Our Mission
To inspire each participant to master the techniques necessary to approach a scene with confidence and enthusiasm.
To maximize each participant’s ability to get the best results to meet her/his goals.
To encourage the enjoyment and appreciation of nature by opening our eyes and imaginations so we can acknowledge what is unique, fragile and beautiful in the world around us.
Our Vision
Imagine you and your camera on location… an opportunity presents itself for you to take beautiful photographs. You take your shot, but when the film comes back or the digital image is rendered, the pictures just don’t turn out the way you expected them to.
Would you like to learn how to make spectacular photos that you could print, publish, and possibly sell?
Through Aperture Adventures, you will learn how to maximize your photographic abilities to get the best results to meet your goals. We will teach you how to see, compose, and master the techniques to get you there. We believe that hands-on, in-the-field learning is the best method. We also believe that shortening your learning curve will help you get you the results you long for with less cost and frustration. Great photographs can happen by accident, but consistently great pictures result from proper planning, knowledge, and execution.
We will put you at locations where you will have the opportunity to shoot gorgeous landscapes, scenery, flora, and fauna.
We focus on Five Key Elements: 1) How to “see the light;” 2) How to select the appropriate lens/filter combination; 3) How to achieve the ideal exposure combining the correct aperture, shutter speed, white balance (in the case of digital imaging); 4) How to compose the shot for optimal results (framing and depth of field), 5) How to ensure against camera-shake.
Classes are limited to 6-12 participants. You’ll be shooting in groups of 6, trading instructors. In the evenings and on those rare occasions when we are restricted by weather, we will have round-table discussions related to Photoshop techniques for those interested, darkroom tips, equipment updates and other photo-related topics. We’ll also be discussing how your photography could help protect and conserve rapidly disappearing areas of great beauty for generations to come.
Recommended cameras for these classes are either film or digital models that allow you to control your aperture (f-stop) and shutter-speed. We believe that there is little to learn when shooting in Auto- or Program-modes. We expect to see mostly 35mm and medium-format cameras, but we welcome any large format cameras shooters to participate as well. Our workshops are not for people who do not know how to operate their cameras. Make sure you’ve read the equipment manuals and are familiar with all of your camera’s functions and options.
Our regional workshops are three-day events. You need to arrive at our selected destinations on Thursday evenings for orientation. We will be shooting most of the days on Fridays, Saturdays, with some activity in the field on Sundays. To get the most from the daylight, we will rise early and shoot for a time before breakfast. We follow a similar schedule from late afternoon into early evening to take advantage of the setting sun. We may shoot well into the day on Sundays, but you will be homeward bound by mid-afternoon.
International workshops will be one week in length.
Pack your gear and whet your appetite for some terrific shooting--An Aperture Adventure awaits!