Putting the WOW in Your Nature & Outdoor Photography

Wander off the beaten path with National Geographic Traveler photographer Michael Melford and well-known nature photographer and lecturer Eddie Soloway as they unearth the mysteries of nature and outdoor photography. See inspired photos and learn the methods our experts used to create them. Find out how to sharpen your skills and fine-tune your technique to turn your nature photos from so-so to so spectacular. Let Eddie and Michael show you how to capture the spirit of nature whether you’re in Big Sur or your own backyard.

Topics

Lighting Your Fire for Nature Photography
Get energized! We start off the day with a journey to rekindle your sense of wonderment towards the natural world. Transform your perception so that you can observe your surroundings in a way that makes taking outdoor photos come naturally. We will look at ways you can change your perspective to avoid the frustration of not getting your desired photo right away, and how to incorporate a childlike joy for nature into your photographs.

What Are the Skills A Nature Photographer Needs?
Let’s boil it down to essentials without all of the overwhelming details. We will focus on basic skills, such as the significance of lighting and understanding and how to use it, and controlling the focus of your photo-narrative. With the digital age at hand, it’s also important to understand how to simplify your workflow and not get bogged down in the process.

How Come Mine Don’t Look Like That?
You’re on the right path, but fine-tuning ideas like edges, background, separation, framing, difficult lighting, and poetic composition will elevate a good idea to a finished photograph. Our experts will examine what makes a good photo and what common mistakes make a bad one, using some of their own early photography. Believe it or not, many of your challenges may be solved by integrating simple creative changes into your approach. 

Gear: Keeping It Simple
It’s all in the bag— you may be surprised at how little these two pros bring with them into the field, but keeping a lid on the Pandora’s Box of gadgets will help you keep you goal clear and your focus simple. Before you leave home, it’s critical to establish a goal so that you can decide what features you need while keeping in mind that minimalism allows us to actually see more.

On Assignment: Behind the Scenes, From Start to Finish
Photographing “On Assignment” starts at home with research and preparation, but what happens when you arrive on location and things aren’t what they seemed? Working within your limits and creative problem solving are lessons learned with experience, but knowing how to anticipate and counteract difficulties can be useful to you in your own photographic endeavors. See the editorial process of nature photography and how it transforms into what we see in the magazines.

Breaking Out of Your Box
Are you stuck in the “Same Old” rut? Same view, same focus, same light? Journeying into new ways of making a photographic image can both broaden your repertoire of responses to a situation, and it may lead you into a whole new body of work. Our experts will show you that when you are willing to try creative things, you may be astonished at your results when you say to yourself “what if?”.

The Spirit of Nature Photography
When you go beyond a postcard picture and into evoking an emotional response, you’re there — but how do you bridge the gap? Exploring different ways to connect with the great outdoors will help you create that magical “sense of place” in your photos.

Your Next Steps
Go boldly ahead! Michael and Eddie will share more ideas you can use on your photographic voyage, and some final thoughts on how to transform your approach to nature photography.

Seminars will be offered in the following cities:

Online registration for New Haven, CT is CLOSED.

$195.00 per person (includes lunch)
Sessions will run from 9:00 am — 4:00 pm

EDDIE SOLOWAY, celebrated nature photographer, loves the outdoors. Today he divides his time between teaching, writing, and making fine-art prints. His book, One Thousand Moons, was published in the summer of 2004. In 1998 Eddie was the first recipient of the Excellence in Photographic Teaching Award presented by the Santa Fe Center for Photography.

MICHAEL MELFORD, National Geographic Traveler contributing photographer, has produced over 30 stories and 8 covers for National Geographic Traveler Magazine. After getting his “big break” at Life Magazine, he has traveled the world for numerous publications and is best known for his versatile, classic style.