THE GOLD SCHEDULE
2012
Last Update, November 16, 2011
Tanzania
The Great Gnu Migration Photo Safari
February 12 - 25, 2012
Price: $9,395
(One Space Open)
The gnu migration in the southern Serengeti is one of nature's true spectacles. We'll be spending three nights at the world famous Ngorongoro Crater, great for Black Rhinos, extremely close herbivores, lions, servals, jackals, and the largest tusked elephants in Africa. Our Serengeti camp is a private, luxurious tented camp in the heart of game country, and that experience alone is worth the trip, but the wildlife, with cheetahs, lions, and more are fantastic. This trip is timed to coincide with the peak of the birthing season for the gnus -- if they cooperate!
MARCH - APRIL
Tiger Photo Safari in India's Best Parks
March 20 - April 6, 2012 (6 spots available as of 12-13-2010)
Price: $8,599
This is one of our most exciting trips for the world's most endangered and most beautiful Big Cat. We visit the three best parks for tigers, with just two photographers per vehicle! Read our 2011 Trip Reports - Summary 1, Summary 2, Trip 1, Trip 2, for an extremely thorough description of the trip, or refer to our brochure.
MAY
Arizona Digital Complete Nature Photo Course
May 5 - 10, 2012
Based at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon,
just south of Tucson.
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $2,295.
Hummingbirds and Bats with High Speed Flash
May 11 - 16, 2012
May 16 - 21, 2012
Price: $2,545
Photograph several species of hummingbirds and other birds, mammals, and reptiles during the day and several bats at night! You bring your camera, we supply the flash set-ups. This is the perfect way to not only get great hummingbird shots, and virtually impossible-to-get bat photographs but to also learn valuable Photoshop skills, as well as flash instruction.
OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera
May 27 - June 2, 2012 (New dates)
An example of the power of RAW, where a poorly exposed, BIG mistake image was corrected
and salvaged using the RAW converter. You will learn the power of RAW!
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $1,795.
NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Photoshop - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
Digital Workflow using Adobe LIGHTROOM and Photoshop
May 27 - June 2, 2012 (New dates)
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: $1,895
JUNE
PHOTOSHOP I: The Complete PHOTOSHOP - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
June 2-8, 2012 (New date)
Photoshop is a huge, intimidating program, but the truth is, most Digital Photographers need to know, and master, only a small portion of this program. This course is designed with this concept in mind. You will learn the essential tools of Photoshop, and when to use them, and the various ways you can make selections for targetting specific areas for sharpening or color adjustments. We will be covering, in depth, the RAW converter, which in many case is all that you need to know for making the most of a photograph. Additionally, of course, we'll be covering all of the important tools and, most importantly, the incredible new software plug-ins offered by NIK, Helicon Focus, and HDR programs to make the most of your images.
One of the keys to Photoshop is in learning how, and when, to use Masks, and the essential Adjustment Layers that you can use to maximize your digital image. You will become a master at this.
Our time will be divided between plenty of lab classroom work and some time in the field, where you will incorporate the shooting skills to use HDR, Helicon Focus, and NIK software.
This PS course is the absolute foundation for your Photoshop skills. Limit: 10. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Fee: $1,895 NOTE: this workshop follows our May-June Digital -CNPC course.
JULY
Reptiles of the World Photo Shoot
July10 - 14, 2012
We will be offering another Reptile shoot in 2011. In both 2009 and 2010 we photographed over 75 species during the shoot, and we had over 120 different subjects on hand for photography. Participants use OUR FLASH SETUPS, as we photograph studio setups that reflect the natural habitats of the subjects, while producing beautiful portraits of the subjects. You'll shoot venomous snakes, various treefrogs, lizards, crocodilians, turtles, nonvenomous snakes, and invertebrates like scorpions, tarantulas, and more.
We do not shoot from behind glass, so there's no worry about aberations, distortions, or reflections, and we try to pose our subjects for each photographer. We will be doing a variety of habitats, from indoor desert, forest, jungle, to outside forest and arboreal habitats, and water-level pond and pools.
Like last year we will be doing several water sets, offering great reflections for arboreal snakes, treefrogs, and lizards, and for traditional water-level shots of various amphibians and turtles.
For more information, check out our 2010 Trip Report and our Reptile Portfolio or our 2009 Trip Report or our 2009 brochure Fee: $2,495
OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera
July 15 - 21, 2012
An example of the power of RAW, where a poorly exposed, BIG mistake image was corrected
and salvaged using the RAW converter. You will learn the power of RAW!
