Reviews
Calendar of Photo, Lightroom, Private Workshops, & Mentoring
Year-round; check "more-information" and "payment" link, boxed in deep coral, towards the bottom of most workshop pages. Please read the COVID-19 Information and Prep page.
- Check this calendar page first for updates to workshops, including those sold out;
- After the year-round offerings, workshops are isted in chronological order followed by number of photo shoots;
- BCPA welcomes "spousal units" (affectionate moniker) at no fee, as long as they pay for their share of "room and board," and as long as they don't carry anything larger than a cellphone or point-and-shoot camera. After all, this is a workshop for the participants ...
- Paying participants always come first — "spousal units" return often for a reason; they have fun, too!
Year-round Offerings followed by Workshops in Order
Private Mentoring | by arrangement
For those who take their photography very seriously, are committed to getting to the next level, and want to work on a project, perhaps with a view to having an exhibition, BCPA offers private mentoring, done in three-month segments, meeting two-to-three times a month ...This starts with an interview to determine strengths and weaknesses, time commitment, scheduling, concerns, and the project itself ...
Private Consulting | by appointment
Many people come to us, because their Lightroom catalog is a mess — yes, really — and they need help straightening everything out so that they can find their images again. Perhaps they want to move everything (not the program, of course) over to an external hard drive with appropriate backups. Or, they need help in structuring a file system that works for their way of thinking. Then again, they may be starting out in business and need some pointers from a long-time pro with special insights ...
Private Lightroom Workshops | by appointment
Lightroom is an extraordinary powerful program, and for some, they want the individual attention that only a private workshop allows. In these workshops, there is private set-up and discussion of a workflow that makes sense for the individual, as well as hands-on demonstrations. These workshops are tailored to the individual or small-group needs, and the participants come away with the knowledge that helps them continue to grow in the editing/developing aspect of their photography. BCPA has also done many Zoom sessions ...
Private Photo Workshops | by appointment
There are those photographers who want the individual attention that only a private workshop affords, whether for photography or Lightroom work. BCPA tailors these workshops to the individual or small-group needs, and the participants come away with the knowledge that helps them continue to grow as photographers, both in camera and in editing/developing. ...
Scout & Shoot with Margo | by appointment
Many people have enjoyed coming along with the instructors while they do final scouting the day before a workshop begins. This is also the time that Margo gets to photograph for herself. There is only room for two participants that are coming to that particular workshop, and they ride in the car with Margo. Those who choose this option get to watch the instructor in action, hear her thinking and philosophy about photography, get some one-on-one help and tips, and generally get to know her better and have a great time that day ...
Learning Lightroom Classic | Nov. TBA, 2025 | limited to 8 participants
Lightroom has undergone many iterations since it first came into being back in 2007, and Margo has been using and teaching it ever since. This workshop will be held in three parts, the first working with digital asset management and basic Lightroom organization and functions, going on to techniques for developing your images in the second, and finally working on more sophisticated techniques in the third. Each session lasts 3-1/2 hours with a break to stretch your legs. I firmly believe that people need a break between the sessions to absorb what they have learned before going on to the next.2026 Workshops
Per the nearly unanimous response to the BCPA survey, we are now allowing 8 participants (up from 6) in most workshops. Exceptions are noted on the applicable workshop pages. The alumni felt that I got around to everyone who wished help in a workshop with no one feeling left out.
Online Photo Workshop 3 photo shoots | Mar. 15, 17, 19, 21, 2026
Roughly four times a year, BCPA runs Zoom online photo workshops in which concepts are the focus rather than specific locations. Started during the pandemic, it was a way for people to keep up their photo mojo without having to travel, and the work that has come out of these workshops has been amazing and inspiring. Not only are there assignments, but we introduce participants to interesting artists and photographers to expand their artistic view. Everyone has enjoyed this aspect of the sessions along with seeing how others interpreted the assignments.
Taormina, Jewel of Sicily 14 photo shoots | Apr. 20-27, 2026 | Book room early for better price.
BCPA is returning to Sicily after a few years' haitus. Sandwiched between the watchful eye of the "gentle" volcano Mt. Etna and cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea, Taormina is, indeed, the jewel of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The area was first inhabited by the Siculi or Sicels long before the Greeks arrived on the Sicilian coast in 734 BC. And beyond history, this island is beautiful. Taormina will delight you with its narrow cobbled lanes and stairways, profusion of flowers, and gastronomic delights, not to mention the amazing wine that is produced on the flanks of Mt. Etna. 
Discounted Twofer Pricing for those who join us for both European workshops
Link above breaks down fees and due dates. Paris, City of Light 10 photo shoots | Apr. 28 - May 2, 2026 | Book room early for better price.
Paris, also known as The City of Light, is without a doubt my favorite city. TBC's English Granny and dad lived there. Margo first spent time there in the early 60s, and Arnie followed a few years later. The workshop is based on the Left Bank/Rive Gauche near Jardin du Luxembourg. The Seine is a short walk down the hill, and The Louvre and Notre Dame are a few steps more. Cafés abound, and we get to watch and photograph the people and sites of this grand city. Margo, by the way, speaks pretty fluent French. Here, you'll get to seek your own vision while having a ton of fun ...
