Hudson Valley

Click or scroll down for full schedule of live workshops

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Covid is a global issue and varies, city by city, even day by day, here across North America, but we want you to know that you can enroll in workshops, currently posted through the first few months of 2021 and updated into the year 2021 on a monthly basis. (Founded in 2006, this format of updating new group workshop locales, times and dates have always been handled in this same manner. Should you require a private workshop, our professional photographers who lead group sessions in the community where they live, can accommodate PRIVATE WORKSHOPS on any photo topic and meet up with you and your guests on any day of the week that suits your schedule and locale selected within our active communities.) We can conform to your priorities.

As any workshop you select approaches, please know that we will adhere to the Covid social distancing directives relevant to your local community at that time, as they apply to the coronavirus, allowing you to receive a total refund or the chance to reschedule with no penalty fee no matter how long you require to make your rescheduling decisions. Please contact us toll free, 1 877 372 2231 or email us at DPABooking@DigitalPhotoAcademy.com. Again, once we communicate, we can provide either a full refund or postpone your workshop with no deadline on selecting a new date.

IF WORKSHOP DOES RUN, MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING CONFORMS TO LOCAL DIRECTIVES

For the last 9 years, Digital Photo Academy has been based in Manhattan, New York. Certainly the photo ops are unending in that locale, as they are in the 20+ other major U.S. cities where live classes are offered. The slide show above showcases the new Digital Photo Academy headquarters and hopefully you agree that these images reflect a scenic setting for the new DPA offices as well as year round photo ops in any direction one points their lens. (Note the round stone building up on a hill, seen in the slide show during winter and fall season. That is our new headquarters, formerly a gun powder mill that was built in 1828, and owned by the Dupont family who made their fortune on gun powder sold during the Civil War. Across the way is a 41 acre park, donated to the public by the Delano family, (Franklin Delano Roosevelt). It once was the setting for the aqueduct that powered the gun powder mill and the remnants of the stone housing remain, freckled amongst small waterfalls, chimneys and fireplaces, all great for landscape and portrait shoots). In fact, the DPA team is thrilled to work out of the Hudson Valley region. Spend anytime in the area and it becomes clear as to how the late 19th century artists of the Hudson River School became the first coherent movement of American Art. Check out WIkipedia reference at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_School

By the way, as we get settled, expect to see monthly Comp in the Field classes below as well as multi-day workshops. We are excited and hope you are as well. In addition to the DPA property, there are dozens of charming shops, landscape settings, cliffs overlooking the Hudson, Old World architecture, galleries and more that the DPA team has arranged for private access to bring photo hobbyists who hope to add great images to their portfolios.

National Headquarters – 15 Powder Mill Road, Newburgh, NY 12550

    63 Comments

  1. Jayne
    February 2, 2016

    “for masterminding such a great workshop, opening your lovely home, and even making me coffee to take me through the afternoon of waterfall and sunset.

    I couldn’t imagine a better teacher than Gerald. In short, he taught me how to use my camera. Although I missed the morning lesson and probably made him repeat countless points, he was clear and patient in his guidance and enthusiastically reviewed my pictures.

    I totally enjoyed myself today and hope you guys got something out of it too other than a messy dining room table!

    Best wishes to you both.”

    -Jayne

  2. Fred Moody
    February 2, 2016

    “The photo workshop was wonderful, And I thank you and Jill for your wonderful hospitality, the bagels and the pizza. Every aspect of the Of the workshop was great: the presentation by Gerald was thorough , and I enjoyed the field trip.
    Thanks for the great workshop , and I look forward to doing it again. ”

    -Fred

  3. Tak Inaba
    February 4, 2016

    “Thank you so much for the workshop and your hospitality with Jill.
    Rina and I had not only informative time but enjoyable day.
    Hope to bring my other daughter to next month’s workshop.

    Great job Gerald and Paul.

    I am sure everyone is going to upload pretty photo from nice camera
    but I took this photo with inexpensive with camera with plastic lens called Holga.”

    -Tak

  4. Myra
    February 4, 2016

    “Thank you so much for everything you did for us. The class is great, the instructor is wonderful!
    You can send us as many email as you want, we like them.”

