Winter Wildlife Workshop
February 6 - 11, 2025
Animals are in their prime during winter because their coats are full and luxurious, and the wintry environment is exquisite. Join Jim for an amazing experience in photographing the best North American wildlife in their natural environments. Our subjects will include wolves, mountain lions, bobcats, lynx, foxes, and more. In addition, we will have a very special opportunity to photograph one or two snow leopards. We will also have a session on photographing raptors ---- owls, hawks, etc. -- and on the same day we'll photograph horses running through the snow. Very exciting indeed! The animals will be fairly close to us in controlled situations, and the ideal lens is a 100-400mm or equivalent. It will be cold, and Jim will give you his technique for keeping your fingers warm while retaining dexterity to operate a camera. There will be critiques so Jim can give you his professional feedback on your photography, and he will also give you some input as to how Photoshop can be used to address any problems such as a busy background or a white sky.
Daily schedule:
Upon arrival in Kalispell on Thursday, February 6, Jim will give a talk on photographing wildlife where he discusses camera settings, the advantages of auto ISO, the best focus point strategy, and what to expect from the animals. Starting on the morning of February 9, we photograph when the light gets bright enough in the early morning. It gets dark early in winter, so our days will be relatively short but they will be packed full of incredible photography. The staging area is Kalispell, Montana, and the game farm in which we will be doing all our photography is Triple-D. Our scheduled photography is for February 7, 8, 9, and 10. On February 11, we depart Kalispell, knowing we've taken outstanding images of most of the large and impressive mammals of North America.
Post tour online session:
A week following the conclusion of this workshop, Jim will hold an online Zoom meeting where he will critique images you submit to him by email. This is a great chance to share your images with others in the group, and Jim will also make creative suggestions about how to improve your images in post-processing.
What you will learn during this workshop:
How to expose for snow
The value of auto ISO
What are the best shutter speeds for action
Using Photoshop to composite an attractive background
Post-processing techniques to enhance your images
How to keep your right hand warm while you shoot
What is the best focus point arrangement for AF
Recommended gear:
Telephoto zoom in the 100-500mm range. This could be a 70-300mm, 80-400mm, etc.
A longer lens, such as a 600mm, isn't needed and will only be a burden.
No tripod is needed. All photography is handheld for maximum mobility.
Lens hood to keep snow of the lens.
Micro fiber cloth to clean the lens.
At least 300 to 400 gigs worth of flash cards.
Extra camera battery (batteries deplete quickly in the cold).
Battery charger.
Two or three months prior to the start of the workshop, you will receive an eBooklet with all the information you need including the place and time of our first meeting, weather and clothing issues, a list of participants, etc.
Included will be Jim's very important technique for keeping your fingers warm and comfortable when shooting, yet still retaining the dexterity to operate a camera, change lenses, and work the menus.
Winter Wildlife Workshop fee: $3750. Includes four nights accommodation on a shared basis, all breakfasts, access to the animals, services of the animal handlers, transportation from the hotel to the various locations where we photograph the animals, photo instruction and critiques.
Single supplement fee: $250 (to have your own room)
Not included: Transportation to Kalispell, Montana, all lunches and dinners, items of a personal nature.