Private Tutoring with Sean Quintilian
Washington Photo Safari is pleased to offer PRIVATE TUTORING IN NATURE AND ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHY by nature specialist Sean Quintilian.
Big Lens Coaching: Planning to buy some Big Glass or just purchased a 300 2.8, 400 f4, 400 2.8, 500 or 600 f4. Maybe you have had one for a few years and still can’t quite handle it right. Whatever the circumstances large lenses need special technique and special equipment. This tutoring session will focus how to get the best image quality from your big glass. Attention
will be paid to panning technique, proper support If you haven’t made the purchase yet you can learn with the instructors lens and have help deciding what lens will be the best investment for you as well as tripod head and leg selection.
Birds in Flight: One on one tutoring on how to capture great images of birds in flight. Special attention will be paid to proper panning technique and proper support of larger lenses as well as selecting the right lens to get the job done. Learn how to fine tune your DSLR for flight shots. Location changes with seasons but may include Snow Geese at Middle Creek PA in Feb.,
Bald Eagles at Conowingo MD in Nov and Dec.
One-on-One at the Zoo: Spend 4 hours at one of our local Zoo’s (National, Baltimore or Zoo America). Follow the instructors “getting down the basics” teaching or fine tune the session to fit your needs and questions. Time will be spent on ISO, White Balance, composition, shutter speed and aperture, flash use, camera modes as well as evaluating your current gear and planning future purchases. All with the goal of building your skills as a nature and wildlife photographer.
Shenandoah National Park: A full day of private instruction! Enough time to learn nature and wildlife techniques and time to practice them in a great location. Time can be spent on waterfalls, sunset, wildflowers, whitetail deer and possibly black bears and timber rattlesnakes. Sean will cater the session to your skill level and subject wishes. Instruction can include:
shutter speed and aperture, lenses and perspective, filters for nature photography, ISO choice, white balance, camera modes for nature, proper tripod selection to name a few. Choose the Full Day option to purchase this one.
You Name It: Don’t see what you are looking for, have something in mind as far as subject and instruction. Maybe you have a group and want a custom session. E-mail us and we will see what we can put together. Prices will vary based on final package.
Wildlife photographer Sean Quintilian has traveled over much of North America in search of outstanding wildlife and nature photographs. His body of work includes images from 14 U.S. National Parks and dozens of National Wildlife Refuges, with over 100 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles recorded. Sean has spent over 600 days on location over the past 17 years including 20 weeks in Yellowstone National Park alone and he has led two of our Safaris to Yellowstone. His work has appeared in publications, exhibits and a CD jacket, and his fine art prints have graced the walls of many offices and homes.
Choose your subject:
Recent Comments
“Just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how much I enjoyed your class today. The information you shared today will help me improve my composition and make my scenes tell a story instead of just being a snapshot.”
“I learned a ton from the Corcoran Gallery Safari. The class covered how to shoot in museums without tripods or flash.
“First, instructor David Luria had us practice how to hold our cameras steady. Then he went over tips for ISO (high), aperture (wide, unless it’s a sculpture where depth of field was important), composition (He used the surrounding paintings as examples), and white balance (depends on the light). He also gave us a tip sheet, checklist style, to take home.
“Then we toured the museum as a group, escorted by museum staff, shooting whatever we wanted. Mr. Luria would give individual assignments every now and then (“Try shooting the statue from here.” “How about that stained glass panel right there?” etc.) He’d also share very specific tips for shots gone wrong (“That statue looks too yellow. Try changing your white balance.” “That’s a little dark. Try a shutter speed of 80.”) If a student had a particularly good technique, he’d say, “Hey look at this.” (For example, one student held his camera way over his head to avoid glare, using the flip screen to compose the shot).
“Mr. Luria’s philosophy, I think, is to try lots of different angles and techniques, because the beauty of digital photography is that you can make lots of mistakes. Also, he insisted that we not let the camera be the boss of us. For example, I overexposed one painting, so he suggested I disobey the camera’s light meter and manually set the exposure much darker —It worked great.
“It was also great to get customized hands-on advice with our particular cameras. For example, Mr. Luria taught me how to change the white balance to really bring out the red in one painting (He showed me how to access these settings several levels down my camera’s menu. I never even knew these settings existed!).
“All in all, super helpful!!”
—Angela N, 8/21/10
“My wife and I have been teachers for 12 years now and we are both very impressed with your style of instruction. Many of the folks I have met in photography talk down to you as soon as they realize you are ‘just an amateur.’ You, on the other hand, were so supportive and made everyone feel welcome. I can’t wait for another Safari! There is only so much you can learn from a book, but experiencing it on the spot trumps all else.”
—M.S.
“Thanks again for two wonderful photo Safaris. Because of you, the quality of my photographs has increased many fold. Perhaps what I enjoyed most about your classes was the great deal of attention you paid to each individual person in our group. Despite the vast range in experience and skill levels represented, you were able to guide us all with a great aura of professionalism.”
—A.B.
“Thank you SO MUCH for such a diversified Safari itinerary. The locations you selected for us to practice our photography were excellent. Although I am a native Washingtonian, I admit I rarely travel downtown to view all of the wonderful monuments and museums. I commuted downtown for more years than I care to remember, so it was very refreshing to view the city through the eyes of a tourist rather than a commuuter. You were very patient and shared a wealth of information with all of us, which I will be sure to practice. I am learning to trust my own judgment and not leave the camera on “automatic,” especially since its the latest and greatest in digital photography. I certainly felt I got my money’s worth from this Safari. Keep up the good work!”
—K.P.