North American Nature Photography Association

Connecting The Nature Photography Community
NANPA Events

2010 NANPA Road Show Houston, Texas

NANPA 2010 Road Shows

Sponsorship Opportunities

NANPA Road Shows provide in-depth, classroom-style photography instruction specifically focused on nature photography. These events provide you with the knowledge and skills to enhance your photography immediately. You will have the opportunity to interact with pros and your peers in a small group education experience you won't soon forget.

September 24-26, 2010
Marriott Houston North at Greenspoint
Houston, Texas

Each city will feature selected photographers who will share their specific expertise and topics. Below are the speaker biographies and their course topics. Some topics will be repeated by different photographers.

Saturday 8-10pm Saturday Night Slideshow Instructions

Registration Note: Most NANPA Memberships expire July 31, 2010. You will need to renew your membership to receive the member rate for this meeting. You can renew and register at the same time.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received in writing by August 27, 2010 will be issued a refund less a $50 service fee per seminar. NO REFUNDS FOR CANCELLATIONS AFTER THAT DATE. NANPA reserves the right to cancel. In the unlikely event of cancellation, NANPA is not responsible for any costs, damages, or other expenses of any kind, including, without limitation, transportation and/or hotel costs incurred by registrant. Speakers subject to change without notice.

 

Date/Location

September 24, 2010through September 26, 2010
Marriott Houston North at Greenspoint
Los Angeles, CAUSA

Hotel Information

Marriott Houston North at Greenspoint
255 N Sam Houston Pkwy E
Houston, TX77060

Phone: (800) 266-9432

Hotel Reservations Online

$79 single/double/triple/quad occupancy
Cut-off date for hotel reservations: September 10, 2010
Mention North American Nature Photography Association or NANPA to receive group rate.

NANPA 2010 Road Shows

Registration Options

Pass Name Description
2nd Person from Same Address Registration for NANPA's Road Show includes all sessions, Friday evening's Meet & Greet, Saturday's lunch and Evening Program.

Members: $200
Nonmembers: $300


Main Registration Registration for NANPA's Road Show includes all sessions, Friday evening's meet and greet, Saturday's lunch and evening program.

Members: $235
Nonmembers: $335


Saturday Only One-day registration for Saturday includes all Saturday sessions and lunch.

Members: $160
Nonmembers: $210


Student Registration Registration for NANPA's Road Show includes all sessions, Friday evening's meet and greet and evening program, and Saturday's lunch.
Students must fax or mail in a copy of their student identification to receive the student registration rate. If you are under 18 years of age, you must have your parents sign the parent/guardian consent on the registration form. Student Identification and parental consent can be sent to:

NANPA
10200 West 44th Avenue
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-2840
or faxed to: 303-422-8894

Student Registration: $125


Sunday Only One-day registration for Sunday includes all Sunday sessions.

Members: $100
Nonmembers: $150


Events - Click on the speaker name to view their biography.

Events for Friday, September 24, 2010 Date Time
Registration Sep 24, 2010 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
 
Registration & Meet and Greet Sep 24, 2010 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
  Informal gathering of fellow attendees and instructors.
Evening Program Sep 24, 2010 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
 
Sean Fitzgerald
Events for Saturday, September 25, 2010 Date Time
Flash: Thoughtful and Creative Uses for Nature Photographers Sep 25, 2010 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  Know when to use it and how to get results you want. Learn from Roy how to subtly use on/off camera flash as a powerful tool in the field to strengthen and add zap to your wildlife images.

Topics to include:

  • All tools have a purpose
  • Know when to use flash
  • Avoiding the "flashed" look
  • Using flash so the viewer can't tell
  • Mixing and managing ambient light with flash
  • Settings made easy - TTL and exposure compensation
  • Fill flash and EV control
  • Diffusion tools (Fresnel lens, Screens, Grids, Soft-Box, DIY)
  • Bouncing light
  • High-speed flash- freezing images
  • Slow shutter sync - showing movement
  • Ratios demystified
  • Color saturation
  • Off camera flash (macro work)
  • Creative uses of flash
Roy Toft
Moving Your Images from Snapshots to Art! Sep 25, 2010 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  Nature photographers can take great photos by learning "the rules," but the images tend to look alike at the end of the day. Learn how to get out of your rut, find your own vision, and what it takes to give your images that something "extra" that sets them apart from the norm!
Sean Fitzgerald
An Introduction to Shooting in Water Sep 25, 2010 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
 
You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on a housed system to get good photos underwater nor do you have to live near an ocean to find a use for underwater photos. In this course, Michele will discuss a variety of topics that help you get good imagery from both shallow water environments and at depth.

