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Judy and I want to thank both of you for an excellent week of photography, fellowship, accomodations, and food that accompanied us when we did your hummingbird photography workshop in British Columbia. Everything was done in a first class manner. Your concern for each of the photographers was clearly demonstrated by the time you took with each of us to explain your photo set-ups, and assist us with any problems that ranged from misplaced flowers to discovering camera settings that mysteriously appeared out of no where!
I especially enjoyed my conversations with John discussing various
hummingbird havens throughout the United States. I think both of us have
some new destinations in mind for future trips.
We hope to be able to do another of your workshops in the future. We're
also going to try to convince our Missouri Nature and Environmental
Photographers club to consider you two for one of our future seminars.
We'd love to have you share your knowledge with many of the nature
photographers here in St. Louis.
By the way, Judy showed some of her hummer pictures at our MoNEP meeting last night and they were very well received. Several asked where we had taken them and wanted more information about your workshops.
Thanks again. Blessings to you both. We hope to see you again in the future.
Sincerely,
Bill and Judy
St. Louis, MO
Hummer Workshop 2011
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Hi Michele,
What a great time we had at the Ranch! I still have to download half of my flash cards. Fantastic shooting. I liked it. I liked it.
Great group of people. We had a lot of laughs and a good bit of teasing. The ranch layout and cabin was just great. The food of course was phenomenal! The staff was so friendly. They had our first names down the first morning. Each day was impressive. It seemed like a family affair. C.J. was my favorite.
Liked the way John and Barb had the entire week well planned and organized. They do all of their trips this way and I can still remember how well they had organized our landings each day in the Galapagos to get the maximum photo opportunities.
Have recounted my Galapagos experience many times with my family and students, i.e. when planning a photo tour, go with leaders that will help maximize the photo opportunities. John and Barb sure do operate this way.
Please forward this to John and Barb with my Thanks again for a very fulfilling week of joy, fun and great photography !
All the best,
Ray
Hummer workshop 2009
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Michele,
I just wanted to let you know that the experience was amazing and the thrill of being so close to the hummingbirds made the photography opportunity the best....definitely will take in the workshop again ...the food, lodging, and overall host/instructors Barb and John exceeded my expectations...very attentive and dedicated to making the trip a real pleasure.....if you have an opportunity to share this with other photographers who are considering this workshop, pass this information along to let them know they won't regret one moment!
Thank you
Joyce
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I just wanted to thank you for the great time I had photographing the hummingbirds with you at Bull River. It was a pleasure to get the time and attention you both gave each and every one of us.
I am very happy with the results that I came away with and will continue with what you taught us. Have a great summer and I hope that I can organize my time to make another of your workshops in the future.
Take care.
T. Olson
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Barb and John,
I just wanted to take a couple minutes and thank you again for the
wonderful time Janet and I had at your workshop last week. I learned so
much more about photography during that one week than I have in the past
year since I started. Your technique for using the RGB histogram for
exposure makes more sense than anything I have read or been taught. I
made plenty of mistakes throughout the week, such as not realizing my lens
was set to manual focus when I was trying to do back-button focusing, but
I feel much more comfortable behind the camera with your instruction and
guidance.
I was not sure how much Janet would enjoy the week, but I have been
hearing her tell so many people how much fun she had. She also thanks
you for the help both of you gave her throughout the week. I know she was
at a bit of a disadvantage, not having a camera with a RGB histogram, but
I think she learned quite a bit.
We look forward to attending another workshop in the future. We would
LOVE to do the hummingbird workshop, but it might be tough for Janet to
get time off school right at the end of the school year in May. So you
will probably see us at a future Fall workshop.
I am looking forward to your next book. Thanks again for all of your help
and kindness during the workshop--it was very much appreciated!
Thanks,
Scott and Janet (August 2011)
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The workshop with the Gerlach's was a great experience and even though we drove 1017 miles to get there, we are considering going again next year.
