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(Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kristel Schneider, All Rights Reserved)

There are hundreds of photo seminars advertised on the Internet, many of which are offered by very well known photographers.  Seminars can be very expensive, some of which can cost well above $10,000.  What the PTR Team has learned, however, is that sometimes the best opportunities for learning about photography is to find someone who is filled with enthusiasm for photography, whose photographic skills have been recognized by others, and who charges a modest fee to attend their workshops.

Just because a seminar is expensive, does not mean that one will improve one’s skills.  There are other more important factors to consider.

One key criterion is whether the workshop leader has the patience to work with someone who knows little about photography and is eager to learn.

It is this latter criterion that the PTR Team can’t emphasize enough.  It is of little good to attend a seminar where one feels intimidated by the workshop leader.  Or worse, a seminar where the leader spends his or her time shooting for themselves.

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Kristel Schneider has developed a reputation for teaching without intimidating as can be gleaned from the comments of her workshop participants:

“Kristel gives you a lot of space to expose your skills without the feeling you are a dummy.” – Dorothé | France

“Had a fantastic day. I arrived not really knowing how to use my camera properly and I left a manual shooter. I left with lots of new skills and I’m really pleased that I followed through on the impulse to join one of Kristel’s workshops.” – Patty | UK

“I am very pleased because it has been extremely worthwhile doing a one-on-one nature workshop. In that way all my questions were answered. Kristel’s enthusiasm, patience has definitely encouraged me. The workshop is excellent value for money and I would recommend it to anybody who would like to improve his skills.” – Ilse |The Netherlands

PTR Team Member Bill Lockhart first became acquainted with the work of Kristel Schneider while serving as a Moderator at NatureScapes.net — he was impressed with her work as a photographer because of her way of capturing the extraordinary from the ordinary.  Several of her photographs have been featured as Photos of the Week at the site.

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Kristel is based in Auvergne, France, from which she offers a large variety of seminars covering Basic (from automatic to manual), Meadow in Spring (landscape and macro photography in the field), Landscape Photography (Auvergne scenery — hills, mountains and volcano’s, Tuscany of the Auvergne, Highlands, Waterfalls and volcano lakes), Macro Photography, Mushrooms and Autumn, and Winter.

Her offerings are very reasonably priced,  starting at 89,00 € PP ($115.00), including drinks and sandwiches, for a one-day field seminar.

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She has gained her experience by shooting in many countries around the world. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, North America, and Newfoundland, Canada.

She has attended many Photography Master Classes from professional Photographers and followed courses at the Amsterdam Photo Academy.

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She studied Human Resource Management and Communication in Amsterdam and
worked the last six years of her career as an International Communication Adviser for a Pharmaceutical Company.

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In 2007 she decided to move to France and focus on her passion: Nature and Landscape Photography.

Over the years she has carried out private commissions and her work has been published in several (business-related) magazines.

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Besides being a workshop instructor, Kristel is also active as a moderator for two highly recommended Nature forums: Natureinspirations and Wildpixels.

Location is an important consideration when seeking to attend a photo seminar.  Kristel’s choice of the Auvergne region of France provides a wonderful opportunity for those who live in Europe.

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PTR Team Member Bill has visited this region and was struck by its incredible beauty.  “I would venture there again in a heart beat,” said Bill, “prior to visiting France I had formed the absolute wrong impression of the country and its people — what I discovered was a vast and beautiful place filled with friendly and helpful people.”

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France has few fences, no billboards, small hamlets, and modern roadways.  It is a region where one can explore, relax, and find place after place worth photographing.

Kristel Schneider

Photo Travel Review Magazine highly recommends photo seminars offered by Kristel Schneider.  Her offerings are reasonably priced, situated in a wonderful location, and are highly recommended by her participants.

One can view her workshop schedule and itineraries by visiting her website.

Jure Kravanja has already been featured at PTR giving us a fabulous article about Iceland. Here he tells us about a location that couldn’t be more different and shows his versatility and ability to see things many would overlook.

La Défense is a major business district in the city of Paris, bordering Neuilly-sur-Seine, west of the city itself. The district is at the westernmost extremity of Paris’ 10 km long Historical Axis, which starts at the Louvre in Central Paris and continues along the Champs-Élysées, well beyond the Arc de Triomphe before culminating at La Défense.

The district holds many of the Paris’s tallest high-rises and is Europe’s largest purpose-built business district.

Claire: This location is far removed from the subject of your previous article. Most people visiting Paris would have headed to the tourist areas rather than the business district. What drew you here?

Jure: I won’t tell you anything new if I say that Paris is a unique city. Each and every street has its splendor. However, what I am trying to seek in an urban photography is the feeling of loneliness. In my opinion, the encompassing loneliness brings out the best of the cityscape photography, especially if the architecture is more on a minimalist side. This is indeed the case with La Défense. Large squares with little detail are surrounded by glassed business and administration buildings with almost geometrical shapes, making it an ideal setting for the sense of loneliness.

Claire: You have managed to capture the lines and reflections beautifully but also isolated solitary figures, which is very successful. Did you shoot at a particular time of the day when the city is quieter or did you just wait for these opportunities to arrive?

Jure: The relationship between a lone human figure and its minimalist surroundings was indeed the principal subject I’ve tried to capture. The squares in the La Défense area are usually almost empty – one gets an impression that they are some kind of theatrical or dance stages on which those solitary figures perform. I didn’t have to wait long for these situations to occur, as the area gets crowded only in the lunch time.

Claire: The romantics talk about being in Paris for spring. It looks like you were here in autumn, do you think the seasons matter for this type of photography and were there any challenges relating to light?

Jure: Obviously, the cityscape itself barely changes through the seasons. There are some details, such as trees: the reach texture of their autumn crowns gives a nice contrast to the monochromatic and sometimes dull building surfaces. But the light I think is of crucial importance. Autumn light, being more mellow and warm, softens the edges and prevents stark reflections on glassed buildings, which would have occurred had I taken the pictures in summertime.

Claire: Do you have any tips for photographers wanting to shoot cityscapes?

Jure: I think that urban photography is filled with clichés. One can always get a good photo with a figure against a billboard, or a wide-angled shot of a main square, or a crowded street. In my opinion, it is important to try to get rid of this clichés, even at the price of a occasional blunder . Cities offer endless opportunities not only to entrepreneurs, but to photographers as well.

Claire: What camera are you using and which lenses would you recommend for such a shoot?

Jure: I’ve used Nikon D3 and Nikkor 24-70mm lenses. I think they’re fairly appropriate for this kind of photography.

Claire:  Many thanks for contributing this review.   More of Jure’s work can be seen here. Further works also at Art Limited,  One Eye Land and One Exposure.