Dear Fellow Shutterbug,

Photographically, it’s been an amazing year and it looks like next year will be even better.

I was thrilled to do spring photography workshops at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C., then the wildflowers of Texas, followed by fabulous orchids and spring bulbs at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, all capped off by a very successful new 5-day workshop called “Great Gardens of the Mid-Atlantic Region,” which took participants to Chanticleer, Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, and Mount Cuba.

Over the summer, Anne and I had a terrific – and challenging — month-long visit to Alaska exploring all the national parks, even such remote ones as Kobuk Valley, Gates of the Arctic and Wrangell-St. Elias. I’m still editing the thousands of images I shot. I’ll let you know when I’ve posted them in “New Shoots.” I returned to another favorite destination, the Chanticleer Pleasure Garden, for a weekend workshop on ‘Digital Photography as Art.” Then Anne and I headed to Trinidad & Tobago to scout those islands for an upcoming travel photography workshop (see below).

In autumn, I returned to Chicago and Dallas to focus on fall color and business techniques, followed by a presentation in Orlando to the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.

Now I’ve got my bags packed to take a group of adventurous photographers on a travel photography experience in India, a fabulous opportunity to see and photograph this colorful, diverse and fascinating country. Right after India, Anne and I will be going on a tour of Myanmar (Burma) and will see if this makes a good destination for future travel photography workshops. (If such a trip would interest you, let me know.)

It’s been a pleasure to see and work with many of you throughout 2014 and I look forward to meeting even more of you in 2015. You’ll find many great opportunities to hone your photographic skills, develop your creative potential, explore the ever-changing dimensions of digital photography, become more mindful and aware of the wonders around you, and learn with like-minded people who enjoy growing through personal interactions with the worlds of nature, flowers, gardens and cultures. So look below at the workshops I’ve lined up for the coming year.

Whether you are a returning student or a new participant, I hope to see you at one or more of these workshops to learn, have fun together and renew or build our connections.

All the best and hope to see you soon,

Allen Rokach

January 8-26: Travel Photography Adventure in South India.

April 9-12: Wildflowers of Texas; a 4-day photography workshop in Brenham, Texas; co-sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

May 2-3: The Art of Digital Photography; a weekend workshop at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia.

May 23-31: Cuba’s People & Places: A Travel Photography Adventure; a 9-day photography workshop that will take us to fascinating locations around Cuba. UPDATE: The May workshop is now closed. We are taking registrations for the November-December workshop. For details, click here.

July 24-26: Creative Perspectives in Digital Flower Photography; a weekend workshop at Chanticleer Pleasure Garden near Philadelphia, PA; for details, click here.

October 16-18: Creative Perspectives in Digital Flower Photography; a weekend workshop at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC; for details, click here.

October 22-28: The Landscapes of Big Bend National Park; a 6-day photography workshop at Big Bend National Park in south Texas; co-sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden; for details, click here.

November 13-21: Birds & Landscapes of New Mexico; an 8-day photography workshop at the Basque del Apache Wildlife Refuge and White Sands National Monument; for details, click here.

November 29-December 7: Cuba’s People & Places: A Travel Photography Adventure; a 9-day photography workshop that will take us to fascinating locations around Cuba; for details, click here.

On the Drawing Board

January 6-26, 2016: Travel Photography Adventure in India; a 22-day travel photography experience that will take participants to the best locations for images of India’s people and their fascinating culture. Stay tuned for details.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA

Digital imaging has revolutionized photography and liberated photographers. In this intensive two-day photography workshop, I will guide participants to the limitless possibilities of digital garden and flower photography, finding our subjects on the grounds of the beautiful Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. We will concentrate on creating images built around color, shape, line and texture, making strong visual statements using these abstract elements of design. We will also focus on portraying flowers in their garden setting, finding unusual perspectives for close-ups and groupings. While most participants will be working with digital SLR cameras, I will also offer instruction on creative uses of iPhone and iPad technology. Then, in our review sessions, we will explore ways to fine-tune and enhance our images in creative ways using today’s amazing but simple after-capture applications. For more information and to register, click here.

UPDATE: Registration for this workshop is now closed. We are taking registrations for the November-December workshop.

With the recent announcement of plans to normalize relations between the United States and Cuba, more people than ever will be interested in heading to this heretofore off-limits Caribbean island. All the more reason to get there soon, before its character changes.

