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Chautauqua 2025 Classes

Week 1: Title: Architectural Photography - CHQ Style

Description: With any camera, explore, discover, identify and document with daily walks Chautauqua Institution’s landmark heritage, and the unique and diversified styles of its historical architectural buildings and homes.

M, Tu, W, Th, start time: 3:30 pm, end time: 5:30 pm

Week 2: Title: The Art of Nature Photography


Description: With any camera, this class will prepare students with the understanding, knowledge and confidence to use design and composition techniques to create images reflecting their unique artistic perspective and expression of nature's beauty within the camera and with post-production techniques and software tools.

6/30-7/3 / M, Tu, W,Th / 4-6 p.m.

Week 3: Title: Photo Safari Walks


Description: With any camera, discover the picturesque beauty and charm of Chautauqua Institute with daily walks and the photo exploration, documentation of architecture, nature, environment and lifestyle with a professional commercial photographer and former park naturalist as your guide.
7/7-7/10 / M, Tu, W,Th / 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Week 4: Title: The Art of Seeing

Description: With any camera, this class will prepare students with the understanding, knowledge and confidence to use design and composition techniques to create images reflecting their unique perspective and expression worthy of artistic merit and recognition.

M, Tu, W, Th, start time: 3:00 pm, end time: 5:00 pm

Week 5: Title: Architectural Photography: CHO Style

Description: On daily walks, with any camera, explore, discover, identify and document Chautauqua Institution's landmark heritage.

Learn about the unique and diversified styles of its historical architectural buildings and homes.

Wk 5, 7/21-7/24 / M, Tu,W, Th / 3:30-5:30 p.m.


Week 6: Title: The Art of Nature Photography

Description: With any camera, this class will prepare studentswith the understanding, knowledge and confidence to use design and composition techniques to create images reflecting their unique artistic perspective and expression of nature’s beauty within the camera and after with post-production techniques and software tools.

M, Tu, W, Th, start time: 3:00 pm, end time: 5:00 pm


Week 7: Title: Chernobyl: Aftermath of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster

Description: The 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe in Ukraine was the world’s greatest nuclear accident, releasing radioactive material and still affecting the health of millions of people and the environment for many thousands of years. Students will learn its causes, cover-up and consequences from a photojournalist who in 2016 and 2018 documented and assembled information in his new book as it appears in this course title. The class integrates the isolation and abandonment of Chernobyl with stories, interviews and images of Chernobyl survivors, victims and the babas still living there.

The class takes excerpts from his new book (an Amazon #1 New Release Best Seller) titled: Chernobyl: Aftermath of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster, and combines stories, interviews, and images of Chernobyl survivors, victims, refugees and the babas still living there - offering a comprehensive view of the disaster's lingering effects with the Russo/Ukraine war, nuclear threats to the region and the world, and the enduring dangers of Chernobyl-related health and environmental concerns.

Photo exhibit Sunday thru Thursday and free Monday evening presentation - 7 p.m. @ Hultquist Center

Tu,W, Th, start time: 2:30 pm, end time: 4:30 pm


Week 7: Title: Photo Safari Walks

Description: With any camera, discover the picturesque beauty and charm of Chautauqua Institute with daily walks and the photo exploration, documentation of architecture, nature, environment and lifestyle with a professional commercial photographer and former park naturalist as your guide.

Wk 7, 8/4-8/7 / M, Tu, W,Th / 8-10 a.m. /


Week 8: Title: The Magic of Light Painting

Description: Learn to take dramatic, unique and creative images with light painting techniques using light sources such as flashlights, glow sticks, light wands, LED lights and LED toys. With any camera students can learn to pre-visualize, anticipate and photograph people and objects as never before seen in a fun and creative way.

Tu,W, Th, start time: 7:00 pm, end time: 9:00 pm

tripod advised or available for purchase at class

Week 9: Title: Magical Photography at Twilight

Description: Twilight often gives the sky a deep blue glow, allowing in that fleeting and brief but alluring moments the opportunity to take dramatic pictures of sunsets, architecture, highway traffic and amusement park rides. With any camera students can learn to pre-visualize, anticipate and capture subjects as never before seen in a fun and creative way.

Tu,W, Th, start time: 7:00 pm, end time: 9:00 pm.

tripod advised or available for purchase at class

Week 9: Title: Chernobyl: Aftermath of a Nuclear Disaster

Description: The 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe in Ukraine was the world's most significant nuclear accident, releasing radioactive material that continues to impact millions of people and the environment for thousands of years. In this course, students will explore its causes, cover-up, and consequences through the lens of a photojournalist an done of the last professional photographers who documented the site in 2016 and 2018.

The class takes excerpts from his new book (an Amazon #1 New Release Best Seller) titled: Chernobyl: Aftermath of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster, and combines stories, interviews, and images of Chernobyl survivors, victims, refugees and the babas still living there - offering a comprehensive view of the disaster's lingering effects with the Russo/Ukraine war, nuclear threats to the region and the world, and the enduring dangers of Chernobyl-related health and environmental concerns.

Photo exhibit Sunday thru Thursday and free Monday evening presentation - 7 p.m. @ Hultquist Center

Wk 9, 8/19-8/21 / Tu, W, Th / 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Hultquist Center 201B

Video - The Art of Nature Photography