David Akoubian

David has been a photographer since 1972 when his father presented him with his first camera, but his career in photography started in 1992. David learned his craft originally as a painter and from his father who shares his love of nature and photography. Early in his career he traveled with, learned from and taught beside some of the masters of nature photography including John Shaw, Art Wolfe, Galen Rowell, Bryan Peterson, Pat O'Hara, and Rod Planck. David has been teaching photography since 1994 in the classroom and leading workshops around the United States. David presents and leads workshops at many of the country’s top photographic conferences such as the Photographic Society of America Annual Conference, as well as many camera clubs across the United States.

David's clients include, but are not limited to, Coca Cola, PNC Bank, Tamron, Sirui, the Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia, Lensbaby, The Nature Conservancy, Scholastic Books, and Gibbs Gardens. His photographs and articles have appeared in publications such as Nature Photographer, Audubon Magazine, Blue Ridge Country, Birder's World, Outdoor Photographer, Backpacker Magazine, and many local publications. His work has appeared in several feature books, calendars, as well as in instructional guides. David is a Tamron Image Master, Kase Filter Ambassador, and an f-stop Gear Pathfinder.

David's Seminars & Workshops

WEDS 6:15 - 8:30 A.M.

Photographing Horses on the Beach at Sunrise

Field Workshop

Meeting Location: Frank B. Butler County Park EAST, 5860 A1A S.

Ticket Price: $125

Difficulty Level: A good basic working knowledge of your camera and settings is recommended.

Max No People: 10

Description: Join Professional Wildlife and Nature Photographer, David Akoubian, as he leads an excursion to photograph beautiful horses and models as they run along the beach and through the surf. David will provide the perfect settings to either stop the action, or for panning with the subject as the trot by. David will also discuss any special considerations for lighting on the subjects.

Suggested Gear List: Camera Body, lenses between the ranges of 50mm to 300mm. If you would like to do images both close and far, either a versatile zoom or a second body with additional lens attached. Your camera should have a camera strap to keep it secured to your neck or body. It is recommended to have extra batteries and memory cards which may require you to have a camera bag or backpack. It is recommended that you carry either a plastic bag or towel to set your gear on if you don’t want to carry it as you can stand in the surf (although it isn’t required to stand in the surf, the images can be nice, and very different). If you plan on doing any video work, a tripod would be recommended as well.

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WEDS 4:30 - 6:30 P.M.

Captivating Bird Photography at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm

Field Workshop

Meeting Location: St. Augustine Alligator Farm, 999 Anastasia Blvd.

Price: $100 + Annual Photo Pass

Photo Pass can be ordered here

Difficulty Level: All Levels

Max No People: 10

Description: Join Professional Wildlife and Nature Photographer, David Akoubian, as he teaches Bird Photography at a great location for all levels of photographers. David will teach the basics, camera settings such as shutter speed and camera mode to maximize the chances for capturing great bird images. David will also talk about how to manage natural lighting for your photography. David will cover settings and techniques for capturing birds in flight, and with all the activity at the Alligator Farm, there will be plenty of practice with cooperative subjects!

Suggested Gear List: Camera Body, lenses that can cover the range of 70mm to 500mm. This may require carrying a few lenses for close-up opportunities as well as farther away. Most of the time we will handhold the camera, but a monopod is great, a tripod is a little more restrictive since we will be on the boardwalk. Extra batteries and memory cards are always recommended.

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THURS 7:00 - 9:00 A.M.

Captivating Bird Photography at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm

Field Workshop

Meeting Location: St. Augustine Alligator Farm, 999 Anastasia Blvd.

Price: $100 + Annual Photo Pass

Photo Pass can be ordered here

Difficulty Level: All Levels

Max No People: 10

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THURS 1:00 - 2:30 P.M.

The Decisive Moment in Wildlife Photography

Classroom Seminar

Meeting Location: Celebration Hall at St. Anastasia, 5205 A1A S

Price: $30

Difficulty Level: All Levels

Max No People: 30

Description: Join Professional Wildlife and Nature Photographer, David Akoubian, as he presents what he refers to as the “Decisive Moment in Wildlife Photography”. David will discuss how to take your wildlife image to the next level of storytelling in an image vs simply capturing a moment in time. David will discuss what he feels is the most critical part of wildlife photography, preparation and practice. This includes becoming a better naturalist to predict the subject’s actions. David will also discuss the settings needed for special situations the photographer may encounter. All the techniques taught will not only increase your photographic success, but your enjoyment of viewing nature as well.

Suggested Gear List: None

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