Come join us as we play in and around the beautiful Ozark National Forest near Russelville, Arkansas.
Workshop Leaders: David Downs & Barry Benton
We’ll take you to gorgeous spots featuring great cascading and falling water. This workshop is timed to coincide with Arkansas’s fall weather, so we hope to catch some beautiful colors as well.
Arkansas has some beautiful areas to photograph. We’ll show you a few of our favorites.
Workshop dates
Thursday, October 28, 2021- Sunday, October 31, 2021
Location
Ozark National Forest near Russellville, AR
Workshop topics
- Planning A Photo Safari
- Capturing & Freezing Motion
- Compositional Elements
- Micro Landscape Photography
- Using ND & Circular Polarizer Filters
Depending on Schedule & Weather we may be able to touch on:
- Night Sky Photography
- Wildlife Photography
Additional workshop details
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Location information
All workshop excursions will be based out of the Best Western in Russelville, AR.
Best Western Inn Russellville
2326 N Arkansas Ave
Russellville, AR 72802
Phone: 479-967-1000
Website: Best Western Inn Russellville
PLEASE NOTE: This motel has exterior access to all rooms. If you prefer interior access there are several hotels within a very short walk offering only interior access.
Lodging
When reserving by phone, let the hotel know you are with Benton Downs Photography. They will give you a preferred room rate of $65 for a King & $72 for 2 Queens.
However, check the website before you book your room. There may be better prices there. If you book through the website, let us know so we can let the hotel know to reduce the room block accordingly.
Agenda
Approximately a week before the workshop we will e-mail all registered participants with a detailed agenda, map, etc. The agenda is always flexible based on weather conditions and travel time to locations. So that you’ll know what to expect, here’s our tentative agenda:
Day 1 – Meet in the lobby at 6:30 PM to go to dinner. We’ll get to know each other a bit and have general discussion around the schedule for the next 2 days.
Day 2 – A full day in the Field, weather permitting, with the focus on getting to locations with the best color/water flow and avoiding crowds as much as possible. Expect to leave before dawn and return after dark.
Day 3 (AM) – We will again capture some morning shooting time, then return to the hotel for some individual instruction on processing using Lightroom & Photoshop
Day 3 (PM) – We will decide based on conditions whether to attempt to capture the Elk along the river or perhaps a nice waterfall/night sky setting after dark. We will wrap the evening late with some group discussion/instruction at the hotel.
Day 4 – An optional excursion to Hawksbill Crag, if we have not already visited the location. We will be back at the hotel and wrapped up mid morning so everyone can get checked out.
Post-workshop – We will provide follow up video work on images captured during the workshop for attendees to use as a guide while editing their images.
Transportation
For our transportation we will be taking personal vehicles but between Barry and I we can carry 4 or 5 participants for those who prefer not to drive their own.
Recommended photography gear
DSLR camera – Crop Sensor or Full Frame
Wide angle & telephoto lenses
Tripod
Remote shutter release – Alternatively, an understanding on how to set a 2-second shutter delay for your camera.
Circular polarizing filter (if you have one)
Camera bag suitable for hiking
Batteries – Extra batteries if you have them. If not, make sure you have a charger.
Storage – At least two memory cards.
Laptop with Lightroom/Photoshop (we may have time for some individual instruction).
Hunger for improving your photography and a desire to capture some beautiful images.
Other recommendations
This workshop will feature light hiking, a lot of time taking images & providing instruction, and not a lot of sleep.
Depending on conditions, we may go on a fairly long & moderately difficult hike. Good hiking shoes/boots and a backpack (that can hold tripod and camera gear) are strongly recommended.
We’ll go out early each morning and cover a lot of ground each day, rain or shine. Be prepared for cool, wet weather.
Consider bringing shoes/boots/pants you can wear in shallow water if desired/necessary to capture a shot.
We’ll send out weather updates as we get closer to the workshop dates.
Location pro tips
Fall color intensity is out of our control, but we’ll make every effort to find locations that have some color
As much as we’d like to set the temperature and control wind and rain for the workshop we simply aren’t that good. We will do our best despite any weather obstacles to make sure you leave with a wealth of information and practical experience.
Some of the waterfalls are slippery and can be difficult to get to a great photo spot. There are times that you will need to walk down and/or up rocky and, sometimes, slippery embankments to get to good shooting locations. Good hiking boots/shoes are important. And, it’s likely your socks will get wet so plan accordingly.
The optional hike to Hawksbill Crag is not a technically difficult hike. However, the return is partially uphill and is a very good cardio workout. We will take it easy and will have time to stop, enjoy the beauty of the forest, and catch our breath.
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