Happy Customers

Going out for a private lesson with you was one of the best investments I've ever made in advancing my photography skills. Your knowledge, really friendly teaching style and dedication to making sure I got the best opportunities for birds in flight in the best light possible made the entire experience picture perfect (ugh, pardon the pun).

In just one lesson I got great technical advice, even better practical advice, a simple and reliable exposure system and you saved me a couple thousand dollars on equipment I was planning on buying. Not to mention that I came away with some spectacular photos.

Thanks again to you and Elena for a superb experience.

Bob Serling,
Cardiff, California

 

I would strongly recommend Steve's photographic tours, and you won't regret spending more than a day with him. I planned for one day only, but ended up staying for two days (and wouldn't have minded staying even longer if time permitted).

With his vast knowledge of San Diego's bird life and the best spots to shoot, there will always be something new to practice on every day - no two days will be alike. I haven't even sifted through a quarter of the 7700 images shot in the two days! So, come prepared with enough memory cards. We shot approximately 20GB each day. My pictures did not come close to this before.

Steve's equipment is great for shooting birds and can handle burst-shooting of 10 frames/second. This would not have been possible with my own camera, so I strongly recommend trying out his equipment at least for a short while. He would also be able to recommend the Nikon counterparts for all the equipment he uses should you be interested in expanding your accessories - be careful though, my wish list has grown significantly.

Werner Janse van Rensburg
Capetown, South Africa

 


Spending the day photographing with you and Elena was exhilarating. I was anxious in anticipation - would I have the technical understanding; were my clothes right; could I meet the rigors of an all day shoot? As a 65 year old woman, I'm pleased to say I was good on all concerns.

You spotted us in 3 locales abundant with photo ops. I appreciate your generosity in sharing openly all your special winning techniques. Out of my 1400 shots, I came away with 80 that are great in my book.

And I've enjoyed getting to know you more personally, especially your loving relationship with Elena. Thank you for a great experience.

Patricia Stevens
Encinitas, California

 


I had never met Steve until this past week and only knew of him through a mention on Ken Rockwell's website. Given the incredible photos posted on his site and a Ken Rockwell review of a local Sierra Club slide show Steve gave during the past year, I decided that it was time for me to take a class from him.

If a fraction of his talent and knowledge could rub off, I figured it was worth a shot. I was interested in a one-on-one session to ensure maximum "bang for the buck."

As I live in the San Diego area, Steve was able to arrange for a session within hours of me contacting him. In a nutshell: it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my photographic career. Steve has a great data base to pass on and has no qualms about sharing his secrets. The latter being of particular note given that so many photographers consider everything to be proprietary. He has a vast knowledge of the local area: where (and when) to go for the best critters and can identify everything in sight.

If you don't have a complete rig, he gladly shares the best and latest equipment for you to handle/use. Lots of tips and great ideas come out during the shoots as well as during the wrap-up. And, to top it all off, Steve has a most outgoing personality and infinite patience that made our first day a resounding success.

Being local, Steve was amenable to splitting our two-day session up. His flexibility is noteworthy. So many people offering workshops seem aloof, mechanical and above their clients. Steve is none of those!! Can't recommend him highly enough!

John Brueggeman
La Jolla, California

 


Steve Cirone's show last night was one of the best photo shows I've seen. Not only is Steve among the best bird photographers in the world today, but he's a fantastic speaker. Not only is Steve to the point with practical advice on how to get great bird shots, he's funny, too!

Most other photo lectures are boring, but have good photos. Even if you didn't like birds or photography, Steve's talks are a crack-up.

Every well-known bird photographer has his own look. Art Morris' shots are mostly record shots (no action other than flight). Art Wolfe's work is often close-in with birds interacting with other birds. Steve's work stands out because his work shows birds actually doing things like eating and catching prey.

Steve shows us sequences of shorebirds gulping down shrimp or pandering the ladies for sex. Steve spends all his time shooting. I'm trying to get him to do a website so you can see what you missed. He showed us birds doing things which no one has ever caught before.

Ken Rockwell
Carlsbad, California

 


Yes that was a blast, I'll be back. We have to figure a another three day shoot in a couple of months maybe. Let's see what my wallet's like. Can't wait to shoot your 1D Mark III again. Rock on.

Todd Pacheco
Boston, Massachusetts

 


Thank you for a great photo shoot! Before I head to the airport I wanted to let you know that I thought it was a great, well organized shoot. I'm sorry I had to leave early to get ready for my trip to Indiana.Thank your side-kick for me. She was a great help!

Fred Mandabach
San Diego, California

 


What a great presentation you put on last night – all I can say is WOW! I don't know how you were able to pack so many stunning images accompanied by so much valuable information into such a short time, but you pulled it off with an engaging and entertaining style. We had a standing room only crowd in attendance – about 120 people – twice the normal number who show up for the presentations. You are really making an impact here in the greater San Diego area, and are definitely ready to step it up to the national level. I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful presentations.

Jim Cline
San Diego, California