Your Sedona Photography Workshop Information Booklet

Transcription

1 Your Sedona Photography Workshop Information Booklet Taking more beautiful, more interesting, more creative, and more original photographs than ever before! All the benefits of a photography class all the benefits of a photography tour all in one! YOSEMITE NP OLYMPIC NP SEDONA NF NEW YORK STATE PINETOP NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTLINE TEMPE TOWN LAKE LOST DUTCHMAN SP SONORAN DESERT

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3 Your 8 hour Sedona Photography Workshop What makes your workshop different from most photography tours We have been on a lot of Photography tours, and we continue to go on them whenever we can. Through these tours, we learn a lot; about what to do, and about what not to do. And we bring all that experience to you. You will not be rushed from place to place to get all your photos in 90 minutes; you will be entrenched in a beautiful environment where you can be sure you get the best image, and where a professional photographer is helping you get it just right. This is a whole different experience! We also bring a philosophy, or an attitude. And this is it: Photography is exciting! And photography is so much more than just capturing a visual moment. With time, learning, and experience, you can begin to capture emotion also the very emotion you feel as you look upon the scene. And we are here to help you get to that level. We have a 4-participant MAX policy, so each person get s the attention they want. And absolutely these workshops are here to have fun! Fun discovering amazing things to take photos of, fun seeing what you capture, a fun delicious lunch, fun seeing yourself becoming a better photographer, and just fun together. You will wish ALL photo tours were like this! If you take what is available, there is no reason you will not leave this workshop a better photographer than when you came. Remember what we wrote on the first page of this booklet? Taking more beautiful, more interesting, more creative, and more original photographs than ever before! We bring you all the benefits of a photography class, all the benefits of a photography tour, all in one!

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5 Sedona Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,031. Sedona's main attractions are Oak Creek, and Sedona s array of red sandstone formations. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The red rocks form a popular backdrop for many activities, ranging from exceptional photography and spiritual pursuits to the hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails. Oak Creek, a year-round flowing creek providing the irony between arid dessert land and it s lush creek bed, presents photographers with some of the most stunning photo opportunities in the world. Sedona was named after Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly ( ), the wife of Theodore Carlton Schnebly, the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness. Her mother, Amanda Miller, claimed to have made the name up because "it sounded pretty".

6 Your Sedona Photography Workshop Coach Coach & Guide David Westfall Professional Photographer & Guide Text/Cell: (480) Journey In Common Photography Workshops Phoenix, AZ

7 The Details Questionnaire and Waiver When you complete online payment, you will virtually immediately be sent an confirming payment. This is the first step in the booking process. The second is that this contains a link to an online Questionnaire which needs to be completed immediately and submitted. The third and final step is that this also contains a link to the Waiver and Release of Liability, which needs to be completed right away, and is required to be signed by all participants prior to any activity. One Questionnaire and one Waiver and Release of Liability must be completed by EACH participant, regardless of age.

8 The Details What to expect and how to prepare The physical exertion for our clients is as published on the previous page of this document. For those who want to navigate over exceptionally slippery rocks or other potentially hazardous terrain to get a better position, the potential for injury to person and/or property increases. We recommend you bring water shoes and navigate to those special photography sites in the (very cold in winter) water. If you are concerned about physical exertion, please let us know as early as possible and we can work to accommodate you best we can. Please also be sure that you bring a camera bag, a backpack, a Camelback, or something which can hold all that you will be bringing. Please also be prepared for exposure to the elements. First, the sun. Direct sunlight is common in this area, receiving over 300 days of direct sunlight per year. Come prepared and bring sunscreen and wear clothing appropriate to your needs; bring a hat, consider long sleeves, etc. No matter what the weather is, bring WATER to keep hydrated! Be aware that we are at higher elevations (over 5,000 ), so the air is a little thinner. Be prepared with repellant or spray for possible bug bites.

9 The Details Be aware that we respect and adhere to the USFS policy of leaving no evidence ( Leave no trace ) of our presence in nature. This includes walking carefully through plant life, and no littering. In fact, we make it a practice to pick up litter we encounter and pack it out with us. Your guide will be carrying a trash bag.

10 The Details What IS Included We will be providing transportation from the workshop Meet-Up, which is the Schnebly Memorial Garden/Uptown Parking Lot, Lot 5, at 260 Schnebly Rd, Sedona, AZ to all activities, and transportation back to the Meet-Up. We will be providing some granola bars as you need throughout the day. We provide you with a great lunch or dinner, and great conversation throughout that meal! We will be bringing some water, but please do not depend on our supply alone. Bring with you enough water to keep you hydrated and safe! Lots of knowledge. Be sure to take advantage of the group discussions, and of all the individual help we offer. Don t hesitate to ask! The point of this tour is you taking home skills and exceptional photographs worthy of printing and framing!

