Solar Eclipse Photography Workshop
April 6-11, 2024
Limited to 4 participants
Wanting to photograph the upcoming total solar eclipse but not sure how to go about it or where to stay and want to avoid the madness of millions of people.
Join me at my cabin in Arkansas with a small group of soon to be friends for a great photography workshop that just happens to include the opportunity to photograph the Great American Eclipse on April 8 2024. My cabin is almost directly on the centerline of the eclipse and is very private and remote. We will be there, all we have to do is walk out the door and photograph, no traffic or crowds with over an acre of clear views of the sky and no other people.
We will have two days before the eclipse to set up and practice our technique for photographing the sun. You will be able to practice using a solar filter and experiment with different techniques before hand. I recommend have a high quality solar filter (not a neutral density filter) for a least one lens or I will also have solar film and we can make additional filters to use during the eclipse.
Solar Eclipse
4 minutes and 15 seconds at our location.
Location
My cabin is located in the Ouachita National Forest near Lake Ouachita and almost the direct center of the eclipse path. We will not have to travel and deal with traffic to photograph the eclipse, we will just have to walk out the door.
We will have an acre of land with a clear view of the sky from which to photograph with no other people.
Lodging and most meals are included in the workshop fee.
This will be a 6 day 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 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.
Venue: Greg Disch Cabin
Venue Phone: 479-414-6889
Address:
Description:
My cabin is located on private property in the middle of the Ouachita National Forest just a half a mile from Lake Ouachita. It is very quiet with no close neighbors and a dead end road.
the cabin is an old mobile home that I have completely remodeled the interior. There are two bedrooms one with a queen bed and a set of bunk beds and one with a queen bed, one bathroom with a tub shower combo and a washer and dryer.
We use window units for air conditioning and have electric space heaters for all electric.
We have a cell phone booster which provides phone service and limited internet service with ATT, there is a verizon tower very close.
Workshop Itinerary
During this workshop the itinerary is totally flexible (other than the eclipse) 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:
- Immediate feedback on exposure and composition
- Immediate critique from the instructor an other participants
- Ability to do reviews and projection
- Automatically capturing all shooting information (Meta Data)
- 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.
A Solar filter for lens you are using for shooting the eclipse or if you do not have one we can make one before the eclipse.
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 $1995 per individual participant or $3490 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, meals at restaurants, entrance fees to locations we may visit, 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. Lodging is based upon double occupancy, 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
There is no guarantee that we will be able to see the eclipse, we may get rain or over overcast skies.
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.
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.
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
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