Catching the Photo Bug: Adventures Online With Instructor Mason Marsh
- Road Scholar instructor Mason Marsh draws on decades of experience as a photojournalist, professional photographer and educator.
- His live Adventures Online program covers digital photography fundamentals, advanced techniques, iPhone photography, Adobe Lightroom and outdoor photography.
- Online programs give participants time to practice new skills, reflect on each lesson and return with questions.
- Mason believes photography encourages creativity, connection and closer attention to the world at home and away.
Road Scholar instructor Mason Marsh has spent much of his life telling stories through photographs. Long before he began teaching Road Scholars, he worked as a photojournalist for the Associated Press and the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, and later as the sole photographer for a daily newspaper in Kenai, Alaska.
“I guess you can say I backed into teaching,” he says, laughing. “But journalism is perfect training — all that research and telling stories.”
He might have backed into teaching, but his passion for lifelong learning is clear. Over the years, Mason has taught in museums, aboard tall ships, in classrooms and out in the field. Today, he lives in Washougal, Washington, and teaches photography to Road Scholars online.
Shot by Mason Marsh.
“I used to teach a lot of in-the-field photography courses, but after I had kids, I wanted to stay closer to home,” he says. “It’s the best of all worlds because I love online learning and I love Road Scholar.”
His history with Road Scholar also spans years. In 2009, Mason worked as a program coordinator in Road Scholar’s Portland office and quickly learned what distinguishes Road Scholar participants.
“I immediately realized that we have the best students,” he says. “They appreciate learning, and they do so enthusiastically. They crave learning, and they inspire me to crave it too.”
That enthusiasm has helped shape Mason’s growing collection of Adventures Online. His live, small-group programs cover the fundamentals of digital photography, advanced techniques, iPhone photography, Adobe Lightroom and photographing landscapes, wildlife and nature.
Together, the programs create a path for photographers to build their knowledge over time. Someone who begins with camera basics might move on to more advanced techniques, learn to organize and edit images in Lightroom or explore the camera already in their pocket.
“Every one of those workshops exists because our participants have asked for them — and we listen,” Mason says. “Those who get the photo bug can stay here and keep learning.”
Online learning also gives Mason and his students time to focus on subjects that are harder to explore fully in the field.
“We get to dictate how to focus and concentrate our time because the participants do the fieldwork on their own,” he explains. “I can get into the more technical sides of photography, from cameras to software.”
Learning from home allows participants to practice between sessions, reflect on what they have learned and return with new questions.
Mason Marsh.
“It’s like eating a singular meal,” Mason says. “You want to stop and enjoy it, savor it. That’s the best way to learn — at a slower pace, at home, a few hours at a time. You have a chance to think about it, then come back the next day with questions.”
Some subjects, including Adobe Lightroom, involve complicated technology and unfamiliar terminology. Mason understands why new software or equipment might feel intimidating, but he also sees technology as one more tool in the creative process.
“Photography is tech-heavy,” he explains. “It’s like music — musicians like to use and understand technology to make their art. It’s a means to an end. And everyone in my classes approaches these subjects with exploration in mind and for the pure joy of learning.”
Road Scholars, he says, bring the right mindset to the challenge.
“They’re seasoned adventurers and lifelong learners,” Mason says. “They’re conditioned for this. They’re used to trying to figure out things that are new and difficult, and they’re going to nibble away at it until they understand it.”
Shot by Mason Marsh.
Once participants begin, the photography “bug” isn’t hard to catch. Mason believes the process matters far more than producing a flawless image.
“Photography is such a great outlet,” he explains. “It’s therapeutic, and you get to see new things and get outside. It’s not about the product but the process. It’s as much fun to photograph flowers on your kitchen table as it is to go to a flower market in India.”
Photography also changes how people experience familiar surroundings. A camera encourages them to slow down, pay attention to light and notice details they might otherwise pass by. And while taking a photograph often happens in a fraction of a second, learning photography creates opportunities for lasting connection.
“People think it’s a solitary pursuit, but it’s a great, shared experience,” Mason says. “We are a species that needs that kind of social interaction. Getting out with other people and taking photos is good for bodies and minds.”
Despite his decades of experience, Mason says his students continue to influence how he sees the world.
“Road Scholars are the most amazing people,” he says. “Just when I think I have rich life experience, I talk to our participants and realize I’m not even close. When people share their photos in our workshops and I see what they’ve seen and the places they’ve gone, I’m inspired by them to do more, travel more and never stop exploring.”
Amy Holt is Communications Manager at Road Scholar, where she writes and edits stories about travel, learning and the people who bring both to life. She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Maine, previously taught college composition and is the author of “The Herbal Goddess Guide”.