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MACRO WORKSHOP JUNE 12,13,14 -GET CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL WITH THE MAGICAL WORLD AROUND YOU..... THERE ARE STILL A FEW PLACES LEFT

There is a lot more to macro and close up photography than meets the eye. Besides you seeing what fills the frame.....it is even more important to how light affects the depth and dimensions and even the color of your image.

Our 3 day macro workshop will get you to the places you need to be for great macro subjects, but will also teach you the proper use of your lenses, macro rails, extension tubes, close up lenses and most important how to work with the light that is available to you and how to add and subtract light to create the unique images you are looking for and deserve to know how to create.

You will learn how to do macro photography in both outdoor and indoor venues and get to use both strobe and all types of light modifiers on your subjects.

This is a great opportunity to learn and grow in a type of photography that will produce highly detailed images of the world not only around you but close to you.

With only a few spots left we expect to be sold out in the next ten (10) days.

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HEY! HOW ABOUT THOSE BIG UGLY TAKE UP TOO MUCH SPACE LENS HOODS???? ARE YOU USING THEM????

I know! I hear from so many photographers almost every day and in my classes and work shops how they just don’t have the room for all of these big lens hoods that the lens manufacturers are putting in the boxes. They are so big. As a matter of fact some of them are as big as the lens. What is that all about?

Many, many years ago, lens hood were small, shaped like a tube and took up very little room. As a matter of fact, you could buy collapsible rubber hoods that took up just about zero room in the camera bag.

Ok! Now that we have gotten all of that into the open and more of less out of our systems, let’s get down to the real nitty gritty of WHY YOU SHOULD BE USING LENS HOODS, A L L T H E T I M E……..

Lens hoods serve several purposes, the primary one is the shading of the lens from direct light on a sunny day, reducing or eliminating lens flare.

Light hits the front element of your lens from all kinds of angles, and reflects back and forth inside the lens, producing lens flare. Flare shows up as a series of shapes either circular or matching your aperture blade layout across the frame or it can be a misty circle.

AN ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN TO ANY PHOTOGRAPHER IS THE OVERALL LOSS OF CONTRAST caused by the way light can bounce off of the front element and internal elements.

It does not matter where the sun is. Front, behind, to the sides, or even if the sky is overcast. The impact of light bouncing off of the front element or internal elements is going to be detrimental to your overall image quality.

The only way to eliminate these problems is have your lens hood on all the time.

Now! There will be times when it just isn’t possible to use a lens hood. If you happen to be using rectangular filters like the Cokin type, or Sing Ray type which have there own special holders, you will not be able to put your lens hood over the holder.

In cases like that, I carry a small the gray card in my bag and try to shield the lens from the light. You can also try to use your hand or for that matter any kind of neutral color light block. It can be effective but of course not as effective as a big flower shaped lens hood.

So improving image quality is a biggy. But using a lens hood has other benefits. It can protect your lens. Bumping my lenses against doorways, trees, rocks is pretty normal on anyone of my shooting days. Lens hoods protect against those kinds of hits. A lens hood also acts as a shield for your lens. It can keep raindrops or pollen from landing on the front element. For lenses having really deep hoods, i.e. 70-200 2.8 this is particularly true, or even the Tamron 200-500mm lens.

Be alert to both indoor and outdoor lighting situations that could impact your photography in a negative way. It is just so simple to just keep your hood on. There may be situations where even the hood is not enough. In those cases be prepared to use additional shading techniques, or if possible change your position.

So stop thinking of your lens hood as the enemy. It is a part of your lens and it really is your friend. It just wants to help you achieve the photographic results you want.

Now with all of that said. Your favorite camera store stocks most of the lens hoods you may have already ditched or lost or misplaced or perhaps was not included with the lens you purchased. They also have off brand lens hoods, which are smaller than what came with your original lenses. Go to your camera store and ask any salesperson to show you some of the OTHER hoods. Make sure you bring your lenses with you.

