Photography Workshops
In one way or another, many workshops and training sessions tend to take on a personality.
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.
Tony and Keith firmly believe that the learning environment is critical to the improvement of skills and growth. That learning is always easier when it’s fun. So while the topic may be a technical one and a requirement for moving on, they will present it in a stress free package and through an enjoyable style that keeps the fun in the session. Regardless of your pace, and your past experience, the design of the workshops are to ensure you have growth in your photographic ability, memory cards filled with images, and lasting friendships forged in fun and positive shared experiences.
Southern IL Fall Colors 2024 Oct 24th-27th
Oct-24-2024 - Oct-27-2024
Southern Illinois
$739.00
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.
2025 Winter Landscape Photography Workshop - Jan 18th and 19th
Jan-18-2025 - Jan-19-2025
Iowa County, WI
From $185
For 4 years in a row, we have had an amazing time in SW Wisconsin. It is such a "target-rich" environment. The weatherman has thrown a couple of doozies at us like a blizzard and a semi-ice storm that laid down a bunch of snow and heavy drifting. However, 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.
South Dakota Photography Workshop, The Old West & Prairie Life 2025
Jul-20-2025 - Jul-25-2025
Philip, South Dakota
$3,450.00
At the photography workshop in South Dakota, we will have unparalleled access to a private horse ranch with real cowboys (although they prefer cow "men") to watch them mount up on horseback and round up horses and cattle, then drive them up and down the hills for the camera. We have also 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.
Refund & Deposit Policy
In an attempt to allow registration to begin well in advance for your planning, you may see the "hold my spot" deposit.
This allows us to publish a workshop before all our final preparations have been determined. The dates are secure, as well as the location. All of the major components are in place with one exception, lodging costs. Usually, the cost of lodging is the biggest variable and is also updated by the vendor well after we would like to begin taking registrations. The price you see does not include any lodging increase but it was the pricing from the previous year, we have not finalized the cost for the upcoming offering. We feel it is important for the lodging to be included because we know we can guarantee a better rate and keeping the whole crew at the same hotel builds continuity and camaraderie. Until we have the exact pricing, we'll offer this deposit to allow folks to register sooner to ensure your spot for this exciting workshop. When we have the exact pricing, we switch to a half-pay or full-pay option and apply the deposit toward that payment. This "hold my spot" deposit is NOT refundable unless the workshop sells out or you find a replacement who attends in your place. In this case, your refund will be delivered after the start of the workshop. *** If the option to "hold my spot" is not shown on the registration page, then the pricing is established and confirmed for the represented workshop.***
The refund policy is:
- Up to 180 days before the workshop you will receive a 100% refund
- Up to 90 days before the workshop you will receive a 75% refund
- Up to 60 days before the workshop you will receive a 50% refund
- Up to 30 days before the workshop you will receive a 25% refund
If you find a person to fill your spot or if there is a waiting list and the spot is filled, you will qualify for a full refund regardless of when the spot is filled.
There is no refund within 30 days unless you find someone to fill your spot or there is a waiting list and the spot is filled for you.
Refunds do not include the non-refundable down payment if applicable.(i.e. hold my spot)
Workshop Reviews
One plus One Equals Three
One plus One Equals Three
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.
Meet Instructor Tony Reynes
Meet Instructor Tony Reynes
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”.
Meet Instructor Keith French
Meet Instructor Keith French
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.
©
2024
Keith French Photography