If you are ready to learn photography, grow in your photographic skills, be challenged to improve, and have a lot of fun and create some great images of your own, you have come to the right place!
Be challenged to grow further with this special program for 6 select photographers in a 6 month program I call my ‘6×6 Photography Workshop‘. You’ll be creating some amazing images in this class!
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Remember I also offer private instruction in almost every topic of photography! I am anxious to help you become the photographer you’ve always wanted to be!
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My new book ‘30 Practical Tips for Better Photographs‘ is now available on Amazon!
If you own a Digital SLR (DSLR) or a Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera (MILC), this book was written for you! I lead you through the 30 most important things you need to know to effectively use your camera to achieve consistently better photographs.
I am offering a unique opportunity for 6 select photographers to participate in this program where we meet to work on a different photographic project each month for 6 months.
Once we have 6 definite students, I will add the class.
The projects will be very hands-on learning opportunities with a mix of teaching and doing at my studio in NW Austin.
I am intentionally designing this as a very small group experience to maximize your ability to learn and create great images
I will provide professional models for some of our activities as well as the studio, studio lighting etc.
Class is for DSLR (Digital SLR) and MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras)
We’ll meet once a month, on a weekday evening.
You will create your own great images
Have a lot of fun
Projects will vary each month focusing on a mix of different topics
Beautiful studio lighting / Glamour / Dramatic lighting
Jewelry Photography
Light painting
Creative techniques
Water droplet magic
High shutter speed fun
Composite portraiture
The price will be only $99 per session when you commit to the 6 sessions.
Who can participate?
It depends on your current photographic knowledge. You must apply to be considered for this program. If I determine your knowledge level isn’t quite a fit for this yet, I might refer you to one of my other classes first. But don’t be discouraged. I want to help you learn! So if you are interested, complete this form and we’ll talk about it.
The 2017 Rocky Mountain Summer Photography Workshop is under way! We have had a great time so far. Our first group has finished and it is time for our second group to arrive. I have been so busy, I haven’t had much time to go through all of my images yet, but here area few. We have experienced sunrises, wildlife including moose, elk, marmots, squirrels, chipmunks, mountain scenics, waterfalls, cascades, wildflowers, butterflies, hiking trails, and so much more. We also had a couple of wildlife visits right at our lodge, including elk and bear.
A Note About Making Backups: I also had a frustrating afternoon that is worth mentioning. The USB drive where I load all my photos failed. It appears to have a corrupted file system and shuts down randomly. Now that WOULD be a disaster if that was the only place where I put my photos. My standard workflow includes downloading the photos from my memory card to my photo hard drive, and then backing the photos up to a 2nd hard drive, and only then deleting the photos off the memory card ready to take more photos. So, when my photo drive died, I was able to switch over to my backup drive and all was fine. If I had not been diligently backing up my photos each day, I would have lost all of my photographs taken during this workshop. Fortunately, all is good, and I have yet another drive that I am using as my new backup drive. Keep this incident in mind as you do your photography. If you don’t make backups frequently, you are living dangerously. And cloud backup strategies are often useless while traveling because many locales have wifi that simply is not fast enough to support uploading many gigabytes worth of photographs.
We’d love to have you join us in 2018! If you would like to join us in 2018 (since 2017 Summer and Fall are SOLD OUT), go to our 2017 web page and click on the bright green box to express your interest in joining us. You’ll love this photographic adventure! Those who express interest before the dates are announced will be given the first chance to register.
Here are a few photos from our travels. Again, I really haven’t had much time to go over all my photos yet.
We host two groups in the Summer. Here is our wonderful Group A:
Wildflowers are abundant in the Summer:
The “never summer mountain range” in July. I guess you see why they are called that.
I drive up to Colorado from Austin, Texas each year for our Summer and Fall Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops. We bring so much equipment with us (including a laser printer, maps, manuals, camera gear, tools, and much more) it just doesn’t make sense to fly. I have come to really enjoy the drive.
Of course there is a lot of the drive that is just across flat land, but I enjoy the journey. Right before you get to Amarillo, there is Palo Duro Canyon. It’s a bit of a surprise since you are just in the middle of flat land and then suddenly there’s a canyon!
Once you are in Amarillo, you can check out the “Cadillac Ranch.” Seems only logical to plant some Cadillacs face down in the dirt, I guess?
And then there is The Big Texan Steak House. If you can eat their 72 ounce steak with all the fixin’s withing an hour, you get it for free. No I haven’t tried it. 😉 I do go there and eat a much-smaller-than-72-ounce steak, though.
In the panhandle of Texas, you’ll find a lot of small towns along the drive that are dying with numerous old gas stations long out-of-business with stories of travelers from decades past.
You’ll probably see a few trains passing by. LONG trains.
Then there is Mount Capulin in New Mexico. This dormant volcano has a perfect cone and you can drive to the top and hike around the rim. It is so peaceful up there on top! You can see for miles.