I would recommend their photo workshop to anyone who wants to advance themselves with their camera. What a memory we have! It was a much busier week than I thought between our time in the field shooting, a couple hours of lectures, trying to get 2 meals down and also get to our computers and download the pictures and spend time going over them, and, oh yes, sleep and be up and out in that driveway at 6:25 am.
I would do it all again in a minute if I could! Barbara and John were so open to all of us as individuals to show us how our cameras work and how to look in nature for things that we would have overlooked before. I learned so much!
Linda (August 2011)
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I just wanted to thank you for such an outstanding August photo workshop.
I wanted to participate in a field workshop all my life. Everything about
the workshop was fantastic, especially the individual help you provided in
the field. Thanks also for making Wendy feel so much a part of the
workshop too. Several times I heard you ask what birds she had seen,
flowers she had spotted, and so on. I could go on and on but respect your
time and know how many more emails you need to sift through. Again, thanks a million for such a fantastic week.
Mo Henning (August 2010)
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The week I spent with John and Barbara in the Upper Peninsula was one of
the best times I've ever had and I learned so much. John and Barbara are
super people and the best teachers I've encountered. Their love of
photography and of teaching are immediately obvious and infectious.
And...as a bonus, the other participants were all very nice and lots of
fun to be with. I'll certainly attend another workshop in the future.
Thanks so much,
Larry Gray (2010)
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Thank you for liking photography so much that you enjoy sharing your expertise and experience.
I wanted to let you know that I am pleased with what I learned. Top of my list is locating the dewy spider webs and dragonflies; how to use a dioptor; live view; step-up adapters; and how to find wonderful subjects.
John, you are excellent at finding things and Barbara, your patience is outstanding. Thank you for the experience and it was a pleasure to meet you.
Joyce S.
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I really, really loved the Michigan summer photo workshop. I learned more in the first day than I ever knew about photography.
I couldn't believe the pictures I took while I was there. I've been scouting locations in my area to practice what I learned. And I look at nature and light very differently now. What a great experience!!!!
John and Barb are great people, really helpful and fun to be around.
Cheers-- Maribeth
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I want to thank John and Barbara for another terrific week in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
This was my second workshop with them, the first being the fall session in 2007. They are excellent teachers! I learned many new things that I have already put into practice.
A couple days after I returned home, I explored by own backyard and discovered my own dewy dragonfly. He posed for me and I got some wonderful images.
The only problem with attending the workshops is that I come home and want to spend more money on camera gear, like a longer macro lens and taller tripod.
I am saving up for the hummingbird photo workshop.
Thanks again for a great week!
John T.
Kalamazoo, MI
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I've been meaning to do this for a very long time, however I've just now gotten the nerve to compose this letter.
I would like to thank John and Barbara so much. Back around 1998, I attended one of your seminars in Columbus. In 1999, I attended your summer workshop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You both inspired me. You were kind and helpful and improved my photography 100%. You never had the air of being an artist like some artists/photographers I have met.
Since then I've been photographing on and off, but a lot more on lately. In fact, I've started my own photography business, although I'm struggling since I'm also working a full time job and taking care of my family and home as well. I bought your book (I thought you should have done a book a long time ago) and thought it was fantastic.
My first inspiration in landscape photography was Ansel Adams, then I discovered Galen Rowell. As far as I'm concerned, the both of you are up there with both of them. Again thank you for inspiring me and so many others. I hope some day my photographs will be equal to yours.
Thank you so very much,
Amanda K.
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I wanted to belatedly tell you how much I both enjoyed and benefitted from the week in Northern Michigan I spent with you. With a little passage of time to add perspective, I can confidently say that your workshop was THE best I've ever attended. Not solely in terms of photography, but also the sheer joy of being in a beautiful place with good people. I learned, I laughed, I pondered, and I took it all to heart. I also took it back to California with me and to my photography club.
