Description
You’ve got the cool camera. Now develop the skills to match.
Photography right now is bigger than ever with the rise of Instagram. Maybe you’ve purchased that cool new DSLR camera or that mirrorless. But what do you do with it? We’ve seen time and time again people getting stuck at the doorway to the awesome art that is photography without the knowledge
It’s all good: we’ve got your back! We’ve designed this adventure from the ground up to help you understand the fundamentals of photography so you can capture the best images possible in any situation. We’ll be covering all of the basic settings of your camera and what they do so you come away with a comprehensive understanding of the art form.
The quality of your camera doesn’t matter here. You’re welcome to bring a DSLR, mirrorless or even just your smartphone! We’re able to help you develop fresh new photography skills using any age of digital camera. Film cameras are welcome too – but most of our instruction will be based on digital photography on this trip. The best sorts of cameras for this trip would have a Manual mode, or at least P/S/A modes. If you have any questions about your camera being suitable for this trip feel free to email us at [email protected] with the make and model.
WHERE WE’RE GOING
We take pride in knowing some super dope spots throughout the city to shoot some great images that we’ll take you to – but it’s still a city so things are always changing including the availability of sites and the weather. We craft the route for each tour a couple days before so we can maximize the fun. So we keep our route a surprise because it’s ever-changing.
What we can tell you is we’re headed to a busy itinerary of the most visually pleasing spots throughout Detroit so we can try different skills like portraiture, landscape, macro and panorama. All the good stuff.
ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
Derek Cookson is a professional photographer and professional nice guy because he’s severely Canadian. Born and raised in Windsor just across the river he’s been building his photo skills for years shooting primarily portrait photography and making people look awesome. No, really, his website is literally imakeyoulookawesome.com.
Derek is our main guide for this tour and manages the educational curriculum and content. You’ll usually have Derek, but if he’s sick or chasing a moose around we’ll have one of our other excellent photo guides take you on the adventure.
THE DETAILS
The Pickup Location & Time
We’re boarding the bus at Urban Bean in downtown Detroit. They’re located at 200 Grand River Ave., Detroit MI 48226 at the corner of Grand River and Griswold. They have a bunch of tasty treats and coffee drinks plus a bathroom, which is nice. Your name will be on the list so you don’t need to bring anything with you.
This tour starts at different times for different dates so please check our calendar via the big green button to view availability. We’ll be back to Urban Bean by about 3 hours after pickup.
Parking
There are a number of surface parking lots right near the coffee shop that range from $5-20 to park. There is a great parking deck just across Woodward called the Z Deck at 1234 Library St. that features a bunch of really cool murals throughout the levels and there’s some bars and restaurants tucked in the bottom. Basically there’s a lot of parking around.
Public Transit
The Rosa Parks Transit Center is very close to our pickup location. Most major DDOT routes run to this transit center. The People Mover drops off very nearby too. Finally, the Q Line has a station on Woodward so you can get here from Midtown and New Center easily. All roads lead to Urban Bean.
Refund and Cancellations
Your tickets are fully refundable up to 7 days before the date of your tour. After that period there are no refunds. Sorry to be so mean about it. You’re welcome to reassign your tickets by emailing us at [email protected].
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You do this in the WINTER too?! Isn’t it cold?
We absolutely do! We run this tour all year because the chances for different types of shots changes with the seasons. Some of the most stunning images can come out of winter time with the water is frozen, the trees lose their foliage and that low winter sun makes everything golden. We also use a bunch of indoor spaces too, so you got this. Bundle up.
I’m a beginner. Is this adventure too advanced for me?
Negatory! Beginners are more than welcome on this adventure! Not only do you get to explore and discover new things to photograph, but you’ll have the help of our professional photographer leading the tour and providing useful tips to make the most out of your experience.
I’m a pro. Is this adventure too basic for me?
Not at all!
What gear is required for this tour?
Ideally you’d have a digital or film camera with multiple setting options. Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras fit the bill. If you have any doubts about your machine you can email us at [email protected] with the make and model of your camera and we’ll let you know if it works for this tour. You’re also welcome to attend with just your mobile phone. We recommend Moment lenses to get the most out of your phone – but those aren’t required either.
What should I wear?
Dress for the weather! We also suggest some comfortable footwear. You’re going to be doing some walking and we want to make sure you stay dry and comfy! Layers are good if it’s chilly outside because it’s pretty toasty on the bus.
What happens if I miss the bus? Will the bus wait for me if I’m late?
NOPE! No, but really… we can’t wait. There is a whole busload of fine folks ready to roll. So please please please be on time! We got stuff to explore and photos to take!
Can I get krunk on this bus?
Feel free to bring non-alcoholic beverages on board for this one. We want to leave the booze at home though. Booze and expensive camera gear don’t often play nice together.
What about food?
Snacks or bag lunches are welcome! Bring things that are easy to eat on the go because we’ll be moving around pretty much the whole time. No big coolers or other culinary contraptions please.
What if I can’t show up? Will my friend be able to go instead?
Totally. Just let us know ahead of time via [email protected] and we’ll update your tickets with the new name or send them with your printed tickets.
Will you be selling extra seats at the bus?
Nope. Sorry. All passes gotta be bought online. There’s a limited number of seats and we want you to have plenty of room – no roof riders no matter how badass that might sound.
What about weather SNAFUs?
We live in Michigan. Sometimes Mother Nature likes to throw us a curveball. We keep safety as our highest priority. In case of gnarly weather, you’ll receive an email the day of the event with a raincheck/snowcheck date. If you cannot make the rescheduled date, you’ll get a voucher good for a future tour with us. We run this tour in most weather so only the most extreme stuff will keep us grounded.
PSST! We also offer this experience as a private tour if that’s more your speed. You choose the day, the pickup location and we’ll handle the rest. More here.
Megan S –
I took the “Snap Snap” photography tour for the first time a few days ago and boy, was it fantastic! We went so many places in The D that I had never been. Our tour included 6 different famous art exhibits and a few other little stops along the way in the 4 hour tour. I was so shocked about how knowledgeable our tour guide was. He gave some great information on how to work our cameras with different lighting and how to take good photos with the art work and graffiti. He was such an amazing tour guide! I would suggest this tour to anyone looking to get out and explore Detroit with a fun group of diverse people! The picture below is one of the surprise places we went!
Doreen S –
My nephew and I really enjoyed the tour of fantastic Detroit art. I was also appreciative of the assistance from our photog, Thomas. The places were great for experiencing the lessons he was trying to show us. I would say that a 1 page handout explaining the triangle and what more or less of each value would give you, would be helpful to beginners and older folk. Also we passed a sculpture park on the expressway(it was near the last destination on the tour) that might be exciting for your tour as well.
jadamus –
Did the Photography Tour the last Sunday in October. Although the weather wasn’t so great, the tour was wonderful. Thomas was our pro photographer and Char drove the bus & kept us safe & warm! I highly recommend this tour.