Douglas Steakley Photography
Private and Small Group Tours and Expeditions
The Sun Valley Camera Club in Yellowstone National Park
After many years of leading local and international tours to a myriad of exotic locations, I have decided to cut back on my busy schedule. However, I am still available for individuals, families, small groups and camera clubs who are interested in having me arrange private tours for them. I have had quite a few of these recently, including trips to Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Nipomo Dunes and Big Sur. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to look into the possibility of arranging a private tour
I conduct many small group or one-person workshops on a variety of subjects that range from tutorials in Lightroom, Bridge and Photoshop, to working on composition and exposure. Recently I have also been helping people become more familiar with new and complex cameras before they embark on important trips.
Individual or small group workshops are a fun and effective way to improve your photography skills quickly. I will work directly with you to design these sessions to match your current skill level, so it does not matter if you are a beginner or novice, our time together will be tailored to fit your personal needs.
In many of these classes we travel down the Big Sur coast to several locations and focus on photographing the landscape. We can work on getting correct exposure by using histograms, elements of composition and how and when to use neutral density filters and a polarizing filter. More advanced techniques can include stack focusing and long exposures with slower shutter speeds.
Full day workshops can be divided into two sessions so we photograph in the late afternoon or at sunset to take advantage of better light and then process these images in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw in a second session on the following day.
The charge for a full day workshop is $850.00 and a half day is $450.00. Full day workshops include lunch and a copy of my new book, Photographing Big Sur, published by Countryman Press. Each additional participant is $195.00. I am happy to work with small groups provided they share similar interests and have approximately the same skill level. For shorter time periods, such as becoming familiar with your new camera or an introduction to post-processing, the fee is $125.00 per hour.
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"What a joy to work with Doug as a trip leader, and he is a delightful human being to spend time with as well. From the moment we shared our desire to plan a trip to Africa for a safari, he jumped in to contact a tour company he has worked with for years to plan the itinerary and make travel arrangements, always touching base with us to ensure the itinerary met our goals. He was an excellent communicator prior to the trip by providing all the information we needed regarding what to take as well as what vaccines were required and was endlessly patient in answering all our questions. While on the trip he did a super job of handling any issues that arose while keeping everyone happy. If you are looking for someone to organize and lead an individual or small group adventure, I wholeheartedly recommend Doug."
--Kathryn Poling
"I wanted to explore Big Sur photographically, and I wanted a quality experience. Time is limited and I was trying to make the most of the days that I had. I reached out to Doug after seeing his work and was pleased to learn that he had availability for the five days that I had in mind. One of the major benefits of having individual tours is that you can optimize your schedule based on your interests, the weather, etc. Speaking with Doug, we were able to develop a schedule whereby I could explore not only Big Sur, but Yosemite as well. I was very pleased.
Needless to say, Doug’s strength as a photographer is undisputed and I knew he knew a lot more about the art and science of photography than me. Couple that with his deep knowledge of the area, and we had a winning recipe. But of course, there are unknowns that can impact the quality of the experience. Namely, if you are going to spend five days with one person… are you going to get along, is it going to be a pleasant experience? This you never know for sure. Please allow me to address this in the case of Doug.
Doug has an easygoing personality, which makes it very likely that he can work effectively and productively with anyone. He’s thoughtful. He’s generous with his insights and recommendations, even after the trip (critiquing your work). And he adapts to your level of knowledge and expertise, enabling you to build upon what you know. The experience was very enjoyable all around - subject matter, logistics arrangements, the learning - and to boot, I really enjoyed the time with Doug. I wholeheartedly recommend an individual or small group tour with him. "
--Tony Penate
“It is very hard for me to express in words the feelings I have for the day we spent on the Big Sur coastline. The day was everything I had hoped for and so much more. Thank you so much for all of your supportive and informative knowledge, guidance, and instruction. I have never spent a day with someone who had so much passion for the beauty of their surroundings as I did with you. You showed me landscapes that people only dream of, and I thank you again for a day that I will never forget. I look forward to future photo excursions together.”
--Elizabeth Wilmore
“I just want to thank you again for a great workshop these past couple days! I learned a lot--composition, seeing, lighting, etc. My photography has improved significantly just after spending a day with you; I am really excited! Also, I really had a good time. I am going to start processing the images tonight and I hope to finish in the next week. I hope to take some of your workshops with you in different seasons in the next year.”
--Sunyo Suhaimi
"Doug Steakley is very well known as a highly skilled (and much published) photographer and teacher. His workshops and classes have enabled many aspiring, committed, photographers to make truly memorable images. What is less well known is Doug's skill and generosity as a counselor for photographers trying to find an audience for their work. His deep knowledge of the gallery world, stock agencies, calendar publishers, etc. was more than useful for me. Doug's critique of my work was, of course, attentive and thoughtful - but his assistance in finding markets for my work was truly invaluable.”
--Jed Wormhoud
"I have enjoyed four wonderful photography adventures led by Douglas Steakley: Winter In Yellowstone, Burma, Iceland, and a safari to Botswana and Victoria Falls; and have registered for a fifth to Kenya.
I started out knowing very little about photography other than I really enjoyed the experience of picture taking and was quickly bitten by the photo bug. Doug is an excellent teacher, he is very patient with our repeated questions and with each shoot I found a new layer of learning and how to use my equipment.
These experiences around the world have provided learning challenges about the country, the people and wildlife, and they have been filled with many spontaneous moments. In Burma we met tribal Burmese women on the road and were invited to visit their village where they danced and posed for us. We were the first westerners to visit their village. In Botswana, we set out on an afternoon safari drive to see a beautiful one-year old male leopard cub waiting in a tree for his mother to return with dinner.
