Learning from the right instructor can greatly improve your photography experience. These in-person classes are for everyone, from beginners to professionals and focus on landscape, nature and wildlife.
Macro Photography & Bracketing
If you’ve ever been captivated by the delicate beauty of a dewdrop or the mesmerizing eyes of a frog, then you’ve already glimpsed the magic that macro photography can offer. Not only do photographers widely use this technique to capture critters, but it’s also highly valued in professional work. These classes can ignite your creativity by revealing a world that many often overlook. In this class, you’ll start by learning how to compose your subjects and then master techniques to capture details with precision. Furthermore, the course takes place indoors, providing an ideal setting for both hands-on practice and interactive presentations.
- Create compelling compositions
- Determine Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO
- Single-shot macro
- Focus Bracketing or Focus Shifting
- Use of a flash diffuser
Equipment
- Macro lens of any focal length
- Optional: Speedlight and diffuser
- Optional: laptop for focus stacking
Tuition $95
Night Photography & Light Painting
Some of the most captivating images come from night photography, where the beauty of the night sky seamlessly meets the artistry of light. In this class, you’ll learn how to combine light painting with stars and nature to create beautifully illuminated scenes. Starting with setting up your composition just before sunset, you’ll then experiment with various light painting techniques. With tools like the Pixel Stick, you’ll transform your nighttime photos into stunning works of art, bringing each scene to life with unique bursts of color and light.
- Create a Star Trail or Milky Way image with light painting
- Noise reduction methods
- Adjust the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
- Focus in complete darkness
Required Equipment
- Tripod: You must have a tripod
- Camera: Any that can be used with Manual settings
- Lens: 16mm or wider and ƒ2.8 or faster is preferred but not required
Tuition $145
Landscape Photography
Landscape photography is all about capturing the beauty of the natural world, from sweeping vistas to more intimate scenes. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the most popular genres of photography. However, achieving truly stunning results requires not only skill and careful planning but also a solid understanding of light, composition, and timing. In Joe’s classes, you’ll learn how to effectively plan and refine your skills so that you’re always prepared for that perfect shot. Additionally, Joe teaches these classes outdoors on location, providing ample time for practice and real-time guidance.
- Create compelling compositions
- Timing and direction of light
- Planning and scouting
- Adjust the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
Location
Frequent locations include Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite
Tuition $145
Wildlife & Bird Photography
Birds and wildlife often hide under natural camouflage or stay active in dimly lit conditions, which challenges photographers to capture action or express creativity. In these situations, Joe will guide you on how to quickly assess a scene and adjust your settings within seconds—any longer, and you might miss the perfect shot. Once you grasp the fundamentals, you’ll be ready to experiment further, ultimately elevating your photography to the next level.
- Quickly evaluate ambient lighting
- Learn the relationship between aperture, shutter and ISO
- Make adjustments to capture your artistic vision
- Use the focus & metering systems to make images pop
- How to create with and without out a flash
Required Equipment
DSLR, mirrorless or any camera that can be used in full manual settings
Tuition $145
Milky Way & Star Trails
Night photography presents an exciting and rewarding challenge for photographers. Not only does it involve shooting under very low light conditions, but it also often requires traveling to remote areas far from light pollution and using specific techniques to capture the vast beauty of the night sky. We’ll begin just before sunset with a lecture and time for questions to ensure a solid foundation. Then, we’ll dive right in, creating mesmerizing star trails or capturing images of the Milky Way with a unique foreground or subject of interest
- Create Star Trails and night scenes
- Noise reduction methods
- Adjust the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
- Focus in complete darkness
Required Equipment
- Tripod: You must have a tripod
- Camera: Any that can be used in Manual mode
- Lens: 16mm or wider and f2.8 or faster is preferred but not required
Location
Within 1-hour drive from Sacramento, typically Shingle Springs or Clipper Gap
Tuition $145
Underwater Photography
These classes takes place at popular snorkeling or diving destinations, providing for high-quality instruction and a memorable experience. Each class includes three hours lecture and two snorkels or dives that teach you camera setup plus unique tips on composition, lighting, and marine life behavior. The goal is to have you taking great photos as quickly as possible. This way you can get back to your vacation and a lifetime of adventure.
- Adjust your camera for the current conditions
- Create compelling compositions
- Understand marine life behavior
- Use of natural and artificial light
- Video techniques and buoyancy control
- Underwater camera housing maintenance
Frequent class locations include Fiji, Cozumel, Bali, Philippines
Required Equipment
- Any camera that can be used underwater in a housing
- Lights or strobes are preferred but not required
Tuition: $295
Includes 3-hours land based lecture and 2 snorkeling swims or 2 dives at an extra cost