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Bird Photography
Fundamentals
Workshop
With
Ron Bielefeld
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All Photographs Copyright Ron R. Bielefeld
Workshop Details

Professional Bird Photographer and Wildlife Biologist Ron Bielefeld will teach you the fundamentals of bird photography so you can get to the next level and capture images of birds that are crisp and clear and really pop off the screen. Ron, who has a Masters in Wildlife Ecology and Biology, has worked for twenty years as a wildlife ecologist and currently works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Ron has a unique and special understanding of birds including where and when to find them, and also how to photograph birds in their natural setting with a minimum of disturbance.

The 3-hour Saturday morning field trip is preceded by a one hour class lecture Thursday in our gallery where Ron will discuss equipment and techniques so that you can get the most out of his hands-on workshop when you're out shooting.

The bird photography workshop field trip is held in the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera, 10001 Wickham Road, (just north of Melbourne, FL) and Ron will provide maps of the meeting point at the Thursday evening meeting, or click HERE for a link. Ron's expert understanding of the local avian environment will ensure that you'll get to see a diverse selection of birds to photograph. Participants will meet Ron Saturday at 8:00 am so as to be able to shoot the morning light and it's also a time when the birds are very active with their morning feeding.

For those with knowledge of fundamental photography techniques, Ron also hosts a Bird Photography Tour on the Indian River Lagoon. Ron, who holds a captain license, will take you on a guided tour of some of the nooks and crannies of the lagoon, rivers, and canals where you'll be able to photograph birds in their natural environment, feeding, nesting, and just hanging out. Information can be found in the Tours section of our website.

The first part of the Bird Photography Fundamentals workshop is held in our Gallery location at 1446 19th Place at 6:30 to 7:30 pm the Thursday before the Saturday field trip. Visit the Contact Page for a map and directions.

The tuition for this workshop is $75. After Secure Credit Card Checkout using the Paypal link above, Please fill out the form on the Registration Page.

If you sign up less than 48 hours before workshop, please Call Us to confirm your reservation.

PREREQUISITES: To get the most out of this workshop you should have a basic understanding of your camera and the various shooting modes available. Bring your camera and manual to Ron's Thursday night Technique Class where he will go over the specific shooting modes and techniques that you will be using in the field on Saturday, or on his guided tours.

Some Words From Ron:
Why do I photograph wildlife? Well, let me start at the beginning. At the early age of four I was introduced to the outdoors by my dad. From my youngest days forward I have developed a deep connection with and concern for the well-being of wildlife and the habitats they require to survive. This concern grew into a need to contribute to the conservation of wildlife and wild places. I have been lucky enough to obtain formal education in wildlife ecology and biology and to practice this profession to achieve my goal of helping conserve wildlife for future generations. However, over time it has become clear to me that my professional work has had and continues to have very little effect on the conservation of the wild animals and places I hold so dear. We who strive to conserve the natural wonders of this world are losing the battle. It appears the needs and wants of humans will always trump the needs of other species. We have slowed the loss and thus lengthen the time some species have on this earth, but I fear the battle may ultimately be lost. Lost unless I, and others who understand, do more to convince people that we are losing the battle and if something is not done now, wildlife and wild places will cease to exist in any meaningful form. Who will be the biggest losers under this scenario? We will be, because believe it or not, we are inexorably linked to nature. If nature, that is the ecosystems of this planet, fails, we also will die. I have learned that working at wildlife conservation on a professional level is not enough; data have not convinced enough people to make the hard choices and changes that need to be made to save our natural world. Data is cold and stirs not the emotions of people. Thus, I came to the realization that I needed to do something more than just gather data to change the minds of the powers at be. So, I turned to photography to preserve forever the beauty of the natural world in images and make it portable. Deliverable to classroom and to those who need to see the beauty that exists in the world, the beauty humans are destroying. To stir raw emotions with my images in hopes of getting more people to act on the behalf of the species and places under our stewardship. That is why I must create my art. I must preserve the memories of these wonderful wild things in case they are lost and to have images to use to wake up the emotions of people, so that at least a few of them will make a stand for the wildlife and places I hold dear and this world needs to survive. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
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