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TROUBLE PHOTOGRAPHING LANDSCAPE AND GETTING THE SKY RIGHT? LOOKING FOR THAT COTTON LOOK OF FLOWING WATER? LET'S TALK ABOUT NEUTRAL DENISTY & GRADUATED NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTERS (by Brian Zwit)

Two Indispensable Filters: Neutral Density and Graduated Neutral Density
by Brian Zwit

When headed out to photograph the great outdoors, I carry an assortment of filters but have a short list of “must have” filters. These include a polarizer, several neutral density filters of different strengths or a variable neutral density filter, and three or four graduated neutral density filters of different strengths. I use the polarizer almost continuously; the neutral density filters when photographing water; and the graduated neutral density filters when capturing landscapes that include the sun or a significant amount of sky.

A neutral density filter is “neutral” because it doesn’t exaggerate or distort colors in your subject and “dense” because it reduces the amount of light entering your lens. A neutral density filter is typically used to lengthen the shutter speed so, instead of stopping motion, you blur the motion. For instance, a long shutter speed will give the water a soft, cottony look.The top half of a graduated neutral density filter is of neutral density or gray and it gradually or sharply transitions into the other half which is clear. A graduated neutral density filter is generally used to reduce the contrast between a bright sky and a darker foreground so detail can be captured in the foreground without blowing out the sky.

Neutral density filters are available in different strengths, measured by the number of stops of light that will be blocked from entering the lens. Typically, neutral density filters are available in 1, 2, 3, and 4 stop strengths. With 1, 2, and 4 stop filters, you can increase your shutter speed by any amount from 1 to 8 stops by stacking the filters. Some manufacturers include Hoya and Tiffen. There is a problem, however, with stacking filters. Depending on what lens you are using and the number of stacked filters, you might see vignetting on your image. A good solution to this is the Singh-Ray variable neutral density filter. While expensive, it isn’t that much more than three good-quality neutral density filters and then you only need to carry one filter into the field and changing the strength of the effect is as simple as turning the front ring of the filter.

Graduated neutral density filters are also available in a variety of strengths from 1 to 5 stops and with soft and hard transitions between the clear portion of the filter and the neutral density half. The filters with a soft transition are used for scenes with no clearly defined horizon; the hard transition filters for scenes with clearly defined horizons. The most popular filter sizes are 4x6 inches and the Cokin “P” format. Rectangular graduated neutral density filters are manufactured by, among others, Singh-Ray, Cokin, Lee Filters,and Tiffen. While screw-in graduated neutral density filters are available, I don’t recommend them because they aren’t as flexible as the rectangular ones. While the rectangular filters can be hand-held, Cokin, in addition to its own line of filters, also makes holders for the P sized filters as well as 4x6 inch filters. A holder can be extremely convenient.

Using a neutral density filter is easy: Screw the filter on the front of the lens, take your meter reading, and shoot the picture. Using a graduated neutral density filter is a bit more difficult. First, take a spot reading on the foreground and set your shutter speed and f-stop manually. Then, with the filter in the holder or hand-holding it, place the filter so that the transition from clear to neutral density is on your horizon and the neutral density portion of the filter is above the horizon, i.e., it is blocking the light in the bright sky. Finally, take the shot. It can be difficult to see the transition in your viewfinder if the lens is wide open. If you use your depth of field preview button, you should be able to see the transition easier and more accurately place the transition in your picture.

While Lightroom, Photoshop, and other image editing software have graduated filters for applying adjustments to your images, they are no substitute for graduated neutral density filters. If you blow out the sky or don’t capture details in the shadows, no amount of editing is going bring back that data. The best course of action will always be to get it right in the camera.

Nature photographers, particularly landscape photographers, are always having to deal with tough lighting, it is too bright or too dark or the sky is too bright to get detail in the foreground without blowing out the sky or they need a longer exposure. Keep a few neutral density and graduated neutral density filters with you and you won’t be limited by your equipment.

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Nikon announced and delivered the Nikon D5000 entry level digital Slr camera. I took delivery of mine and just love it.

Don't let the small size, and the small price fool you. This camera is a top performer in any mode. It is without a doubt producing some of the finest photographs I have seen.

It has quick focus, great metering, lots of easy to get to functions, video, and best of all a rear LCD that can be moved into any almost any positon for easy viewing. I love it for low to the ground macro photographs. Certainly a great feature for aging bones and muscles.

Go to your local dealer and take a look for yourself. It is a great first, primary camera, and even better it can be a great backup camera.

