Macroclass in Agria, 2016

  cape Agria, Black Sea coast of Caucasus
  23 – 28 February 2016 (6 days)

  free to book: 3 of 7
  minimal group: 5 people
  Detailed programme, terms and registration
We are coming back to meet the next spring at Black Sea coast of Caucasus in February 2016, when the most of the Russian territory is still under the snow. We invite photographers who are into nature and macro photography to join us. Together, we’ll explore mountain slopes spotlighting primroses to be photographed in the best and the most creative way. We expect to meet snowdrops, bluebell, cyclamens, hellebore, and some first insects as well, if it’s warm enough.
Creative and technical workshops (seminars) will take place in the evenings. We will talk on the aesthetics of close-up photography, on how to employ light and technical approaches to make the beautiful shots that will require minimal development in digital darkroom, however, the latter will be touched as well. Later on, we’ll look through fresh shoots and debate on each other’s photos. We’ll take a walk along Black Sea rocky coast and try ourselves in landscape photography.

Programme

Our typical day looks like this:
Morning and mid-day: photo session in the mountains, spotlighting for an interesting stories with primroses in spring nature.
In the evening and in case of bad weather: seminar, development of photos, kitchen meeting.

Day 1

Arrival of participants (transfer Tuapse, railway station – Agria/Olginka), accommodation at recreational base of SPbSU, meeting.
Microseminar: Black Sea coast landscapes, ethics of wildlife photographer.
Getting used to neighborhood, spotlighting primroses in river valley.
Seminar: creative side of macro photography.

Day 2

Macro photography master-class in hornbeam forest (leaders: Gregory Pozhvanov, Yulia Vtyurina).
Spotlighting stories, focusing, light management, macro panoramas and flash macro photography.
Use of vintage glass for close-up nature photography (on example of Meyer-Optik Görlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 and Helios 40-2).
Seminar: technical features for macro photography.

Day 3 – excursion to meridional influx of Kabak river

While moving upstairs, river landscape gradually changes, becomes more opened, and alpine-like location comes in place of dark forest. We’ll see tree trunks heavily braided by lianas, ferns, hellebore, Primula sibthorpii, liverworts, Ruscus, and thorny Smilax plants.

Day 4

Tenderness of adder’s tongue and deep colors of cyclamen
We will photograph На склонах долины ручья разной экспозиции мы будем фотографировать Cyclamen coum and Erythronium caucasicum (or adder’s tongue).
Seminar: planning of photo expeditions in forest-steppe zone and north-western territory of Russia.
Workshop: digital darkroom, focus stacking, precise color rendition and calibration.

Day 5

Free programme according to participants’ preferences.
Evening: walk along the rocky coast and pebbly beach of Black Sea. Close-up photography of rock patterns and landscape of azure sunset.
Seminar: show and discussion of photographs taken during Macroclass.

Day 6

Standalone work of participants in valley of Kabak river and around.
Departure of participants (transfer to Tuapse railway station).

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