REI Nature Photography Clinics

I will be presenting a nature photography clinic at the REI stores here in Michigan. Its a watered down version of my full blown intro workshop.

Ann Arbor REI Store,  August 26th, 7:00 to 8:30
Northville REI Store, August 27th, 7:00 to 8:30
Troy REI Store, August 28th, 7:00 to 8:30

If your in the area stop in and say hello.

Mike Moats
www.tinylandscapes.com

How Macro & More Started

When Jack Graham called one day with the idea of a combined macro and landscape workshop, I thought it was a brilliant idea.  It has a couple of great advantages over the standard landscape workshops. 

 

A)  With landscapes workshops you shoot mainly mornings and evening when the light is at its  best,  but with macro we control the light, so we can shoot during the midday hours which allows us to shoot from dawn till dusk.

B)   If your going to travel to a great landscape destination to shoot in a macro workshop, you would be crazy not to shoot the landscapes while your there.  By combining the macro and more you will receive more benefits in this style of workshop.

 

I didn’t hesitate in this opportunity to work with Jack,  an excellent all around photographer, who also brings to the table many years of experince in offering nature photography workshops.  Jack being a very outgoing and personable guy, has gotten to know and work with many of the big name professional nature shooters, which has help  him reach to the level of his success today. 

 

Next,  Jack calls and asked what I thought about doing a blog with the Macro & More theme.  Once again I thought, what a brilliant idea.  We can combine our talents to help people learn more about the equipment, techniques, products, and locations, of the M&M style.  We will also update this site with our upcoming workshops and events. Jack and I are always happy to help those with any questions, and please let us know of any ideas of thing you would like to read about. 

 

As a full time macro photographer I will be posting and giving tips and product info about the macro world, I’ll leave any landscape stuff to the expert, Jack.  Here’s a shot from last May’s M&M workshop in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon.  This is a California Poppy shaded by Purple Vetch. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Mike Moats

INTRODUCING MACRO & MORE–the blog for Macro Photography..and MORE!

Mike Moats  mgmoats@yahoo.com

Jack Graham jack@jackgrahamphoto.com

 

Folks,

 

OH NO! NOT ANOTHER BLOG!!!!!  Well, yes, another blog…. however this one should be lot of fun. After a lot of discussion, planning along with the success of last years workshop, We both decided to create this blog called MACRO & MORE to not only selfishly promote our workshops and events, but expand the MACRO & MORE ( which I’ll refer to as M&M ongoing) concept as we look forward to 2009.

 

Both MIke and Jack will be frequently adding updates and other interesting information regarding different aspects of photography AND MORE……………………………………. so check back here frequently.

 

This blog will feature:

> Info on M&M events 

>Recent images by Mike & I with discussion on Macro techniques etc

>Images by our workshop participants

>Location & subjects that make for interesting macro photography

>Calender of M&M events along with Jack & Mikes other events

> MORE as we further develop this blog

 

If you have any other ideas please pass them along to either Mike or Jack (emails above).

 

Thanks for viewing and enjoy!

 

Mike & Jack

___________________________

 

This is a reprint of a blog posting from my blog www.jackgrahamsblog.comafter last yers M&M workshop here in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.

 

 

MIKE MOATS

 

Last year, Mike Moats ( www.tinylandscapes.com)  and I (www.jackgrahamphoto.com) began talking about doing a workshop together. Mike, as some of you know, is as good as it gets when talking about macro photography and is my favorite macro photographer around. Not only are his images sharp, interesting, etc, but Mike has a keen eye and the ability to see in a macro world better than anyone I know.

 

 

 

 

In the competitive world of photography workshops, you have to do things a bit different from your competition. This workshop is one such event that makes it attractive to potential attendees.

 

In mid May, we held the 1^st of what we think will be many “Macro and More in the…” photography workshops, the first being here in Oregon, in the Columbia River Gorge. What Mike and I  set out to accomplish was to do a workshop stressing macro photography, but in an area that offers itself to some fantastic photo opportunities. The Columbia Gorge is one such place. We shot sunrises, and sunsets, waterfalls, streams, along with lots of great macro subjects.

   

                                                               Sunrise from Crown Point

 

We had a good group of attendees coming from as far away as Michigan and as close as Northern California.

 

Here is our group looking pretty OK after 3 days in the heat! Kudos’s to all of them!

 

As things worked out the light was average at best. A lot of diffuser use and early in the day shooting was invoked. Days were long as sunrise in mid May is about 5:30AM and sunset is about 8:30PM here in Oregon. What made it even tougher to photograph, let alone get down in the trenches for macro work, was the fact that it was near 100F degrees on Saturday afternoon. (The average temp here in Portland should be about 70 F degrees! ). But this group didn’t complain once came away with what I hope were some good images. Mike and I really enjoyed the personal 1 on 1 contact in the field with each and every participant. 

 

      

FOLKS LOOKING FOR THE BEST ANGLE BEFORE USING THEIR TRIPODS.. always a good thing to remember to do

 

      

Plamps come in handy         Mike working with an attendee making sure all is well in

                                                    macro land

 

We took some time to review some work about half way during the workshop. I know that everyone went out and understood what to look out for even more after this session.

       

Bruce , working hard as always              Shooting into the waterfall             The group shooting sunrise

 

The workshop went too fast and we said our good-by’s on Sunday afternoon. Mike and I along with one attendee went out to the coast on Monday. There’s as much if not more on the OREGON COAST to make Mike & I schedule a “Macro & More on the Oregon Coast” sometime in spring 2009. Stay Tuned!

 

A few folks even went back into the gorge to make more images after the workshop was over on Sunday afternoon. That made Mike & I feel really good.

 

Here are a few images I shot along with the group. What a great workshop this was.

JG

 

 Wild Bleeding Heart

                                                                     Cascading water over moss covered rocks.