Mad River Photography Workshop May 27-30 2011, Wenatchee National Forest. 

Six students will have the opportunity to improve their skills with the help of John Marshall.  We will be based out of Pine Flats Campground near Ardenvoir, Washington on the Entiat Ranger District of the Wenatchee National Forest.  The group camping site is rented begining Friday May 27.  This site offers flat, grassy tenting sites underneath large ponderosa pines.  will have an expansive private space in the campground.  Dashing Mad River is a stone's throw away.   The campground is also a trailhead location.  We will wander a couple of miles up the Mad River.  We will also car pool two miles up a paved road to a parking area beneath the trees.  From there we will walk cross country through pine glades filled with grass to the rim of the Mad River Canyon. Ancient and contorted pines and firs stand a thousand feet above  Mad River.  Series of ridges go off into the distance.   Wildflowers will vary depending on the weather in the preceding weeks, but chances are we will photograph the exquisite Lewissia tweedyi.  Other flowers may include arnica, balsamroot,  larkspur, lupine, penstemon,  and Indian paintbrush.  If the weather is warm we can expect to see many species fo butterflies.   We will also take a trip to the upper Entiat River, and Silver Falls. 

The class level will be considered Intermediate.  Students must have a 35mm SLR or a four thirds camera which will allow them to manually set exposures, and manually focus.   A tripod is also required.  Digital cameras are preferred.     A large wall tent will serve as a classroom, and shelter in the event of rain.   The artistic and technical sides of photography will both be covered.   Students will leave fluent in terms like aperture,  depth of field, hyperfocal distance, and resolution.  They will learn to choose camera settings based on what is best for a particular shot, rather than leaving those decisions up to the automatic features of the camera.  Students will learn to pick out their subject matter based on the available light, and to fine tune their compositions by choice of lens and placement of tripod.  They will learn to think in terms of where to be when, dependent on weather, and time of day.  Students  will also learn how to modify the light with reflectors, diffusors, and flash.  Our primary subject matter will be nature, but volunteers being willing, we will try our lenses on each other.    Peter Bauer will serve as John Marshall's able assistant instructor. 

Besides the photographic options, Pine Flats Campground is a great place to view nature.  John Marshall is well versed in natural history, and can identify most rocks, birds, trees and flowers.  In 1994 right after the Tyee Creek Fire, John set up many photo points on the Wenatchee National Forest.  Several of the photo point sites are at Pine Flats Campground.  John will bring some of his 1994 photos, for students to see how it looked. 

Camping is not a requirement.  Students can stay where ever they like, but photography activities may begin as early as 6:00 a.m. and go as late as 9:00 p.m. We will not have a set schedule but rather do what makes the most sense based on weather.  An arrangement can be made to accomodate non-participating spouses or significan others. 

Meals are included for all workshop registrants starting with  Friday dinner and ending with Monday lunch.  Cost:  $550.00  

Fees include meals, and camping for registrants

Gallery of Mad River/Upper Entiat Images