Learn to better harness your camera and your artistic imagination to improve your nature photography and expand your naturalist skill set. In this course, we’ll delve into each part of the nature photography workflow, including conception, composition, exposure, camera technique, editing, and production. We’ll visit local natural areas in the morning and evening to take advantage of prime photography light, then return to the nature center for post-processing, evaluation, and instructional topics designed around the interests and experience of the group. Participants will leave with a group-critiqued portfolio of beautiful photographs, and a powerful new approach to walking in the north woods.

LEARN MORE AT:

https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/biou-2021-photography/

Learn to better harness your camera and your artistic imagination to improve your nature photography and expand your naturalist skill set. In this weekend-long course, we’ll delve into each part of the nature photography workflow, including conception, composition, exposure, camera technique, editing, and production. We’ll visit local natural areas in the morning and evening to take advantage of prime photography light, then return to the nature center for post-processing, evaluation, and instructional topics designed around the interests and experience of the group. Participants will leave with a group-critiqued portfolio of beautiful photographs, and a powerful new approach to walking in the north woods.

Course Goals

• Participants will gain new techniques and frameworks for composing, photographing, and processing images of the natural world.

• Participants will develop or strengthen their full artistic workflow by establishing and mastering routines and techniques that capitalize on each individual’s style and interests.

Course Objectives

• Practice techniques for mastering creative use of shutter speed, aperture, focus, and exposure.

• Instruction in topical subjects such as macro photography, wildlife photography, insects, botany, landscapes, etc. Topics chosen based on student interest.

• Instruction and practice in post-processing technique and workflow.

• Field-based photography activities exploring the intersection of composition technique and natural history investigation.

• Develop fluency in analyzing and critiquing photographs via group evaluation of photographs taken during this course.

Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop with photo editing software. This course will primarily use Adobe Lightroom Classic, but alternative software that the participant is familiar with will be fine.

Course credit available through Castleton University

This course is part of North Branch Nature Center’s Biodiversity University
Register at BiodiversityUniversity.org starting Jan 1

In this field-based series, we’ll enter the woods around CVU on explorations that combine composition, light, exposure, and nature. We’ll photograph flowers, forests, birds and beetles, capturing powerful images while investigating local ecology. Our explorations will be combined with exercises to demonstrate and practice fundamental techniques and handy tricks for capturing outstanding images. Learn to use your camera to become a better naturalist, and your naturalist skills to become a better photographer.

Tuesdays Starting May 5th | 3 Sessions
5:30 - 7:30
Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Are you new to digital photography? In this hands-on series, develop all the foundations of a well-rounded photographer. Explore photography techniques, exposure and light management, and camera skills and settings. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about f-stops, shutter speeds, and those mysterious buttons on your new camera, this is your course! A Digital SLR camera (or similar) is required.

Thursdays starting March 19 | 3 sessions

Hinesburg VT, Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Everyone is a photographer in this age of mobile phones. Learn to harness the power of your smartphone or tablet and take beautiful photographs. Everyone will practice artistic techniques and simple technical skills for capturing and manipulating photographs on your mobile devices. We'll also explore some useful apps for editing your photos.

Thursdays, 5:30 - 6:45 beginning March 19 | 2 Sessions
Hinesburg, VT - Champlain Valley Union H.S. Access
register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Learn to wield Adobe Lightroom Classic with fluency and finesse. Practice advanced tools like split toning, auto-masking, panorama stitching, HDR merging, nuanced levels adjustments, and more. Learn to create and use develop presets to batch edit photos and reproduce consistent styles in your photography. Perfect for those who have taken The Digital Darkroom 101, or want to gain mastery with this industry-standard photo editing software.

Tuesdays Starting March 17th | 3 sessions
7:00 - 8:30 PM
Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg, VT
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

If you are comfortable adjusting exposure, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, or have taken Sean's Digital Photography 101, then this class if for you! You will continue to deepen your knowledge of photography by exploring more advanced composition technique and camera functions. Master topics like metering, manual mode, lighting, and advanced exposure control. Course content will vary to accommodate your goals.

Tuesdays Starting March 17th | 5:30 - 6:45 | 3 sessions

Hinesburg VT, Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Everyone is a photographer in this age of mobile phones. Learn to harness the power of your smartphone or tablet and take beautiful photographs. Everyone will practice artistic techniques and simple technical skills for capturing and manipulating photographs on your mobile devices. We'll also explore some useful apps for editing your photos.

Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:15 beginning February 6 | 2 Sessions
Hinesburg, VT - Champlain Valley Union H.S. Access
register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Develop your “artistic eye” by exploring the principles of composition technique. Practice taking photographs that demonstrate fundamental concepts in composition. Investigate the composition choices used in the masterpieces of legendary photographers. Discover a language and workflow for creating and critically examining beautiful, captivating photographs.

