Adult Opportunities

Spring Wildflower Photography Workshop

Photograph and identify the spring wildflowers of Northern Illinois.

Content Detail

Get to know the spring wildflowers of Illinois during this multiweek photography workshop at The Morton Arboretum. Start in the classroom, learning the names of common wildflowers and how to capture their beauty with your camera. Then head outdoors to apply your learning. With a mix of classroom sessions and field time, this workshop will cover

  • techniques and camera settings for close-up photography,
  • composing photos to draw focus to your subject,
  • using light effectively, and
  • wildflower identification.

Appropriate for the beginning photographer and those looking to explore their camera’s manual settings, this class will also familiarize students with the flora of the local woodlands and how the ephemeral landscape shifts from week to week. Students may use DSLR cameras or smartphones.

This program meets in person at the Arboretum.

Instructors: Cora Jacobs, photographer; Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist, The Morton Arboretum

Age: 16 and older

Course number: P332

Instructors

Cora Jacobs, photographer

Cora Jacobs is both a nature and a street photographer. She has been teaching at The Morton Arboretum since 2012. She is also the nonfiction editor for Allium, A Journal of Poetry & Prose and teaches magazine editing and production at Columbia College Chicago.

Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist, The Morton Arboretum

Sharon Yiesla is a horticulturist of 30 plus years. She has a BS in horticulture from Purdue and an MS from University of Illinois. She has worked with University Extension in Missouri and with University of Illinois Extension and is currently the plant knowledge specialist at The Morton Arboretum.

What to Know

This class meets indoors and outdoors.

For the Saturday field sessions, please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. Plan to walk off trail on uneven terrain.

Bring a fully charged camera, notebook, and something to write with.

Program Schedule

This program meets the following five times.

Thursday, April 18, 2024, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 20, 2024, 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 25, 2024, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 27, 2024, 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, May 2, 2024, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Thornhill Education Center

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