Workshop Overview
Indulge Yourself
Eat, Sleep and Take Pictures
What More Could One Ask For!
With Bill and Linda Lane
TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
You can make our workshops as intense or laid back as you want.
Select from locations ranging from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the valleys of
VA, the scenic highways and waterways of WV, The Great Smoky Mountains of TN,
Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore to the Outer Banks, the waterfalls and
surrounding areas of North Carolina, Block Island off Rhode Island, Maryland and
others. Take the time to indulge yourself in a weekend devoted to YOUR own
interest - photography. Relax and be rejuvenated. Develop a camaraderie with
others having similar passions, sharing an appreciation for the little, often
unappreciated and unnoticed occurrences in everyday living.
PHILOSOPHY
We have always found that Photography attracts folks with a love of
and concern for life, nature, people and the environment who are determined to
capture those images - qualities quickly being overshadowed by modernization and
our fast paced lifestyles. A lack of knowledge, understanding and concern over
the precarious balance needed between nature and man can be seen all around us
and especially through photographs. A strong image can drive a point home, make
us smile, cry, laugh, remember. We believe it helps develop a greater
appreciation for the seldom-noticed webs of nature. Photography offers an
opportunity, if not an excuse, to sit silently and savor the moment. There are
times when the moment simply can not be captured. It is then that one must learn
to appreciate the moment. Photography records time and time becomes all too
precious with age.
It records history. A picture you take today of a grandiose mountain aglow with
fall colors could tomorrow be a mountain whose top has been clear cut or blasted
for coal. An unspoiled cascading river you photographed creating a soft,
cottony, silky flow today, could tomorrow be dammed or worse yet polluted and
dead. Photography connects the past with the present and the future. But best of
all, it fulfills the spirit.
OUR STYLE
Our workshop format has always recognized that people want more out
of a photo workshop than just photographing 100% of the time. For the last 14
years we have been offering these three to five day “Field Workshops” that are
all inclusive. We fill them with as much photographic information and hands on
experiences as can be managed in an 18 hour day plus plenty of good food, a
comfortable atmosphere and time for camaraderie and the sharing of information
between participants and ourselves. The Combination makes for a better, more
relaxed learning atmosphere. We like to think of our workshops as therapy for
the whole body.
As instructors-photographers, we work one on one with the participants,
regardless of their skill level or equipment, to ensure that everyone leaves the
workshop at least one step closer to their individualized goals AND they had fun
getting there. Our workshops are "Field Workshops" because we spend the majority
of our time instructing and working in small groups as well as one on one in the
field. One goal is to pass on knowledge in an easy, flowing, uncomplicated and
relaxed manner. We are with you from the time we meet for breakfast until the
time we all retire at the end of the day. We believe that the hands on approach
is the very best way to learn, which is why the group size is limited to
maintain a comfortable, manageable, friendly atmosphere and encourage
interaction. We enjoy helping others eliminate some of the same frustrating
trial and error mistakes we made in the beginning. We enjoy teaching the
combination of skills required to capture a unique image; creativity artistry
and the technical aspects of their camera. Classroom time is set aside for
discussions and critiques; usually during mid day or evening.
We stress the importance of visual sensitivity and technical knowledge in the
creation of a pleasing photograph. Developing a critical and artistic “eye” is
a skill that can be learned and/or fine tuned. Such skills enrich the soul by
exposing it to sights before unnoticed, therefore, unappreciated. Your
backyard, neighborhood, parking lot, babbling creek, junk yard or county dump
can all present photo ops IF you have an open mind. “Like a great poet, nature
is capable of producing the most stunning effects with the smallest means”
(Heinrich Heine). A good photograph is one that pleases the photographer, not
necessarily the judges. We stress the importance of using the total
photographic experience to get that one of a kind photograph, and we demonstrate
how simplicity is often the best way to go. We prove it is the person behind
the lens, not the equipment, that makes the picture. We want you to shoot to
please yourself.
We'll hone in on subjects critical to making better photographs easily and
consistently without guesswork or uncontrolled bracketing. Discover why what you
see through your viewfinder is not always what you get. Become more confident
with your camera and learn to trust yourself with exposures. Don’t become lazy
because of the convenience of digital photography. The automatic setting and/or
uncontrolled bracketing will seldom render the results you seek, especially in
nature photography. And besides, where’s the challenge and creativity in
guesswork?