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $1,795.
NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Photoshop - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
Jaguars and the Wildlife of the Pantanal
August 12 - 21, 2012 (Trip FULL)
August 23 - 29, 2012 extension (Trip FULL)
August 30 - September 8, 2012
We'll be photographing jaguars, giant otters, the world's largest rodent, the cabybara, caimens, and at least 50 different species of birds, and perhaps more than 75. This is an extraordinary opportunity to photograph one of the world's most elusive big cats. Check out our Trip Reports for 2011, 2010 or 2009 to get a great idea of what you can expect for this exciting shoot.
In August, 2008 I did a scouting trip to the world's largest wetlands, Brazil's Pantanal. On my scouting trip I 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 set up a 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 2010, so if you're interested, get on to our first-contact list ASAP.
Fee: $TBA
Maned Wolf, Einstein Monkeys, and Macaws
August 23 - 29, 2012
The largest canine in South America and an endangered species, the maned wolf is a mysterious, rarely seen predator. This short extension is simply INCREDIBLE. In addition to the wolf, we should have an opportunity to photograph 'the smartest monkey in the New World,' the tool-using 'Einstein' Monkeys, the brown capuchins as featured in both the BBC Life and Planet Earth series. We'll be visiting a location where the wolves are incredibly habituated, and we'll should have excellent opportunities not only to photograph the wolf but also large number of hyacinth macaws, other macaws and birds, and several mammal species.
SEPTEMBER
Yellowstone National Park - The Landscapes and Mammals of Fall
September 23 - 29, 2012
This is our most popular domestic photo tour, and we've been offering this trip for over twenty years. We know Yellowstone, and we'll maximize our shooting opportunities for wildlife, birds, and landscapes.
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.
Fee: $1,995. Limit: 10 participants
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER
Kenya PHOTO SAFARI - Samburu, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara
October 13 -27, 2012 Fee: TBA
November 4 - 22, 2012 Fee: TBA
November 24 - December 13, 2012 Fee: TBA
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.
October 27 - November 4, 2012
Price: TBA
Rwanda's mountain gorillas are perhaps the premiere and most spectacular wildlife encounter any wildlife photographer and wildlife lover can have.
We have the top guides available, and with MORE TRIPS AND TOURS to Rwanda than anyone else, we are appreciated for our support of the mountain gorilla projects. A trip to the gorillas is a moving, unforgettable experience.
Possible Offering for 2012
Most photographers are able to identify images they like and others that they don't, but often they're not sure why they prefer one image over another.
As such, they don’t know what changes they should make to their images, both while composing the images while shooting and later with software on the computer, to make them pop. Some may take a hit or miss approach while others try to rigidly apply traditional rules they've encountered along the way, with varying degrees of success. In this lecture Ellen explains the basic principles of what she and her son call Visual Intensity, and how to easily use these principles to improve your images.
The lab sessions will apply some of the concepts covered in the lecture.The lab will focus on the process of determining what each image needs and then making it happen. She'll demonstrate using various Nik software filters including Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and/or HDR Efex pro to control the Visual Intensity of each image although in some cases similar changes can be achieved using other programs. Participants are encouraged to bring trial versions of the Nik plug-ins ahead of time. Ellen Anon has been one of our Digital Instructors since we've started our digital lab, and she's an expert with NIK software and the author of several Photoshop books.
Fee: $TBA
2013
Costa Rica Hummingbirds, Birds, Reptiles and More
January 3 - 13, 2013 (approx)
Brochure available soon. Please refer to our 2011 brochure as a reference.
Price: TBA
Polar Bears and the High Arctic
June, 2013
Price: TBA
We'll be using an exclusive vessel with only 12 passengers, allowing us to travel into the nooks and crannies of bays and fjords and ice flows as we photograph polar bears, walruses, bearded seals, landscapes, and arctic birds.
2013 Trips with brochures 'almost' ready - please refer to the
posted brochure for 2011 for a general idea of the trip. The
price is not determined, but the dates are.
Humpback Whales of Southeast Alaska - Digital Workflow and Photoshop Photo Tour
August 3 or 4, 7 days.
