Specialization Series: Advanced Field Techniques for Landscape Photographers
In February 2026, we talked about how we can refine and improve our in field techniques. Now it is time to go a level deeper into the ways we can specialize our techniques. Each one of these seminars was carefully selected and developed based on the area photographers like you want to experience growth, try new ways of photographing the landscape, or completely learn a new technique
The series starts with Nature Photography Academy founder, Meredith Fontana to lead us on an incredible journey in how you can go From Map to Masterpiece: Digital Scouting Tools for Photographers. This seminar will have tools you can use in the field, from your home, ahead of time, in the moment, and everywhere in between. We guarantee you will learn some revolutionary tools you didn't even know about before that will immediately improve your work.
Following Meredith, will be our man from another land, Murray Livingston. Murray splits his time between Scotland and South Africa and this diversity of landscape has shaped how he uses filters for Long Exposure & Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) images. This is how to pre visualize an image and how it will change when these techniques are applied but it is also about how to make real time adjustments that communicate with impact.
Our third talk will come from the night photography master himself, Joshua Cripps. From full moon to milky way and eclipse images, Josh's work stands out but that is not by chance. Over decades he has developed distinctive approaches to the night that he looks forward to sharing with you. This is the perfect seminar for anyone wanting to learn new ways to photograph the night sky.
Our final talk will be with Nature Photography Collective's lead instructor, Nathan St. Andre. All of us have hundreds of images where everything was right but we missed one variable. Exposure. Maybe we were trying to protect our highlights and under exposed an image. Or we were in a dynamic lighting situation and wanted to bracket but did not get that right. Or we wanted to print an image but did not get it correctly to be able to retain the detail. Regardless of the reason or the season this talk on Fieldcraft Best Practices for Perfect Exposures is for you.
Check out the LIVE schedule below:
- March 4: From Map to Masterpiece: Digital Scouting Tools for Photographers with Meredith Fontana (4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET)
- March 14: Using Filters for Long Exposures & ICM with Murray Livingston (9:00 am PT / 12:00 pm ET)
- March 18: Photographing Once in a Lifetime Moments with Joshua Cripps (4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET)
- March 25: Fieldcraft Best Practices for Perfect Exposures with Nathan St. Andre (4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET)
Recordings will be available on-demand starting the day after each LIVE seminar, so you can watch (or rewatch) anytime.
Registration for the series comes with the opportunity to ask questions live, submit your own images for review, rewatch the sessions as much as you want for as long as you want, and even download for offline viewing. You will have permanent access to the recordings through My Library, YouTube or Dropbox file download.
Are you an annual or monthly member? You’ll gain access to all these sessions the day after they’re streamed live!
Nature Photography Classes offer a unique opportunity to hear from and interact with people that rarely speak with audiences and are considered some of the best photography educators in the world. Â
5% of all registration fees will be donated to the environmental cause or organization of the speakers choosing. Another great opportunity to give back!
This series will be hosted by NPA founder, Meredith Fontana.
Meredith Fontana teaches "From Map to Masterpiece: Digital Scouting Tools for Landscape Photographers"
From Map to Masterpiece: Digital Scouting Tools for Landscape Photographers
LIVE March 4th at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET or on-demand beginning March 5th.
Join Meredith for an in-depth look at essential digital scouting tools and techniques that will help you find unique photo locations and create images that stand out from the crowd.
In this presentation, you will be introduced to Meredith's favorite software, apps, and websites that she uses to find hidden compositions, anticipate perfect lighting, and predict ideal weather conditions.
You’ll see a live demonstration of these tools in action, where you will learn how to scout a new location step-by-step.
We’ll walk through a real-world scouting scenario that integrates these digital tools, from terrain research and lighting analysis to weather tracking and field preparation. In this presentation, you will learn:
- How to apply Meredith's LITA framework to plan compelling photo shoots with confidence
- Which digital tools are best for terrain analysis, light prediction, and weather tracking.
- How to identify and evaluate potential compositions before you arrive on-site.
- Field-tested strategies for improving efficiency and success on location scouts.
By the end of this presentation you will have actionable insights that will help you scout like a pro and create images that are truly unique.
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.
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Murray Livingston teaches "The Power of Filters: Photographing Time"
The Power of Filters: Photographing Time
LIVE March 14th at 9:00 am PT / 12:00 pm ET or on-demand beginning March 15th.
Photography is one of the only art forms that uses time directly in its creation; using filters to control your shutter speed is one of the key components to unlocking a new level of creativity. Join Murray as he teaches you to effectively use a variety of filters, from ND's to polarisers, in your nature and landscape photography. This presentation will demonstrate how to pre-visualise results, how to make real-time adjustments, as well as learning when to use certain filters and when not to use them! Murray will touch on: photographing water and moving subjects, the impact of polarisation, filters for creating abstract images & Intentional Camera Movements (ICM), and much more.
Bio:
Murray is a full-time professional landscape and nature photographer, educator, and workshop leader with more than 10 years of image making experience. Murray photographs all aspects of the landscape through long-term photographic projects in Scotland, where he is based most of the year in a self-built campervan, and his home country of South Africa. He is a deep thinker with interests in adventure & conservation, both of which he strives to communicate and teach through a deeply contemplative and introspective approach to photography.
Joshua Cripps teaches "Photographing Once in a Lifetime Moments"
Joshua Cripps
Photographing Once in a Lifetime Moments
LIVE March 18th at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET or on-demand beginning March 19th.
Many photographers dream of getting that perfect nighttime shot of a stunning lunar eclipse, a comet floating high over the mountains, or an aurora dancing over their favorite landscape. But planning and executing these kinds of shots can seem impossibly intimidating and complex.
Fear not! In this fast paced and fun talk, professional photographer Joshua Cripps will share with you his secrets, tactics, and approach to conceptualizing and executing once in a lifetime (night) photos.
You will learn:
- How to conceptualize unique ideas for photos
- My favorite planning tools to help you know exactly where to go and what to do
- Three techniques that will help your success ratio skyrocket
- Along with much more.
Bio:Â
Joshua Cripps is a wilderness photographer from California who has received countless awards and accolades, including more than one “Certificate of Participation,” dozens of “Good Sportsmanship” plaques, and the coveted “Busy Bookworm” award. Joshua spends over 700 days every year in the field seeking out the finest landscapes on earth. He has a mighty beard and sings in a rich baritone. Hiking at least 45 miles to capture every photo, Joshua ensures that every image he crafts represents the very heart of the wilderness. While you were reading this, Joshua did 93 push-ups, won more awards, and became internationally re-renowned.
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Nathan St. Andre teaches "Fieldcraft for Perfect Exposure"
Nathan St. Andre
Fieldcraft for Perfect Exposure
LIVE March 25th at 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET or on-demand beginning March 26th.
Proper Exposure is a tricky thing. Fundamentally, we often have to make decisions in the field that maximize dynamic range, sometimes at the cost of loosing information. This presentation will walk through the different techniques to get proper exposure in the field and make sure you have the necessary files taken in the field to properly blend your images. We will also discuss a few techniques for post processing success.
Bio:
Nathan St. Andre is a photographer based in southern Utah, on the footsteps of Zion National Park. He specializes in the American Southwest, particularly the Colorado Plateau, but will photograph wherever the winds blow him. His background is in Biology, where he has both a Bachelor's and Master's in the subject. He has previously worked for both state and federal agencies, working with rare and endangered animals. Currently, he teaches photography at Utah Tech University and is the spearhead for running photography workshops for Nature Photography Collective.
