4 Day St. Augustine Photo Adventure April 30- May 3, 2015

4 Day St. Augustine Photo Adventure
Only two spots left!!

Bastions, Birds & Buildings

April 30-May 3, 2015

Have fun, travel, and improve your photography!

In the dark of night you move into position. A shadowed mass starts to take form in front of you as the sky gradually turn from inky black to the muted colors of predawn. Suddenly the sun bursts over the horizon, bathing the ancient walls of the Castillo de San Marcos in the golden light of daybreak.

A scant few hours later you find yourself in the midst of a Florida swamp, surrounded by alligators. All around you are trees filled with wading birds, the bellowing of the alligators and calls of the birds in sharp contrast to the quiet solitude of the fortress where your day began. You watch in awe as an egret alights at a nest of chicks, only a few yards from where you safely stand. The chicks cry for attention as the egret drops food into their upturned beaks.

Sunlight brings alive the stained glass windows of the centuries old cathedral. Shafts of light, turned the colors of the rainbow by the stained glass, dapple the interior. The flickering glow of the votive candles reflects off gleaming gold in the sanctuary.

A quiet city block in the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. You wander around and through nine houses dating from 1790 to 1910. Your eye delights in the wealth of architectural details and the quiet serenity of small gardens and hidden alcoves. The sun’s rays, filtered by the leaves of the age-old overhanging trees, create ever changing patterns on the statuary and pathways.

These images and much more are yours to capture on Understand Photography’s Bastions, Birds and Buildings Photo Adventure of St. Augustine, FL. Have fun, improve your photographic skills and return home with memorable images. Experienced workshop leader and mentor Joe Fitzpatrick will guide you to his favorite locations at the time of day when the light is right. At each location Joe will share his techniques, enabling you to overcome exposure, lighting and compositional challenges. With his guidance you will learn to control the complex features of your camera. Joe’s easy to understand style of instruction will help you to become the photographer you long to be. This trip is limited to five participants so that everyone will receive personal attention.

The 2014 workshop will take place April 30-May 3, 2015 and space is limited to five photographers. The cost of the photo exploration includes expert, personal instruction by Joe, accommodations (dbl occupancy), continental breakfasts, admission to all venues including an Alligator Farm Annual Photo Pass, parking fees, and applicable taxes. Lunches, dinners and transportation are not included. Cost of annual photo pass can be deducted from trip cost if you already have one. If you prefer not to share a room, single accommodations are available for a surcharge. Place your deposit now to ensure your spot.

$749 early registration through March 30 2015 (if we have openings)
$899 regular price
Price listed is per person, double occupancy. Single occupancy $115 extra, based on availability.

To register call or email info@understandphotography.com or (239) 263-7001
50% retainer, final payment due 30 days before.

St. Augustine Photo Adventure – Stuff You Want to Know

Where will we be staying?

Our base of operations will be the Sleep Inn Hotel, 601 Anastasia Blvd., Saint Augustine, FL, 32080, minutes from our shooting locations.

How will we get around?

You will be expected to provide your own transportation for this photo adventure. We usually car pool between shooting locations.

What will we be photographing?

This Photo Adventure encompasses all types of subjects. You will capture sunrises, the historic architecture of St. Augustine, an ancient Spanish Fortress, and an unrivaled array of wild nesting birds in their natural habitat.

What skill level is required?

This photo adventure is geared to photographers of all skill levels. Our proven 5 to 1 photographer/mentor ratio allows every adventurer from beginner to advanced to proceed at their own pace. We strongly suggest that you take our beginning DSLR course if you are not familiar with the basics of exposure: shutter speed, aperture and ISO.

What will I learn during the Photo Adventure?

At every step of your Photo Adventure Joe will be at your side, sharing his techniques. Our ratio of a maximum of 5 photographers per leader assures that you will receive personal attention and allow you to learn at your own pace. We will cover:

Which of your camera’s exposure modes is preferred for each shooting condition.

• Which metering mode works best for each subject.
• Using the histogram to improve your exposures.
• How to take advantage of your camera’s various auto focus modes.
• Fill flash techniques.
• Composition.
• Filters
• Advanced techniques tailored to your level of knowledge.

What equipment should I bring?

This Photo Adventure encompasses a wide range of subject matter from very large, the sweep of a beach at sunrise, to very small, a butterfly alighting on a flower. Light sources will range from sun to street lamps. We suggest:

DSLR camera or advanced compact.

• Ideally, lenses to provide the equivalent coverage of full frame lenses from 24mm to 300mm. For “crop” DSLRs this means lenses in the range of 17mm to 200mm.
• A circular polarizer if you own one.
• Flash.
• Better Beamer if you own one.
• Tripod.
• Remote shutter release. Useful, but your camera’s timer will suffice in a pinch.
• Memory cards, bring them all!
• Batteries, you will need spares!
• Chargers for everything.
• Laptop if you have one.
• For equipment questions email Joe at Joefitzpatrick [at] comcast [dot] net. Include your phone number.To register call or email info@understandphotography.com or (239) 263-7001