Though some of us are still in the throes of winter, spring is just around the corner and I am busy preparing for a wide array of activities, including new workshops for you in many parts of the country. In response to the many requests I received from participants in last year’s workshops, I am focusing a number of these workshops on technical and aesthetic approaches to shooting close-ups.

In addition, I’m involved with some other projects:

March 27-28: I will be a participating judge for the Garden Writers of America annual convention in Washington, DC

May 5 – June 5: The Ghost Fleet Gallery in Nags Head, North Carolina will hold an exhibition of my photographs; the opening is scheduled for Sunday, May 23

Let me know if you will be in these areas when I am.

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Spring 2010 Workshops

Take a look at my upcoming workshops, and then read the posts below for registration information. I hope you find something that sparks your interest. If you have additional questions about any of the workshops, e-mail me at allen@allenrokach.com

March 12 & 13: The Magical World of Floral Close-Ups at the Chicago Botanic Garden

March 21 & 23: Capturing the Beauty of Orchids for Workshops@Adorama at the New York Botanical Garden

April 8-11: Photographing Wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country, a 3^1/2 day workshop in and around Brenham, TX sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden

May 14-16: Focus on Flowers: Creating Floral Close-ups at the gardens of the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Wilmington, Delaware

May 28-30: Focus on Flowers: Discover the Magical World of Floral Close-ups at The United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.

June 11-19: Focus on Flowers: Explore the Beauty of Floral Close-up Photography in the Field, for the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine

June 25-July 3: Mastering the Photographic Assignment a unique and exciting 8-day workshop around Iceland for Focus on Nature

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I will be at The Chicago Botanic Garden to offer a Friday evening lecture on The Magical World of Floral Close-Ups followed on Saturday by a full day workshop on Floral Close-up Photography. The presentation will take you on a visual journey that begins with my early attempts at flower photography and will trace the path I traveled learning the craft necessary to create dramatic floral close-ups. The Saturday workshop will show you how to use macro lenses, as well as inexpensive extension tubes and close-up filters on lenses you already have, to help you create dramatic and aesthetic images of flowers as you have rarely seen them.

Click here for more information and to register.

Or, look at some of my recent photos from the Chicago Botanic Garden on flickr.

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For a chance to photograph one of the great floral spectacles in New York City, join me at The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show for Capturing the Beauty of Orchids. This full day Workshops@Adorama field workshop will offer on-site instruction to help you create stunning photographs of these magnificent flowers. There will also be an eveing review session at Adorama, the huge camera store on W. 18^th St. which is sponsoring this workshop. For details and to register, click here. Scroll down to the March listings.

You can see some of my photos from the New York Botanical Garden on flickr

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The Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden is sponsoring my intensive 3^1/2 day workshop on photographing Texas wildflowers. Every spring, the Texas hill country bursts into a spectacle of color as bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush and other wildflowers come into bloom. Located in the heart of this wildflower country is Brenham—a charming town in its own right and a perfect base for exploring wildflowers in the surrounding hills. For a taste of what’s in store, you can find a sampling of my Texas wildflower photographs on flickr.

To make sure you get the most from your visit, I will scout in advance to find the top wildflower locations and bring you there at the best light. We will go on two daily outings and you will have many opportunities to develop your skills in flower, landscape and travel photography. In addition to the on-location instructions you will receive, we will hold two critique sessions to evaluate and improve your photography and help you set goals for the next outing. You will also learn simple “after capture” techniques to increase the impact of your images.

Click here to register. Scroll down a bit to find the workshop.

For more information please do not hesitate to contact me at allen@allenrokach.com or call me at (646) 519 1751; or email Joy Ijams at the Dallas Arboretum: jijams@dallasarboretum.org

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I will be offering an intensive weekend Spring Photography Workshop at the magnificent estate and gardens at Winterthur in Wilmington, Delaware: Focus on Flowers: Creating Floral Close-Ups. This workshop for intermediate students of photography will give you the chance to discover the many approaches to shooting floral close-ups and meeting the challenges they present. A mix of classroom presentations, critique sessions and outings around Winterthur’s beautiful grounds will help you define your own aesthetic vision and master the techniques needed to serve that vision. For more information and to register, click here.

Take a look at some photos from Winterthur on my flickr page.

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Join me for a lecture on The Power of Natural Light on Friday, May 28, followed by a weekend workshop, Focus on Flowers: Discovering the Hidden Beauty of Floral Close-Ups at the United States Botanic Garden in the heart of Washington, D.C.

Registration Information:

• The Power of Natural Light
• Discovering the Hidden Beauty of Floral Close-Ups

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I will offer my workshop Focus on Flowers for the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine. Designed for intermediate to advanced photographers, this workshop will explore innovative digital techniques in floral close-up photography during classroom presentations, critique sessions and field outings in the coastal Maine environment. For more information and to register click here.

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Looking for a chance to explore the fascinating landscape of Iceland while learning the tricks of the trade of magazine photography? Then sign up for my exciting 8-day workshop on Mastering the Photographic Assignment for Focus on Nature. This workshop will simulate a magazine travel & feature assignment and show you how magazine photographers go to a new location and come back with a variety of dramatic, telling photographs.

Click here for a full description and to register.