Participating in a photographic workshop or tour should be an educating and invigorating experience that increases your artistic sensibilities and hones your photographic skills, with a resulting increase in the quality of your photographic skills and images. We believe that students from every level of photographic experience can benefit from attending our courses. We will work with you at your level of expertise to develop your skills and encourage your creativity throughout the workshop time. Workshop size is limited to 12 participants to ensure some personalized instruction during the workshop for each student. Workshops with 12 or more participants will have a second instructor or qualified assistant.

One of the major benefits of our photography program is the small class size. This is especially evident if you participate in one of our tours. Tours, which may be two or three weeks long, offer more in-depth exploration of an area and its culture. We limit the size of our tours to 5-8 participants, depending on the location. Similar tours run by other companies may register 20 - 30 participants. We believe that you will see more of the authentic culture of a location if you are part of a smaller group, and that you will find more time to create your photographic style if you are part of a smaller group when you travel with us.

Both the participants and the instructor(s) will spend considerable effort and time completing this workshop or tour; however, the levels of experience and skill brought to the course by participants will vary considerably. Furthermore, each instructor brings his/her own teaching style, experiences and skills to the course.

Therefore, the following guidelines are offered, as a means of preparing you for the unique experience you are about to undertake.

ATTITUDE
Be open and attentive to your instructor's style as the workshop begins. Different instructors and photographic topics will require different teaching methods. Lectures, demonstrations, and/or question-and-answer sessions may be appropriate, even within one workshop. The instructor(s) want to provide an enjoyable, meaningful experience for all participants. Please ask questions to assure your understanding of the subject matter; however, remember the instructor must assist all the students, including students with several different levels of photographic experience, which can be challenging for the instructor!

Sharing of ideas, skills, and equipment can make the workshop more complete for all participants. Listen to suggestions made to other participants and to critiques of their work, if possible; these may provide help for you, too. Written notes frequently help reinforce ideas heard during the day and assist your memory when you review the day's work later.

To the extent that you are open and interested in new ideas and techniques, you will help to create an invigorating, accepting atmosphere which can be shared by your fellow participants. Such an atmosphere will greatly improve the success of the course for you and the other participants.

DATE AND TIME OF WORKSHOP
Each participant will receive an information sheet via email detailing what to bring and where to meet. The first meeting date and time will be printed on the information sheet that you receive when you register for your workshop or tour. As appropriate, the instructor will announce subsequent meeting times. If you are not sure when or where to meet next, ASK! If you arrive late, you should expect the workshop or tour will continue without you. You will gain instructional assistance by being with the group throughout the scheduled course time. If you decide to work away from the group for a while, please let the instructor know your plans and when you plan to rejoin the group.

EQUIPMENT
Bring your basic photographic kit with you. At a minimum you should have a working camera and tripod with one or two changes of lenses or have one zoom lens. Recommendations for each class will appear in the information sheet. These are recommendations only, designed to produce the optimum photographs during the workshop. They are not required. It will not be necessary for you to purchase everything on the list in order to participate in the class. In fact, many of the workshops show and teach how to use some of the latest equipment and it is then up to the participant as to whether they purchase the equipment for themselves at a later date. Our courses are great forums for students to see new equipment and to share ideas about the desirability of new types of equipment.

LOCATION/WEATHER
Most courses include at least one field session in the outdoors. Participants are expected to come prepared to work in any reasonable weather; the weather frequently creates some of our most interesting photo sessions. We'll make every effort to continue the course, if it's reasonably possible. Additionally, remember that the schedule and itinerary are flexible. Goals for the course remain as listed in the information sheet provided for you, but the instructor will consider the weather, participants' needs, and other factors before announcing the time and location of the next session. Your ability to adapt will be one of the main determining factors of your success in this or any other course.

PETS AND NON-REGISTERED FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS
A significant benefit to you is the small size of our courses. We can explore more places and create more intimate images if the group is kept small. Additionally, you and other participants will be more focused with fewer people in the group. Therefore, other members of your traveling party are welcome to join us for group dinners, but please plan separate daytime activities for them, away from our photographic group.

CELLULAR PHONES
Participants frequently come to get away from the hustle and bustle of the real world. Seeing and hearing a cellular phone is an interruption. Therefore, please leave your cellular phone in your room on our daily outings and during group meals. Students who are connected to a phone lose instruction time and interfere with the daily activities of the group in general.

GENERAL INFO
You will be providing your own photographic equipment and supplies. You will be providing your own meals, lodging, and transportation, unless otherwise stated in the workshop or tour information sheet.

REFUNDS / CANCELLATIONS
All courses have limited enrollment and may fill quickly. However, we may not be able to fill a spot left by you if you cancel at the last minute. If an e-mail or U.S. mail notification is received at least 21 days before the start of a scheduled workshop or tour, a refund, minus a processing fee, will be given. Cancellations received 10 to 21 days before the start of a scheduled workshop or tour will receive a refund of 1/2 the workshop fee. No refunds or credits will be made on cancellations received less than 8 days before the start of a workshop or tour.

On workshops up to $100, the nonrefundable processing fee is $25; on workshops between $100 and $200, the processing fee is $30; on workshops above $200, the processing fee is $50. We reserve the right to cancel a workshop, with full refund being provided to each registered participant, if running the workshop is not economically feasible.

On tours, which are 1-2 weeks in length, the nonrefundable processing fee is $500. We reserve the right to cancel a tour, with full refund being provided to each registered participant, if running the tour is not economically feasible.