THE GOLD SCHEDULE for 2008
2009's tentative schedule follows the
2008 offerings, including several new trips.

This schedule was updated February 17, 2008

Return this Schedule to:

McDONALD WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY, INC., 73 Loht Road, McClure, PA 17841-9340; home, office and FAX # (717) 543-6423; info@hoothollow.com

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2008

Spring

 

Hummingbirds of SE Arizona - Using our High Speed Flash at our Set-ups
(.........) April 13-18and (..........) April 27-May 2, (.........)May 8-13 Participant Limit: Seven Non-photographic spouses welcome!
Photograph several species of beautiful hummingbirds at one of the premiere locations in the US, the Santa Rita Mountains of southeastern Arizona. No equipment is necessary other than your own camera and a hotshoe flash to trigger our High Speed Flash setups. Return with spectacular images of Broad-billed and Magnificent Hummingbirds, as well as numerous species of song birds attracted to our special natural light feeders. Bridled titmice, black-headed grosbeaks, acorn woodpeckers, Mexican jays, and more. Lodging, lunches and some dinners are included. Fee: $2,095

Hoot Hollow West!
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course - Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
in Southern Arizona at the Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Canyon

(........) April 6-12 and 20-26, 2008 - Digital Imagery is revolutionizing photography. While many of the same concepts taught in the CNPC apply -- EXPOSURE, composition, proper camera and lens techniques, and the art of seeing, DIGITAL provides and demands much more. In this course we'll explain exposure via Histograms and White Balance, using RAW and other formats, and the information - and ONLY the information -- a digital nature or landscape photographer needs to know. Our course will be divided into Class time for traditional photographic instruction, in-th-field digital photography, and in-Lab computer time. Students will learn to maximize the potential of their digital cameras as they learn how to composite for panoramas, for images of varying exposure, and more. Our Arizona location is spectacular for subjects, and you'll have an opportunity to photograph hummingbirds at our High Speed Flash setups, a variety of birds at our natural light sites, as well as varied wildlife found in the Canyon and on field trips to the wonderful Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
If you are a serious digital photographer -- be that a novice who wants to start right or a aspiring professional who wants to polish up the loose ends, the DCNPC is the course. Plan on doing a photo tour or safari with us? Serious about your shooting? Do the DCNPC!
Price includes great food, lodging, computer supplies, and a wonderful portfolio of photographic subjects.
Each course is Limited to 10 students and with TWO INSTRUCTORS.
Fee: $2,245. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Hummingbird High Speed Photography Shoots.

Summer

PHOTOSHOP I: INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP - Optimizing the Digital Darkroom.
(........) June 22-28
Learn the basic but essential aspects of Photoshop, including the ways to import images, working with files, and MOST IMPORTANTLY the tools and techniques you need to know for mastering Photoshop at a beginner's level, but at a competent level as well. Although this is a beginner's level course, you will be learning techniques like Masking and using Layers that are often only discussed in intermediate-level courses. This PS course is the absolute foundation for your Photoshop skills. Limit: 10, with TWO instructors present during all Lab hours. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Fee: $1,695 NOTE: these two workshops follow our June and August Digital D-CNPC courses.

OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course - Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
(........) June 1-7, and July 6-12, and August 17-23, 2008 - Digital Imagery is revolutionizing photography. While many of the same concepts taught in the CNPC apply -- EXPOSURE, composition, proper camera and lens techniques, and the art of seeing, DIGITAL provides and demands much more. In this course we'll explain exposure via Histograms and White Balance, using RAW and other formats, and the information - and ONLY the information -- a digital nature or landscape photographer needs to know. Our course will be divided into Class time for traditional photographic instruction, in-th-field digital photography, and in-Lab computer time. Students will learn to maximize the potential of their digital cameras as they learn how to composite for panoramas, for images of varying exposure, and more. . If you are a serious digital photographer -- be that a novice who wants to start right or a aspiring professional who wants to polish up the loose ends, the DCNPC is the course. Plan on doing a photo tour or safari with us? Serious about your shooting? Do the DCNPC!
Price includes great food, lodging, computer supplies, and a wonderful portfolio of photographic subjects. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Each course is Limited to 10 students and with TWO INSTRUCTORS. Fee: $1,595. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Intro to Photoshop - Optimizing the Digital Darkroom.

