Category Archives: Workshops

Room in France Tour; Japan Filling Fast

We have room in Romantic Southwest France (April 27 – May 5, 2022). Click here for info, here for the detailed itinerary, and here for the Reservation Form.

Off-the-Beaten Track Japan Photography Journey (October 16-26, 2022) is filling quickly, but there is still some space. Click here for info, here for the detailed itinerary, and here for the Reservation Form.

Please also keep in mind our in-person Photographing Flowers for Transparency weekend workshop, August 6-7, 2022 in Berkeley, California. Click here for more info.

Please call or write with any questions!

Announcing Off-the-Beaten Track Japan Photography Journey with Harold Davis

Misty Mountains © Harold Davis

What: Step into the fabled Japan of myth and legend. Journey back in time to a Japan that few westerners are familiar with. Join a small group of compatible photographers led by Harold Davis and a professional guide for this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. 

When: Sunday, October 16, 2022 to Wednesday, October 26, 2022 (ten nights and eleven days).

Where: We meet at our hotel in Tokyo, Japan. After exploring the new and old sides of Tokyo, we’ll travel back in time through the Japanese Alps via the ancient Nakasendo way. We’ll visit well-preserved villages in the Kiso Valley, Matsumoto Castle, the castle town of Takayama, and the World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go. Following a stop in the culturally important city of Kanazawa, we will wrap up the destination photo workshop with a dreamlike visit to the gardens and temples of Kyoto, where the tour will end.

Click here for the full description (with details, pricing, and how to register), here for the detailed day-by-day trip itinerary (“Prospectus”) and here for the Reservation Form. Our in-country partner is Oku Japan.

Off-the-Beaten Track Japan Photography Journey with Harold Davis

We are being optimistically obdurate in the face of Omicron, and planning to open Off-the-Beaten Track Japan Photography Journey with Harold Davis for registration soon. This destination travel workshop is tentatively scheduled for October 16-26, 2022. Click here for more information.

Temple Flags © Harold Davis

Temple Flags © Harold Davis

Sharing My Techniques for Photography on Black—Webinar on Saturday 11/20/21—There Are No Secrets

I’ll be sharing my techniques for Photography on Black in a live Zoom webinar on Saturday November 20, 2021 at 11am PT. The webinar will include real-time demonstrations of photography and post-production in Photoshop. There are no secrets! I’ve explained my techniques in my books; you can attend this webinar to see me actually do the work, with plenty of time for Q&A.

Click here for more info, and here to register on Zoom!

Papaver hybridium ‘Naughty Nineties’ © Harold Davis

Also posted in Photography

Romantic Southwest France Workshop—Limited Space Availability

Click here for more info, here for the detailed itinerary, and here for the Reservation form.

We have limited space availability. Please contact us right away if you are interested. An early-bird discount applies through November 10, 2021!

National Root Beer Float Day 2022

August 6, 2022 is National Root Beer Float Day (yes, this is a thing!). We will be holding our Photographing Flowers for Transparency workshop Saturday August 6 – Sunday August 7, 2022. We propose to honor the day and our workshop participants by serving, wait for it, root beer floats. The perfect partner for light box flower photography!

Dancing the Light Fantastic © Harold Davis

2022 Photographing Flowers for Transparency with Harold Davis (Weekend Workshop) | LIVE and IN-PERSON

Master photographer Harold Davis is well-known for his often imitated—but seldom equaled—digital images of luscious transparent and translucent flowers.

In this unique workshop offering, Harold Davis shows the techniques he uses to create his floral masterpieces. Arrangement, composition, photography, post-production will all be covered, as will Harold’s special techniques for shooting on a light box.

There is no better way to learn the floral transparency techniques that Harold Davis has pioneered. The multi-day format will give participants the chance to complete their imagery using the techniques that Harold will demonstrate, with input and help from “the master”. We will follow up with an online Zoom session for further critique and help with work.

Spaces are limited. Click here to read more and for the curriculum!

 

Love is a Many Splendored Thing © Harold Davis

Where: Berkeley, CA

When: Saturday August 6 – Sunday August 7, 2022

Tuition: $1195

Special Feature: We will follow-up with a Zoom webinar approximately two weeks from the workshop to showcase and critique participant work (and to help with any problems).

Workshop size: Maximum of 14 photographers

To register: Visit the listing on Meetup to register using Paypal (by RSVPing YES), or contact us for direct registration by check or credit card. Please do contact us if you need help with registration, or have any questions.