    -Myra

  5. Maryann Peterson
    February 8, 2016

    “I wanted to thank you and Jill for hosting such a wonderful day. I felt like I learned so much and met some great people! Many thanks to Gerald and Paul for their very clear and concise notes and help. I want to say again that I learned so much!

    Many thanks, ”

    -Maryann Peterson

  6. Steve
    February 9, 2016

    Thank you, Richard and Jill, for your hospitality and the great workshop.
    Also many thanks to Gerald Berliner for great presentations throughout the day.
    Not to mention Gerald’s one-on-one with attendees in the field.
    The shooting locations provided a variety of scenes.
    I found opportunity to use my Nikon 14-24, 24-70 and Micro Nikkor 60mm lenses. Also, ND filters came in handy for those long exposures.

    I highly recommend workshops at the Digital Photo Academy.
    I plan on attending more workshops in the future.

    Again many thanks to all!
    Steve

  7. Karen Heusel
    February 29, 2016

    “Jealous of your beautiful home! The workshop was great – as enjoyable as it was informative. Nice people, wonderful photo ops and pizza – perfect! I’m enclosing a few of my shots from the day. Many thanks Richard and to Greg as well, a most inspirational instructor. ”

    -Karen

  8. Deborah Millan
    February 29, 2016

    “I truly enjoyed the workshop. Greg was a great instructor, informative, genial and helpful. It was good that the group was limited to 10. I was a bit disappointed with my output. It must have been the camera 😉 I’ve attached a few of my more interesting shots.

    Looking forward to another workshop.”

    All best,

    -Debbie

  9. Sharon Grandstaff
    March 14, 2016

    “I had an awesome day with Greg and learned so much. I look forward to the next workshop!

    Than you for an amazing and informative day!”

    -Sharon Grandstaff

  10. Marcy Chan
    March 21, 2016

    “Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop and great hospitality. You have a absolutely gorgeous home. ”

    -Marcy Chan

  11. Karen
    March 21, 2016

    “Thank you so much for the wonderful Sunday. Richard, thank you for picking me up and dropping me at the station. ”

    -Karen

  12. Arlene Novich
    March 29, 2016

    “Dear Richard and Jill,

    Thank you both for your hospitality. I thoroughly enjoyed my day of photography. Equally enjoyable was touring your lovely home, seeing some lovely water and nature locations, and experiencing Newburgh up close (so much potential there.) As soon as I have a minute (actually many minutes!) to figure out converting my raw files to jpegs to send, I will pass along some of my images.

    Thank you both again. I’m sure you’ll see me at another workshop!”

    -Arlene

  13. Spencer Layman
    March 30, 2016

    “Had a great time, thanks for the hospitality, entirely worthwhile.”

    -Spencer Layman

  14. Arlene Novich
    April 1, 2016

    “Hi Richard and Jill,

    It was actually very easy to export raw files as jpegs on lightroom when you know what to do (which I barely do!)

    Here is a sample of the images from Sunday, all untouched, and if you ever run into the couple we met in town who were thrilled to be photographed, please feel free to pass along their photos. They were so happy!

    Comments appreciated- (don’t worry, I have thick skin!)

    Best regards,”

    -Arlene

  15. Harriet Yustein
    April 18, 2016

    “I just wanted to tell you that today’s session was everything I was expecting and more.”

    -Harriet

  16. Ron DiLaurenzio
    April 18, 2016

    “The class was great! I learned a lot of good tips from Greg and tried some techniques I have not
    taken the time to try before.

    Thanks,”

    -Ron

  17. Jeffrey Ben Berman
    May 18, 2016

    “First, thanks to you and Jill for your hospitality. I really appreciate it.
    Peter’s a great guy…really attentive and helpful. Thanks also for having him pick me up and drive me back to Beacon.

