Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Photo Weekend Workshop / Tour
February 27/28 and March 6/7, 2010
(February 27/28 and March 6/7 are FULL)
I am excited to be offering a short, small group (limited to 5) photo workshop / tour in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park this winter. It will begin Saturday after lunch, andwill wrap up Sunday just before lunch. I timed it like this so that someone could comfortably makethe drive from San Diego, OC or LA to Anza-Borrego, and participate in the workshop without taking time off work.
WHY CALL THIS A WORKSHOP?
I call this a workshop because I will be concentrating on teaching, and won’t be photographing myself. Sure I will have my camera gear there to demonstrate gear and techniques, but my time will be spent teaching, looking through view finders and talking all things photography with my guests!
WHY CALL THIS A TOUR?
I also call this a tour because I will be putting us in the best places at the best times – and if there is a wildflower bloom (cross your fingers) I will make sure we are at the best locations. I have been visiting Anza-Borrego in the winter for many years now, and will be in the Park for a couple weeks leading up to the workshop – so I can do the scouting for you! This way you can be assured to maximize your opportunity to come away with great photos!
WHAT WILL WE PHOTOGRAPH?
We will concentrate on landscapes and wildflowers – everything from close-upsof individual flowers, to broad landscapes. Some years there can be amazing endless fields offlowers, other years might yield sporadic patches of blooms. Most years we can almost always find some  blooms to work with, but even if we can’t there are still some wonderful dramatic viewpoints and slot canyons full of wonderful colors, patterns and textures. Flowers or not, we won't lack for subject matter.
HOW IS THE TIMING?
Flowers are unpredictable, but I have timed these tours to fall when the wildflowers should be at their peak based on past years experience. Because the bloom can vary depending on the location, elevation and species of flower, we can usually find blooms somewhere in the Park during this time period. If there are wildflowers, I will know where they are.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
I will be available for any questions that may arise, and I will tailor the instruction to the ability of the group. With 5 guests, it won’t be the one on one individual attention that you would receive from a private tour, but it is small enough for plenty of individual interaction. Here are some of the topics I intend to cover.
- Composition and the creative aspects of photography – this is the most important!
- Light – the direction, quality and advantages of different light.
- Exposure, histograms, metering methods and when to use aperture priority, shutter priority or full manual
- Focus – manual, servo and one-shot and hyper focus distance.
- I will demonstrate tripod and ballhead use, along with various camera plates and even specialized panoramic heads.
- Lenses. I will have with me and can demonstrate and discuss the advantages of a variety of lenses including tilt / shift, fish eye, macro and telephotos.
- Use of reflectors and diffusers – especially valuable for daytime wildflower close-ups
- Filter use – polarizer and graduated neutral density filters along with discussions on the trade offs between filters and digital tools such as HDR. I will also discuss my techniques for capturing images to be used for HDR and panoramics.
- Camera feature usage, mirror lockup, Live View self timer, etc.
WHAT GEAR DO I NEED?
A 35mm style digital camera with a normal to wide-angle lens is a must. A tripod, a close focusing or macro lens, and a small reflector diffuser or two like this would be very valuable and would add to your overall experience.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?
A working understanding of the relationship between ISO, shutter speed and aperture would be very helpful. I can review these things and will talk about how I utilize these settings depending on the situation, prior knowledge of these concepts will help you get more out of the workshop. In addition, you should have a working understanding of your camera and I would suggest bringing along your manual. While I have worked with many cameras, I do not know how to work them all.
WHY RON?
I am a full-time professional photographer and my photography has been our families sole source of income for many years. True, I am an Alaskan resident but my ties to Anza-Borrego go back to my childhood when my family lived in San Diego county. My exploration of this area began during frequent family camping trips to Anza-Borrego where we hiked and drove off-road to remote areas. As an adult, my wife Janine who also spend a fair amount of time in the Anza-Borrego desert with her family as a child, and I decided to escape the grips of winter in Alaska and enjoy the mild desert winter. This has become an annual pilgrimage for us. Our trips are always timed in hopes of catching the wonderous spring wildflower bloom. During our stays we spend our time hiking, biking, running and photographing this diverse desert environment. My images can regularly be found in many of the largest magazines in the world. I have the required state park permits and insurance and will happy to provide additional information on both. You may read more about me here.
SCHEDULE
We will meet in Borrego Springs at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday February 27/March 6 and will shoot past sunset, until the last light of day. We will begin again the next morning before sunrise and will wrap up at 11:00 a.m..
COST
The workshop is $249 per person.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Instruction and guidance during the duration of the scheduled time.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Transportation, meals or lodging. There are a number of campgrounds and hotels in Borrego Springs. Make reservations in advance as this area can become very popular during a good wildflower year.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Payment in full is due at the time of registration. A $100 portion of that payment represents a non-refundable deposit. The remaining $149 will be non-refundable after Feb. 12 and Feb. 20 depending on which tour your are attending.
Deposits are non-refundable unless we cancel the workshop.
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
All payments and deposits to Niebrugge Images are non-refundable unless the workshop sells out and we are able to fill your spot. If your spot is filled, you will lose your initial deposit only. We have the right to cancel this workshop for lack of registrants, we require a minimum of 2 participants for this workshop. In the case that we cancel the workshop your deposit and payments will be returned. However, Niebrugge Images does not assume responsibility for any other costs incurred by customer as a result of the cancellation.
The will be NO REFUNDS for delays or cancellations because of weather, flights, or other reasons before arriving or during the workshop. Niebrugge Images is not responsible for additional costs that may be incurred by such delays.
We highly recommend purchasing trip insurance. One option is: www.insuremytrip.com
SMOKING
Is not permitted.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
Physical fitness requirements are minimal. You should be able to handle hikes on uneven terrain carrying your gear.
See more photos of Anza-Borrego State Park by Ron Niebrugge
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