11 The Details What you should bring Be sure you bring everything you need, including the following: Your camera (Digital SLR or mirrorless) with a fully charged battery and a memory card Extra batteries are really a requirement. Your battery WILL run out after a whole day in the field. Some batteries only last a few hours. Bring with you enough so you can last 9-12 hours without running out of power. Come prepared! Also BRING extra camera memory cards (We prefer 64gb cards). If you run out of either, then you will not be able to continue taking pictures. We DO NOT have loaner batteries or memory cards. Please come prepared and don't be surprised to end up taking hundreds of photographs! Bring what lenses you intend to use. We would recommend a wide angle, a standard, and a zoom lens. EACH LENS YOU BRING MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A UV FILTER INSTALLED. NO CAMERA LENS SHOULD EVER BE USED WHICH IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A UV FILTER!! These filters cost $10.00 or so from Amazon, and can be replaced if you bang your lens on a rock or something and they scratch or break - far less money than replacing your lens! We would also recommend a strong Neutral Density Filter (At a minimum, ND2, ND4, & ND8; I carry a variable ND4-400) for each lens size you intend to use extensively. Many, if not most, of your best shots will not be possible without these filters PLEASE make a point of having a backpack or some other way to carry all the equipment you plan to bring into the field with you, and that it is comfortable for you. You should also have an appropriate container to hold whatever equipment you will be bringing but may want to leave in the vehicle, so all your equipment is kept together

12 The Details What you should bring (continued... ) We would also highly recommend you bring a camera remote. This may have been included in your original camera purchase, and allows you to take a picture without touching the camera; thus avoiding camera shake (blurry photographs). We prefer the corded ones, and they can be purchased from Amazon for most cameras for between $5 and $20. Ask us for an Amazon link There is a chance we could encounter rain. A simple large plastic bag for covering your camera will save you great misery, and a dry washcloth for drying your camera when necessary. If you want to be a bit more sophisticated, you can buy something like a Rain Cover Coat Dust Proof Camera Protector. It works MUCH better if the rain starts coming down heavy, where the simpler solution may not work well at all in heavy rain. Neewer sells one on Amazon for $10 We highly recommend a heavy-duty tripod capable of handling the weight of your camera with your heaviest lens attached. Many shots ARE IMPOSSIBLE without one. We have loaners let us know if you need one. All other accessories you believe you may want to use. Please keep in mind that you must carry whatever equipment you bring to a site. These items add up in weight and volume quickly. So bring a backpack or something which can safely hold all your stuff A hat, appropriate clothing, bug repellant, and sunscreen to avoid sunburn, insect bites, and to help you handle rain. You also will VERY likely be in some water; so bring water shoes and other clothing for navigating through moving water (and with your equipment; so a backpack comes in handy here too)

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14 The Details Weather The weather in Sedona is very seasonal. It is significantly cooler in Sedona than in Phoenix, and Sedona gets more precipitation. In the spring, expect cold and occasional rain. In the summer, it gets as warm as in the 80 s and 90 s with some humidity. In the fall it cools off. In the winter Sedona gets rain, snow, and COLD. Some of the most beautiful shots of Sedona I have ever shot have been when it is blanketed in snow. More difficult to get to the shots, but really worth it! You will receive a weather forecast by about a week prior to your workshop date so you can plan, and a second forecast by text the day before. Timeliness It is critical that each participant conduct themselves respectfully toward all other participants and the staff in regard to being timely. We ask the following: Get all that you are going to bring ready and by your door the night before your workshop Figure out accurately when you need to get up, how long it will take you to get ready, how long it will take you to get to the Meet-Up; please arrive 10 min early When we are on foot in any of the locations involved in this workshop, please keep within visual view of the rest of the group and your guide, or communicate with your guide if you need to leave visibility. It is safer that way, and we do not want to hold up the tour because we cannot find you

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16 The Details Clothing Please dress prepared to handle all possible weather conditions which may befall you in this workshop. We recommend layers, so you can add or take away clothing as needed by the weather of the moment. The temperature difference between the start of the workshop and the end can be as much as 40 degrees. And be prepared for the possibility of rain any season. During mid-spring through late-fall, we HIGHLY recommend Water Shoes. They are inexpensive, and some photos can best or only be taken from the middle of a stream! Stream crossing is also common in this workshop, and wet shoes equal big blisters. Be sure you are wearing good quality hiking boots with warm socks. If you are not very agile, during water crossings you will remove your socks and boots and cross in your water shoes (or photograph in the middle of the creek). We bring towels for drying off before putting your socks & boots back on. Remember a hat, and maybe long sleeves for one or more of your layers

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18 Your Sedona AM Workshop General Hours The AM workshop starts 90 minutes before sunrise The AM Workshop ends around 12:30 PM What the focus is Wisely using your settings, and controlling exposure Recognizing your emotions in response to a scene How you can photographically see even better Letting go of what you believe you CAN T do photographically Exploring what you can see and capture on your own How Context and Distractions impact your images Flashes of light and/or color in your peripheral view What you might want to look for Wildlife and unique plant life Water motion and water s relationship with rocks Interplay of differing shades of rocks, vegetation, etc Things that help or detract from your photo Finding and effectively capturing desert landscape beauty

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20 Your Sedona PM Workshop General Hours The PM workshop starts at 2:00 PM The PM Workshop usually ends around 9:30 PM, depending on sunset What the focus is Wisely using your settings, and controlling exposure Recognizing your emotions in response to a scene How you can photographically see even better Exploring what you can see and capture on your own Flashes of light and/or color in your peripheral view Exploring new photographic frontiers What you might want to look for Wildlife and unique plant life Water motion and water s relationship with rocks How Context and Distractions impact your images What is required for, and when to catch the best sunset photograph in the high desert Astrophotography or Light Painting or both dependent on time and weather conditions Finding and effectively capturing desert beauty Revised 5/1/18

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