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How It Works

Photography is as much about muscle memory as it is intellectual memory. Your fingers have to “do the walking” on the camera buttons in order for you to remember how to fix an image that is not satisfactory. It is very much like learning the piano or any other musical instrument, using muscle memory as well as intellectual and artistic skill.


The silhouette of a photographer with a long lense

Our Journey Together

Our instructors get as much out of the safaris as the clients themselves. For us, the fun comes when we see a client having that “Aha!” moment as he or she discovers the function of a particular button or finds out how to solve a problem of focus or clarity that they may have been having for a long time. We even help serious amateurs and professionals discover buttons and menus they never knew existed!

These “Safaris” are really journeys that we take together, clients and instructors, into the joy of photography.

WPS Will Teach You How To

  • hold the camera for maximum picture sharpness
  • use selective focus to determine the subject of each picture using Focus Hold
  • take the mystery out of F-Stops and Shutter Speeds
  • frame your subject using available flowers, trees, bushes, and doorways
  • keep your vertical lines as straight as possible for professional photos
  • fool your camera’s meter when facing backlit or dark-colored subjects, using Exposure Lock
  • take pleasing outdoor portraits whether in sunshine or shade
  • portraits in front of famous landmarks and monuments
  • take pictures of strangers
  • make moving cars and people disappear, or turn into ghostly images
  • use the Fill-Flash and Cancel-Flash features of your camera
  • take pictures inside large interior spaces, without using a flash or a tripod
  • take close-up pictures of flowers and statues
  • decide when to use black and white vs. color
  • put strong composition lines and balance into your pictures
  • control Depth-of-Field with Aperture Priority Settings

Cancellations and Refunds

Cancellations must be made in writing via email at least 9 days prior to Safari date to [email protected]

The following refunds will be made by Washington Photo Safari:

  • More than 8 days prior to the Safari: 75% of the amount paid
  • 0-8 days prior the Safari: no refund

Rain or Shine Policy

Washington Photo Safari operates our DC photography tours rain or shine. A separate itinerary is followed on rain or snow days, utilizing landmarks with unique photogenic interiors, such as the National Building Museum, Union Station, the National Postal Museum, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial.