According to their website, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a vital stop for birds migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. Upwards of 35,000 geese and 15,000 ducks visit the Refuge during the peak migration period. Blackwater is unique in that it hosts the largest breeding population of bald eagles on the East Coast, north of Florida.

Please note, while sightings of bald eagles are fairly common, they do like to keep their distance so a telephoto lens in the 300mm+ range is best to photograph them.  A medium range telephoto lens will serve you well to capture images of wading ducks and of large flocks of birds.

On Taylors Island and Hooper Island we explore the delightful views of the Bay, Chesapeake watermen and their boats, picturesque harbors, fishing villages, and more.

Schedule

On Friday evening at 7pm there is an orientation, instructional presentation, and a Q&A session. We spend the majority of Saturday out and about in the field. During Saturday’s first light, early morning, late afternoon and evening twilight photo sessions I provide individualized instruction appropriate to the subject at hand. In the early afternoon on Saturday, I conduct a critique session where we review some of the images we capture. Early Sunday morning we are again out in the field at other sites Blackwater and Dorchester County have to offer. Our photo safari weekend concludes late Sunday morning in time to check out of our hotel rooms.

Included in the photo safari

The photo weekend fee covers workshop instruction and remarkable photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph on photo weekends; I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot at this site.

The fee does not include lodging, meals, or transportation.

I designed this landscape/nature photo weekend to accommodate a maximum of 8 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-300mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Battery charger and/or spare batteries
• Backup storage device or laptop … recommended but not required

Blackwater NWR is a photographic gem that offers many facet-nating photo ops. Don’t delay. Register today!

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is renowned for its wild ponies and bird migrations. November and December are peak months of the migratory waterfowl season, and typically there are quite a number of birds for us to photograph.

The marshes and water impoundments also provide ample sunrise, sunset and landscape photo opportunities. To help round out your photo portfolios, we explore Chincoteague village and capture scenes of its quaint architecture, commercial fishing boats, lighthouse, and more.

The Chincoteague NWR Photo Safari Weekend is designed to exhilarate your spirit, spark your photography, and wow your viewer with electrifying images. Whether you are new to digital photography or you simply want to get away for a weekend full of photography, the critters and seaside landscapes of Chincoteague provide a wealth of nature and outdoor photo opportunities.

We use the wonderful scenery of this wildlife refuge to develop an understanding of digital photography basics; teach you effective methods of composition and exposure; show you how to approach your photography with creativity; and, demonstrate why it’s critical to tell a story with your images.

Schedule

On Friday evening at 7pm there is an orientation, instructional presentation, and a Q&A session. We spend the majority of Saturday out and about in the field. During Saturday’s first light, early morning, late afternoon and evening twilight photo sessions I provide individualized instruction appropriate to the subject at hand. In the early afternoon on Saturday, I conduct a critique session where we review some of the images we capture. Early Sunday morning we are again out in the field at other sites Chincoteague has to offer. Our photo safari weekend concludes late Sunday morning in time to check out of our hotel rooms.

Included in the workshop

The photo weekend fee covers workshop instruction and spectacular photo opportunities.  My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph on these photo weekends; I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot during this weekend.

The fee does not include lodging, meals, or transportation.

I designed this landscape/nature photo weekend to accommodate a maximum of 8 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-300mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Battery charger and/or spare batteries
• Backup storage device or laptop … recommended but not required

Wild birds, wild ponies, and a wild time of photography await you. Sign up today for this seaside photo adventure.

The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race begins in Baltimore in Fells Point and ends down the Bay in Portsmouth, VA. In recent years a fleet of over 40 magnificent schooners has participated. Among them were the Pride of Baltimore II, the Mystic Whaler from New London CT, the Arabella from Newport RI, and New Jersey’s tallship the A J Meerwald.

Join me this afternoon to photograph the schooners as they strut their stuff around the Inner Harbor during the glorious Parade of Sail. This photo safari is the ideal opportunity for confirmed landlubbers to capture fascinating images of the high seas from along the comfort of Baltimore’s waterfront promenade.

Included in the safari

The photo safari fee covers in-the-field instruction and outstanding photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph on photo safaris, I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot during this photo safari.

I designed this event photography session to accommodate a maximum of 10 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film

If you have read my article in the Sep/Oct 2009 issue of Maryland Life Magazine, you understand why Garrett County has what the State Office of Tourism calls the X-Factor: X-traordinary scenery and X-actly what you’re looking for.

