Lessons
I offer many lessons that are designed to give you the knowledge needed to practice in the field efficiently and effectively. The lessons offered below will help you accelerate your photography through individual learning on a specific topic. Each lesson starts with an hour webinar where we will dive deep into the chosen topic with ample time to answer all your questions. You will leave the webinar with homework to get out in the field and put all your new skills to work! After shooting and developing your skills, we will come back together for a second virtual session. This session will focus on doing an image review and critique of the photographs you made. In addition to your image review, we will talk through challenges and answer questions that arose during your practice in the field. For more information please fill out the form below.
Beginner Bootcamp
This lesson is aimed at photographers who enjoy taking pictures and want to learn how to make better images using a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. No prior experience is required. We all are beginners at some point and while it can seem daunting, it isn’t and we will take it one step at a time to demystify how to make a proper exposure. We will learn about shutter speed, aperture and ISO and most importantly when and why you will choose to make these adjustments.
Blue Hour
This lesson will focus on how to capture the magical light of Blue Hour. Occurring about an hour before sunrise and after sunset, this indirect light imparts a special mood often invoking feelings of peace, harmony and tranquility. We will learn how to focus in near darkness to capture the deep blue of the sky offset by the warm glow on the horizon of the impending sunrise or receding sunset. We will also learn how to change exposure parameters of shutter speed, aperture and ISO to maintain a proper exposure as the light changes.
Captivating Compositions
This lesson will help you move from taking photographs which look like snapshots to intentionally making photographs that are aesthetically pleasing. We will learn three common compositional guides to help you look at a scene differently. We will also learn my OSCAR pre-shot routine that will help you get the perfect award winning compositions that you will be proud of.
Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)
This lesson will show you how to break some of the rules we have been taught and making stunning abstract art by intentionally moving the camera while making the image. You will learn the two major ways to make an Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) image and discover which one is best for you. This lesson will help you explore your creative side as a photographer.
Landscape Fieldcraft
This lesson focuses on all the necessary techniques needed to make awesome landscape images. Topics range from composing like a pro, how to utilize the type of light you are in, to how to make a proper exposure in a high dynamic range scene like shooting directly into the sun. With tons of pro tips, this lesson will help you capture the true beauty of nature.
Landscape Focus
This lesson solves one of the most asked questions in landscape photography – where should I focus? The answer is it depends! We will explore when you can simply focus on infinity, when we need to know what the hyperfocal distance is and use it, and when we will need to focus stack a series of images to ensure everything is sharp from near-to-far.
Landscape Gear
Many photographers have a lot of questions about their landscape gear. When’s the best time to upgrade, and why? Which brand is best for your needs? Do I need additional or maybe different lenses? This lesson will answer all those questions and more! We will explore the differences between a dslr and mirrorless camera. We will look at the differences in sensor size, design and megapixel count. We will navigate the extensive world of lenses and accessories needed to make your landscape photography a successful and great experience in the field!
Lightroom Processing
This lesson focuses on how to take your photography to the next level after you push the shutter button. We will learn how to create an organizational system and taxonomy convention for your files, how to import photos from your memory card, how to do basic editing and how to export your files. This lesson is meant for photographers who have little previous experience with Lightroom.
Macro Photography
This lesson will help you reveal a world that most people never get to see. Bringing something you might have walked right past, into the spotlight. We will cover how macro lens and extension tubes magnify subjects up to 2x its original size. We will cover what lens work best on a budget or for a splurge. We will cover how to focus and how to shoot handheld so that the subjects you can capture are virtually endless.
Monochrome Processing
This lesson will help you bring the tonality of your monochrome file to life. We will explore the best workflow on how to process a RAW file in Lightroom. We will learn how to add contrast, which is at the heart of a great monochrome image, without using the contrast slider. We will also learn when a high key or low key approach is warranted.
Monochrome “Seeing”
This lesson will help you to make dramatic images in a world without color. Monochrome, most commonly referred to as black and white, gives photographs gritty, timeless and emotional qualities. We will explore how to utilize the Zone System pioneered by Ansel Adams as a means to be able to look at a scene and have a sense of whether it will make a great monochrome image. We will dive into exploring shapes, shades and textures in this lesson.
Photography Filters
This lesson will unpack all types of photography filters with a special emphasis on circular polarizers and neutral density filters. We will learn what a stop of light is and how to adjust your camera parameters to get a proper exposure even when you block 99.9% of the light entering your lens. We will explore how to create motion with water, making fine art images and using slow shutter speeds.
Wildlife Fieldcraft
This lesson will focus on the techniques how to use your gear in the field. You may only have a few seconds to get the shot, and we’ll teach you all you need to know to make sure you get it! We will discuss the importance of knowing species behavior whether it be a common rabbit, to a diving osprey to a cormorant at take-off. We will show you the different types of light and how they impact wildlife backgrounds and therefore your photographing strategy. We will also explore key shooting techniques that will increase your keeper rate and the best way to practice.
Wildlife Gear
This lesson will help you sort through which gear is essential and which is nice to have to make stunning wildlife images. Gear is a much-debated topic in the photography community and contrary to popular opinion, we will show you that you can do wildlife photography on a relatively modest budget. We will also show you how to use the gear! We will explore focusing to capture rapidly moving birds and how to adjust shutter speed, aperture and ISO to get tack sharp images.