Spring Photography Bootcamp

April 10-15, 2023

Limited to 2-4 participants

Lodging and most meals are included in the workshop fee.

This will be a week-long intense photography learning opportunity, including classroom work, photo shoots, and post processing with Adobe Lightroom.  This will be a very small group and a great way for obtaining one on one photography education, while having a good time and making new friends.

With only 2 to 4 people during this workshop we will have a great deal of flexibility as to what is covered, and be able to help each participant with the are that they wish to have in depth instruction.

I will host this at my cabin at Lake Ouachita, where participants will stay for the workshop. This will be a great learning experience where we can talk photography while cooking steaks on the grill or kicking back on the porch.

The schedule for this event will be very dependent upon the interests of the participants.  During the week though we will plan to photograph locations such as Little Missouri Falls and Cossatot River Falls, star trails and the night sky, Hot Springs National Park, Talimena Scenic Drive, Garvan Woodland Gardens, Petit Jean State Park and other locations.

We will not only do some great photo shoots, but will then go through a complete post processing workflow in Adobe Lightroom including importing, file organization, and complete post processing.  We will cover HDR and Panorama workflows from capture to final image.

We will have several night photo shoots making use of the techniques we will learn in classroom instruction, followed up with post processing including how to stack star-trails.

What is a Bootcamp?

My photography Bootcamps are an intense but enjoyable weeklong learning experience for photographers.  Lodging and meals are provided in a home with everyone sharing in the kitchen duties.  The group size is kept very small, generally 2-3 people providing plenty of one on one instruction.  There is no predefined schedule that we have to adhere to and have great flexibility on our photo shoots location and timing to provide the best learning opportunities for the participants.

Location

Lake Ouachita

Lake Ouachita – Arkansas’s Largest Lake. With very little shoreline development. A Pristine Public Corps of Engineers Lake with 66,324 total acres of Land and Water surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest of more than 1.8 million acres. With over 40,000 acres of water, Lake Ouachita averages 50 feet deep. The deepest area touching 200 feet.

Yet Lake Ouachita is only 13 miles from the Spa City of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas on the East End and on the door steps of the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World, Mount Ida, Arkansas, on the West End.

Ouachita National Forest

The Ouachita National Forest is the oldest National Forest in the southern United States. The forest encompasses 1,784,457 acres, including most of the scenic Ouachita Mountain Range. Six locations in the forest, comprising 65,000 acres, have been congressionally-designated as wilderness areas.

Ouachita is the French spelling of the Indian word ‘Washita’, which means “good hunting grounds.” The forest was known as Arkansas National Forest on its establishment on December 18, 1907; the name was changed to Ouachita National Forest on April 29, 1926

The Talimena Scenic Drive, which is Highway 1 in Oklahoma and Highway 88 in Arkansas, is a National Scenic Byway which meanders through the forest providing amazing vistas and excellent photo opportunities. The Scenic Drive passes through old-growth oak woodlands on Winding Stair and Rich Mountains.

Canoeing and fishing are popular activities on the Mountain Fork River, Caddo River, Little Missouri River, and Ouachita River within the bounds of the forest. The Cossatot River, said to be the most difficult whitewater river between the Smoky and Rocky Mountains, also passes through the forest. Rockhounds frequent a geologic belt several miles wide containing high concentrations of very pure quartz crystals.

Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs Reservation was initially created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1832 to be preserved for future recreation. Established before the concept of a national park existed, it was the first time that land had been set aside by the federal government to preserve its use as an area for recreation. The hot spring water has been popularly believed for centuries to possess medicinal properties, and was a subject of legend among several Native American tribes. Following federal protection in 1832, the city developed into a successful spa town.

Incorporated January 10, 1851, the city was known in the early 20th century as the home to Major League Baseball spring training, illegal gambling, speakeasies during the Prohibition era, and gangsters such as Al Capone, horse racing at Oaklawn Park, the Army and Navy Hospital, and 42nd President Bill Clinton. The area was established as a national park on March 4, 1921.  Since Hot Springs National Park is the oldest park maintained by the National Park Service, it was the first to receive its own US quarter in April 2010 as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters coin series.

The hot springs flow from the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain, part of the Ouachita Mountain range. In the park, the hot springs have not been preserved in their unaltered state as natural surface phenomena. They have been managed to conserve the production of uncontaminated hot water for public use. The mountains within the park are also managed within this conservation philosophy to preserve the hydrological system that feeds the springs.

The park includes portions of downtown Hot Springs, making it one of the most accessible national parks. There are numerous hiking trails and camping areas. Bathing in spring water is available in approved facilities at extra cost. The entire Bathhouse Row area is designated as a National Historic Landmark District; it contains the grandest collection of bathhouses of its kind in North America, including many outstanding examples of Gilded Age architecture. The row’s Fordyce Bathhouse serves as the park’s visitor center; the Buckstaff and Quapaw are the only facilities still operating as bathhouses. Other buildings of the row are being restored or are used for other purposes.

Workshop Itinerary

During my Bootcamps the itinerary is totally flexible and determined by the interests of the participants.