Our workshops will help you view your subject from different
perspectives. Listen, comment and participate as we demonstrate the unlimited
effects of the art of design in composition and natural light, experiment with
creative uses of equipment such as filters, diffusers, fill flash and
reflectors; discuss how light, color, balance and placement play on composition;
introduce the exciting field of close-up/macro photography and open eyes to
subjects you may never have considered. Join discussions and demonstrations on
how light, color, balance and placement affect composition. Watch as
close-up/macro photography opens your eyes to subjects you may not have
considered or even seen. You’ll learn the importance of researching your
subject before setting out to photograph it. Participants also often discover
features on their cameras they never knew existed thus enabling them to take
photos they never realized they could. Comments such as, "Oh, so that’s what
that dial is for”, “Push what button?”, “Which wheel is for f/stops?", “Collar,
I never knew it had a collar!” are not unusual.
PARTICIPANTS
Our workshops cater to shutterbugs of all ages, all skill levels,
having diverse interests, various formats, film and digital. With the digital
age come other realms of possibilities. With it also comes the temptation to
forget the basics, guess at exposure and spend hours behind the computer trying
to fix it all. Many participants return knowing that they have abandoned the
basic knowledge they once had for what they thought was a simpler way. They are
seeking control once again.
Talk with us before making any major purchases other than what is on our “what
to bring list”. Waiting until after the workshop before making any major
equipment purchases is more often than not, a good method. We want you to have
the necessary gear but not purchase items you may find useless. Coming with
the basics and learning is often the best road to take. We offer a large array
of tripods for your use and experimentation whether you are in the market for a
new one or looking to step up from your current one. A tripod is the single
most important piece of equipment you’ll own. A good tripod is quite an
investment so we try to make sure everyone sees what the market has to offer. We
do recommend having a circular polarizer. And if you like macro/close-up work,
we’d recommend purchasing close up filters appropriate for your camera. Don’t
skimp on quality glass. It will cost more, but you won’t regret it; you will
if you don’t.
Our workshops afford the opportunity for folks to see, touch
and use equipment enabling them to make far better purchasing decisions.
Another goal is that participants will be better equipped to make wise
purchasing decisions based on their own needs and expectations. And trust us,
after the workshop you will have a “wish list”. Photography gear isn’t cheap
so you want to make the right choice.
Many photographers, professionals and amateurs alike, use our weekend workshops
as a means to get away from the stress of everyday responsibilities. "Eat, Sleep
and Take Pictures for the whole weekend. These weekends of fairly non-stop
shooting can serve as a sort of Band-Aid for the soul.
WHAT
Come relish in the moment of the soft glow on a barn surrounded by fog, dew,
deer and split rail fences, or the glow of sunrise and sunset. Convert a field
of wildflowers into an abstract by using creative techniques. Create images
with clean, non-distracting background by using the appropriate depth of field.
Blur water, stop action and learn how easy it is to photograph fog, sunsets and
sunrises. Lie in wait and watch as a ghost crab runs side to side while
staying close to the safety of its tunneled home, or set up a macro of a tiny,
colorful beetle forging through the soil toward its abode. Learn how to shoot a
spider’s web full of dew, a tiny fawn lying motionless as instructed by its mom,
or a beaver building his fortress. Take the time to see what you have not had
time to notice. Extend the moment through your images. Do these things by
learning how to make your camera dance to your tune instead of your being at the
mercy of your camera.
WHEN
Workshops usually begin on the evening
before fieldwork begins with drinks and light hors d’oeuvres (dinner not
included), a group discussion and slide show. We will prepare you for what to
expect early the next morning. Most of the workshop instruction is conducted
in the field with time midday or in the evening for slide shows and/or
discussions. We ask that each participant bring 5 to 7 slides or digital images
to share. Meals are worked around the shoots as much as possible. The workshops
conclude on Sunday around 11:00 a.m. (Fees and times vary from location to location.) Meals are home cooked
for many of the workshops. Private cabins or rooms are available at most
locations with advanced notice at an additional cost. All fees are based on
double occupancy. Spouses are welcomed for a lesser fee if space permits. See
the schedule for pertinent, detailed information on each workshop.
Additional Brochures are available for clubs, stores, educational facilities…
Call or fax us at (804) 883-7740 with a request and the delivery information.
Please notify us if special accommodations or arrangements will be required for
participants with special needs.
For additional information and/or to make a reservation call or fax us at (804)
883-7740. Or just send a 50% deposit to:
Bill and Linda Lane
Nature’s Image Photography Workshops
15325 Mountain Road
Montpelier, Virginia 23192
The other 50% is due upon receipt of the informational letter.
“A WORKSHOP CAN BE A WONDERFUL GIFT!”
So come and sit silently and savor the moment. Indulge yourself. Relax; be
rejuvenated and take some of your best shots ever. |
