|
|
| PORTFOLIOS from the workshop |
| Nick Kuhn |
| Susan Berry |
| Caroline Lim |
| Anthony Atkinson |
| Michael Valos |
| Michael AW |
| Mathieu Meur |
Digital Underwater Photography Workshop & Shoot-Out Competition
Great Barrier Reef & Coral Sea 24 Aug to 1 Sep 2008
Spirit of Freedom
Conceived by the authors of best selling ‘Essential Guide to Digital Photography', the Digital Underwater Photography Workshop & Shoot Out Competition has been developed for divers who want to take their underwater photographic skills to competition level. With a modular course structure, participants will be able to achieve certification and acquire skills that are far beyond just taking a technically correct photograph. The emphasis is to help aspiring photographers to compose and paint’ a picture with a camera, using both natural and artificial lighting. Catering for both Novice and Advanced shooters (Prosumer and DSLR), there are two course syllabuses to choose from: the Absolute Essentials and Advanced Essentials.
Some of the principal modules are: Photographic Etiquette & Conservation issues; Exposure Techniques; Beyond Basic Techniques; Macro / Wide Angle Techniques; Elements of Successful Composition; How to Shoot for Competitions; How to Shoot with Models; How to get Published; Advanced Lighting Techniques; Post Processing; Photoshop & Printing Techniques. The digital photography workshop modules also include the essentials of post editing using Photoshop and other tested software to create multi-media presentations. The program schedule allows for maximum shooting time. The lesson modules, plus the formal and informal critique sessions will ensure that participants develop the essential techniques to take publishable images.
While the Digital Underwater Photography modules are designed to help participants become accomplished underwater photographers, the GBR Coral Sea program include a brand new Shoot for Competitions module and a Shoot Out competition with fabulous prizes. This will help you achieve a competitive edge with your pictures and at the same time yield a return on your investment. Our Digital Underwater Photography & Writer Workshop is taught by accomplished experts comprising of established publishers, editors, photographers, professional coaches and educators. The quality and standard of this workshop is not found anywhere else in the world. You will be learning from the best.
 |
 |
|
The Studio |
The Australian Great Barrier Reef – beyond doubt this world heritage location is a premier diving destination offering some of the best dive sites in the world. Potato cods, sea snakes, sharks, massive soft corals, sea turtles to lush diversity of ornamental reef fishes. This tour is an extension into the Coral Sea renown for blue clear water, sharks and tree trunk sized soft corals. |
|
Gateway |
Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
|
Workshop |
Choice of the Essentials or Advanced Syllabus : Macro / Wide Angle Techniques : Elements to Successful Composition : How to Shoot for Competition : How to shoot wide angle, working with Models : Basic and Advanced lighting Techniques : Post Processing – Photoshop & Asset management. Shoot & Win Photographic Competition Module included in both syllabus |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Dive platform – the sleek, stylish and spacious, ‘ Spirit of Freedom ’ is Australia’s premier live-aboard dive vessel and offers the best in cruising comfort to the far northern Great Barrier Reef and remote Coral Sea reefs. This 120ft/ 37m vessel features electronic stabilizers, wide screen TV/ DVD, comfortable lounge areas, sun decks, and luxury accommodation. With classic lines, white exterior, polished timber & chrome, gourmet meals and an outstanding level of service, you will feel like you are aboard your very own private motor yacht.
The Crew : The Spirit of Freedom crew are a team of 10 dedicated professionals who work together to ensure your diving and your time on board is fun, safe, and a first rate memorable experience that surpasses all your expectations.
The Meals: SOF provides first class meals and can cater to specific dietary requirements. Enjoy Australian and international cuisines and four meals a day. Australian wine and soft drinks are complimentary with the evening meal.
The Workshop and Shoot Out package
1. One night hotel stay - twin sharing
2. Boarding transfers to/ from Cairns hotel
3. Opportunity for up to 27 dives
4. En-suite cabin with daily service
5. Chef prepared gourmet meals – Australian style
6. Australian wines & soft drinks with evening meals
-
Classroom based workshops, practical & critique sessions,
-
Event T-shirt and Adventure log book
-
Essential or Advanced Digital Underwater photography guide, course notes,
-
Free one year subscription to Ocean Geographic or PADI Diving Society membership.
-
Awards and dive holiday prizes for Shoot Out Competition including Best Portfolio and Best Picture candidates
-
A Day in the Life of the Great Barrier Reef book
The 8 Day/ 8 Night Digital Workshop & Shoot Out Itinerary
24 Aug: Sunday - arrive Cairns hotel anytime before 5pm; Meet & Greet and workshop brief at 6pm.
25 Aug: The Spirit of Freedom courtesy bus will pick us up from our Cairns hotel around 11:00am to Trinity Wharf, where you will board the vessel. Orientation of the vessel before a 12 noon departure; enjoy a lunch on board while we cruise to the outer Great Barrier Reef for an afternoon orientation dive and a twilight or night dive. After dinner we cruise north to the Ribbon Reefs.
