Private Safaris | Washington Photo Safari

Private Safaris with E. David Luria

These can take place at a suitable architectural site, in a museum, or even over coffee at Starbucks. Subjects covered can include:

General Photography & Use of Camera: get acquainted with the various functions of your camera and different shooting subjects, develop your eye for composition and master exposure levels. Fully customizable for you based on your skill and interest level
F-Stops and Shutter Speeds: achieve blurry backgrounds with sharp foregrounds, sharpen food shots or master stop-motion photography
Candid Outdoor Photography of Kids: a child at play will elicit big smiles all around. Never miss a moment for snapping your kid or grandchild at play, achieving milestones and interacting with the world around them
Architectural Photography: develop techniques for exterior and interior architectural photography, such as timing for best sunlight, maintaining straight verticals, shooting angels, use of filters, balance of indoor and outdoor light and picture composition
Photographing Artwork Inside Museums and Galleries: develop skills and techniques for using mixed indoor lighting with no flash and no tripod
Nighttime Photography: develop your nighttime photography skills for using a tripod, no flash, and long exposure to produce high-quality images
Travel Photography: make your pictures worth a thousand words by having your camera at the ready for both posed and candid photo moments
Event Photography: Learn to capture the essence of an event and tell its story with your photos. E. David Luria will give you personal instruction on using photography techniques in the fast-paced, ever-changing environment of a ceremony, meeting, or other events.
Careers in Photography: thinking of making the transition over to a photography career? Take it from someone who has been there! We can coach you on ways to monetize your photography skills, marketing your business and much more.

Here is what one client had to say about private instruction from E. David Luria:

David, your comments really made me think about my “bad habits”. I will shoot on Manual … from here on out!

Thank you again. There is something about a one- on-one, that really works for me.. And critiquing some of my photos was the best thing that you could have done to teach me.

In all seriousness, David, thank you for all that you have done for me to make me grow. I appreciate it more than you know.

Dave J. , Centreville, VA

Street Photography classes with Essdras M. Suarez

Washington Photo Safari is now pleased to offer private one- on- one Street Photography classes with our own two-time Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Essdras M Suarez, with 3- 6 hour private Street Photography workshop safaris.

Cost: $125 per hour.

Duration: Min of 2 hours/ Max 6 hours.

If you book him for more than 2 hours- anywhere between 3-6 hours- then the price drops to $115 per hour.

Locations:

Old Town, Alexandria
National Monuments
(willing to discuss other locations in the DC Metro area)

Essdras believes knowledge acquired through understanding is the way to learn life-long lessons, not through memorization. This means that by the time he’s done explaining the reasons behind the use of certain techniques vs. another, you will have also acquired an understanding of the psychology involved when making photos, and the way viewers/readers will perceive them.

During your time together, Essdras will discuss the following concepts and you will learn how to:

See the world around you anew.
Best visually interpret what you see through your photographic device in new and interesting ways by changing your angles and perspectives; thus, shifting your visual paradigm.
Observe, anticipate and analyze human behavior and their interaction
Quickly recognize and anticipate the decisive moment.
Pay close attention to the quality of light as it strikes people and inert structures; which, in itself affects the feel of a photograph.
Capture those candid moments that tell the story of human interaction.
Recognize patterns within the chaos and the mundaneness of everyday life.
Follow principles of composition such as leading lines, rule of thirds, layering, and how to recognize and establish points of entry, and how to avoid “points of escape” within your composition.
Use your photographic device for techniques such as chiaroscuro compositions a.k.a. “shooting for the highlights,” “wrap-around compositions” where the viewer feels more like a participant instead of an outside observer, and “Hail Marys” where you make photos without looking through the viewfinder or LCD.
You’ll also learn what equipment is best suited to this type of photography.
You’ll learn how to photograph strangers without making them uncomfortable.
You’ll learn what to say and how to approach a subject once you’ve been made.
Most importantly he’ll show you how to photograph your subjects in such a manner that you do not invade their personal space.

And of course, he’ll answer every possible question you might have regarding photography in general and Street Photography.

Here is a testimonial from a local physician who has taken private workshops with Essdras:

” Essdras is an extraordinarily wonderful person and gifted photographer; working one-on-one with Essdras is an exceptional experience: he patiently works with your abilities and builds on them to push you to learn and grow your knowledge to ‘see’ and develop street photography skills….any student working with Essdras will come away with a pleasant and worthwhile experience while gaining so many new learning points and skills.

But even more importantly, he is a selfless teacher, and his commitment to convey his experience translates to incredible lessons to his pupils; He has a very dynamic but personable way of communicating teaching points which make the student work….and learn….and succeed….working with Essdras, is always satisfying and always elevates one’s abilities & knowledge at the end of a lesson……I cannot give a higher recommendation than to work with Essdras…..”

Michal McCullough