Category Archives: Workshop Updates

Photography Tips, Workshop Updates

Buying a Better Camera Does Not Make You a Better Photographer

Leave a comment

The real key to better photography is more about YOU than it is about your CAMERA. Sure, camera features matter, but what matters more is how you use your camera and how well you understand the fundamentals of photography.

There’s the old joke about a person who invites friends over for dinner. The food was wonderful and the guests all enjoyed the meal. At the end of the evening, they said to the cook: “That was a wonderful meal! What kind of pots and pans did you use?”

As photographers, our “pots and pans” are our cameras and lenses, etc. I am not saying our camera gear is unimportant. I am just saying what matters more is how you use them.

Or as Ansel Adams said: “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”

The key to better photographs is about YOU:

  • Know the fundamentals of photography and all the technical aspects of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal lengths, white balance, etc.
  • Understand your camera features and use the right settings at the right times
  • Become an avid student of LIGHT, all aspects of light, qualities of light, ways to manipulate light, mixing light, creating beautiful light
  • Always strive to be better, always learning, always growing

I am a full time pro photographer with a full service studio in NW Austin, and have years of experience helping countless numbers of photographers learn the fundamentals and then progress further, growing in their knowledge and skills. I have many former students who have gone on to be professional photographers.

I would love to help YOU in your journey to become a better photographer.

Check out my upcoming group classes and also remember I offer private instruction as well.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Kevin Gourley

Share
Workshop Updates

moving beyond our week in the snow

Leave a comment

We’ll soon be moving beyond our week in the snow and ice. What a week it has been! I hope you have all been safe, and I hope your trees and water lines didn’t suffer too much damage. (We had lots of tree damage at my house.)

Hard to believe it may be in the 70’s this weekend!

Looking ahead, remember I have several great photography classes coming up next week!

Lightroom Classic CC Class
An online interactive webinar where YOU set the price to attend!
Learn how to organize and enhance your photographs with this powerful program!

  • Evening Class Feb 22+24+25, 2021 6:30pm-9pm CST NEW DATES!

Photoshop for Photographers Class Series
An online interactive webinar where YOU set the price to attend!
Learn important Photoshop skills and features all photographers need to know in these interactive online classes.

  • Photoshop Level 1: Mon/Wed Feb 22+24, 2021 10am-Noon CST
  • Photoshop Level 2: Mon/Wed/Fri March 1+3+5, 2021 10am-Noon CST

Online Course: Nature Essentials Photography Class
An online interactive webinar where YOU set the price to attend!
Let’s explore how YOU can create better nature / wildlife / landscape photographs! Kevin Gourley has years of experience leading many photographers on workshops in stunning Rocky Mountain National Park and other locales.
If you have taken my Photography Essentials Class or Photography 101, this is another great next step we’d recommend!

  • Tues Feb 23, 2021 6pm-9pm CST
Share
Workshop Updates

Photography Classes as Holiday Gifts! + New Classes Added!

Leave a comment

YES, any class registration may be designated as a gift for someone else! (It is an option on the class registration form!)  A Photography Class may be the perfect gift for that photographer in your life! (Or maybe for YOU!)

Why choose Kevin’s classes over any other?
Read what class participants say! CLICK HERE!

Give yourself the best photography gift! Sign up for our FINDING YOUR WAY photography workshop! This class will benefit any photography at any skill level from beginner to full time professional!
We urge you to sign up for our FINDING YOUR WAY photography workshop!
Share
Workshop Updates

Black Friday – YOUR Best Deals!

Leave a comment

Ok, I have to admit, I just HAD to post something about “Black Friday.” I mean, that’s what all the businesses are doing right now, offering Black Friday specials.

I have been offering something better than just a deal on Black Friday! Since this pandemic began, I have offered the best deals possible to all of you! Most of my online classes have been offered where YOU SET THE PRICE!

WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER: My thinking was (and is) that this pandemic has been pretty tough on us all, in different ways. For some, this has taken an emotional toll as we have been separated from “normal life” and maybe from our family members. For others, this has taken a financial toll. You may have lost your job or our business. For still others, this has not had a negative financial impact. We are all facing the same pandemic, but we are not all impacted in the same ways.

Even though this pandemic has had a severe impact on my studio photography business, I decided back in April to make my online classes available to all with a “suggested price” but YOU get to choose the price you pay.

  • If you can’t afford very much right now, pay what you can, and that’s ok.
  • If you can afford to pay a little extra to help out my little business, and are so inclined to do so, then do that.

