Photosprouts Photography Workshops
San Francisco | Palo Alto

Photosprouts Photography Workshops

San Francisco

Mindfulness

Through Macro Photography

All Levels

Mindfulness Through Photography


Finding Inner Peace & Calm

You can set your intention for the new year and bring in more awareness through photography.

Mindfulness through photography involves immersing oneself in the present moment with heightened awareness and a non-judgmental attitude to the surroundings.

Among all genres of photography, Macro Photography is the best for practicing mindfulness because one has to be present and stay focused in order to search for a story in the macro world. You'll find yourself start to pay more attention to the subject's forms, textures, shapes and light in the processing of framing an image.

We will meet at San Francisco Botanical Garden. A short lecture will be given before we start the photography part. Attendees will use the equipment that we provide for shooting macro photography in the Botanical Garden, both under the guidance of the instructor and their solo time. They will also have personal time to write journals in the nature.

In the afternoon, we'll move to the Japanese Tea Garden for more photography opportunity. Before we dismiss, we will drink Matcha in the House House and talk about our experience and review the photos in a small group.

No prerequisite is needed, you can start fresh and use the equipment that we provide and they are VERY EASY to use (we don't want you to get bothered by the settings).

If you 1) already have some photography background, or 2) attended our Beginners Workshops, we will assign you to the advanced level group and provide you with more technical knowledge during the lecture.

If you prefer to use your own camera and lenses, please see the list of equipment required.

Quick Facts

Workshop date & time

June 8th 2024 (Sat)

10:00am-4:00pm

2 Locations

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Japanese Tea Garden

Equipment provided:

 Camera + Lens + Macro Photography Extension Tubes

(or use your own)

Macro Photography

Composition, lighting and easy settings

Journalling

Personal time and self reflection


Tea Time

Enjoy a cup of steaming Matcha at the Tea House

Embrace yourself in the nature

Class Size

5

Price $450

(including tickets to the Botanical Garden, Japanese Tea Garden, and a cup of Matcha)

June 8th 2024 (Sat) 10am-4pm



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FAQ

  • What is the prerequisite?

    The Beginner & Intermediate I & II Photography Workshops OR ability to use the manual mode of your camera: Attendees are required to adjust the exposure in the manual mode VERY proficiently.

  • Do I need to bring my own camera?

    Attendees are expected to bring their own cameras & lenses for this workshop.


  • Do I need to bring a macro lens?

    No if you are bringing a Canon DSLR camera, just bring a mid-range regular lens. We will provide a set of extenstion tubes for you.


    Yes if you are not a Canon DSLR camera user.

  • What lenses should I bring for this workshop?

    Recommended lenses for this workshop:

    • 50mm F1.2, F1.4, F1.8
    • 24-70mm F2.8, F4
    • 24-105mm F4
    • 18-135mm F3.5-5.6
    • 28-70mm F3.5-5.6
  • Do I need to bring a tripod?

    Optional

  • Can I use my flash instead of the lighting equipment provided?

    Yes. If you have a flash, you can bring it to the class. If you plan to use your own flash, please also be sure to bring a trigger (off-camera flash) and a small softbox to diffuse the light. We will show you the settings in the class. Moreover, you will also need to carry a light stand to use the flash when it is off-camera, otherwise you have to hold the flash while you are taking the photos. To make everything easier, you can just use the lighting equipment that we provide.

  • How is this class different from The Joy of Flower Photography Online Workshop?

    We recommend you to take both classes.

    Macro flower photography is part of the Joy of Flower Photography Online Workshop; this class  emphasizes on creating abstract and artistic looking images of flowers using close-up and regular shots.

    The Macro Photography workshop uses a documentary approach to capure the details of wide range of subjects such as flowers, bugs, drews,  feathers and objects with interesting textures.

  • What equipment is provided?

    Easy-to-use Canon Mirrorless Camera + Macro Photography Extension Tubes




    *Note to fresh beginners: 


    Don't worry if you don't know what a mirrorless camera and an extension tube is, we'll get you covered. 

    With our equipment and teaching method, you don't need any prior photography knowledge to practice mindfulness, we promise. 

    In terms of photography knowledge, you will learn a lot about composition in the class but NOT the technical side such as the exposure triangle (ISO, aperture and shutter speed). The goal is to enjoy the moment through macro photography, instead of becoming very technical about using a camera.

    If you want to learn the technical side of photography and understand what ISO, aperture and shutter are, please sign up for the Beginners' and/or the Intermediate I Workshops.

    If you have your own camera but don't know how to use it, we strongly advise you to use the equipment that we provide, or sign up for the Beginners' Workshop.



    *Note to Photosprouts old students/ attendees who have photography background:


    Equipment is still provided but you can use your own

    We'll cover more about the technical side of Macro Photography

    Camera settings

    Focusing

    Lighting

    Maximizing the depth of field

    Composition




  • Can I use my own equipment?

    Yes, you'll need:


    1) Your own camera


    2a) A Macro Lens or


    2b) A standard lens* + A set of Extension Tubes 


    *A standard lens can be a 


    • 50mm Prime Lens or
    • A Zoom lens that covers the 50mm focal length. E.g 24-70mm F4

  • I'm a fresh beginner and want to focus on mindfulness. Is this class for me?

    For those of you who want to use their own equipment, you'll need to understand the basics of photography such as ISO, aperture and shutter speed and focusing. 


    You'll need:


    1) Your own camera


    2a) A Macro Lens or


    2b) A standard lens* + A set of Extension Tubes 


    *A standard lens can be a 


    • 50mm Prime Lens or
    • A Zoom lens that covers the 50mm focal length. E.g 24-70mm F4

  • I'm a Photosprouts graduate or already have some photography background, is this class right for me?

    This is a bonus!


    We'll split into two groups and you'll belong to the advanced level group. We will cover more about the technical side of Macro Photography:


    • The Camera settings
    • Focusing
    • Lighting
    • Maximizing the depth of field
    • Composition

    Equipment is still provided but you can use your own (please indicate in the checkout).

  • What is an extension tube and how it can shoot Macro Photography?

    Please watch this video to understand how an extension tube works. 

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