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HERE IS WHAT OUR WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS SAID ABOUT OUR SHENANDOAH WORKSHOP THIS PAST APRIL

I also would like to thank Elliot and all the instructors for an absolutely FANTASTIC weekend! I came away from the workshop with an incredible amount of information about new techniques (shooting night trails, using bulb mode, waterfall ideas, sunrise & sunset techniques, macro, etc.). The whole weekend was packed with learning and a lot of fun thrown in at the same time. The instructors were unusually thorough in teaching (charts and all) the many different details involved in photography, energetic, caring for our safety, and totally, one hundred percent fun to be with. I was sad the weekend had to end as I felt all of us had developed a camaraderie among us. I liked the closeness the group felt by the end of the weekend. Maybe those of us that can make it should try to have a "reunion" at the fall Shenandoah Natl Park workshop (watch out Elliot, Brian, Geoff, Hunt and Bill ~ we all might be back together again on a workshop...... Ha! Ha!). The colors in the fall should be outstanding!

Thanks, again, Blue Ridge instructors, for making this past weekend a HUGE SUCCESS! I'm very glad I went and I hope to do more workshops with all of you in the future.

Hi everyone, recently attended a the Shenandoah Photography Workshop with Blue Ridge Photo Workshops. What a great time! The instructors are first rate, the shooting locations were in unique locations, the particpants were awesome. Highly recommended. They have several other workshops that sound very interesting, I won a workshop in Annapolis in September and I also won a Wimberly Plamp ;-) Very cool!

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the photos and again, if you're looking to upgrade your photography or just find some unique and interesting places to shoot with other dedicated photographers, please check out Blue Ridge Photo Workshops.

Thanks Elliot for a wonder workshop experience. I can't say enough good things about the experience. I feel like I was able to get on the path I envisioned.

Let me add my voice to the swelling chorus--it really was a great workshop. Each of the instructors was incredibly generous with his time and information, and each brought the wisdom and perspective of personal experience to bear on our individual questions. The instructor to student ratio was remarkable, and something I've never experienced in a workshop. A special note of appreciation for Hunt whose knowledge of the area, relationships with & respect for local residents and businesses, and artistic eye made the workshop so special (and thank you so much for introducing us to Fargo, our friendly companion and overseer.)

I'm really enjoying (and still learning from) the workshop photos that folks are posting. Keep 'em coming! Elliott et al are right--this group produced some stunning work. I promise I will forward some of mine soon. I dropped off nine rolls of slides today so it may be a couple of weeks before I can send y'all some images.

It was a genuine pleasure meeting each and every one of you. Since I plan to take additional Blue Ridge Workshops, I look forward to seeing you again.

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DON'T LET FOUL WEATHER, DUST STORMS, OR ANYTHING ELSE STOP YOU FROM GETTING YOUR PICTURES

I have been using STORM JACKETS NOW FOR A FEW YEARS. They were originally designed for pro video applications, but have proven themselves ideal for still photographers. They come in different sizes and can handle just about any size lens and body combo. Here are a couple of links to their web site and a quick time movie. If you decide to buy a couple then get the pro version because they can be used with tripod or without. The standard version cannot be used on tripod.

While large golf umbrellas can work, the won't do you much good if you have to hold it and the camera at the same time.

Plastic trash bags are slippery, easily torn, hard to fit, make you hotter than you should be and don’t present a great image, if you are into photography fashion.

And most commercial camera covers are very expensive, take up too much space in your bag, and require a lot of time and effort to put on and take off.

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TRIPODS, TRIPODS, ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT TRIPODS AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE BEST STABILIZED LENS AND CAMERA BODY IN THE WORLD IS ONE THAT IS MOUNTED ON A GOOD, NO EXCELLENT TRIPOD AND BALL HEAD - AN UPDATED ARTICLE-by Elliot Stern

TRIPODS, DOWN AND DIRTY – WHAT DO YOU NEED – WHAT SHOULD YOU HAVE – AND WHY YOU SHOULD GET SOMETHING BETTER THAN YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT

If you buy with the wrong idea of saving a few bucks, then you will be spending a few bucks a lot of times. Buy the right tripod and head to start off with. Spend the extra money and get what's right or I guarantee you will be buying again and again.

