And in case you missed it, here’s a slideshow of work produced by the Intermediate Photography workshop students from a few weeks ago, including Margaret’s!

We’d like to take this opportunity to extend a gigantic thank you to everyone in Overland Park, and the other 13 cities we have visited since January. Our Photo Weekends program allows us to meet and connect with photographers all over the country, exchange information, and share plenty of laughs along the way. If you joined us for a Weekend this year, give yourself a pat on the back … from us!

Thanks to Rex Deaver for submitting this image. Rex says, “This photo was actually taken at the site where the event was held. I attempted to use the Zone System for exposure by zeroing in on the lighter foliage. I also attempted to use the lessons from the Composition class, i.e., rule of thirds, cleaning up the corners, etc. Oh, and the reason I took this was because I liked the juxtaposition of nature and the kind of Bauhaus architecture — and the little tree inside that looks like it is trying to escape.”

©Rex Deaver

And now for the results from the assignment given in Seattle. Great shots everyone!

Kansas is chock-full of photographers who love to explore their world with a camera, and we’re excited to visit with some old friends and see new faces there. This go around, the tried-and-true team of instructors, Tim Cooper and Doug Johnson, will finish off the season with a flourish of inspiration and education. If you’ve had any have inkling to attend one of our Photo Weekends, whether you’re in the area or not, this will be your last chance to do so for quite some time. Maybe we’ll see you there???

If you’re interested in keeping your focus – pun intended – on photography after the Photo Weekend, consider joining one of the active photography groups below in the Overland Park/Kansas City region. What better way to stay active yourself than by being connected with like-minded enthusiasts?!

Photographic Society of America – Region 6
Digital Dimensions & Beyond
Northland Photography Club
Kansas City Zoo Photo Club
Wyandotte Photography Club
Salt City Photography Club
Johnson County Photography Club
Image Makers Photo Club
The Kansas City Photography Meetup Group
Kansas City Adventure Club

And if you can’t join us for the Overland Park Photo Weekend, we’ll be returning to the area with instructor David Marx  for our popular Foundation Workshop,  Lightroom for Photographers on the Road in Overland Park on August 16-19, 2012.

And without further adieu, here are the results from the Billings assignment.  HUGE thank you to everyone who submitted some of their work!

Here’s what Margaret had to say about her experience with Tim and Tony:
“This is a favorite image I’ve shot since the RMSP Birmingham weekend. I was having fun playing with bokeh and backlighting plus filling the lens with lots of sunshine! Thought I would share the result that I was very happy with. The RMSP weekend was a wonderful refresher for some other classes I’ve taken and really tied things together for me. Tim and Tony were excellent teachers and did an incredible job conveying lots of great information to a very eager audience in a short period of time. I feel much more confident behind the camera since the Birmingham weekend. Thank you!”

© Margaret Lee

And here is Jenny’s image. She adds, “I was able to capture this photo by using the skills I learned in the Photo Basics ll & Composition classes.  I had a fantastic weekend and I am so excited that I have now the confidence to keep my camera dial set on “M”!

© Jenny Evans

© Marcy James

On Friday night, RMSP co-owner/founder Neil Chaput de Saintonge offered the Billings community a free lecture on photography equipment and techniques for achieving sharper focus in your images. Our RMSP spy (aka Director of Education Marcy James) attended Neil’s lecture and was on top of it enough to send some photos back to headquarters. Looks like Neil had a few interested photographers show up to hear what he had to say!

The feedback we have heard from participants has been great so far. With Tim Cooper and Doug Johnson at the helm, it’s hard to imagine otherwise. Those guys are both amazing at the front of the room!

We extended a special invite to Billings-area High School students who are interested in photography to check out the Weekend and meet with Neil and Marcy. So excited by the number of students that showed up and expressed an interest! Then, the dynamic duo of Neil and Marcy offered complimentary portfolio reviews to anyone interested in working professionally. About 25 photographers took them up on their offer. Sounds like the reviews were great and the networking opportunities were wonderful for everyone!

All in all, we are unbelievably happy with the Billings Photo Weekend and appreciative with every person who shared their weekend with us. HUGE Thank You to the Billings photography community!

About her experience in Birmingham, Cindy had this to say:

“…Tim Cooper’s session “Understanding Exposure: Using the Zone System” was most helpful.  Tim was very effective in communicating how to use the zone system and something just “clicked” for me during his presentation.  And I have been shooting in manual exposure mode since that weekend! Regardless of the scene, situation, or lighting conditions, I have been very pleased with my ability to achieve proper exposure in-camera.  Thank you RMSP and thank you Tim!

And without further adieu …. here are the submissions from the Indy Weekend…

Billings is the business & industry capital of Montana and is the largest metropolitan area between Denver, CO, Calgary, AB to the south & north and between Sioux Falls, SD and Spokane, WA. east & west. There is vast rural territory in this part of the country, and it’s become the trade and distribution center for most of Montana, Northern Wyoming and western portions of North Dakota and South Dakota. It’s also the retail destination for much of the same area possessing the most hotel accommodations within a five state region and hosts a variety of conventions, concerts and sporting events. With the latest oil and natural gas boom happening in western North Dakota and eastern Montana, Billings’ economy is set to sky-rocket over the decade.

Geographically, it’s close in proximity to stunning mountain ranges, rivers, national parks, and natural areas, and is not without its fair share of nature and photography enthusiasts. Yellowstone National Park, the Beartooth Highway, the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Pictograph Cave State Park are all within easy driving distance. Each year we receive a contingent of folks from Billings in our Career Training program. We’re definitely excited to be returning to the area in April to bring the RMSP experience back to this neck of the woods with the excellent instructor team of  Tim Cooper and Doug Johnson. And this time around, we have a few extra surprises in store. So if you happen to be in the region and are available for the weekend, you may just want to check it out!

And, if you’re interested in keeping your focus – pun intended – on photography after the Photo Weekend, consider joining one of the active photography groups below in the Montana region. What better way to stay active yourself than by being connected with like-minded enthusiasts?!

Photographic Institute of the Yellowstone
Montana Shutterbug Association Meetup Group
Billings Camera Club
Photography Society of America – Region 7
Bozeman Camera Club
Great Falls Camera Club
Western Montana Photography Meetup Group
Rocky Mountain Photo Council

Join us for the Billings Photo Weekend on April 14-15, 2012. Also, consider furthering your education with our Foundation Workshop – Lightroom for Photographers on the Road on June 21-24, 2012 with instructor David Marx.  Also,  join David Marx and Doug Johnson for Landscapes and Lightroom in Big Sky, Montana on September 15-21, 2012 or our spectacular Travel Workshop – Yellowstone in Autumn on September 22-28, 2012. Register soon as spaces are limited.