Passing along your tips and tricks for various aspects of digital imaging, when I don't even own a digital camera, is a repeated point of amusement, and "light bulb" moments, for my clubmates. At the workshop I shared some images from early in the week that were fun and decent. But, after arriving home and having the remainder of the slides developed, a number of truly beautiful images emerged, in spite of the oaf standing behind the tripod. You led us to numerous "El Dorado" spots and primed us to produce our best!
More importantly, I brought home concepts, ideas and "ways of seeing" which continue to enhance my image making efforts.
King Richard
California
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I’m writing now to let you know how much of a tremendous impact your workshop and seminar has had on my photography, as well as on my future photographic goals, over the past year. Even an entire year later, I very often refer to the extensive notes I took during your programs and our conversations in the field, and I reflect upon the workshop overall as a tremendous experience.
And with shooting in mind, I want to let you know how much I appreciate the excellent gear recommendations you provide in your workshops as well. After viewing your numerous slide presentations last year, I finally coughed up the dough for the Nikon 200mm f4 Micro. Since macro work has always been my forte, this has been an amazing purchase for me. It quickly became my most-used lens. Likewise, I also upgraded to a Gitzo G1340, and I’m very pleased.
Finally, your exposure techniques have increased my exposure accuracy immensely. While I’ve always been pretty good at manually determining exposure, thanks to your workshop I’m now throwing out hardly any slides at all due to exposure problems. I carry in my camera backpack my notes from your exposure presentation and our discussions in the field, and I refer to them frequently. I nail it almost every time!
I know you like to receive feedback from participants in your programs, and for some time I’ve wanted to communicate my continued excitement about your workshop and the steps my participation has led me to take. You both have a tremendous positive impact on the photographers you teach. Your summer workshop, as well as your spring seminar-and the both of you, personally-have been truly inspirational to me, and I thank you.
Mark P.
Iowa
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"I know we all said "thank you" in one way or another for the wonderful summer workshop, but I’d like to say a bit more.
I did gain much practical help from the workshop because of your excellent teaching, practical content, and on-the-spot assistance. As a simple cost/benefit matter, the week was high in value I thought - you run a great workshop in the "classical" sense.
But frankly, what made the week a "poetic" experience for me was you two - John and Barbara. As a pastor, I have borne many responsibilities beyond my local church. For a decade I directed summer schools for pastors and spouses, plus other events attended by hundreds. I know the detail work required to bring off a pleasing and productive training event.
Watching you, I was aware of the many things you were attending to, planning for, keeping track of, and deciding on so we could just soak it in and enjoy it. You lavished us with attention, service, guidance, availability, and expertise, and you did it with such relentless good humor, generosity and gentleness! This evoked a deep sense of gratitude and delight in me. You also refreshed and stirred in me impulses for creativity that I haven’t indulged much in recent years.
Dean Z.
Edinboro, PA
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The workshop was a lot of fun and both Emily and I learned a great deal. It was especially useful for her after having just received a new DSLR for her birthday. By the way, thanks for helping celebrate that event. You, of course, knew the area well and applied that knowledge with current weather conditions to choose the most appropriate site for each day. The more I reflect on the week, the more I realize how masterfully you accomplished site choice and how effectively the time of workshop participants was utilized. I think we all captured many "keepers" as well as having the privilege of seeing new sites.
It was a great week for us and we have talked about it frequently after returning to Arkansas. I hope that we will be able to join you on future workshops. I have a special interest in the hummingbird and the Yellowstone workshops.
Regards,
Harris
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I wanted to let you know how wonderful the week in Munising was for me. I got so many good shots and learned so many good new-to-me techniques that I literally came home a different photographer than when I left. And I'm in love with the pictures I took.
I've had to do very little editing on the ones I've kept! I still have to edit my 103 photos of the Gerlach's Point shoot. I was so excited about the waves and the rocks and the sunset that I just kept tripping the shutter. I see Superior in that mood so seldom (and I LOVE Superior in all her moods) that I just put the series on slide show mode and it almost looks like video.
