Testimonials

“If you’re looking for the opportunity to up your bird photography game, then look no further than booking a tour with or signing up for coaching form Isaac Grant. I was fortunate to be able to grab a last minute seat at his Florida birds photography workshop. I was a first-time photography workshop attendee so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but in a matter of hours of arriving, I had more keepers than I could imagine. Thanks to Isaac’s in-the-field coaching, after a few days, I had enough new material to practically rebuild my photography website. That was of because of Isaac’s voluminous knowledge of birds, extensive understanding of locations, and his devotion to photography as art. Isaac will make sure you’re in the right spot at the right time with the right light to get the shot. Be prepared to put in the time and the necessary effort - shooting from early morning till the sun goes down. Be prepared to get wet and a little dirty, but you won’t care because at the end of the workshop you’ll be a better photographer for it and have the keepers to prove it.”

-John Scott

“Isaac is a talented photographer who also happens to be a seasoned birder that knows every bird he lays his eyes and ears on. Not only can he ID birds, he knows their specific behaviors as well, making him invaluable when needing to change settings in the nick of time. Isaac pays attention to EVERY detail when going out in the field. The lighting conditions, locations for certain species during specific times of the year, checking tides, creating eye-pleasing perches, checking in on settings during shooting, and going over what was learned after each session. Isaac does all the legwork. He spends extensive time researching areas near and far to search for the most advantageous shooting locations to obtain that perfect shot. I also appreciate that his trunk is full of gear which we utilize on our trips. Gear such as step ladders (must get those eye-level shots), tarps for sitting in mud, shears for cutting perches, shrimp to tantalize the shorebirds, a kayak (which I haven’t yet been on), etc, etc. Look no further if you want to learn both photography and bird identification and behavior. Every session I come back with my best photos, more knowledge and a passion to want to learn more. Isaac makes himself available for any and all questions before and after sessions. He’s also available to teach processing of photos which is a definite plus. I look forward to many more sessions!”

-Pyul Horbelt

“When I began shooting I had all of the passion and energy in the world but I didn’t have the knowledge of how to obtain good photos in the field. Each of the 4 times I went out with Isaac he explained to me in detail where we would go, what species we would target, what their tendencies are, what the best method would be to approach them and what types of images we would be capturing. My expectations were not only met but completely blown away. I came home with easily my best photos. The most impressive part is we were photographing difficult species with ease when we followed his instructions. He always seemed to be a few steps ahead and saying exactly what the birds would be doing and what we would be doing next. I can not stress enough how much he will help you become a better bird photographer.”

-Nipuna Madusanka

“Isaac is a rarity in wildlife photography in that he possesses all of the following: an unmatched eye for artistic composition, very strong technical capability, top tier knowledge of birds and bird behavior, as well as the work ethic to produce 10 out of 10 quality images. His talent and willingness to put in the extra effort set him apart and I think anyone who looks at his portfolio will certainly agree. Photographing with Isaac will take your images to the next level. He has my absolute highest recommendation!”

-Mike Diersing

“Isaac has mentored me and helped me a great deal with refining my bird photography skills. I have learned the importance of field techniques, shooting angles, knowledge of my subjects, working with the light and the importance of processing. I got to spend a weekend shooting with him and despite living in FL I came away with many of my most memorable and favorite images. I highly recommend working with him and spending time shooting with him as well. Without working with him I would not be the photographer that I am today.”

-Juan Tolentino

“Isaac’s photography speaks for itself, and his birding knowledge is evident—that’s why I reached out to him about one-to-one remote mentoring. But I have continued to work with him for other reasons. He offers practical and relevant insights that are obviously hard-learned. He speaks with confidence and authority but without pretense. He always tells you what you need to hear about your photography (which may not always be what you hope to hear). And perhaps most important, he gives back what you put in. If you’re serious about improving and you’re willing to put in the effort, then working with Isaac is a no-brainer. (And he has an amazing first name to boot).”

-Isaac R.

“Isaac is a phenomenal avian photographer. I thought of myself as a dedicated bird photographer before I met Isaac. Then I realized he is on a different level entirely. His attention to detail, knowledge of birds and their habitats, and knowledge of photography both technically and artistically are unmatched. I’ve traveled and photographed birds with Isaac in 4 states and they’re some of my best memories and photos in my portfolio. I’d be hard pressed to find a bird portfolio as varied and beautiful as Isaac’s. He works very hard for his shots, and it shows.”

-Walker Noe

“The Canada Jay photo workshop was a fabulous experience. Isaac took a group of us out over the course of 3 days to find and photograph Canada Jays and a few other species. Isaac's knowledge of birds is incredible and he taught us so much about their behavior. If you've ever encountered Canada Jays they are extremely curious and friendly birds but that doesn't ensure a great photo. Isaac worked within the confines of the bog to ensure we were able to capture the best images possible. I highly recommend this workshop!”

-Katherine Sayn-Wittgenstein

“Isaac is an amazing photo tour leader . He knows every bird habitat and the best places and times to get amazing photos of them. I have beautiful photos of Canada Jays, Hairy Woodpeckers , Siskins, tree sparrows and chickadees that I would not have been able to get if it wasn't for Isaacs expansive knowledge of photography and birding. Definitely worth the trip!”

