This advanced in-depth digital workshop on photographing roses will cover every aspect of close-up techniques using the Norfolk’s spectacular Bicentennial Rose Garden. Through demonstrations, one-on-one instruction and daily critiques, this workshop will provide instruction in using macro equipment & electronic flash units and will explore creative approaches to sharpness, composition and light. For details and to register, go to http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/programs-events/calendar/events/519

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Timed to take advantage of the Bernheim’s beautiful spring bloom, this workshop puts you in Kentucky’s most beautiful spring landscape. In this two-day intensive workshop targeting advanced beginner to serious photographers you will learn techniques to capture the essence of floral macro-photography with your digital camera. The workshop will also include training in “after capture” photo editing techniques. For more information and to register, go to http://www.bernheim.org/photoWorkshop.html

This one-day Adorama workshop will take place at the New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show. Our annual field trip to this orchid show is always filled with excitement and surprises as we explore the huge variety of orchids on display and find innovative ways to portray them with our digital cameras. A review session will take place at Adorama Cameras on March 29.

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I’ll be returning to the Brenham area of Texas for another photographic exploration of this prime spring wildflowers destination. We will go to several locations, including private ranches, to find the best places for photographing this eye-popping array of bluebonnets, coreopsis, Indian paintbrush, Texas winecups and other colorful specimens which blanket wide swatches of the landscape here. We’ll be photographing at sunrise and late afternoon to sunset with time in between for instruction on the finer points of digital photography, including after-capture techniques; review sessions; and personal exploration of the local towns. This workshop sold out last year so register early. Check back here for the link when it becomes available.

I’ll be offering my lecture and audio-visual presentation at United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC. It will be open to the public and also serve as an introduction to my weekend workshop. Check back here for the link when it becomes available.

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This is the first workshop that the Rocky Mountain School of Photography has held in New York City – and the first time they are offering a workshop on garden photography. I’m very proud of this new association and have planned a workshop that will introduce you to some of New York City’s best gardens and instruct you on the finer points of digital photography for creating magnificent images of flowers. We will be exploring five of the city’s premier gardens at the height of the spring bloom. I’ve photographed these gardens for many years and know them intimately. In addition to daily outings, there will be time for instruction and review sessions. For more information and to register, go to the website of the Rocky Mountain School of Photography.

I’ll be offering my lecture and audio-visual presentation at Wintherthur in Wilmington, Delaware. It will be open to the public and also serve as an introduction to my weekend workshop. More information is available at Winterthur’s website.

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I’ll be returning to the Winterthur Garden and Estate in Wilmington, Delaware to offer a digital photography workshop at the peak of one of the most spectacular spring blooms in the east coast. We’ll find a heavenly mix of woodland azaleas and rhododendrons plus peonies, irises and possibly roses at this time. All that plus the wonderful fresh greens of Winterthur’s stately trees, lush ferns and an aquatic garden. Our focus will be on capturing the spring bloom making the most of our digital cameras. There will be time for instruction on the finer points of digital photography, including after-capture techniques, and to review your images and suggest ways to improve them. More information is available at Winterthur’s website.

Winter is drawing to an end and that means a busy and exciting spring full of lectures and workshops around the country.

Actually, this was not a winter of hibernation for me. I gave my lecture/audio presentation on The Joy of Photographing Flowers at two Florida venues: in January at Harmon Photo in Orlando and in February at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. Both had a full house and lots of enthusiasm. I also ran two Florida workshops: Camelias Galore! At Leu Gardens in Orlando and Discovering the Beauty of Floral Photography at Bok Tower Gardens in conjunction with my exhibit there. It was great to meet many new photographers and also reconnect with old friends who came to study there with me.

In between, Anne and I took a wonderful and very photogenic trip through Southeast Asia visiting Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. I’ll be posting my photos of those locations in my “New Shoots” soon.

For now, let me tell you about some of the great opportunities to improve your flower and garden photography in the months ahead. In addition to focusing on the particular strengths at each location – orchids, wildflowers, roses, flowers in the landscape – I am emphasizing how to make the most of your digital equipment. Since each camera is different, it’s vital to learn the menus and settings that will give you the results you want. In addition, we take time to look at the potential of after-capture computer techniques that will enhance your images.

I’ll be returning to some favorite locations – the New York Botanical Garden, Winterthur, the United States Botanical Garden, the Chicago Botanical Garden, Chanticleer and the wildflower capital of central Texas.