Price: TBA
The coastal waters of southeastern Alaska are perhaps the best location in the world to observe and photograph humpback whales, and no whale is more spectacular or photogenic than is species. We'll be touring the best whale locations of southeastern Alaska by our live-aboard boat, searching for bubble-net feeding, lunge-feeding, and breeching humpbacks. We'll also be in some excellent areas for brown and black bears, as well. In addition to our whale photography, we'll also be conducting mini-seminars on digital workflow, digital photography, and Photoshop tricks and techniques on this very limited and unique tour.
The Brown Bears of Coastal Katmai
August 2nd week, approx.
Price: TBA
One of the most exciting photographic locations in North America is the spawning creeks of Alaska's salmon where, each year, dozens of bears gather to fish. We'll be photographing at bear-level, ground-level sandbars where brown bears, the largest of all bears, chase or dive after salmon, and often feed upon their catches just yards from our location. We'll be working at two or more shooting locations, and in addition to bears we'll be filming Stellar's sea lions and Tufted and Horned Puffins. The shooting is simply incredible.
Please refer to the Master Calendar for more possible trips in 2012 and 2013
or our new feature
The New Trips Page.
Ethiopia's Mountain Mammals
We may be offering this trip again in the near future.
Ethiopian wolves, ibex, hamadryas baboons, lammergeyer vultures, and spectacular landscapes. This safari will be devoted to the exotic wildlife of the incredible highlands of Ethiopia.
Botswana Summer 2012
We wil, once again, offer an incredible tour to the best of Botswana. This tour will be extremely limited so if you are interested contact our office to be placed on our 'first contact' list. As details are fleshed out, we'll post the brochure -- but you may not want to wait for that!
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.
Hoot Hollow West!
The Arizona DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
in Southern Arizona at the Santa Rita Lodge, Madeira Canyon
(May be offered in 2012)
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-the-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: $2,295. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Hummingbird High Speed Photography Shoots.
BOOKED FULL?
Reserve your spot NOW for
the next Trip or Available Spot
You may have noticed on our Master Schedule of our trips, our Gold Schedule, that some trips are listed with a note that they are BOOKED FULL. Some of these tours are extremely popular, with an inquiry list that may have dozens of names wishing to get on to the next trip.
We've addressed this with our new policy, where you can place your deposit on a future photo safari or tour and guarantee your spot on the next year's trip. We realize that people may need to make vacation plans, or may need to save, many months in advance of a trip and we realize it is frustrating when someone hopes to join us on a safari or tour only to discover that it is booked full without an opening.
If you are interested in any trip, and it is filled, please contact our office to GUARANTEE your spot on the next trip!
THE GOLD SCHEDULE
2012
Last Update, November 16, 2011
Tanzania
The Great Gnu Migration Photo Safari
February 12 - 25, 2012
Price: $9,395
(One Space Open)
The gnu migration in the southern Serengeti is one of nature's true spectacles. We'll be spending three nights at the world famous Ngorongoro Crater, great for Black Rhinos, extremely close herbivores, lions, servals, jackals, and the largest tusked elephants in Africa. Our Serengeti camp is a private, luxurious tented camp in the heart of game country, and that experience alone is worth the trip, but the wildlife, with cheetahs, lions, and more are fantastic. This trip is timed to coincide with the peak of the birthing season for the gnus -- if they cooperate!
MARCH - APRIL
Tiger Photo Safari in India's Best Parks
March 20 - April 6, 2012 (6 spots available as of 12-13-2010)
Price: $8,599
This is one of our most exciting trips for the world's most endangered and most beautiful Big Cat. We visit the three best parks for tigers, with just two photographers per vehicle! Read our 2011 Trip Reports - Summary 1, Summary 2, Trip 1, Trip 2, for an extremely thorough description of the trip, or refer to our brochure.
MAY
Arizona Digital Complete Nature Photo Course
May 5 - 10, 2012
Based at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon,
just south of Tucson.
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $2,295.
Hummingbirds and Bats with High Speed Flash
May 11 - 16, 2012
May 16 - 21, 2012
Price: $2,545
Photograph several species of hummingbirds and other birds, mammals, and reptiles during the day and several bats at night! You bring your camera, we supply the flash set-ups. This is the perfect way to not only get great hummingbird shots, and virtually impossible-to-get bat photographs but to also learn valuable Photoshop skills, as well as flash instruction.
OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera
May 27 - June 2, 2012 (New dates)
An example of the power of RAW, where a poorly exposed, BIG mistake image was corrected
and salvaged using the RAW converter. You will learn the power of RAW!
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $1,795.
NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Photoshop - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
Digital Workflow using Adobe LIGHTROOM and Photoshop
May 27 - June 2, 2012 (New dates)
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: $1,895
JUNE
PHOTOSHOP I: The Complete PHOTOSHOP - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
June 2-8, 2012 (New date)
Photoshop is a huge, intimidating program, but the truth is, most Digital Photographers need to know, and master, only a small portion of this program. This course is designed with this concept in mind. You will learn the essential tools of Photoshop, and when to use them, and the various ways you can make selections for targetting specific areas for sharpening or color adjustments. We will be covering, in depth, the RAW converter, which in many case is all that you need to know for making the most of a photograph. Additionally, of course, we'll be covering all of the important tools and, most importantly, the incredible new software plug-ins offered by NIK, Helicon Focus, and HDR programs to make the most of your images.
One of the keys to Photoshop is in learning how, and when, to use Masks, and the essential Adjustment Layers that you can use to maximize your digital image. You will become a master at this.
Our time will be divided between plenty of lab classroom work and some time in the field, where you will incorporate the shooting skills to use HDR, Helicon Focus, and NIK software.
This PS course is the absolute foundation for your Photoshop skills. Limit: 10. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Fee: $1,895 NOTE: this workshop follows our May-June Digital -CNPC course.
JULY
Reptiles of the World Photo Shoot
July10 - 14, 2012
We will be offering another Reptile shoot in 2011. In both 2009 and 2010 we photographed over 75 species during the shoot, and we had over 120 different subjects on hand for photography. Participants use OUR FLASH SETUPS, as we photograph studio setups that reflect the natural habitats of the subjects, while producing beautiful portraits of the subjects. You'll shoot venomous snakes, various treefrogs, lizards, crocodilians, turtles, nonvenomous snakes, and invertebrates like scorpions, tarantulas, and more.
We do not shoot from behind glass, so there's no worry about aberations, distortions, or reflections, and we try to pose our subjects for each photographer. We will be doing a variety of habitats, from indoor desert, forest, jungle, to outside forest and arboreal habitats, and water-level pond and pools.
Like last year we will be doing several water sets, offering great reflections for arboreal snakes, treefrogs, and lizards, and for traditional water-level shots of various amphibians and turtles.
For more information, check out our 2010 Trip Report and our Reptile Portfolio or our 2009 Trip Report or our 2009 brochure Fee: $2,495
OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera
July 15 - 21, 2012
An example of the power of RAW, where a poorly exposed, BIG mistake image was corrected
and salvaged using the RAW converter. You will learn the power of RAW!
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $1,795.
NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Photoshop - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
Jaguars and the Wildlife of the Pantanal
August 12 - 21, 2012 (Trip FULL)
August 23 - 29, 2012 extension (Trip FULL)
August 30 - September 8, 2012
We'll be photographing jaguars, giant otters, the world's largest rodent, the cabybara, caimens, and at least 50 different species of birds, and perhaps more than 75. This is an extraordinary opportunity to photograph one of the world's most elusive big cats. Check out our Trip Reports for 2011, 2010 or 2009 to get a great idea of what you can expect for this exciting shoot.
In August, 2008 I did a scouting trip to the world's largest wetlands, Brazil's Pantanal. On my scouting trip I 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 set up a 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 2010, so if you're interested, get on to our first-contact list ASAP.
Fee: $TBA
Maned Wolf, Einstein Monkeys, and Macaws
August 23 - 29, 2012
The largest canine in South America and an endangered species, the maned wolf is a mysterious, rarely seen predator. This short extension is simply INCREDIBLE. In addition to the wolf, we should have an opportunity to photograph 'the smartest monkey in the New World,' the tool-using 'Einstein' Monkeys, the brown capuchins as featured in both the BBC Life and Planet Earth series. We'll be visiting a location where the wolves are incredibly habituated, and we'll should have excellent opportunities not only to photograph the wolf but also large number of hyacinth macaws, other macaws and birds, and several mammal species.
SEPTEMBER
Yellowstone National Park - The Landscapes and Mammals of Fall
September 23 - 29, 2012
This is our most popular domestic photo tour, and we've been offering this trip for over twenty years. We know Yellowstone, and we'll maximize our shooting opportunities for wildlife, birds, and landscapes.