This 9-day travel photography workshop has been arranged with an organization that has long experience running “People to People” humanitarian programs in Cuba – and has all the necessary permits and approvals, both from the US Department of State and Cuba. That means we can depend on going there and getting to great locations chosen especially for photographers.

Our journey, offered in May and December, will take us to Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Vinales and Havana so we can experience the full range of Cuba’s people, places and culture. We will include time at Cuba’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, districts with historic colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and picturesque port areas lined with fisherman and vendors of all kinds. We will visit many small art studios and cultural shops, open air markets with handicrafts, and will have opportunities to interact with local artists, writers, musicians, and dancers. We also will venture into natural areas of great scenic beauty – mountains, waterfalls, plants and beaches – and into the countryside for a glimpse of tobacco and other plantations, where we’ll meet typical Cuban farming families.

For more information, a complete itinerary and to register, email [email protected] and put “Allen Rokach’s Cuba Travel Photography Adventure” in the subject line.

Rockport, Maine and vicinity

Maine is known for its dramatic, rocky coastline. Less well known are the lupines and other wildflowers that bloom each June, beautiful in their own right and adding swatches of amazing color to the rugged and misty landscape.

In this 4-day photography workshop, we will explore the best locations around Rockport, Maine for this stunning combination of delicate wildflowers and craggy environment. Participants will learn how to work with all kinds of light and weather; effective composition for subjects in their setting; close-up techniques with macro lenses and other alternatives; and choosing the best lens for each situation. The workshop includes review sessions to see and learn from each participant’s images and practice simple after-capture techniques to improve and transform our images. For more information and to register, send an email to Allen at [email protected].

Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL

Digital imaging has revolutionized photography and liberated photographers. In this intensive two-day photography workshop, I will guide participants to the limitless possibilities of digital garden and flower photography, finding our subjects on the grounds of the beautiful Chicago Botanic Garden. We will concentrate on creating images built around color, shape, line and texture, making strong visual statements using these abstract elements of design. We will also focus on portraying flowers in their garden setting, finding unusual perspectives for close-ups and groupings. While most participants will be working with digital SLR cameras, I will also offer instruction on creative uses of iPhone and iPad technology. Then, in our review sessions, we will explore ways to fine-tune and enhance our images in creative ways using today’s amazing but simple after-capture applications. Stay tuned for details and registration information.

Chanticleer Pleasure Garden near Philadelphia, PA

Digital imaging has revolutionized photography and liberated photographers. In this intensive two-day photography workshop, I will guide participants to the limitless possibilities of digital garden and flower photography, finding our subjects on the grounds of the beautiful Chanticleer Pleasure Garden. We will concentrate on creating images built around color, shape, line and texture, making strong visual statements using these abstract elements of design. We will also focus on portraying flowers in their garden setting, finding unusual perspectives for close-ups and groupings. While most participants will be working with digital SLR cameras, I will also offer instruction on creative uses of iPhone and iPad technology. Then, in our review sessions, we will explore ways to fine-tune and enhance our images in creative ways using today’s amazing but simple after-capture applications. For further information click here; to register, please contact Anne Sims at Chanticleer: (610) 687-4163 ext. 118; email: [email protected].

Dear Fellow Shutterbug,

I’ve just finished a series of colorful and exciting spring photography workshops at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C., then the wildflowers of Texas, followed by fabulous orchids and spring bulbs at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, all capped off by a very successful new 5-day workshop called “Great Gardens of the Mid-Atlantic Region,” which took participants to Chanticleer, Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, and Mount Cuba. It was great to see so many of you learning while having a good time.

Now I’m gearing up for a busy summer and fall, while finalizing plans for 2015. Next week, Anne and I are heading to Alaska for a month-long visit. It starts with a workshop the weekend of June 13-15 to photograph the wildflowers in areas accessible to Anchorage. There’s still time to sign up so let me know if you’re up there and interested. Then in August, we’ll be heading to Trinidad and Tobago to scout the area for a nature photography workshop that will emphasize birds but include other local flora and fauna. Stay tuned.

In between, I’ll be back at Chanticleer for a digital photography workshop that will introduce you to some of the new techniques I’ve been working with in the camera and especially using after-capture software. You’ll be amazed by what’s possible!

