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| Sea Weathered Home, Cojimar, Cuba |
? Rad A. Drew
In 2014, I left a corporate career in a business I’d been in for 21 years. I retired from the company, but not from work . Rather, I left the corporate world to pursue my photography career, and with that decision came a commitment to continued learning about the art and craft I love so much.
On the technological side, photography is very rapidly changing with new cameras, new techniques, new toys, and new methods of processing images being introduced nearly everyday. Yet, on the artistic side, many of the rules that guide us in creating images have remained the same since the first cave drawings. And what inspires us as artists is a deeply personal and introspective area of study.
With the technological, inventive, and inspirational factors of pictures, there may be a whole lot of discovery and maintaining as much as do. I discover that I need to pedal pretty fast to live abreast of technological modifications, even as additionally continuing to find out about composition and light, and a way to engage and publish to the creative muse.
One manner I try and research and stay clean, is to head on picture excursions with photographers I admire.
As one who has gone on his share of destination tours with other photographers, I got to thinking about what I like about going on tours. Why do I love to go? What motivates me? What are the benefits?
After some brooding about and a few dialogue with some pals, this is what I?Ve give you, not in any precise order of importance.
1. Hands-On Instruction in the Field.
In my humble opinion, there’s no better way to learn than to do , and if you do while standing next to someone who really knows their stuff, then you’ve got a great opportunity to rapidly advance your skills and knowledge while having a blast !
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| The Palouse from Steptoe Butte |
? Rad A. Drew On more than one occasion, I’ve had the privilege to shoot alongside today’s best photographers and teachers. Each time, I've come away a more mature photographer.
Last yr in the Palouse with John Barclay and Dan Sniffin, I not best learned a factor or two approximately my new Fuji mirror-less digicam from John, however, thanks to Dan, I started to practice seeing in a brand new way. (Dan, with the aid of the manner is they guy who had no longer one, but photos inside the equal National Geographic calendar a few years back. I watched and listened to him very carefully!)
With each tour experience, my skills as a photographer advance. I become more sensitive to my environment. I learn new ways to see and to listen for what moves me. And I often learn new technical skills that help me manifest my vision.
2. Camaraderie
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| From Camp at Sunset at the Colorado River |
©Rad A. Drew There’s nothing like being away from home in a fascinating part of the world with a group of others who share a similar appreciation for making art from the beauty around them. Last summer I spent 10 days running the Colorado River rapids with a group of veteran photographers who had been down The River many times before. Each day we worked together to break camp, load our boats, and cooperate with each other in countless ways while on the river. Each evening we collaboratively unloaded our boats, set up camp, helped prepare meals, discussed photography, philosophized, and simply hung out. The sense of camaraderie and companionship was a highlight of the trip.
3. Forming Life-Long Friendships
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| Shooting at Graffiti Underground alongside the Delaware River |
Left to proper: Rad Drew,Colman Love,Victoria Porter, andMark Murphy
? Rad A. Drew All of the dear friends in the photo above, I met through photography in one way or another. Here we are at Graffiti Underground, the last stop on a tour that included Fonthill Castle, Longwood Gardens, and Eastern State Penitentiary.
In 2013 I traveled to Cuba with a collection led by John Barclay and Tony Sweet. I knew no person else on that experience, yet, these days, I am close with five of the human beings from that journey and am often in contact with others. We go to every other, shoot collectively, and in a few cases work together, as I do with my friend and dazzling east coast photographer, Betty Wiley, inside the Cape Cod vicinity.
4. Learning from Others
On each of the photo tours I’ve done, I’ve not only met people who have become life-long friends, but I’ve met some fabulous photographers who have been extremely generous in sharing their particular expertise. I didn’t expect to learn from other participants on these trips, but I did! In fact, it’s one of the biggest benefits of photo tours in my experience. And, I’ve had the opportunity to pay it forward, too.
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| Sheep Barn, Conner Prairie at Dawn, iPhone Photo |
? Rad A. Drew For example, I’m often the only guy on a trip among experienced photographers who takes the iPhone seriously. I’m no iEvangelist, but I have to say, I’ve won over my share of iPhone converts on these trips by sharing what I know.
5. Seeing Beautiful Places in the Relative Safety of a Group
We live in an age wherein tour has in no way been so reachable. Tours I?Ve participated in or led have taken me to Cape Cod, Newport, San Diego, The Palouse, New York, Philadelphia, Fonthill Castle, Miami, Chicago, New Orleans, Louisiana Bayous, numerous abandoned locations, Cuba, England, Scotland, Wales, and to many areas toward home that I both didn?T know about or wouldn?T mission to on my own.
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| Abandoned United Methodist Church, Gary, Indiana. |
? Rad A. Drew Whether it's true or not, we all feel safer traveling in a group to shoot abandoned buildings in Gary, Indiana.
My Upcoming Workshops and Tours
As you are taking benefit of opportunities and select what you?Ll do to have fun and build your photography abilties, I desire you?Ll don't forget the workshops I?M imparting this 12 months and next.
Here?S a list of my upcoming activities. Click the hyperlinks for the information.
IPhoneography Workshops and Presentations
- Presentation , Central Library, Indianapolis, July 8, 2015, sponsored by the Riviera Camera Club and the Indianapolis Public Library; FREE to the public
- Workshop (With Exhibit), Maysville, KY, September 5 (details soon)
- Workshop ,Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana, September 19
- Presentation , Portland Camera Club, Portland, Maine, on Saturday, October 3. (details soon)
Photo Tours
- The October Cuba trip that Sally Meyer Wolf and I are leading is SOLD OUT! Thanks to all who signed up and to those who helped get the word out.
- We're planning another Cuba trip for March 2016, currently awaiting the dates and details for that trip. It will be much like the trip we are doing in October 2015, so read about it here. Let me know if you'd like to be added to a notification list for the March 2016 trip!
- Bucolic Indiana, June 27, Sally Meyer Wolf and I will lead a one-day Southern Indiana Tour.
- Provincetown, MA workshop with Betty Wiley in October (Only three spaces remaining.)
- Palouse at Harvest Time in August
- Fonthill Castle in November
Other Recommended Teachers
Other first rate photographers and friends with whom I?Ve taken workshops, long past on tours, or photographed with in current years, and who I can advocate, encompass the following:
Betty Wiley
Brenda Tharp
Sally Meyer Wolf
Dan Burkholder
Dan Sniffin
Dewitt Jones
John Barclay
Karen Messick
Kevin Raber
Theresa Airey (google her)
Tony Sweet
Thanks for following my blog, and until next time, hold on capturing!
Best,
Rad
P.S. Click Here to subscribe to my publication!
Questions? Comments?Contact me!
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