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.
Fee: $1,995. Limit: 10 participants
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER
Kenya PHOTO SAFARI - Samburu, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara
October 13 -27, 2012 Fee: TBA
November 4 - 22, 2012 Fee: TBA
November 24 - December 13, 2012 Fee: TBA
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.
October 27 - November 4, 2012
Price: TBA
Rwanda's mountain gorillas are perhaps the premiere and most spectacular wildlife encounter any wildlife photographer and wildlife lover can have.
We have the top guides available, and with MORE TRIPS AND TOURS to Rwanda than anyone else, we are appreciated for our support of the mountain gorilla projects. A trip to the gorillas is a moving, unforgettable experience.
Possible Offering for 2012
Most photographers are able to identify images they like and others that they don't, but often they're not sure why they prefer one image over another.
As such, they don’t know what changes they should make to their images, both while composing the images while shooting and later with software on the computer, to make them pop. Some may take a hit or miss approach while others try to rigidly apply traditional rules they've encountered along the way, with varying degrees of success. In this lecture Ellen explains the basic principles of what she and her son call Visual Intensity, and how to easily use these principles to improve your images.
The lab sessions will apply some of the concepts covered in the lecture.The lab will focus on the process of determining what each image needs and then making it happen. She'll demonstrate using various Nik software filters including Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and/or HDR Efex pro to control the Visual Intensity of each image although in some cases similar changes can be achieved using other programs. Participants are encouraged to bring trial versions of the Nik plug-ins ahead of time. Ellen Anon has been one of our Digital Instructors since we've started our digital lab, and she's an expert with NIK software and the author of several Photoshop books.
Fee: $TBA
2013
Costa Rica Hummingbirds, Birds, Reptiles and More
January 3 - 13, 2013 (approx)
Brochure available soon. Please refer to our 2011 brochure as a reference.
Price: TBA
Polar Bears and the High Arctic
June, 2013
Price: TBA
We'll be using an exclusive vessel with only 12 passengers, allowing us to travel into the nooks and crannies of bays and fjords and ice flows as we photograph polar bears, walruses, bearded seals, landscapes, and arctic birds.
2013 Trips with brochures 'almost' ready - please refer to the
posted brochure for 2011 for a general idea of the trip. The
price is not determined, but the dates are.
Humpback Whales of Southeast Alaska - Digital Workflow and Photoshop Photo Tour
August 3 or 4, 7 days.
Price: TBA
The coastal waters of southeastern Alaska are perhaps the best location in the world to observe and photograph humpback whales, and no whale is more spectacular or photogenic than is species. We'll be touring the best whale locations of southeastern Alaska by our live-aboard boat, searching for bubble-net feeding, lunge-feeding, and breeching humpbacks. We'll also be in some excellent areas for brown and black bears, as well. In addition to our whale photography, we'll also be conducting mini-seminars on digital workflow, digital photography, and Photoshop tricks and techniques on this very limited and unique tour.
The Brown Bears of Coastal Katmai
August 2nd week, approx.
Price: TBA
One of the most exciting photographic locations in North America is the spawning creeks of Alaska's salmon where, each year, dozens of bears gather to fish. We'll be photographing at bear-level, ground-level sandbars where brown bears, the largest of all bears, chase or dive after salmon, and often feed upon their catches just yards from our location. We'll be working at two or more shooting locations, and in addition to bears we'll be filming Stellar's sea lions and Tufted and Horned Puffins. The shooting is simply incredible.
Please refer to the Master Calendar for more possible trips in 2012 and 2013
or our new feature
The New Trips Page.
Ethiopia's Mountain Mammals
We may be offering this trip again in the near future.
Ethiopian wolves, ibex, hamadryas baboons, lammergeyer vultures, and spectacular landscapes. This safari will be devoted to the exotic wildlife of the incredible highlands of Ethiopia.
Botswana Summer 2012
We wil, once again, offer an incredible tour to the best of Botswana. This tour will be extremely limited so if you are interested contact our office to be placed on our 'first contact' list. As details are fleshed out, we'll post the brochure -- but you may not want to wait for that!
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.
Hoot Hollow West!
The Arizona DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
in Southern Arizona at the Santa Rita Lodge, Madeira Canyon
(May be offered in 2012)
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-the-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: $2,295. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Hummingbird High Speed Photography Shoots.
