Night Photography Workshop – Fort Smith AR – September 25-27, 2015

Just because you have just captured some great images during the “Magic Hour” does not mean it’s time to put away the camera and quit shooting.  Some of my favorite images are from “Night Photography”.  The same scene you shot during the daylight will take on a whole new dimension after dark.  With digital photography, subjects that were nearly impossible to shoot a night, are now obtainable by nearly everyone.

Register Now

Please email or call me 479-414-6889 to register, if you have any problems with the online registration, or have any questions.

Topics Covered Include:

• Equipment
• Safety
• Things to take on a night shoot
• Exposure
• Exposure Bracketing
• Understanding the Histogram
• Bulb Exposures
• Focusing in the Dark
• White Balance
• Mirror Lockup
• Long Exposure Noise Reduction
• High Dynamic Range (HDR)
• Shooting Star Trail Images

You will learn techniques such as:

• Photographing the moon
• Photographing the night sky
• Photographing star trails
• Photographing fireworks
• Photographing neon lights
• Photographing people at night without flash
• Photographing lightning
• Light Painting
• Using motion blur creatively

You will learn post processing techniques:

• Basic exposure adjustments
• Recovering highlight and shadow details
• Correcting white balance even with mixed lighting
• Noise Reduction
• Recovering lost color
• Converting to Black and White
• Sharpening
• Image Stacking Star Trail Images

Workshop Itinerary

Friday

We will meet a 6:00 pm at my personal studio/classroom and have a short class on setting your camera for night photography.

We will then travel to downtown Fort Smith for a night photo shoot, until approximately 10:00 pm.

Saturday

We will meet at 10:00 am at my personal studio/classroom and spend the day with more in depth instruction into special techniques for different types of night photography with a lunch break around noon and  some special processing techniques of images from the night before.

We will go to dinner and then travel to the location of our second night shoot, planning to arrive well before dark.

Sunday

We will meet at 1:00 pm at my personal studio/classroom and have some more classroom instruction and process images from the night before.  We will wrap up at around 6:00 pm and if interest is there head out for an optional third night shoot after dinner.

 

Workshop Policies and Information

Cost

$289.00

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 or afternoon or evening 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.

What is Included

Your workshop fees include full instruction and location guiding and a digital copy of course materials.

What is Not Included

Transportation during the workshop, lodging, meals, incidental expenses 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 us before registering.

Equipment Needed

To get the most from the workshop you should have a Digital Single Lens Reflex  (DSLR) camera,  and an assortment of lenses.  That being said, it is the photographer not the camera that makes the photo.

You will need a laptop computer to use with Adobe Lightroom installed (free trail copy will work), remember to bring all software, drivers, cords, and camera manuals when attending any workshop and you should be technically proficient with your laptop computer and editing software.

 A sturdy tripod will be essential for this workshop, and a cable release or wireless remote that can be used to trigger the camera without touching it.

Transportation During Workshop

We do not provide Transportation on field trips, carpooling will be done among participants for these workshops.  If you do not have a car let us know and we will be sure there are  enough seats with other members during the workshop.

Lodging

Lodging is not provided, you will need to make your own reservations.

Meals

Meals, drinks, and snacks are not provided, and are the responsibility of the participant.

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 20% 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 cash refunds,  if for unforeseen circumstances you are not able to attend, we will apply all payments made to another workshop. We do not make partial refunds for unused portions or services of a workshop for any reason whatsoever.  

Non Photographer (Spouse, significant other, or friend)

We welcome spouses to join you on the workshop experience however “workshop activities” are limited to registered, paid attendees.  You may have a non photographer accompany you to all activities but they must pay for the workshop.  If they wish to accompany you on the trip but not attend the workshop activities, but stay with you, finding other activities during the day,  and  meet for meals and social type events that is perfectly acceptable.

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 14 days prior to the beginning of a workshop. 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.  We reserve the right to substitute another qualified instructor if an emergency situation arises.

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.