We believe that the hosts or the instructors drive that for the most part and managed properly, it allows the participants to relax and be themselves. Even with a group of strangers.
How do we drive that? It’s a simple one word answer. PASSION. We are very passionate about sharing the art and technique of picture making. We look for the artist in each individual and nurture it through out the workshop, building confidence and know how. We know every one learns differently and we’ll work with you at your own speed to help drive the points home and establish good continual habits as you grow and learn.
For 3 years in a row we have had a great time, the weatherman has thrown a blizzard at us once that laid down a bunch of snow and heavy drifting. We still move on, because what's a winter workshop without snow? In this coming workshop, we are going to be photographing more structures such as barns and old churches in their winter uniforms in SW Wisconsin. Some new ones and some repeats by popular demand.
Join the excitement with Tony and Keith as they continue their 2024 season on the road at an amazing location. Experience the difference learning in a small "boutique" workshop that is conducive to all experience levels, novice through professional. The package includes lodging Sunday evening, April 28th through Thursday Evening, May 2nd, "bird-dogging" shot locations, photographic instruction, and tons of enjoyment. Ground transportation is NOT included however, Tony and Keith can help coordinate participants who wish to share the costs.
Join the excitement with Tony and Keith as they continue their 2024 season on the road at an amazing location. Experience the difference learning in a small "boutique" workshop that is conducive to all experience levels, novice through professional. The package includes lodging on Sunday-Thursday nights, "bird-dogging" shot locations, all kinds of photographic instruction, and plenty of enjoyment. Ground transportation is NOT included however, Tony and Keith can help coordinate participants who wish to share the costs.
The 2023 workshop was a complete success. So much learning, and access to horses, property, and people were unparalleled in this industry. We are really excited about 2024 because of what we learned and how we can apply that knowledge to a workshop that will completely fulfill your photography wants and desires. Join us in Mid-July for a fantastic opportunity and multi-subject workshop. We have access to a private horse ranch with real cowboys (although they prefer cow "men") and watch them round up horses, and drive them up and down the hills for the camera. We have made special arrangements with local ranchers to don their cowboy gear and set up a few sweet cowboy studio-like photo opportunities under the guiding expertise of professional commercial photographers.
Don't delay! This one fills up fast. Awesome days exploring ruins and prairie life with Tony and Keith. Includes ground transportation AND fabulous lodging in the newly renovated residence inn suites. Traveling through Northern North Dakota is like jumping into a time machine to go back over 100 years to a period when this territory was thriving with immigrant farmers. However, the difference is we are now seeing what remains. In general, we will be shooting abandoned homesteads, churches, barns, grain elevators, and old cars and trucks.
Be one of the lucky 10 to enjoy the fantastic golden yellow Aspens in Western Colorado with Tony and Keith. 5 amazing days in the splendor of the mountains and the beautiful colors. Price includes all things in photographic instruction, scouting, and single occupancy lodging in a top-tier downtown Durango hotel.
Join Keith for his 13th year hosting this fabulous workshop. Happening during the best time of the year, you see nature showing its best color explosions. This 2 1/2 day workshop will show you the magnificent beauty of Southern Illinois dressed in the rich colors of fall. Price includes instruction, lodging Thursday night thru Saturday Night, and lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday. This is a fantastic offering to explore and fill your portfolio with brilliant images.
The "hold my spot" deposit allows us to publish a workshop before all our final preparations have been determined. Usually, the cost of lodging is the biggest variable. We feel it is important for the lodging to be included because we know we can guarantee a better rate and because keeping the whole crew at the same hotel builds continuity and comrade. ~ Until we have the exact pricing we'll do this deposit to allow folks to register a lot sooner and get this in their planner. When we do have the exact pricing, we switch to a half-pay or full-pay option and apply the deposit toward that payment.
A full refund is allowed for up to 120 days before the workshop begins. Inside that time if you find a person to fill your spot, or if there is a waiting list and the spot is filled you will also qualify for a full refund regardless of when the spot is filled. Up to 90 Days you will receive a 75% refund, Up to 60 days you will receive a 50%, and up to 30 days you will receive a 25% refund. There is no refund within 30 days, except as mentioned above.
Tony and Keith have taught groups as large as 50-100 people for organizations as large as Out of Chicago, or The Florida Camera Club Counsel but their real love is in smaller boutique groups of 10-12. Jointly, they have an overall combined photography experience of over 60 years and together over 20 years of teaching experience in such places as the East Coast and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the farmlands of eastern Iowa and Wisconsin, numerous venues in Illinois, around the Great Lakes, the ruins of North Dakota, Cowboy and Badlands photography in South Dakota, the coasts of Oregon and California, Southwest Colorado, and the area around Moab.
Keith’s style leans more on the practical and technical side since he owned a camera store and is a full-time commercial photographer. Tony’s forte is in acting as the field dog, once on site. He loves pointing out compositions, big or small, that the average person misses.
Each in their own way are fabulous and gifted instructors. Together, they bring different strengths, many years of teaching experience, and a true love of photography to anyone who signs up for the workshops.
As a kid, Tony built model ships and planes, was into ham radio and erector sets. He has always loved creating stuff with lots of parts. Therefore, it is easy to see how the digital darkroom was a natural for him. A second love was the outdoors, whether it was sailing, hiking or skiing. Tony’s affinity for landscape comes as no surprise. Lastly, he has spent the major part of his business career either consulting in business or counseling people on their careers. He has probably spent over 40 years helping and teaching others. When you add these three avocations together, you find a very good teaching photographer.
He has been really serious about photography for over 20 years. In 2006 he started a small side venture to sell his images and teach Photoshop. Shortly after the Great Recession, he sold his national search company and became a full-time photographer. Currently he wears two hats. The first is for the commercial side where he works with a global real estate investment organization, covering their conferences as well as producing landscape and architectural imaging. The second is teaching photographic composition and post production through presentations, workshops and one-on-one tutoring. In 2019, he moved from Chicago to the Northern California area. His new neighborhood images may reflect fewer corn fields and more vineyards. His teaching philosophy continues to be: “if we are not having fun as you learn, we are wasting time”.
Keith is currently a Commercial Photographer in the Greater Chicago Area specializing in visual communication for marking and advertising.
Many novices and amateur photographers begin their love affair with photography in nature. Keith was no different. After completing military flight school he realized he will be going to some interesting places and should probably learn to use a good camera. A few years after learning how to operate his camera Keith took a tour of the Smokey Mountains in the early spring, the camera opportunities were abundant in all directions. He was hooked. Not yet a full time photographer, Keith carried his cameras everywhere while on active military duty, Asia, Europe, Australia, both US Coasts, the desert southwest, and Canada. At the same time, Keith was getting requests to photograph people, products, and events, and saw each new opportunity to branch out into other aspects of photography. After 18 years of self-teaching, and mentoring under professional photographers, Keith became the owner of an existing retail camera store and photo studio in 2002 and used that opportunity to accelerate his now professional career in studio photography. It wasn't long before camera classes were being held at the store to share the passion on a regular basis. Comfortable in front of a class from his military days Keith has had hundreds of customers take his beginning photography class. An experienced outdoors-men and land navigator trained by the Marine Corps, and an experienced teaching photographer make the transition to this type of outdoor, moving classroom a natural progression.