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People & Culture

Canadian photographer Michelle Valberg to host a mountain-based photo workshop

  • Jul 16, 2014
  • 359 words
  • 2 minutes
Photo: Michelle Valberg Expand Image
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It’s every landscape photographer’s dream — flying away on a helicopter to captivating, remote areas high in British Columbia’s mountains.

And for a lucky group of photographers, this dream will become a reality this September. Canadian Mountain Holidays is hosting a Canadian Geographic Photo Workshop focusing on light, landscape and portrait photography.

Shutterbugs will be flown by helicopter to the Bobbie Burns Lodge in B.C., the launching pad for their days of shooting photos, with the bonus of receiving tips from award-winning Ottawa-based photographer and Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellow Michelle Valberg.

Valberg says the trip will be a great opportunity to capture stunning panoramic shots. Photographers will learn about using light to create better pictures and portraits.

“(You’ll be) exploring ways that you can better take pictures of people in natural settings,” she says.

Valberg will share her photo secrets, such as making sure photographers are exposing properly for different lighting conditions when battling darker landscapes and brighter skies.

“Light is probably the most significant challenge for landscape photography.”

To get better shots, Valberg says it’s best to take photos in the morning and at sunset, when there’s more shadows and the light is best.

“If you’re able to shoot in the magic light hours, it makes a world of difference.”

In addition to offering tips on what works, Valberg also points out what doesn’t. She says the worst thing a photographer can do to ruin a shot is put everything in the centre of the image. Instead, she suggests being more creative when taking photos, including changing your position and vantage point.

“Don’t just stand straight up,” she says. “Look at how you can illustrate the landscape in various ways.”

For those going on this trip, Valberg recommends packing a good tripod, a lens for landscape shots and plenty of memory. She also recommends packing dry bags in case it rains.

The trip runs from Sept. 7 to 10. Everyone who goes on the trip will be entered in a contest for a chance to win a Nikon D3200 HD-SLR Camera Kit.

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