Instead of my Black Friday special, maybe I should call this my Black Year special!

It kind of seems appropriate. 😉

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY UPCOMING ONLINE CLASSES!

Share
Workshop Updates

Start Your Photography Learning Here!

Leave a comment

Ready to learn photography & master camera skills to produce the images you have been wanting to create?

Start with my Photography Essentials class beginning in December! There is no better place to start your photography learning journey!

Morning Class Tues+Wed Dec 1-2, 2020 10am-Noon CST
or
Evening Class Tues+Wed Dec 1-2, 2020 7pm-9pm CST


My best endorsements are the comments from my class participants!

  • “This was the first time I took Kevin’s class “Photography Essentials”. The online format he designed is very interactive, the “follow along” presentation slides are easy to understand, and you get to keep them for future reference. I am absolutely ecstatic about the experience. Kevin’s teaching style is great, I could finally understand the technical concepts I was struggling with. I was able to figure out all that was wrong with my photo taking after this class. I will definitely be taking more classes, and I highly recommend it. I also have his book ‘30 Practical Tips for Better Photographs‘. Great resource!!”
  • “I had the opportunity of participating in one of Kevin’s online Photography Essentials classes.  … He has an excellent command of technology and prepared very well to be able to present via Zoom.  Time spent in a chair at a computer was perfect for hearing his explanations, which were a perfect combination of some of the science behind photography, basic principles, and operational tips to put it all into practice.  …  Kevin is a solid photographer with clearly excellent depth and breadth of knowledge.  Yet he is able to perfectly tune the information he shares to fit the class without being overwhelming or too simple.  EVERY person at the end of the class made some kind of comment about understanding better than they did before. “
  • “Kevin is calm and patient in his teaching and NEVER makes a comments about having said something before.  He meets photographers where they are and instantly shifts the level of teaching to meet the needs of individual students, even with a broad level of experience in any one particular class.  As I don’t live in Austin, this has given me a great opportunity to learn from Kevin online.  I’m off to sign up for more classes…”
  • “I enjoyed the presentation and the class really helped me bring some concepts into focus.”
  • “Kevin’s expertise, material and presentation techniques all work very well with Zoom. I won’t hesitate to take additional classes via Zoom.”
  • “Kevin has done a great job in organizing the class content. He makes great effort to ensure we understand before moving onto the next step. Kevin doesn’t just provide some tips, he makes sure we know how and understand why, which is very helpful. Thank you so much, Kevin!”
  • “Kevin has so much experience and great tips for every issue you could possibly think of. He doesn’t only teach the theory, I could really tell that he actually DOES what he’s talking about – these are real tips from a real photographer.“
Share
Workshop Updates, General Commentary

Loving Rocky Mountain National Park

Leave a comment

I have been leading photography workshops in Rocky Mountain National Park for years and I have been in love with that park ever since I was a child. Watching the recent fires sweep through portions of the park has been deeply heartbreaking. So many of us Rocky Mountain National Park lovers have been watching news reports, posts on social media, and getting text messages and photos from friends in the area, holding our breath as we witness the place we love burn.

We are so grateful for the heroic efforts of the thousands of firefighters who fought valiantly the raging fires to save structures and to try to hold back the spread through the park. We are so sad to see the damage in the Kawuneeche Valley, especially in the Grand Lake area. Our hearts go out to the people of Grand Lake and Granby. The town buildings of Grand Lake were saved but still so many homes were destroyed and so much of the area around the town burned.

While the fire spread through the park, carried by high winds, and fueled by so many pine beetle damaged trees, there is still so much of the park that has not burned. The fire is still not under control but at least has diminished quite a bit because of the much welcomed heavy blanket of snow.

Several people have asked me if the places we visit in our Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops have all burned up. The answer, thankfully, is no. In fact, MOST of the places we visit were spared by the fires. The hardest hit area that we do visit is the Grand Lake area.

What about 2021’s Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops? Yes, most definitely we will be doing the workshops again in 2021!

Currently we have reduced the size of our group as part of a COVID-19 restriction, but we could enlarge our size again, depending on how this whole COVID-19 thing pans out by next Summer and Fall. We consider your safety to be important and we believe we can do these workshops within local and federal guidelines. (We’ll always err on the side of precaution/safety rather than carelessness.)

In spite of the pandemic and in spite of the fires, we have an even greater resolve to ensure we do the workshops again in 2021 to help support the local economy for our friends in Estes Park and Grand Lake.

We pray the fires get under control and further damage is limited in our favorite place on earth.

