Canon Offers Free Photography Workshops In US National Parks

by Kraig Becker on

Camera manufacturer Canon has once again teamed up with the American Park Network to offer free photography and videography workshops in U.S. national parks. These workshops, which include video for the first time, will be available in a variety of locations and offer park visitors a chance to learn new skills, or hone existing ones, in some of the most photogenic environments on the planet.

The Photography in the Parks program has already been wrapped up in the Grand Canyon, Zion and Yosemite National Parks this year, but new opportunities begin in other parks as early as today. For example, workshops in Yellowstone run from July 21-31 and are held three times daily. Anyone wishing to participate can join in the fun at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Old Faithful Lodge. Participants are encouraged to arrive 15-30 minutes early. Other upcoming workshops will be held in Grand Teton National Park (August 1-2), Rocky Mountain National Park (August 5-11) and Acadia National Park (August 18-29).

Instructors will be on hand to provide tips on how to get the most out of your digital camera or camcorder. They’ll also have a variety of Canon products available to test as well, including their wonderful EOS DSLR cameras, EF lenses, PowerShot point and shoot and Vixia camcorders. Those expert photographers will demonstrate fun and creative ways to capture the exact photo you’re trying to achieve.

For more information check out the Photography in the Parks website and start making your plans to sit in on one of these classes soon. This is a great opportunity to get a free workshop that could improve your travel photography skills.

Hone your photographic skills in the Himalaya in 2011

by Kraig Becker on

When it comes to photographing spectacular landscapes it’s difficult to top the Himalaya, which offer endless mountain vistas, towering snow capped peaks, and beautiful remote valleys. The entire range is a photographer’s dream and I know first hand that it is difficult to take a bad photo there. That said, it never hurts to get some advice on how to take the best photos possible, and if you’re going to take a photography workshop, it might as well be in the Himalaya too.

Himalayan Workshops offers a combination trek and photography workshop that visits a unique and interesting destination in the Himalaya each year. They past two years, the workshops have been held in the Everest region, visiting the South Side of that mountain in 2009 and the North Side in 2010. For 2011, they’ve announced a trek to Mt. Kailash, a 21,778-foot tall peak located in Western Tibet. This year’s expedition will once again balance adventure in the mountains with the opportunity to learn more about photography along the way.

The workshop aspects of the trek will be conducted by Chris Marquardt and Jon Miller, who share their considerable knowledge and talent with the other members of the tour. Marquardt is the founder of Tips From The Top Floor , one of the best photography websites and podcasts on the Internet, while Miller produces The Rest of Everest, a video podcast that covers all aspects of climbing and trekking in the Himalaya. Over the course of the 17-day trek, they’ll demonstrate how to get the most out of your camera and video equipment, while capturing spectacular images of the Tibetan landscapes.

Billed as the “highest photography workshop in the world,” the Mt. Kailash trek will begin in Kathmandu on April 17th of 2011. For more information on the trek and workshops, click here, and if you’re interested in joining the trip, registration info can be found by clicking here.

Learn photography skills while trekking the Himalaya

by Kraig Becker on

A few days back we listed some of the top opportunities for learning new skills while traveling, and today we have a similar opportunity that will give you the chance to build your photography and videography skills while trekking through Tibet next spring.

The Everest Trek 2010 is being billed as “the highest photography and videography workshop in the world” and it is being put hosted by Chris Marquardt and Jon Miller. Marquardt has one of the best known photography podcasts on the Internet in Tips From the Top Floor, while Miller is the producer of the Rest of Everest, a video podcast that is the most comprehensive look at climbing the tallest mountain on the planet that you’ll find anywhere. Both will give their fellow travelers insightful and important tips on improving their skills as photographers and videographers in daily workshops set against the dramatic backdrop of the Himalaya.

The duo’s first trek and workshop combination, was held earlier this year and was a huge success. On that first trek trip, the destination was Everest Base Camp on the South Side of the mountain, in Nepal. This year, the journey will take the team to Tibet, where they’ll explore the North and East Sides of Everest, on a four week long odyssey that will begin and end in Kathmandu.

If you are interested in joining the expedition, registration will open on Sunday, September 20th at 9:00AM MDT (UTC -7). Last year the entire trek sold out in less than a minute, and demand is expected to be high again for the 2010 edition as well. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, giving those first to apply, the first chance to join the trek.

This is a learning vacation that offers an adventurous trek through one of the planet’s most stunning environments. And while the North Side of Everest gets a lot of traffic in the spring of each year, the East Side of the mountain is seldom visited, and remains a remote, and rugged wilderness. That alone makes this a unique experience, but add in the daily workshops, and you’re sure to have a once in a lifetime vacation.

The Worlds Highest Photography and Videography Workshop

by Kraig Becker on

A unique trek is about to get underway in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is a combination of adventure travel and photography/videography workshop that will see ten lucky people spending the next three weeks exploring the Himalaya, while receiving expert instruction in how to shoot better photographs and video.

Everest Base Camp Trek 2009 is the brainchild of professional photographer Chris Marquardt, who hosts the Tips from the Top Floor photography podcast, and professional videographer Jon Miller, who hosts The Rest of Everest, a video podcast that is the most comprehensive look at climbing in the Himalaya you’ll find anywhere. Each day, Chris and Jon will provide lessons, tips, and inside information to those joining them on the trek, all the while hiking up to Everest Base Camp, located at 17,500 feet.

Right now, Chris, Jon, and the rest of their team are gathering in Kathmandu, and the trek/workshop will get underway in the next few days. They’ll spend a little time siteseeing in Kathmandu, before flying off to Lukla and begin the actual trek up the Khumbu Valley. Most days will be spent on well marked trails which lead to Himalayan villages, and like most visitors to the region, they’ll spend the night in traditional tea houses.

But the aspect that sets this trek apart from all the others, is the workshop. Several hours each day will be set aside for photography and videography instruction. The students will then have the chance to immeditely put what they’ve learned into action in one of the most scenic settings in the world.

The team will be posting regular updates to their website over the next few weeks, sharing their experiences along the way. Hopefully they’ll be sharing some of those amazing photos as well.