Caddo Lake Fall Photography workshop Nov. 14th-17th 2024.
Caddo Workshop
The total price is $1650 per person $500 deposit is due in full at booking. The balance of $1150 is due by October 7th, 2024
Experience the beauty of one of the largest Bald Cypress swamps during the peak of fall color during this multi-day photography workshop with Angie Birmingham. Caddo Lake is a truly unique photography destination. Bald cypress trees draped with Spanish moss tower over the maze of bayous, sloughs, lakes, and ponds known as Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou. The workshop will include 4 boat tours (sunrise-sunset) photography tours on our chartered pontoon boat, with plenty of room to set up tripods if you want to for photography.
During the workshop, you will have the opportunity to create a wide variety of images in this remarkable location with as much or as little help and instruction as you want. We will use a full selection of lenses to photograph everything from wide-angle landscapes to long telephotos of abundant wildlife. During this workshop, I will share how to capture birds in flight, one of my favorite subjects and one of the toughest to master.
This is an exceptional location that can be described with many different terms: beautiful, unique, unlike any place, eerie, magical, mysterious, historical, intriguing, but most importantly, “a paradise for photographers.”.
Caddo Lake is located between Marshall, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana, in Uncertain, Texas. The Texas side of the lake is the major swamp area, while the Louisiana side is more open water.
We will spend 2-3 hours at sunrise and sunset out on a private pontoon boat. Midday, you can relax or join me while I explore Caddo State Park, or we can look at some editing techniques or discuss photography during the middle of the day workshop.
Caddo Lake (French: Lac Caddo) is a 25,400-acre lake and bayou (wetland) on the border between Texas and Louisiana. The lake is named after the Southeastern culture of Native Americans called Caddoans or Caddo, who lived in the area until their expulsion in the 19th century. It is an internationally protected wetland and includes one of the largest flooded cypress forests in the United States.
Wildlife inhabiting Caddo Lake includes owls, snakes, frogs, waterfowl, raccoons, bobcats, river otters, beavers, eagles, and alligators.
Group Size
We keep our group size small, which provides a high degree of personal attention for those who would like some instruction and plenty of room to spread out on the boat. This workshop is limited to a maximum of 6 participants.
Health and Physical Considerations
All participants should be in generally good health; walking and moderate climbing may be necessary for outdoor workshops, and you will be responsible for carrying your equipment on-location shoots. For this workshop, there will be minimal walking with easy access to the boat. If you are taking any medications, be sure to bring a supply sufficient for the duration of the workshop. If you have any concerns about your ability to participate in a workshop, please contact us before registering.
Changes to the Itinerary
In order to offer the best experience possible for the workshop participants, we reserve the right to alter the itinerary when our judgment warrants it. This could be due to unforeseen circumstances, closures, weather, or other conditions beyond our control. We may also alter due to new or unexpected photographic opportunities that may arise.
Proposed Itinerary
Day 1: November 14th Evening
We will meet for dinner TBA in Karnack, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. We will do our meet and greet, and this is where I will find out what you are wanting to get from this workshop so I can try and accommodate everyone’s needs.
Day 2, November 15th
Morning
Our day will start with an early morning sunrise boat tour photography session, catching the cypress emerging from the mist in the early morning light before the sunrises and birds till about 9 a.m.
Afternoon/evening
We will spend the afternoon either working on post-processing and discussing photography or taking a trip to Caddo State Park. At about 3:30 pm, we will head out for an evening of birds and a sunset photo session on the boat. After we get back to the dock, we will grab some dinner as a group and then head out for some night photography if anyone wants to attempt it.
Day 3, November 16th
Morning
The group will have the option to do some sunrise and bird photography from shore. We will meet up 30 minutes before sunrise (location TBA).
If you decide to kayak (while at Caddo State Park extra cost the park rents them along with a few marinas in the area), bring boots or sandals that can get wet getting in and out of the kayak. The water depth where we will kayak will range from inches to less than 4 feet deep. You will need a waterproof bag or cases for your camera gear while using the kayaks.
Afternoon/evening
We will spend the afternoon either working on post-processing and discussing photography, taking a trip to Caddo State Park, or kayaking. At about 3:30 pm, we will head out for an evening of birds and a sunset photo session on the boat. After we get back to the dock, we will grab some dinner as a group and then head out for some night photography if anyone wants to attempt it.
Day 4: November 17th
Morning
On our final day, we will have our final early morning boat tour, photographing the golden cypress trees and wildlife of Caddo Lake. We will finish up with a group brunch and a final question-and-answer wrap-up session.
