Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and Adobe Lightroom Workshop, October 2011

Workshop Date: October 7-9, 2011

Workshop Leaders: Andy Biggs and Michael Clark

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

About The Workshop

This extended weekend workshop will be a combined classroom workshop with outdoor photographic shoots. The workshop coincides with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which is the world’s largest balloon festival. All classroom instruction will be centered around Adobe Photoshop Lightroom v3.

Workshop Schedule

Day 1 - Afternoon (2pm until dinner time)
Lightroom 3 and the Library module.

Day 2 - Morning
Dawn Patrol: Early morning shoot at the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Day 2 - Late Morning  and all afternoon
Lightroom 3 and the Develop module

Day 3 - Morning
Dawn Patrol: Early morning shoot at the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Day 3 - Late Morning and all afternoon
Lightroom 3 and the Develop module. Michael and Andy will work with participants to develop images taken over the weekend, as well as will assist in portfolio reviews.

Computers will not be provided but participants with laptops are encouraged to bring them. Following along on your own laptop is a hands-on way of learning what is being taught in the classroom.

The Cost
The cost of this workshop is $495 per person. The same rate applies for each participant regardless of whether they are doing photography and participating in the workshop, or not. A nonrefundable deposit of $125 is required to secure your spot on the workshop. Final balance will be due no later than September 1, 2011.

Accommodations
The classroom portion of the workshop will be held at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North, however there are many hotels in the nearby area from which to choose.

Transportation
Most major airlines service Albuquerque, New Mexico. Once in Albuquerque, you can take one of the many shuttles to your hotel. Rental cars are available at the airport.

We do not provide transportation during the workshop. Please plan ahead and reserve a rental car. Of course, we will share vehicles and car pool to make life easier for all of us. We are not responsible for reimbursement of non-refundable airline tickets in the event of a workshop cancellation.

Workshop Materials
All participants will be given a copy of Michael’s e-book entitled Adobe Photoshop Lightroom:
 A Professional Photographer’s Workflow, which details his complete workflow from start to finish. 

You will need to bring the following equipment with you:
• a 35mm digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses
• a laptop computer with a USB memory key, DVD or external hard drive. Instructors will be using Mac.
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software installed on your computer (you can download the 30-day trial version of Lightroom before the workshop if you don’t already have the software.)
• Digital memory cards with a card reader (preferably CompactFlash or Secure Digital Cards)
• power adapters and cables for laptop and digital camera
• camera manual
• batteries and charger for rechargeable batteries

It is expected that you know how to download images from your camera to the laptop, know basic editing techniques using your software, and are able to organize the edited images for critique.

Registration
If this workshop has your name on it, then now is the time to register. Remember, there will be limited space available for this workshop. When they’re spoken for, that’s it. If you have any questions before registering, send us an e-mail with any inquiries to info@andybiggs.com.

$125 to hold your place until September 1 with a deposit.

Testimonials from last year’s workshop

“Thanks to Andy and Michael for a wonderful, educational, experienced based workshop in New Mexico. Today I reread my notes from the classroom work and have been amazed at how deeply informative it was. Michael’s Lightroom Book as well as yours about digital printing have given me a whole new level of understanding especially around the Lightroom Develop module as well as on the entire topic of printing and color management. I really appreciate how you and Michael showed your individual processes for image workflow. Comparing and contrasting both methods allowed me to take the best of both and adapt them to fit my needs. My increase in knowledge along with the additional hands on guidance we got in the photo sessions at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival will enable me going forward to make the best photos I’m capable of producing.”

“Andy, I’ve taken several photography seminars over the past few years. Without a doubt your’s has been the most informative, well organized, openly sharing event I’ve attended.”

“Thanks again for all your help and guidance. It’s clear you don’t hold back when teaching and sincerely want all attendees to get as much out of the seminars as we’re able to absorb.”

”..my mind is still spinning and I can’t help but smile every time I think of the wonderful experience garnered from our workshop. Between what I learned from the two of you, as well as from my talented classmates - this was a great experience, and I would do it again.”

What's in Andy's Camera Bag?

While I was out on safari in Tanzania a few weeks ago, I decided to set up a tripod and shoot a quick video on how I pack my Gura Gear Kiboko bag.

If you have any comments, questions or thoughts, I would love to hear them!

Update: Some people have been asking me how I created the video, so here are the details: Canon 5DMk2 camera, 50mm f/1.2 lens, SONY UWP-V1 wireless microphone with audio recorded on a Roland R-09 portable recorder.

Africa Photo Safari Availability for 2011

I do have a few more spots available for the rest of my 2011 safaris, as well as a few new safari announcements. If you are planning your 2011 schedule, and have been thinking about photographing some of the most amazing and abundant wildlife on the planet, here is a quick rundown of what I have available for the rest of the year.

Botswana: The Premier Wildlife Safari. July 4-13, 2011. Only 1 spot available.

Predators of the Sabi Sands, South Africa. July 25 - August 3, 2011. A few spots available, and limited to a max of 7 travelers.

