Where do you offer private field workshops?

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park TN/NC

• New River Gorge National Park WV

• Canaan Valley/Dolly Sods/Spruce Knob WV

• Blue Ridge Parkway VA

• Shenandoah National Park VA

How much do your private field workshops cost?

• Half day is $350

• Full day is $600

• If I have to travel to our destination for your workshop, there may be an additional charge for this.

• We can spend time however you would like – so field time or digital darkroom time (depending on location), or a little of each. You decide. Most people choose field time or a little of each.

How long is a half-day? What about a full day?

• Half-days are 4 hours together, scheduled in a single block of time.

• Full days are 8 hours together, generally 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening, or we can also do a single block of time.

Do you cater to groups?

• I do not currently offer group workshops. However, in certain circumstances I am open to 2 or 3 participants and will offer special pricing for groups of up to 3. Inquire for more information.

What’s included?

• You are purchasing my time and expertise only.

• Participants are responsible for their own lodging, transportation and meals.

How do you run your private field workshops?

• I tailor each workshop to your needs. When you book your dates, we will discuss your current skill level and your goals relative to the desired location and come up with an approximate plan. However, the plan we ultimately implement will be driven by the weather conditions on the day of our workshop. This is simply the nature of outdoor photography - conditions are unpredictable and we must always adapt to what is presented.

Do you offer refunds/reschedules in the event of inclement weather?

• I do not offer refunds or reschedules unless the circumstances are highly unusual (such as road closures preventing us from getting into a national park, for example). Rain, snow, wind are considered weather conditions we must adapt to, and are not grounds for a refund/reschedule.

What fitness level is required?

• Depending on the location, I can plan based on your fitness level. You do generally need to be capable of short hikes of ¼ mile minimum with your camera gear. You should be steady on your feet and able to move up and down an incline with your gear.Please speak with me about any fitness/capability concerns before booking.

How do I book my dates?

• After contacting me to confirm my availability, I will require a 50% deposit to hold the dates. I will provide you with a link for payment online. The balance of the full amount is due 7 days prior to the booked date.

What is your refund policy?

• Full refund less $50 administration fee is available for cancellations more than 30 days out. I do not offer refunds for cancellations within 30 days of your booking. If you are ill and need to request a reschedule, contact me ASAP.

What gear do I need to bring?

Required

• Camera – DSLR or mirrorless

• Memory Cards – sufficient memory cards

• Interchangeable lenses – as appropriate. Consider normal, wide, telephoto, and macro.

• Camera Manual – this will help me help you

• Tripod – the most important item after your camera. A good tripod is versatile, solid, and tall enough. A bad tripod is flimsy and often has a crank to raise the center post. Trust me; you’ll learn to love your tripod if it’s good!

• Tripod Head – best if it can be used for both vertical & horizontal compositions. A camera-mounted L-bracket makes it easy to switch from horizontal to vertical and back

• Batteries and charger – bring spares

• Flashlight or Headlamp - bring spare batteries

• Polarizer

• Laptop and charger – required if you desire digital darkroom instruction, otherwise optional

• Backpack – or some sort of camera bag suitable for field transportation of camera gear

Optional

• Remote shutter release

• Lens Hoods – or some way to block light to avoid lens flare. Particularly helpful in light rain to keep water droplets off your lens

• Neutral density filters

• Graduated ND filters

• Lens blower and/or cleaner

What other gear do I need to bring?

• Navigation aid - GPS app on your fully charged phone will work. You need to know how to use it. If you need instruction on this, I’ll cover it with you but make sure you have GAIA or Avenza installed on your phone with either an activated account or a downloaded map.

• Hiking boots – always best for outdoors

• Rain gear – umbrella, rain wear, perhaps a cover for your camera

• Warm clothing – outerwear, gloves, hat, layers, etc. Weather is changeable in the mountains – be prepared

• Ground cloth, knee pads – nice options for lying on the ground or macro work

• Boots/waders – some of the best stream images require you to get your feet wet

• Water bottle and snacks