Santa Barbara

Keith Skelton is leading a two-day photo workshop in beautiful Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley.

Over the last five years, I have led dozens of groups on walking photo tours throughout Santa Barbara.

Recently, I have expanded the trip to spend a second day photographing the bucolic Santa Ynez Valley. Famous for its wineries, the symmetrical rows of grapevines make for wonderful backdrops to its rolling caramel-colored hills and dark green Valley Oak trees. We will also spend time photographing La Purisima Mission. Founded in 1787, it’s one of California’s oldest Spanish missions.

While in downtown Santa Barbara, we will photograph the “Queen of Missions”—the famed and still in-use Santa Barbara Mission, Santa Barbara County Courthouse with its pictorial Mural Room, El Presidio de Santa Barbara, and more. We will be photographing iconic historic images of Santa Barbara’s architecture, street life, and scenes.

Some of the photography topics we will cover include:

.Simplifying subject matter.
.Photographing people.
.Using motion to your advantage.
.Seeing monochromic color.
.Using harmonious colors.
.Proper outdoor exposure.
.Working in low light.
.Deciding between black-and-white or color.
.Time exposure.
.Composition.
.Depth-of-field and Sense of Depth.
.Leading lines and S-curves.
.Camera techniques.

We will meet in Santa Barbara on Saturday morning. I will notify you of the exact location after you register. After a day of shooting, we will then drive to the overnight accommodations of your choice in the Santa Ynez Valley area, photograph the sunset, eat dinner, and then possibly do some night photography. We will rise to shoot the Santa Ynez Valley sunrise. After breakfast, we will drive for 30 or so minutes to La Purisima Mission, which near the city of Lompoc. With any remaining time, we will photograph landscapes in the Lompoc area. The workshop should conclude by 2 p.m.

You will need to get a hotel of your own choosing in the Santa Ynez Valley area. Here are some helpful links:

http://www.santaynezhotels.com/

http://www.santaynezinn.com/

http://www.solvangusa.com/explore-solvang/where-to-stay/

You will be responsible for you own hotel, food costs, transportation, etc. We will carpool as much as possible during the days.

-Any and all cameras and lenses are welcome.

-Tripods are important for shooting in low light.

-Bring snacks for the road.

-Laptops are welcome.

-Bring plenty of memory cards.

Bargain guide to Santa Barbara's hotels, restaurants and attractions

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT FORM IS HERE