My GF and I purchased a Groupon for the Chicago Photo Safari and we chose to shoot at Millennium Park. Unfortunately, about 15 minutes into the session, it started to rain so the group (around 10 of us) fled into the Chicago Cultural Center for the remaining time. I thought the CCC was interesting for about an hour but definitely did not have enough interesting areas to fill up a 3 hour photo shoot. This brings me to one of my complaints-the safari was supposed to be 3 hours, but it was only about 2 hours and 20 minutes. I'm sure it would be a better experience in Millennium Park but if you are planning to make the safari rain or shine, you should have a better back up plan. Also, b/c the CCC isn't brightly lit, this limited the settings people could use while taking pictures. Our instructor - Scott - is a student at Columbia and he had a good personality and did his best to engage the students and help them. I thought it was helpful that he had an iPad that allowed him to pull up a picture that illustrated the concept that he is explaining. He also was knowledgeable re photography. The one complaint regarding Scott is he clearly was out late the night before and still smelled like stale beer. Not a big deal to us, but I can see how that might bother some people. I think this class would be useful for someone that has a DSLR and only shoots in automatic mode or in program mode without understanding what is actually happening in the program mode. I'd say the majority of the class fit into this description. But, if you have a basic idea of how to set the exposure, what depth of field and what ISO are, I'd skip the safari and just walk around Millennium Park. The 3 stars is based on the Groupon price and if you are an absolute beginner. If you paid full price the rating would be a 2 stars. read more

My Mom and I bought a Groupon and did the Millenium Park daytime safari. I live out of town, and thought this would be a fun way for us to spend time together while I was visiting for the holidays, and it was! The MP safari was beginner level, which worked well for my mom who was borrowing one of my DSLRs for the first time. As a more intermediate DSLR photographer, I got more familiar with my new camera and was able to talk lenses and other advanced topics with the instructor and students with the same DSLR Rebel I had. But the most beneficial thing for me was the fact that we spent so much time photographing the same subject (the Cloud Gate) over and over. Other yelpers lamented that there wasn't enough subject matter to photograph, and although that is true, the real benefit to the repetition is that you can take the same shot over and over and adjust your settings each time. Then when you go home, you can load the shots into the computer and compare the settings for each picture, and try to learn more about what settings work in which conditions. "Setting intuition" is something that I struggle with and having a slow tour through MP has already helped me to better predict how to set my camera for different lighting conditions. I would certainly recommend Chicago Photo Safaris to (1) beginners who own or have access to a DSLR camera or (2) intermediates who are either looking to become more familiar with their DSLR or use the safari as a way to experiment with settings, take home the shots, and critically evaluate them. The MP safari was NOT for folks who (1) want to take a bunch of pictures of different things, (2) don't own a DSLR or other digital with shutter speed and aperture controls, or (3) are easily bummed out by being outdoors on one of Chicago's many less-than-perfect days or indoors in one of our many old, under-lit buildings. As for me, I would seriously consider another Chicago Photo Safari when I'm in town in the future. read more

I feel like it's rare that my expectations are totally exceeded but I have to say that the Photo Safari I went on last Wednesday totally blew past all my expectations. My friend and I had bought a Groupon that was close to expiring so we figured we better use it. (I think I paid $25 for the Groupon so please keep that in mind. I am not sure if this review would be as enthusiastic if I had paid the full price of $100 of whatever.) The class lasted from 6-10. A mini bus took us around the city to lots of fun places for us to practice our photography skillz. We visited place like the Lincoln Park Zoo, Buckingham Fountain, Millenium Park, etc. The class I was in was very small (3 of us) so I was able to get lots of one one one instruction from our instructor (Jessica). In the first 10 min of class I already felt I had gotten my money worth on the class. I seriously leraned sooo much about my camera! Overall, a great and fun experience! read more

My husband and I went on a Millenium Park daytime safari yesterday with Scott. Not only did we have a great time due to Scott's personality and a small group number (3 people total,) but also learnt so much about our new camera. I am sure that there are other ways to learn all of that beginners information, but not in just the 3 hrs and not while having this much fun! Scott was informative and inspiring with his passion for photography. He ended his tour with "I hope you never use the auto mode, or I'll be really sad..." Loved the tour, will wait to see discounts for the more advanced tour/ nighttime tour they offer. Thank you for the great experience! read more

