Photo Workshops

anybody here ever take a photo tour vacation?
Pack your gear & get on the tour bus kinda thing...to like Yosemite?
I'm looking for a long weekend trip, any thoughts or suggestions?

Tried it out from Las Vegas up to Lake Powell - very disappointing.
But from St Pete down to Fort de Soto was totally different, a great day for wildlife - apart from being eaten by mosquitoes. Now I know where the Osprey nesting platform is, google earth has it the panoramic photo at 3130 Pinellas Bayway S.

I have only been on one and it was a "photo" safari in South Africa. It was a GREAT trip, but it really wasn't geared to be a "photo" trip per se. We did spend a lot of time out in the field, but it was more of a tourist photo safari if that makes any sense? It was basically drive around with a guide and let the tourists take photos.

I think a bus trip would be fun but I think it would be more of a tourist thing than a photography thing. A lot of photography through the bus windows and not a lot of time to get out and explore on foot. Is a bus going to load up before the sun comes up and get you to great spot to wait for the light to come? I'm guessing not, but I could be completely wrong. If that's what you're looking for then go for it.

If you're looking for something more geared toward serious photography, I would look for someone who specializes in photography trips. Someone who will be able to get you or a small group into the out of the way places and at the best times to photograph whatever it is you're looking for. You could find a local pro and see if they do some weekend work shops. I know of a guy in my area who offers one on one workshops.

I guess it really depends on what you're looking for.

Michael, Please pm me the name of the guy who does the workshops. I might be interested in something like that. Thanks,

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SmartWombat

Tried it out from Las Vegas up to Lake Powell - very disappointing.
But from St Pete down to Fort de Soto was totally different, a great day for wildlife - apart from being eaten by mosquitoes. Now I know where the Osprey nesting platform is, google earth has it the panoramic photo at 3130 Pinellas Bayway S.

---

SW, wish I'd have been there to guide you...you'd have had a marvelous trip. I grew up near that area and it's sad what those bus drivers miss. Of course, the towns have wiped out much of the wild areas, but there are still plenty of great shooting areas!!!!
One of these years I'd love to get to Florida, or even travel the states east of the Mississippi. I've travelled pretty extensively in the west, but never in the east.
Hope you have better trip next time...

I have been on a couple - one about eight years ago and one last fall. The one last fall was so-so but the cost of meals, lodging and transportation were about equal to the cost of the workshop so I wasn't disappointed. I learned a little bit more about an area I was already slightly familiar with, which was my goal anyway. The goal of that workshop was to shoot nasty Lake Superior storms in November but the conditions were calm where we were. Obviously that's not the fault of the workshop because with weather, you get what you get (especially up there). However, if I hadn't signed up for that workshop I could have instead gone to the other side of the lake where there were nasty conditions due to the wind direction...

The one several years ago was great. It also was on Lake Superior and we got around by kayaking. I had been paddling for a couple of years by then so I knew what I was in for, but wouldn't recommend a week this way to someone new to paddling. The leader was great and I still keep in touch with him occasionally. I'll take another one of his workshops again at somepoint.

I didn't take either to learn techniques like exposure or any of the "behind the scenes" mechanical stuff, talk about gear or any of that stuff. I thought someone else's opinion on composition and overall critique would be interesting, and it gives an opportunity to put a few days on the calendar to go shoot. I learned more by watching the pros approach a subject and work with it than anything else, and that was worth the price of admission.

What do you want to get out of this trip? No wrong answers, but it might help you to have a goal for the trip.

I just want epic views & a trip geared towards shooting,
plus I need an idea for a trip for 2010.
Art Wolf has a great show on PBS & that is pretty much my inspiration.