Ultimate Mountain Gorillas and the Masai Mara. September 3-15, 2011. Only 2 spots available.

Kenya’s Masai Mara and Wildebeest River Crossings. September 14-23, 2011. New Announcement, limited to 7 travelers. Only a few spots available after only a couple of hours.

As you can see, my safaris do book up well in advance as there are only a few spots left on some of these safaris. The safaris that are already sold out are not contained in this blog post, and you can see my entire safari and workshop schedule on my main web site:

Andy Biggs Photo Safaris - Safaris and Workshop Schedule

I am starting to work on my 2012 safari and workshop schedule, and I will being to post the schedule as I start to get pricing and schedules all nailed down. It takes a ton of time to plan these safaris. I do know that I will be running two safaris in Botswana in September 2012, and Greg du Toit will be running the popular Predators of the Sabi Sands safari as well (July or August).

NASA - A Behind-The-Scenes Tour

A few months back a friend, fellow photographer and NASA astronaut Alan Poindexter invited Leslie and I to visit NASA and to participate in a behind-the-scenes visit of the NASA facilities. I have lived in Houston most of my life, and I have only been able to visit the parts of NASA that are on the typical tourist destinations. Without hesitation, I was eager to go! When Dex asked me what kinds of activities I was most interested in, the first thing out of my mouth was to spend some time in the actual Space Shuttle flight simulator. It wasn’t a guaranteed visit, but very likely that we could get some time on the simulator.

During our visit to NASA, we did more than just spend time in the Space Shuttle Flight Simulator, such as a visit to an Orbiter mockup, the International Space Station mockup, the Soyuz capsule, and two Mission Control rooms.

Since the Space Shuttle program is coming to an end, and Congress has not allocated any more funding to NASA after the STS-134 mission, Dex won’t be included in any more flights with this program. He was the Pilot on STS-122 and he was the Commander of STS-131. Since Dex’s NASA tenure was coming to a close, he used some of his time to take us on a behind-the-scenes tour of what goes on at NASA.

The following images are fairly self explanatory, so I just threw together some short pieces of text underneath each image. Leslie and I had a great time, and feel honored that we were able to see behind the scenes some of the places that the general public are not able to see. It saddens me that our space program seems to have lost its way, and that we don’t seem to have a clear view of what our next steps are going to be with space exploration. After my visit to NASA, I am much more in touch with how things work and why space exploration is important, and I can only hope that we keep funding future missions into space.

The entrance to the Orbiter Space Shuttle Flight Simulator at NASA

..and here it is. It sits on top of a large hydraulic platform.

The control room for the simulator

Some of the information displays for the simulator

The interior of the Orbiter simulator. Everything is the same as the real Orbiter vehicles. You do experience a bouncy liftoff, which lasts a number of minutes. You are on your back, so the feeling is very ‘real’. What amazed me was the amount of time from liftoff until the unbuckling of restraint belts, which is around 12 minutes. Amazing.

Dex and I in the flight deck

Dex is explaining to me how to adjust the stick for optimum comfort

And no, this isn’t a video game.

Velcro is all over the place!

Ok, this does look like a video game, circa 1980. The technology works, though. (Remember Tank Command? Well, the graphics are eerily similar)

Here I am attempting a landing of the Orbiter, and the earth’s horizon has just come into view.

The Waste Collection System ‘training room’

And this is how you learn to use the potty in space. Correct aim is *essential*!

Alan Poindexter and his trusty Gura Gear Kiboko camera bag

A mockup of the Orbiter. The inside is a perfect replica of the real Orbiter

Leslie and Dex, about to climb in

Dex’s wonderful wife, Lisa. Always with a smile.

A memorial to those brave astronauts who were lost on prior Space Shuttle missions (Challenger and Columbia)

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS) volume mockup

The International Space Station (ISS) cupola. The most amazing photograph was taken of Tracy Caldwell Dyson in 2010

The interior of the Russian Soyuz capsule

Mission Control Center in Building 30 at Johnson Space Center

The Apollo era Mission Control Center (MOCR1). It was actually used for the Apollo and Space Lab missions

Ah, rotary phones

The actual Mission Control Center (MOCR2). They were going through the STS-133 simulation when we were there, so we weren’t able to spend much time in this room

2010 Wrap-up and 2011 Resolutions

So as 2010 comes to a close, I thought I would write down some of the highlights and low points from 2010 as it relates to my personal life as well as my photographic life. This is a quick entry that I am writing from my iPad on the new Squarespace iPad app, so I apologize for any weird spelling mistakes.

2010 started off on a very low note for me, as I lost my mother to cancer. The 7 months leading up to late January were difficult and painful, and the 11 months since her death have been even more challenging. My mom’s passing away made me realize that I am getting older, and that many of my personal and professional goals are still hanging over my head. So here are some random thoughts on 2010 highlights, as well as 2011 and beyond goals.