Olympic National Park 8 photo shoots | limited to 10 participants | May 18-22, 2026
BCPA joins Rod Barbee in the magnificent and varied Olympic National Park. Fellow photographer, published author, and workshop leader, Rod and I share the same philosophy about photography and teaching. He lives there and has led many workshops, sharing his intimate knowledge of this beautiful area. The two of us will challenge you and help you to seek your own vision that will better enable you to "make stunning images!" As with other BCPA workshops, Rod and I will work with individuals as they need/want it. And you will get the benefit of two instructors dedicated to pushing you along on your photographic journey. With two, back-to-back workshops, we offer a twofer discount (see below). 
Discounted Twofer Pricing for those who join us for both Northwest workshops
Link above breaks down fees and due dates. Along the Oregon Coast 8 photo shoots | limited to 10 participants | May 25-29, 2026
Once again, Rod Barbee of Rod Barbee Photo Workshops, author of several books on the Pacific Northwest, including two on Oregon, teams up with BCPA on a long-awaited return to the incredible Oregon coast with its wild Pacific Ocean, sea stacks, water patterns, sea creatures, and driftwood, among other treasures. Rod has also led a number of workshops here, and like me, has an intimate knowledge of the area and what it has to offer. We are looking forward to challenging our participants to take that next step in their photograpahic journey. With two, back-to-back workshops, we are also offering a twofer discount! (see above).
Appalachian Mountain Magic 8 photo shoots | Jun. 7-11, 2026
limited to 8 participants plus guests per feedback from BCPA survey
This year, we are moving our base to Warm Springs in Bath County, Virginia, an historic area that goes back centuries. Here, as elsewhere, springtime is stunning. The rivers tend to be full, and the waterfalls are rushing with a force not usually seen at other times of year. The first blush of spring is on the trees and shrubs, and wildflowers, some quite rare, surprise you almost everywhere. And, there will be many other subjects to inspire you — old mills, villages, farms, country churches, log buildings, great barns, woodland roads and mountain mists that abound in this area. 
Annual BCPA Alumni Potluck Reunion | Jul. 11, 2026 (Saturday w/ festivities on either side)
The BCPA Alumni Reunion has turned into a very popular event that began with just locals, until people from other states felt left out and joined in ... over a dozen states represented. Henceforth, it will be held the Saturday after a full two weeks after July 4 to not conflict with holiday festivities. Open to all BCPA alumni and a guest of their choosing. Save-the-date reminders are sent out, and the official invitation comes sometime in the spring. A number of people come in Friday for dinner at a local restaurant and leave Sunday after a tasty brunch. With COVID-19 here to stay, please, only people who have been fully vaccinated/boosted. AND have filled out the Reunion Registration can be accepted!
Summertime on the Maine Coast 8 photo shoots | Aug. 22-26, 2026
Maine is known for its dramatic rocky coast, raging surf, stark lighthouses, and charming fishing harbors. We'll photograph in areas where Winslow Homer, Andy Wyeth, and other artists have painted for centuries. And we'll head to a favorite fish shack for the famous Maine lobster and other fresh seafood (and yes there are also non-seafood selections). The Barefoot Contessa grew up sailing this area, and she looks forward to introducing you to their special haunts ...NB This workshop is a perennial favorite and often sells out.
Discounted Twofer Pricing for those who join us for both Maine workshops
Link above breaks down fees and due dates.
Autumn on the Outer Banks 8 photo shoots | Oct. 26-30, 2026 | Often Sold Out
Join me back on the Outer Banks, one of the locations that had spoken to both Arnie and me for years. It is fitting that my first workshops post-Arnie is in this place we both loved (and I still do) so well. There is the wild weather and sea at times, warm sunshine at others, and a plethora of wonderful locations to enable you to seek your own vision and create stunning images in the company of fellow photographers seeking to be pushed to their next levels.2027 Workshops
31 Days Photo Challenge 31 photo shoots | Jan. 1-31, 2027 |
2025 saw the first 31 Days Photo Challenge, 31 photos, one each day for the 31 days of January. It met with great enthusiasm, and we didn't expect any Pulitzer prize winners, because the idea was that people keep their eyes and seeing active by making at least one photo a day. Many of the participants made some memorable photographs, and they found it to be a great way to fight the winter doldrums. There were no angsty critique sessions, along with many images that had not been edited or developed. The idea is to get out there and photograph, maybe inside your house, perhaps far afield.
Magic of Morocco | Oct. TBA, 2027 (we are still waiting to see when the High Atlas will recover from the earthquake)
Because of the devastating 2023 earthquake, we are postponing Morocco until 2026 to give the country a chance to recover. Morocco has long held a fascination for travelers. Known as a gateway to Africa, is has an amazing diversity, from stunning mountain ranges to ancient cities, vast deserts, and lovely, warm people. It is also host to a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, some of which we will explore. This workshop will include hotels and transportation from the time you arrive in the airport in Casablanca to the time you leave from Marrakech a bit over two weeks later. Other included expenses are detailed on the workshop page.
Key West's Fantasy Fest | Oct. 24-29, 2027 (to be confirmed) with a day off in the middle
I am excited to be returning to Key West for my third, crazy, wonderful, artistic, over-the-top Fantasy Fest that is inching up to 50 years of fun and frivolity. One of the things that struck all of us when we first attended this amazing event is not only the friendliness of the people, but the respect everyone has for personal space. but they are respectful and courteous. If someone even brushes against you, they quickly apologize. Everyone is willing to help out if you have a question. And the more you dress up, the more you will be part of the festivities and the more fun you will have. In addition, since you are part of the festival, you will be able to make more interesting photographs.