Colorado Springs has so many places to visit such as the wonderful Garden of the Gods. We stop off at their gift shop and grab a bite to eat in their cafe on almost every trip.
Eventually, we get to our destination in Estes Park, Colorado for our Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops. I’ll post more about the workshops in my next blog post. We are sold out for 2017, but we are soon going to announce our 2018 workshop dates.
If you are interested in joining us in 2018, go to our 2017 page and click on the bright green box to express your interest. You will be notified before the general public and be given the first chance to register!
Our 2017 Rocky Mountain Workshops are SOLD OUT but we are considering dates for our 2018 adventures. If you are thinking about joining us, go to our 2017 Rocky Mountain Workshop web page and click on the bright green button to let us know you are interested! Everyone who does this will be given an opportunity to register for the 2018 workshops before we announce them to the general public!
“The natural beauty of RMNP was enhanced by Kevin’s knowledge of the park and locations that were custom picked for great photographic shots. Kevin’s calm, patient and knowledgeable teaching style meant that everyone, at whatever level they were at, felt comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, learning from them and then getting immeasurably better pictures as a result. The improvement in my photography from Day 1 to Day 4 was unbelievable. I came thinking the auto settings on my camera really took better pictures than I did, and I left seeing and believing that the pictures I now understood how to take were vastly superior to anything the camera could capture in auto mode. It was a 5 star experience from beginning to end.“
“This is a workshop you can’t afford to miss! I came to the workshop with a goal of never using Auto settings again… I achieved that and more. Kevin is such a great teacher and is able to work with photographers of all levels. He made everyone comfortable, I am from Virginia and did not know anyone in the group (as were several others) by the end of the work shop I had made a group of new friends! We were able to get so many landscape and wildlife pictures. The whole experience was amazing. I’m ready to sign up for the next workshop! Thank you Kevin” – Barb
“The Rocky Mountain Summer Photography Workshop was an amazing experience! The success of the workshop begins with the organization and preparation of the instructor. Kevin and Gail were superbly organized and prepared! It was a treat to be lead to the best spots at the optimum time of the day to photograph the spectacular beauty and wildlife in the park. They demonstrated great flexibility and adaptability in meeting the needs of the group with the ever changing clouds, weather, and wildlife. It was also an incredible learning experience having a photography professional available to coach and instruct on the best methods for creatively composing a scene, capturing stunning images, and the correct use of a wide range of photographic equipment. Not only can I wholeheartedly recommend this workshop, but I’m already scheduled for a Rocky Mountain Fall Photography Workshop with Kevin!”
I have a Light & Photography Workshop starting soon and I want to make SURE you consider joining us!
You can master the camera settings, exposure modes, aperture, shutter speeds, depth of field, focal lengths, and still take a bad photo! What I cover in my Light & Photography Workshop is absolutely essential for every photographer who wants to create better images. Yes, you need to learn about your camera first, but in this Workshop we explore the world of LIGHT and the importance of mastering the use and manipulation of light to create better images.
Especially, if you have taken my Photography 101 Workshop or my Photography: Mastering the Fundamentals Class, I wholeheartedly urge you to consider signing up for the Light & Photography Workshop that’s coming up on:
Whether you are a portrait photographer or you like nature and landscape photography, LIGHT is the ESSENTIAL ingredient common to all photography. If you use the techniques I show you in this class to more effectively use light in your images, your photography will improve!
Learn how to take great shots even in “bad light” conditions.
Frustrated with your flash photography? You’ll learn how to create great flash photographs.
Improve all of your photographs through improved lighting techniques
Get creative! Have fun using light in all sorts of creative ways to produce stunning results.
This class is a mix of classroom instruction combined with live demonstrations, hands-on activities and class projects, and homework.
Also, a real bonus is the Studio Lighting Add-On Session which you can sign up for if you take this class! You will have a chance to take your own great images with a professional model in my studio using my studio lighting, with my help!
Students are Saying:
“I thoroughly enjoyed Kevin’s Light & Photography Workshop. The classroom sessions struck a nice balance of academic lessons that answered many questions and explained principles that I was aware of but didn’t fully comprehend and demonstrations of those principles. It was enlightening and refreshing to get clarity! I also found it invaluable to setup and work with my own equipment in the studio while Kevin guided the discovery process. After taking the class, I understand light better, and most importantly, improved my photography. Thanks, Kevin!” -Mike Johanns
“Kevin is an amazing teacher. Love that the classes were small enough that it was almost like having a private tutoring lesson. He encouraged us to ask questions, and was extremely knowledgeable in giving us answers and or solutions to them. I would definitely recommend one of his classes. I’ve felt a little light bulb go off in my mind, many of times. If you’re like me, and love photography and want to learn all there is, this is the place to be.”
I am considering what classes to offer next! I recently have provided several Photography 101 classes and now I want to offer in May and June what YOU want me to offer most, and what will best meet YOUR needs! So if you are ready to take the next step and learn more, please tell me what you are ready to sign up for, and if I get enough responses, I’ll add the class(es)!
