There are two types of outdoor photographers: those who need help getting to the right place at the right time and those who don’t. If you are of the latter persuasion, you can stop reading now. Really, I mean it…stop reading. Okay, that’s better. For the rest of you, let’s spend some time discussing just what to expect when you hire a photography guide.
The business of guiding outdoor photographers isn’t new. However, in the past few years guiding has experienced significant growth. I blame it on the digital revolution – everyone has a camera and almost everyone is a photographer. I have seen guides advertised in Outdoor Photographer and all over the internet who are available to lead you on a private photo tour in just about every state. But what can they do for you?
What Do Photo Guides Do and How Much Do They Charge?
What a guide does and how much they charge for their services varies tremendously. One thing almost all of them have in common is that you can usually depend on them to lead you to the right place at the right time. Some guides service only iconic locations while others will spend several days backpacking with you in remote and forbidding territory. Some guides offer personal instruction, image critiques, portfolio reviews, digital darkroom tutorials, and more. Guide fees are all over the board and may range from $150/day to more than $2,500/day with a prominent photographer. Surely the more you pay the better the guide, right? Nope. Not even close. In my research it seems that $300 to $500/day is the average going rate. Generally speaking, paying more than that buys you the opportunity to rub shoulders with a heavy hitter.
How Do I Know What I’m Getting For My Money?
This is easy – just ask ‘em. It’s your money and you deserve to know what you’re paying for. Check out their websites for details about their services. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there don’t hesitate to send an email or give them a call. Ask questions. What does the guide fee cover? Park entry fees, transportation, meals/snacks? Will they be available to answer your questions or will they show you where to set up your tripod and then disappear to make their own images? It isn’t necessarily a bad thing if they plan to break out their camera. I’ve often had clients tell me that they learned a lot watching me work. But, I think it’s important for you, the client, to know what to expect on your guided tour. Perhaps even more important, if you expect your guide to never leave your side you should tell them so. Successful guides have mastered the art of managing expectations.
How Do I Know If The Guide I’d Like To Hire Is Any Good?
Check their website for testimonials. Sure, they could be faked but at least it’s a good start. If you’re still not convinced, ask the guide if you can contact a prior customer or two. If he balks at that idea I’d have to wonder why. Perhaps a phone conversation with the guide may help to ease your mind. Spending all day with someone with whom you have a major personality clash pretty much sucks. It sucks even more when you’re paying them.
What Will The Schedule Be Like?
Excellent question! Most guides offer full or half day tours. Find out what that means. Does a full day tour mean you’re in the field from sunrise to sunset? Will there be a break during mid-day? I always build in a break to allow us both to recharge batteries (both literally and metaphorically), download images, eat and relax. Not all guides do this. If you need or want a break, be sure to relay that information to your guide. On the other hand, if you expect to be in the field the entire day, be sure to tell your guide that, too.
Does “Private” Mean It’s Just Me?
Don’t automatically assume it’ll just be you and your guide. Some guides only do small group tours. It would suck to show up thinking you will have the guide’s undivided attention only to discover there are 2 or 3 strangers tagging along. Often this information can be obtained on their website. When it isn’t spelled out there, call or email them.
Is My Guide Legit?
This is a big one, in my opinion. The Feds require that anyone operating commercially on their property do so with a permit in hand. National parks, BLM, Forest Service or national monument – they are all regulated to some degree. Find out if your guide has the proper permits. Being permitted also means that he will be carrying liability insurance and most likely, a first aid and CPR certification.
While we’re on the topic, help your guide plan a productive and fun trip by telling him if you have any medical issues or physical limitations. You don’t want your guide planning a lengthy hike if you aren’t capable of completing it. A good guide can and will customize the tour to your interests and abilities.
Why Should I Hire A Guide?
I’m a pretty independent dude. When I’m traveling somewhere new I research the living daylights out of the place until I have a pretty firm grasp on how to photograph the area. It’s a time intensive process and I’m not always successful. Usually, but not always. I’ll be posting an article soon on what I do to prepare for a trip, so check back often so you don’t miss that post.
But, what if you don’t have the time or interest in doing all that research? Hiring a guide can be a great way to ensure that you are maximizing your time on the ground at a new location. Guides should be intimately familiar with the areas in which they operate. This is important because as the seasons change, so do the photo opportunities. For example, if you come to Arches in April to photograph the Three Gossips you might be really disappointed to find them completely in the shadow of The Organ until well after sunrise. A knowledgeable guide would know this and be able to steer you in the right direction.
