Spotlight on Photography

[DonnaB]

When I searched for the 'spotlight on photography' cruises, the only threads I saw were when someone was looking for specifics and that was the first cruise. Since then, has anyone been on one? Are there lectures/classes during the days at sea? Too time consuming?

We are always looking to improve our skills (mine = 0) and are already ready to go to Alaska in August.

Donna

[Hambagahle]

It seems that with the new website most of the "Spotlight" cruises have disappeared. Ours, the trans-atlantic in May on Navigator, was supposed to have been Spotlight on Theatre but there is no mention of that now. So I do not know what to expect.

 

I was on a cruise some time ago (late 2006) when there was a Circle of Interest in Photography but the comments from the participants were not great. And in Alaska you don't have many sea days, so I believe it unlikely that a "Spotlight" cruise would be offered...no time for lectures as you are in port and on excursions on 6 out of 7 days.

[DonnaB]

That makes sense. The RSSC site still shows the 'Spotlight' cruise for the 8/26/09 Alaska cruise on the Mariner. It would be really nice if after a class or two, they had a 'special' excursion to use the new things learned; and it would be really sad if they changed it at the last minute like the infamous chocolate cruise last Dec.

Signed up and ready to go.

[bettywh]

The Spotlight on Theater is still listed for the May 1st TA on the Regent website.

[Hambagahle]

Is it BettyW -- I didn't see it anywhere!! Where did you find it??

[jhp]

TA Crossing Spotlight is here http://www.rssc.com/cruises/NAV090501/onboardactivities.aspx

[Hambagahle]

Found it!! Many thanks - I am glad we will still have it on our cruise!:)

[jhp]

Spotlights needed more than ever on crossings!

[JMARINER]

When I searched for the 'spotlight on photography' cruises, the only threads I saw were when someone was looking for specifics and that was the first cruise. Since then, has anyone been on one? Are there lectures/classes during the days at sea? Too time consuming?

We are always looking to improve our skills (mine = 0) and are already ready to go to Alaska in August.

Donna

 

My wife and I and a few other friends did two of the "Spotlight on Photography" sessions on the 2008 Navigator Discovery Cruise. To sum up our experience "lousy." I won't mention the leader name, but his focus was on getting in touch with your "inner self" and shoot away. No tech detail, no camera work, composition etc. If we could have gotten out of the second session, we would have, but it was prepaid.

 

The one good thing was that the tour portion was a small group and we got to the site (Petra) very early am. That was worth the extra cost.

 

I did get a lot of tips and help from the other passengers some of whom were "professionals" and from another Regent lecturer, who was also a semi-professional. One of the passengers put on several photo shop classes in the card room that were outstanding.

 

You say you want to improve your skills, IMHO the Regent "spotlight" was a dim bulb.

 

J

[DonnaB]

JMARINER; Thanks for the info, I'm sorry this is not quite what we were expecting but we're booked now and still looking forward to the trip to Alaska. It will be our first Regent cruise and first trip to Alaska for some.

Thanks again to all.

[Tyler919]

Donna,

 

We are also on your "spotlight" cruise, though only by coincidence. The Photography side did not draw us to it, only the timing and destination. Hope you love Regent as much as I do. It is my wife's first Regent, but I went on a crossing last year with my Dad. See you in Vancouver!

[Ebonybombshell]

You can always join our very short rollcall :D

[Wendy The Wanderer]

You say you want to improve your skills, IMHO the Regent "spotlight" was a dim bulb.

 

J

 

How was the course portrayed before you took it? Was it described as a course to hone your artistic skill in taking photographs, or a course to hone your technical skills with equipment?

[JMARINER]

How was the course portrayed before you took it? Was it described as a course to hone your artistic skill in taking photographs, or a course to hone your technical skills with equipment?

 

Other than in my post above, my expectations from reading the RSSC description were that both artistic and technical elements were going to be covered.. We were supposed to get "in field" instructions form the lecturer and his staff, that never happened. No composition was ever discussed in any detail. I learned way more from just reading my camera manual. Basically the lecturer’s theory was "hey, we are in the digital world---just shoot away, Photoshop everything and the delete what you don't like..."

 

 

J