NEW OFFERING! Digital Workflow using Adobe LIGHTROOM and Photoshop
( ..........) August 24-30, 2008
Digital workflow can be the digital photographer's nightmare, but new software, like Adobe's LIGHTROOM, is expediting this workflow, making image management, and photographer's lives, much easier. We'll show you step-by-step how to use LIGHTROOM to manage and edit your digital files, and to make global adjustments to these images, especially with RAW images. You'll be surprised to see how quick and easy it is to make most adjustments. LIGHTROOM isn't replacing Photoshop, however, and we'll show you when and why you still need to use Photoshop for certain tasks, like targeted adjustments with layers, and we'll also show you how to do the most commonly needed tasks in Photoshop as well.
This class will also include shooting time in the field so that we can help you apply your new skills in a real-time, very practical way.
Limited to TEN students. Fee: $1,695

.FALL

Predators of the Northern Hemisphere (Animals of Montana)
(..........) Sept 8-13, 2008 Shooting days are 11,12, and13 with an optional weather day 14

We'll be shooting mountain lions, Siberian tigers, snow leopards, gray wolves, red foxes, lynx, and other animals found in the Northern Hemisphere. This is an incredibly exciting shoot - imagine filming a tiger or puma or wolf running straight at your camera! We'll have unlimited shooting possibilities, based upon the light or the weather. Limited to EIGHT participants. Includes Lodging, some Meals, and Transportation during the Tour.
Fee: $2,395 Note: Yellowstone's Tour immediately follows this for those who wish to maximize their shooting opportunities.

Yellowstone National Park - The Mammals of Fall
(........) Sept.14-20 and September 21-27, 2008
Yellowstone is the premiere wildlife photography destination in the US, and Fall is the ultimate time of year to visit. Our trip should coincide with the fall rut and courtship activity of pronghorn antelope, moose, and elk. We're likely to also film bighorn sheep, mule deer, bison, and coyote, as well as the great scenics the area is world-famous for. This has always been one of our most popular and exciting shoots. Fee: $1,745. Limit: 10 participants

Kenya PHOTO SAFARI - Samburu, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara
(.........) October 11-25 (2 week safari) November 2-20. and November 22-Dec. 11 (3 week safaris)
These are among our most popular, and difficult to get into, tours. Contact our office for final dates.
We'll be visiting the three best game-viewing and photography destinations in Kenya, and probably in all of Africa. Each locale is unique, with the endemic species of semi-arid Samburu -- gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, Gunther's dik-dik, and of course great elephants and a wonderful chance of leopard. Samburu's bird photography is extraordinary, too. Lake Nakuru is famous for its flamingos -- sometimes numbering in the millions, but it also has a candy-store variety of mammals, including great white rhino, Rothschild's giraffes, and baboons, vervet monkeys, leopards, various antelopes, and many species of birds. The crown jewel is the Masai Mara, and our tours are virtually the only photography tours that visit three distinct locations within this incredibly rich park. By staying at three different camps -- in the south, the west, and finally the east, we'll maximize our game-viewing with minimum driving, concentrating on the rich game of the region. Our subjects -- the best! Including wonderful cheetah opportunities, great lion prides, hyenas, jackals, leopards, all the plains game, crocs, hippos, elephants, and many species of birds, both song and birds-of-prey. Our trips are limited to 3 photographers per vehicle! Price is from Nairobi, and includes all food, lodging, fees, and ground transportation.
Fee: TBA

Rwanda's MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
(.....) October -25-November 2.

Rwanda's mountain gorillas are perhaps the premiere and most spectacular wildlife encounter any wildlife photographer and wildlife lover can have.
Participants Limit: 5 Fee: TBA

2009
Exact dates and prices still to be determined,
but this update can get you started on your plans for 2009!
Updated for your reference: March 11, 2008

Predators of the Northern Hemisphere (Animals of Montana)
(..........) Because of the Tanzania trip we will not be able to offer this trip in 2009.