Kevin Gourley

Share
Workshop Updates

Learn Photography – Private Sessions May Be For You!

Leave a comment

I have many years of experience in photography and in teaching the art and science of photography to photographers ranging from beginner to full time professionals.

Maybe it is time to take your photography skills to the next level through private one-on-one instruction. I have many students who take advantage of this option!

  • We can focus on your specific needs
    • Photography skills
      • Creative and fun photography projects
      • Photo editing and organizational skills
        • Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic
        • Computer configuration and setup (if that intimidates you)
        • Help with problems you’re experiencing
    • Scheduled at times that best fit your scheduling needs
  • Online via convenient Zoom sessions or in-person (conforming to required “social distancing”)
  • Different price options available depending on the amount of time you need
  • New this year: Special “Teaching on Retainer” option where you can save even more by booking a larger block of time and use me as your “go to guy” for photography help all throughout the year.
  • Want to do a shared session with a few of your photographer friends?
    • We can arrange a small group session on any topic or fun activity!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!
Ready to Sign up? Click Here!

Student Comments – Rated 5-Stars! *****

See what Kevin’s private instruction students have been saying…

  • “You have been so helpful, Kevin! This private learning was the perfect option for me! My schedule is often crazy but you did a great job helping accommodate my needs. I learned so much from you. I finally understand “metering modes” and “exposure modes” and your help in teaching me about Photoshop and Lightroom has been fantastic. Thank you!!”
  • “I have learned so much from you about how to more effectively use Adobe Lightroom Classic! I can’t believe how many things I was “doing the hard way” and now I am able to work so much more quickly when organizing and editing my images. Thank you!!!”
  • “I absolutely love Kevin’s teaching style. As someone who is a hands-on learner, I felt especially grateful for all of his practical examples.” – Meredith Yinger
  • “I am the definition of a beginner when it comes to photography but Kevin was extremely kind and patient. I was worried that the amount of information would be overwhelming but the way he structures his lessons and the manner in which he teaches makes it not only easy to understand but keeps you focused and wanting to learn more. His passion for photography coupled with his wonderful teaching style make his classes the perfect addition to anyone starting out in photography or for those wanting to expand their skills.”
  • “I loved how Kevin listened to my questions and the specific issues I wanted pointers on. As a photographer with moderate skill level, it was amazing to learn so many new things.” – Taylor Montgomery
  • “It has been such a pleasure to get all my questions regarding LR’s Organization module answered by Kevin through demonstrations with my files. He is very good at explaining every step he is taking, and why. He is responsive to all questions with clear explanations, and a sense of humor. All in all, a great coach!”
  • “Thank you again for the great classes! I was quite intimidated by my Sony A 7rII camera that I received as a gift from my husband. Not having any experience with a “real” camera (just my iPhone camera), I thought that this camera was so far over my head that I would never be able to take it off Auto mode. I was not sure where to start. Thankfully I found out about Kevin’s photography classes and signed up for 2 private sessions. I have learned so much in those two classes! His method of teaching is very easy to follow and understand. I feel that I learned a lot more about photography in general than just the functions of my camera. This really helped me process the information and has given me the confidence I needed to enjoy my camera. My second class was today and the first class was about 5 days ago and I have used my camera more in this last week than I have since I got it 2 1/2 months ago. I know I have a long way to go but at least I got going! I highly recommend Kevin’s classes to anyone who, like me, needs help getting started. I plan on taking more classes from him like Lightroom in the near future.” – Lynn Rome
  • “I have loved photography my whole life and recently have taken a couple of group classes (with another photographer) so I could switch completely to manual mode. The group lessons left me with more knowledge but many questions. I did some research and found Kevin and signed up for private instruction from him. It was the best thing I did. Kevin is very organized, detailed oriented and easy to work with. His studio is great and he has all the tools required to demonstrate what he is teaching. He listened carefully to my questions and then began to go over in detail and in a manner I really understood not only the answer to my questions but things associated with my questions that I didn’t even realize I didn’t know. Since my private lessons I feel my photography has gone to the next step, I have more confidence in what I am shooting and my pictures are better than ever. I would recommend Kevin if you really want to learn how your camera works and you want to improve your pictures.”   – Emily Spencer
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!
Share
Workshop Updates

New class options where YOU Set the Price!

