PhotoPills Introductory Workshop with Robert Becker
Join us for an introductory workshop on PhotoPills, the powerful all-in-one photography planning app that has been called the Swiss Army Knife of photography. Whether you're a landscape, architecture, cityscape, or astrophotographer—or simply looking to improve your natural light photography of any subject—this session will teach you how to harness the app’s advanced tools for precise project planning and analysis.
We'll introduce how PhotoPills' planner, calculators, and augmented reality features can help you:
Plan perfect sun, moon, and Milky Way alignments
Optimize shooting times for golden and blue hours
Calculate and visualize depth of field and hyperfocal distance providing augmented reality through your smartphone camera
Scout locations and visualize shots before you arrive, including the length and direction of shadows, the relative size of the sun or moon compared to key landmarks in the foreground, and more
Predict and plan for upcoming lunar or solar eclipses and meteor showers
Use augmented reality to see the future position of the sun, moon, Milky Way, and meteor showers for perfect composition planning at the photographic site
Calculate the use of neutral density (ND) filters for long exposure photography for smooth water, clouds, or motion blur effects
Plan and prepare for drone photography flights and photography
Streamline workflow for both creative projects and professional assignments
Whether you're new to PhotoPills or looking to maximize its potential, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge to turn your vision into reality with more precision and confidence.
If you don’t already have PhotoPills installed on your Smart Phone or Tablet you may want to install it before the workshop. Go to https://www.photopills.com/ to see how you can purchase and download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. It only costs $10.99 and in all the years I’ve used the app they have never asked for payments for updates. In my opinion, it’s the best buy in photography apps.
Bio:
Robert (Bob) Becker’s passion for photography began in childhood, inspired by his father’s use of advanced cameras to document family vacations and outings. This early exposure to photography sparked his curiosity, but it wasn’t until he purchased his first SLR, the Minolta SRT 102, at an Air Force Base PX that his interest deepened into a more serious pursuit.
Despite his photographic interests, his education, family, and a demanding career in biopharma sciences and business development limited his ability to fully dedicate himself to photography. However, in 2011, while on a remote 2-year assignment in Connecticut, Bob purchased his first DSLR—marking the beginning of his dedicated study of photography, which has continued throughout his professional life and now into semi-retirement.
In 2019, after retiring from full-time work, Bob joined Professional Photographers of America (PPA) in preparation for a second career in photography. He attended Imaging USA, ready to launch his business, but with the onset of the pandemic in 2020, plans were put on hold. Rather than pausing his growth, he used this time to earn his Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) certification and pursue his Master of Photography degree with PPA.
During the pandemic, Bob remained deeply engaged in the photography community, serving as President of the Lehigh Valley Photography Club (LVPC) for five years, where he trained amateur photographers through webinars, workshops, and mentorship. His work also included occasional professional assignments for businesses and individuals, as well as donated photography services for nonprofit organizations, museums, and churches.
In 2024, after stepping down as LVPC President, Bob refocused his efforts on expanding his photography business and becoming more involved in professional photography organizations. His photographic interests are broad, but his professional work is primarily focused on portraits, headshots for professionals, commercial, architectural, and aerial photography for businesses.
With a strong foundation in both the artistic and technical aspects of photography, Bob continues to evolve as a photographer, educator, and business owner—helping others see the world through a creative and well-trained lens.