Click here to read more and for the curriculum.

Refund & Covid Policy: Refunds are available up to 90 days before the workshop (less a $100 cancellation fee). After that, no refunds unless we are forced to cancel the workshop. Please protect your investment in the workshop by buying travel insurance to cover the workshop fee and travel expenses. Covid vaccination is required to attend. We follow all health protocols in place at the time of the workshop.

 

Update: April 2022 Workshop to “Deep” France

Due to heavy interest, we now have only limited availability on the Photographic Tour to Romantic Southwest France (April 27 – May 5, 2022). There are no more single rooms (we are taking a waiting list for singles). We have only a few rooms left for a couple (or two people traveling together). If you are willing to consider a roommate, we can possibly help connect you.

The early-bird discount still applies until November 10, 2021. Thanks to all for interest and support!

Near the Mas de Garrigue © Harold Davis

Announcing Romantic Southwest France (April 27-May 5, 2022): Photography in the Lot River Valley

We are pleased to announce a new destination photo workshop to southwestern France in the spring of 2020. Join a small compatible group of photographers in a 15th Century fortified farmhouse in the lush countryside of southwest France in the springtime. We will be hosted at the  Mas de Garrigue, a 15th century fortified farm near the Lot River in the heart of romantic southwestern France. This is an area of gardens, gourmet French home cooking, ancient medieval villages and castles, and a photographer’s and walker’s paradise.

Click here for more info, here for the detailed itinerary, and here for the Reservation Form. A $500 early-bird discount applies for enrollment by November 10, 2021. Please keep in mind that this destination photo workshop is filling fast! Our group is already partially formed. So if you are interested, please don’t delay.

Confluence of Two Rivers © Harold Davis

Our group will meet at a special hotel in Toulouse in the southwest of France on the afternoon of Wednesday April 27, 2022 where we will be spending the night. After exploring Toulouse, we’ll transfer by private mini-bus to Mas de Garrigue in the area of Calvignac on the banks of the beautiful Lot River. Along the way we will stop at the historic city of Albi, with its ancient bridge over the Tarn River.

Morning Mist © Harold Davis

The Lot is a region of beautiful rivers and valleys, stark cliffs with ancient clinging villages, sacred pilgrimage routes, stone bridges, churches that date from the era of the crusaders, beautiful flowering gardens, and much more. 

Cordes sur Ciel at Dawn © Harold Davis

Click here for more info, here for the detailed itinerary, and here for the Reservation Form. A $500 early-bird discount applies for enrollment by November 10, 2021.

Announcing a new live Photographing Flowers for Transparency Weekend Workshop (2022)

2022 Photographing Flowers for Transparency with Harold Davis (Weekend Workshop) | LIVE and IN-PERSON

Master photographer Harold Davis is well-known for his often imitated—but seldom equaled—digital images of luscious transparent and translucent flowers.

In this unique workshop offering, Harold Davis shows the techniques he uses to create his floral masterpieces. Arrangement, composition, photography, post-production will all be covered, as will Harold’s special techniques for shooting on a light box.

There is no better way to learn the floral transparency techniques that Harold Davis has pioneered. The multi-day format will give participants the chance to complete their imagery using the techniques that Harold will demonstrate, with input and help from “the master”. We will follow up with an online Zoom session for further critique and help with work.

Spaces are limited. Click here to read more and for the curriculum!

 

Love is a Many Splendored Thing © Harold Davis

Where: Berkeley, CA

When: Saturday August 6 – Sunday August 7, 2022

Tuition: $1195

Special Feature: We will follow-up with a Zoom webinar approximately two weeks from the workshop to showcase and critique participant work (and to help with any problems).

Workshop size: Maximum of 14 photographers

To register: Visit the listing on Meetup to register using Paypal (by RSVPing YES), or contact us for direct registration by check or credit card. Please do contact us if you need help with registration, or have any questions.

Click here to read more and for the curriculum.

Refund & Covid Policy: Refunds are available up to 90 days before the workshop (less a $100 cancellation fee). After that, no refunds unless we are forced to cancel the workshop. Please protect your investment in the workshop by buying travel insurance to cover the workshop fee and travel expenses. Covid vaccination is required to attend. We follow all health protocols in place at the time of the workshop.

Also posted in Flowers

New Webinar Video Recordings Uploaded

While I was in Iceland, Phyllis was not idle. With four kids at home, this should go without saying. But she also found time to catch up with our webinar video recording backlog, and now we are current. She posted seven new video recordings:

Please keep in mind our upcoming live webinar Creating Your Signature Style

Click here for upcoming Workshops & Events, and here for Webinar Video Recordings.

