Yosemite Winter Workshop With Sapna Reddy

Winter is by far the best time to visit Yosemite. The park tends to be much more quiet receiving far fewer visitors than in the summer months. Passing winter storms powder the trees with sparkling white and if we are lucky we can catch snow on the valley floor a photographer's dream come true. The silence adds to the spectacular yet somewhat minimalistic landscapes that can be rendered only in winter. Rain and thunder storms are also much more common in winter and it is not unusual to see the waterfalls flowing again. The snow capped Sierra forms a majestic backdrop that is unparalleled in its beauty. The photographic opportunities range from grandiose landscapes to tree portraits to intimate scenes down to capturing the architectural details of a snowflake.

This is one workshop where you will put every lens you own to good use. The rapidly changing light is both exciting and creatively challenging. We will be staying very close to the El Portal entrance to the park. Accommodations are not included in the workshop fee and specifically chosen to shorten our commute to various locations as this gives us more time to shoot and rest. This workshop will require mild hiking (no more than 1-2 miles per day) without significant elevation gain. The snowy conditions may at time be treacherous and caution needs to be exercised when traversing slippery surfaces.

During our journey in the field you will learn:
-How to distill the scene before you to create an evocative image.
-Find compelling compositions that convey a strong visual story.
-Observing the nuances of light and finding the best light for the scene.
-Focus stacking, focal length blend, and perspective blend.
-Mastering the technical details of image capture including bracketing and exposure blend.
-Choice of focal length and creative ways to use lens distortion.
-Using filters.

During the dedicated post processing sessions you will learn:
-Planning your shoot. Learn to predict weather using apps.
-Blend multiple exposures as well as images in photoshop.
-Final image rendition for focus stacking using Photoshop and Helicon focus.
-Learning how to use luminosity masks for tonal adjustments.
-Specific steps that can be taken in post processing to strengthen the visual pathway through your image.