Five-six days Roadtrip USA
From Los Angeles to San Francisco
July 2012
My goal is to install enthusiasm in any photographer and raise his or her skill level, self-confidence and production volume. And I do.
By: Thorsten Overgaard
Along Highway 101, July 2011
This five-six workshop will be an unique experience for a small goup of dedicated photographers.
I hope to give you the same breathtaking experience as when I did the trip in July 2011 alone in a convertible car but only had 20 hours to get to San Francisco.
This time we try to get convertible cars for the group and take the tour in a relaxed way where we can set aside time to experience and photograph whatever we find intriguing on the way up the Highway 1, also known as Pacific Highway. And; we will be going further up than San Francisco, then back to SF where the trip and workshop ends (with a possiblity to drive back to LA for those who want).
The workshop includes car rental and workshop fee but not accomodation and food.
The seminar and workshop is tailored to bring you up to an advanced level on using your camera equipment, setting up a workflow on your computer, editing and presenting images, and shooting different assignments.
Use the button to check out via PayPal if you are sure, or send an e-mail to thorsten@overgaard.dk for further info, to reserve a space, or to require invoice payable via bank transfer. You may also enquire about changing date of seminar/join waiting list for a seminar for the chance that someone wants to change to the other date.
Thorsten Overgaard ROADTRIP USA
Photo Seminar & Advanced Workshop
from Los Angeles to San Francisco by car,
July 22 - July 27, 2012 You can e-mail thorsten@overgaard.dk to find out the conditions and how to be part of it.
The view on Highway 1 in July 2011. Leica M9 with 90mm Sumamrit-M f/2.5
Planning day Sunday July 22: As this is quite an unique workshop, we will meet at The Manor in Los Angeles on Sunday July 22 for Sunday Brunch in the garden of this french chateau and have some time talking about our photography do a bit of theory, have a look at each others gear and make an approximate plan for the trip.
What to bring the first day: The first day you must bring all the toys so we can see and share.
What to bring for the trip: For the actual trip don't bring a lot as we will have to share the cars. We will be driving, hanging out, photographing, editing along the way every day. It will be very hands on and will include model sessions as well. So logically you will need camera(s) and lens(es), computer, power supply and enough clothing for day and evening on the road.
What to expect: You will meet likeminded people who want to improve their photography. 80%-100% will be Leica users, and if you are not, be prepared to become one. And if you are, be prepared to want more.
The seminar is very informal and hands-on and you will be able to ask all the questions you like as we will spend 140 hours together.
Ishrath and Bill photographing Olga on the Advanced Workshop in Cape Town in February 2012
What we will deal with: People, citiscapes, landscapes, street photogrpahy, portraits, how to handle people, timing, composition, your goal as a photographer, messages in photographs, your unique talents and skills, how to set up a workflow, what to look for when editing, color management, speed of work, white balance, exposure, reflectors, quality light, finding locations, how to present your photographs.
End result: An experience of a lifetime! You can expect to get a relaxed and simplified view on photography and realize that this is something you can perform well in, enjoy and produce much more than you used to. You will walk out from this seminar taller and more confident.
Highway 101
"it has taken me a while to digest what I learned at the seminar. I have to say, you made me change my way taking pictures. Even weeks later I recall the one or other snippet of information. There was a lot for me to go through."
- H.C., Australia
A photo from a cafe in San Francisco July 2011. Leica M9 with Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 II
Thorsten explaining about small cameras at the seminar in Leica Gallery Tokyo in January 2011. Photo by Pieter Franken.
A five-day photo seminar
DAY 1: Sunday brunch and get together in the garden of the French chateau in Los Angeles, The Manor Hotel. We go over camera theory, photography history, the rather important basics to understand the essence of photography, and we usually have a lot of equipment and lenses floating around on the table. We will also look at your basic skills and talents, and your purpose as a photographer and this trip.
Keywords DAY 1: Planning, questions and answers, lots of equipment, analyzing your career as a photographer, understanding cameras, ISO, aperture, white balance, camera history, lenses, light reflections, types of light, light temperature, natural photography, available light, light metering, light meters, lens design, shutter design ... and more.
