Franklin Island
Photography Workshop

Franklin Island is situated on the eastern shores of Georgian Bay, a short distance from the mainland. The landscape is classic Georgian Bay with low-lying terrain and exposed bedrock. The photographic opportunities here are endless. There’s close to a kilometer of shoreline to explore, offering excellent vantage points both for sunrise and sunset photos.

This workshop is for photographers of all skill levels. A boat shuttle will take us to our designated spot where we’ll spend our time together. We camp and sleep under the stars, but don’t think of this workshop as roughing it—far from it. We’ll have chairs, tables, and even an iPad for reviewing out images. All very civilized.

Workshop groups are limited to 6 participants, so you receive hands-on, one-on-one photography instruction from me.

If you’re a beginner, don’t worry. We cover the basics of camera control such as f-stops, shutter speed and ISO—and how different combinations of these create different results. Over the weekend we discuss composition, the rules to know, and the rules to break, to create engaging and powerful images. You’ll experience first-hand the creative process of a professional photographer, from image conception to the final digital result.

Photo critique is a big part of the process. We’ll have an iPad on hand to review and critique your images. This gives you an opportunity for immediate feedback, which is critical in the learning process. You’ll also learn you how to post-process your images. In digital photography the image capture is only the beginning; the real fun is breathing true life into your images through post-production.

What am I going to learn?

By the end of the workshop you’ll have a solid foundation of photography and an understanding of what all those little knobs and dials do on your camera. You’ll know how to scout a location, pick the best spot, compose your photo, and get amazing results. You’ll be a superstar at post-processing your images and impress your friends with your photos.

Directions and a detailed list of equipment (photography and personal camping gear) will be sent to all workshop participants.

DAY 1

We meet at 3pm at Gilly’s Snug Harbour Marina. An arranged boat shuttle takes us to our campsite, our home-base for the duration of the workshop. We set-up our tents, go over a few things in our group orientation and sit down to eat dinner.

We have plenty of time to photograph the magic of evening light and the Georgian Bay sunset. Our campsite and vantage point provides an uninterrupted view of Georgian Bay. If the sky is clear this evening, we’ll have an excellent opportunity to photograph the stars, which out here, are truly outstanding! If you’ve never captured the stars before, you’re in for a real treat. It’s one of the most humbling experiences one can have. I’ll be on-hand to give you instruction and the know-how so you can capture this magical moment.

DAY 2

We’ll get up for an early morning sunrise shoot and spend a few hours with our camera’s. We’re then greeted with some much needed coffee and a buffet breakfast.
Our goal for the day is to spend as much time on photography and to make as many different kinds of photos as possible. We have over a kilometer of shoreline to explore here so there’s no shortage of photo opportunities. I’ll be on-hand to provide one-on-one direction and feedback.

At some point during the day we’ll take some time for a photo critique and post production instructions.

We break for a buffet lunch. In the afternoon we’ll paddle my canoe to a small island just a short hop from our campsite. The island is quite unique. Patterns and textures dominate here and it’s an excellent opportunity to hone your photography skills.

In the evening we gather for a home-cooked dinner and again venture out for a sunset shoot followed by more star photography. It’s been a big day today.

DAY 3

An early morning start again to capture the sunrise. The beauty of base-camping is you have the opportunity to go back and correct your mistakes from the previous morning. We have the rest of the morning to shoot. Our boat shuttle arrives just after lunch to take us back to the put-in where we depart back home.

What’s included

• boat shuttle to/from location
• all meals
• professional photography instruction
• Image reviews and critiques
• post-processing instruction
• Inspiration, fun, and a great time!

What’s not included

• camera equipment
• camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags etc..)
• parking fees
• transportation to/from location

What about meals?

All meals are included in the cost of the workshop. Everything is prepared on-site and guaranteed to be delicious! We will try accommodate those with special dietary restrictions (eg. vegetarian) Meals include:

• Day 1: dinner
• Day 2: breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Day 3: breakfast and lunch
• Tea, coffee and drinking water

What about accommodations?

We’ll be camping/glamping under the stars. We’ll have a dining tent set up with tables and chairs. You are only required to bring a tent, sleeping pad and sleeping bag. If you don’t have this equipment, rentals are possible, please contact me and I’ll provide some options.

What is your cancellation policy?

We rely on student attendance in order for these workshops to run so we must adhere to our cancellation policies for all students. You can read them in detail on our Cancellation Policy page.

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