2024 Fall in Yosemite Photography Workshop
Instructors: Alex Noriega and William Neill
Session 1: November 4-8, 2024
Session 2: November 11-15, 2024
Physical Activity Level: Easy
Tuition: $2695
Limited to 10 Students Per Session
Two spots have opened for Session 1 - Place Deposit Here
OVERVIEW
I am happy to announce that I am teaming up with master photographer William Neill to teach our third year of Yosemite workshops, in the Fall of 2024. William and I have led very successful workshops in the fall and spring of 2022 and 2023, and we are excited to do it again this year. You will have the advantage of learning from two distinct approaches to our landscape photography. During our classroom sessions, we will explore technical approaches to expressing emotions and articulating our perspectives.
Our itinerary will be flexible to chase weather, light, and conditions as they occur. We'll use our experience to put you in the best possible position to make compelling and personal photographs. The class size will be limited to eight students with two instructors to ensure an intimate learning environment.
William has lived in or around Yosemite for 45 years. He worked as photographer and curator at The Ansel Adams Gallery in the early 1980s, became friends with Ansel himself and learned from him through his workshops in Yosemite and Carmel. His extensive knowledge of the Valley will give us the ability to find the best locations for the light and weather conditions we will have during the week. With soaring granite cliffs rising above the glorious Merced River, making grand landscape photographs is a thrill we won’t shy away from during our class. That said, both William and I have an inclination toward intimate compositions, and much of our time will also be spent exploring the details and small scenes within this impressive landscape. You will grow as an artist, while also learning advanced techniques for capturing high quality images.
This page is a general overview of the workshop. Upon signup, participants will receive an email containing more detailed information. You can make your deposit payment towards the bottom of the page. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions! You can use the contact page to do so.
While we are committed to making sure you come away from the workshop with great photos, the true value lies in unlocking your inner artist and invigorating your creative vision, so that you may apply these skills everywhere you photograph going forward.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Expert guidance to the best photography locations in Yosemite Valley, with an emphasis on places with many creative options rather than one-dimensional spots.
Thoughtful in-field instruction, including:
Visual exploration of the scene to identify compelling subjects and compositions.
Thinking beyond the obvious to create unique images that you are personally connected to.
Creative use of light: we will explore the potential of all kinds of light and not rely solely on sunsets and sunrises.
Capture technique: compensating for high dynamic range, focus stacking, proper exposure, reading your histogram, tricks and tips for proper focusing and flare management, full manual control of your camera, and anything else you may have questions on!
Daily image critiques/reviews coupled with processing instruction, with an emphasis on why. Learn master processing skills from Alex and discover valuable tools which help you to take complete control over the processing of your images. William has a simpler workflow, mostly using Lightroom and polishing up his master files in Photoshop. No matter your skill level, the first step is understanding what changes will best serve your photograph, and this is a focus during our reviews. You will learn our differing approaches so that you may select which ideas and techniques to integrate into your own workflow, and you will have the opportunity to delve even deeper during your one-on-one session if desired.
Guaranteed adventure with two laid back instructors who are eager to share their knowledge and help you grow as an artist.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Transportation
Lodging
Meals and Snacks
We highly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance and Cancellation Insurance to protect your investment in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
MORE INFORMATION
Workshop Location
This workshop is based in El Portal, California, just outside Yosemite Valley. Field sessions take place in Yosemite Valley.
Workshop Duration and Itinerary
We will have a classroom space at the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal.
The workshop will begin with introductions Monday afternoon, followed by a short evening field session. Each full day Tuesday-Thursday will roughly consist of a morning field session, break, midday classroom session, and evening field session (dependent upon weather and conditions). The workshop ends on Friday, after the final morning field session and midday one-on-one sessions. Hotel check-in is 3:00 PM and check-out is 11:00 AM, so you will be able to travel on Monday and/or Friday without missing any of the workshop if desired.
The aim of the workshop is to spend a great deal of our time in the field exploring the landscape, balanced with daily classroom sessions/portfolio reviews and additional talks by Alex & Bill. The final classroom session will feature one-on-one time, wherein it is your choice what we cover with each of you, be it reviews of your images from the week, processing or printing questions, etc.
Transport
Participants are responsible for their own transport to and from El Portal. The nearest major airport is in Fresno, which is about two and a half hours away. We will carpool during the workshop.
Lodging
We have secured a number of rooms at the Yosemite View Lodge at El Portal for the duration of the workshop. For convenience it is recommended you stay there. (The price of accommodation is not included in the workshop fee, but you will have access to our discounted group rate at Yosemite View Lodge.)
Meals
There are limited choices of restaurants, but we will always be close to some eating options at midday and of course in the evenings. (Food is not included in the workshop fee.)
What equipment do I need?
This workshop is focused on intermediate to advanced photographers and therefore a mirrorless or DSLR system is recommended. A sturdy tripod is essential. We will have opportunities to use every lens from wide angle to super telephoto, but you may be surprised just how often your telephoto stays on your camera. Temperatures can vary widely, so bring clothing for both warm and cold weather, as well as rain gear.
Activity Level
This is not a strenuous workshop, although confidence over wet, uneven ground is very helpful. We are fortunate that the road in Yosemite Valley passes through a great variety of locations with wonderful photographic potential, and while we will generally avoid crowds and popular spots, we will not usually be far from our vehicles.
PAYMENT, CANCELLATIONS, AND TERMS
A deposit of $500 will be required upon sign up, payable by PayPal below. We will send out PayPal invoices for the remaining $2,195 balance 60 days prior to the start of the workshop, due upon receipt.
Cancellations that occur more than 60 days before the start of the workshop can be fully refunded minus a $100 administrative fee.
Cancellations that occur 45 to 60 days before the start of the workshop will forfeit their $500 deposit.
Refunds are not available for any cancellations less than 45 days prior to the start of the workshop.
If a cancellation less than 60 days before the start of the workshop is filled from the waiting list, a full refund can be offered minus a $100 administrative fee. If you do need to cancel, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible so we can alert people on the waiting list.
In the rare event that we need to cancel this workshop due to unforeseen circumstances, you will receive a credit toward a future workshop. We recommend that you avoid purchasing non-refundable airline tickets, and consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance.
By paying the deposit you are confirming that you have read and fully agree to these terms.
