Photo tours and workshops
A diglloyd.com photo tour is a customized, personalized adventure. You won’t be stuck in a large group or shooting conventional over-photographed subjects. Instead, you’ll get all the personal attention you need in a relaxed setting, and the ability to explore beautiful areas with expert guidance of the terrain and opportunities.
Your satisfaction and delight with your experience is my goal.
Yosemite, October 2009 Permalink
October is my favorite time of year in Yosemite. Water is at its ebb, but there are also no mosquitoes, and the temperatures are warm and pleasant in the daytime, with crisp nights. Frost and fall color can yield new shooting opportunities over and above the usual stunning vistas.
I am planning two photo tours in October, back-to-back:
- the weekend of October 3/4 (arrive Friday night)
- the weekend of October 10/11 (arrive Friday night)
Fall color will have started by October 3/4, but might not have peaked. Color could be better or worse by October 10/11, depending on storm/wind activity. An optional 3rd and 4th day extension within Yosemite and/or to the White Mountains is available by arrangement.
New to photography?
Any type of equipment works for this outing. Even a point-and-shoot can deliver great images here. If you’re relatively new to photography, I can advise you on a system to bring/buy.
Instructional field sessions
At least two instructional field sessions are planned (others available upon request):
- ultra high-resolution imagery using stitching.
- digital infrared.
- lenses and equipment for high performance imaging.
Each session will be approximately an hour at mid-day, to save the “sweet light” for your shooting. Attendance is not required, you are free to continue shooting if you prefer.
Signup
The cost is $995/person for the two day weekend. Extensions are on a sliding scale for 3 or 4 days.
Contact me to sign up today!
Scheduling and customizing Permalink
Photo tours to Yosemite, the White Mountains of California and Death Valley are offered on a regular basis, or can be scheduled by request (Death Valley is most comfortably seen in February, with the mountain destinations best for May - Oct).
Tours are limited to a maximum of four participants to allow your time to be maximized for your particular goals.
A tour can be custom-tailored for individuals or small groups (friends, husband+wife, etc). Those from overseas looking to experience the American west might consider a photo tour an excellent way to see places like Yosemite in-depth— travel with a few friends and have a unique experience!
What’s in a tour?
A tour is a guided trip to fascinating photographic destinations which are off the beaten path. The primary goal is to provide exceptional shooting opportunities in a relaxed and flexible group. Good physical fitness is a plus, but there is plenty to see with only modest effort, and the small group size keeps things flexible.
In addition, instruction in all aspects of photography is available during the tour (mid-day is a good choice). Examples of instruction include digital infrared, stitching techniques, use of shift lenses, optimizing depth of field/exposure/dynamic range, lens selection, etc. Anything you want, and anything you might have read about here at diglloyd.com.
Arrival and departure
Tours generally meet the evening before over dinner. As these are field shooting tours, we do not return to a base, so planning for a day out in the wild is your responsibility (assistance/advice is offered).
Past tours Permalink
White Mountains August 15/16 2009 Permalink
August offers the best possibility for unusual weather, as I learned in 2004, when 4" of snow was delivered. At other times, storms have brought a deep purple sky and monumental rainbow.
See Scheduling and Customizing for general details.
This two-day tour (optional 3rd-day extension) will take place high in California’s White Mountains, where the best Bristlecones exist, living and long dead. The bristlecones are stunning, and this is the spot where you’ll find subjects as good or better than any you’ve seen published.
Easy access to great subjects
With solitude and immense natural beauty, this is the perfect place to get that special shot of your own at dawn or dusk. Opportunities abound both day and night (think star trails and bristlecones like the ones seen here). Infrared is also a fantastic option.
Minimal hiking/effort is required for fantastic opportunities. You can bring heavy or bulky gear (eg a long telephoto), and have easy access to it in your vehicle.
Logistics
We will meet the prior evening, so plan on arriving the day before; we start early the first day.
Please note that the shooting locations range from 10,000 to 12,000 feet in altitude.
You will bring your own vehicle (or share with others as you prefer). A high-clearance vehicle is recommended eg an SUV. Four-wheel drive is not required, but offers other route options for the the inquisitive. Jeeps can be rented in the nearby city of Bishop for anyone wishing to explore a wider area on their own before or after the trip, or simply to enjoy the experience in a new way.
Assistance with planning/scheduling is provided. Participants are advised to arrive a day in advance, and allow for leaving the day after the tour so as not curtail the last day’s opportunities.
Participants can find accommodations in Bishop or Big Pine, CA. To save a long early-morning drive to Patriarch Grove (almost two hours from Bishop), participants may wish to camp in the mountains. There is an established campground as well as other dirt-roadside options. Camping is highly recommended because it affords night-time opportunities for star trails and the like.
Cost
The two-day tour costs $995, payable by check. Your fee is non-refundable, but in the event of your inability to attend, can be credited to a future tour.
June 2009 Yosemite tour Permalink
Please see the May 20 blog entry for tour description. The group had a great time, with fantastic weather conditions and lots of spring melt-water. We explored four locations in two days.
Example images shown below are from Yosemite National Park.