BOOKED FULL?
Reserve your spot NOW for
the next Trip or Available Spot
You may have noticed on our Master Schedule of our trips, our Gold Schedule, that some trips are listed with a note that they are BOOKED FULL. Some of these tours are extremely popular, with an inquiry list that may have dozens of names wishing to get on to the next trip.
We've addressed this with our new policy, where you can place your deposit on a future photo safari or tour and guarantee your spot on the next year's trip. We realize that people may need to make vacation plans, or may need to save, many months in advance of a trip and we realize it is frustrating when someone hopes to join us on a safari or tour only to discover that it is booked full without an opening.
If you are interested in any trip, and it is filled, please contact our office to GUARANTEE your spot on the next trip!
THE GOLD SCHEDULE
2012
Last Update, November 16, 2011
Tanzania
The Great Gnu Migration Photo Safari
February 12 - 25, 2012
Price: $9,395
(One Space Open)
The gnu migration in the southern Serengeti is one of nature's true spectacles. We'll be spending three nights at the world famous Ngorongoro Crater, great for Black Rhinos, extremely close herbivores, lions, servals, jackals, and the largest tusked elephants in Africa. Our Serengeti camp is a private, luxurious tented camp in the heart of game country, and that experience alone is worth the trip, but the wildlife, with cheetahs, lions, and more are fantastic. This trip is timed to coincide with the peak of the birthing season for the gnus -- if they cooperate!
MARCH - APRIL
Tiger Photo Safari in India's Best Parks
March 20 - April 6, 2012 (6 spots available as of 12-13-2010)
Price: $8,599
This is one of our most exciting trips for the world's most endangered and most beautiful Big Cat. We visit the three best parks for tigers, with just two photographers per vehicle! Read our 2011 Trip Reports - Summary 1, Summary 2, Trip 1, Trip 2, for an extremely thorough description of the trip, or refer to our brochure.
MAY
Arizona Digital Complete Nature Photo Course
May 5 - 10, 2012
Based at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon,
just south of Tucson.
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $2,295.
Hummingbirds and Bats with High Speed Flash
May 11 - 16, 2012
May 16 - 21, 2012
Price: $2,545
Photograph several species of hummingbirds and other birds, mammals, and reptiles during the day and several bats at night! You bring your camera, we supply the flash set-ups. This is the perfect way to not only get great hummingbird shots, and virtually impossible-to-get bat photographs but to also learn valuable Photoshop skills, as well as flash instruction.
OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera
May 27 - June 2, 2012 (New dates)
An example of the power of RAW, where a poorly exposed, BIG mistake image was corrected
and salvaged using the RAW converter. You will learn the power of RAW!
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $1,795.
NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Photoshop - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
Digital Workflow using Adobe LIGHTROOM and Photoshop
May 27 - June 2, 2012 (New dates)
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: $1,895
JUNE
PHOTOSHOP I: The Complete PHOTOSHOP - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
June 2-8, 2012 (New date)
Photoshop is a huge, intimidating program, but the truth is, most Digital Photographers need to know, and master, only a small portion of this program. This course is designed with this concept in mind. You will learn the essential tools of Photoshop, and when to use them, and the various ways you can make selections for targetting specific areas for sharpening or color adjustments. We will be covering, in depth, the RAW converter, which in many case is all that you need to know for making the most of a photograph. Additionally, of course, we'll be covering all of the important tools and, most importantly, the incredible new software plug-ins offered by NIK, Helicon Focus, and HDR programs to make the most of your images.
One of the keys to Photoshop is in learning how, and when, to use Masks, and the essential Adjustment Layers that you can use to maximize your digital image. You will become a master at this.
Our time will be divided between plenty of lab classroom work and some time in the field, where you will incorporate the shooting skills to use HDR, Helicon Focus, and NIK software.
This PS course is the absolute foundation for your Photoshop skills. Limit: 10. All the courses include FOOD and LODGING and all materials necessary for the course. Fee: $1,895 NOTE: this workshop follows our May-June Digital -CNPC course.
JULY
Reptiles of the World Photo Shoot
July10 - 14, 2012
We will be offering another Reptile shoot in 2011. In both 2009 and 2010 we photographed over 75 species during the shoot, and we had over 120 different subjects on hand for photography. Participants use OUR FLASH SETUPS, as we photograph studio setups that reflect the natural habitats of the subjects, while producing beautiful portraits of the subjects. You'll shoot venomous snakes, various treefrogs, lizards, crocodilians, turtles, nonvenomous snakes, and invertebrates like scorpions, tarantulas, and more.