Options Include:
Adobe Photoshop Workshop
Adobe Lightroom Workshop
Real Estate Photography Workshop
Flash/Speedlight Clinic
(Both times I added this recently they sold out immediately – and several of you are interested in another class, but we need to pick a date that works!)
Photography – Mastering the Fundamentals (sequel to Photography 101)
Expanding Your Creativity (a new and fun class!)
Photowalks Around Town
Private Instruction
If any of these are of interest to you and you want me to add the class in May/June, this is your chance to help influence my decision!
TOO LATE! SOMEONE SIGNED UP TO FILL THIS VACANT SPACE IN THE CLASS. (But let us know if you’d like to be placed on a waiting list in case there is a cancellation.)
It is very rare to be able to get into this workshop at this late date, especially since lodging options are also sold out by now. BUT if you sign up ASAP you can take the available spot and we have a space available for you at the lodge. We just can’t hold this space for very long.
To attend the workshop, you would need to plan on arriving on July 7th and departing on July 12th. The workshop is four full days of photography in one of the nation’s most beautiful national parks. Plus we have two pre-trip meetings to prepare you for the trip, providing information about our adventures and how to plan your travel, and a session on photography tips to get better photographs while we are up there. I also offer an option where you can choose an add-on option with an online teaching session where I show my tips how to best edit your photographs from the trip using Adobe Lightroom.
We’d love to have YOU in our next group photo there in Rocky Mountain National Park!
The following are a few photographs from our travels there.
We stay at a wonderful little lodge right on the banks of Fall River, just 2 miles outside the park.
There are so many majestic views within the park.
We’ll experience a few sunrises.
And a few waterfalls.
And moose.
And wildflowers.
And marmots.
And possibly big horn sheep.
And you’ll be experiencing the trip with others who love to photograph nature.
While the wildlife look down over you and watch.
There are so many beautiful rivers, cascades, and waterfalls in the park!
We’ll do some hiking together.
And we’ll do a cookout on Fall River (weather permitting).
And more sunrises.
And more wildflowers, butterflies, moths, etc.
Imagine your happy face added to this group shot.
There is nothing like watching a sunrise from the side of a mountain as the park awakens to a new day.
Ducks!
Happy Photographers!
Crazy photographers up very early to photograph sunrise!
Elk in the early morning light (one of the reasons we get up early)!
Long’s Peak towers over the park.
More happy photographers
Fog in the mountains. So peaceful!
More big horn sheep!
Sometimes when the weather conditions are just right, the layers of mountains and clouds can be so beautiful!
More wildlife (confession: I love moose!)
More cascades. This is Copeland Falls.
You need to sign up so you can experience all this!
The wildlife are waiting for you.
The mountains are calling you.
The trails are waiting for you.
I hope you will join us. It is a wonderful photographic adventure!
If you can’t but happen to know a photographer who might be interested, PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO THEM. They will thank you!
Several of our participants have come back a 2nd or 3rd time!
Here are what other photographers have said about this experience:
“The natural beauty of RMNP was enhanced by Kevin’s knowledge of the park and locations that were custom picked for great photographic shots. Kevin’s calm, patient and knowledgeable teaching style meant that everyone, at whatever level they were at, felt comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, learning from them and then getting immeasurably better pictures as a result. The improvement in my photography from Day 1 to Day 4 was unbelievable. I came thinking the auto settings on my camera really took better pictures than I did, and I left seeing and believing that the pictures I now understood how to take were vastly superior to anything the camera could capture in auto mode. It was a 5 star experience from beginning to end.“
“This is a workshop you can’t afford to miss! I came to the workshop with a goal of never using Auto settings again… I achieved that and more. Kevin is such a great teacher and is able to work with photographers of all levels. He made everyone comfortable, I am from Virginia and did not know anyone in the group (as were several others) by the end of the work shop I had made a group of new friends! We were able to get so many landscape and wildlife pictures. The whole experience was amazing. I’m ready to sign up for the next workshop! Thank you Kevin” – Barb
“The Rocky Mountain Summer Photography Workshop was an amazing experience! The success of the workshop begins with the organization and preparation of the instructor. Kevin and Gail were superbly organized and prepared! It was a treat to be lead to the best spots at the optimum time of the day to photograph the spectacular beauty and wildlife in the park. They demonstrated great flexibility and adaptability in meeting the needs of the group with the ever changing clouds, weather, and wildlife. It was also an incredible learning experience having a photography professional available to coach and instruct on the best methods for creatively composing a scene, capturing stunning images, and the correct use of a wide range of photographic equipment. Not only can I wholeheartedly recommend this workshop, but I’m already scheduled for a Rocky Mountain Fall Photography Workshop with Kevin!”
I am looking at possibly creating an electronic flash/speedlight clinic to help you learn how to use your electronic flash(es). Please let me know if you’re interested! Thanks! Kevin Gourley
Have a lot of fun