At this time of year, the network of State parks, forests and wildlife management areas begin to display their autumn glory and provide a wide variety of photographic opportunities: magnificent early fall foliage scenics; landscapes; wetlands and other terrains; the highest waterfall in Maryland; and cascading rivers. In the early morning, fog often shrouds the rolling farmland. I have arranged special access to several farms, so we will photograph these pastoral landscapes as well as barn interiors, a pumpkin farm, and much more.

This Fall Foliage and Farms Photo Workshop is designed to exhilarate your spirit, spark your photography, and wow your viewer with electrifying images. Whether you are new to digital photography or you simply want to get away for several days full of photography, the mountains of Western Maryland are your ideal early fall foliage destination.

We will use the wonderful scenery of Garrett County to develop an understanding of digital photography basics; teach you effective methods of composition and exposure; show you how to approach your photography with creativity; and, demonstrate why it’s critical to tell a story with your images.

Schedule

On Wednesday evening at 7pm there is an orientation, instructional presentation, and a Q&A session. We spend the majority of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday out and about in the field. During these first light, early morning, late afternoon and evening twilight photo sessions I provide individualized instruction appropriate to the subject at hand. In the early afternoon each day, I conduct a critique session where we will review some of the images you capture. Early Sunday morning we are again out in the field. Our photography workshop concludes late Sunday morning in time to check out of our hotel rooms.

Included in the workshop

The fee covers workshop instruction and breathtaking photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph during a photo workshop; I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 5 images shot during this weekend.

The fee does not include lodging, meals, or transportation.

I designed this landscape/nature photo workshop to accommodate a maximum of 8 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod and cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Battery charger and/or spare batteries
• Sensor cleaning supplies
• Backup storage device or laptop … recommended but not required

Bucolic farm scenes and natural wonders abound. Register today to add idyllic images to your portfolio.

Wild and Wonderful is the state slogan for West Virginia. Once you visit this state, you will discover their slogan could easily have been majestic and magnificent.

Our workshop takes place near Davis, West Virginia at the Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center. From Canaan Valley we are within an hour’s drive of the wide vistas of the high, wind-swept plateau of the Dolly Sods Wilderness; stunning views of the breathtaking Allegheny Mountains from atop Spruce Knob, WV’s highest elevation; rocky outcroppings above and along the Blackwater River gorge; several waterfalls and stony cascades; rural landscapes; spring wildflowers; Monongahela National Forest; fog and wetlands; insects and other critters; sunrises; and so much more. You will discover that West Virginia’s Grant, Pendleton and Tucker Counties are a dream comes true for landscape and nature photographers.

Autumn is the perfect time to photograph West Virginia’s Panhandle area. The temperatures are cool and mild, fall foliage is near its peak, waterfalls plunge and tumble down rocky gorges, and fog often lends an ethereal element to farm scenes and wetland areas. Over the past several years, I have explored and photographed the WV Panhandle and Western Maryland each spring and fall, guided groups and individuals through the area, and written about photographing there. Past participants have kindly said that I am “an informed and patient teacher whose enthusiasm for photography is contagious.”

Schedule

On Wednesday evening at 7pm there is an orientation, instructional presentation, and a Q&A session. We spend the majority of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday out and about in the field. During these first light, early morning, late afternoon and evening twilight photo sessions I provide individualized instruction appropriate to the subject at hand. In the early afternoon each day, I conduct a critique session where we will review some of the images you capture. Early Sunday morning we are again out in the field.  Our photography workshop concludes late Sunday morning in time to check out of our hotel rooms.

Included in the workshop

The fee covers workshop instruction and awesome photo opportunities.  My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph during a photo workshop; I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 5 images shot during this workshop.

The fee does not include lodging, meals, or transportation.

I designed this landscape/nature photo workshop to accommodate a maximum of 8 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod and head
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Battery charger and/or spare batteries
• Sensor cleaning supplies
• Backup storage device or laptop … recommended but not required

Do not miss out on this unbe-leaf-able fall foliage photography workshop. Sign up today!

Historic Ellicott City, founded in the late 18^th century, is a quaint town along the Patapsco River in Howard County. Well-known as a destination for antiquing and fine dining, Ellicott City has much to offer the photographer: historic buildings, street scenes, architectural detail, well-worn stairways, old signs, abstracts, the famous Bubble Man, and lots more.

For 24 years my family and I lived within walking distance of Old Town. On this photo safari I show you where and how to capture the essence and charm of this vibrant historic town. We meet at 8:00am on the corner of Frederick Road and Oella Avenue for a brief orientation on travel and urban photography. Consider staying for brunch afterwards at the Old Mill Bakery. Their smoked tuna sandwich and spiced chai tea are wonderful. Do not get me started on their muffins and pastries!  Johnny’s Bistro on Main is another great place for lunch.

