Gulf Coast - Summit Workshops

Summit Gulf Coast

a bird photographer's dream

This Summit Workshop Texas Gulf Coast is a must-have experience for bird & nature photographers. You will get the experience to have incredibly intimate experiences with the rare whooping cranes and the menagerie of other winter birdlife that make their home between the salt marshes and the sea!

Our mornings will be spent exploring the refuge by private boat with local guide who sees more whooping cranes most days than anyone else on the planet, and in the afternoons we’ll explore the refuge by land on short trails, overlooks and a loop road.

Sony Pro Support will be on-site with the latest cameras and lenses for participants to loan. This is free of charge and a perk to being a participant.

You will photograph

Winter Birdlife

In addition to whooping cranes, you will have the opportunity to photograph the menagerie of other winter birdlife that make their home between the salt marshes and the sea.

Whooping Cranes

You will be photographing whooping cranes; the rarest of cranes in the world in an intimate setting. From the boat the cranes may land within 50 feet of you offering a photographic experience like no other.

You will experience

Conservation Photography

Led by Melissa Groo and Michael Forsberg, this workshop not only has incredible photographic opportunities it also gives you the chance to learn from some of the best bird photographers in the world.

The Summit Community

Why is this workshop different from others in the Gulf Coast? Simple, the Summit community is a vast and supportive network of photographers, editors, and pros in the industry.

Deposit

Due upon registration

1,000

Full Tuition

3,995

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS

Workshop Faculty

Michael Forsberg

Mike is a senior fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers who has focused his career on North America’s Great Plains, its prairie wildlife, and watersheds. His work has appeared in National Geographic and Outdoor Photographer, and his books on On Ancient Wings and Great Plains – America’s Lingering Wild have been turned into documentary films for PBS. Mike is co-founder of the Platte Basin Timelapse Project, and currently serves as faculty with the University of Nebraska.

Workshop Faculty

Melissa Groo

Melissa is a wildlife photographer, writer, speaker, and educator. She’s a contributing editor to Audubon magazine, writes a column on wildlife photography for Outdoor Photographer magazine, and is an Associate Fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers. She speaks and writes extensively on issues of ethics and conservation in wildlife photography, and leads workshops in the U.S. and abroad. Melissa was Chair of the Ethics Committee for the North American Nature Photography Association from 2014-2018. Her work has been published in numerous books and magazines, such as Smithsonian, Audubon, National Wildlife, and Natural History. Melissa is represented by National Geographic Image Collection and has a long-term gallery at Audubon Greenwich in Connecticut.

Owner / Director

Chris Steppig

Chris is the owner and director of Summit Workshops. Summit was his first job out of college and nearly 20 years later, this is home. He is in charge of all workshop operations, scheduling, logistics, faculty, social media, marketing and sponsorship. Chris has a passion for conservation, travel, and education and the workshops are a dream platform to help others reach new heights as not only photographers but as people.

Chris is an affiliate of the International League of Conservation Photographers. The iLCP is a U.S. based non-profit whose mission is to further environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography. This affiliation provides a tremendous opportunity to help deliver great content and also be an advisor on matters large and small. He is also a professional advisor for Outdoor Photographer magazine. Through collaboration and great communications with the editor of the magazine, there have been countless articles written by Summit Alumni in the magazine over the years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use a specific camera brand?

No! Summit Workshops is available to any photographer, regardless of what brand of camera you use. With many thanks to our title partner Sony we will have camera bodies and lenses for loan but you are not required to use that gear or any specific brand.

What does my tuition cover?

Tuition includes activity fees, location fees, all instruction, planning and logistics. It does not cover hotels, travel, and most meals. We do have a hotel rooming block at a modest rate which makes carpooling and networking very simple.

How much experience should I have?

This workshop is aimed for those with a general understanding of your gear. You will need a professional body that can operate in lower light. We all learn from and help one another, that is what makes the Summit Community so special.