Workshop Overview

Testimonial

Over the past few years, I attended several seminars, workshops and the like....  Generally there is little to no room for personal interaction and/or personal problem solving....  Not so with Ralph.... you can ask him whatever you want.  If he can help you he will.  Ralph is a problem solver and an evangelist.  He opened my eyes... and while respecting my "dislike" for Photoshop he developed a two-step process for "people like me."  Another fantastic thing about his attitude is that he respects everyone's opinion.  So, to all future workshop attendees,... if you want to be treated as a human and more importantly as a photographer who has his own opinion and way of working, sign up for a workshop with Ralph.

Johan Dermaut
Belgium

Our Philosophy

Our photography workshops emphasize great photography and personal attention.  You will get as much or as little one-on-one attention as you desire.   You will have assignments that teach and reinforce the principles of great landscape photography.

We will cover various topics during the workshop such as mastering exposure in difficult lighting situations, composition and light, advanced techniques and techniques for expanding our creativity.

One very popular feature is the print review.  In addition to reviewing the images you capture during the workshop, you are invited to bring up to six prints of your work for review and comments by the instructor.  The prints should be 8X10 or larger.  All reviews provide supportive and constructive feedback.  Participation is totally voluntary.

Our goal is for you to leave the workshop with some great photographs and feel you have grown as a photographer.

Location

The Eastern Sierra is a very rewarding place in which to conduct a workshop.  Here are a few of the reasons:

• Great locations – The Eastern Sierra host a rich variety of geological wonders.  Each provides its own unique and exciting photographic opportunities.

• Great light – It is quite possible that the storms of winter may combine with an early onset of the monsoon season to create some fantastic weather and light.

• Diversity - Subjects will range from the arches in the Alabama Hills to majestic Mt Whitney towering above, from the semi-arid Owens River Valley to the ancient Bristlecone Pines, from alpine lakes and meadows to the immense Mono Lake.

• History and geology – The geologic history is varied from massive glaciers to epic volcanic eruptions.  And the human history contains stories of strife, struggle, wars, and success.

We will progress northward beginning at Lone Pine, gateway to Mt Whitney and the Alabama Hills, then moving up to Bishop and finally arriving at Lee Vining.  We will spend two nights in Lone Pine, two in Bishop and one in Lee Vining.

A Typical Day

The day of photography will begin before sunrise and end after sunset.  This is when we will enjoy this area under the most beautiful light of the day. The middle of the day will be filled with photo reviews, instruction and travel to more far flung locations.

There may be a small amount of hiking and scrambling to reach some of the locations.  However, all hikes will be easy to moderate in difficulty.  No strenuous hikes will be undertaken.  Some of the locations will be at altitudes of 10,000 feet above sea level.

Who Should Attend?

Our workshops are appropriate for anyone who has a passion for photography and nature, from beginners to serious amateurs and professionals. We will provide as much or as little individualized assistance as you desire and at a level appropriate to your experience. 

You will get the most out of the workshop if you have a digital SLR (film cameras are fine also) with one or more lenses that range in focal length from approximately 20 to 200 mm as detailed below.

What to Bring

The following is a short list of what to bring.  A comprehensive list will be provided when you register.

1. A digital SLR camera (film is also quite acceptable).  You will also need your camera's manual
2. Knowledge of how to do the following with your camera
   - Display the camera's histogram (preferable RGB if your camera supports that)
   - Use different exposure modes such as aperture priority, shutter priority and manual
   - Exposure compensation - increase or decrease the exposure suggested by your light meter
   - Capturing images in RAW file format
3. Lenses that cover the range from wide angle (20-24 mm) to telephoto (150-200 mm).
4. Sturdy tripod
   - Quick release brackets are very handy
   - L-brackets that allow you to quickly switch from landscape to portrait are also very handy (optional)
5. Backup device for your files
   - Laptop computer is preferable, ideally installed with Lightroom and Photoshop or equivalent software
   - Portable hard drives also work well
6. Extra batteries and chargers
7. Extra memory cards (or film)

Schedule

Day 1: Meet in Lone Pine, CA in the afternoon for orientation.  Lodging for the evening is in Lone Pine.

Day 2:  Photograph sunrise at the famous arch in the Alabama Hills.  We will do some morning shooting in the Alabama Hills if the conditions are favorable.  In the afternoon we will work on assignments and review images from the morning.  Sunset will be at a location to be determined based on conditions.  Lodging for the evening is in Lone Pine.

Day 3: Sunrise will be at a location in the area.  Drive to Bishop and visit the Mountain Light Gallery.  Sunset will be at location near Bishop.  Lodging for the evening is in Bishop.

Day 4: Sunrise at Lake Sabrina with morning shooting in the neighboring lakes.  Instruction and review mid day.  We will shoot sunset in the ancient Bristlecone Pines.  Lodging for the evening is in Bishop.

Day 5: Sunrise on the Owens River.  Drive to Lee Vining with stops along the way.  Sunset will be in the Mono Lake area.  Lodging for the evening is in Lee Vining.

Day 6:  Sunrise at Mono Lake followed by a morning shoot in Bodie.  The workshop will wrap-up at noon.

This itinerary may change according to weather and photographic opportunities.  However the lodging arrangements will not.

Testimonial

The friendly and patient attitude of the instructor, variety of good places to photograph, handouts and technical discussion.

Kit Rosenlund
California

Lodging

Contact me for lodging recommendations and group rates.

You are responsible for making your own lodging arrangements.

Travel Information

Out of State

Fly into Ontario International Airport in Southern California.  Lone Pine is about 200 miles or 3-4 hours.  Leave Ontario Airport and travel east on I-10 to the I-15 intersection.  Take I-15 north to the US 395 exit.  From there stay on US 395 to Lone Pine.

Southern California

Route 1 – Take I-5 north to SR 14.  Stay on SR 14 until it merges into US 395.  Stay on US 395 to Lone Pint.

Route 2 – Take I-15 north to US 395 north. Stay on US 295 to Lone Pine..

Northern California

Take SR 120 east over Tioga Pass if it is open and then south on US 395.  Otherwise take SR 108 east over Sonora Pass and then south on US 395.

Weather

We can expect very comfortable temperatures in the mid 70s F to low 80s F.  As always, be prepared for rain, even though this is not a time of year where rain is expected.  These are the Sierra and rain can come any time.

To Sign Up

Attendees will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. To sign up complete the Registration and Assumption of Risk forms and fax them to Ralph Nordstrom at (949) 589-8457 or mail them to Ralph Nordstrom Photography, 25422 Trabuco Road, Ste 105/250, Lake Forest, CA 92630.  A $200 non-refundable deposit is required with your registration.  You can pay be credit card or check.  We accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express.  Click on the links below to download the forms.

Cancellation Policy

If you must cancel, please notify us at least 7 days before the event.  The $200 deposit is non-refundable.  However, the remainder of the workshop fee is refundable or can be applied to future workshops.