I’m also offering workshops at some new destinations and I hope these will give you a different experience. I’m especially proud of being listed with the prestigious Maine Media Workshops, where you’ll have a chance for a more extensive week-long learning opportunity. In addition, I’ll be doing my first workshops the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA, known for its orchids; the Norfolk Botanical Garden with its fabulous roses; my first spring workshop at the Bernheim Arboretum in Louisville, KY; and the Clark Institute of Art in Williamstown, MA.

Please see the listings below for details and tell your friends. I hope to see you at one or more of these workshops to learn and have fun together.

All the best, Allen

Upcoming Workshops

• May 14-15: Photographing Spring at Winterthur a digital photography weekend workshop at Winterthur, Wilmington, DE
• May 20: Lecture and Audio-Visual Presentation on Thirty Ways to Look at a Flower at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Norfolk, VA
• May 21-22: Capturing the Rose: An Advanced Macro Photography Workshop at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Norfolk, VA
• May 28-29: Focus on Flowers, a spring weekend workshop at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Louisville, KY
• June 5:Capturing the Beauty of Roses, a one-day workshop at The New York Botanical Garden, for Workshops@Adorama with a review session on Monday, June 6, 2011 5:30 — 7:30 p.m. Check back for the link.
• June 12-18: Focus on Flowers, a week-long intensive workshop on close-up flower photography at the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine
• July 15-17: Lecture and summer weekend workshop at the Chicago Botanical Garden
• NEW July 22: Lecture and Audio-Visual Presentation on Focus on Flowers: Discovering the Beauty of Flowers and Gardens at Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden, near Philadelphia, PA
• NEW July 23-24: A Summer Photography Weekend Workshop at Chanticleer: A Pleasure Garden, a weekend digital photography workshop near Philadelphia, PA
• July 29: The Power of Natural Light, a free evening lecture and audio-visual presentation at the Clark Institute of Art in Williamstown, MA
• July 30-31: Focus on Nature: A Summer Photography Workshop, a weekend workshop at the Clark Institute of Art in Williamstown, MA
• October 14-16: Lecture and fall weekend workshop at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C.
• October 21-23: Lecture and fall weekend workshop at the Bernheim Arboretum, Louisville, KY
• October 28-30: Lecture and fall weekend workshop at the Chicago Botanical Garden

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I will be giving this lecture and audio-visual presentation at Harmon Photo, Orlando, FL. For more information and to register, go to the Harmon Photo website: catchlightstudios.showitsite.com The lecture should be posted on the Harmon Photo site soon.

This workshop is sponsored by Harmon Photo’s School of Photography but will take place at the Harry P. Leu Garden in Orlando, Florida. This is my first workshop at this garden known for its magnificent display of camellias at this time. For more information and to register, go to the Harmon Photo website: http://catchlight-studios.com/floral-photography.html An updated link will be posted once Harmon Photo posts the event.

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This solo exhibit of my photographs will be at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida. It will feature dozens of my color prints of flowers, trees, birds and other nature subjects. The reception will take place on Feb. 25 from 5-6 p.m. Hope to see you there. For more information, go to the Bok Tower Gardens website: www.boktowergardens.org

I will be giving this lecture and audio-visual presentation at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida from 6-8 p.m. For more information and to register, go to the Bok Tower Gardens website: www.boktowergardens.org

This digital photography weekend workshop at Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Florida will explore the formal and natural gardens at this national historic landmark. At this time, we’ll have a chance to find beautiful examples of camellias and other spring blooms and we’ll learn creative ways to portray them with our digital cameras. Our group will have access to the grounds starting at sunrise to capture the early light and again in the late afternoon until sunset. In between, we’ll have classroom time for instruction on the finer points of digital photography, including after-capture techniques, as well as time to review your images and suggest ways to improve them.

For more information and to register, go to the Bok Tower Gardens website: www.boktowergardens.org

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This is a lecture and audio-visual presentation that opens the weekend workshop I will be giving at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia.

This is my first workshop at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia but I know it by reputation and look forward to running an intensive workshop that will concentrate on the magnificent display of orchids at this time. For more information and to register, go to the garden’s website: www.lewisginter.org

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This workshop at The United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC will concentrate on developing your skill in photographing close-ups of flowers using our digital cameras. We will have access to the conservatory and formal gardens before this showcase botanic garden opens to the public each morning. Not only will we be able to get the best light but we also have permission to use our tripods. Since this is also cherry blossom time in Washington DC, we will take time to photograph these delicate flowering trees at some point during this workshop. For those who are interested, this workshop will be offered as part of the Corcoran Certificate in Botanical Art and Design. Check back here for the links to the workshop and the certificate program when they become available.