The Center for Wooden Boats actually was inspired back in 1957 by Dick Wagner, who was walking across the Fremont Bridge and noticed a man wrestling with a bulky masthead which he was trying to affix to his boat. Dick jumped into the project and this good deed leads to what is now a public venue for all to visit and enjoy. Whether maritime displays, historic wooden boats adjacent to picturesque winding walkways or indoor displays of tools and machinery used over the centuries for building and repairing boats, the locale is rich in photo ops.
More specifically, Dick and his wife, Colleen were out to dinner, 10 years later in 1967 and discussing how they could best accommodate the slew of small boats tied up around the houseboat that was their home under the Aurora Bridge, housing the two of them, soon to be added by a newborn child coming up very soon.
For practical purposed the Clarks began renting the boats for people who wanted a relaxing excursion on the water but the popularity of the Clarks, their maritime friends and the locale itself soon grew into a “living museum.” So, the Center of Wooden Boats was born so people could learn not only by observing but also by doing.
Your Digital Photo Academy instructor will lead you through the charming locale and help you tell a photographic narrative with your camera, beginning with details of the wooden boats in rich hues illuminated by the sun shining down over the scene. Use Leading Lines composition techniques to create a visually appealing scene of the walkways surrounded by old wooden vessels, some dating back in history, others gleaming with polish and pride. Get close-ups of the odd-looking tools displayed which were or are used to build and repair boats. Catch romantic couples or happy families oars in hands as they row the boats for a lovely seaside scene.
Let your camera capture a historical era that was once the center of commerce, leisure and family fun in centuries past.
Meet at the entrance of the Wagner Education Center.
Each Composition in the Field class begins with a talk with one of our experienced instructors, and then you and your fellow students take a stroll through one of a variety of photogenic locales (in any of the 20+ cities the DPA encapsulates). There is street photography, magnificent interiors, farmers markets, zoos, landscapes, and more, photos of which are included within. These photos are a mix of student and instructor images in many different venues and cities across the United States and Canada.
You will have fun in the three-hour session, learn to shoot strategically, get more interesting photos of the event, and walk away with a foundation to improve your photographs in the future, whether you’re traveling, or at a birthday party and everywhere in between.
Please note – if a class must be canceled due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control we will be happy to work with you to reschedule. If you should need to cancel and require a new class date, contact us. A $25 transfer fee will be imposed without a 3-day notice before the scheduled class.
