Tucson Rodeo Workshop w/ David H Wells / February 20 to 23, 2011

   The Tucson Rodeo started as the La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Celebration of the Cowboys) in
   1925 and has grown to a nine-day event. To quote from the organizer’s website: “The rodeo is the
   first major outdoor event on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association schedule. It gives
   visitors an opportunity to see real-life cowboys and cowgirls display their ability in the only sport in
   the world developed from actual working skills. The Rodeo events include bull riding, bareback and
   saddle-bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and women’s barrel racing.” 
   While the rodeo arena events are fascinating, the preparation, warm-ups and cool-down and the
   general cowboy culture are  equally interesting things to photograph. 

  The workshop will start on the 2/20, Sunday night, with a meeting/orientation. The next morning
  starts with an early morning photography session at the rodeo. Each workshop day (2/21, 2/21 and
  2/23 of 2011,) after the morning photography session, students are expected to digitally process what they have shot and edit their work down to approximately a top 100 pix, for a critique later that same day.  The workshop will end after the early morning shoot and the mid-day critique of the last day’s images on 2/23 of 2011.

In order to make this class highly affordable, I do not organize flights, hotels, transportation, meals, labs or computers. Students are on their own for all of these things! Similarly we do not meet outside of the photographing and critiquing times. To keep the costs down, this is a bare bones workshop, built around the two things that are at the heart of the workshop process, photographing and critiquing. The class will be limited to eight students to insure everyone receives adequate personal attention and guidance. Each student is required to pay (in advance) for the three and a half day class. The base cost ($500 if payed before 12/01/10 or $550 thereafter) is half the cost of a typical workshop, yet it includes the real essentials: lots of photographing and critiquing. 

Once the fee is paid, the fees are non-refundable, (unless I am hurt or somehow incapable of teaching the class, then all fees will be refunded.)  All of these prices do not include airfare, hotels, meals nor do they do include rodeo admission fees, which are separate charges paid to the rodeo and varies from day to day. If I cancel the class, the only thing I owe you is the workshop fess you paid. I am not responsible for airline cancellation fees, ticket change fess, hotel resrvation change penalties, etc.

More information on the rodeo in general is at: http://tucsonrodeo.com/  Specific information on the rodeo schedule and ticket prices start at: http://tucsonrodeo.com/schedule/  NOTE: No special access will be available for us to photograph at the rodeo. In my experience of photographing the rodeo over the last five years, no special access is needed. (Common courtesy and a smile will usually get all the access you need.)

The best days are 2/21, 2/22 and 2/23 of 2011, as the fewest spectators are there, though there are plenty
of competitors. The weekend events are generally broadcast, meaning the access photographers have over the weeknds will be much more restricted. If you have the time it helps to see and maybe photograph the Saturday and Sunday Rodeo sessions before the class. Similarly, the Rodeo Parade on Thursday can be fascinating.  However, the class itself is ONLY the days of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 2/21, 2/22 and 2/23 of 2011.

Again, to be clear, the 3 days I am teaching are the rodeo time trials (or slack,) not the big, broadcast event. I would encourage you to stay and buy tickets for the Friday, Saturday and maybe the Sunday performances after the workshop to shoot inside and outside the arena. But, be warned that inside the actual arena, during the performances, you cannot stand in front of seated spectators. You will be quite restricted by the ushers. If you buy tickets in advance, get yourself seated on the west side of the arena so the sun will be at your back. Many photographers find the Friday, Saturday and especially Sunday performances way too restrictive. One strategy is to warm up before we meet by attending the first Saturday and Sunday performances, before the workshop, to see how things work.

A telephoto will be a big help throughout the class. Also be prepared so that the (rare) rain won’t stop you with a good poncho, etc. (Some of the best photos ever are taken in a rarely muddy arena!) 

I am offering the workshop only Feb 21st to the 23rd of 2011. The schedule for the workshop is:

                    Morning                          Mid-day /  Afternoon

2/20                                     Meeting for dinner and introductions 6 pm to 8 pm

2/21            Photograph Rodeo          Process/   12:30am             
                  730am – 12:30am           Critique     to 3:30pm         

2/22