We do not shoot from behind glass, so there's no worry about aberations, distortions, or reflections, and we try to pose our subjects for each photographer. We will be doing a variety of habitats, from indoor desert, forest, jungle, to outside forest and arboreal habitats, and water-level pond and pools.
Like last year we will be doing several water sets, offering great reflections for arboreal snakes, treefrogs, and lizards, and for traditional water-level shots of various amphibians and turtles.
For more information, check out our 2010 Trip Report and our Reptile Portfolio or our 2009 Trip Report or our 2009 brochure Fee: $2,495
OUR MOST POPULAR COURSE:
The DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course -
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera
July 15 - 21, 2012
An example of the power of RAW, where a poorly exposed, BIG mistake image was corrected
and salvaged using the RAW converter. You will learn the power of RAW!
Digital Imagery has revolutionized photography. While many of the same concepts of traditional photography still 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-the-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 an 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
Fee: $1,795.
NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Photoshop - What You Need to Know as a Digital Photographer.
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
Jaguars and the Wildlife of the Pantanal
August 12 - 21, 2012 (Trip FULL)
August 23 - 29, 2012 extension (Trip FULL)
August 30 - September 8, 2012
We'll be photographing jaguars, giant otters, the world's largest rodent, the cabybara, caimens, and at least 50 different species of birds, and perhaps more than 75. This is an extraordinary opportunity to photograph one of the world's most elusive big cats. Check out our Trip Reports for 2011, 2010 or 2009 to get a great idea of what you can expect for this exciting shoot.
In August, 2008 I did a scouting trip to the world's largest wetlands, Brazil's Pantanal. On my scouting trip I 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 set up a 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 2010, so if you're interested, get on to our first-contact list ASAP.
Fee: $TBA
Maned Wolf, Einstein Monkeys, and Macaws
August 23 - 29, 2012
The largest canine in South America and an endangered species, the maned wolf is a mysterious, rarely seen predator. This short extension is simply INCREDIBLE. In addition to the wolf, we should have an opportunity to photograph 'the smartest monkey in the New World,' the tool-using 'Einstein' Monkeys, the brown capuchins as featured in both the BBC Life and Planet Earth series. We'll be visiting a location where the wolves are incredibly habituated, and we'll should have excellent opportunities not only to photograph the wolf but also large number of hyacinth macaws, other macaws and birds, and several mammal species.
SEPTEMBER
Yellowstone National Park - The Landscapes and Mammals of Fall
September 23 - 29, 2012
This is our most popular domestic photo tour, and we've been offering this trip for over twenty years. We know Yellowstone, and we'll maximize our shooting opportunities for wildlife, birds, and landscapes.
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.
Fee: $1,995. Limit: 10 participants
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER
Kenya PHOTO SAFARI - Samburu, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara
October 13 -27, 2012 Fee: TBA
November 4 - 22, 2012 Fee: TBA
November 24 - December 13, 2012 Fee: TBA
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.
October 27 - November 4, 2012
Price: TBA
Rwanda's mountain gorillas are perhaps the premiere and most spectacular wildlife encounter any wildlife photographer and wildlife lover can have.
We have the top guides available, and with MORE TRIPS AND TOURS to Rwanda than anyone else, we are appreciated for our support of the mountain gorilla projects. A trip to the gorillas is a moving, unforgettable experience.
Possible Offering for 2012
Most photographers are able to identify images they like and others that they don't, but often they're not sure why they prefer one image over another.
As such, they don’t know what changes they should make to their images, both while composing the images while shooting and later with software on the computer, to make them pop. Some may take a hit or miss approach while others try to rigidly apply traditional rules they've encountered along the way, with varying degrees of success. In this lecture Ellen explains the basic principles of what she and her son call Visual Intensity, and how to easily use these principles to improve your images.
The lab sessions will apply some of the concepts covered in the lecture.The lab will focus on the process of determining what each image needs and then making it happen. She'll demonstrate using various Nik software filters including Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and/or HDR Efex pro to control the Visual Intensity of each image although in some cases similar changes can be achieved using other programs. Participants are encouraged to bring trial versions of the Nik plug-ins ahead of time. Ellen Anon has been one of our Digital Instructors since we've started our digital lab, and she's an expert with NIK software and the author of several Photoshop books.
