Wildlife and Western Photography
About the Workshop
Is there anything better than photographing wildlife? I certainly don’t think so, it is the reason that I am working as a photographer and I LOVE this workshop. That says a lot! This spring we’ll travel to the gateway to Yosemite National Park to photograph some incredible wildlife. We’ve worked at this location several times and we have scouted out the prime locations with perfect settings. We’ve got colorful rock outcroppings, beautiful crystal clear creeks and ponds, waterfalls, majestic old-growth oak trees, skyline and historic rock walls. The dates selected take advantage of the lush green spring vegetation and wildflowers abundant in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. Just the landscapes are enough to warrant coming on this workshop, but of course we have the wildlife.
Once again working with the Triple D Game Farm we’ll photograph a variety of their animals in gorgeous natural settings. The wildlife available may vary, but we should be photographing, Mountain Lion, Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Coyote, Wolves, Bobcat, Badger, and Fox.
Trying to describe the highlights of this workshop is a tall order because the whole trip is a highlight reel. The images that you take will be shown to your friends and family forever.
Standing 20 yards from a pack of wolves or a bear is astonishing. Standing 5 feet from a bobcat or fox is joyous. Getting it all in your camera is… well worth the cost of the workshop. You thought I was going someplace else with that didn’t you?
Usually that would be enough photo opportunities to fill an entire workshop, but this one is a PAW special event workshop. In addition to the gorgeous landscape, and the amazing wildlife, we will also be spending a day on the 7L Ranch. Here we’ll photograph the hard working ranch hands moving and roping cattle, running horses and cowboys and cowgirls at work on the ranch. We’ve worked with the ranch before and they know we want and even though are doing what they do everyday they also know how to work for the photographers. These sessions will be specially designed for photographers to give our guests the opportunity to capture true western scenes.
Included in the Workshop
The workshop fee includes individualized field instruction, classroom instruction, honest critiques, and unique photographic opportunities.
We are also including an adrenaline rush that may cause you to forget to breathe and to blink. In really bad cases it can make you forget to push the shutter release on your camera. That’s where I come in. Well, I am not going to push your shutter release and I am not immune to the excitement, but I am not photographing on this workshop. I’m there to make sure that you get the shot and to keep you breathing long enough to get you back home safely.
Needless to say, your fees include the professional instruction of a PAW leader. All workshops have leaders, however a PAW leader is an expert on the location and has proven skills as a workshop instructor. Our instructors are there to help you make better images and fill your portfolios, not theirs. PAW leaders don’t photograph on our workshops; they teach.
You will also be responsible for all transportation to the workshop and travel during the workshop.
This is a special workshop: we will only be taking 6 clients. You’ll get lots of personal attention, and this small group will make this workshop very special indeed.
Schedule
You should plan to arrive in Mariposa in time for a 6:00PM orientation on the 12th of April. We’ll have a pizza dinner and spend some time socializing and getting to know each other. I’ll have a short presentation and orientation regarding the next the days activities and then off to bed. Assuming of course that you are not too excited to sleep!
We will photograph morning and evening over the next 4 days and the workshop will end the evening of the 16th of April. I cannot give you a specific itinerary or shot list of species. This is because what we shoot and when is largely determined by the weather and the animal’s condition and temperament. Trust me we don’t want to photograph a cranky Mountain Lion. During the orientation on Monday, I’ll have more details, but even then if an animal gets sick or is otherwise unavailable, it could change.
There is an opportunity to shoot some additional species or re-do some animals on Saturday the 17th of April. The fee varies by species and by the number of people that may be interested. Contact me for details.
Equipment and Gear
I typically use my 70-200 for the majority of the shoots and prefer a zoom lens over a prime lens. Occasionally a long lens (300mm or 400mm) is useful for portraits. A sturdy tripod is recommended.
Bring lots of memory cards. You will shoot way more than you might normally shoot. Way more! On our last workshop one client shot 1200 images…in one session! It is not unusual for us to photograph 2 or 3 animals before you will have a chance to download images so again, bring the cards as we cannot wait for downloading between shoots.
Conditions
We will have some walking to do for various locations although none of it is too strenuous. If you have any disabilities or conditions, please get in touch with me to make sure you won’t have any difficulties.
It is typically in the 60s during the day and the 30s at night. There is a small chance of some precipitation and we will normally shoot regardless of the weather.
Transportation and Lodging
Our recommended hotel is the Comfort Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway. All scheduled events will originate from or be held at the hotel. It’s a nice clean hotel with free breakfast and high-speed internet…perfect!
It is about 80 miles to Mariposa from the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FYI).
It is 175 miles from the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Mariposa.
Suggested hotels and airports for Wildlife and Western Photography are shown below. Click on the name of the hotel or airport for more information, including a map. This information is provided as a helpful resource for our participants, but is not guaranteed accurate. Please confirm any important details before making travel plans.
Review the workshop description carefully for more information about rates, locations, and dates. If you have any questions, please contact us before making your reservations.
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4994 Bullion St.Mariposa, CA 95338United StatesSee map: Google Maps
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5175 E. Clinton WayFresno, CA 93727United StatesSee map: Google Maps
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San Francisco, CA 94128United StatesSee map: Google Maps
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Lions, Bears, Wolves and More
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Cowboys, Cowgirls, Horses on Dusty Trails
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Perfect Backgrounds and Natural Setting
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Foothills of the Sierras and Yosemite
Date
Participants
Leader(s)
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Jeff believes it is important to have fun while learning, serious fun, so be prepared to enjoy yourself when you are with him.
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