Workshop Policies and Information

About the Workshop

Our workshops are based on digital photography, the assistance that I can provide and the immediate feedback of digital make “in the field” workshops one of the most effective teaching formats available.  Whether finding the correct exposure, looking through the viewfinder for the perfect composition, or learning how to use the equipment, you can’t beat real world experience.  Classes are kept small, it’s all about personal, individual attention.

Digital offers a number of benefits for learning photography including:

1. Immediate feedback on exposure and composition
2. Immediate critique from the instructor an other participants
3. Ability to do reviews and projection
4. Automatically capturing all shooting information (Meta Data)
5. Ability to manage work flow while still on location

 

What to Bring

Equipment Needed 

• Tripod – A really good steady tripod is essential.  It is also very important to properly set up your tripod making sure all adjustment are good and tight and will not creep during the very long exposure times needed night photography.
• Digital Camera – Any digital camera that you can set manually.
•  A selection of lenses
• Cable Release  – or other method of activating the shutter continuously without touching the camera.
•A bag or way to carry your camera gear.

You will need a laptop computer to use with Adobe Lightroom Classic installed.  Remember to bring all cords, chargers, memory cards, extra batteries, and camera  manuals when attending any workshop.

 

Cost

The full cost of the workshop is $1595 per individual participant or $2690 for a couple (savings of $500).

Group Size

We keep our group size small, this provides for a high degree of personal attention and a great amount of flexibility in making the workshop the best possible experience for the participants.

This workshop is limited to a maximum of 4 participants.

 

Changes to the Itinerary

Our night shoots will be dependent upon the weather and cloud cover, we will shoot according to the conditions we have.

In order to offer the best experience possible for the workshop participants we reserve the right to alter the itinerary when our judgment warrants it.  This could be due to unforeseen circumstances, closures, weather or other conditions beyond our control.  We may also alter due to new or unexpected photographic opportunities that may arise.

Transportation During Workshop

Transportation will be provided during this workshop.  This helps to keep down the number of vehicles on the road and to keep parking simpler, as well as the opportunity to make friends with the other participants.

What is Not Included

Transportation to and from the workshop (if traveling from the Fort Smith AR area carpooling arrangements can be made), meals at restaurants, vehicle entrance fees, incidental expenses, gratuities, and items of a personal nature.

Lodging

Lodging is included in the workshop. Lodging will be in my cabin near Lake Ouachita outside of Mt Ida. Each individual participant will have their own bedroom, a couple will share a bedroom and bed, all will have a shared bathroom and living area.

Meals

Meals that we prepare and eat at the mobile home will be included, meals we eat out at restaurants on photo-shoots and day trips will be the responsibility of the participant.  We will take turns cooking and doing cleanup (this is bootcamp).

Health and Physical Considerations

All participants should be in generally good health, walking and moderate climbing may be necessary in outdoor workshops and you will be responsible for carrying of your own equipment on location shoots.  If you are taking any medications be sure to bring a supply sufficient for the duration of the workshop.

If you have any concern about your ability to participate in a workshop please contact me before registering.

Registration, Payment, and Refund Policy

You can register any way you like, just so I get your information, you can use the online registration, the contact form, email,  postal mail, or call me on the phone (479-414-6889) either to register or just ask a question.  Registration is done on a first come basis, so register early to secure your space.   Full payment  is required to reserve your space. Enrollment is limited in our workshops, so once you have been accepted your participation is important to us – we are counting on you to attend.  All workshop require a minimum number of participants or they will be canceled

If you must withdraw from a course, we must receive written notice of your cancellation, and then apply the following refund policy:   We do not make refunds on workshop fees. We do not make partial refunds for unused portions or services of a workshop for any reason whatsoever. If we are able to fill your space in the workshop (or at our option) we will give full credit towards another workshop.

 

Cancellation Policy

In the unlikely event that we need to cancel a workshop we will refund all monies paid, in full. Notification of our cancellation will be made via either a telephone call or an e-mail to you at least 30 days prior to the beginning of a workshop other than an emergency. We cannot be responsible for phone messages and e-mails not being received in a timely matter due to your service providers. We cannot be responsible for non-refundable airline tickets unused or other travel arrangements because of a workshop cancellation.

All workshops have a minimum participation level which must be met or the workshop will be canceled.

Liability Waiver

All participants will be required to sigh a liability waiver before beginning a workshop.  We will not be liable for injury, accident or theft resulting from participation in our workshop program.

Weather

The more the better, at least as far as the photography goes.  Workshops will not be canceled and no refunds will be made due to weather, we will not be responsible for any additional costs that may be incurred by weather delays or cancellations due to weather, flight delays, or other. Participants should come to the workshop prepared for all weather conditions. We will generally update everyone within a few days of the workshop so that they know what type of weather to expect.

In western Kansas in the summer the days are hot and dry, the nights cool down nicely with average highs in the mid 90’s and lows in the mid 60’s.

Trip Extensions

We may be able to extend your trip in the area, if you would like more time and personal instruction.  Please contact us for more information and rates before the workshop.

Smoking

We prefer that you do not smoke, however if you must please abide by the following guidelines.  Smoking is not allowed in or near vehicles, during instructional sessions, during group meals, or at other times when in close quarters with other workshop participants.

gdisch On December 16, 2022   /   Past Workshops & Classes   /   Leave a comment