah, with all the details taken care of. The photographic workshop along the way includes personal review and critique of the images photographers create, lectures to inspire, and hands-on instruction in the field. Workshop Website.
ICELAND'S BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES (August 19-28, 2012)
Jennifer Wu and James Martin will lead this workshop in an area where getting landscapes photographs means standing and looking in any given direction. You will explore the magnificent scenes of southern Iceland with forays into the wild interior. You'll see the signature locations of Iceland, the most famous waterfalls, geysers with geothermal activity, the spectacular Ice Lagoon set amid glaciers and tall peaks where icebergs float and run aground, the pastel hills and black lava flows of Landmannalaugar--the austere highlands, the rugged coast and gentle farmland. You’ll stop to capture images of the shaggy, sturdy Icelandic horses and the island’s characteristic architecture from Scandinavian modern to sod-roofed barns and churches. Timing is everything, so the group will photograph when the light is likely to be best for each location. Plus, these instructors have selected several of their favorite spots that most tours pass by. Workshop Website.
SANTA FE WORKSHOP'S "THE NEXT STEP BY SAM ABELL (SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 5, 2012)
The goal of this workshop—rarely offered and always sold out—is to help serious photographers, both professional and amateurs, jump-start the process of taking their work to the next level. It is designed to motivate by identifying obstacles, clarifying work, and taking the steps necessary to revitalize careers and promote richer photographic lives.
Working with renowned photographer and teacher Sam Abell, participants edit their existing portfolios and generate new work. In addition to an intensive daily program of editing and photographic assignments, the schedule includes in-depth, one-on-one, and group portfolio sessions with Sam as well as field trips into the compelling cultural landscape of New Mexico. Throughout the workshop, each individual seeks to answer two essential questions: "What is a well-lived photographic life?" and "How do I achieve it?" The durable result of this immersion in photography is a leaner, finer approach to working, editing, and carrying projects and careers forward to the next level. Participants in this workshop should have enough of an established path in photography that, through their work and words, they can share with one another the road they have traveled so far, their dreams, and their future destinations. Growth is essential to a well-lived photographic life. This is a workshop about promoting that growth through new work and through applying timeless patterns of thinking about photography in photographers' lives. Workshop Website.
MOUNTAIN LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY'S "EASTERN SIERRA FALL COLORS" WORKSHOP (OCTOBER 4-OCTOBER 7, 2012)
Photographer Elizabeth Carmel will lead this course through the well-known Mountain Light Gallery program. The beyond-the-basics workshop combines five field sessions with two critique sessions along with projected lectures, designed to give photographers a deeper understanding of exposure, composition, how to make the most of natural light, and the tools that professional nature photographers use to create their best work. The class size is limited to ensure that everyone gets the time and attention needed, both in the field and during critiques of images made during the workshop. Support throughout the workshops will be provided by photographer Jerry Dodrill and Mountain Light's knowledgeable staff. The course is of special value to the serious amateur or professional, though anyone who understands the basics of how to use their camera will advance their skills with this class, which is designed to balance technical issues with compositional aesthetics. Workshop Website.
"VISIONARY DEATH VALLEY" WORKSHOP (NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 4, 2012)
Guy Tal and Michael Gordon team up to teach this interesting workshop in an interesting place. A perfect blend of photography, field classes, post-production, and passionate photographer/instructors all in one of the most visually stunning places on Earth has earned this workshop praise as "a tour de force of excellence, humanity, artistry, and knowledge." There are many photography workshops and instruction manuals that teach craft and technique. This workshop proposes to lead you to "the heart of your art." Workshop Website.
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