Thursdays Starting February 6th | 2 Sessions
5:30 - 6:45

Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg VT
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Learn the art of “developing” your digital photographs with the powerful Adobe Lightroom Classic software to process your pictures into spectacular pieces of art. In this series, use CVU’s computers to practice basic universal enhancement tools (crop, saturation, contrast, etc.), import and organize your photography portfolio, and practice more nuanced techniques (tones, curves, filters, etc.) for polishing snapshots into professional-quality photographs. Post-processing is an art, whether it be removing red-eye, retouching a polaroid, or invoking fantastical tones in a moody landscape.

Tuesdays beginning February 4 | 7:00-8:30 |  3 sessions 
Hinesburg, VT - Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

Are you new to digital photography? In this hands-on series, develop all the foundations of a well-rounded photographer. Explore photography techniques, exposure and light management, and camera skills and settings. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about f-stops, shutter speeds, and those mysterious buttons on your new camera, this is your course! A Digital SLR camera (or similar) is required.

Tuesdays starting February 4th
3 sessions

Hinesburg VT, Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Register at: https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/

New to digital photography? Eager to capture better images of the natural world? In this hands-on series, develop the foundations of a well-rounded nature photographer. We’ll explore composition, artistic technique, exposure, lighting, camera skills, and equipment settings. The perfect course for those curious about f-stops, shutter speeds, and the mysterious buttons on your new camera.  Learn how to use your camera to develop a deeper connection with nature, while building the technical skills to dramatically improve your photography.

This class includes three weeknight classroom sessions, followed by a morning outdoor workshop

Four sessions:
Wednesdays September 18th, September 25th, October 2nd | 5:30 - 7 pm
Saturday October 5th | 2 - 6 pm
Montpelier, VT

Register at North Branch Nature Center

Learn the art of “developing” your digital photographs with the powerful Adobe Lightroom Classic software to process your pictures into spectacular pieces of art. In this series, use CVU’s computers to master the use of basic universal enhancement tools (crop, saturation, contrast, etc.), import and organize your photography portfolio, and practice more nuanced techniques (tones, curves, filters, etc.) for polishing snapshots into professional-quality photographs. Post-processing is an art, whether it be removing red-eye, retouching a polaroid, or invoking fantastical tones in a moody landscape.  

Tuesdays beginning October 22 | 7:00-8:30 |  3 sessions 

Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Register at: https://access.cvuhs.org/

Unlock your inner photographer with the camera and apps on your mobile device. Practice simple technical skills for capturing and editing photographs on smartphones and tablets. Ideal for those aspiring artists who want to take great photographs without the hassle of complicated camera gear.

Thursday, March 21 and 28, 5:30-6:45 | 2 Sessions
Champlain Valley Union H.S. Access
register at: https://access.cvuhs.org/

New to digital photography? In this hands-on series, develop the foundations of a well-rounded photographer. We’ll explore composition, artistic technique, exposure, lighting, camera skills, and equipment settings. The perfect course for those curious about f-stops, shutter speeds, and the mysterious buttons on your new camera.

A digital camera with adjustable settings is required.

Tuesdays, March 12, 19, 26, and April 2 2019
Offering 1:
5:30 - 6:45
Offering 2:
7:00 - 8:15

Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Hinesburg VT
Register at: https://access.cvuhs.org/

New to digital photography? In this hands-on series, develop the foundations of a well-rounded photographer. We’ll explore composition, artistic technique, exposure, lighting, camera skills, and equipment settings. The perfect course for those curious about f-stops, shutter speeds, and the mysterious buttons on your new camera.

A digital camera with adjustable settings is required.

Tuesdays, March 12, 19, 26, and April 2 2019
Offering 1:
5:30 - 6:45
Offering 2:
7:00 - 8:15

Champlain Valley Union H.S.
Hinesburg VT
Register at: https://access.cvuhs.org/

As the sun rises over the Rocky Mountains, the sounds of bellowing elk, croaking sandhill cranes, and howling wolves resonate across the valley. Alone in the fragrant sagebrush meadows, you encounter a herd of mother elk and newborn calves grazing in the cool morning air. On the hillsides above, you focus your spotting scope on a pair of courting black bears in the fresh alpine wildflowers at the edge of a montane glacier. Nearby, steam rises from the edge of a simmering hot spring as a great gray owl hunts in the nearby meadow. Bison and grizzly tracks skirt the orange and turquoise rim of the bubbling pool. On this week-long, small group safari into the heart of the wild, find out why the 18-million-acre Greater Yellow Ecosystem has been hailed as "America's Serengeti," "The World's Wonderland," and "the Land of Fire and Ice.”  (SOLD OUT)