Some of these areas are:

  • What kind of systems are available?
  • A different environment means different techniques - An example is how color underwater is affected
  • The use of flash to enhance color
  • The point-and-shoot vs. the housed system
  • White balance in an underwater environment
  • Michele Westmorland
Digital Workflow: Part I Sep 25, 2010 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
  After image capture, the fun starts! Learn how to ingest your images to the computer, get them sorted, edited, organized, and renamed and how to add keywords to your images quickly and consistently. Once the dirty work is done, you learn how to unleash the power of Adobe Camera Raw to make your images look their best!
Sean Fitzgerald
Saturday Lunch Sep 25, 2010 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
  Included with Full or Saturday Registrations.
Beyond the Rule of Thirds: Composition in Nature Photography Sep 25, 2010 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
 
Roy illustrates why composition is important in order to go beyond mediocre.

Topics to include:

  • Your eyes are open but that's not enough - learn how to really "see"
  • Going beyond mediocre by working harder
  • Anticipating an image
  • Composition and subject image size
  • Subject positioning
  • Using foregrounds and backgrounds
  • Working with depth of field
  • Framing - vertical & horizontal
  • Negative space for editorial licensing
  • Roy Toft
People in Nature Sep 25, 2010 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
  As nature photographers, many times we forget the connection between man and the environment. Michele will discuss how and why to include people. From the outdoor enthusiast to the photographer who finds fulfillment from photographing the fascinating cultures around the world, there are many reasons to include homo-sapiens.

Some of the topics that will be discussed are:

  • Use of natural light
  • Use of flash fill on and off camera
  • Placing and staging your subject in their environment
  • Getting the "unplanned" shot
  • The etiquette of approach, communication and respect
  • Michele Westmorland
Digital Workflow: Part II Sep 25, 2010 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
 
What do you do with your image after you have processed the raw file? Photoshop can be overwhelming in its complexity and lack of guidance. This course takes you on a narrowly focused slice through Photoshop, teaching you only what you need to know to make your images look and print great. The course is based on instructor-provided Photoshop actions which make the process, dare I say it, almost "easy?"
Sean Fitzgerald
Telling a Conservation Story Visually Sep 25, 2010 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
  Michele's long time passion and project is "Headhunt Revisited." Years in planning and still in production, this project has been a multi-faceted and expensive endeavor. Through a discussion of her journey with this project, she will talk about how an avid and passionate nature photographer can complete their own journey closer to home - and provide a sense of pride that your work can contribute to conservation concerns.

Some of the topics Michele will cover are:

  • Targeting your passion project
  • Developing a mission statement
  • Looking at funding and budget issues
  • Finding outlets to tell your story
  • Partnering with local organizations
Michele Westmorland
Saturday Night Slideshow Sep 25, 2010 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
  Presentation Instructions
Events for Sunday, September 26, 2010 Date Time
Get the Most out of Your Camera: Sep 26, 2010 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  Get the Most Out of Your Camera: Shooting Modes, Auto Focus, White Balance, Custom Functions and More!
Seemingly, every 18 months DSLR cameras become more complicated. As a nature photographer, learn what is important and what is not.

Topics to include:

  • Main functions on DSLR you should NOT ignore
  • Keep from being overwhelmed - learn what is functional
  • Histograms and how shooting digitally is different than film
  • Using programs that will create the most flexibility
  • Shooting in RAW vs. JPG and why it matters
  • Custom functions - tools and tricks
  • How to make fast decisions
  • White Balance - is AWB really that bad?
  • What's in your toolbox?
  • Tips to keep it simple
Roy Toft
Shooting with a Different View Sep 26, 2010 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
 
Although the digital world appears to make getting "the" shot easier, the demands on a photographer to do it differently have never been higher. What angle? What lens? Michele has been recognized for her seemingly "commercial" style of imagery. She will explain why she chooses these shots, the equipment used and why it applies to nature photography. In addition, the incorporation of video to camera bodies puts even more pressure on the photographer to tell a story. This is no longer still vs. video - it's all now "visual media."

Some of the topics covered in this course will be:

  • Experimenting with lenses
  • When to shoot still and when to shoot video and the complications that comes from the decision
  • Additional equipment necessary for video production
Michele Westmorland
Advanced Techniques Sep 26, 2010 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
 
Learn how to process your advanced digital images, including photomerges, HDR images, depth of field blending, time lapse photography, exposure blending, and image stacks! We will use many of the techniques discussed in the Digital Workflow courses as we take these images to completion.
Sean Fitzgerald
Movement and DOF: Utilizing Shutter Speed & Aperture to Maximize Impact Sep 26, 2010 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
 

Topics to include:

  • Multi-shooting modes
  • Two settings to "make" a picture
  • Using "Magic" shutter speeds - Choosing the correct shutter speed and aperture range
  • Freezing time and slow shutter pans
  • How to correctly choose aperture - what lens openings mean
  • Using depth of field and why it is important in nature photography
  • Lens capability - discovering its "sweet spot"
  • Other useful creative effects
Roy Toft
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