For those of you who like to look ahead, I’m scheduled to return to Chicago and Dallas in the fall. Then in January I’m planning to return to India for another fabulous opportunity to see and photograph this amazing, diverse and fascinating country. It will be a small group and I already have registrations so don’t hesitate. Please see the listings below and get in touch if you have any questions.

Whether you are a returning student or a new participant, I hope to see you at one or more of these workshops to learn, have fun together and renew or build our connections.

All the best and hope to see you soon,
Allen Rokach

June 14-15: Adventures in Photographing Alaska’s Wildflowers, a 2-day workshop in and around Anchorage. For details, click here.

July 26-27: Digital Photography as Art, a 2-day workshop at the Chanticleer Pleasure Garden located outside of Philadelphia in Wayne, Pennsylvania. For details, click here.

October 18-19: Digital Perspectives on Fall Color, a 2- day workshop at the Chicago Botanic Garden; details to come.

October 20: Business Techniques for Nature Photographers, a one-day seminar for current or prospective professional nature photographers; details to come.

October 24-27: Digital Perspectives on Fall Color, a weekend photography workshop at the Dallas Arboretum; details to come.

January 8-26, 2015: Travel Photography Adventure in South India; for details, click here.

Please join me next January on an unusual travel photography workshop that I will lead to South India, one of the world’s most exotic and colorful destinations. I’ve been to India several times and can tell you that it is a photographer’s dream — visually rich and culturally fascinating.

South India is home to fabulous Hindu temples, colorful markets, fascinating villages, beautiful gardens, unspoiled beaches, misty hillside plantations and much more, offering a stunning array of photographic opportunities.

Our trip runs at the perfect time: in January the weather is more temperate and it’s the month of the amazing Pongal harvest festival. We start in Chennai (formerly Madras) and end in Bangalore. In between, we will experience the vast array of South Indian culture — all with excellent guides who know the region and have relationships with its people.

This workshop will pay special attention to the needs of photographers. The group is limited to ten participants. That means you’ll have plenty of individual attention in the field and enough time in each location for serious photography. We’ll have opportunities to respond to the unexpected and even for review sessions every few days along the way.

The cost of this incredible trip is just $5,000 per person, double occupancy; an additional $1,000 per person if you want a single room. A deposit of $1,000 is required with your registration; the deposit is refundable less a $100 administrative fee until October 15 and the balance is due by November 15, 2013.

In addition to my daily photographic instruction, the price includes transfers at arrival and departure, accommodations at 4-and 5-star hotels throughout; all breakfasts and dinners; air-conditioned transportation, local English-speaking guides, monument entrance charges, taxes and service charges. It does not include international airfare but we can help you with making those arrangements.

I urge you to join me on this unusual photographic journey. For a detailed itinerary and additional information, please call me at (646) 519-1751 or email me at [email protected]. I know this will be one of your most memorable travel experiences and a photographic opportunity of a lifetime.

Chanticleer Pleasure Garden near Philadelphia, PA

Digital imaging has revolutionized photography and liberated photographers. In this intensive two-day photography workshop, I will guide participants to the limitless possibilities of digital garden and flower photography, finding our subjects on the grounds of the beautiful Chanticleer Pleasure Garden. We will concentrate on creating images built around color, shape, line and texture, making strong visual statements using these abstract elements of design. We will also focus on portraying flowers in their garden setting, finding unusual perspectives for close-ups and groupings. Then, in our review sessions, we will explore ways to improve and fine-tune our images in creative ways using today’s amazing but simple after-capture applications. For details and to register, click here.

June is the ideal month to see the unique and wonderful wildflowers of Alaska’s wilderness. We will take advantage of the long days and the help of local experts from the Alaska Botanical Garden to venture into a variety of environments to discover and photograph the spring bloom outside Anchorage. During two field trips each day, we’ll learn to work with every kind of light and weather; focus on composition using overviews, vignettes and details to show the wildflowers in their magnificent settings. We will also work on getting the best exposure and sharpness, plus practice creative techniques using your digital camera and after-capture software. For more information or to register, contact Allen at 646-519-1751 or [email protected].

Dear Fellow Shutterbug,

I know it’s been a while since my last update. My apologies.

I’ve really been on the road quite a bit, exploring Colorado and the Dakotas with Anne in the fall; then we took a fascinating trip to Chile in December. It’s a country of huge contrasts and we took every opportunity to capture a variety of rugged landscapes, from the stark beauty of the Atacama Desert in the north to the wind-swept mountains of Torres del Paine to the frozen expanses of glaciers and the Chilean fjords in the south. Look at “New Shoots” at the right here and here for photos taken at some of these locations.

