The NHTL Online
Photography Workshops
Waterman Center and the Two Rivers Photography Club are excited to present our new online Natural History through the Lens Photography Workshop series! This workshop is geared toward teaching basic to advanced photography skills with an emphasis on composition to support natural history education. Instructors include Waterman board members Teri Franzen and Jeff Smith and Bill Baburchak, Barry Biddle and Mary Lou Shapinas, board members of the Two Rivers Photography club. Read more about the instructors below.
During autumn 2020 and winter 2020-2021 we will offer a series of workshops including some brand new advanced content and a bonus series of FREE one hour image review and Q&A sessions. All workshops and bonus sessions will be presented through Zoom.
Sign up for all four workshop sessions for an additional savings of $5 ($50/student total)
Workshop 1: Monday, Nov 2, 2020, 6-8:30pm - Exposure, Composition and Understanding Light
Cost: $15/Student
Student Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Description: Learn to better understand your camera and embrace shooting in manual mode. This course offers an introduction to the exposure triad and how to set your shutterspeed, aperture and ISO. Following this, we will delve into basic and intermediate composition techniques and understanding light.
Workshop 2: Monday, January 18, 2020, 6-8:30pm - Producing a Powerful Photo Story
Cost: $15/Student
Student Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Description: Go beyond shooting just a “bird on a stick”, learn to tell a powerful photo story with a single image. Learn how to create a rounded portfolio to tell a story or to document a project or subject.
Workshop 3: Monday, Feb 15, 2021, 6-8:30pm - Two part Post-Processing series, Part 1
Cost: $15/Student ($25 for both Parts 1 and 2)
Student Level: All Levels
Description: Basic to advanced concepts in Lightroom, from basic workflow, cropping and color adjustments to understanding and using adjustment brushes and range mask. Discussion includes adjustments acceptable for the more reputable nature photo contests.
Workshop 3: Monday, March 15, 2021, 6-8:30pm - Two part Post-Processing series, Part 2
Cost: $15/Student ($25 for both Parts 1 and 2)
Student Level: All Levels
Description: Basic to advanced concepts in Photoshop, from basic cropping and color adjustments to understanding and using layers and layer masks. Discussion includes adjustments acceptable for the more reputable nature photo contests.
BONUS CONTENT We are excited to offer a monthly NHTL Challenge! This will be a monthly series of FREE photo critique and Q&A sessions for our NHTL newsletter subscribers and Facebook Group members! One Monday each month we will offer a challenge that will be announced through our NHTL newsletter and Facebook group. We will try to arrange at least two instructors each session. This will be a Zoom chat to discuss challenge photo submissions and answer any and all photography questions that we can squeeze into an hour. Should be lots of fun!
NHTL Challenge Schedule: 7-8pm on Mondays
- November 16, 2020
- December 7, 2020
- February 1, 2021
- March 1, 2021
- April 3, 2021
- Additional dates will be announced as the seasons progress
Scenes from the Previous Workshops
Images photographed by Teri Franzen, Bill Baburchak, Barry Biddle and Christopher Audette
Meet the Instructors
Teri Franzen
An active member of the Waterman Center board of directors, Teri is a professional wildlife photographer, videographer, naturalist and conservationist working to promote natural history awareness through photography education. Nature and wildlife are precious commodities. Now, more than ever before, they need our help. With a strong emphasis on ethics, Teri is passionate about observing and photographing wildlife on its terms, wild, unaltered and undisturbed.
©Paul Steil
Bill Baburchak
Bill's interest in photography began in 1984 shooting a Canon AE-1, and he has been shooting off and on since then. In 2008, Bill began taking photography a bit more seriously, and now there is nothing he won’t photograph! Wildlife, Landscapes, and Sports are his favorite types of photography and he is out there every chance he gets to improve his skills and just enjoy being outdoors. Teaching photography is another area that Bill truly enjoys. Bill writes, "There is nothing like helping a beginner get hooked on photography!!!"
Mary Lou Shapinas
Mary Lou Shapinas is a Broome County native and currently lives in the Town of Maine where she has lived for the past 38 years. An advanced amateur photographer and proud member of the Two Rivers Photography Club, Mary has held a seat on the club's Board of Directors over 10 years. She has been interested in photography since she was a youngster but became more serious about 12 years ago. Mary writes, "It has become a big part of my life and the way I see things. Flowers, wildlife and pretty much anything that catches my eye or gets my imagination juices flowing is my go to in photography. Picking up a camera gives me the freedom to explore the world from the very large to the tiniest of things that we just seem to pass by and never see." Mary's website is under construction and will be available soon.
Barry Biddle
Barry is the past president of the Two Rivers Photography Club and a member of the club since 2009. His personal photography is currently mostly wildlife and flowers with some travel photography sprinkled in. A Binghamton area resident since 1977, Barry writes, “I have been taking pictures for over 50 years beginning with that ancient medium – film.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Will I need a laptop for the post-processing class?
Answer: We will have a very limited number of extra PCs on hand for those who do not have laptops. Students are strongly encouraged to bring their own. We will reserve extras on a first-come, first-served basis so be sure to add this in the notes when you sign up.
Question: I am uncomfortable with the exposure settings on my camera. Will this class be too advanced for me?
Answer: Not at all! We will be covering exposure settings in the classroom and working one-on-one with each of you in the field.
Do you have a question that isn't answered above? Please e-mail us at photography@watermancenter.org