Cost
The workshop fee per session will be $1,695.00 per photographer.
$500 deposit is due upon booking and the balance is due on or before October 1, 2024
Non-photographers are welcome to join us on our midday and non-boating activities.
What is included?
Your workshop fees include:
Full instructions (if requested) and location guide.
4 chartered boat tours, we will take the boat into the swamp, where we will have coffee and hot chocolate for all to enjoy.
What is Not included?
Transportation to and from the workshop, lodging, meals, incidental expenses, and gratuities for the boat guide, and they greatly appreciate it. and items of a personal nature are not included.
Kayak rental fees
lodging is not included, but there are some options available, including high-end motels, Airbnb’s to share, RV parks and camping
Nightly rentals in and around Karnack and Uncertain, Texas; Caddo Lake State Park with camping and cabins; and motels in Jefferson and Marshall, Texas, are all very close to the workshop location, with Marshall being the further at about 30 minutes.
Meals, drinks, and snacks are not provided and are the responsibility of the participant. We will generally plan to eat as a group, but you are free to eat on your own if you wish.
Equipment Needed
To get the most from the workshop, you should have a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) or mirrorless camera, a tripod, and an assortment of lenses. That being said, it is the photographer, not the camera, that makes the photo.
You will need a laptop computer to use; remember to bring all software, drivers, cords, and camera manuals when attending any workshop. Our post-processing will be done using Adobe Lightroom Classic, Luminar Neo, and DXO Pure Raw.
We have a great variety of subjects and shooting situations, so a good selection of lenses is suggested. Be sure to bring a camera backpack or bag to carry and protect your equipment. I recommend bringing two camera bodies if you have them, as we may be shooting landscapes and within seconds have an opportunity for birds or wildlife requiring a telephoto lens.
We will be going out on the lake on a pontoon boat early in the morning, and it will be cold, even if the temps are going to be in the 70’s. Bring cold-weather clothing that you can layer and adjust during the day.
If you decide to kayak (while at Caddo State Park extra cost the park rents them), bring boots or sandals that can get wet getting in and out of the kayak. The water depth where we will kayak will range from inches to less than 4 feet deep. You will need a waterproof bag or cases for your camera gear while using the kayaks.
Registration, Payment, and Refund Policy
You can register any way you like, You can call me at (361) 396-9665, email me at info@jeffandangiephotograpy.com or fill out the contact me form and you can pay any amount you would like Check, credit card, or even cash after the $500 deposit. Just get ahold of me so I can make sure to get you registered. If you have a question, just reach out, and I would be happy to answer it for you. Registration is done on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early to secure your space. A deposit of $500 is required to reserve your space, and full payment is due by October 1, 2024. Enrollment is limited in our workshop, so once you have been accepted, your participation is important to us. We are counting on you to attend. If you must withdraw from a workshop, we must receive written notice of your cancellation and then apply the following refund policy: We do not make refunds on workshop fees. We do not make partial refunds for unused portions or services of a workshop for any reason whatsoever. If we can fill your space in the workshop, we will give full credit to another workshop. If we are not able to fill your space, we will issue 50% credit towards a future workshop. If there are openings, I will accept last-minute registrations when possible.
We can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delays or changes in the services to be provided. We reserve the right to change our arrangements should conditions necessitate it or to cancel any aspect of the workshop due to exceptional circumstances.
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel a workshop, we will refund all monies paid in full. Notification of our cancellation will be made via either a telephone call or an e-mail to you at least 14 days prior to the beginning of a workshop, unless there is an emergency. We cannot be responsible for phone messages and e-mails not being received in a timely manner due to your service providers. We cannot be responsible for non-refundable airline tickets that are unused or for other travel arrangements because of a workshop cancellation. All workshops have a minimum participation level that must be met, or the workshop may be canceled. We recommend you get trip insurance.
Liability Waiver
All participants will be required to sign a contract and liability waiver before beginning a workshop. As there is always an element of risk in any adventure associated with the outdoors, participants must read the liability release form carefully. Participant’s s’s signed/dated release will certify that said participant is physically fit and capable of participating in outdoor photography exercises in field locations and is fully and completely aware of any associated risks created by field locations and weather.
Weather
The more, the better, at least as far as the photography goes. Workshops will not be canceled, and no refunds will be made due to weather. We will not be responsible for any additional costs that may be incurred by weather delays or cancellations due to weather, flight delays, or other factors. Participants should come to the workshop prepared for all weather conditions.