I am looking forward to more fun, more learning and more adventures with Doug and fellow photographers."
--Susan T. Moore
After many years of leading local and international tours to a myriad of exotic locations, I have decided to cut back on my busy schedule. However, I am still available for individuals, families, small groups and camera clubs who are interested in having me arrange private tours for them. I have had quite a few of these recently, including trips to Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Nipomo Dunes and Big Sur. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to look into the possibility of arranging a private tour
I conduct many small group or one-person workshops on a variety of subjects that range from tutorials in Lightroom, Bridge and Photoshop, to working on composition and exposure. Recently I have also been helping people become more familiar with new and complex cameras before they embark on important trips.
Individual or small group workshops are a fun and effective way to improve your photography skills quickly. I will work directly with you to design these sessions to match your current skill level, so it does not matter if you are a beginner or novice, our time together will be tailored to fit your personal needs.
In many of these classes we travel down the Big Sur coast to several locations and focus on photographing the landscape. We can work on getting correct exposure by using histograms, elements of composition and how and when to use neutral density filters and a polarizing filter. More advanced techniques can include stack focusing and long exposures with slower shutter speeds.
Full day workshops can be divided into two sessions so we photograph in the late afternoon or at sunset to take advantage of better light and then process these images in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw in a second session on the following day.
The charge for a full day workshop is $850.00 and a half day is $450.00. Full day workshops include lunch and a copy of my new book, Photographing Big Sur, published by Countryman Press. Each additional participant is $195.00. I am happy to work with small groups provided they share similar interests and have approximately the same skill level. For shorter time periods, such as becoming familiar with your new camera or an introduction to post-processing, the fee is $125.00 per hour.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"What a joy to work with Doug as a trip leader, and he is a delightful human being to spend time with as well. From the moment we shared our desire to plan a trip to Africa for a safari, he jumped in to contact a tour company he has worked with for years to plan the itinerary and make travel arrangements, always touching base with us to ensure the itinerary met our goals. He was an excellent communicator prior to the trip by providing all the information we needed regarding what to take as well as what vaccines were required and was endlessly patient in answering all our questions. While on the trip he did a super job of handling any issues that arose while keeping everyone happy. If you are looking for someone to organize and lead an individual or small group adventure, I wholeheartedly recommend Doug."
--Kathryn Poling
"I wanted to explore Big Sur photographically, and I wanted a quality experience. Time is limited and I was trying to make the most of the days that I had. I reached out to Doug after seeing his work and was pleased to learn that he had availability for the five days that I had in mind. One of the major benefits of having individual tours is that you can optimize your schedule based on your interests, the weather, etc. Speaking with Doug, we were able to develop a schedule whereby I could explore not only Big Sur, but Yosemite as well. I was very pleased.
Needless to say, Doug’s strength as a photographer is undisputed and I knew he knew a lot more about the art and science of photography than me. Couple that with his deep knowledge of the area, and we had a winning recipe. But of course, there are unknowns that can impact the quality of the experience. Namely, if you are going to spend five days with one person… are you going to get along, is it going to be a pleasant experience? This you never know for sure. Please allow me to address this in the case of Doug.
Doug has an easygoing personality, which makes it very likely that he can work effectively and productively with anyone. He’s thoughtful. He’s generous with his insights and recommendations, even after the trip (critiquing your work). And he adapts to your level of knowledge and expertise, enabling you to build upon what you know. The experience was very enjoyable all around - subject matter, logistics arrangements, the learning - and to boot, I really enjoyed the time with Doug. I wholeheartedly recommend an individual or small group tour with him. "
--Tony Penate
“It is very hard for me to express in words the feelings I have for the day we spent on the Big Sur coastline. The day was everything I had hoped for and so much more. Thank you so much for all of your supportive and informative knowledge, guidance, and instruction. I have never spent a day with someone who had so much passion for the beauty of their surroundings as I did with you. You showed me landscapes that people only dream of, and I thank you again for a day that I will never forget. I look forward to future photo excursions together.”
--Elizabeth Wilmore
“I just want to thank you again for a great workshop these past couple days! I learned a lot--composition, seeing, lighting, etc. My photography has improved significantly just after spending a day with you; I am really excited! Also, I really had a good time. I am going to start processing the images tonight and I hope to finish in the next week. I hope to take some of your workshops with you in different seasons in the next year.”
--Sunyo Suhaimi
"Doug Steakley is very well known as a highly skilled (and much published) photographer and teacher. His workshops and classes have enabled many aspiring, committed, photographers to make truly memorable images. What is less well known is Doug's skill and generosity as a counselor for photographers trying to find an audience for their work. His deep knowledge of the gallery world, stock agencies, calendar publishers, etc. was more than useful for me. Doug's critique of my work was, of course, attentive and thoughtful - but his assistance in finding markets for my work was truly invaluable.”
--Jed Wormhoud
"I have enjoyed four wonderful photography adventures led by Douglas Steakley: Winter In Yellowstone, Burma, Iceland, and a safari to Botswana and Victoria Falls; and have registered for a fifth to Kenya.
I started out knowing very little about photography other than I really enjoyed the experience of picture taking and was quickly bitten by the photo bug. Doug is an excellent teacher, he is very patient with our repeated questions and with each shoot I found a new layer of learning and how to use my equipment.
These experiences around the world have provided learning challenges about the country, the people and wildlife, and they have been filled with many spontaneous moments. In Burma we met tribal Burmese women on the road and were invited to visit their village where they danced and posed for us. We were the first westerners to visit their village. In Botswana, we set out on an afternoon safari drive to see a beautiful one-year old male leopard cub waiting in a tree for his mother to return with dinner.
I am looking forward to more fun, more learning and more adventures with Doug and fellow photographers."
--Susan T. Moore