A tripod is an essential tool for getting super sharp images under normal shooting conditions and most certainly for Macro/Micro photography. Buy the right one and you'll carry it with you all the time.

IF YOU NEED PURCHASING ASSISTANCE THEN PLEASE CONTACT US AT 703-967-2531 or EMAIL ME AT Blueridgetechline@me.com We are here to assist you make the right decision.

You may think that tripods are cumbersome, unnecessary evils, that you do not need because you are either steady as a rock or you have spent all that extra money to have stabilzation either in your cameras or your lenses.

Not only are you incorrect, but your heading for disappointment if you believe that either you or stabilzation systems are going to give a rock solid sharp crisp image.

The best stabilization for cameras and lenses is not built in to those devices, but is a DEVICE that those devices are mounted on to.

Tripods and ball heads or if you like pan tilt heads will provide you with the stable platform you need for sharp and incredible images under all shooting conditions and especially at slow shutter speeds.

I have written on this subject before, but I am writing again because products change, prices change, and personal tastes change.

What does not change is the quality of the tripod and tripod head you should have.

There are many brands out there and many styles amongst those brands, but what holds true all the time is the need to own something that is going to last a very long time, that you only need to buy once, and is comfortable for you to use so you take it with you all the time, or at least most of the time.

So, the tripod and head need to be light yet strong. They need to have a good leg extension system and a good quick release system. They need to provide the ultimate in stability.

The head is as important if not more important than the legs and the head should have easy to operate controls for panning, friction, and dropdown. If you decide on a pan tilt head it too has to have smooth and precise controls.

The head should never experience slippage. Slippage would occur if the head was incapable of holding the camera and lens in exactly the place you locked it. Not a good thing. with any lens, but especially with telephoto lenses. All of these features exist in a variety of models, both Carbon Fiber and Aluminum and in some heads.

Aluminum tripods like those made by Manfrotto are light weight and offer features that other tripods do not. Models like the 190 --- are very light, small in size with special macro features. I would not recommend a heavy lens on tripods like this, but they have a great price point. Check them out here.

The two tripod lines that we use in our workshops and we generally tend to recommend are Gitzo and Feisol.

They both manufacture very high quality tripods made from carbon fiber. Carbon fiber tripods offer light weight and the best in stability that I have seen. Gitzo has been around for many, many years and has become the benchmark that every other manufacturer hopes to achieve. Many have tried and simply could not get to the Gitzo level of quality and engineering.

Be prepared to spend $300.00 and higher for a good set of legs. Be prepared to spend 300.00 and higher for an excellent ball head or pan tilt head.

One of the best pan tilt type heads is the Gitzo and most certainly worth looking at and can be found by clicking on this link- GITZO PAN HEAD. There is also a MANFROTTO

When it comes to excellent ball heads you want to look at KIRK BY CLICKING HERE.

A NEW VIRGINIA PHOTO CONTEST. HEY BLUE RIDGE WORKSHOPS PARTICIPANTS, YOU HAVE THE WINNERS

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WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING......................OUR WORKSHOPS PROVIDE WHAT YOU NEED TO ENHANCE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC SKILLS AND GET YOU ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH KNOWLEDGE AND GEAR

I wanted to thank you again for offering me the chance to try another of your workshops last week. I really appreciated all the work that went into making it a success for all of the students – including myself. I’ve lived in the Leesburg area for 17 years and saw things I didn’t know existed. Teaches me to get out of the car and walk around more often.

I really enjoyed the 1 on 1 attention that the instructors were giving the students – me included. And the time that was spent at each venue giving us the opportunity to explore the setting and try out several shooting scenarios. And the expectations were clearly set at the front during the introductions. That was great. The walk was organized, thought out, and offered a lot of different opportunities to try shooting in different lights, distances and compositions. Something for everyone. From flowers, to buildings, to tombstones. Or wrought iron fencing – there was something there to interest one and all. And the tips and insight added in along the way made the day a big success. I certainly got wet and dirty crawling around trying to capture the moment. I rate that as really successful in my book. (clean = bored)

Thank you for guiding the opportunity. And for making sure we stayed on track. And for the wrap up at the end. I must say I’m happy with how much I learned and how much more comfortable I am with the camera. I’m really encouraged to go out there and try again. I captured one photo that really crystallized what I had in my mind’s eye at the time I was shooting. And it’s the first time I can say that didn’t happen by accident.

