Our philosophy:
Let’s face it: you want to learn how to improve your skills and your vision, but you want to do it in some great location that will inspire you! Our instructional tours and workshops are the perfect combination of inspiration, fun and in-depth learning. They provide you with the opportunity to work on your craft while immersed in outstanding locations. The programs are designed primarily for photographers who have a working knowledge of their camera equipment and understand the basics of photography, and who want to work on refining compositions, developing personal vision, and learn new techniques/skill. We emphasizein-the-field learning, with as much or as little help as you want. We believe that you learn best by actually trying the techniques that we discuss, and we’re right there to help you. We also know how important feedback can be, and we’re there to look at your LCD when asked, and when feasible to provide you with feedback in a review session (or two) during the tour. We typically schedule one visual presentation covering various aspects of outdoor photography techniques and concepts, along with at least one image review session. We choose outstanding locations that both inspire and offer you varied and interesting photographic opportunities. Each program is unique, and details are on the page for that event.
We prefer to travel in smaller groups. Our group sizes are kept to 12 or less, providing a great leader to participant ratio.
“We hope you’ll want to travel with us to a fantastic location. You’ll visually stretch and grow, have a great time with other photographers, and come home with some great new images and memories.” Brenda and Jed.
This applies only to the domestic tours and workshops hosted by Jed Manwaring Photography. All other events organized through other companies are subject to that company’s cancellation policy. Information is available at their sites through the links in the events calendar page.
Unless otherwise noted, fees are tuition only. All meals, lodging, transportation and tips are the responsibility of the participant.
Unless otherwise noted on the event’s page, a deposit of $500 confirms your space. Payment can be made via check, Paypal, or calling in your credit card information. When filling out the booking form, you’ll be given information for payment options.
Unless otherwise noted on the event’s page, for domestic programs, the full balance is due 80 days prior to the start date of the event. You will be billed if we haven’t received payment by the deadline. We reserve the right to cancel the booking if payment is not received by the agreed deadline. Please call if you have special reasons that may delay your payment.
Workshop Cancellation Policy:
Please note that all cancellations must be received in writing, either by regular mail or email.
We know you don’t typically plan on canceling after you’ve signed up – but we are running a business, and had to set a policy. There are no exceptions to our $500 non-refundable administrative fee policy for our workshops. Losing the income from an empty space is a significant loss to us. In order to keep the program running for all those that signed up, we must adhere to our policy.
We suggest trip/travel insurance as a protection if you are concerned that you may have to cancel.
Note: If you have to cancel, the following schedule applies, except where noted for shorter, weekend workshops.
Cancellation Fees:
• 61 days or more from departure, full refund minus $500 admin fee.
• 60 days or more from departure, full refund minus deposit.
• 30-59 days or more from departure, 50% of workshop fee will be refunded.
• 29 days or less before departure , no refund available.
Although rare, if by chance we have to cancel a workshop at any time up to the start, and we reserve the right to do at our discretion. If that happens, we will notify you immediately and you will receive a full refund of all fees paid up to that point.
Brenda Tharp Photography and/or Jed Manwaring Photography are not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of a workshop cancellation. We recommend that if you are concerned about losing travel expenses, that you buy travel insurance at the time of registration.
Payment Policy
Unless otherwise noted on the individual tour, we require a non-refundable $700 deposit per person for international tours we organize under Brenda Tharp Photography. The balance is due 120 days prior to the start of the tour. Payment in full is required when bookings are made less than 120 days before start of tour. For all tours organized by other groups, please see their cancellation/payment policies.
Tour Cancellation Policy
Unless otherwise noted, deposits are typically non-refundable for our international tours, unless we can quickly fill your spot from our waiting list, because we make payments to suppliers in the location that are often non-refundable. We do try to be helpful and accommodating where possible, but we strongly recommend taking out trip interruption and cancellation insurance to protect yourself. There are many companies that provide trip interruption or cancellation insurance. We also require medical travel insurance, to ensure you are covered for any health issues that occur abroad. Brenda Tharp and partners cannot be responsible for getting you medical treatment, or flown back home. Although we have never had to put in a claim with any insurance company, we like Allianz. Another one is Divers Alert Network (DAN), which is medical emergency insurance for traveling, for a very reasonable membership fee. You don’t have to be a diver, either!