Now I’m back in my Florida home and getting ready for a new season of workshops and lectures over the next few months. Most are on the East Coast but some are further afield, including a new wildflower workshop in Alaska and a return to Holland at tulip season. Please see the listings below and get in touch if you have any questions. I hope some of them will entice you.

Whether you are a returning student or a new participant, I hope to see you at one or more of these workshops to learn, have fun together and renew or build our connections.

All the best and hope to see you soon,

Allen Rokach

February 21-23: Landscapes, Seascapes, Birds & Gardens of South Florida, a 3-day nature workshop sponsored by The Studios of Key West. For details, click here.

March 28: Lecture and Audio-Visual Presentation on Secrets of a Passionate Flower Photographer at the United States Botanical Garden in Washington, D.C. For details, click here.

March 29-30: Creating Art with Digital Photography, a 2-day flower and garden photography workshop at the United States Botanical Garden in Washington, D.C. For details, click here.

April 3-6: Photographing Texas Wildflowers, a 2-day workshop based in Brenham, Texas, sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. For details, click here.

April 11: Lecture and Audio-Visual Presentation on The Creative Magic of Digital Photography at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Virginia. For details, click here.

April 12-13: Digital Photography as Art, a 2-day workshop at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia. For details, click here.

April 18-28: Storybook Holland: A Digital Travel Photography Workshop during the peak of the tulip bloom. To see images from our previous workshop look here and here. For details, click here.

May 14-19: Photographing the Great Gardens of the Mid-Atlantic Region, a unique 6-day workshop that will take us to the region’s best gardens, sponsored by the Mt. Cuba Center in Wilmington, Delaware. For details, click here.

June 13: Lecture and Audio-Visual Presentation on The Creative Magic of Digital Photography at the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage. For details, click here.

June 14-15: Adventures in Photographing Alaska’s Wildflowers, a 2-day workshop sponsored by the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage. For details, click here.

The Studios of Key West

This intensive, long-weekend photography workshop gives us the unusual chance to explore three different South Florida environments with opportunities to photograph seascapes, landscapes, birds, flowers and gardens.

We begin with seascapes and landscapes along the sun-drenched Florida Keys, both early in the day as we drive from Key West to the mainland, and again toward sunset as we head back. Stopping at select locations, this part of the workshop will focus on creating beautiful effects with light and on composition along these coastal areas, applying ideas presented in my books Focus on Travel and The Field Guide to Photographing Landscapes.

Next, we will spend a late afternoon and the following morning developing our skills in photographing birds in Everglades National Park, one of America’s prime birding locations. We will apply techniques discussed in my book The Field Guide to Photographing Birds, such as achieving maximum sharpness, capturing typical bird behaviors, panning to show birds in flight and portraying birds in their environment.

Finally, we will visit two outstanding South Florida gardens: the Fairchild Tropical Garden and Vizcaya, for opportunities to capture these unique gardens in late-afternoon and early morning light. We will focus on capturing the beauty of the flowers and gardens and honing our skills in close-up photography, creative composition, selective focus and proper exposure.

This workshop includes two nights at a South Florida hotel plus breakfast. For more information and to register, click here.

United States Botanic Garden, Washington, D.C.

In this public lecture and audio-visual presentation, I will discuss and illustrate how I developed an expansive vision during my more than 30 years as a flower and garden photographer. I will share my ideas about how to approach floral subjects with creativity and individuality. I will also discuss how today’s digital cameras and after-capture techniques can give photographers even greater opportunities for self-expression. For details and to register, click here.

United States Botanic Garden, Washington, D.C.

Digital imaging has revolutionized photography and liberated photographers. In this intensive two-day photography workshop, I will guide participants to the limitless possibilities of digital garden and flower photography, finding our subjects on the grounds of the United States Botanical Garden. We will concentrate on creating images built around color, shape, line and texture, making strong visual statements using these abstract elements of design. We will also focus on portraying flowers in their garden setting, finding unusual perspectives for close-ups and groupings. Then, in our review sessions, we will explore ways to improve and fine-tune our images in creative ways using today’s amazing but simple after-capture applications. For details and to register, click here.