We'll be shooting mountain lions, Siberian tigers, snow leopards, gray wolves, red foxes, lynx, and other animals found in the snow-country of the Northern Hemisphere. This is an incredibly exciting shoot - imagine filming a tiger or puma or wolf running straight at your camera! Limited to EIGHT participants.
Fee: $1,995

Tanzania -the Incredible Gnu Wildebeest Migration and Birthing, and Ngorongoro Crater
(...........) late-January-thru February, two safaris of two weeks duration each

There are almost 2 million wildebeest, or gnu, in the Serengeti ecosystem, and each February virtually all the females give birth. Vast numbers of animals, including all the major predators, congregate on the plains, offering an unsurpassed wildlife spectacle. Besides the gnus, you'll shoot common zebras, elephants, lions, cheetahs, various gazelles, many bird species, landscapes, and you'll probably photograph black rhino, hippo, leopard, and numerous other mammals as well.

Rwanda's MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
(.....) Following our Tanzania Wildebeest migration safaris..

Rwanda's mountain gorillas are perhaps the premiere and most spectacular wildlife encounter any wildlife photographer and wildlife lover can have. This trip will mark our 50th trek for mountain gorillas - a very, very special event!
Participants Limit: 5 Fee: TBA

Ethiopia's Mountain Mammals
(.........) March

Ethiopian wolves, ibex, hamadryas baboons, lammagyer vultures, and spectacular landscapes. This safari will be devoted to the exotic wildlife of the incredible highlands of Ethiopia.

Spring

 

Hummingbirds of SE Arizona - Using our High Speed Flash at our Set-ups
(.........) Dates to be announced. This is one of most popular and photographically productive US tours!
Participant Limit: Seven Non-photographic spouses welcome!
Photograph several species of beautiful hummingbirds at one of the premiere locations in the US, the Santa Rita Mountains of southeastern Arizona. No equipment is necessary other than your own camera and a hotshoe flash to trigger our High Speed Flash setups. Return with spectacular images of Broad-billed and Magnificent Hummingbirds, as well as numerous species of song birds attracted to our special natural light feeders. Bridled titmice, black-headed grosbeaks, acorn woodpeckers, Mexican jays, and more. Lodging, lunches and some dinners are included. Fee: $2,095

Hoot Hollow West!
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course - Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
in Southern Arizona at the Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Canyon

(........) Contact our office if you are interested. We may not offer this course in Arizona in 2009. - Digital Imagery is revolutionizing photography. While many of the same concepts taught in the CNPC apply -- EXPOSURE, composition, proper camera and lens techniques, and the art of seeing, DIGITAL provides and demands much more. In this course we'll explain exposure via Histograms and White Balance, using RAW and other formats, and the information - and ONLY the information -- a digital nature or landscape photographer needs to know. Our course will be divided into Class time for traditional photographic instruction, in-th-field digital photography, and in-Lab computer time. Students will learn to maximize the potential of their digital cameras as they learn how to composite for panoramas, for images of varying exposure, and more. Our Arizona location is spectacular for subjects, and you'll have an opportunity to photograph hummingbirds at our High Speed Flash setups, a variety of birds at our natural light sites, as well as varied wildlife found in the Canyon and on field trips to the wonderful Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
If you are a serious digital photographer -- be that a novice who wants to start right or a aspiring professional who wants to polish up the loose ends, the DCNPC is the course. Plan on doing a photo tour or safari with us? Serious about your shooting? Do the DCNPC!
Price includes great food, lodging, computer supplies, and a wonderful portfolio of photographic subjects.
Each course is Limited to 10 students and with TWO INSTRUCTORS.
Fee: $2,245. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Hummingbird High Speed Photography Shoots.

Summer

PHOTOSHOP I: INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP - Optimizing the Digital Darkroom.
(........) Several dates will be offered in 2009.
Learn the basic but essential aspects of Photoshop, including the ways to import images, working with files, and MOST IMPORTANTLY the tools and techniques you need to know for mastering Photoshop at a beginner's level, but at a competent level as well. Although this is a beginner's level course, you will be learning techniques like Masking and using Layers that are often only discussed in intermediate-level courses. This PS course is the absolute foundation for your Photoshop skills. Limit: 10, with TWO instructors present during all Lab hours. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Fee: $1,695 NOTE: these two workshops follow our June and August Digital D-CNPC courses.

OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course - Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
(........) Several dates will be offered in 2009. - Digital Imagery is revolutionizing photography. While many of the same concepts taught in the CNPC apply -- EXPOSURE, composition, proper camera and lens techniques, and the art of seeing, DIGITAL provides and demands much more. In this course we'll explain exposure via Histograms and White Balance, using RAW and other formats, and the information - and ONLY the information -- a digital nature or landscape photographer needs to know. Our course will be divided into Class time for traditional photographic instruction, in-th-field digital photography, and in-Lab computer time. Students will learn to maximize the potential of their digital cameras as they learn how to composite for panoramas, for images of varying exposure, and more. . If you are a serious digital photographer -- be that a novice who wants to start right or a aspiring professional who wants to polish up the loose ends, the DCNPC is the course. Plan on doing a photo tour or safari with us? Serious about your shooting? Do the DCNPC!
Price includes great food, lodging, computer supplies, and a wonderful portfolio of photographic subjects. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Each course is Limited to 10 students and with TWO INSTRUCTORS. Fee: $1,595. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Intro to Photoshop - Optimizing the Digital Darkroom.

Digital Workflow using Adobe LIGHTROOM and Photoshop
( ..........) Dates TBA
Digital workflow can be the digital photographer's nightmare, but new software, like Adobe's LIGHTROOM, is expediting this workflow, making image management, and photographer's lives, much easier. We'll show you step-by-step how to use LIGHTROOM to manage and edit your digital files, and to make global adjustments to these images, especially with RAW images. You'll be surprised to see how quick and easy it is to make most adjustments. LIGHTROOM isn't replacing Photoshop, however, and we'll show you when and why you still need to use Photoshop for certain tasks, like targeted adjustments with layers, and we'll also show you how to do the most commonly needed tasks in Photoshop as well.
This class will also include shooting time in the field so that we can help you apply your new skills in a real-time, very practical way.
Limited to TEN students. Fee: $1,695

The ADVANCED DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
(........) TBA 2009 - Contact our office if YOU are interested in a flash course for 2009! Demand will dictate whether or not we will offer this course.
For all of our graduated of the D-CNPC, here's the perfect follow-up -- a course that takes what you've learned one BIG further step. In this course we'll delve further into both TTL and manual flash exposures, where you'll actually do a few setups yourself to master electronic flash lighting indoors or out. We'll be spending more time shooting -- working on compositions in the field, mastering exposure in real-time, and difficult to shoot subjects, including macro photography, panning, and exposure/focus/contrast composites. Once again, we'll cover Digital Workflow, and specific Photoshop tasks that will allow you to maximize your images' digital potential. We anticipate this Special course filling quickly, so contact our office ASAP!
Price includes great food, lodging, computer supplies, and a wonderful portfolio of photographic subjects. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course.
Each course is Limited to 10 students and with TWO INSTRUCTORS. Fee: $1,695.

Jaguars and the Wildlife of the Pantanal
(.........) Late August-early September, 2009
In August, 2008 I'll be doing a scouting trip to the world's largest wetlands, Brazil's Pantanal. On my scouting trip I'll be devoting most of my time in searching for jaguars, the New World's largest, and the world's third largest, cat, and from this experience I'll set up the trip to maximize our chances for photographing wild jaguars while still photographing the Pantanal's other incredibly diverse wildlife. Other species we can expect include giant otters, jabiru storks at the nest, hyacinth macaws, other parrot species, a variety of song, perch, and water/wading birds, birds of prey, kingfishers - the best location in the world, pootoos, caimens, anacondas, and other reptiles, amphibians, and insects. I expect this to be one of our most exciting destinations in 2009, so if you're interested, get on to our first-contact list ASAP.

.FALL

Predators of the Northern Hemisphere (Animals of Montana)
(..........)
Because of the Pantanal trip we may not be able to offer this tour this fall.

We'll be shooting mountain lions, Siberian tigers, snow leopards, gray wolves, red foxes, lynx, and other animals found in the Northern Hemisphere. This is an incredibly exciting shoot - imagine filming a tiger or puma or wolf running straight at your camera! We'll have unlimited shooting possibilities, based upon the light or the weather. Limited to EIGHT participants. Includes Lodging, some Meals, and Transportation during the Tour.
Fee: $2,395 Note: Yellowstone's Tour immediately follows this for those who wish to maximize their shooting opportunities.