Gary invited me on a redo and I gladly accepted his offer. He is a very nice guy and it was obvious that he is very excited about his business and cares about your experience. I'd recommend contacting him directly if you experience a disappointing safari, because more than likely he will go above and beyond to rectify your viewpoint! We went to a lot of the same places that I went to the first time around, but even so it was a whole 'nutha experience since Scott was very informative at each location, with tips and mini lessons. Gary and Scott went around to see how we were doing with our shots, and offering tips on composition, which is always a wanted thing in any kind of class like this. The safari mini bus was really nice too! Apparently they offer big ticket photo safaris to more exotic locales, such as South Africa. They are also located in D.C. and San Francisco. It was a great experience, and I can highly recommend both him as well as Scott to lead your safari. I look forward to doing more of these as part of my photography education! I'd love to see some kind of punch card available for purchase like maybe 4 safaris for $200 or something for loyal safari-ists of Chicago and beyond, and until then I will hope to see more deals on the grouponish sites which usually offer a nice discount. I will buy those up! If money isn't a big deal to you and you can afford it, then this is definitely worth the full price tag especially for the mobile adventure which will take you to 3-4 different Chicago locations that are goldmines for good shots. read more

I've done two Photo Safaris now and have plans to take several other classes because I enjoyed it so much. I was truly impressed by everyone who works here, including the owner who took the time to personally call and answer questions I had about lenses and dslr cameras. The entire Photo Safaris team is so passionate about what they do and are eager to share their knowledge in a fun, easy-to-understand way. I learned more than I expected about my new dslr and no longer find it intimidating to use as a result of these classes. Jori was my instructor twice now and she's absolutely wonderful - knowledgeable, approachable, thoughtful and passionate when it comes to her classes. I heard about these classes from a friend who highly recommended them and now I've raved about Photo Safaris to everyone I know who is interested in photography! read more

Last night I went on the Millennium Park night safari and it was a GREAT experience. Scott was our guide and he was a huge help! The tours are small (five people), so there is opportunity for one-on-one instruction, which was extremely necessary for me, as a beginner. Scott was able to teach all of us the different things we needed to do for some great photos, even though we were all at different levels. I learned so much about my camera and shooting at night, I honestly feel like a whole new person with my camera. Even though it was freezing outside, it was well worth it. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this company and Scott as a safari guide. The whole experience was extremely motivating and I can hardly wait to get back out there and shoot some more! I am hoping to be able to go on another tour soon. read more

I have been on 2 safaris with this company thanks to Groupon. Not only now do I feel 'armed and dangerous' with my awesome new camera but I met some awesome friends too! We had a great day for the recent safari for weather and despite massive traffic getting to our first location (there were 4 locations to visit), we were able to adjust and learn in the car with their ipad. The takeaways ensure you remember how-to also! Awesome time! read more

I was disappointed with my interaction with Chicago Photo Safari. I came into Chicago from Arizona, a fact the leader knew ahead of time. The day before my schedule outing, I was injured and unable to walk. I asked about a refund and received a rather brisk "No refunds!" In response. My ONLY option was to reschedule (impossible, I live in Arizona...) or forfeit my payment. This lack of flexibility when it comes to out of state customers really gave me a negative opinion of the group in general. I wouldn't recommend unless you're local and could reschedule if needed. read more

The safari I went on took place at Lincoln Park Zoo, with the winter Zoo Lights. Scott was very informative and patient. I learned quite a bit about shooting at night. The only downside is it wasn't suggested to bring a tripod. read more

I was on the Adventure Day tour with Scott and he was fantastic. He was easy going, encouraging and challenging all at the same time. I didn't know much about how my SLR camera worked but he taught me so much in 3 hours that I never thought I could learn so quickly. It was a small group (I think there was 5 of us) and it was so cool to learn different tricks to capturing different moments! Thanks so much Scott for all of your help! You are a great teacher and you can tell that your passion is photography! read more

I'm very much a beginner photographer, and taking a tour with Chicago Photo Safaris was a most excellent first bonding experience between my camera and myself. Our group was very fortunate to have two guides for our evening shoot- Scott and Erica- both of whom were exceptionally friendly, patient and knowledgeable, and our group would have been just as great with either one of them as a solo leader. I took the class with a friend and had a blast- and would be very much open to getting an even larger group of pals together for a morning/afternoon shoot. I wholeheartedly recommend this experience to my fellow fledgeling photographers out there, or anyone looking for a fun way to spend a few hours downtown! read more