San Francisco, July 2011
One wouldn't be able to imagine all the equipment a handful of photographers can bring together... Photo by Pieter Franken.
"It's really changed my perception on photography and technique as a whole."
- BL, Singapore
DAY 2: MONDAY 07.00: We plan to head out of LA early morning. If nothing else has been agreed, we meet by the cars on the parking lot by The Manor Hotel on Franklin Avenue in Los Angeles and will have about an hour drive before we get out of the city.
DAY 3-6: We will simply follow our instinct as we drive along Highway 1. We will be photographing and editing every day. We may have a chance to see the Skywalker Ranch in San Francisco as well as an impressive collection of cameras and lenses in another location by San Francisco.
DAY 6 FRIDAY: We end off in San Francisco by the Hertz rental car drop off in the airport, or whereever we decide. There is also the possibility of taking car(s) to LA or even other locations to drop off.
Michael, Hans, Friedl and Oskar at work in the streets of Palermo. We walk around and work as a group.
We will be spending 30-40 hours together doing formal seminar, walking about, working on images, having coffee and lunch. Lots of things to talk about. Photo by Younes Kabbaj from the Hong Kong seminer.
"Simple the best - I learnt a lot from you at the Photo Seminar. It was great to spend a lot of time with you and your experience. I am still deep impressed and it were very memorable days for me. I highly recommend anyone Thorsten's photo seminars.
Now it is time for my homework"
- T.S., Zürich
Doing portrait photography on location in Berlin, February 2011. Photo by Gerhard Gruber.
Swiss photographer Matthias Frei editing in London.
"Thanks so much for an inspiring weekend. I learned a lot, and it was a great group of people to spend the weekend with. I hope to see you again soon, either in NY or somewhere else. "
- D.G., New York
Student photo by Sharron Franks of two other students on the Overgaard Photo Seminar in London, September 2011. Leica M9 with 35mm Summarit-M f/2.5. See the gallery of student photos here.
"Thank you again for the course. It was a great few days when I learnt a huge amount. I like your easy style. I’m now hoping to have enough money for a Leica M11"
- R.S., London
Ishrath holding a silk screen so we get really soft light on the model.
Model Olga Grbich photographed in Cape Town. Leica M9 with 35mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.4
"Photography has become dear to my heart again. Hope we have still some time to spend together."
- J., Spain
Los Angeles, July 2011. Photo by Jeff Rovner.
Networking: The seminars tend to be new networks as we share the same passion in photography, and the participants usually have quite a lot more in common than just photography. Berlin 2011, photo by Malou Lasquite.
"Thanks so much for all your instruction this past weekend. I really enjoyed meeting you and spending time understanding more of how you view things. I know there is a lot more to learn and hope we meet again."
- R.Y., Texas
Matthias, Thomas and Chrostoph in Zürich, June 2011
Berlin, February 2011
"It has been truly enlightening and a great joy for me to share those seminar days with you all! Many beautiful memories remain in the portait and especially the street photography departement ... and not last those personal talks we had about different styles of photography and Leica."
- M.F., Austria
London, September 2011, Polaroid courtesy of Abercombie & Fitch
Hong Kong, December 2011.
(If you use iPad you may click here to visit the original video on Vimeo) "Picture Perfect" video about Danish feature writer and photographer Thorsten Overgaard, by Emma Brumpton for Channel Four. The video was done on The Faroe Islands in 2008 during a week of photographing climate changes, when Al Gore visited the islands.
Thorsten Overgaard is a Danish feature writer and photographer who contributes stories and unique branding to magazines, newspapers and companies through exclusive and positive articles and photos. His work is being printed in Danish and international magazines, some of which are available via WireImage, Getty Images, Redferns and Associated Press. Some photos are available as limited signed editions online and from galleries.
For specific image needs, contact Thorsten Overgaard via e-mail.
Thorsten explaining about small cameras at the seminar in Leica Gallery Tokyo in January 2011. Photo by Pieter Franken. 
San Francisco, July 2011