Fee: $TBA
2013
Costa Rica Hummingbirds, Birds, Reptiles and More
January 3 - 13, 2013 (approx)
Brochure available soon. Please refer to our 2011 brochure as a reference.
Price: TBA
Polar Bears and the High Arctic
June, 2013
Price: TBA
We'll be using an exclusive vessel with only 12 passengers, allowing us to travel into the nooks and crannies of bays and fjords and ice flows as we photograph polar bears, walruses, bearded seals, landscapes, and arctic birds.
2013 Trips with brochures 'almost' ready - please refer to the
posted brochure for 2011 for a general idea of the trip. The
price is not determined, but the dates are.
Humpback Whales of Southeast Alaska - Digital Workflow and Photoshop Photo Tour
August 3 or 4, 7 days.
Price: TBA
The coastal waters of southeastern Alaska are perhaps the best location in the world to observe and photograph humpback whales, and no whale is more spectacular or photogenic than is species. We'll be touring the best whale locations of southeastern Alaska by our live-aboard boat, searching for bubble-net feeding, lunge-feeding, and breeching humpbacks. We'll also be in some excellent areas for brown and black bears, as well. In addition to our whale photography, we'll also be conducting mini-seminars on digital workflow, digital photography, and Photoshop tricks and techniques on this very limited and unique tour.
The Brown Bears of Coastal Katmai
August 2nd week, approx.
Price: TBA
One of the most exciting photographic locations in North America is the spawning creeks of Alaska's salmon where, each year, dozens of bears gather to fish. We'll be photographing at bear-level, ground-level sandbars where brown bears, the largest of all bears, chase or dive after salmon, and often feed upon their catches just yards from our location. We'll be working at two or more shooting locations, and in addition to bears we'll be filming Stellar's sea lions and Tufted and Horned Puffins. The shooting is simply incredible.
Please refer to the Master Calendar for more possible trips in 2012 and 2013
or our new feature
The New Trips Page.
Ethiopia's Mountain Mammals
We may be offering this trip again in the near future.
Ethiopian wolves, ibex, hamadryas baboons, lammergeyer vultures, and spectacular landscapes. This safari will be devoted to the exotic wildlife of the incredible highlands of Ethiopia.
Botswana Summer 2012
We wil, once again, offer an incredible tour to the best of Botswana. This tour will be extremely limited so if you are interested contact our office to be placed on our 'first contact' list. As details are fleshed out, we'll post the brochure -- but you may not want to wait for that!
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.
Hoot Hollow West!
The Arizona DIGITAL Complete Nature Photo Course
Maximize Your Photographic Potential with a Digital Camera -
in Southern Arizona at the Santa Rita Lodge, Madeira Canyon
(May be offered in 2012)
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-the-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: $2,295. NOTE: This course is immediately followed by our Hummingbird High Speed Photography Shoots.
BOOKED FULL?
Reserve your spot NOW for
the next Trip or Available Spot
BOOKED FULL?
Reserve your spot NOW for
the next Trip or Available Spot
You may have noticed on our Master Schedule of our trips, our Gold Schedule, that some trips are listed with a note that they are BOOKED FULL. Some of these tours are extremely popular, with an inquiry list that may have dozens of names wishing to get on to the next trip.
We've addressed this with our new policy, where you can place your deposit on a future photo safari or tour and guarantee your spot on the next year's trip. We realize that people may need to make vacation plans, or may need to save, many months in advance of a trip and we realize it is frustrating when someone hopes to join us on a safari or tour only to discover that it is booked full without an opening.
If you are interested in any trip, and it is filled, please contact our office to GUARANTEE your spot on the next trip!
You may have noticed on our Master Schedule of our trips, our Gold Schedule, that some trips are listed with a note that they are BOOKED FULL. Some of these tours are extremely popular, with an inquiry list that may have dozens of names wishing to get on to the next trip.
We've addressed this with our new policy, where you can place your deposit on a future photo safari or tour and guarantee your spot on the next year's trip. We realize that people may need to make vacation plans, or may need to save, many months in advance of a trip and we realize it is frustrating when someone hopes to join us on a safari or tour only to discover that it is booked full without an opening.
If you are interested in any trip, and it is filled, please contact our office to GUARANTEE your spot on the next trip!
