We have been touched and gratified by the many thank-you notes and comments
we have received from our participants, including these from Lighthouses of the Outer Banks:
"The
web site looks great!! I love all the new student gallery photos. After
seeing all the beautiful photos, there are so many other workshops that
I want to come on!
"Once again I want to thank you
for a wonderful experience My second workshop with you guys was just
as amazing as the first! I can't believe all the new things that I've learned
and the different images that I shot. I'm still looking at my photographs
from the Outer Banks and finding new ones that I love. Now when I go
to shoot, I hear both of your voices, and I smile. Miss you both."
Melanie Shalam,
New York,
USA
"Thank
you so much for helping my dad and me create a very happy memory. Despite
his strong self-criticism and seemingly serious demeanor, he actually
had a wonderful time and is very pumped up about the experience. I of
course loved it (but you knew that). It was a very special week for
both of us. You and Arnie are a real pleasure to be around, and I felt
completely comfortable putting myself in your hands. I'm definitely
a better photographer for the experience. I'm very hopeful that we'll
be able to attend one of your workshops in 2010 — I can't think of a
better tradition for us to start."
Brian Stifel,
Georgia, USA
"You
really have been busy with upating your webste, and I have enjoyed viewing
all of the new pages! I truly enjoyed the
workshop, as I always get more than I bargained for! You and Arnie
are purely delightful....your knowledge, patience and enthusiam are
inspiring."
Sherrie Winarski,
Georgia, USA
"Once again, thank you for the incredible experience we shared in the Lighthouses of the Outer Banks workshop. The terrific locations, instruction, and camaraderie of your workshops has to be very hard to beat anywhere. I could repeat my comments made a few months ago (Cascades and Wildflowers of Virginia), but the bottom line is simply you are two of the nicest and caring people we have met. What you bring to the workshop on a personal and professional level is the true value of this experience. I would recommend to anyone looking to meet and work with great people who share their passion for photography to sign up now for a workshop. There is no way you cannot learn in this environment, and you will have a most wonderful time doing it!
"Chris and I wil be back!"
Gary Olejniczak, Wisconsin, USA
"Thank
you for a most enjoyable workshop. For me it was both a humbling and
enjoyable learning experience — humbling because I realized how conventional
most of the pictures I brought with me were and how average my skills
were, and enjoyable because I could sense my perception of what constituted
good photography expanding as the days progressed...
"Although we went to each
venue as a group, we were really individual souls examining
the world around us each from our own unique universe. I regret
that we had to leave before the show and tell because I know
it was enjoyable and a good learning experience. After seeing
some of the stunning shots other people made, I felt that I
was the least experienced photographer in the group and had
much to learn.
"Margo, you challenged me
to use the x, y and z axes and to move myself and the camera
rather than the zoom lens to control the elements and frame
the shot. Arnie, your gentle low-key suggestions about exposure
values and aperture control stimulated me to think about the
effects of changing the mood of a scene to make it more effective
before moving on, and most importantly reminded me to slow
down and smell the roses. I think you guys make a great team
because your different styles complement each other.
"I hope to put what you
taught me to good use. My goal is to get to the point where
I use photoshop to correct for the limitations of the camera
and lens rather relying on the program to correct the limitations
of the photographer.
" I hope to see you at another
workshop next year."
Sy Stifel,
Florida, USA
"I wanted to thank you and Arnie for a great workshop. It was a tremendous learning experience that was enhanced by spending time with you guys!"
Cam Garner,
California, USA
"Thank
you both so much for providing me with such a wonderful opportunity
to photograph and to learn. You gave me exactly what I wanted and needed
— to be pushed, to make the sort of images that are compelling, interesting,
and are truly me. You helped to take me to another level of photography
that I know will stay with me.
"As I told you when we said,
'Good bye,' I will continue to hear your voices whenever I
am shooting. Nevertheless, I know that my work will still be
unique to me. I feel much more able to express what I see and
feel with my camera. Even though I learned much more about
technical issues, what I learned most is how to produce images
that comes from the heart.
"Yesterday, after
the workshop, I went back to the harbor to shoot some
more. Again, I heard you telling me to look around,
pre-visualize, become aware of what might ruin the
image and what will make it a better image, look at
all four sides of the image that I see in my viewfinder,
and understand what caught my eye and then capture
that when I click the shutter. Of course, there is
much more. Just as in New England two years ago, this
workshop also fulfilled and surpassed all of my expectations.
"Take
care, and thank you again."
Arnie Berkman,
Michigan, USA
"You
are not [going] to believe this—our "Nets at Dusk" photo which
I took waiting for that 6 o’clock ferry earned me
a Nine in my club’s competition tonight. It is the first time I got
a Nine, and I’m bursting with pride. However, a lot of the credit goes
to you all who really, really helped to make it even more magnificent
that it was from the camera. The gradient tool made the sky just perfect.
It is being framed and double matted. Ed might have to add an extension
to the house so it will get the right light!
"Ed and I really enjoyed
our workshop with you and hope to take another one soon...
We had a wonderful time and learned so much. Thank you for
making Ed feel so welcome."
Alice Langholz,
New York, USA
"I
want to thank you very much for your time and generosity in sharing
your passion for photography with me during the workshop. It was an
incredible photographic and personal experience...
" You have changed my perspective
on photography. I walk in the street, and I do not see things quite
the same. I think that you have helped me to expand my photographic
capability by a lot.
" Your workshop structure
is excellent. It is not only oriented to taking pictures, it also covers
the production of a finished product. That was very important for me
at the beginning of the workshop, and the results have greatly exceeded
my expectations. You have also make me realized that money spent on
a workshop has a lot lot more real value compared to spending the same
amount on photographic equipment.
"For
me, I do not have a dream of making money with photography. It is a
passion and a great way to maintain my psychological equilibrium while
doing challenging projects. I want to push my expertise as much as possible
while enjoying the process. You told us at the beginning that you would
push us and that is exactly what you did. You did it without being sarcastic;
you did not put our mistakes in our face. I thank you for that. I came
back home with some good images but also with the beginning of understanding
of what makes a WOW image compared to just a good one.
"Finally and not
the least, I think that I now have friends somewhere in North Carolina.
" Cheers
till the next time we meet."
Alain Roy, Québec, Canada
"I learned
more about how to make a good photograph in three
days of a Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventure workshop
than I had in the previous five years of reading
and experimenting on my own."
Tony
Miller , New Jersey, USA
"My son, Pete,
and I both wish to thank you for a wonderful
workshop. It far exceeded our expectations. We
found all three of you to be more than helpful
and both patient and thorough in answering all
our questions. Your critiques were gentle and
yet penetrated to the problems of the images
under discussion. And the little impromptu birthday
celebration was such a surprise to me!"
and later...
"I have just
gotten around to looking at the disk you sent me
and WoW, I'm blown away! The disk alone is worth
the price of the workshop. Thank you so much for
this gift."
and yet later...
"Guess what?
My lighthouse picture won a first in the News & Observer
travel contest and they are sending me $... Thank
you again for such a great workshop. I am looking
forw3ard to Virginia!"
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