Although not a critical point, it’s always nice to work with a guide who is, on some level, a naturalist. If he knows a little bit about the flora, fauna, history and geology of the area it will certainly make your trip more enjoyable.
A guided photo tour can be an excellent way to best experience a new area through your camera’s viewfinder. With these tips in mind I’m confident you’re fully prepared to make the most of your private guided photo tour. If you’re interested in learning more about my services, I invite you to visit the Moab Photo Workshops website.
You can learn more about Bret, view his wonderful images, read his blog here: Bret Edge Photography
You can find out more about Bret's workshops here: Moab Photo Workshops
The Making of an Image – Forest of Ghosts, Wyoming
Tuesday, September 14th, 2010Some call me obsessive, others call me compulsive and I admit to both. Over the last decade I visited Yellowstone National Park at least a dozen times. Each time, while driving through the park, I passed a forest of ghostly trees whose trunks were bleached and faded from acidic hot spring runoff and intense alpine sun. Each time I thought, “Hey, that’s a really cool location and one day you should stop and see about making an image of the place.” I’ve had this image in the back of my head since my first visit almost ten years ago. It has gnawed at my brain for damn near a decade. Finally, a couple months ago, I decided to do something about it.
Early June, 2010 I decided to pack up my truck and head north for a two week road trip in the greater Yellowstone area. This was my opportunity to make the image I’d been visualizing all those years. It would require an overcast day, ideally some mist or fog, and a little luck in finding a successful composition. Why luck? This forest is literally right off the road. The shoulder is about a foot wide, then it drops a couple feet into a meadow that is filled with runoff from hot springs where the rangers and common sense tell us we shouldn’t walk. If you’ve ever been to Yellowstone you know that any person with a camera on a tripod attracts the attention of motorists, many of whom are driving rented RV’s that they aren’t used to driving. When your butt is hanging over the fog line and you’re peering through the viewfinder with cars and RVs speeding by, you’ve got to be a little bit lucky to find a composition and avoid becoming roadkill.
When I arrived at the location I parked my truck in the only pullout I could find nearby which ended up being about 1/4 mile away from the ghost forest. A short walk later and at last, there I was, standing before these beautiful but wretched trees with camera in hand. The sky was uniformly grey but there was no mist or fog lingering amongst the trees. Win some, lose some. I scoped out the area and tried several compositions. There was a small creek doing a gentle “S” curve through the trees. Nice, but not it. Then I found a section where the trunks were more spread out and the water was deep enough to catch some reflections. Cool but still not what I had in mind. I zoomed in, I went wide angle. I just wasn’t feelin’ it and I was starting to get frustrated. I had to keep telling myself that the image was here and that I just hadn’t yet found it.
After 30 minutes or so I started walking back to my truck with my head hung low. I had failed. The image wasn’t there after all. Surely if I were a better photographer I would have realized my vision! As I passed the end of the ghost forest I looked back over my shoulder for one last farewell glance. What did I see? The image! Given a bit of distance the trees seemed to huddle closer together, presenting an almost abstract form. There were the strong vertical lines, the somber color palette and seemingly infinite assortment of stark tree trunks. I knew a longer focal length would compress the scene and make the trunks really appear to be stacked one on top of the other. I quickly set up my tripod and went to work composing an image. It didn’t take long and I had almost exactly what I’d been after all this time. I made the image with the intent of cropping out most of the foreground to create a panorama, which would also contribute to the semi-chaotic and abstract nature of the trunks.
What’s the lesson here? First, keep good mental notes. If you see something that has potential but you don’t have the ability to work it right away, remember it. Better yet, keep a “wish list” in a notebook, on your laptop or in your iPhone. Second, don’t give up if at first you don’t find what you’re looking for. Keep at it. Dedicate yourself to working the location. Lastly, when you do give up, don’t forget to look over your shoulder as you walk away. You just never know when the photo you envisioned is going to decide to reveal itself to you.
You can learn more about Bret, view his wonderful images, read his blog here: Bret Edge Photography
You can find out more about Bret's workshops here: Moab Photo Workshops
Tags: Bret Edge, Vision, Yelllowstone
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