National Geographic Student Expeditions 2017

July 27, 2017

From NG Student Exhibits

Yosemite National Park spellbinds at every angle, with wonders like waterfall-laced cliffs, gemstone lakes, and soaring sequoia forests. This scenery has inspired countless photographers, including top National Geographic photojournalists and the master of landscape shots, Ansel Adams. Learn new techniques in the classroom and then follow in the footsteps of these experts, setting out on photo assignments from the rugged wilds of Yosemite’s backcountry to a Gold Rush ghost town.

Our workshop begins in San Francisco, California, where we’ll spend two days photographing the city’s colorful, quirky streets. Practice taking portraits of sidewalk merchants in Chinatown; ride a cable car along steep streets lined with brightly hued homes; and frame iconic landmarks, like the Golden Gate Bridge and the infamous Alcatraz prison.

Leave behind the bustle of the city and venture into the rugged wilds of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Stop for a photo shoot in the Old West–era town of Mariposa, and then continue on to the Yosemite Valley, one of California’s most magnificent natural treasures. Spend time each day learning to develop your photographic eye and improve your technical skills. Then set out into the wilderness to document scenery made famous by Ansel Adams. The prolific photographer depicted the valley’s massive granite walls, cascading waterfalls, and mirror-like lakes in his landscape shots—images that were instrumental in the establishment of Yosemite National Park. Get your own angle on these iconic scenes, framing wonders like the towering Half Dome and enormous sequoia trees, and use your images to advocate for the conservation of these incredible places.

Practice adventure photography as you document your friends hiking across alpine meadows or tackling a high ropes course. Capture your friends in action during an outdoor rock climbing class with professional guides. Visit the Bodie ghost town to take intriguing pictures of its deserted streets, houses, and saloons; and then have a float in Mono Lake’s salty waters.

In the evenings, upload photos, review the day’s work, and enjoy seminars given by our instructors and a National Geographic photographer. Head out on nighttime photo shoots and experiment with light as the sun sets on the valley’s granite domes, or point your lens skyward to snap photos of stars twinkling in the night sky.

Throughout the workshop we will prepare for a gallery opening that features print photos of the group’s best work. Return to San Francisco for the final three days of the program to help curate the exhibit in one of the city’s galleries. On our final night, celebrate your work at an opening party.

Exhibit Date: July 27, 2017

Event Times: 5:00PM – 8:00PM

Venue(s): Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott Street, San Francisco)

Special Guest Photographers/Mentors

  • Erika Larsen
  • Ronan Donovan

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