Help your photos sparkle on Jewel of the Seas photo workshop cruise (discount for IR readers!)
posted Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 9:49 PM EST
Do you love to travel? Want to hone your photography skills, and learn how to find and capture really great images? This fall, you've a rare opportunity to combine the two, as professional photographers Arthur Bleich and Peter E. Randall host a Digital Photography Workshop Cruise onboard Royal Caribbean International's newest Radiance-class cruise ship, the majestic Jewel of the Seas. (And as an Imaging Resource reader, you can get a 10% discount if you reserve your place on the workshop by July 31st!)
Photographers of any skill level are welcome, and attendees will first learn to identify the crucial elements that make up every great image. Over the eight day cruise, you're promised a photographic epiphany: you'll go from simply "taking" photos to "making" them, shooting with a firm concept in mind of exactly what story you want your shot to tell.
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Your first port of call on the Autumn Digital Photography Workshop Cruise is the historic Canadian city of Halifax, Nova Scotia with nearby fishing villages like Peggy's Cove. Photo courtesy of Aconcagua / Wikipedia, used under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. |
Your host Arthur Bleich is publisher of the longstanding Digital PhotoCorner website, and as well as shooting images that have appeared in books, magazines, and newspapers worldwide, he's also contributed to many photography publications, including Popular Photography, Shutterbug, and Rangefinder. Arthur started his photographic career on assignment for legendary publisher Time-Life, and later received a national photojournalism award for his work documenting the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eastwind. Arthur honed his teaching skills as an Associate Professor at Wisconsin's Marquette University, and also taught media subjects in the university of Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa.
Fellow instructor Peter E. Randall is author of 14 books, nine of them featuring his own images, which have also been exhibited and published in books and magazines worldwide. Photos shot by Peter on assignments in Ghana, Guatemala, Japan, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have been used by the United Nations, and in 2006 he was one of six pros to document the celebrations as Ghana looked back on fifty years of independence from British rule. The resulting book published by Peter, "Ghana: An African Portrait Revisited", was a finalist in the 2008 Benjamin Franklin awards.
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Located in the 47,000 acre Acadia National Park, Bubble Pond is just three miles from your port of call in Bar Harbor, Maine. Photo courtesy of Plh1234us / Wikimedia Commons, used under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. |
When you're not shooting photos, reviewing them back on the ship, and receiving guidance from Arthur and Peter, the Jewel of the Seas has plenty to keep you and your companions occupied. (And companions are welcome, traveling at about half price if they're not taking part in the workshop itself.) You can see a virtual tour of a Radiance-class ship on Royal Caribbean's website, but to sum up briefly, the Jewel has activities including a 40-foot surf simulator, activities including rock climbing, a nine-deck high zip line, mini golf, a full-sized boxing ring, and even an ice skating rink. Or, you can just relax in the spa, the solarium, or by one of the six pools and whirlpools.
After departing from Boston, Massachusetts, you'll spend a day at sea before arriving in your first port of call: Halifax, Nova Scotia, the largest population center in Atlantic Canada. After a day in Halifax, you'll return to sea for another full day, before spending day five in Saint John, New Brunswick, a historic industrial city that's quickly becoming a popular tourist destination. Your sixth day will be in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine, home of the Acadia National Park. For day seven, you'll head to Maine's largest city of Portland, with attractions including the historic Old Port district. Finally, you'll return to Boston, the state capital and itself a location with more than a few photo opportunities. (You can, of course, arrange to stay in Boston for a few days before or after the cruise, should you desire.)
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Attendees and their companions will travel aboard Royal Caribbean International's newest Radiance-class cruise ship, the Jewel of the Seas. Photo courtesy of Ankara / Wikimedia Commons, used under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. |
Visas aren't required for citizens of the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, and much of the European Union. To travel, you'll need a passport valid for at least six months from the date of return. Also suggested are a laptop computer, a lightweight tripod, and a circular polarizing filter, along with clothing including jacket and tie (should you wish to attend one of two optional, formal dining nights), plus both a warm jacket and raincoat for the outdoors.
In all, it sounds like a great opportunity to couple some relaxation with the chance to learn to improve your photography with input from seasoned pros, and best of all, you can get a 10% attendee discount if you mention Imaging Resource when booking before July 31st. Enrollment is limited to just twenty individuals, so if you want to take part, the time to book is now! All-inclusive costs start at US$2,195 for workshop participants, while non-participant companions will pay less.
For more information, or to reserve your space, visit the Digital PhotoCorner website or call Patty Davidman at 1-800-652-2267. (And remember, mention you heard about the workshop on Imaging Resource to get your 10% discount, if you enroll by July 31st!)
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The Jewel of the Seas will call in the picturesque town of Bar Harbor, Maine, an island town in Frenchman Bay, shown at sunrise above. Photo courtesy of Abhijitray kgp / Wikimedia Commons, used under a CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. |
Press Release
IR Readers Can Get 10% Off For Early Enrollment In Autumn Digital Photography Workshop Cruise
Imaging Resource readers are eligible for a 10% discount if they enroll before July 31st for the Digital Photography Workshop Cruise embarking from Boston, MA, October 21-28, 2012 to Canada and New England.
Attendees aboard RCCL's Jewel of the Seas will be able to photograph locations that have remained virtually unchanged for centuries in and around Halifax and St. John in Canada and Bar Harbor (Acadia National Park) and Portland, Maine. In October, the area is aglow with colorful fall foliage.
Now in its 11th year, the Workshop uses a combination of "visual awareness" methods to rapidly improve photography skills. Attendees first learn about the critical elements all great pictures have in common. Then, as their instructors review the images that have been shot each day, they quickly begin to "see" differently.
During the week, they begin capturing stunning images in imaginative ways they never before thought possible. Many past attendees have had their photographs published and exhibited and some have turned pro. The Workshop also features lively discussions and demonstrations on digital photography, imaging and printing.
"The only prerequisite for enrolling is a desire to make better pictures," says Arthur H. Bleich, lead instructor, award-winning pro and digital photography expert. He explains that attendees at any skill level will benefit as they all get individual attention and proceed at their own pace.
"It's hard to make a technically bad photo with today's digital cameras," says Bleich. "What's hardest is deciding what picture to shoot and how to shoot it." His favorite quote is by Ansel Adams: "There is nothing worse than a brilliant image of a fuzzy concept."
"The Workshop will show attendees how to sharpen those fuzzy concepts," Bleich says, "and by the time it's over, they will be able to confidently recognize and shoot images that are on a whole new level."
Workshop enrollment is limited to 20 and all-inclusive costs begin at $2,195, with non-attendee companions paying less. Mention Imaging Resource when booking and receive a 10% attendee discount. For further information visit: http://www.dpcorner.com/cruise or call Patty Davidman at 1-800-652-2267.