Photography workshops with Dakota Petersen
Offered in several levels of experience for those just beginning to use a camera, those interested in landscape and nature photography, those discovering or rediscovering film, and those with experience who want to hone their skill in capturing a compelling photograph
Beginning in November of 2020 I will be hosting a recurring series of four workshops tailored for photographers local to the Phoenix, AZ area. Each workshop occurs every other Saturday or Sunday from 3pm to 6pm (seasonally adjusted) in the Phoenix Mountains around Piestewa Peak, a central desert preserve easily accessible from three large trailheads. These workshops are intended to foster creative growth in those interested in landscape and nature photography. This is a genre which encourages individual expression and observation of the world around us, but is all too often treated as no more than a hobby when compared to studio or commercial work. In this series of classes I will guide students according to their level of experience, from beginner to advanced, to more fully engage in this field as a mode of artistic fulfillment and as a powerful medium not just for capturing images but for telling visual stories which grab the eye and imagination of the viewer.
I recommend those in the first two levels (Camera Basics and Composition and Subject) who are still learning their tools to bring either a digital or film camera with manual exposure controls. This means a camera with adjustable shutter speed, aperture/f-stop, and ISO (if digital). These will be the most helpful cameras to learn from, and if this sounds complicated, don’t worry! These classes are given specifically to help you understand the principles behind photography itself and how you can mindfully adjust them to suit your vision. If you are new to film but would like to learn, feel free to bring a camera you are unfamiliar with and an appropriate film type and it will become a very useful example during the workshop for you and your fellow students.
The second two levels (Advanced Technique and Exploring Your Vision) are meant for photographers more mature in their craft who have become interested in ways to improve or adapt creatively to what they see. These levels will travel farther distances in the preserve and encounter more difficult terrain for the payoff of more challenging and rewarding opportunities. Students should have a comfortable method of carrying their gear securely for the duration of the class as well as some practical experience of desert hiking. While advice will always be available, workshoppers in these levels should be comfortable with their equipment, ready instead to work on training their technique for approaching photography on their own terms and in their own way.
For those interested in any level of workshop it is important to understand that, although offered in a convenient and well-developed preserve, the desert is a dangerous place and cannot be taken lightly. More specific and pertinent information will be included in each workshop, but before signing up, be sure you are in physical condition to withstand three hours of being on your feet, carrying a heavy camera and water, hiking over rocky, steep terrain, and the stresses of overly hot, cold, exposed, and even rainy conditions. Each class will follow only well-developed trails and will remain together throughout the workshop, but there is always a risk of injury, dehydration, heat exhaustion, venomous fauna, and more. I have hiked in the desert for over ten years without serious incident and will do my part to be sure everyone is prepared and acting safely, but it will be the individual responsibility of the student to know the dangers and eliminate unnecessary risks.
In light of these warnings, workshoppers must be at least 18 years old and will be required to sign a waiver of liability before the beginning of the class in order to participate. You can read through the waiver HERE.
This workshop series is offered to celebrate the fun and artistry of photography in a natural setting with others of the same interest. The Phoenix Mountains have been home to me since childhood, and while they may seem unapproachable or inhospitable, there is a great beauty deep within which I hope to share with anyone who cares to look. Come take a walk through the hills and crags, smell the creosote and bursage, and wonder at the sky clear and hard as turquoise. And bring a camera! You’ll need it where we’re going.
