Chris: Just a quick note to express my appreciation for the fine workshop (PUFFINS GALORE DELUXE WORKSHOP) hosting provided by you and Julie, along with Louise and Marie-Josée and the charming Auberge facilities. We were fortunate to have such good weather and abundant puffin activity, and your guidance and tips were very helpful, even for a long-time Sony mirrorless shooter. I found the other clients quite interesting and enjoyed sharing the experience with all of them. Despite some travel challenges to and from the Mingan Archipelago, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and look forward to the prospect of joining you in another workshop in the future.
Again, thank you for your excellent leadership and engaging fellowship on Iles aux Parroquets – now to plough through the 30,000+ images I brought back to find the “exceptional” few!
Best regards,
- Gordon Norman
Produced a portfolio of epic photos
My wife and I have taken two trips with Chris Dodds, Eagles in Homer, Alaska (EAGLES GALORE), and Puffins in Quebec (PUFFINS GALORE DELUXE EDITION), and both trips have produced a portfolio of epic photos.
The first trip to photograph Eagles was well-organized: transportation was outlined, a meeting place was established, and we received suggestions as to equipment, clothing, weather, and what to expect well in advance. Chris had arranged our lodging, and upon arrival, we have a short briefing on what to expect during the course of the workshop. Transportation to the site was supplied, and to say the location and the subject was excellent is an understatement.
At times, we had forty-plus eagles overhead. Chris provided suggestions as to camera settings and provided whatever guidance was required during the shoot. Chris is very helpful and a fountain of knowledge of photography, but he doesn’t push it on you. And his head was never in the viewfinder of our cameras; he photographed, but never gave the feeling that he was on a shoot and his clients were just along for the ride.
The second trip was to Quebec to photograph Puffins. Again, the workshop was well-organized as outlined above: transportation to the site was suggested along with places to spend the previous night as we were to meet in a remote area with meager places to spend the night and dine. Boat transportation to the site was provided, and at times the puffins seemed to swarm. Chris gave us pointers on shooting small, fast-flying birds as well as the equipment necessary for closeup portrait of shy little subjects.
My wife and I have travelled all over the world, and Chris stands out among the many professional photographers we have been with. He is low key, has a good sense of humour (humour, in Canada) has a great knowledge of photography which he will share with any photographer in his groups, regardless of their experience level. We will certainly travel with Chris again.
- Carl (and Cheryl) Shneider
Overwhelming to choose my favourites
Hey Chris,
Once again, great trip and I wanted to thank both you and Julie for being such wonderful hosts. The island is a unique place to spend time with the Puffins and, now, my collection of Puffin shots is making it somewhat overwhelming to choose my favorites. I guess that's the objective.
Frank Sheets
Chris is not only an excellent teacher but an outstanding host
My teenage son (an avid youth nature photographer) and I just came back from Chris' Puffin trip. We had a day of pouring rain, a day of cloud cover and a day of sunshine and Chris gave practical advice on how to get great images no matter what the weather. Chris is skilled at meeting each photographer where they are as he gives individual customized attention out in the field. Chris uses a variety of teaching strategies (including great metaphors!) to make complex information concrete and understandable. My son came back with incredible images - puffin portraits in beautiful golden light, puffins and razorbills with fish in flight, beautiful groupings, single puffins in grass, flowers and rocky cliffs. He also came back with a wealth of tips, tools and strategies. And amidst all of the superb photography instruction and individualized attention, there was also lots of camaraderie and great stories. Chris is not only an excellent teacher but an outstanding host. Can't wait for our next Chris Dodds adventure!
- Deborah & Christopher Graham Ontario | Canada
a hearty recommendation to anyone considering a photo workshop with Chris Dodds
I found Chris via the strong images on his web site.
Having now taken two of his photo workshops, I have seen a significant improvement in my images due to improved capture and post processing techniques. Having taken many other wildlife photo workshops, Chris stands out for his top notch instruction. His workshops provide many excellent photo opportunities.
If you are serious about your photography and want to get better, Chris can help you in many ways. He is willing and able to explain what he is doing and why he is doing it. He emphasizes not only the vision but also the execution in the field and the post processing.
It was fun shooting with and learning from Chris. I give a hearty recommendation to anyone considering a photo workshop with Chris, a recommendation I plan to follow.
Carl Zanoni Connecticut, USA
The best photo workshops I have ever attended
I want to thank you again for one of the best photo workshops I have ever attended. The trip to Northern Quebec to photo Puffins was truly an adventure. I was very impressed with the planning you put into ever aspect of the tour. Everything ran smoothly and the opportunity to photograph these amazing birds was an experience I will not soon forget. I also appreciate the time you spent with each of us to make sure we got the best possible result from whatever equipment we were using. Your technique for reducing noise while maximizing detail when shooting at high ISO's was particularly helpful. No one had ever explained the science behind this and now it makes a lot of sense. This trip was everything I had hoped for and I look forward to joining you again in the future.
Chuck Raines Camarillo, California