    On the way to Letchworth Village on Saturday morning, Anthony made a detour to show me the Greek Orthodox Church headquarters across from West Point. As I’m sure you know, it was amazingly picturesque. We had a nice group of simpatico people for the workshop, and the weather cooperated beautifully. Lethworth Village was powerfully haunting, disturbing and fascinating. I also enjoyed the cameraderie (misspelling intentional, LOL!) immensely. I’m thankful to you for suggesting that I participate, and also to Rick for adding a place for me in the group. He and Anthony were really helpful in suggesting places to shoot. The image bellow is titled “Lost Memory #3″.

    Warm regards,”
    -Jeff

  18. Carole de Beer
    May 18, 2016

    ” Thanks again for a great day at Letchworth..got home about 6:30 pm to a few drops of rain.”

    – Carole

  19. Thierry Rakotobe-Joel
    June 5, 2016

    “Dear Richard – Thank you for the great program with Greg Miller yesterday. It was fun and I hope to participate in a DPA event again soon. For now, I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”

    – Thi

  20. Nana Greller
    June 20, 2016

    “Dear Richard,

    love your resident groundhog. I had a wonderful time at the workshop today. Only sorry I hadn’t planned to be there through the evening. Hopefully another time. Thank you to you and Jill for graciously accepting Wookie into your animal menagerie….however I will probably leave him at home next time….easier to concentrate on photography. I hope you all got some great photos during sunset. Thanks again and best wishes to Jill for a safe and fun trip.

    Regards,”

    -Nana

  21. Dawn-Marie Bacon
    June 20, 2016

    “Good Morning Greetings, Richard,

    Thank you for yesterday’s experience. We learned a lot from Greg!! ”

    -Dawn-Marie Bacon

  22. michael
    June 21, 2016

    “Yes, thank you, Greg!!

    I’m looking forward to going through this information to keep it fresh.

    You’re a very enjoyable person to work with.
    Cheers! You’ve inspiring me to learn more about photography and the use of a my camera.”

    -Michael

  23. Nana Greller
    July 15, 2016

    “I found this workshop to be inspiring. I learned quite a bit about using my camera in different situations, the effective use of a polarizing filter ( I just ordered one) and the importance of a tripod in capturing detail and making use of focal points. Thank you a terrific field day. ”

    -Nana

  24. Thom Buckley
    July 15, 2016

    “Thanks again for the class. I have attached four photos from Sunday. Thank you for these informative attachments.”

    -Thom

  25. Chris Carrasco
    July 19, 2016

    “Hey guys,

    Chris here, just want to say that I had a great time this past Sunday with you and the rest of the group. This is my first time taking any formal instruction on photography and even though it wasn’t a technical “how to” course, I came away with a lot of good information. For example, I never realized that blue sky days were not optimal for taking landscape photographs and that the clouds help to diffuse the light for much better results. I also find myself looking at the Histogram for just about every shot whereas before I had no idea what that thing even was. I still have a lot to learn but we all have to start somewhere and I’m glad that I started with you guys. Thanks again.

    Thanks again and looking forward to working with you guys again in the future. ”

    -Chris Carrasco

  26. Danielle Lowe
    July 19, 2016

    “I just tagged you in my album from last week in Hudson Valley. I just had a great time. Thank you so much.”

    -Danielle

  27. Maria Baptiste
    August 23, 2016

    “Thanks Richard. Ill put them some photos up tomorrow or Monday. Thank you so much for coordinating this event and for your generosity. Gerald was fantastic.”

    -Maria

  28. Karen Robilotta
    August 23, 2016

    “Gerald is a treasure. Richard, thank you for your hospitality. Looking forward to future events!”

    -Karen

  29. Sudeep Jesani
    September 6, 2016

    “Thanks Mark, Jill and Richard for the lovely evening ! It was very nice to meet all of you – a very fun experience.

    Attaching a couple pics that I took .. one with the trees as well ?

    See you all soon !”

    -Sudeep

  30. Henry Cohen
    September 8, 2016

    “Thanks all for a fun photo evening. The photos I’ve seen so far are awesome.
    I’ll post some of mine later tonight or tomorrow.
    Special thanks to Richard, Jill and especially to Mark for taking us where none of us have gone before. ”

    -Henry

  31. Sheldon Katz
    September 8, 2016

    “Mark,

    Thank you again! It was awesome!! Thank you to Richard and Jill for putting this together.