Betty Biggs (1941-2010) and Christian Biggs, 2008

2010 Safari experiences

I spent about 12 weeks out on safari this year, split between Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa. 15,000 raw files and 120,000 frequent flier miles later, I think I came home with some images that I am quite happy with. I tend to ignore the processing of my raw files until many months after returning from a trip, and 2010 was no exception. I can probably say that 2010 was one of my most productive years to-date, even though I screwed up on my February Tanzania safari with my 6x24cm panorama camera. Stupid me. I didn t have any other major equipment failures or mess-ups, so that was a good thing. Some safari destinations visited: Okavango Delta (Botswana), Linyanti concession (Botswana), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania), Tarangire National Park (Tanzania), Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania), Tuli Block (Botswana), Mala Mala (South Africa), Exeter (Sabi Sands, South Africa), Tswalu Kalahari (South Africa), Madikwe (South Africa). Leslie joined me in South Africa this year, and this was the first time she has been on safari with me since 2004. That was the absolute highlight of my year, as Leslie got to see what I have been up to and how my running of safaris has changed in the past 6 years. Gosh, so much has happened since 2002, which is when I started my safari business. Maybe I will do a blog post on my most favorite wildlife experiences to-date.

Other workshops and trips

I spent time in Santa Fe, Moab and the Galapagos Islands, and loved every second of each of those workshops. I think 2011 will have similar workshops, and I already have the Galapagos Islands trip on the books with only 2 cabins left if you are interested in joining. The trip will be led by Randy Hanna this time around. I also found myself in Vietnam for Gura Gear related business, and I am sure I will be back in 2011.

2011 Resolutions

Love my family and show it every second of the day

This seems obvious, but we all need to tell our loved ones through actions and words that we love them and that we want them near us. With my travels, this is even more important for me to get my nose out of my computer when I am at home. My office/studio is about 1 mile from the house, so my commute is very easy. I rarely get to the office before 9am, and I am usually at home by 5:30. This allows me to spend time with Leslie, Christian and Will for breakfast, as well as dinner. I also get bathtime duty, which is a free-for-all splashfest and also filled with smiles and laughter.

Get better organized

I need better filing systems, as well as ways to manage my image archive and related backups. I think I have the technology in place, but I need to be better disciplined about how I store things and how often my backups are executed. I also need to keep the office clean, as it always look like a pit. Too many Gura Gear prototype bags, too many inkjet paper boxes, and too many other things junk the place up.

Web site

I need to update my web site, and I think I am going to re-build the site around Photoshelter and Wordpress. This is a huge item for 2011, and will take some time to get nailed down. Oh, and guragear.com also needs a refresh.

I also need to update my Photoshelter archive from scratch with new keywords. Oh, and submit more images to the Library of Congress for copyright protection.

Blog blog blog blah blah blah

Ok, more informative and helpful blog posts. I know, I know. I don t find writing blog posts or tweets to be very fulfilling and it probably shows. My apologies. I have so many things that take up my time and these types of activities need to take a front seat. 2011 will be better, and my goal is to have a meaningful blog post each week. That s 52 of them, plus any other filler type posts like my Photo of the Day type entries.

Perfect Holiday Photos on Great Day Houston

I was on Great Day Houston KHOU TV this morning, and host Deborah Duncan and I chatted about my holiday camera recommendations, as well as fixes to common photo problems when photographing people. Click on the photo below to visit khou.com to see the interview.

Host Deborah Duncan and myself on the set

Mombo and Little Mombo Best in Africa Again

I use many different safari outfitters throughout Africa, as well as other providers that help me in different areas of my business, and one of the most reliable organizations I work with is Wilderness Safaris. Their camps are always top notch, and their professionalism both at the camps and in the home office always exceeds expectations. It is no surprise that Mombo Camp and Little Mombo Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta are yet again the Number 1 Resort in Africa in the 2010 Condé Nast Traveler (USA) Readers’ Choice Awards.

Aside from Mombo’s chart-topping achievement, a number of other Wilderness Safaris camps were prominent in the Top Resorts in Africa: Other camps in Botswana that were rated highly by readers of the magazine were the Okavango camps of Jao Camp (at eighth place) and Vumbura Plains, and the Linyanti camps of DumaTau and Savuti. Namibian camps that featured in Top African Resorts included the Kulala and Ongava camps at Sossusvlei and Etosha respectively.

Destinations were rated on the following criteria: Activities/facilities, food/dining, location, overall design, rooms, and service - all of which Mombo performed almost perfectly according to the readers of Condé Nast! As the magazine states: “Africa at its finest, this camp on the edge of a floodplain has a perfect-scoring location so exquisite, a movie set couldn’t replicate it.”

Most of the camps listed above are camps that I visit on my photographic safaris with my customers. I always frequent properties that me and my business look good, and a huge congratulations goes out to my friends at Wilderness Safaris for this very exciting award. You guys deserve it.

Photography Book Recommendations for the Holidays

OK, I constantly update my book recommendations throughout the year, and the books below are all items that bring me inspiration, knowledge or a combination of both. Yes, some are Africa specific, however many of these books are general in their content.