Photography workshops and expeditions 2018!

A Baltimore oriole is nicely accentuated by the flowers of a chokecherry, Prunus virginiana.

I am pleased to announce that master photographer Debbie DiCarlo and I are partnering to present a series of field-based photography workshops in 2018. Nearly all of the details have been settled, and you can see the offerings and details RIGHT HERE.

Both Debbie and I have extensive experience with helping others to improve their photography, and very much enjoy working with photographers of all levels. We each bring different skill sets to the table; Debbie is one of the premier landscape and night sky photographers, and plenty of evidence of her skills can be seen at her website, RIGHT HERE. I tend to specialize more in species-specific photography, but certainly cross-pollinate my work with forays into about every photographic facet, as does Debbie.

A colorful carpet of blue-eyed mary, Collinsia verna.

These workshops  focus on Nature and its many facets: spring wildflowers, butterflies, waterfalls, night skies and other landscapes, mammals, birds - nothing is out of bounds even though each trip has a focus. Each workshop ventures to places that Debbie, I, or both of us are intimately familiar with, so we can lead participants to the best hotspots and maximize our time afield.

A stunning rock formation in the Hocking Hills.

One thing is for certain when it comes to practicing the craft of natural history photography: The more one knows about nature, the better the nature photographer they will become. So, not only will we learn to better our photographic skills, we will also learn loads about natural history. We will attach names to nearly all of our subjects - stump me if you can :-) - and learn more about the subtleties of habitats, where to best find certain targets, the sounds of nature, and habits of animals.

A western Ohio prairie in its full midsummer glory.

We've given a lot of thought and planning to the details of each trip, to ensure maximum bang for the buck. We also will strive to do our best to make these workshops FUN! After all, that's why most of us pursue photography - it's an enjoyable and rewarding respite from the daily routine. Our photos can also serve to entice others to take an interest in the natural world, thus imbuing our work with a higher purpose.

Cameras are complex mechanical and electronic organisms, and it's tough to learn how to take full advantage of all the features that they offer. Yet with a bit of coaching, one's photographs can improve tremendously with the same amount of time and effort. Mentoring can also be extremely useful in learning to "see" both Nature's smallest details, and the epic scope of big landscapes.

Debbie and I love working with photographers of all levels, especially newer practitioners. Group sizes will be small, to ensure all participants see and photograph everything, and so that we can work easily with everyone.

For complete workshop details, and to register, GO HERE. And please pass the word!

A ruby-throated hummingbird taps nectar from a statuesque royal catchfly, Silene regia. Hummingbirds are the primary pollinators of this spectacular prairie plant.