-Kim Chopoorian

“Isaac Grant is the real deal. When I go out with a group on a photography shoot, I expect two things to happen. Of course, I want to take some photos that I feel good about, but I also want to learn about the subject I am shooting and how I can better use my camera in a technical way to take the shots I want to take in the moment, quickly finding the settings I need to get the photo I want to take. Isaac is extremely knowledgeable about bird behavior and uses his knowledge to help find and create environments where you can immerse yourself in your photography. He is always available to talk about the technical aspects of the camera in an understandable and thoughtful way. Thanks for a great trip. I was so happy to take this opportunity with Isaac in the field.”

-Jan Hillsberg

I highly recommend Isaac if you are looking for some coaching in photography. An area that I really struggled in was working in Lightroom and cataloging, and he was happy to help. Isaac was patient while I went through all of my questions and gave excellent guidance. By the end I had gained a much better understanding of LR and was able to become better organized. Isaac also helped to talk me through some general frustrations I had while being in a dry spell of not finding the birds I had hoped for. He’s got a lot of experience and is happy to share it to help others. Thanks again!

-Stef L.

How would I rate my experience with Isaac as a mentor? In a word, outstanding! Despite my focus being on a different genre than BIF, Isaac was able to both guide me in post processing, composition, and picture evaluation.  When I first started with him, my post processing approach was very heavy handed.  He showed me how to process my images gradually and with purpose.  He helped me evaluate my compositions and gave valuable suggestions on improving my picture taking.  Spend time with Isaac.  It will be time and money well spent.

-R.K.

I signed up for a month of coaching sessions with Isaac Grant through the JOWP to improve my bird photography and I wasn’t disappointed. His knowledge of bird behavior is outstanding and the fieldcraft tips he provided have been invaluable. The guidance on bird in flight photography was also invaluable. Although I only had 3 sessions he covered a variety of topics including photo editing and workflow and his critiques of my work were invaluable to me. I highly recommend anyone considering improving their bird photography, field techniques and editing to sign up for coaching with Isaac. I will be signing up for more coaching sessions in the future and also looking at his upcoming workshops. Thank you Isaac.

-Bill

Working with Isaac was quite a beneficial experience, with an objective look and critique of my photography – he never just said “what I wanted to hear”. He is organized, efficient, and stays on top of the schedule and deadlines. Each session had a mutually agreed upon goal and stayed focused on the game plan. And each session ended with the development of the goals moving forward. This allowed for a very organized and structured approach to an otherwise very artistic experience.

-S.M.

Isaacs’s one-on-one bird photography coaching course was an incredible learning experience. The course took my skills and understanding to a whole new level. Isaac tailored the course to my interests and skill level. One of the standout aspects of the coaching was learning about backyard setups. Isaac provided practical tips on everything from feeder placement to equipment that I had never considered. It would have taken me years to learn bit by bit through trial and error, but I got it all in just a few sessions. What really made this course exceptional, though, was that it went beyond just technical skills and setups. It taught me a whole new way of thinking about bird photography. I learned about what Isaac calls “doing the work:” pre-planning, scouting, anticipating behavior, understanding habitats and seasons, and approach photography with a much more strategic mindset. Overall, I highly recommend Isaac’s coaching to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of birds and bird photography skills.

-Brian B.

I have not been particularly disciplined in my approach to photography and knew that I needed help in moving to the next level; I was feeling stuck. In the first of three sessions with Isaac, he advised me to replace my superzoom bridge camera with a mirrorless camera suited to my age-related declining strength, convinced me to use Lightroom rather than Mac Photos’ more limited post-processing capabilities and critiqued some of my images from the past few years. Isaac helped me become more aware of the foreground and background of my subject matter. Will moving to the right or left, or up or a down a bit improve the composition? Can I avoid that branch from detracting from or even blocking a part of the bird? He stressed the importance of seeking out the best locations where foreground and background are less problematic. Would the light be better from a different angle? Is that particular image even worth capturing? In just several sessions, Isaac has made me more conscious of the entire image and helped me take a leap forward in the quality of my photos. I look forward to more sessions with Isaac.

-Karen M.

I’m an amateur photographer, doing travel and underwater photography for a couple years, but just started birds in the spring of 2024. As a member of the Journal of Wildlife Photography, I attended one of Isaac’s presentations, “Create Amazing Birds in Flight Photos by Combining Technique with Knowledge of the Bird’s Habits and Habitats.” What caught my attention before even joining was the last part - the knowledge of the bird’s habits and habitats. This is Isaac’s secret sauce. He obviously has mastered the technical side of things, but I was really interested in getting mentorship on the biology, work ethic, ins-and-outs of the behind the scenes work of getting great bird photographs. I signed up with Isaac based on our conversation after that presentation. In preparation, I created a list of a couple dozen things I wanted to get out of our sessions. Isaac was great at drilling into the ones he felt he could help most on and quickly identified the ones that weren’t in his wheelhouse. Isaac’s personality, easy-going nature, and, most of all, his vast knowledge of birds and photography made it so easy to cover almost my entire list by just having conversations. We covered a wide array of topics, including scouting/documenting locations, how to get physically closer to birds, seasonal bird behavior, annual migration timelines, reviews of my and his raw images, editing, image catalog management, and various technical discussions on gear, exposure, etc. He’s got a great setup for remote meetings, in which you can share screens, review images, and get recordings of your video calls. This meant I didn’t have to take copious notes during the call and could just be present in the discussion. I certainly approach my photography differently, having had some time to learn from Isaac. I would encourage anyone who wants to get to the next level with their photography to reach out and have a conversation with him. If you spend time with Isaac - you’re going to learn how to get great bird images; it’s just that simple.

-Tony