Mary Ann from Smyrna,GA This was my 6th program and my 3rd in photography. I agree with everything Lori & Susan said. I have pledged never to go anywhere without my gloves ever again, but you can't do a thing about the weather! The group was too large, but I can't think of a single one I would eliminate. They were a great group of congenial, interesting & entertaining people. Both leaders were helpful, friendly, & knowledgeable. The bus was comfortable and the food was delicious & nutritious.

This was my first Roadscholar trip and I can’t say enough good things about the friendliness, generosity, and thoughtfulness of the participants in our group. It was a lot of fun getting to know everyone. Overall, I enjoyed the program very much. We visited many locations with good opportunities to practice and get some great photos. A possible downside was the large size of the group – 24 participants of various abilities. Chuck and Lynn did their best to address the needs of the group, but as you can imagine, the opportunities for personalized instruction in the field were rather limited. Some of the photo locations seemed crowded with this number of participants. Here’s some information that might be helpful for future participants. First, the 2013 program includes two photo review sessions. It was helpful to have a computer or tablet to review/edit photos for these sessions and a thumb drive or other means to transfer the images. Second, the weather in January can be cold, especially at the higher elevations around Sedona. A warm jacket, warm gloves, warm ski-type hat, and long underwear or overpants were needed to be completely comfortable on two days of our trip. Finally, a cable or remote shutter release, polarizing filter, neutral density filter (four or more stops), and foldable translucent diffuser were all useful for our various photo opportunities – consider bringing them if you already own them.

Good program for all levels of photographers. It is helpful to be familiar with your camera and an editing program.

My first Road Scholar program (Oct. 21-26, 2012). The accommodations were excellent and both Chuck and Lynn were very knowledgeable and personable. The class included: 1.Shooting in the Manual Mode ("M") and why it gives you more control for the final image. 2. Using the histogram to aid in making the perfect shot. 3. Camera accessories that I didn't know existed were shown, demonstrated and used. 4. Photo critiques using Photoshop was invaluable. 5. A demonstration of how to clean the sensor in the field. 6. Visiting sites like Sedona, Superstition Mtns and the Desert Botanical Gardens was a highlight. I learned a lot.

I found this program to be of excellent quality and of great value to me as a fairly novice photographer. I especially liked the information received from Chuck on topics including "side lighting", "depth of field", and "composition". Tim (our coordinator) did a great job.

This program was suitable for all ages. My husband and I are in our late eighties and had no trouble keeping up. There was people of all adult ages and we had fun and were stimulated by all.

My wife and I were so very pleased with everything about this class. Chuck (our instructor), Tim (our coordinator), the path we took from our previous dependence on auto settings to the freeing experience with manual mode, the reasonable pace, the individual attention, the critiques, the food, the friendships, the Phoenix area——all combined for a wonderful time.

this program was made great because of "chuck larsen" the photographer who taught the course. he has a wealth of knowledge about camera settings, photoediting programs, and ability to work with people but most of all is his passion for photography. i would highly recommend this course with this photographer.

George from San Rafael, CA
Number of programs attended: 9
Date attended: 03/25/12 to 03/30/12

Chuck Lawson did the nearly impossible! He managed to make a photography class interesting and deeply informative for beginners and advanced amateurs at the same time. His knowledge is profound, and he has a wonderful ability to convey it to others. He shared his time and attention equally with everybody, and his criticisms were always encouraging and respectful as well as really helpful.

Chuck and Tim Harrington, the program coordinator, managed to create a group spirit that made this program unique in my experience. There was none of the petty competitiveness that can make programs such as this less that enjoyable. Thanks Chuck, Tim, and all my fellow "Scholars."

This was my first trip with Road Scholar and it was spectacular. We took it on a lark just to try out one of their programs. Not only was our instructor beyond knowledgeable but really entertaining. The topper on this trip were the people. All of them doers, interested in learning, interested in other people. The Denham's from Phepis Island gave me new hope that at almost 90 I could possibly still be participating in a program like this one. Thank you Chuck and all the people who made this such an enjoyable trip.p.s. and thank you Tim and our wonderful driver who got us safely around Arizona.

At 88 years old, with my younger wife of 87, this was our first Road Scholar program. It was a most enjoyable and stimulating experience, far exceeding our expectations. We wish we had started with Road Scholar years ago. Thanks!

This trip was terrific! Definitely the best Road Scholar trip I've been on. The instructor is wonderful -- very knowledgeable and endlessly patient, taking time for every participant and their questions, making no question seem trivial. The shooting locations were also great. I can't believe how much I've learned about photography. I definitely recommend it.

Just iterating what the other reviewers said. We went to a wide variety of interesting and beautiful places to shoot. Chuck Lawson was endlessly patient with everyone, no matter their ability. I finally got comfortable shooting in Manual mode and using my tripod. Our organizer kept us all on track and the program running smoothly. This was well worth the time and money.