Spring in the Great Smoky Mountains, TN
April 15 - 19, 2008

Trust us. After 15 years of doing this workshop, we know that this particular time of year has had the best combination of weather, spring colors and reflections, scenics and display of flowers with the additional delight of the possibility of snow at the top of the mountains.

There is not much that can compare to the majesty of the Great Smoky Mountains-one of the most photographed locations in the country and one of our favorites. They are full of photographic inspirations. It will be four days of almost non-stop shooting of a variety of photo "ops": old barns and fences, peak spring wildflowers with and without critters on them, waterfalls, rivers, and scenics galore, and more often than not, deer, turkey and maybe a mama bear with cubs. Once we even lucked out with several inches of snow creating magical moments and melting just in time for the afternoon shoot. North of the tropics, only China can match the Southern Appalachians in the diversity of flowers. The 521,490 acre park has more than 1,400 species of native flowering plants. Combined with the diversity of other subject matter, the area leaves nothing to be desired. We will visit Cades Cove, the Cherokee Orchard Loop and falls, Chimney’s, a park outside of Gatlinburg plus other locations. Shooting the early morning light enables us to avoid the tourist traffic. If you are not an early bird, this is not the workshop for you. We will shoot from pre-sunrise until the afterglow of sunset to catch the best light as it sweeps across the landscape. We have a block of rooms reserved, each having a refrigerator, making it convenient to stock up on breakfast goodies and snacks. We stop for coffee in the a.m. for those in need of a jump start and then we are off. We eat lunches on the road and then continue to wherever the “light” carries us. We have started a tradition of taking boxed dinners up the mountain so as not to miss sunset. As is said, “Can’t be late for work”!!

Participants will have the opportunity, as they do in all of our workshops, to experience all sorts of equipment including as assortment of tripods, techniques, styles, field challenges and camaraderie. They will receive lots of one on one time in the field and many opportunities to experiment and ask questions. We are there for them throughout the day – every waking hour.

We will gather on Tuesday evening, the 15th, at 6:00 p.m. in the conference room and depart on Saturday around 11:00 a.m. The fee is $575 (food and lodging not included but a block of rooms has been reserved for your convenience at an Inn on the edge of Gatlinburg) After reserving your spot in the workshop, you’ll need to make your room reservation. We don’t spend any time within the boundaries of Gatlinburg so traffic isn’t a problem. The Inn just happens to be very conveniently located for all the areas we visit.

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