Just got back from my 1st safari, and had a great time! I'm a beginner, and the instruction was perfect for me. Erica was super knowledgable and very personable. She not only gave instruction on camera function and settings, but also gave adivce as to composition. It was a perfect way to get started figuring out how to use my camera and get useful feedback. read more

We went on the Navy Pier Nighttime tour and the Daytime Millenium Park tour. Great instructor- love Gary! Everyone always comments on how great my photos are when we get back from vacations- totally thanks to my lessons from Gary! read more

There was great customer service before (we received phone calls and text messages confirming our meeting place), during (Scott was both knowledgeable and patient with our group), and after (we were given pamphlets reviewing all the information in the lesson) the session. Great experience! read more

So I love photography and I've always taken pretty decent shots with my cameras. But I thought "Hmmm... I bet my shots would be even better if I could only figure out what all these little symbols, knobs, buttons, and doo-dads were for." I must've said that out loud at some point because a friend gave me a gift certificate for Chicago Photo Safaris. We opted to do the Lincoln Park Zoo Safari and I believe Jori was our instructor. She explained a few of the cameras features and showed us some sample shots. We mainly focused on two features so as not to totally confuse us amateurs. She explained everything very well and didn't get too technical. As we went through the zoo, she would check out our shots and suggest different ways to take them. I deducted one star only because I would have liked to break somewhere in the middle and review the shots we'd taken and discuss a little more so as to correlate what she taught us at the beginning to the shots we had taken. However, I really enjoyed the class and I would definitely take it again. read more

This was to be one of the things I was looking forward to on my trip to Chicago. I bought a Groupon and you could not view the calendar of classes for several days after that. I did look at the calendar before the purchase and saw that classes were available when I would be in Chicago. Logged in at 5:30 am that day and saw no classes were available . Later that day I spoke with Estephanie and explained that I was coming from the east coast and had 3 days free when I could take the class. She was very understanding and scheduled a class on Wednesday during the day of Millenium Park. Took all my info including the camera I would be bringing. Showed up well before the appointed time on Wednesday and no group. Kept calling the phone number and left a message, but no return call. Finally reached her about 20 minutes after the class was to begin only to be told that the class was cancelled. They never notified me! Offered to put me in for an evening class on Wed. but we had already scheduled dinner with our family in Chicago. Asked about any classes on Thursday or Friday but only to be told there were none. My only other option was to schedule a private 2 hour class at the cost of $170.00 minus what I payed for the Groupon. She explained that I had 1 year to use it, I explained that I had no idea if I would be returning during that time period. The only other option I was given was to try to get my money back from Groupon. This should be interesting. Very, very disappointed. When I do come back I will use another photo tour group. read more

Took the 3-hour Millennium Park daytime safari. Our instruction taught us not just about composition but also how to use our own cameras to achieve different effects. I learned so much about my digital camera -- I never knew it had so many features and functions, let alone how to use them. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to do more than just use the Auto function of their camera (and even for those who do but who want to learn more about their camera). read more

I purchased Groupons for my daughter and I for this adventure. We met Scott, our guide and instructor at the InterContinental Hotel for the Chicago photo tour. He's a photography student at Columbia, and really knows his stuff. Although I've been into film photography for a number of years, I've just been kind of "hacking" using my DSLR. Scott was a wealth of information and was very helpful in giving the entire group tips on using their cameras (7 different models!). I loved the "assignments". We started at the Lincoln Park Conservatory then moved on to the 4th Presbyterian Church off Michigan Avenue. Then it started to rain; I was disappointed that we ended up at the Cultural Center because of the weather. We did some depth of field stuff there, but I got bored with the place after about 1/2 hour. We started at 1:30 and finished about 5:15; it was a terrific way to spend the day. If I get the opportunity for another Groupon, I'll definitely try another of the safaris they offer, and will certainly request Scott as our guide! read more

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We met at the intercontinental hotel. I had low expectations but I was in for a surprise. My wife and I learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We cant wait to do another. Scott was friendly, patient and willing to work with each of us on our particular needs. The most important outcome is that we are now excited about our photography potential motivated to learn more. read more

I was thrilled with my class! I am a ptotographic idiot, and this really helped me a lot! The leader, Jessica, was patient and very, very helpful. It was cold at Millennium Park -- but we were able to spend time inside as well, which helped balance the cold (but lovely) weather. I had taken a full day course from anotereh company this summer which did not hold a candle to this. A great combination of hands on and instruction. A super "cheat sheet" at the end that will be so useful. I am sure I will take more of these. It was a great experience. read more