Photography Tailored Just for YOU!
If you enjoy wildlife photography, learning from experts, and having the opportunity to get the PERFECT shot, this class is for you! Our photography classes are designed to build your confidence while enabling you to improve your photographic techniques. Instructors Craig Racicot and Jerry Roberts’ collective experience in photography is only eclipsed by their enthusiasm for teaching the subject. Craig has spent 25 years at the San Diego Global as an animal keeper and photographer. Jerry served as the SeaWorld San Diego staff photographer for 13 years and has worked as a freelance photographer for the past 20 years.
Both Craig and Jerry deliver their topic, most often hands-on, with humor and humility while sharing their collective knowledge gained from many years in the world of corporate, photojournalist, and wildlife photography. Whether covering the birth of a killer whale or shooting through glass or wire to document the first hand feeding of the California condor, Craig and Jerry have a plethora of insights to share with you to help you make better pictures!
Classes are offered on Saturdays, 6:30 to 10 a.m. Select the two-part session that’s right for you:
Session I: Beginning Wildlife Photography
September 14 and 21
This two-part class is designed to introduce and acquaint students who are relatively new to photography or to some newly purchased camera equipment. Our professional instructors will begin with the basics and cover all the instruction with clear communication and opportunities for questions. Students will gain confidence in a stress-less environment. By the end of your session, you can expect to be comfortable using autofocus, light metering, composition, and the basics of exposure, to name just a few! Few photography classes worldwide include the unsurpassed beauty of the San Diego Zoo’s grounds, and during each class you will have the opportunity to stroll the facility prior to it opening to the public. Before you know it, you will be taking pictures you never thought possible! Be prepared to read your owner’s manual prior to attending.
Session 2: Intermediate Wildlife Photography
October 19 and 26
This two-part class is designed for graduates from our beginner’s class and/or those ready to move up to the intermediate photographic level. We will explore some of the more sophisticated camera functions and techniques that will empower photographers to make a great picture even when the odds might seem stacked against you! Not familiar with white balance, exposure compensation, or telescopic compression? Have you wondered how to create or freeze motion? Increase or decrease depth of field? Or use the rule of thirds to improve your ability to compose an image? This class will greatly expand your confidence and knowledge of the advanced features offered by most of today’s digital cameras. Familiarizing yourself with your camera’s owner’s manual and generating a list of questions will be helpful prior to attending.
Session 3: Advanced Wildlife Photography
November 9 and 16
This two-part series is designed with the advanced photographer in mind, the person who knows what they’re doing but who recognizes that with photography there is always room to learn a little more. Come take advantage of the private opportunity to photograph one of the finest plant and animal collections in the country while being provided with a platform to share your thoughts, techniques, ideas, and questions with like-minded photographers! We’ll have conversations about metadata, how to use it, and how we all learn from it, and discussions about new equipment, tools, or cool gear that make life a little easier for the photographer. This is as much a forum for sharing as it is a photographic opportunity. All students are encouraged to share their work on our dedicated Flikr pages. Be prepared to share, make new friends, and take great pictures!
