In September 2010, I headed to Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park for my first Pop Photo Mentor Series Worldwide Photo Trek.
The class started on Thursday afternoon and we met the Mentor Series staff and our four fabulous mentors: John Reddy, Daniel J. Cox, Dave Black and Reed Hoffmann. Their photography backgrounds and styles were all so different, but each presentation was interesting and inspiring.
Bus rides were filled with our Mentors answering all sorts of photography questions and giving various photography tips. Thursday evening we had a fun-filled evening of learning Dave Black's Light Painting techniques. Everyone learned so much. I found it very unique and one of my favorite techniques that I learned on the trek.
Early Friday morning, we headed out to Oxbow Bend to photograph sunrise. Dan and Reed were close by to offer various suggestions on ISO and white balance or to answer whatever questions we might have. We moved on to the Snake River Overlook (Ansel Adams shot) and were blessed with a rainbow when we got there. Friendships among the trekkers were quickly forming. Next, we photographed a little rustic style building called the Chapel of Transfiguration. There were many photo opportunities at this beautiful chapel. It was interesting to see different trekker's perspectives.
We soon headed to another wonderful site to photograph, the Lost Creek Ranch. First we ate a delicious lunch prepared by the ranch's wonderful staff. We then met some very down to earth cowboys and a cowgirl. Our mentors taught us panning techniques while the cowboys and cowgirl rode horses by us. There were also some great modeling shots taken in and around the tack barn. Fun was had by all including our cowboys/cowgirl models and everyone seemed to come away from our day at the ranch with a plethora of really great shots. Our next stop was the Barns at Mormon Row. It was raining when we first got there, but trekkers were not disappointed because we were soon blessed with yet another rainbow. Some of us even got silly pictures of Reed with his umbrella.
Saturday morning we were up early and in place to photograph Schwabacher Landing at sunrise. We had a fantastic morning filled with amazing reflection photos. On our bus ride to the next destination, we saw a huge bull moose and were able to stop and photograph it. We soon made our way to Jackson Hole for a delicious breakfast at Bubba's BBQ - more social & networking time with our group. A boat ride on Jenny Lake came next. The crew on the boat was very personable and told us all about Jenny Lake. We had time to hike Cascade Canyon Trail which led to Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point. Trekkers had various hiking abilities, but the different trails allowed for everyone to enjoy great photography opportunities at their own pace. I personally plan to become a more avid hiker so that I can return and enjoy the higher altitudes. We eventually headed back to the lodge for our first mentor review session. Each trekker had five photos critiqued. We all learned different ideas from each other's work. Saturday evening turned out to be very interesting. We went back to the Barns at Mormon Row for some outdoors Light Painting with Dave Black and John Reddy. It was fun to spend time with the different mentors.
Sunday, our last day, we enjoyed a group breakfast before we went to Colter Bay Marina for our Jackson Lake boat trip. It was another beautiful morning of terrific photo opportunities. Again we had a personable crew who was very knowledgeable and shared with us information about Mt. Moran and the surrounding areas. We were able to get breathtaking pictures of the beautiful mountains along with some interesting water shots. Sunday afternoon we were back at the lodge for our final reviews and the final slide show of everyone’s amazing pictures from the weekend. It was extremely difficult to narrow down our images for the final slide show, but it was so enjoyable to see everyone's amazing photos. I understand now why there were so many repeat trekkers. Once you go on one trek, you want to attend more! We all learned a ton and went away with new photo friends from various states! Every day was jam-packed with so many great locations, it is hard to pick a favorite!
A big THANK YOU to Erica, Michelle, John, Dan, Dave and Reed for a great experience.
by Kristine Caswell
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