"I want to also mention that I appreciated receiving the benefit of your wisdom and advice as it stretched into equipment. Just last weekend I went to Penn Camera and bought a ThInkTank pro belt and accessory pouches. I believe my next field trip is going to be great without lugging a backpack around. And a sore neck. I can’t wait to give it all a thorough workout. And I never would have known about the equipment. I even met the president of the company while I was making my purchases. Thanks for that opportunity as well.

So thank you again. I really loved the experience. And I’m looking forward to signing up for more workshops and even multi day classes in the future. I can really see the benefits already in the way I think about shooting and composing. Please thank all of your instructors as well. They were kind and supportive to everyone. It really made the difference."

-Alison"

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NIK SOFTWARE Plug-ins FOR ADOBE LIGHTROOM, ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS4, APPLE APERTURE: The Ultimate in Creative Control--LEARN HOW TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES QUICKLY AND EASILY THROUGH THE USE OF NIKS TRADEMARKED AND PATENTED U-POINT TECHNOLOGY

Sign up for our newest software class. Classes on Nik Software have really been offered before and at $99.00 for 6 plus hours it's an incredible deal

Nik Software provides a variety of plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom 2.0 and Apple Aperture. These plug-ins greatly reduce the learning curves for programs like Photoshop and expand the capabilities of Lightroom and Aperture to produce image enhancements that were only available if you used Photoshop. This class is designed to teach you how to use all of the plug-ins that Nik Software currently offers for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture.

The most popular plug-ins for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture are Nik Software’s suite of five plug-ins: Dfine 2.0, Sharpener Pro 3.0, Viveza 1.0, Color Efex Pro 3.0, and Silver Efex Pro 1.0.

Dfine reduces noise in an image while protecting the detail in the image. Sharpener Pro has two components. The first is for presharpening your raw images and the second for customizing your output sharpening for the size of the print, output device, type of paper, and resolution of the printer. To correct specific areas of an image, Viveza creates masks on-the-fly, applying a correction only to the area of the image that needs the correction. Color Efex Pro is a collection of special and just plain helpful effects for your images, and Silver Efex Pro converts your images to black and white.

While there are similar functions available in Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture, Nik’s plug-ins are exceedingly well-designed, provide excellent results, and expand the control and features available inside their host program. This class will explore each of the plug-ins, providing instruction on when and how to use each plug-in get the most from each one.

Tentative Agenda

9:00 am        Introductions, Logistics, and Overview

9:15 am        Sharpener Pro 3.0
                     - Presharpening versus output sharpening
                     - Overview of the user interface
                     - Presharpening raw images
                     - Output sharpening
                     - Selective sharpening using control points and color ranges

10:15 am      Viveza
                     - Using control points (U-Point) to make local corrections
                     - Overview of the user interface
                     - Making local brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, red, green, blue, and warmth corrections

10:45 am      Break

11:00 am      Silver Efex Pro
                     - Converting images to black and white
                     - Overview of the user interface
                     - Overall conversion settings and local corrections using control points
                     - Using color filters, choosing a film types, and stylizing your image

11:45 am      Lunch

1:00 pm        Color Efex Pro
                     - Available image effects
                     - Overview of the user interface
                     - Global settings and localized corrections using control points

1:45 pm        Dfine
                     - Reducing noise in the camera versus with software
                     - Overview of the user interface
                     - Measure and Reduce modes
                     - Selective noise reduction using control points and color ranges

2:00 pm        Working Nik Software Plug-ins into Your Workflow
                     - Integrating Nik plug-ins into your workflow
                     - Differences in behavior between Aperture, Lightroom, and Photoshop

2:30 pm        Questions

3:00 pm        Class ends

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THE SUNFLOWER WORKSHOP - F8 AND BE THERE-As of this news letter this class is 75% full - sign up today

THE SUNFLOWERS ARE COMING - LET'S EXPAND OUR PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES ON JULY 12, 2009. JOIN US FOR A FANTASTIC EDUCATIONAL AND CREATIVE EXPERIENCE

SUNFLOWERS! THERE IS NOTHING LIKE PHOTOGRAPHING GIANT SUN FLOWERS UNDER EARLY MORNING LIGHT

Sometimes, in the heat of the summer, especially in our DC area, finding flowers that are popping with life can be a challenge.