Included in the safari

The photo safari fee covers in-the-field instruction and outstanding photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph on photo safaris, I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot during this photo safari.

I designed this Ellicott City photo safari to accommodate a maximum of 10 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod and head
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film

Capture some great images on this photo safari … and maybe snag a few antique gems.

Annapolis is a city steeped in history. George Washington and other Founding Fathers visited and worked here. Did you know Annapolis even served as our nation’s capital for a short time? Hundreds of fine 17^th and 18^th century buildings line the cobblestone streets. Sailing has always been fundamental to the life and economy of the city. That’s one reason the United States Naval Academy has been here for 160+ years. Grab your sextant and nautical charts to plot a course to Annapolis where we explore a capital number of photo opportunities in this historic town.

Included in this training session

The fee covers the afternoon’s hands-on photography instruction and remarkable photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio, not mine. I do not photograph on photo safaris, I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot during this photo safari.

I designed this photo safari of historic Annapolis to accommodate a maximum of 10 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Essential equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 24-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Spare battery

For over 15 years thousands of visitors flock to Hampden early each June for Honfest. It is a hilarious experience. Beehive hairdos, leopard print spandex, and pink flamingos fill four city blocks. Contestants undergo an uproariously funny evaluation of the Bawlmerese elocution, talent, and authentic hon attire. See www.honfest.com for full details.

Included in this training session

The fee covers the hands-on photography instruction and remarkable photo opportunities at Honfest 2012. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio, not mine. I do not photograph on photo safaris, I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot during this photo safari.

I designed this event photography session to accommodate a maximum of 4 participants.

Essential equipment and gear

• Camera  … and camera strap
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm … 28-70mm will cover most needs
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Spare battery

Dreaming of a visit to the islands, but Hawaii is too far to travel? Then take part in this photography-filled weekend on Smith Island, Maryland’s scenic gem in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. The water views are fantastic. Picturesque workboats, stacks of colorful crabpots, and weather-worn shanties line the harbors and piers. There is a veritable bounty of predawn, sunrise, sunset, and evening twilight photo ops. The marshes, mud flats, sand bars, and maze of tidal creeks are a haven for egrets, herons, migratory waterfowl, osprey, brown pelicans, and many other birds.

Schedule

On Friday we take the 5pm ferry from Crisfield to Smith Island. After supper at our B&B we shoot sunset and evening twilight in the work basin in Ewell. We spend the majority of Saturday out and about in the field. During Saturday’s first light, early morning, late afternoon, and evening twilight photo sessions I provide individualized instruction appropriate to the subject at hand. In the early afternoon on Saturday, I conduct a critique session where we review some of the images we capture. Early Sunday morning we are again out in the field at other sites Smith Island has to offer. Our photo weekend concludes Sunday in time to catch the afternoon ferry back to Crisfield.

Included in the workshop

The photo weekend fee covers workshop instruction and awesome photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph during this island photo weekend, I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 5 images shot this weekend.

The fee does not include lodging, meals, or transportation.

I designed this photo weekend to accommodate a maximum of 6 participants. A minimum of 4 participants is required.

Equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod and head
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film
• Battery charger and/or spare batteries
• Backup storage device or laptop … recommended but not required

Here is your chance to have your cake and eat it, too. Come enjoy the photography and the famous Smith Island cake.

In solidarity with the more well-known protest in Boston, Chestertown residents stormed a British vessel in 1774 and tossed its cargo of tea into the river. The Chestertown Tea Party Festival is a glorious reenactment of this historic act of resistance. Capture colorful images of British troops and the colonial militia engaged in a volley of musket fire, townspeople dressed in period costumes, the tea party reenactment (the big splash), and a parade of other picturesque sights during our journey back in time.

Included in this training session

The fee covers the day-long hands-on photography instruction and tremendous photo opportunities. My role as lead instructor is to help you create better images and fill your portfolio. I do not photograph during this historic reenactment, I teach.

My goal is to help you develop a set of skills and techniques you can use over your lifetime to create images of which you will be proud. To help reinforce the techniques we cover, I provide participants via email a follow-up professional critique of any 3 images shot during this photo safari.

I designed this historic reenactment photo journey to accommodate a maximum of 6 participants. A minimum of 3 participants is required.

Essential equipment and gear

• Camera
• Camera manual
• Lenses in the range of 28-200mm (full frame equivalent)
• Polarizing filter for each lens
• Sturdy tripod and head
• Cable/remote release
• Sufficient memory cards or film