The beauty of the Northwoods inspires countless photographers in all seasons. And now that everyone carries a smartphone, taking a quick snapshot is easier than ever. For those who would like to move beyond smartphone photography and learn to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera to capture the beauty they discover, this course offers an introduction to nature photography. 

This course is designed for beginners and those newer to photography. We’ll spend time getting to know our cameras, including learning the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO—the key to creating a well-exposed photo. We will also cover gear, composition, editing, and organizing. It will be a mix of time in the classroom and time outside. This course is designed to be hands-on with time spent learning concepts in the classroom before heading outside to practice. We will explore several scenic locations in and around Grand Marais, capturing whatever catches our eye—landscapes, waterfalls, the scenic shoreline of Lake Superior, birds, and maybe a few mammals. On the final day of class, we’ll practice using editing tools like Adobe Lightroom and share some of our favorite photos.

Students should be comfortable hiking 3-4 miles during the course of the day over uneven terrain and come prepared for varied weather conditions.

This course is open to students ages 12+ if accompanied by an adult.

Required Tools

• A camera body and lens that you own
• Tripod
• Extra batteries and memory cards  
• Rain gear,
• Long sleeves
• Long pants
• Hat
• Bug net
• Sunscreen
• Bug repellent
• Hiking boots/shoes

Optional Tools

• While not required, a laptop or tablet for uploading and editing photos will be helpful for our final day of class as we will be spending time learning about editing software (specifically Adobe Lightroom). Feel free to bring any additional photography gear that you own and want to practice with and/or need help with. This may include additional lenses, filters, etc.