Spring Wildflower Photography Workshop
This year we are offering 3 different options for our Spring Wildflower Photography Workshop! Be sure to read about the specifics below to decide which one is right for you. We are thrilled to have Brett Wells back with us this year as an instructor and guide as well as Wilson Reynolds. We are excited to get back out on the trails in the Smokies!
For the past several years we have held this workshop only on the weekend (the 2 day workshop offering), however, we have had so much fun and have had such a hard time fitting everything in that we decided to expand the offerings. You can now choose the full 5 day workshop, the 3 day workshop (which is the first part of the 5 day workshop that includes hikes that are a little longer and more strenuous), or the classic 2 day weekend workshop (no long or strenuous hikes in this portion).
*As of April 1st, we have cancelled the 5 Day and 3 Day Workshop options due to not enough participation. We WILL be having the 2 Day Workshop and there are just a few more spaces available as of April 1st!
Workshop Options:
5 Day Workshop - April 8th - April 13th ($875) * led by Brett Wells and Wilson Reynolds
*Combination of the 3 day and 2 day workshop options listed below.
3 Day Workshop - April 8th - April 11th ($575) (maximum 6 participants) *led by Brett Wells
This 3 day workshop is more of an "intensive" version of what we have traditionally done in the 2 day workshop. Participants should be willing and able to hike 3-4 miles a day. We will be exploring some of the lesser known and visited areas of the Park that are a little more off the beaten path. We will be focusing on wildflowers of course, but also waterfalls, scenic landscapes, and historic structures. There will be a dedicated macro presentation along with in depth photo instruction, review, and critiques. Early morning and sunset field sessions will be part of this workshop.
Tuesday, April 8th ~ 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Meet and greet in the Tremont Rec Hall along with some classroom instruction.
Wednesday, April 9th - Friday, April 11th (ending around 3pm on Friday)
Field sessions and classroom instruction and review to be specifically scheduled according to the weather.
2 Day Workshop ~ April 11th - April 13th ($350) (maximum 12 participants) *led by Brett Wells & Wilson Reynolds
This 2 day workshop will be the less physically strenuous of the two with no more than 1 mile trails and most shooting locations being close to the cars. We will be focusing mostly on wildflowers, water shots, and weather pending, a sunrise or sunset field session.
Friday, April 11th ~ 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Meet and greet in the Tremont Rec Hall along with some classroom instruction.
Saturday, April 12th - Sunday, April 13th (ending around 4pm on Sunday)
Field sessions and classroom instruction and review to be specifically scheduled according to the weather.
Workshop Investment
The costs for the various workshop options are as listed above. There is another option on the registration page for the 2 day workshop for those participants who have been to at least two other workshops with us. The investment for the workshop does not include meals, accommodations, or transportation. We will have snacks in all of the classroom sessions. We also encourage carpooling for field sessions, one because it makes it much easier to keep up with everyone and for us to find adequate parking for the group, but it is also just much more fun that way! If you choose to stay at Tremont Outdoor Resort for any of the workshops, you will receive a 15% discount on any type of accommodation available for the duration of the workshop. Just be sure to let the staff at Tremont know that you are participating in the workshop when you make your reservations.
*If it becomes necessary to cancel your workshop reservation, you will receive a full refund minus a $10 processing fee if cancelled before April 1st.
Equipment to Bring
Digital SLR cameras are recommended but not required. If you have any of the following equipment, please bring it with you - a tripod, monopod, circular polarizer and/or neutral density filter, reflector/diffuser, and macro lens. Again, this equipment is not required, but bring it if you have it. Also, if you have a laptop (especially with editing software already loaded on it), please bring that as well. Please be sure to wear comfortable yet sturdy shoes (preferably hiking boots) as we tend to wander off the beaten path from time to time. Also, if you use hiking sticks, it is not a bad idea to bring those as well. Since these wildflowers are pretty small in real life, we often end up on our knees or laying down on the ground to get the shot, so if you want to bring a gardening pad or outdoor blanket of some sort to put between you and the dirt, that is also not a bad idea. If you don't own a tripod (or just don't like the one that you have), we will have tripods available for you to try out and use throughout the workshop. As an added bonus, one of our instructors, Brett Wells, also works for Sigma, so he will have an assortment of lenses for Nikon and Canon from Sigma that you are also welcome to use throughout the workshop (we should warn you that you will most likely become attached to these lenses and not want to give them back. However, we can help you with that as well:)).
Accommodations at Tremont Outdoor Resort
As mentioned earlier, if you choose to stay at Tremont during the workshop, you will receive a 15% discount on your accommodations. They offer full hook-up RV sites and four different types of cabins ranging from camping cabins all the way to log homes. Please call 865-448-6363 to make your reservations and don't forget to tell them that you are participating in the Spring Wildflower Workshop.
How to Register
Simply click on the "Register Now" button at the bottom of this page and it will take you to the registration page. If you have any questions or problems, please contact April Love at april@f32photo.com or by phone at 865-934-0909. This workshop is brought to you by Majestic Photo Adventures in conjunction with f/32 Photo and Tremont Outdoor Resort.
Our Workshop Instructors
Brett Wells is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge...seriously, just ask him a question! Brett currently runs his own marketing company working with various industry vendors. Sigma is one of these vendors that he works with as a sales representative, a tech representative, and an intregal part of developing and implementing Sigma University. Brett has a BA in Graphic Design from Samford University in Alabama, and an MA in Photographic Studies from the University of Westminster in London. While in London, Brett worked for a property management company to handle their architecture photography for almost two years. He then came back home to the States where he taught at the Atlanta Art Institute for seven years before leaving to be come an independent sales representative. While at the Art Institute, he taught Principles of Photography, Large Format, Darkroom, Digital Darkroom, Photographic Design, Photoshop, and Advanced Principles of Photography. He has led five photo safaris across the globe taking students abroad for 2 and 3 weeks at a time.
Brett has a passion for teaching which he gets to fulfill even in his current role as he teaches classes on various subjects at camera stores, camera clubs, schools, conventions/trade shows, and workshops. One of his other loves is getting to spend time in these Great Smoky Mountains, so this workshop is the best of both worlds!
Wilson Reynolds has been a professional outdoor guide for most of his life, among other things. He has taught photography all over the country, including some of the most beautiful places - Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Alaska, and the Great Smoky Mountains. His love of animals and the outdoors has been a natural fit in his photography and teaching career because he knows the patterns of animals and weather so well that he can prepare you to be ready to get the shot when it happens. Wilson has work in galleries across the country and has been published in many books, magazines, and commercials. In addition to Majestic Photo Adventures, he also owns f/32 Photo ( a professional print lab and camera retail store in Knoxville, TN) and Tremont Outdoor Resort (Townsend, TN), so if you were wondering why this workshop is brought to you by multiple businesses, well that probably clears things up a bit!