Tom Paiva

Steve Harper

Troy Paiva

Lance Keimig

The Program

Program information for this workshop will be updated later this fall. The information in the following paragraphs is from the 2008 workshop, and will change.

Join me for a four day and night photography workshop at Mono Lake, California next October. This remote location is a favorite for hikers and especially photographers for its unique geological formations. Mono Lake's signature monolithic rock structures that extend upward from the lake are ideal for night photography. Other photographic locations include the dramatic granite moonscapes of Tioga Pass in Yosemite, and the world famous Bodie Ghost Town.

This workshop will have both field and classroom instruction. We will be in the classroom each day from noon until we leave for the field before sunset. Participants can stay out shooting as long as they, or their camera's batteries, hold out. We will have discussion and assistance while in the field each day. Techniques and inspiration will be constantly discussed, demonstrated and put into practice. We will all work closely together, sharing our knowledge and experience.

Lance brings his extensive experience with night photography to the workshop with composition techniques, night photography guidelines and inspiring slides shows of historical and contemporary night photography. Scott will bring his digital imaging training experience and take an in depth look at the entire digital imaging workflow from capture to print with night photography in mind. We will examine the skills necessary for high quality digital image capture, RAW file processing and fine art printing. We will examine the history of digital fine art printing processes, and look at all the processes available today complete with sample prints. RIPs, ink technology, color management and recommendations will all be discussed.

We expect that beginners and seasoned professionals alike will benefit from the course. Participants should expect to share some of their images for review, as the goal of this workshop is to enjoy the creative process, learn from each other and to grow as image makers.

The 2006 Mono Lake Night Photography Conference Participants

Getting There

The Eastern Sierra is 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.

Accommodations

Workshop participants stay at nearby resorts, hotels or campgrounds in or near Lee Vining. 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 the evening of the 13th, and checking out on the 18th, and the workshop begins at noon on the 14th. Participants are responsible for booking their own accomodations. We have reserved all available rooms at Murpheys, and several at The El Mono for the workshop. The accommodations in town are almost full already, so you will need to request one of the rooms reserved for the workshop when you register, or reserve a something independently as soon as you confirm your spot in the workshop.

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!

Registration

Details posted soon. Thanks for your patience.