Mindfulness Photo Walk:
Join Tomas for a photo walk focused on Mindfulness. Enjoy the serene surroundings of a beautiful Hot Springs City Park. Immerse yourself in the present moment as you explore picturesque landscapes, capturing the natural beauty with your camera while practicing mindfulness techniques. This unique experience offers a perfect blend of relaxation, creativity, and connection with nature. led by Tomas Alvarez. 3:00 - 4:30pm
Basic Lightroom Editing & Organization:
Discover the essentials of Adobe Lightroom in this beginner-friendly class, designed to help you master photo editing and organization. Learn how to enhance your images with fundamental editing tools, from adjusting exposure to fine-tuning colors. Additionally, streamline your workflow by effectively managing your photo library using Lightroom's powerful cataloging features. Led by Craig Weinberg. 3:00 - 4:30pm.
Successful Composition:
Photographic composition is how the elements of our images are arranged…it is how we, as photographers, dictate the feelings, flow and story within the borders of the print. In this short session, we will explore a few of the guidelines that date back as far as ancient Rome and were refined during the Renaissance to influence our photography today. Led by George Wilson. 5:00 - 6:30pm.
Experience the Mustang Magic - FULL!
Pausing on Sundance Hill to get the “lay of the land,” high enough to see into both Nebraska, Wyoming and across the vast grasslands of South Dakota, the photographer will
suddenly feel they are viewing America as it was hundreds of years ago.
Pausing on Sundance Hill to get the “lay of the land,” high enough to see into both Nebraska, Wyoming and across the vast grasslands of South Dakota, the photographer will
suddenly feel they are viewing America as it was hundreds of years ago.
Suddenly they see in front of them, the mustangs. At first there are just a few and then all at once there are hundreds of them. Blacks, bays, buckskins, paints, and dappled greys. The
weathered veterans of the prairie. Heads up, nostrils flaring, they are curious and wary of the people who have entered their domain. For centuries this corner of South Dakota had
been a sacred spot for Native Americans because the Cheyenne River loops so vigorously through the short-grass plains that it flows, at different points, in all four directions of the
compass. Native Americans traveled from all directions across the plains to conduct ceremonies here. Hides were scraped by the Petroglyphs close to the river and messages
for other travelers were etched into the sandstone cliffs.
Be one of the few to travel in comfort in either an SUV or passenger van to capture the wild mustangs in the early morning as sunrise’s first fingers of light bring a new day. The low angle light allows us to capture the mustangs as they run through the prairie grass and emerge from the pines or stand stoically for us in golden portraits. You will see and photograph the historic petroglyphs of ancient peoples and clusters of swallow nests dotting a cliff.
Your photography guide, George Wilson, will position you for optimum photographs of the wild mustangs, guide you through composition and settings. Guidance will be offered about settings and techniques for the best images possible.
Details: Departs from the BHWHS Visitor Center at 6:15am - ends at 9:15am+ (may stay longer if the action is good.)
Paid Participants: Min of 4 | Max of 10 .
Suggested (but not required) Gear:
The camera you have - cell phone to DSLR. | Second camera body - you may
not use it, but just in case is always a good reason | Glass: Most of the work on this workshop can be easily done with a zoom up to
200mm. Your instructor typically uses an 80-200mm f2.8 and 18-70mm f3.5 zoom | Advice is given against tripods and monopods on the early trips into the herds. This tends to get the horses a bit nervous – they are wild and have not ever been saddled | Photo backpack or bag | Lens tissue and cleaning fluid, Blower ball for dust, Microfiber cloths (NEVER ENOUGH) | Circular polarizing filter(s.) | Fully charged camera battery | Memory cards | Smart phone—to make a short video, email a snapshot to a friend, tag the event | Participants should have a good working knowledge of their camera – especially the manual mode of operation |
Safety concerns and considerations for others on location will be discussed before departure from the visitor center and getting close to the horses.
The camera you have - cell phone to DSLR. | Second camera body - you may
not use it, but just in case is always a good reason | Glass: Most of the work on this workshop can be easily done with a zoom up to
200mm. Your instructor typically uses an 80-200mm f2.8 and 18-70mm f3.5 zoom | Advice is given against tripods and monopods on the early trips into the herds. This tends to get the horses a bit nervous – they are wild and have not ever been saddled | Photo backpack or bag | Lens tissue and cleaning fluid, Blower ball for dust, Microfiber cloths (NEVER ENOUGH) | Circular polarizing filter(s.) | Fully charged camera battery | Memory cards | Smart phone—to make a short video, email a snapshot to a friend, tag the event | Participants should have a good working knowledge of their camera – especially the manual mode of operation |
Safety concerns and considerations for others on location will be discussed before departure from the visitor center and getting close to the horses.
Directions from Hot Springs: Follow Route 71 South from Hot Springs, SD towards Nebraska | Approximately 13 miles after leaving town, you will cross the Cheyenne River Bridge | In 1,000 feet, turn right onto Rocky Ford Road. (This is a dirt road.) | As the road rises a small schoolhouse will come into view – turn right onto Highland Road and follow about 2 miles to the visitor center.
To -Go Box Breakfast: Available by ordering through our Lodging Host, https://www.springscoffeesd.com/ | How this will work is, once you are officially registered for this pre-conference workshop, you go to the website and select your order. IN the notes, make sure to note that you are with the Black Hills Photo Shootout. They will then prepare the orders and the orders will be sent, along with Coffee & Juice, with one of the participants departing from the Lodge who will then deliver the breakfasts at the meeting spot.