Nature Photography Workshop
with Jim Clark, Nature Photographer and Writer

In the stunning Appalachian landscape of
The Mountain Institute's Spruce Knob Mountain Center

October 13-15, 2006

The Mountain Institute (TMI) invites you to spend a weekend in the spectacular highlands of West Virginia with nationally renowned nature photographer, Jim Clark. Located on the western slope of Spruce Knob, West Virginia’s highest summit, and surrounded by nearly a million acres of National Forest, TMI’s Spruce Knob Mountain Center offers unrivaled opportunities for top notch nature photography. Jim will inspire and motivate you as we explore and photograph the wonderful colors and light that Autumn ushers in. Using both classroom instruction and field shooting, Jim will offer tips and techniques that will improve your ability to capture the of best of the natural world.

Workshop Description

Good photography requires more than mastering techniques. It requires a person to become creative and to develop a vision that makes the image stand apart from all the others. This workshop goes beyond the technical aspects of photography by presenting approaches and techniques that help you capture the essence of the moment. Most of the time will be spent photographing in the field, with some classroom instruction scheduled at the Institute’s Spruce Knob campus.

The workshop setting is very informal, relaxing, and fun! In addition to classroom instruction and field shooting, Jim will offer video and slide presentations, question & answer sessions, and personal critiques of your own photography. If you have images (slides, prints or digital) that you would like Jim to review, please bring them along.

The workshop establishes a foundation for helping the participant understand (1) the basic techniques of good nature photography, (2) the importance of developing a personal style in photography, and (3) the use of compositional guidelines for creating exceptional images. Classroom instruction will include topics such as the basics of wildlife, landscape, wildflower, and close-up photography, tips for selecting and caring for equipment, and editing your images.

Audience

Although all levels of photography experience are welcomed, the workshop is geared for participants at the beginning and intermediate skills level. The workshop does not cover theory, but instead emphasizes practical applications and techniques. These workshops will offer you an opportunity to add a new technique or two to your bag of tricks.

Format of Workshop

Photo by Jim Clark

The workshop will run from 1 PM Friday afternoon through 1 PM Sunday afternoon. Depending upon the weather, the workshop will include local outings to photograph sunrises and sunsets, forest, rural, and mountain landscapes, and other interesting natural features that catch our attention (please see tentative itinerary below). Jim will offer hands-on instruction in the field, lead group discussions, and when requested, provide one-on-one guidance. Although all camera formats are welcome, the workshop will focus on 35mm and digital format. Participants must be familiar with the operation of the camera, lenses, and accessories they will be using at the workshop. Participants should also bring a tripod.

In addition to TMI’s 400 acre campus, we will also be exploring the surrounding Monongahela National Forest and beyond. Our goal is to help you capture, on film, the unique colors and subjects that define the Appalachians. By using various composition techniques, such as optical extraction and effective subject placement, this workshop will help improve your ability to photograph nature.

Tentative Itinerary

Potential Locations: Spruce Knob, Germany Valley, Canaan Valley State Park, Seneca Rocks, Highland Scenic Highway, Blackwater Falls State Park, Dolly Sods Wilderness and Scenic Area, Monongahela National Forest

Potential Subjects: Emerging Autumn colors and autumn ground cover, Seneca Rocks, late summer wildflowers, autumn reflections in rivers and streams, waterfalls and cascades (dancing water), white-tailed deer, hay-scented fern, crab spiders, milkweed pods, teasel, mushrooms, dew-covered spider webs, praying mantis, dragonflies, and other close-up subjects.

The primary focus of this workshop will be to document the wonderful transition of colors and moods between the passing of summer and the arrival of autumn. The weather and progress of the season will largely determine our ultimate destinations and subjects.

Photo by Jim Clark