#STEJohnsonCity Photography Retreat

1216 West State of Franklin Road,Johnson City TN 37604

03 September, 2021

Description

Join us for the first Southern Travelers Explore Photography Retreat, taking place September 3rd-5th in Johnson City, Tennessee! We welcome you to the first Southern Travelers Explore Retreat! Southern Travelers Explore Retreats are a spin-off of our annual Southern Travelers Explore Conference—with a new format and one-skill set programming. After two #STE Conferences, we have recognized that people like learning in small groups and brushing up on/improving skills, which is what we aim to deliver with our Southern Travelers Explore Retreats. Join us for the first Southern Travelers Explore Retreat, taking place September 3rd-5th in Johnson City, Tennessee! About the #STEJohnsonCity Photography Retreat#STEJohnsonCity will be a weekend full of educational session geared towards capturing improved photos and better showcasing destinations, while enjoying some of what Johnson City has to offer. Programming for the Southern Travelers Explore Photography Retreat will cover photography for your blog and travel writing using your mobile device. We will discuss best photo practices, editing, photo storage, taking photos for social media use, and more. The price for #STEJohnsonCity is $239, which includes all 8 Photography Sessions, meals (2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, 1 lunch), activities, and necessary materials over the weekend. All you need to bring is your mobile phone*! Note: There may be the potential to apply for a Pre or Post FAM Trip. *You are welcome to bring your laptop, but it will need to be fully charged. We do not have the availability to charge laptops on site. #STEJohnsonCity Weekend Overview Friday: Attendees meet at the Carnegie Hotel for two Photography Sessions followed by the #STEJohnsonCity opening event, sponsored by Visit Johnson City. Saturday: After a quick local breakfast, attendees will hit the ground running with four Photography Sessions, and then split into small groups for lunch and local activities. After a brief downtime, attendees will enjoy a dine-around Johnson City event for networking and fun. Sunday: The last day of #STEJohnsonCity will start with a delicious Southern breakfast at the Carnegie Hotel followed by two Photography Sessions. Photography SessionsPhotography Session details coming soon. Who will be leading the #STEJohnsonCity Photography Sessions? Jason Barnette—a member of our #STE family! “My childhood dream was to be an astronaut and my early adulthood hobby was woodworking. But after the grandmother gave me two Pentax K1000 camera bodies and an assortment of lenses in a weathered brown leather camera bag I gained an interest in photography. During my final year of my third time through college I worked as the university’s only student photographer capturing sports, portraits, and events. Since 2008, I have been capturing professional travel photography. I have been hired for assignments and my photography licensed for print by National Geographic Traveler, GQ Magazine, Budget Travel, dozens of CVBs, and the state tourism guide for South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. I love travel photography because it can be anything. Portraits, landscapes, sports, food, everything but weddings because I won’t photograph weddings. The purpose of travel photography is to use an image to tell the story of a destination. With each step I take at any destination I visit, I ask myself, “What story can I tell with my camera?” I have always found the adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” to be limiting. I think a great picture can be worth many more words than that. My work speaks for itself. Visit my Instagram feed to see my travel photography portfolio, or visit my photography website to see my greatest examples. Even better, visit my travel website to see how I use photography to supplement my writing while telling stories about destinations.” Check out Jason's Website and Photography. Why Johnson CityNestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Johnson City, Tennessee, combines big-city amenities, small-town Southern charm, and world-class outdoor recreation into a travel destination for everyone. What makes Johnson City so unique? A downtown district that boasts dozens of local restaurants, six breweries, parks, art trails, murals, and more. There are mountain views no matter where you are in town and world-class outdoor fun minutes from the heart of the city. From hiking and biking to sipping and strolling - we can't wait for you to explore Johnson City. AccommodationsJohnson City’s Carnegie Hotel & Spa will be our host hotel for the weekend. This AAA Four Diamond property is the perfect combination of Old World grandeur and modern comfort. Enjoy the luxury of Baroque style décor including antiques, stained glass medallions, Tiffany style lamps, and sleigh beds, while still enjoying modern amenities and services. The on-site restaurant, Wellington’s Restaurant, serves award-winning dishes created from the freshest ingredients available and has an impressive wine list. East Tennessee’s premier full-service spa, the Austin Springs Spa, is located inside the hotel, too. The Carnegie Hotel is offering a discounted room rate of $119 per night, which includes free parking and Wi-Fi. Transportation will be available to/from all #STEJohnsonCity events from the host hotel. Details for booking your hotel room will be available soon! ContactShould you need to contact the #STEJohnsonCity organizers, email Melody and Taylor at [email protected]. Stay up to date with all #STEJohnsonCity information on our Facebook page. Learn more about Southern Travelers Explore. Melody Pittman and Taylor Hardy are the owners of Wherever I May Roam Blog and Travel the South Bloggers.    Travel the South is a collaboration of travel writers, tourism boards, and local businesses in the Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.    The Southern Travelers Explore conference is a spin off of Travel the South. It’s an educational vacation with a true Southern experience, hosted by Melody and Taylor. Their first conference was held in Thomasville, Georgia (#STEThomasville) in February 2020 and their second conference will be in Tupelo, Mississippi (#STETupelo) in February 2021.