Leave a comment

Something new:
YOU GET TO SET THE PRICE WHEN YOU REGISTER!
I realize this COVID-19 crisis is impacting everyone financially in different ways. So let’s see how this goes. For these upcoming online classes, I’ll let YOU name the price when you sign up, based on your capacity to give to support my business and this class. 🙂

Kevin’s Classes – Rated 5 Stars! *****
Students Are Saying…
  • “I had the opportunity of participating in one of Kevin’s online Photography Essentials classes.  Kevin has adapted to online seamlessly.  He has an excellent command of technology and prepared very well to be able to present via Zoom.  Time spent in a chair at a computer was perfect for hearing his explanations, which were a perfect combination of some of the science behind photography, basic principles, and operational tips to put it all into practice.  There were a couple days between presentations for practice which was perfect.  Kevin is a solid photographer with clearly excellent depth and breadth of knowledge.  Yet he is able to perfectly tune the information he shares to fit the class without being overwhelming or too simple.  EVERY person at the end of the class made some kind of comment about understanding better than they did before.  Kevin is calm and patient in his teaching and NEVER makes a comments about having said something before.  He meets photographers where they are and instantly shifts the level of teaching to meet the needs of individual students, even with a broad level of experience in any one particular class.  As I don’t live in Austin, this has given me a great opportunity to learn from Kevin online.  I’m off to sign up for more classes…”
  • “I enjoyed the presentation and the class really helped me bring some concepts into focus.”
  • “Kevin’s expertise, material and presentation techniques all work very well with Zoom. I won’t hesitate to take additional classes via Zoom.”
  • “Kevin has done a great job in organizing the class content. He makes great effort to ensure we understand before moving onto the next step. Kevin doesn’t just provide some tips, he makes sure we know how and understand why, which is very helpful. Thank you so much, Kevin!”
  • “Kevin has so much experience and great tips for every issue you could possibly think of. He doesn’t only teach the theory, I could really tell that he actually DOES what he’s talking about – these are real tips from a real photographer.”
Share
Workshop Updates

Online Class / Presentation: “Landscape / Nature Photography in the Colorado Rockies”

Leave a comment

Hi friends!

As we all scramble to try to adapt to the economic and social impact of this COVID-19 Crisis, I have started to offer some online class options. This has most definitely been financially very tough for my business, and for many of you as well.

Yes! This is something a bit different:
An online / interactive webinar presentation where YOU set the price!

  • What: Online Interactive Webinar Presentation using Zoom Teleconferencing
  • Topic: Landscape / Nature Photography in the Colorado Rockies
  • Presented by: Professional Photographer Kevin Gourley
  • I have already hosted this online class twice! BUT if you’d like me to add another session, just let me know!
  • Price: YOU set the price! Whatever you’d like to contribute. Every bit helps. 🙂

Over the years, I have led many photographers on workshops in stunning Rocky Mountain National Park. In this session, I will tell you more about this magnificent park, share some stories about our adventures, and give you tips that are helpful for anyone interested in doing landscape, nature, and wildlife photography!

Please join me in this online session on Thursday April 16th. Sign up now! You are welcome to ask questions during the presentation. I intend for this to be an online learning opportunity for you all. Learn a bit more about Rocky Mountain National Park, and maybe learn some photography strategies to get your best shots anywhere (not just at Rocky Mountain Nation Park).

For those who sign up, I will provide the link to the Zoom webinar session on Thursday April 16th, a few hours before the session begins..

Rocky Mountain Photography Workshop
Share
Workshop Updates

ONLINE: Photography Essentials Class

Leave a comment

UPDATE TO THIS POSTING:
YES I HAVE ADDED THIS CLASS! CLICK HERE

Hi friends,

I am considering offering some online teaching options over time, just to adapt to this COVID-19 crisis. Some classes just frankly don’t make sense to do online because they require direct hands-on help, like studio photography, speedlight/flash photography, etc. But other aspects of photography can be taught online.

My priority is (and always has been) to provide the best educational experience to help you become a better photographer. So I am considering offering an initial trial class, at a reduced price, just to see how it goes.

I am considering offering an online videoconference/webinar Photography Essentials Class, that involves two 2-hour sessions (4 hours total) for just $39. It would be covering the important aspects of effectively operating a camera (DSLR or Mirrorless) :

  • You Can Do Better Than “Fully Automatic”
  • Camera Exposure Modes for Better Exposure Control
    • Manual Exposure Mode
    • Aperture Priority Mode
    • Shutter Priority Mode
  • Managing Color with White Balance
  • Better Focusing Techniques
  • Lens Selection for Better Images

If you would be interested in my adding this class, please email me NOW at

If there is enough interest, I’ll arrange days and times that works for the people who responded. 🙂

THANK YOU!

Share