My photography workshop at White Sands National Monument - Lisa R.

"I got what I wanted from the White Sands Landscape Workshop, and much more that I didn't expect. It was truly amazing. I didn't need instructor Craig Varjabedian to turn me on to the magic of the place, but I sure appreciated his reverence for White Sands, and his deep intimacy with it. He encouraged each of us to feel and see it in our own ways, while also helping us to see in new ways.

I was thrilled to come away with photographs that capture some of the vastness and magic I felt there. Equally importantly, I came away feeing much more confident in handling my tripod, in using the histogram, in understanding exposure bracketing, in becoming aware of various post-processing options. But Craig made sure that the technical stuff didn't overwhelm me or distract me from the importance of learning to see, or of trusting my eye and my instincts. He is an excellent teacher, who naturally paces information, technique, demonstration, and constructive feedback in concrete, individualized ways. I almost didn't realize how much I was learning at the time, cause it was so fluid and natural.

Craig was easygoing yet attentive. He was keenly attuned to the weather, individual needs, and group dynamics, and managed to stay just a step ahead, anticipating changing needs. He made sure that we were in place to take advantage of the best light conditions, that each of us got the attention we needed, and that we learned from each other.

At times I felt a bit out of my depth — particularly when those in the group who were real gear heads and post-processing geeks got going — but Craig gracefully fielded questions and balanced group discussions so that no one person's obsessions or another's more limited experience dominated.

We all felt respected, listened to, and learned lots from the experience, while having a terrific time! I highly recommend the experience." 
 
~Lisa R., MA

~Paula L., Oklahoma