Kate Woodward

The following list describes sample photography courses and workshops from a variety of providers. Note that the providers generally have many additional courses or workshops on their websites. The courses/workshops are organized around four categories: (1) Classes and Workshops in the DC Area, (2) Online Courses, (3) Multi-day Photography Trips to Places Within and Beyond the United States, and (4) Photography Conferences in Nearby States.

Please suggest additional course/workshop providers for future editions of this list. You are also invited to provide descriptions of courses/workshops you have taken and recommend, for the Cable Release. Email me at info@ssccphotography or cablereleaseeditor@ssccphotography.org. 

Note: Inclusion in this list is not an endorsement of the provider or the particular course/workshop.

1. Courses/Workshops in the Washington, DC Area

The sample courses listed in this section are available either in November or December 2019.

Capital Photography Center

Setting: Classroom or in the field

Duration of Courses: Generally,multiple hours or full day

Sample Courses:

• Rock Creek Park Adventure
• Exploring Macro Photography
• Photoshop for Photographers
• Getting Started in Food Photography
• Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

And other courses at http://capitalphotographycenter.com/classes/   

Note: Capital Photography Center and Washington Photo Safari, listed below, sometimes co-offer workshops. Also, see Michael Koren, below, for courses sometimes offered through Capital Photography Center.

Glen Echo Park (Photoworks)

Setting: Mostly classroom, but a few in the field

Duration of Courses: Generally, multiple hours or multiple sessions

Sample Courses:

• Skills: Digital Printing 1: Lightroom and Photoshop
• Skills: iPhone Photography Explored
• Skills: Lighting Basics-Indoor/Outdoor
• Workshop: East Wing Photo Field Trip
• Workshop: Sunday Night Portfolio Critiques

And other courses at http://www.ssreg.com/glenechopark/classes/classes.asp?catID=4403&pcatID=4379

Michael Koren Photography

            Setting: Classroom or in the field

            Duration of Courses Offered: Multiple hours or multiple sessions

            Sample Courses:

• Nature Visions – The Basics of Mobile Phone Photography
• Street Photography

See https://www.michaelkorenphotography.com/teaching-schedule/

Note: Street Photography is offered through Montgomery College.

Montgomery College Lifelong Learning Institute, Workforce Development & Continuing Education

            Setting: Classroom

            Duration of Courses Offered: Multiple sessions

            Sample Courses: 

• Street Photography

See http://aceitoc.montgomerycollege.edu/course/courselistings.aspx Select Lifelong Learning Institute/Photography. (See also Michael Koren Photography, above.)

Les Picker Fine Arts Photography

Setting: Classroom

Duration of Courses Offered: Generally, full day or multiple days

Sample Courses:

• Portfolio Development Workshop
• Panorama Workshop

See https://lesterpickerphoto.com/types/workshop/   

Smithsonian Associates

            Setting: Mostly classroom, but a few in the field

            Duration of Courses: Multiple hours, full day, or multiple sessions

Sample Courses:

• Understanding Your Digital Mirrorless or SLR Camera: Moving Beyond Auto Mode
• iPhone Photography II
• Introduction to Lightroom

And other courses at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/events/photography

Washington Photo Safari

            Setting: Mostly in the field but a few in the classroom

            Duration of Courses: Multiple hours or full day 

Sample Courses

• Bald Eagles: Birds in Flight Photography
• Hillwood Museum and Gardens in the Fall
• CEB Tower Observation Deck at Twilight
• Photos, Food and Fun in Georgetown: A Photo Safari
• Photoshop Bootcamp: An Introduction to Adobe Photoshop

And other courses at https://washingtonphotosafari.com/   

Note: Also see Washington Photo Safari, under the category, Multi-Day Photography Trips Within and Beyond the Unites States, below.

2. Online Courses

Coursera

Coursera is an online venue for courses taught by various universities and other institutions. Coursera offers MOOC’s—massive open online courses. You can generally audit the courses, particularly the video lectures, for free. Paid tuition allows you to submit work and to receive a certificate for work completed, as well as access to additional areas of the online classroom, To audit or pay for the courses, you will need to enroll. Courses are offered at various times throughout the year, but if you are auditing, you can enroll at other times and have access to course materials. Note also that courses stay on your account beyond the announced time allotted for the course.

• Seeing through Photographs, Museum of Modern Art (6-week commitment)
• Coursera offers the following 5-course specialization, Photography Basics and Beyond: From Smartphone to DSLR, University of Michigan. (4-week commitment per course).
  • Cameras, Exposure, and Photography
  • Camera Control
  • Principles of Photo Composition and Digital Image Post-Production
  • Photography Techniques: Light, Content & Sharing
  • Photography Capstone Project

See  https://www.coursera.org/courses?languages=en&query=photography

Note: Coursera also has other courses relevant to photography (such as Making Architecture, Modern Art and Ideas, Introduction to Imagemaking, and a Specialization in Graphic Design).