Cancellation Fees:
• 91 days or more before departure, 75% of tour fee will be refunded, less deposit.
• 90-70 days before departure, 50% of tour fee, less deposit.
• 69 days or less before departure, no refund is issued.
Please buy travel insurance and medical insurance for international tours. Jed Manwaring Photography and/or Brenda Tharp Photography are not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of a tour cancellation or any medical emergencies that occur while on the tour.
We are sorry, but there are not exceptions to our non-refundable tour deposit fees. An empty space on a tour means a hefty loss to us. In order to keep the tour running for the rest that are signed up, we must adhere to our policy.
Anyone with an interest in experiencing fantastic locations and pushing their skills to create compelling photographs. While we will welcome all skill levels from beginner to pro on the trips, participants with a working knowledge of their gear and the basics of photography will benefit the most. Our participants come from all over North America, and Australia and Asia.
We have collectively over 35 years experience in teaching and guiding between Brenda Tharp Photography and the photographers she partners with for tours. We are known for our dedication to helping clients make the best pictures they can in any location. We typically keep a low ratio of clients to leader wherever possible. You’ll learn with our in-the-field hands-on approach, practicing various new techniques, and having fun with other enthusiastic photographers in the group.
We build in as much time as possible to allow you to immerse yourself in the location, believing that time is essential when trying to ‘feel’ a place to make your best pictures.
We promote a low-impact approach when photographing nature in all locations.
Young adults, from ages 13 to 17, are welcome to attend with an adult family member. We regret that for liability reasons we cannot accept minors under the age of 18 unattended by an adult.
By all means, but they are welcome as fully paid participants. We have a fixed group size on our permits with the national parks, and cannot offer discounted rates for non-photographer companions.
Our motto is “Bad weather is GOOD for photography!” We believe in going out to photograph in all types of weather, yet with the safety of you and your gear, in mind. We wish we could predict the perfect weather for all our tours and outdoor programs, but alas, we can’t. But we can offer you tips and techniques on how to photograph is less than ideal weather, should that occur, and if/when it gets really bad, we head inside and have discussions on workflow, technique, over a good cappuccino or glass of wine.
Upon registration and a minimum enrollment to run the tour, we send you information to help you prepare and pack for the journey.
We offer both, each listing will specify. Our photography tours travel to locations selected for their beauty, and have an emphasis on exploring and photographing what you find in that destination. But as they say, once a teacher, always a teacher, and we willingly provide advice to help everyone make better pictures. If you don’t need much guidance, you are free to roam and create. If you want help, we’re just a question away. We always offer photographic tips in advance of arriving somewhere to help you prepare and have the right gear with you, and we work side by side with you in the field, making it possible to give you real-time guidance on exposures, composition, and techniques. Photography tours are a great way to learn about the places you travel to from your local guides, while also improving your photography. A photography workshop is a bit more structured. We emphasize particular techniques, and teach on various topics designed to help you create more artistic and compelling photographs. You’ll learn skills that you can use right then and in the future. You will receive more hands-on help in the field on a workshop, and we typically include an image review session as a way of sharing and learning.
Typically, for our domestic workshops and tours, you will need transportation from the nearest airport to the starting location of the program. We do offer to put you in touch with others in the course for potential car-pooling, however. And once we’re there, we encourage car-pooling and swapping ride shares to lessen the impact on the environment.
In most cases, yes. We will occasionally include the cost of lodging in the package price and that is noted on each individual offering. We reserve a block of rooms at a discounted rate at our preferred lodging to guarantee everyone has a place to stay when they book, and it is your responsibility to secure the room under your own name using your credit card. Full details and instructions are sent upon registration.
No. Our workshops and domestic tours are generally tuition only pricing. However, on international tours, we including lodging, at a per person, sharing price. Internationally, many single rooms cost more than a double, and that price will be reflected in a single supplement charge if you wish to stay in a room by yourself. Full information will be disclosed on international tour pages.