26 Aug: Arrive at Number 5 Ribbon Reef and dive the Permission Bommie and the Clam Gardens - abundance of giant clams. In the afternoon drift dive at ‘High Five’, and in the evening we dive the beautiful Gorgie’s Wall. Late tonight we cruise north to the top of the Ribbon Reefs.
27 Aug Dive the monolith at Challenger Bay and the Cod Hole. The Cod Hole is a popular dive site for it’s resident family of large Potato Cod, (Groper). We may also drift dive at Dynamite Pass, well know as a channel between reefs for sharks to pass. On our way towards Lizard Island we dive the famous Snake Pit, where you will be amazed at the abundance of Olive Sea Snakes. This evening we overnight at Watson’s Bay on Lizard Island and enjoy a BBQ dinner on the top deck.
28 Aug: Topside shoot on island and opportunity for two or three dives at a choice of sites on Number 10 Ribbon Reef, including the Cod Hole, Challenger Bay , Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Wall, and Pixie Pinnacle. We depart in the evening for an 8 hour journey to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.
29 Aug and 30 Aug: Osprey Reef. Australia’s Coral Sea reefs are renowned for crystal clear water with average visibility in excess of 30m. Two days can be spent diving at Osprey Reef, including North Horn, well known for its shark action. You can expect to see grey whalers, silvertips, reef sharks, occasional hammerheads, schooling barracuda, trevally, and other pelagics. The landscape is amazing with sheer walls laced with gorgonians, sea whips, and bright yellow soft corals, rising from thousands of feet below.
31 Aug
Option 1: Today we return to the Ribbon Reefs Number 3 to dive sites such as the sensational Steve’s Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point. On Sunday evening we will cruise overnight back to Cairns
Option 2: Still in the Coral Sea, weather depending we will dive Bougainville Reef.
1 Sep: We arrive back into Cairns at 06:30am. Breakfast on board, before Spirit of Freedom transfer you back to hotel or airport around 07:30am.
* subject to change, weather permitting.
Biography - Workshop Instructors:
this is your chance to learn from the PRO with proven track record
|
Michael AW |
|
Mathieu Meur |
|
Michael AW : author Essential
Guide to Digital Underwater Photography, 2 times winner BBC
Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer, 3 times winner
Antibes World Festival of Underwater Pictures, 3 times winner
Nikon International Photographic competition.
Pursuing the art of underwater photography, Michael AW is best known for his saturated colour imagery. His photographs and editorials on environmental issues, natural history and dive travel have been featured in Asian Geographic, BBC Wildlife, National Geographic Travel, Asian Geographic, GEO, Nature Focus, Sport Diving, Scuba Diver, Smithsonian, Islands, FHM, Times, to name but a few. He was the co-founder and publisher for Asian Geographic and Scuba Diver Australasia for seven years. Michael AW is also the founding director of OceanNEnvironment, a charity organization registered with Environment Australia. In 2002, Michael AW initiated the Celebrate the Sea Festival in Singapore; the festival was subsequently staged in Kuala Lumpur 2003 and 2004, Singapore 2005 and 2006 and 2007 in Manila, Philippines – it has evolved to be the one of the most important international events of the sea. His images have won the Nikon International Photo Contest on three occasions. Michael is also a three-time winner at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures, Antibes. In 2002 he won Best Music Adaptation for Video, the Gold Diver statue for Best Black & White print in 2005 and the Bronze statue for Portfolio, the most prestigious category of the festival in 2006. He is also a recipient of two awards from the Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife Competition in 2000. In 2006 he won the Best award in the underwater category. Over 25,000 of his images have appeared in various publications and exhibitions worldwide including the Australian Museum and Queensland Tropical Museum. Michael has presented lectures and slide presentations on marine life and underwater photography to the Australian Museum Society, aquariums and private organizations in the pacific-rim countries including the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. He has produced and directed two 24-hour photographic documentaries of corals reefs in the Australian Great Barrier Reef and the Maldives in 1995 and 1999 respectively. These extended sojourns have been encapsulated in books and a broadcast video documentary for National Geographic. In 2003 he completed “Richest Reefs – Indonesia”, a visual extravaganza from some of the most beautiful reefs in the world – this book is adopted by the Indonesian government as an official gift of state. A feature documentary of the same title was also produced in 2003 and a revised edition of the book was published in 2006. Beneath Bunaken (1993) was his first and Beneath SulaweSea is his 25th book of the sea. His most recent project is the launch of Ocean Geographic – the official journal of Ocean Geographic Society.
|
||
|