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9:00 AM INTRODUCTION

9:10 EQUIPMENT FOR THE

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER

(SLIDE PROGRAM)

There is a bewildering array of photographic equipment in the marketplace, so it is hard to decide what works best.  We'll show you the equipment we use to shoot tens of thousands of images each year. We'll point out all of the features you must have to easily shoot outstanding nature images in the field.  We'll share our opinions of all the latest innovations including auto-focus, matrix metering, auto-bracketing, zoom lenses, back-button focusing, digital capture, fill-flash, and much more.  This is a comprehensive program that covers cameras, lenses, tripods, film, digital memory devices, camera bags, field guides, blinds, and teleconverters.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN...

u How to use your lenses as tools and get the best quality

u The 5 things to look for in a telephoto lens

u How lenses work

u How to use teleconverters effectively

u How to get the best quality from your lens

u The tripods and tripod heads we find most useful for field work

u Great quick-release mechanisms for tripod heads and why they are so important

u How to carry equipment in the field

u Photo bags that work well in the field

u Blinds for bird and mammal photography

u Why becoming a naturalist makes you a better nature photographer

BREAK

Learn how to shoot perfect exposures every time and do it fast. We use a method to determine exposure where we meter manually with our through-the-lens spot meter and compensate for subject reflectance. Using many photo examples, we'll show you how to perfectly expose slide film and digital images, too.  This is an important program that every photographer who really wants to control exposure needs to see. Very detailed information from this program is included in your set of notes!

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN...

u Why exposure meters don't tell you how to get proper exposure

u Why camera meters are programmed for 18% reflectance

u What proper exposure looks like on slide film

u How to judge subject reflectance

u When and how to use aperture and shutter priority modes.

u How to properly expose snow, fog, scenes, light and dark subjects

u Why even with automation, you still have to understand the language of stops

u How ISO speeds, shutter speeds, and F-numbers work together

u Why your through-the-lens meter is the fastest and most accurate way to determine proper exposure

u Why your camera manual never tells you how to properly use your through-the-lens exposure meter

u When and how to use AEB (automatic exposure bracketing)

u Exposure techniques for the digital camera (It's easier!)

u How to read a histogram and understand highlight alerts

u Avoiding the five most common exposure errors digital shooter make (Hint! these problems involve the LCD monitor, computer monitor, luminance histogram, auto exposure defect, and exposure compensation button)

12:00-1:30 LUNCH

BREAK

2:30 LIGHT IS EVERYTHING (Slide Program)

Light is the essence of photography.  We'll show you how the characteristics of light such as color, contrast, quantity, and direction make or break your photographs. Dozens of slide sequences are used to show good and bad examples of light. It's a fun program that is incredibly revealing.  One thing we learned early in our careers was photographing anything in bad light normally lead to lousy images.  You must use the best possible light to make your images pop!

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN...

u Why color, contrast, and direction of light is much more important than the quantity of light

u How to see light like the film or digital sensors do

u How digital capture differs from slide film in its response to light

u When light contrast makes or ruins your photographs

u How to use the color of light to greatly improve your images

u When to use back-lighting and side-lighting

u How to use reflectors and diffusers to modify the qualities of light to improve your images

u How to make blue flowers record properly

u When to use filters to improve the color

u The one filter all digital shooters need to use most of the time and how to use it

Break

Break

4:00 STORIES BEHIND THE IMAGES (Slide Program)

It's been a long day and your brain has been doing overtime.  You'll be able to mentally relax while we tell you the revealing and often humorous stories behind many of the more interesting images we've shot during the past few years. It's a fast paced program that covers 80 images in 35 minutes. Subject we are certain to cover this year include Kenya wildlife, hummingbirds, Yellowstone, Michigan closeups, and autumn color. It’s a great program you'll love viewing.

4:45 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

This time has been set aside to answer any questions you may have from viewing our instructional programs. We do answer many questions though out the day, too!

• About Seminars
• Seminar Sites 2009
• Seminar Registration
• Seminar Site Maps