Free Canon Photography in the Parks Program at Seven National Parks

Canon USA Photography in the Parks programCanon U.S.A. is once again joining forces with several of the country’s acclaimed national parks to offer free photography workshops to visitors this summer. The Canon Photography in the Parks Program provides participants with free equipment loans and professional photography instruction as they take part in a guided walking photo tour.

Following the tour, participants have the opportunity to print one of their photos for free on-site, and to download their image collection later from a secure server. Visitors of all ages and experience levels are welcome to participate.

New to this year’s program are Canon video workshop sessions. Visitors can experience and learn about shooting video by using a Canon VIXIA camcorder or EOS digital SLR camera and participating in a hands-on videography demonstration with experts.

“Canon is incredibly excited to help people improve their photography skills and capture the beauty of our national parks through our Photography in the Parks Program,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “Our nation’s magnificent and pristine national parks offer the quintessential location to help people improve their photography skills and inspire creativity. In doing so, Canon hopes to also help those who visit parks this summer create and preserve lasting memories and leverage their newfound skills throughout their lives, for all of their important moments.”

In addition, Canon is sponsoring the new National Geographic iPhone application, National Parks by National Geographic. Available as a free download on the App Store, expanded guides for parks participating in the Canon Photography in the Parks Program can be purchased for .99 cents each.

The individual park apps provide users with park information and photo galleries, travel tips from National Geographic editors, and information about park events, including the Canon Photography in the Parks Program. The app also features photo tips to help users capture beautiful photography throughout their summer travels.

The Canon Photography in the Parks Program will take place at various dates through the summer at the following national parks:

Grand Canyon: May 31 through June 20

Zion: June 24 through July 9

Yosemite: July 13 through July 19

Yellowstone: July 23 through July 31

Grand Teton: August 1 through August 2

Rocky Mountain: August 5 through August 11

Acadia: August 18 through August 29

For more information on the Canon Photography in the Parks program, visit Canon U.S.A. on Facebook at facebook.com/canonUSA.

The Next Level of Landscape Photography: Fall Workshop in Zion National Park

Outdoor landscape photography workshop

Master photographers Darrell Moll and Rod Brown are providing hands-on instruction for a fall workshop in Zion National Park, Oct. 30 through Nov. 3, 2011. There are only 10 to 12 spots available for the workshop, so if you’re interested in taking your outdoor landscape photography to the next level, work on reserving your spot now.

Photography workshop for outdoor landscapesThe cost of the workshop is $895, and includes instruction in the field on everything that makes landscape photography pop in one of the most scenic areas of America. Moll and Brown will cover the proper equipment needed and technique, including white balance, RAW versus JPEG, and their thought process on what aperture and shutter speed to use based on what’s before you.

Post capture techniques will be demonstrated as well. While Brown is a Nikon user who prefers Lightroom, Moll is a Canon user who prefers Adobe Camera Raw and Bridge, so everyone should feel comfortable. They are also well versed with many of the plug-ins like those from nik Software.

Brown knows Zion National Park very well, having photographed there many times over the years, but both will scout out the area a few days ahead of the workshop to find the best places to capture based on conditions at the time.

You’ll see firsthand how they work an area, as well as their different perspectives on each scene, and get additional tips and tricks along the way while you shoot with them. While one will be roaming all the time asking if you need a hand or answering questions, the other will be shooting so you can see afterwards what they saw, how they chose to capture it, and how their use of angles, lens selections and filters make such a difference in the results.

There will be various door prizes from the workshop’s sponsors, which include LexJet, Lowepro, NIK, Midwest Photo Exchange, and Singh-Ray Filters.

Photographing outdoor landscapesBoth photographers hold Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsmen Degrees from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), are Ohio Certified Professionals and PPA International Jurors. Moll holds an Approved Imaging Instructor Degree from PPA and Brown is one of only 106 American Society Fellows. Both have won Ohio Photographer of the Year more than once and have each been awarded the coveted PPA Diamond Photographer of the Year Award.

For more information and to register for the workshop, go to www.ddnlw.com or call 419-668-1293.