There is one place however, that never fails. In mid-July, every year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources plants two or three fields of sunflowers and this field trip will take you to the sunflowers for several hours of photographing the sunflowers during the early morning hours. There is nothing like early morning golden sunlight to enhance the photography of these wonderful flowers.............

It is our goal to provide the location and to teach you the best ways of capturing these endearing flowers through proper use of exposure, light modifiers, fill flash, creative blur, and proper control of front to back depth of your image, your creation.

C L I C K H E R E F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N

As of this news letter this class is 75% full - sign up today

What is better than one sunflower to photography? How about a huge field of sunflowers bathed in the the beautiful yellow light of the rising sun?

Our destination for this field trip will be Wildlife Management Area, near Potomac, Maryland. Every year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources plants two or three fields of sunflowers at this location. The sunflowers generally bloom in early to mid-July and provide the perfect location for capturing these beautiful flowers, especially at sunrise. The bright, beautiful sunflowers can be placed against the blue sky for contrast or separated from other flowers by using a shallow depth of field.

You will not only experience a wonderful photographic opportunity, but will be learning about exposure, fill flash, light modifiers and control of the image depth of fieldto either blur your background or foreground or go for a landscape sharp through out photograph.
This field trip is NOT for photographers who want to sleep until noon. We will be meeting VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING-4:00 am near Potomac, Maryland, and will leave for the fields at 4:15 am SHARP. At this time of the year the sun rises very early and we cannot stress the importance of arriving on time. You do not want to miss the best light moments.

The field trip will end when the sun gets high enough in the sky to give us too much contrast. This is usually around 9:00 or 9:30 am. If we have an overcast sky, we may get decent light until later in the morning. Also, depending on the condition of the flowers, we may take side-trips to the swamp inside our location or the Potomac River.

The sunflowers at this location I have chosen are a perennial favorite of local photographers and will, if you get up early enough, provide you with an experience second to none in the local area. You can always take a nap later in the day!

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GEOFF ARCHER JOINS THE BLUE RIDGE WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS TO BRING YOU TOP NOTCH EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

Geoff was with Penn Camera for quite a few years and recently decided to go on his own as a consultant and teacher, and I consider the company very fortunate to have convinced him to do Blue Ridge Workshops amongst other things.

He is a wonderful workshop educator, with a low key, quiet demeanor which instantly makes our participants very relaxed and able to learn all of the wonderful things Geoff has to offer. His photographic and digital knowledge is quite extensive.

"It is with great enthusiasm that I join Blue Ridge Workshops and their knowledgeable staff as their newest Instructor. I have known Elliot for many years and this has been a great opportunity to rekindle our friendship and share our photographic knowledge with each other and our students. After working for Penn Camera for the last ten years as a digital imaging specialist I feel that I have been a teacher all along, helping all types of photographers with their equipment and digital workflow. Now that I am pursuing photography as a full time career it is only natural that I would want to continue teaching also, as I thoroughly enjoy helping people use their equipment and seeing them improve the quality of their images.

As a digital imaging specialist I had to learn the technical side of digital cameras. But I have always been an avid shooter, doing everything from photojournalism for local papers, wedding, portrait, and my great passion, nature photography. There are many things you learn from your experience as a shooter that you won’t get from an instruction manual or tutorial. This combination of technical knowledge and practical shooting experience lends itself well to helping others achieve their photographic goals, and I hope to use this familiarity to benefit our students.

Working with Elliot and Blue Ridge Workshops this past month at the Shenandoah, Leesburg and Blacksmith / Glass blower workshops has shown me all I need to know that I am joining together with a group that shares my feelings of how workshops should be run. The feedback we received both during and after the workshops heartened us all and inspires us to continue working on more photographic adventures. As Elliot would say, it has to be done “The Blue Ridge Way”. Thanks to all the Blue Ridge Instructors and assistants for the warm welcome to your group and I am looking forward to many more photographic journeys with all of you."