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Olympic National Park

"Pacific Coast Adventure"

Where: Port Angeles & Forks, Washington

When: July 10-15, 2011 (Six days, Sunday through Friday)

Tuition: $1295.00

Deposit: $300.00

 
Looking to take your creative expression to the next level?  Creative Vision Photo Workshops are designed to challenge you to reach new heights with your nature photography. Join Creative Vision instructors Ian Plant and Joseph Rossbach on an intensive, multi-day field and classroom instructional workshop that will help you create photographs you've always dreamed of making.

Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula has some of the best views anywhere in the United States. Olympic National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage site—is three parks in one, offering workshop participants a unique opportunity to capture magical images of superb coastal, mountain, and rain forest scenery. Here you will find the longest undeveloped coast in the contiguous United States, with pebble-beaches, towering cliffs and offshore sea stacks; rain forests with moss-covered trees (the best example of intact temperate rainforest in the Pacific Northwest); glacier-capped peaks interspersed with extensive alpine meadows carpeted with wildflowers; and a stunning variety of marine and mountain plants and animals.

Ian and Joseph will teach a variety of techniques—both in the field and in the classroom—that will allow you to advance both your technical skills and artistic vision. We focus on a number of professional field techniques to help you create dramatic and powerful nature images, including:

• Working with dramatic light, including sunrise and sunset;
• The fundamentals of powerful compositions; and
• Abstract techniques for creating artistic photographs.

We’ll also teach you a number of professional “digital darkroom” secrets as well. Our hands-on intensive seminars—held during the middle of the day when the light is not conducive for photography—will teach you the fundamentals of image processing, and allow you to master important techniques including:

• Working with adjustment layers;
• Layer masking and image blending techniques;
• Making difficult selections;
• Color management; and
• Special effects techniques used for artistic expression.

In addition, we'll explore a number of artistic philosophies that will help you find your own personal vision.

Getting There
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/) is the closest airport to Olympic National Park. Rental cars are available there. From SeaTac, it is a three hour drive to Port Angeles.

Fitness Level
There is some hiking on this workshop. Most trails are less than one mile one way and do not involve serious elevation gains, but slippery rocks can be a challenge. The longest and most difficult hike on the workshops, ascending Hurricane Hill, is 3 miles round trip and involves an elevation gain of just over 600 feet. A standard Acknowledgement of Risk form will be required before the workshop starts.

What's Included
• Photography instruction
• Snacks and drinks in the field

Recommended Equipment
• Warm sweater or fleece and windproof shell; hat and gloves
• Hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes
• Rain gear including rain pants
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant
• Water bottle
• Camera body
• Lenses ranging from 12-200mm (for cropped sensor camera); 17-200mm (full frame sensor cameras)
• Longer lenses may be useful for photographing wildlife and isolated scenics; a macro lens may be useful for photographing wildflowers
• Spare digital memory cards
• Electronic cable release
• Tripod
• Flashlight
• Equipment manuals
• Battery chargers and spare batteries
• Polarizing filter; graduated neutral density filters (2 or 3 stop); neutral density filters
• Laptop computer with Adobe Photoshop
 

Deposit Required
A $300.00 deposit will be required with the balance to be redeemed no later than 60 days before the event.

Recommended Lodging

We will spend the first two nights (July 10-11) in Port Angeles; our recommended hotel is the Super 8 Port Angeles. We will spend our final three nights (July 12-14) in Forks; our recommended hotel is the Olympic Suites Inn.

Questions?
If you have any questions, or if you wish to register for this workshop, please email Ian Plant.