So can I come back next year? Pretty please? It would be hard to top this year's timing--peak color inland that first week. I would love to have stayed for peak color on Superior the second week.
Here's a BIG thank-you to both John and Barb for information, help, suggestions, skill, knowledge of the area, patience, enthusiasm, and sense of humor--all necessary in working with the public. And, finally, as Barb carefully taught us at the very first session, I want to say, "It was just
the way I wanted it."
Thanks for everything,
R. Badertscher
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I just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful week and the Michigan photo workshop was a huge success. I did learn a lot about nature photography and you both were very helpful.
Jeff M.
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Dear John & Barb,
Jambo!
We cannot thank you enough for making our Kenya trip an experience of a lifetime. It is no secret that we are "real" amateurs, but you made us feel at home. We want to thank you for a well organized Kenya tour with wonderful food, accommodations, and excellent native guides. This trip was first-class! We learned so much from both of you and are anxious to see the results when we get home.
John and Miriam
Georgia
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I absolutely loved the trip. I wish I could go every year because it is my absolutely favorite place in the world. I saw so many things I had never seen before and my new camera is so good with noise at high ISOs that I got shots I couldn't have with my previous cameras.
There were so many really special things - the secretary birds, the leopard up close, the serval cat, tons of lilac-breasted rollers, learning more Swahili, David giving me an African shirt, wart hogs in the front yard, monkeys using the tent for a trampoline, etc, etc, etc. My first time there, I thought it was a 'once in a lifetime' trip and I feel really blessed to have been able to do it 3 times. Thanks you both for such a wonderful time - you guys are the BEST!
Kem P
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Yellowstone Winter On Snowmobile
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The week in Yellowstone was fantastic! I have experienced the park before,
but never in the winter. The scenery was excellent and there were plenty
of photographic opportunities. I really appreciate your energy and
enthusiasm for what you do. The fact that you did not pick up your own
cameras, but made yourselves available to the individuals in the workshop
was unique and much appreciated. I learned a tremendous amount about my
camera and techniques to improve my photography skills. Plus, the food was
good too! I will definitely attend another workshop!
Thanks!
Greg
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Barb and John
I wanted to thank you so much for making our Yellowstone Photography on snowmobiles such a wonderful experience. I learned so much and had so much fun doing it.
It is a rare thing to find two people who enjoy what they do as much as you both do and the fact that you are willing to share that with others makes it very special.
I have spent a fair amount of time reviewing my pictures and have some I just love. As soon as I have a serious chance to work on them I will send a few on to you so you can see the fruits of my (and your) labors. I am trying to figure out my travel plans for the summer but am seriously considering trying to join you on one of your fall colors trips. I hope I can work that out. Thank you both again for a most enjoyable time in a most beautiful part of our country.
Amy P.
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Nature photographers understand that the weather and the wildlife are beyond our control. Having said that, the Gerlachs will do everything in their power to make sure that you have a fun and productive week. They truly love what they are doing. Regardless of what imagery you may acquire, these are great people to spend a week with.
John G.
NH
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Last week I had plenty of time to read your Digital Landscape Photography book. I was very interested to see how much of your teaching that you did during the Yellowstone photo tour by snowmobile was in THE BOOK. You do a great job. I even think some of it stuck with me. I am still very stoked about you, your teaching, and my time with you. I shall be learning from you and attending one of your photo workshops again.
Aloha, John
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I'm still on cloud nine after last week's winter workshop in Yellowstone. I admire your patience and tact in dealing with people with such varied abilities and desires. You couldn't have done a better job satisfying our needs and helping us take better pictures. I've sent in my registration for the seminar in Richmond. I am enjoying DIGITAL LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY. I've found that it either emphasizes things that I know or introduces new ideas. It's a great book, as is the DVD on photographing the Eastern Sierra. Thanks again for a wonderful week. See you in Richmond!
Larry
(Feb 2011)
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