    Thanks,”

    -Sheldon Katz

  32. Aditi Mehta
    September 8, 2016

    “Thanks Richard, Jill and Mark for yesterday – was quite an experience
    Have a great weekend,
    Best,”

    – Aditi

  33. Illana
    October 18, 2016

    “Thanks Richard. I thoroughly enjoyed the nice company, the fall colors, and learning something about the camera and photography. And thanks to Sammy for his patience with a complete novice!! Your place was a wonderful starting and ending point, as well.

    I look forward to watching the videos.

    Best regards,”

    -Illana

  34. Illana
    October 18, 2016

    “Thank you so much for going to all the trouble to do this, Sam and Richard! I thoroughly enjoyed viewing these photos! What a great time.

    All the best,”

    -Illana

  35. Colin Fredericson
    October 21, 2016

    “Hi Richard,

    Thanks so much for fitting me in the workshop it was a lot of fun. Here is my favorite photo of the day. This is a long exposure I took after it was dark. I think either 15 or 8 second shutter speed, adjusted in Lightroom.”

    -Colin

  36. Mathur Per
    October 21, 2016

    “Thanks Richard and Mark for an excellent class. It was great meeting everyone and am looking forward to future classes.”

    -Murali

  37. Raj Bisesar
    February 9, 2017

    “First of all I’d like to say thank you to Mark and Richard for teaching and hosting on Saturday. It was a wonderful experience getting to meet everyone, and sharing your collective knowledge and passion for photography. I finally got to go through my photos and have some to share with you all.”

    -Raj

  38. Maria Zarzuela
    July 13, 2017

    “Justin thank you for a great class. It was fun and educational for me. I learned some things that I did not know about before. I’ve done so much reading about photography but never putting into practice what I’ve read. The class broke certain things down for me so that I understood how to get the results that I wanted.

    I love how the images came out. Especially the last one with the sparklers.

    Justin, thanks for the heads up On the intervalometer deal. I got a chance the scoop one up before the sale ended. Also thank you for the link to buying used equipment. Very useful info indeed. I’m looking for a good tripod on sale so if you come across one that’s a great deal please Let me know.

    Thanks again. It was very nice meeting everyone.

    Best regards,”

    -Maria

  39. Mari Parker
    August 24, 2017

    “Jill was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about photography and was able to answer all my questions. Even though I knew the basics on composition, I still learned a lot and even was introduced to functions on my camera I had no idea existed. This class is great for those who have never held a DSLR to those who have been shooting for a while, but want to expand their skills.
    Thank you Jill! ”

    -Mari

  40. Kerman Dukandar
    October 16, 2017

    “Dear Richard

    Thanks, it was a wonderful experience and the class was awesome.
    Justin was an awesome instructor and patiently answered all the queries.
    I definitely have gained better knowledge about manual controls and feel more confident.
    Hopefully to get some more advanced instructions in future.

    All in all it was a splendid day and you were a wonderful host for the group and a brilliant / passionate instructor like Justin.

    Best regards”

    -Kerman

  41. Nick Jaramillo
    October 17, 2017

    “Hi Richard,

    Thank you to you and Justin for a fun day of shooting.

    Here are a few of my shots.”

    -Nick Jaramillo

  42. Stephanie Uszenski
    October 18, 2017

    “Taking the types of pictures I dreamed of, with the inspiration of the 6 hour Hudson river class!”

    -Stephanie

  43. Don Adams
    October 24, 2017

    “This was a great way to spend a Saturday. Richard and Justin made the group feel very welcome. We learned some good information during the “inside” portion of the class, and we had an opportunity to meet and greet our fellow classmates – it was great meeting such a diverse and talented group of people. We then began the “outside” portion of the class, first walking across the street to a park with waterfalls and old structures, then we traveled to another historic site with a charming mill house, finishing in Beacon, taking pictures of the sunset over Newburgh/Hudson River. All this was done with Justin providing good advice and painless critique – while he is an extremely talented professional photographer, he was friendly and down to earth with us all. This is a great experience (I intend to return), and money very well spent. ”

    -Don

  44. Troy Wesselius
    December 14, 2017

    “Hey everyone – we’re back home safely in NJ. What a great day we had! It started with the first beautiful snowfall of the season as we learned about the techniques we would be applying today. Then we had a delightful lunch together…followed by one of the coolest venues we could have ever asked for!!! We just scanned thru our pictures and are so happy with some of these shots…in just one day we picked up on great low-light shooting techniques…and we sort of look like we know what we are doing!!!

