Sites of Taos Photography Tour/Workshop

sites of taos tour st francis light 3228

$250.00 – $695.00

Duration

Clear

Spend a day photographing the sites of Taos. Old trucks, abandoned long ago, in fields with Taos Mountain as a backdrop. Picturesque villages, tipis and the occasional rainbow. Acequias, ancient water courses bringing life to the fields and farms in the Taos valley for centuries. The expansive views of the six hundred feet deep Rio Grande Gorge from the bridge spanning the river. At the end of the day capturing the early evening light at the world-famous St Francis Church in Ranchos de Taos, immortalized in paintings by Georgia O’Keefe and the photography of Ansel Adams.

4 hour half day – $250 – per person. (Half day not available for Abiquiu Tour)

8 hour day – $450 – per person. This time frame will include travel to chosen locations and shooting with hands on instruction as needed.

12 hour day – $695 per person. This time frame will include travel to chosen locations, shooting with hands on instruction as needed and staying out later for the moon rise or astrophotography, with time in the middle of the day for image review and processing, during lunch.

Year Round – Call 505-501-4880 to reserve a date that suits you for your own personal photo tour.

mabel dovecots 4978 — Mabel Dodge Luhan home dovecots

“It was four in the morning on May 6th, 1988. Exhausted and sorely needing rest after 16 solid hours of driving east, away from the hectic business and car culture of the LA basin, my friend Frank pulled off the road. At a turnout on the east side of NM 68 a few miles south of Taos, he parked the pickup with a 5×8 trailer in tow. Facing north, 10 feet off the roadway, we slept sitting up.

A few winks later, at six o’clock sharp, a semi tractor-trailer roared by, engine brake blaring on the downgrade. We awoke in sync. The sun shot through the windshield like a bullet, an arousing reminder that we were, finally and after all, in New Mexico.

Before me I could see the whole Taos valley, with streams and fields fanning out toward me like a deck of cards. “Pick a card” the scene seemed to say. “Don’t show me … keep it to yourself.” The metaphorical card I chose at that juncture in time continues to confirm that my sudden wake-up call was the beginning of my new life..”

Excerpted from my book, Rio Grande del Norte: An Intimate Portrait.

st francis reflection 9669 — Reflections at the St. Francis Church

Sites of Taos Photography Tour/Workshop — Taos Mountain Rainbow

Topics covered

Working on location
Compositions in landscape, architecture
Lighting
Exposure, metering
Interpreting histogram
Auto settings verses manual
Depth of field, aperture
Shutter speed
Multiple image panoramas
Image reviews, constructive critiques
If there is any other an topic you want covered we will address it in the field, so bring along your questions and requests.

Equipment to bring

Camera, batteries, spare batteries, camera cards, and spare camera cards.
Supplies are few and far between once we are on location.
Consider bringing the manual for your particular camera model, hardcopy or online version.

Optional Equipment

Tripod – Essential for some trips (I have a tripod for those who want to travel lite)
Laptop or Tablet – For image review
Filters – Polarizer, Neutral Density – Essential for some trips

Additional Notes

Bring hats, gloves, sunscreen, hand warmers (spring, fall and winter), sturdy shoes and refillable water bottles.

Pick up points for tours are

at your Taos, NM hotel, B&B, VRBO, Airbnb,
your local residence or
a location in the Taos area that is convenient for you.
Meeting points for locations outside of Taos can be arranged when reservations are made.

Geraint Smith Photography