Onward and Upward through the Fog!

 

Dahlias and Sunflowers from our Garden © Harold Davis

Fire and Ice, Sunflowers and Poppy Pods

Candy Mountain Sunflower © Harold Davis

I’m off to Iceland in a few days, and very excited about the adventure. I do find that my packing and travel preparation jujitsu has somewhat atrophied over the pandemic year, and there is much to do before I leave. I think it is likely that my next blog story will be from Iceland—unless I am having too much fun to write!

Meanwhile, please consider our current workshop and live webinar options:

  • Out of Chicago Botanic: Flower & Garden Photography Conference, August 29 – September 2, 2021. In person, near the Chicago Botanic Garden. Click here for information and registration.
  • Photography on Black | Saturday November 20, 2021 at 11am PT click here for registration. Click here for more info. This is a live Zoom webinar. Both images accompanying this story were created using the techniques that this webinar will explain.

Dried Poppy Pods – Longitudinal and Latitudinal Slices © Harold Davis

Also posted in Photography

Recent Images

I’m pleased with my images from the last week or so, and am having trouble keeping up with my photography in post-production, and also as a blogger. But here are three of my recent images (below). There’s just so much going on the real world and with family…

On the Workshop front, the early-bird discount on Photography Flowers for Transparency ends soon. And, I’m off to Iceland for photography in two weeks!

Papaver Pods © Harold Davis

I never promised you a rose garden © Harold Davis

Gaillardia © Harold Davis

Also posted in Flowers, Photography

The Blossfeldt Effect webinar video recording

We’ve posted The Blossfeldt Effect video webinar recording. Here’s the description:

In this unique and creative webinar, Harold starts with a look at the characteristics of a Blossfeldian composition. What kinds of subjects did Blossfeldt choose to photograph, and why? What makes a particular botanical specimen visually exciting?

Next, Harold explores two possible places to start with Blossfeldian botanical compositions: the black background and the light box.

To cap it off, Harold demonstrates how he processes his Blossfeldt-like images using some surprisingly simple yet tricky steps.

I think you’ll enjoy this one, it is one of our best!

Click here for The Blossfeldt Effect video, here for a catalog listing of our video webinar recordings, here for my YouTube channel, and here for upcoming Workshops & Events.

California Live Oak © Harold Davis

Also posted in Monochrome, Photography

The Blossfeldt Effect Webinar coming up on Saturday June 12

Karl Blossfeldt (1866-1932) began his career at a decorative ironwork manufacturer. He was assigned the task of creating reference botanical photographs to use for wrought iron designs. Eventually, his iconic botanical images became celebrated in their own right, and today he is known as one of history’s foremost botanical photographers.

I’ve long been fascinated by Blossfeldt’s botanical imagery and have developed a set of techniques for emulating the beautiful photographs of this master.

Some of my work in homage to Blossfeldt has even been mistaken for the real thing on a certain art consolidation website that shall not be named!

You can check out a portfolio of my (genuine, authorized Harold Davis) prints after Blossfeldt on Saatchi Art

Click here to read more, and here to register for this webinar!

Queen Anne's Lace © Harold Davis

Queen Anne’s Lace © Harold Davis

Also posted in Monochrome, Photography

Splitting up my Long Exposure Waves workshop

I’ve been contemplating a Long Exposure Waves workshop, and trying to see where this would fit into my schedule. My idea has been to combine a webinar prep session with an in-person session at the ocean, followed by another webinar to review results.

Long Exposure Wave Study, South Beach © Harold Davis

The request I’ve received from several photographers is to split the workshop up for separate enrollment, by doing the before and after webinars separately from the in-person session. Pro: Folks who just signed up for one or both of the webinars could practice on beaches anywhere. Con: In the past, when I’ve done this as a live workshop I’ve had before and after classes. My idea of the webinars is to replace these classroom sessions. It would be harder for me to keep a tightly focused group if the registrations were decoupled, and I might worry that some participants didn’t have adequate preparation.

As you can see, I am still thinking this through. In our new normal world, there are certainly uses for remote learning and Zoom as a way to make learning more available and flexible, and it is not entirely clear how to best take advantage of this capability.

Exposure data: +4ND, Circular Polarizer, five minutes at f/16 and ISO 64. Check out Five Minute Wave Exposures.