After a few months’ hiatus, the spring 2024 Day Camp Schedule resumed at Hackberry Farm. While the topics vary, this past weekend's camp concentrated on macro photography. I love macro photography, and it appears to be a genre of nature photography with unlimited horizons. I find that there are macro subjects everywhere. In fact, the frog on the front of the Hackberry Farm Photo School Website was taken at the 2023 macro photography day camp.
So, with a full class mustered, we met at the barn at Hackberry Farm for a day of photography, education, and fun.
The day camps typically follow the same itinerary: an introductory orientation, some classroom instruction, photography, lunch, and more photography. The barn here at Hackberry Farm is an excellent place for learning, and the day is filled with insightful commentary from not just me but all participants. I used to be a high school teacher, and one of the keys to my success in the classroom was to foster an atmosphere of collaborative learning. In these day camps, I bring that same philosophy to bear.
The macro photography day camp is strategically timed to coincide with the spring wildflower bloom, the maturing wheat crop, the garden coming into its own, and the awakening of the wetlands. This unique timing allows us to capture the beauty of insects, frogs, and the exquisite symmetry of flowers and plants, making it a day camp like no other. Each person photographs at a variety of stations that teach lessons in indirect lighting, direct lighting, artificial light sources, and fieldwork.
As the day goes on, each participant finds their groove and takes pictures that suit their aesthetic sensibilities. By day's end, we covered a lot of ground, but we've made new friends, learned some lessons, and had a great time with like-minded people.
The format of the day camps is that for each date, there's a different topic of photographic interest. If you want to see what's coming up, take a look at our upcoming Hackberry Farm Photo Day Camps
Attending the Macro Photography Day Camp at Hackberry Farm this past weekend was a fantastic experience. The return of the spring 2024 Day Camp Schedule was the perfect opportunity to dive back into macro photography.
Learning and Environment
The day started with an orientation at the barn, a great venue for classroom instruction. The guide, Russell, fostered a collaborative learning atmosphere, encouraging everyone to share insights and learn from each other.
Photography Stations and Techniques
Timed with the spring wildflower bloom, we explored various macro subjects such as widow skimmers, bullfrogs, wheel bugs, tree frogs, damselflies, orb-weavers, and margined calligrapher flies. The well-planned stations focused on different lighting techniques—indirect, direct, and artificial—alongside essential fieldwork practices.
Personal Highlights
Throughout the day,…