Oklahoma – Texas Route 66  Photo Workshop

September 22 -25, 2023

Maximum of 8 participants

Join me for a photography tour and workshop on Route 66 across Oklahoma and Texas.  The trip will be 4 days and 3 nights and travel over 500 miles of history.  We will have time to stop and photograph many locations bypassed by other Route 66 Photo Workshops and Tours, since we will only travel a little over 130 miles per day on average.

I have been traveling and photographing Route 66 for the past 15 years, taken over 40,000 images, and have discovered many great photo locations to share with you.  This trip will cover many of the great icons of the road, along with Ghost Towns, old gas stations, diners, and architecture of the past, either beautifully preserved or in near total ruins.  The trip is about “Americana” and living the history of the Mainstreet of America.

Our trip will begin in Oklahoma City (More precisely Arcadia OK at the Round Barn)  We will travel through Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle on Route 66 to our final destination of Tucumcari New Mexico.

I provided the photography for the book “Route 66: Ghost Towns and Roadside Relics”, which is now out of print but is still available used.

A new release of the book in paperback is scheduled to be released in November 2023

 

 

 

Route 66 History

U.S. Route 66,  also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways within the U.S. Highway System. US 66 was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in America, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at Santa Monica, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles. It was recognized in popular culture by both the hit song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” and the Route 66 television show in the 1960s.

US 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and the road supported the economies of the communities through which it passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System.

US 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime, and it was officially removed from the United States Highway System in 1985, after it had been replaced in its entirety by segments of the Interstate Highway System.

Traffic grew on the highway because of the geography through which it passed. Much of the highway was essentially flat and this made the highway a popular truck route. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s saw many farming families, mainly from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas, heading west for agricultural jobs in California. US 66 became the main road of travel for these people, often derogatorily called “Okies” or “Arkies.” And during the Depression, it gave some relief to communities located on the highway. The route passed through numerous small towns and, with the growing traffic on the highway, helped create the rise of mom-and-pop businesses, such as service stations, restaurants, and motor courts, all readily accessible to passing motorists.

Much of the early highway, like all the other early highways, was gravel or graded dirt. Due to the efforts of the U.S. Highway 66 Association, US 66 became the first highway to be completely paved in 1938. Several places were dangerous: more than one part of the highway was nicknamed “Bloody 66” and gradually work was done to realign these segments to remove dangerous curves. However, one section through the Black Mountains outside Oatman, Arizona, was fraught with hairpin turns and was the steepest along the entire route, so much so that some early travelers, too frightened at the prospect of driving such a potentially dangerous road, hired locals to navigate the winding grade. The section remained as US 66 until 1953 and is still open to traffic today as the Oatman Highway. Despite such hazards in some areas, US 66 continued to be a popular route.

Workshop Itinerary

September 22

We will meet at the Round Barn in Arcadia Oklahoma at 2:00 pm located at 107 OK-66, Arcadia, OK 73007.  We will tour the barn and take photos and explore other locations in Arcadia before exploring Oklahoma City where we will spend our first night.

September 23

We will make our way across oklahoma to Amarillo Texas  where we will spend our 2nd night.  This will be a great place to get a free steak (If you can eat it all).

September 24

From Amarillo Texas we will travel Route 66 to Amarillo Texas for our final night.  I would recommend the Blue Swallow Motel if want want to experience a great retro motel experience but be sure to book very well in advance

September 25

Breakfast and a final review before ending the workshop.

Cost

$995 per participant.

The workshop fee includes all lectures, fieldwork and critiques of your images during our  sessions.  This is a photography workshop, not just a photo tour, my goal is provide as much personal hands on help as possible.  I will check with each participant to see how you are doing and if you need help,  if you wish for assistance let me know, if not just let me know, and you will be free to shoot on your own.

Instruction will be provided on an individual basis to learn how to capture birds in flight or any other assistance needed.

Lodging

Lodging is not included in the workshop fee.   We will spend  each night in a different location and you will need to make your own hotel arrangements. My philosophy on lodging and meals is that by not including them in the workshop each participant is free to choose their own level of accommodation and choice of meals.  I have some participants stay in high end motels, while others prefer camping or RV’s.

Friday night Sept 22nd in Oklahoma City

Saturday Night Sept 23rd in Amarillo Texas

Sunday Night Sept 24th in Tucumcari New Mexico

Transportation During Workshop

We do not provide transportation on workshops, you can bring your classic corvette to cruise Route 66 in style (or any other car), or choose to carpool with  other participants for the 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.  If you are riding with others, you are expected to compensate the driver for expenses.

Arrangements may be made to travel with me leaving from Fort Smith AR, please contact me if you are interested.

Meals

Meals, drinks, and snacks are not provided, and are the responsibility of the participant. We will try to eat as a group at classic Route 66 Diners, but you are free to do as you wish.

Instruction

This is not only an opportunity for fantastic photos, but there will be a great deal of photographic instruction no matter what your experience level.  Instruction will be provided both as group and one on one in the field with the subject matter at hand.

Some of the techniques we will cover will include:

• Maximizing sharpness in your images
• Basic  exposure and camera operation
• Seeing the light
• Composition
• HDR – capture the full range of light
• Long exposure photography

Possible Photo Subjects

• Abandoned Buildings
• Historic Bridges
• Classic Cars and Trucks
• Diners and Cafe’s
• Service Stations
• Hotels and Motels
• Landscapes
• Murals
• Neon Signs
• The Road
• Ghost Towns
• Night Photography

 

Equipment Needed

To get the most from the workshop you should have a Digital Single Lens Reflex  (DSLR)  or mirrorless camera, tripod and an assortment of lenses.  That being said, it is the photographer not the camera that makes the photo.  There are many opportunities for landscape and wide angle shots,  come prepared to photograph a variety of situations.

 

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

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 or 8 participants.

Changes to the Itinerary

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.

What is Not Included

Transportation to and from the workshop and during the workshop, meals, vehicle entrance fees, incidental expenses, gratuities, and items of a personal nature.

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.   A deposit of $300 is required to reserve your space, and full payment is due 30 days prior to the workshop. 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. 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 we will give full credit towards another workshop. If we are not able to fill your space we will issue 50% credit towards a future workshop.  If there are openings I will accept last minute registrations when possible.

We can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in the services to be provided. We reserve the right to change our arrangements should conditions necessitate, or to cancel any aspect of the workshop due to exceptional circumstances.

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 14 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. Travel insurance is recommended if traveling long distances to attend.

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

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 February 3, 2023   /   Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment