Jay Grammond - Instructors:

Special Guest Instructor: Based out of Canada, Ramtin (Rammy) Kazemi is an award winning landscape and nature photographer. He’s also a tour guide with a passion for the wilderness. Rammy’s love for teaching and sharing photography has led him to become an instructor at world leading companies like KelbyOne.

An artist whose imagery relies on Landscape Photography is a creature of the light... Waking up before sunrise and coming back to tent after sunset is what goes into capturing mother nature's most magical moments. It's all about the journey! It's this journey into the wild that he is passionate about. "When you look at an image that speaks to you, one thing to remember is that it's a result of nothing but time, passion and love."

He started photography as a hobby and has a diploma from Recording Arts Canada and his background is actually in music and audio. Rammy quickly realized that the audio industry wasn't for him because he couldn't be himself creating mainstream music! After picking up his first camera and exploring the world, He fell in love with it specially because he enjoyed the outdoors. Ramtin really enjoys the journey through his lenses and loves to explore the backcountry of our planet earth and photograph places that have been rarely seen by the human eye. His passion for adventure in the wilderness and pristine landscapes is what drives him to do what he does. Nature has been a big part of Rammy's life as far as he can remember and his life would be very little without the influence of the wilderness. As he always says, "one must remember that photography comes after the journey itself"... Ramtin has been working hard and he's ready to share it all with you.

Kendra Perry Koski had been coming to the Black Hills Shootout as a participant every year until 2019, when she became an Instructor. Kendra is the owner of Dakota Winds Photography and spends her time exploring the backroads of South Dakota, capturing breathtaking sunsets and photographing the abandoned buildings and vehicles she finds along the way. Check out Kendra's work on her facebook page: Dakota Winds Photography. Website: DakotaWindsPhoto.com Instagram: @dakotawindsphoto Facebook: Dakota Winds Photography

Tomas Alvarez: As a technologist and professional photographer, I've embarked on a transformative journey, evolving from a photography enthusiast after college to being wholeheartedly captivated by the art form a decade ago. Photography has seamlessly woven itself into the fabric of my life, leaving an indelible mark in countless ways. Delve into my portfolio of landscape images, and you'll discover a distinctive style that seamlessly merges artistic vision with a profound reverence for the natural world. Each photograph tells a story, encapsulating the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us. Through the years, my dedication and passion have been recognized through solo and group exhibitions, accolades in publications, and even gracing the covers of a few notable works.

Craig Weinberg is a photographer, graphic designer, podcast producer/host and entrepreneur. He has been the owner of VPD Studio since 2004. The business started in Roseburg, OR and then moved to Milbank, SD in 2008. Craig specializes in senior portraits, strobe and composite photography. He has experience in: family and senior portrait photography; commercial Photography; and graphic design, including video projects. Craig is passionate about striving for excellence in everything he does, and is always excited to meet and share with the photographers around him. https://bio.site/craigweinberg

Mackenzie Scheff is a born and raised Minnesota farm girl who fell in love with western South Dakota. She lives on an acreage outside of New Underwood, SD with her fiancé and all their animals. In 2019 Mackenzie started Open Spaces Photography as primarily capturing the western lifestyle. Now she photographs seniors, portraits, weddings, equine, and more. Last year was her first year participating in Black Hills Shoot out and she enjoyed learning from everyone and meeting new friends. Facebook : Open Spaces Photography Instagram : @themnfarmgirl

Jay Grammond is a Minnesota based Photographer/Creative with roots in North & South Dakota. He has coordinated the Black Hills Photo Shootout since 2019. Jay is also behind the Adventure Workshops in Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota/ Wyoming. He has a love for history which is reflected in his rural landscapes and Americana type subjects. "Old West" themed shoots have a special place in his heart. Jay is the author of the book, "Fading Ads Of The Twin Cities." You can see some of his work on Instagram as well as other Social Media platforms including Facebook | X | LinkedIn | TikTok|BlueSky.

Photo by Craig at VPD Studio.

Jon Deuter. Born and raised in the wide-open spaces of South Dakota, Jon Deuter has always had a creative spirit. While his chidhood was spent on his grandparens' ranches, chasing G.I. Joe adventures, Jon discovered his artistic talents in high school art classes. Though he put those talents on hold for 20 years while serving 10 years in the Army as an Infantryman, and 10 years working in South Dakota law enforcement. But his passion for the visual arts never truly dimmed. In 2015, Jon rediscovered his passion for the visual arts while attending Black Hills State University. Though photography may be more of a hobby, Jon's military expertise and comic book inspiration lend a captivating, cinematic quality to his action figure photography, as he crafts compelling visual narratives in every frame. With his unique perspective and artistic flair, Jon's work shines with an undeniable energy and imagination.

Rebecca DeWitt. Rebecca DeWitt (Zvejnieks) is a born & raised Black Hills local and has been doing photography & videography professionally for 6 years. Rebecca is the owner of both R. DeWitt Photography & Zsomething Films and loves to photograph family, senior, and couple portraits as well as landscape & architecture photos on all her travels. For video, weddings are the primary aspect of the business, but event, travel and commercial videos are also a big part of the business. Rebecca is also a past Black Hills Photo Shootout participant.

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