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A Natural Eye
Big Sur, California
March 29 - April 1, 2012
with Eddie Soloway
For over ten years I have been offering the Natural Eye workshop below Big Sur's towering ancient redwoods, and along the dramatic coastal cliffs and unspoiled beaches of central California. Wilderness moments and rich cultural history come together in this off-the-beaten-path area between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our footstep will be shared by those of Edward Weston, Brett Weston, Ansel Adams, Robinson Jeffers, Morley Baer, Henry Miller, and Jack Kerouac. Big Sur is a magical place.
"A Natural Eye" strives to develop your eye first, and then bring the technical skills of photography to it. You will spend as much time changing your perspective, sharpening your senses, and immersing yourself in nature as you will on developing new photographic skills.
During this condensed version of my week long workshop, outdoor experiences in diverse natural areas take you through key steps to enriching your photographs of the natural world as you find yourself focused less on objects and things, and more on the magic of moments and the essence of places. You stop chasing the light and learn to enjoy the fine art of wandering. You visit the same place in different light and different weather, getting to know it, and hence seeing it with new eyes. You learn that if you hear more and touch more, you will photograph with more sensitivity. You are rewarded by the skills of patience, solitude and emptying. This workshop weaves together eye-opening outdoor experiences, technical lessons, and for those people prepared for the digital workflow, there will be one image review of work made during the workshop.
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HERE ARE THE DETAILS:
Our days will be a blend of indoor and outdoor sessions to present new ideas, with ample time to immerse yourself photographically. Spring in Big Sur can vary from sunny and warm to foggy and wet. It is a perfect time to be there.
TRAVEL . . . Big Sur is about 45 minutes south of Monterey, and about three to three and a half hours south of San Francisco in good traffic. Major airlines serve San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and Monterey, though connections and fares into Monterey may be less appealing. We will car pool or walk to locations once in Big Sur.
We will convene Thursday at 6:30pm. We will finish at 10:00am on Sunday. The first session is critical to set the tone for the workshop. Travelers from outside the area should consider arriving in California the day before, and folks coming from the Bay Area should consider leaving work a half day early.
ACCOMMODATIONS . . . I will be staying at The Big Sur Lodge (800-424-4787). Our meeting room will be connected to my room. The Lodge is about three miles south of Big Sur in Pfeiffer State Park. There is a block of rooms being held for the group, and you should call and ask for Deborah, the manager, and mention the "Eddie Soloway Workshop" starting March 29 and ending April 1. By staying at The Big Sur Lodge you will have the convenience of being able to walk to our meeting room. You may also camp in Pfeiffer State Park, and the folks at The Lodge can give you the number to call. There are a few other options for lodging in Big Sur, and I recommend that you do not stay in Carmel or Monterey. The 45 minute drive late at night is not fun, especially if it means missing out on some group gatherings.
WORKSHOP FEE. . . $745.00 which includes tuition and classroom snacks. Lodging, transportation, and meals are not included.
It is strongly recommended that participants take out travel insurance in the event of any unexpected changes, disruptions, or cancellations. The cancellation policy is below, and on the registration form.
PREREQUISITE. . . This workshop is open to all photographers with a working knowledge of their cameras. Towards the end of the weekend there will be a chance to review images made during the workshop. If you wish to participate in this review you will need to bring a laptop, editing software, card reader, jump drive, and above all, a working knowledge of the digital workflow. This would include the ability to download images to your laptop Saturday night, make selections, re-name and re-size the selections, move them to a folder, and put them on a jump drive to move to the my laptop for projection. There will be no digital workflow instruction during the workshop. For those participants choosing to pass on the image review, a lot will be gained from listening to the feedback given to others.
Due to our remote location there will be no film processing.
SPOUSES AND FRIENDS . . .Traveling companions must be completely self-sufficient during the workshop experience. For insurance reasons, and as a courtesy to all workshop participants, traveling companions may not participate in any group functions, or group trips.
PAYMENT. . . A $100.00 nonrefundable deposit will hold your reservation and may be made by check, or by Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Final payment is due January 29.
CONFIRMATION DATE . . . You will receive an e-mail notice by January 24 giving the workshop a final confirmation that it will run. You are welcome to check in before to learn how enrollment is proceeding.
CANCELLATION POLICY. . . In the event you must cancel your participation, fees will be returned as follows: If notification is received before January 29, all fees less the $100.00 nonrefundable deposit will be returned. If notification is received from January 29 to February 28, 50% of the fees will be returned. If notification is received after February 28, no money will be returned. We strongly suggest that participants take out travel insurance to protect themselves against unseen circumstances that may arise. In the event that I have to cancel the workshop for any reason, all fees will be returned or you may choose to receive credit to a future session.
To hold a place in the workshop, 1.) Send me an e-mail and request that I hold a space for you in the workshop and that I send you a registration form. 2.) The registration form will be sent via e-mail, and your space will be held for one week while waiting for your registration form to arrive in the mail or by e-mail.
Upon payment of your deposit you will be sent information which will include a request form that will gather information about your travel details, medical concerns, and emergency contacts. You will also receive a list of lodging and contact information, directions, and recommendations about what to bring.
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