
Why take this course
Your instructor
Course topics
Videos, handouts, and Q and A
To plan shoots and hikes, it pays to know about backcountry light
Different types of natural light
Their associated photographic qualities
What kind of shooting works best with them
How backcountry shoots and hikes go together
How to use the hike and shoot planner
Planning as a form of readiness
The importance of capable gear and a manageable pack weight
The maximum weight guidelines
Clothing: How much, technical garments, materials, and layering
Using the suggested gear list to find out what hiking gear is important for you
Weight and movement considerations
Suggested gear
A suggested approach to carrying your gear
"Leave No Trace" principles for day hiking
A few thoughts about electronic devices
Your “groovy zone”
Why it’s so important (aerobic vs. anaerobic metabolism)
How to stay within your groovy zone
Getting lost and “maybe lost”
Not getting lost
Getting un-lost
Objective vs. subjective hazards
How to know the dangers and not worry
Some common environmental and wildlife hazards
How backpacking can get you to even greater landscapes
What overnight backcountry travel is like
Where to learn more
Parting thoughts and information for you
To get a great landscape shot, you usually need a great landscape! There are some great ones that are easy to get to. Yet so many great landscapes lay far beyond the parking lot, in the backcountry. It’s a truly vast world of exquisite visual delight and photographic adventure. This class will teach you how to get TO the great landscape.
Even if you already get out on the trail, this class will help you get in deeper, to more engaging subject matter, and to hike more efficiently, safely, and comfortably, while protecting the natural world that inspires you to make photographs in the first place. And it will extend your passion for photography into a driving force for personal health and well-being. Hiking nourishes the body and the soul!
I’m Skip Spitzer, photographer and founder of Getting Deeper into the Wilderness, and I’ll be your instructor. I have more than 30 years of backcountry experience.
In this 1 ¾ hour course, you’ll learn about backcountry light, hike and shoot planning, hiking gear, photography gear, conditioning, pre- and post-hike details, responsible backcountry travel, hiking form, environmental and wildlife hazards, what more advanced skills you may want to learn, and bit about overnight backcountry travel to get you even deeper into the wilderness.
Material is presented through concise, entertaining video lectures, and includes tools and other handouts too. You can ask questions, and see answers to others’ questions, in the Questions area. I answer questions every 1-3 days.
If you are a photographer who wants to get TO the great landscape, this class is for you.
Sounds good? Let’s go!