Autumn in the Eastern Sierra

Seventh Annual Photo Workshop with Keith Skelton

      

Date changed to October 28-31, 2010

Trick or treat!

This workshop will take you to one of the world’s most photogenic locations: the landscape of the Eastern Sierra Range. We will photograph places such as Bodie, Mono Lake, Silver Lake, and more. This workshop is open to of all levels of photography, using 35mm to large format, film and/or digital. You will be totally immersed with photography for three days of learning and fun.

Autumn is one of the best times to visit and photograph this area. The Aspen leaves are golden yellow and the low autumn light creates long shadows throughout the day. For those who have not been to this part of the Eastern Sierras you will be in for a big treat. It is one of the most scenic locations in the world.

WORKSHOP GOALS

This workshop will mostly be about practicing and perfecting your craft. We will have daily discussions about "seeing", pre-visualization, and techniques. You will be shooting sunrises, sunsets, closeups, reflections, night scapes, wildlife and much more. We will also present you a few exercises to help get your creativity flowing. These will be beneficial for all levels of photography experience. We will also spend time reviewing HDR, digital work flow, Camera RAW, and processing digital pictures. There will be some time dedicated to viewing your photography.

Bodie California is one of the best preserved ghost towns in the United States. Bodie is a state park of California, and the exterior is open to the public. There is a minimal charge for admission.

Mono Lake (rhymes with "OH no") is the largest natural lake completely within the state of California. Once endangered when water feeding it was diverted toward the Los Angeles basin, it lost half its volume in the 40 years before an agreement was reached to save it. The best-known feature of Mono Lake are its dramatic tufa (TWO-fuh) towers.

Day 1

The workshop starts Thursday. We will meet in Lee Vining at 4 pm. We will meet for dinner and discuss our plans for the next three days. After eating we will have time to shoot sunset and stars over Mono Lake.

Day 2

We will caravan over to the ghost town of Bodie. We will be there until around noon shooing photos. Since the days are long we can get some rest in the afternoon before heading back out again for evening photography.  Here is a link for more Bodie information.

That evening we will either shoot sunset at Olmsted Point inside Yosemite or a view of the Minarets from Mammoth Lakes.

Day 3

We will rise early in time for a sunrise shoot at Silver Lake which is only a few miles from Lee Vining. As the sun rises it illuminates Carson Peak casting a perfect reflection on the Lake. This makes for a classic photograph. It is also a good place to photograph subtle reflections and moving water.  After our shoot we will eat breakfast at the Silver Lake Resort Cafe which is a step back in time. They serve an awesome breakfast. Later that day we have a number of options including The Minarets or Tioga Pass.

Day 4

Sunday is mostly a travel day but we offer another sunrise shoot near Dunderberg Meadows, Mono Lake or Convict Lake. The workshop will conclude at 11 am.

The Eastern Sierra is somewhat isolated. The closest major airport is Reno, NV- 140 miles away. Driving from Reno is about 2 1/2 hours. San Francisco is about a 5 hour drive through Yosemite National Park, and Los Angeles is about 6 hours away by car. It's well worth the effort to get there. If you are interested in carpooling or sharing a rental car from Reno or the Bay Area, let us know, and we will try to connect you with someone.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING

Even though it will be summer, the evenings and mornings can get cool. Bring a warm jacket.

-Sturdy shoes

-Sun block

-Sunglasses

-Camera batteries and chargers

-Camera manuals

-Memory cards and /or portable hard drives

-Laptop if you have one

-Plenty of film for film photographers

ACCOMMODATIONS

Workshop participants are responsible their own accommodations at nearby resorts or hotels. The most convenient place to stay is Lee Vining, but there are also places to stay at the top of Tioga Pass. We recommend the El Mono Inn or Murphey's Motel in Lee Vining. Links to other hotels in town, as well as general information about the area can be found at the Mono Lake website. Plan to arrive on June, and check out on June  Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodations in Lee Vining.

MEALS

Morning coffee is at the wonderful Latte Da Cafe at the El Mono Hotel. They serve up homemade muffins and strong coffee to get us off on the right foot each day. If you need a bigger breakfast, there's always Nicely's, an old fashioned coffee shop. There are a couple of markets in Lee Vining if you prefer to picnic, but most people eat at the fabulous Whoa Nelly Cafe at the The Tioga Gas Mart in Lee Vining. Sounds strange, but this place serves excellent food- everything from omelets, gourmet pizza, and barbecue, to fish tacos, seared tuna, and herb crusted pork loin! For a special treat, there is the 4 star Mono Inn at the other end of town.  Participants are responsible for their own accommodations, meals and transportation.

FEES: $395.00 - There is a $50 discount for former students. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

A few of the things you will photograph include:

-Sunset and Stars over Mono Lake

-Mono Lake sunrise at the South Tufas

-One half day at Bodie

-Carson Peak reflecting into Silver Lake at sunrise

-Lundy Creek, Lee Vining Creek, Golden Aspen Trees, Dunderberg Meadows

-Olmsted Point, Mammoth Lakes Minarets viewpoint