Yellowstone National Park - The Mammals of Fall
(........) mid-September. This is an extremely popular tour, but because of our Pantanal and Kenya trips, we will only be offering ONE tour in 2009. Contact our office ASAP if you are interested.
Yellowstone is the premiere wildlife photography destination in the US, and Fall is the ultimate time of year to visit. Our trip should coincide with the fall rut and courtship activity of pronghorn antelope, moose, and elk. We're likely to also film bighorn sheep, mule deer, bison, and coyote, as well as the great scenics the area is world-famous for. This has always been one of our most popular and exciting shoots. Fee: $1,745. Limit: 10 participants

Kenya PHOTO SAFARI - Samburu, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara
(.........) Mid-October (2 week safari) early November (3 week safaris)
These are among our most popular, and difficult to get into, tours. Contact our office for final dates.
We'll be visiting the three best game-viewing and photography destinations in Kenya, and probably in all of Africa. Each locale is unique, with the endemic species of semi-arid Samburu -- gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, beisa oryx, Gunther's dik-dik, and of course great elephants and a wonderful chance of leopard. Samburu's bird photography is extraordinary, too. Lake Nakuru is famous for its flamingos -- sometimes numbering in the millions, but it also has a candy-store variety of mammals, including great white rhino, Rothschild's giraffes, and baboons, vervet monkeys, leopards, various antelopes, and many species of birds. The crown jewel is the Masai Mara, and our tours are virtually the only photography tours that visit three distinct locations within this incredibly rich park. By staying at three different camps -- in the south, the west, and finally the east, we'll maximize our game-viewing with minimum driving, concentrating on the rich game of the region. Our subjects -- the best! Including wonderful cheetah opportunities, great lion prides, hyenas, jackals, leopards, all the plains game, crocs, hippos, elephants, and many species of birds, both song and birds-of-prey. Our trips are limited to 3 photographers per vehicle! Price is from Nairobi, and includes all food, lodging, fees, and ground transportation.
Fee: TBA

Rwanda's MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
(.....) Because of our planned trip to Antarctica, we probably will not offer this trip in the fall of 2009.

Rwanda's mountain gorillas are perhaps the premiere and most spectacular wildlife encounter any wildlife photographer and wildlife lover can have.
Participants Limit: 5 Fee: TBA

Ultimate Antarctica - The Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula
(........) Late-November-early December, 2009

At this time we're planning on joining Joe Van Os photosafaris for our third wonderful tour to this incredible region. Dates and itineraries are not yet scheduled, but the dates should be roughly what is listed above. I'll have a direct link to the Antarctic tour site, and exact dates, as soon as they become available.

Special Photo Projects

(......... ) Personalized Sessions - in macro, electronic flash, and wildlife photography covering the topic or topics of your choice. This session is designed to accommodate people who have special interests that are not covered in other workshops and tours, or to cater to participants with special interests with limited time available. It allows each individual to pick and choose topics as well as deciding on the length of the courses. We will limit this to four people which enables us to offer more of a one on one session. Fee: $500/per person/day. Half-day session: $250, including lunch .
Hours: 9-5 formal classroom and in-field instruction. Optional sunrise or evening session.
Half-day session: 9-1PM. Same. Sunrise and evening sessions are not an option.

......... ) Personalized Sessions in Adobe Photoshop - Learn the basics or address your individual needs in learning this powerful, exciting, and creative program. Fee: $500/per person/day. Half-day session: $250, including lunch. Lodging and meals are not included but can be arranged.
Hours: 9-5 formal classroom.
Half-day session: 9-1PM. Same.

PHOTOSHOP II: UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PHOTOSHOP - An Intermediate-Level Course to Unleash Your Creative Potential.
(........) Please contact our office about this course.
Master the essentials of Photoshop while working with the more advanced, but useful features of this powerful program.. You'll learn the steps for making fine prints, incorporating images into Power Point Programs for slide shows, and producing sales/promotional material including sample portfolio sheets, cards, and notecards. Limit: 10, with THREE instructors present during all Lab hours. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course.

PHOTOSHOP II: CS3 Refresher Course with Applied Digital Photography
(............) Please contact our office about this course.
We'll be reviewing all of the important aspects of CS2 as it applies to your photography, or CS3 if it is released by then! More importantly, this workshop will include plenty of time for photography, shooting assignments that we'll work on, together, in the computer lab. If you need a brush up on Photoshop, or added insight into digital photography, this is the course for you.

If you are interested in any of the above, please return this gold schedule and we'll send you our brochures. Thank you.

 

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