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.
North Dakota Ruins and Prairie Life 2025
Sept 21st - 26th
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.
This workshop will consist of six days and five nights. You will fly /drive into Bismarck, ND to meet the group. We’ll stop and shoot locations on our way to Minot for the remainder of the day. This city will be our hub for the remainder of the workshop. We will stay in one hotel so there is no packing and unpacking. On the road as a rule of thumb, we will spend an average of 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours at any given sight, allowing for time to shoot and receive individual instruction. We will aim to travel from 7 am until 6 pm, with time out for a quick lunch. However, those times may vary throughout the week as we adjust for weather, visibility, and special opportunities. In other words, we may do a sunrise shoot one or more times or even a night sky shoot. So, flexibility is the key, as long as the weather permits.
So what do we do?
A typical day can see us stopping at 6-10 locations. We will discuss composition, camera settings, and special effects, as well as get you thinking about color or B&W. Of course we'll cover whatever topic you feel that you need help with: from basic camera settings to understanding your meter as well as other camera “bells and whistles”. You will receive as much instruction as you want, or if you’re a more independent or seasoned professional and prefer to shoot autonomously you can do that as well.
Workshop Inclusions
The cost includes instruction, hotel room, breakfast at the hotel, and ground transportation in North Dakota. The group will be capped at 10 people. Don’t delay there will most likely be a waiting list. Many more details will be shared with registered participants. If you have a specific question, feel free to e-mail or call either Tony or Keith.
Lodging will be at the most wonderful Hyatt House Minot- Extended stay
The workshop requirements are easy to moderate on the fitness level. There is some field walking and stairs, also some plowed rows and harvested fields that may be a tad tricky. There will be a lot of car time but it’s broken up by stops every 30-90 minutes. We will provide you with advice for clothing/footwear as well as talk through the camera gear and accessories post-registration. The minimum suggested camera equipment is the ability to range from a wide angle like 24mm to a short telephoto 200mm, based on the 35mm full-frame camera. Fast lenses are not required since you can shoot with a tripod although there are many opportunities to benefit from them. The days can be long with an occasional departure time as early as 5:15 and not returning to the hotel until after 6:30. We try to avoid these long days but also will consult with the group as far as stamina levels and fatigue presenting what it is that we are going after. Promise we will not try and torture you.
Event Information
| Event Date | Sep-21-2025 |
| Event End Date | Sep-26-2025 |
| Capacity | 10 |
| Individual Price | $3,300.00 |
| Lodging | Included Sunday through Thursday Nights |
| Refund Policy | Full refunds up to 180 days before event. More information below. |
| Experience Level | Novice, Beginner, Amateur, Advanced Amateur, Professional |
| Photographic Experience | Any and all photography experience level is welcome |
| Location | Minot, North Dakota |
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.
©
2025
Keith French Photography