Rainforest Jewels offers nature macro photography workshops in 2020!

Rainforest Jewels macro photography workshops offer you the opportunity to photograph a variety of incredible amphibians and reptiles, up close and in beautiful settings. You will be shooting using our studio strobes, which will make getting outstanding macro photographs easy! We offer a range of stunning frogs, from tiny frogs barely the size of a shirt button, to beautiful glowing blue dart frogs, as well as such iconic rainforest frogs as the Red Eyed Tree frog! These and many other tree frogs and dart frogs, as well as lizards, geckos, snakes and even arachnids and insects, are all available for you to photograph in a relaxed and comfortable setting! Instruction and guidance is based on your needs, these workshops are suited for anyone, from beginners to pros.

You may wonder how this works! I will try to explain the basics of our macro photography workshops here, and if you still have questions, please contact me. We offer a variety of packages, group sizes and settings. However the most common setting is here in my home (located in Kansas City Kansas), and the most common participant level is two to four photographers. Two stations will be set up, along a 12 foot table, with a studio flash mounted overhead and a “photo booth” positioned in front of you. Each photographer will be provided with a hot shoe mounted trigger for firing the flashes. The photo booth or stage will be where the animal will be positioned for you to photograph. We use a variety of props, from vines and branches to colorful tropical plants. Basic plants are provided, or more elaborate flowers or plants can be obtained for you, or you can bring your own. An out of focus print is usually placed on the back wall of the photo booth, giving the photo a clean natural looking background. We keep a variety of different backgrounds for this use, or some photographers bring their own. Each frog or lizard is brought out and positioned in a natural pose on the plant or other prop. Obviously they will move about on the prop, depending on the frog and the prop, and lots of great macro images will be possible.

I maintain a collection of tree frogs, dart frogs, as well as a few geckos and lizards, which I have hand selected as being outstanding for macro photography, and I can generally provide at least two full days of macro photography with dozens of different specimens for you to photograph. These macro workshops are highly customizable, with such small numbers of participants you have the opportunity to be more in control of what animals you are shooting and what props will be used.

Our collection of macro photography subjects varies from season to season, year to year. I do my best to always have certain frogs and lizards available, frogs such as Red Eyed Tree Frogs are a must, but you should let me know when booking your shoot if you are especially interested in photography with particular animals. In addition to the large collection here, I have many contacts, and can potentially arrange to borrow an animal for you. In these cases, there may be an additional charge, obviously we will cover this before the workshop.

Photography workshops are set up at times which are agreeable to all parties. However the usual macro workshop happens over one or two days, with each day being broken into a morning and afternoon session, each 3 hours, with a couple of hours for lunch. Weekdays are my preference, but a weekend is not out of the question. The typical client is someone who comes with a friend, but singles are welcome as well of course. The fee for this is $95 per hour,(single rate is $85) with a 3 hour minimum. This includes two stations so each photographer has a station and can shoot continuously. Additional photographers can be added to this setup as well, four photographers on two sets can work very well, and while there is an additional charge of $30 per hour, it brings each shooters cost down to $30 per hour! Additional photographers and sets are possible, contact me to discuss options!

Macro photography workshops for more than four photographers are possible, just give me a call or drop me a note to discuss your needs. This is a great option for photography clubs, or groups of friends! I can arrange a local hotel conference room and work with you on your own macro workshop. These larger workshops generally can accommodate from five up to about twelve photographers, with costs varying depending on numbers and your needs or requests. However in general this option will run between $250 and $350 per day per photographer. Contact me for a price quote and to discuss an available weekend.

These macro workshops are fun and relaxed. Having previous experience in macro photography is definitely not required, and while I’ve hosted both professional photographers and beginners, the typical macro workshop client is a photographer who is moderately experienced, but has limited experience in macro photography. Unlike other macro photography workshops, using studio strobes greatly simplifies the macro photography experience. Bring your dslr, and a macro lens, and then just attach the provided trigger to your hotshoe! After a few test shots, you will have your exposure dialed in, and you will get beautifully exposed, shadow free shots. These images will require minimal post shoot work to look amazing! I will be available at every step to help in any way needed, instructions, tips, or feedback! Gear required, as mentioned, is minimal, a dslr or other camera with a hotshoe, and some type of macro lens. Macro lenses can be rented from a variety of sources, or if you are a Nikon shooter, ask and I may have something you can use.

Hope the above info is useful! Please feel free to contact me via email or phone to discuss any questions you might have!

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PO Box 25742 Overland Park, Kansas, 66225 • Ph: 636-675-4292 • Email: info@rainforestjewels.com