Nic Stover

Evaluating & Working with Light

LIVE February 4 at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET

Nic considers the science and study of light to be one of our most important pursuits in photography. This presentation will increase your understanding of how to work with light. The word “photography” literally means “drawing with light” from the Greek words phos, (genitive: phōtós) meaning “light”, and graphê meaning “drawing or writing”. There are so many ways to think about the different types of light within our photography and what we can do with what we get in the field.

In this presentation Nic will talk about how the most important thing in photography is you and how you look through the light harvester (IE the camera) and the choices and decisions you make on how to collect the light that is falling in front of you onto your subjects of choice. Nic doesn’t have mastery of light nor the power to control it but he will talk about what he CAN control is how he reacts to the light he is given.

1. Some of the topics covered in this presentation include but are not limited to.
   New ways to think about light.
2. The types of light and how we can match the light to the types of images we might want to create.
3. Discovering how we view light vs how our camera views light.
4. Exploring how the viewers eye moves through your images from the warms and cools to the brights and darks.
5. Discover the true value of light in our images.
6. Learn how do photographers describe and talk about light.
7. Further your understanding of the ways in which light interacts with our scenes.
8. Develop the skills so you can you most effectively use light in your images.
9. Find new ways you can break out of your normal mode of working with light.

Bio:

Nature Photography Collective was founded in 2021 by Nic Stover, a lifelong entrepreneur and passionate nature photographer based Invermere, British Columbia. Originally from Carbondale, Colorado, Nic now teaches photography classes, leads workshops, and curates educational events that help others create more meaningful, impactful images.

Since going pro in 2020, Nic spends over 90 days a year in the field and has traveled to all seven continents. Still, it’s the familiar places—like the Canadian Rockies, the High Sierra, and the Desert Southwest—that fuel his creative journey most deeply.

Through Nature Photography Collective, Nic hosts a speaker series with top educators and runs the Inspired Creator Grant, which has awarded over $20,000 to photographers building deeper connections with the natural world.

His mission is to help nature photographers confidently express themselves through their work—focusing on creativity, emotion, and connection. Classes explore everything from composition and light to color theory and black & white photography, with opportunities for all skill levels to grow.

Nathan St. Andre

In The Field, Using Photo Apps to Achieve Your Artistic Goals

LIVE February 11 at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET

There are many tools to help a photographer achieve their goals in the field. In this presentation, I will focus on a variety of tools to improve your productivity with an emphasis on useful applications, including Photopills and the Photographers Ephemeris.

Bio:

Nathan is a photographer located in the heart of the American Southwest, in St. George, Utah. His works primarily focuses on the Colorado Plateau, but he also has an ever growing portfolio of the National Parks of the United States. Nathan is also a teacher of Biology and Photography at Utah Tech University where he guides students to a greater understanding of the art and sciences.

Beth Buelow

Seeing Something in Everything

LIVE January 16 at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET

What's the best way to prepare yourself for once-in-a-lifetime photography opportunities? Practice, practice, practice. And what’s the best way to get the most practice? To see something in everything. The process of creating an image you love starts long before you pick up your camera; there’s an “inner game” to play and an openness to cultivate. We’re going to explore what it means to create location-agnostic, personally meaningful images wherever you happen to be. Using intimate landscapes and abstract examples, we’ll look at how to move through blocks that prevent us from seeing the full potential in everything around us. You’ll come away inspired by ideas and techniques to creatively capture both the everyday and the epic.

Bio: 

Beth Buelow is a Michigan-based artist, coach, and educator specializing in abstract and minimalist photography. Beth's creative philosophy is simple: If you’re not amazed, you’re not paying attention. Inspired by Walt Whitman’s words, "I am large, I contain multitudes," Beth's photography reflects a multifaceted approach, both in subject matter and aesthetic. If there’s one constant, it’s her playful, often unexpected perspective on nature, architecture, and everyday objects. Her YouTube podcast, “Pixels,” features conversations with leading photographers, exploring the heart and art of photography. She is a member of the Nature Photography Collective Core Team as a mastermind leader and workshop instructor.

Meredith Fontana

Focus Stacking 101: Simple Steps to Perfectly Sharp Landscapes

LIVE February 25 at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET

Are you tired of blurry foregrounds or soft backgrounds in your landscape photos?

That’s where focus stacking comes in—a powerful technique that lets you overcome the physical limits of your lens and produce images that are sharp from edge to edge.

In this presentation you'll learn:

1. Why focus stacking is the secret to front-to-back sharpness in your landscape photos.
2. How to focus-stack in the field, step-by-step.
3. Camera settings and gear to get perfect results every time.
4. A simple workflow for stacking your images in Photoshop & Lightroom.

By the end of this workshop, you'll have the skills to confidently stack, blend, and create perfectly sharp landscape photos. No prior experience with focus stacking is needed. Just bring your curiosity and a passion for landscape photography!

Bio:

Meredith Fontana is a Denver-based landscape photographer, educator, and founder of Nature Photography Academy. Drawing on her experiences from a career in paleontology and outdoor adventure, Meredith brings a unique perspective to the art of landscape photography. Her focus for the past 4 years has been on capturing the beauty of Colorado's diverse, hard-to-reach wilderness areas and promoting their protection.

Meredith's passion for teaching landscape photography stems from a desire to inspire others to explore their creativity and deepen their connection with nature. Through engaging workshops and educational content, she has helped thousands of nature and landscape photographers improve their skills, harness their unique perspectives, and cultivate a greater appreciation for the environment.