There’s something special about slowing down, watching wildlife move through their world, waiting for just the right moment to click the shutter. If that kind of photography calls to you, this three-day nature photography workshop likely will too.

Join Jen Waicukauski—Looking Glass owner, teacher, certified California Naturalist whose work is included in the Audubon Top 100 photos of 2024—for a small-group photography experience built for folks who already know their way around a camera and are looking to take their nature photography to the next level. This is more than a workshop—it’s a creative adventure that’ll fill your heart with inspiration and your memory card with magic.

The Details:

Dates:
May 19th, 20th, and 21st (Monday–Wednesday)

May 19:
If conditions hold, we’ll start our adventure meeting down the coast, south to the tide pools since our workshop timing is lining up with beautiful weather and a negative tide. The tide pools offer a wonderland of aquatic and bird life along with some marine mammals, seaweed, kelp and birds, birds, birds! After lunch we’ll head east to some of the salt marsh restorations and ecological preserves to see what natural wonders we can find (Exact locations may shift depending on conditions and wildlife activity.)

May 20:
We’ll be out in beautiful Pt. Reyes in Marin County from sunrise to sunset-hands-on learning, photographing, and soaking in the natural world. Point Reyes offers such a unique wildlife experience that can include hundreds of bird species, marine mammals, tule elk and mammal predators like coyote, otters and long-tailed weasels! (Exact locations may shift depending on conditions, group considerations and wildlife activity.)

May 21:
We gather at Looking Glass in Berkeley for an indoor session focused on image review, editing, and creative storytelling. We’ll start at 10:00am and go until everyone feels good about their work. For anyone interested in video capture and editing Jen is offering to demo some techniques in Adobe Premiere Pro alongside individual assistance in video and photo editing during each participants one on one sessions throughout our time on Wednesday. And if time permits, we’ll each leave with a print, too!

On the Agenda:

•  How to see and use light to your advantage (no flashlights required)
• Finding your photographic voice and developing your unique style
• Mastering your gear for better composition and control
• Image-making in the wild—how to adapt to nature’s curveballs
• Ethical exploration and how to photograph without harm
• Telling visual stories that connect and move people
• Editing secrets that turn solid shots into stunners
• One-on-one support from Jen to refine your final images

What You'll Need:

• A laptop with your preferred editing software (Jen demos with Adobe)
• A solid understanding of your camera’s manual settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed)
• An interchangeable lens camera, a telephoto lens, and—if you have one—a macro lens for fun. Looking Glass also offers rentals!
• Appropriate outerwear and camera bag for the planned locations.