    Thanks guys for a truly amazing day. Amanda – so glad you were also there to share in this experience with us. We loved seeing the creative angles you were going for – you probably ended up with some great shots…

    I took one of Nina’s shots of Mark in the tunnel and threw a black and white filter on it after cropping it…we think you look great in this one Mark… since you like nicknames we have one for you – Model Mark!!!!

    Enjoy the rest of the wintery weekend everyone.

    Peace, Love and Hugs!”

    -Troy and Nina

  45. Andy Mueller
    June 12, 2018

    Thanks so much for the workshop. Had a great time and will be taking another class soon. Was a great experience. Here is one of my favorite shots from the other night.

  46. Nina
    July 9, 2018

    We attended a Composition in the Field photography workshop offered by Digital Photo Academy. We selected a Hudson Valley workshop, which started in Newburgh, with an overview of specific camera features and techniques we would be applying in the field. Mark, our instructor, is very knowledgeable and patient, and guided us through the various camera settings we would be using. He also showed us examples of stunning low-light images he has captured, which is what we were setting up for. This gave us some great visuals to frame in our minds as we readied ourselves. The day of our workshop we experienced the first snowfall of the season, which provided a surreal backdrop to the instructional segment, as well as for the drive into the field. We had special access to the renowned Brotherhood Winery in nearby Washingtonville, NY. As we set up our tripods in the historic cellars of the winery, we eagerly began applying what we learned. We moved strategically through the catacombs — and encountered breathtaking views thru our lenses — which were captured with our newly learned skills. While the scenes looked really good on our small camera screens, the real treat was when we downloaded the images on our computer back at home. Wow. Just wow! After a day with Mark we took our photography skills to another level. Thank you Mark and Richard for putting this incredible experience together! We look forward to coming back at different times of the year, so we can continue to further our experiences and skills!!!

    -Nina

  47. Amanda
    July 9, 2018

    “I had a great time in class; both Mark and Richard were very nice and I learned a lot from them. I knew almost nothing going into the class, and left with some amazing photos, and the ability to continue improving. I had a lot of questions answered. Mark and Richard are both amazing artists / photographers, and you’ll be amazed at what they’ve captured in the past and their advice for you in the future.”

    -Amanda

  48. Tim
    July 9, 2018

    “Amazing time and experience. They also showed me a few pro tips that really help. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to up their game at photography, and spend some time at some proven great sites to shoot!”

    -Tim

  49. Judy
    July 9, 2018

    “Thank you to Richard and Justin! I feel more confident now that I understand how my camera works and how to take a great quality picture. I had so much fun learning with a scenic hike and Justin’s knowledge and talent. I’m feeling more inspire than ever! I look forward to future classes.”

    -Judy

  50. Andrew
    July 9, 2018

    “I learned a lot in a very short period of time and met some incredible people. Justin was a great instructor and Richard was an excellent host.”

    -Andrew

  51. Andy Mueller
    August 17, 2018

    Had a blast last night and survived with only two bites.

    -Andy

  52. Bill Schultz
    August 17, 2018

    Here’s my favorite from the day. Thanks again for the enjoyable experience.

    -Bill

  53. Judy R
    May 3, 2019

    Thank you to Richard and Justin! I feel more confident now that I understand how my camera works and how to take a great quality picture. I had so much fun learning with a scenic hike and Justin’s knowledge and talent. I’m feeling more inspire than ever! I look forward to future classes.

