Kneel down and look closely at moss. It is a tiny forest, a world in miniature. June is prime time for moss photography on the North Shore, and in this two-day workshop, students will learn to photograph the lush, intricate landscapes hiding inches from the ground: cushions of emerald moss, translucent spore capsules, lichen textures, and the soft interplay of light filtering through a canopy you could cover with your hand. Using the gear they already own, students will learn close-up and macro techniques, including depth of field control, focus stacking concepts, natural light management, and composition strategies that reveal the drama and scale of these tiny ecosystems. A classroom session covers both shooting technique and basic editing workflow in Lightroom.

Students should be comfortable walking on uneven ground, kneeling or sitting on the ground, and able to independently carry their own camera gear.

Students ages 16+ may register for this course independently. Youth ages 12-15 are welcome to register with an adult. A 25% tuition discount applies to the youth registrant when registering with a full-paying adult; call to register.

Required Tools

• Camera with manual exposure control (DSLR, mirrorless, or advanced compact)
• Macro lens or close-up extension tubes (a kit lens at its minimum focus distance can work if combined with extension tubes; a dedicated macro lens such as a 90mm–105mm f/2.8 is ideal). A dedicated macro lens plus extension tubes is even better!
• Tripod or other stable support. The tripod must be able to go completely flat to the ground. A bean bag designed for cameras is another great option.
• Extra batteries and memory cards
• Knee pad or small foam pad for ground-level shooting

Optional Tools

• Laptop with Lightroom Classic and Helicon Focus: Editing will be demonstrated during a classroom session. If you wish to follow along with your images and laptop, please, bring it.
• Bug shirt or bug head net and long sleeves shirts and pants.
• Rain gear
• Plamp and plamp stake
• 5-in-1 Reflector
• Headlamp or small flashlight to add light to the scene. I use a Boling BPL-1. SmallRig RM 03 Macro Photography LED Light is nice as well
• AK Diffusers Macro Photography Background, 5x7”
• A macro lens to goes to 5x magnification