Kelby One

Kelby One (run by Scott Kelby) is an online monthly (or annual) course subscription service. With its most complete subscription option, you are offered 700+ courses, along with access to its two magazines: Photoshop User and Lightroom Magazine. Photography topics range from technical skills and software training to artistic aspects of photography. While a few of KelbyOne courses are listed below, you might want to simply search for your particular interests. You may try out approximately 15 designated courses for free, prior to subscribing, if you sign up for an account.

• Scott Kelby’s 7-Point System for Lightroom
• Creating Breathtaking Floral Images
• Essential Tools and Techniques for Making Beautiful Prints
• Focus & Focal Length Blending for Landscapes
• The Secrets to Creating Super Sharp Images

And other courses at https://kelbyone.com

You may also want to explore Scott Kelby’s free video series on YouTube—The Grid—which contains critiques of photos submitted online: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=The+Grid%3A+Scott+Kelby

Lynda.com

Lynda.com is an online monthly (or annual) course subscription service with hundreds of photography courses; it is now available free with a Montgomery County Public Library card (https://montgomerycountymd.libguides.com/az.php?q=lynda.com) . The DC Public Library also offers free access, and Lynda.com provides a free month-long trial subscription.

Courses consist of multiple video lectures, and they vary in length from less than an hour to more than 5 hours. Photography topics range from technical skills and software training to artistic aspects of photography. Courses can be searched by skill level (beginner through advanced), topic, software, and professor; searches will also yield parts of courses on a particular topic. While a few courses are listed below, you might want to simply search for your particular interests and skill level.

• Lynda.com offers weekly photography tips/instruction videos, from six of its instructors:
  • Photo Critique of the Week with Steve Simon
  • Mobile Photography Weekly with Sean Duggan
  • The Practicing Photographer and Creativity for All, both with Ben Long
  • Photo Tools Weekly with Chris Orwig
  • Photo Gear Weekly with Tim Grey
  • Deke’s Techniques with Deke McClelland
• Photoshop CC 2019 Essential Training: Photography;  Photoshop CC 2019 Essential Training: The Basics; Photoshop CC 2019 Essential Training: Design
• Lightroom for Faces
• Real Estate Photography: Exterior at Twilight
• Photography Foundations: Composition

And other courses at https://montgomerycountymd.libguides.com/az.php?q=lynda.com  (or subscription at https://www.lynda.com/ )

Photographic Society of America (PSA)

Online courses are offered free with membership and usually last a few months.

• Creating Competitive Images
• Image Analysis
• Still Life Photography
• The History of Photography
• A Portfolio Experience

And other courses at https://psa-photo.org/index.php?education-online-courses

Note: Membership also includes study groups, mentoring, and a digital library.

3. Multi-Day Photography Trips Within and Beyond the United States

Note that some trips sell out quickly, even when they are scheduled for six to ten months in the future.

Art Wolfe

• Moab by Night Photography Retreat (UT)
• Abstract Astoria Retreat
• Madagascar Photo Journey

And other trips at https://events.artwolfe.com/events/category/workshops/

Nikhil Bahl Photography

• Yellowstone Winter Photography Workshop (WY)
• Iceland Winter Photography Tour: Aurora, Ice Caves, Glaciers, Scenery

See http://www.nikhilbahl.com/photography_workshops.html)

Mark Buckler

• Ultimate Hawaii Photo Adventure
• The Ultimate American Southwest Photo Tour
• Black Bears of Coastal NC

And other trips at http://bucklerphoto.com/all-photo-adventures

EMS Photo Adventures (Essdras M. Suarez)

• Cuba, A Photographer’s Delight
• India’s Golden Triangle
• Lens on Panama

See http://emsphotoadventures.com  See also Photo Guidance, provided as a menu item at this site.

Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris

• Ultimate Tigers (India)
• Bulgaria
• Ultimate Galapagos

And other trips at http://photosafaris.com

Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours

• Assateague Island National Seashore Photo Workshop
• Tangier Island Photo Workshop

And other trips at http://www.ospreyphoto.com/

Road Runner Photography Tours

• Patagonia – Argentina and Chile
• Zimanga African Safari, South Africa
• Chobe National Park, Botswana

And other trips at https://roadrunnerphotographytours.com/photography-tours/2020-photography-tours/

Note: Road Runners has free YouTube video tutorials linked on its Website: see http://roadrunnerphotographytours.com/learning/video-tutorials/ See also its Meetup Schedule at https://www.meetup.com/Road-Runner-Photography-Tours/

Washington Photo Safari

• Wildlife & Landscapes of Jackson Hole, Wyoming

And other trips at https://washingtonphotosafari.com/photo-tours/animals-nature/wildlife-and-landscapes-of-jackson-hole-wyoming/

Note: See Washington Photo Safari in the category Courses/Workshops in the Washington DC Area, above.

4. Photography Conferences in Nearby States

Nature Visions 2019 Photo Expo, Manassas, VA, Fri.-Sun., Nov. 1-3. On Friday, the Conference offers two half-day seminars on landscape photography. On Saturday and Sunday, Nature Visions offers many hands-on workshops, sessions, and portfolio review opportunities; hosts a juried exhibit of nature photographs by Maryland and Virginia Camera Club photographers; and provides space for photography exhibitors. See http://naturevisions.org/