  54. WINSTON H
    May 28, 2019

    The day lived up to my expectations. Richard was very professional and put a lot of effort into finding a tutor that matched what I was looking for. It was refreshing to still see the someone adding the personal touch to ensure the customer is happy. My tutor, Steve was great and was loads of fun to hang out with. Really cool dude. Not only did he find a stunningly gorgeous model to work with (who I would love to work with again, btw), but he happily shared from his best advice in any area that I asked about. I learnt a lot from him and identified more than a few areas that I need to work on. Rating my experience with 5 stars was easy. In fact the next time I visit New York, I will definitely be calling on Richard again.

  55. Glenn M
    July 5, 2019

    ENJOYED THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE. MARY ANN IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE CELL PHONE AND HOW TO BE CREATIVE WITH THE APPS. SHE IS AN EXCELLENT INSTRUCTOR: ASKS ME QUESTIONS, ANSWERS QUESTIONS AND PROVIDES FEEDBACK IN A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT.

    THANK YOU, MARY ANN.

  56. Lani Bass
    July 30, 2019

    I took Mark’s class a year or so ago when we went to Gomez Mill & Cold Springs and really enjoyed it.

  57. Ricky R
    July 30, 2019

    My GF gave me a gift certificate for the class on 12/25/2017 for the sole purpose of learning my new Canon camera for our South African safari trips. After forgetting numerous times to schedule the workshop, 2 cancellations due to bad weather, one stormy rain and the other, incredible heat, I was able to attend this weekend. I had no idea what I was about to learn and experience. Richard greeted me with literally open arms and we headed over to the group. Mark, our instructor, had a brief but thorough slide presentation for us familiarizing us with some of the different types of camera shooting we can expect on our adventure. Out on our field trip Mark taught me a few key settings for getting great shots. I had no idea what to expect and as surprised as I was with my lesson, I had the time of my life. Richard, Mark and the Digital Photo Academy were professional, outgoing and very personable to talk to. I am now and forever a camera head! Thanks guys! Im so glad we dont have to buy film anymore. Cant wait for the next workshop.

  58. Barbara F
    July 30, 2019

    The Digital Photo Academy was an excellent choice to learn more about the operations of my camera and how to consider composition. The teacher was very flexible with questions and encouraged me to try different subjects for my photography. I came away from the class refreshed and looking forward to more shots for myself and family. Give it a try!!!!! You will love it

  59. John S
    August 5, 2019

    Outstanding workshop! Mark the instructor, was great. He gave a preliminary talk prior to going out on the photo shoot, demonstrating some techniques. At the mansion he reviewed photos as they were being set up and offered advise. Looking forward to the next workshop.

  60. Lisa Campbell
    September 30, 2019

    What a fabulous day I had. The company, instruction and location was devine. What an awesome group. I can’t wait for future classes. I will most definitely spread the word and post some of my pictures I took today. Thank you again. I had a most excellent day.

  61. Tom Orlando
    January 14, 2020

    Your headquarters is an artisan treasure trove; so many beautiful historic items and antiques (including the cats). It is no surprise to me as you and your wife are kind and generous people and truly artistic. All the best to everyone and hope to meet again in a future DPA event.

  62. Linda Morris
    February 12, 2020

    Thanks for another great class. Rachel gave me some tips on waterfalls which worked out great for me. I always learn something new. It was a little crowded at times but we all took turns so it worked out well. Thanks again.

  63. Michael Caivano
    February 10, 2021

    I wanted to say thank you so much. Both you and Mary Ann, as I was told, were incredible and went above and beyond what they expected.

    Myself and Tiffany’s husband Ken were waiting for them at the Lake house for dinner and as we were waiting, we saw two people outside walking down to the lake snapping pictures. Walking through knee high snow, kneeling to get better angles, like they were doing a photoshoot!!!

    They loved it!!! And again, thank you and we will be telling anyone that asks how great you guys are.

    They have been posting pics on Facebook and getting lots of positive feedback and you guys are getting most of the credit.

    I do however have one thing I have an issue with. I was told there was coffee and cookies???? Why was I not told about this in advance, perhaps I would have taken the class as well!!!….lol

    I was told that your wife is an amazing photographer, so congrats to you on that and to her.

    Reviews online will follow, I promise. Just need to get to them.

    Again, thank you so much for making her birthday present (3 months later) a memorable one.

    Hope to speak again soon.

    -Mike

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