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Mt. Desert Island Adult & Community Education



Arts & Crafts

in Lifelong Learning

Portrait and Pet Photography

$35

with Steve McGrath

Calendar Feb 19, 2025 at 5:30 pm, runs for 2 weeks

This is a live, online course.

This Portrait and Pet photography course is designed to teach you everything you need to know to take professional-quality portraits. You will learn how to work with all different types of subjects, from individuals and groups to children and pets. Steve will explain the nuances of lighting and posing, how to shoot in studio or on location, and how to master the gear you will need to create inspiring work!

Digital, film or smartphone will all work for this class.

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Digital Photography 2 - Intermediate

$75

with Steve McGrath

Calendar Feb 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm, runs for 5 weeks

This is a live, online course.

This class is for you if you are comfortable with your camera and you want more! In this class we will explore the use of intermediate camera controls such as metering (spot, matrix, center weight), exposure and exposure compensation, ISO, aperture and shutter priority. We will take an in-depth look at manual focus and its use, fill flash and flash modes, as well as controlling motion, composition, and many other intermediate and advanced photography techniques.

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

3-D Printing Primer

$70

with Michael Brzezowski

Calendar Feb 24, 2025 at 5:30 pm

CLASSES ARE 2/24, 2/26, 3/3, and 3/5

Get ready to dive into the exciting world of 3D printing! In this hands-on class, you’ll start by uncovering the magic behind 3D printing technology, learning how it works, and exploring the cutting-edge printers that are transforming industries. 

Next, you’ll get to roll up your sleeves and jump straight into the action—searching for, slicing, and printing your very own ready-to-go design.

And finally, you’ll unleash your creativity with TinkerCAD, where you'll design a one-of-a-kind object to bring to life on a 3D printer. Your custom creation will be printed and ready to take home during the final class!

By the end of the course, you’ll have the skills to turn your ideas into tangible, 3D masterpieces—whether you’re interested in art, engineering, or simply making something cool! Get ready to bring your imagination to life in ways you never thought possible. 

Included in the price of the class is a $20 materials fee.

Fiddlehead Basket

$100

with Jessica Steele

Calendar Mar 2, 2025 at 11 am, runs for 1 week

This is an in-person, classroom-based course at Mount Desert Island High School.

If you are hiking in the forest or wandering in your garden, this will be a nice basket to make for fiddleheads, mushrooms, or herbs. Size is approximately 4” Width x 8" Height x 10" Length.

Wood Thrush Wilderness is an outdoor guiding and educational business that helps people connect more deeply with themselves and the natural world. As Licensed Recreation Maine Guides, we offer guided canoe expeditions throughout the state of Maine. We also offer classes and training in outdoor education, wilderness medicine, and traditional crafts such as basketry. 

Digital Photography for Newbies

$75

with Steve McGrath

Calendar Mar 4, 2025 at 5:30 pm, runs for 5 weeks

This is a live, online course.

Are you still getting to know your digital camera and its features? Here’s an opportunity to learn from an expert in this seminar for beginners! Have your camera ready and learn when and how to use its special features - such as program mode, manual mode, aperture priority and shutter priority. Also covered will be basic composition and best use of light for different situations, such as plant, people, macro, and landscape photography.

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Smartphone Photography

$40

with Steve McGrath

Calendar Mar 4, 2025 at 7:30 pm, runs for 3 weeks

This is a live, online class.

This class is dedicated to helping you with understanding how to use your smartphone photography, how to take and create great Images on your phone, what editing apps to use, how to share and print your images. Join Steve as we go over how to find out how to use essential controls on your phone along with the best free and low-cost tools for editing and image management.

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Nature Photography

$35

with Steve McGrath

Calendar May 13, 2025 at 7:30 pm, runs for 2 weeks

This is a live, online course.

In this Nature Photography online class, we will go over camera settings and compositions and how to get great images of Nature's best like moose, birds, seals and other subjects! We will also learn how to set up a blind to get great images, the best lenses for this type of photography and tripods to get the best stability for your images!

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Farmer’s Market Basket

$120

with Jessica Steele

Calendar Jun 8, 2025 at 9 am, runs for 1 week

This is an in-person, classroom-based course at Mount Desert Island High School.

Here is a basket that you can take to the market to grab your fresh produce and bakery items. Everyone is welcome to join this class. If you have never weaved before I will be doing step by step directions. You will walk away with a finished basket.

This basket will have two straps that can be worn on the shoulder or carried. Multiple color options on strap. The material of the basket is flat and half round quality reed. We will also add color reed in the basket if desired from blue, purple, red, green, and brown.

Wood Thrush Wilderness is an outdoor guiding and educational business that helps people connect more deeply with themselves and the natural world. As Licensed Recreation Maine Guides, we offer guided canoe expeditions throughout the state of Maine. We also offer classes and training in outdoor education, wilderness medicine, and traditional crafts such as basketry. 





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