Travel with our mentors and try out all of the latest equipment from Nikon! Including world class digital SLRs, Nikkor lenses and the Coolpix line of Digital Cameras.

Once back at the hotel, we downloaded images, and completed a night shoot of the Alamo. Now if you ever have noticed, but when a gaggle of trekkers with cameras and tripods all gather in a small area, a crowd will soon follow. It’s like they see the cameras, and immediately think there is some major news story happening right then…Friday night was no different. Patience prevailed, and everyone was able to get the shot of the Alamo they wanted. Although it did seem to take some time, and Texas Nights are not as warm as Texas days…

Saturday arrived with the same overcast skies, but to a Mentor Series Trekker, we see the fun and challenges, and shoot with what’s there and learn how to make it work. Off to the Missions. Now San Antonio has working missions throughout the city limits, and some are a little more active than others, but Michelle and Tom found 2 of the most fascinating and beautiful missions in the South West… Both had detailed sculptured walls and inlays throughout. Beyond the sanctuaries, there are working wheat mills, Stone ovens, and beautiful flowering plants.

San Antonio is home to a large zoo, housing over 3500 critters, and exhibits like Toad Ally, Africa Live, Lory Landing, and Butterflies! Caterpillar Flight School; we were bound to find something interesting to shoot. The Butterfly exhibit revealed the most colors along with the Lory Landing Avery. Once everyone filled a memory card or two, we were off to a new shoot.

Last Chance Forever, the Bird of Prey Conservancy allowed all of us to get up close and personal with Raptors that you normally need the SUPER SUPER long Lens to see. The Staff put on the display of 3 owls, 2 Hawks, 2 falcons, and a Bald Eagle. This Conservancy is a recovery and rehab center for injured or rescued raptors, and releases then back to the wild whenever possible. By keeping the wild birds at a minimal human contact, they have a very good success rate. The birds that we were able to photograph were “display” birds and are no longer able to be released to the wild. All and all learning to work with animals, and still using some new lighting techniques (darn clouds) proved to be a very interesting outing, but again, we are with the Mentor Series, and Tom Bol, so are we done?

Oh No!!

Back at the hotel, as we all started the downloading of images, Tom went over workflow and imaging “rescue” and retouch. Tom is a very dynamic instructor/mentor and is by far very active and animated when he teaches. Work flow, and image editing is no exception. While explaining various tools and computer applications, he kept everything on an even learning curve, and we took in everything possible. But are we done…not quite – Light Painting fun was closing out the night – the Menger Hotel has a Haunted History, and several ghosts were seen in the Minuet Room that night…

Sunday greeted the trekkers with a trip to the River Walk and a boat tour of the San Antonio River. The river boat pilot was well versed in the history of San Antonio, and the river. The colors and settings were picturesque and vivid. With the suggestions from our mentor, we all tried to capture what we saw in the most visually appealing and artistic way possible.

The final slide show was our chance to show Tom (and ourselves) that we did listen. We saw what he saw (and sometimes what he missed.) All of us went home with F-stops, shutter speeds, flash sync cords, and filled memory cards running through our minds, and the urge to go out shooting more. I heard talk of trekkers looking at upcoming treks. Two of us(me included) already booked our next trek.

I have been on 2 treks so far. Both treks were very different from each other, but with common threads. First thing is the friendships that develop in a very short time. The Mentors, what can I say, they are the best. Every mentor (I have worked with four) has taken time out to show, explain, and help each person become a better photographer. I come away again learning new techniques, and improving on ones that I have already been using. The Staff (Michelle, Vanessa, and all of the team at Mentor Series) work extremely hard and relentlessly to get EVERY detail worked out, so that all we have to do is bring the camera and have fun.

I don’t have a clue as to all the work that they do to make it all work, but they do it VERY well, Thank you all for that. The treks would not be the same or as fun as they are without all of your hard work!!

Chauncey Davis