Moab Utah, home to one of North America’s most iconic and recognizable national parks, Arches National Park. Home to over 2000 stone arches carved by millennia of natural forces, Arches National Park is a photographer’s paradise. Come join professional photographer’s Jamie MacDonald, and Mark Miller on a 3-day adventure photographing some of Arches National Park’s most iconic features. 3 days of awe-inspiring sunrises, sunsets, mid-day excursions, and a special astrophotography segment which promises to send every attendee home with images that can only be described as epic. With two instructors available, every attendee is guaranteed to get the personal level of attention they deserve and require to make the best images possible. Workshop attendees will also enjoy the in-workshop transportation provided by Jamie and Mark. This group transportation allows workshop attendees to get to know one another while relaxing during the travel between locations and helps to create a group bond that often results in friendships that last long after the workshop is done. This workshop is open to photographers of all skill levels and all ages. Physical requirements are some light to moderate walking, with distances no longer than 1 mile each way to a feature. There may be some elevation changes during these walks, but nothing requiring any hiking experience.
Workshop Dates
• Wednesday, May 1st - Saturday, May 4th. Departure Sunday May 5th am
Highlights
• May is one of the best months to photograph the desert southwest. Temperatures are moderate and will be comfortable for day and night shooting.
• The Milky Way is visible during the latter part of the night which allows us to create brilliant landscape images and panoramics. You will learn both natural light and low-level lighting techniques for foreground enhancement. We'll be shooting every night the skies are clear.
• Post-processing and image critique sessions will be scheduled throughout the workshop to help make the most of your images.
• The itinerary is kept flexible so we can chase the best weather conditions.
• 2 Instructors with a maximum of 10 students will ensure plenty of individual attention
Logistics
Please arrive in Moab, prior to 6 PM on Wednesday, May 1st for the orientation session. After registering you will have the option to book a hotel through our page. We recommend Days Inn for the price and keeping the group together but the choice is yours. Participants should have their own vehicle to get to the hotel and back to the airport. All transportation during the workshop is included. All participants on this trip should be in reasonably good physical condition. We aren't planning any long hikes on this trip, but the uneven terrain, sand, and steep uphills can make short hikes seem much harder. You should be comfortable walking around 2-4 miles per day over multiple locations.
We timed this workshop for comfortable weather and optimal Milky Way photography. However, we can't control the weather and if skies are cloudy one day, we'll plan an outing to a different location and focus on sunrise/sunset photography. We'll make the best possible use of our time. We promise to get you the best possible images during your time with us!
The weather can vary quite a bit in spring. We could see warm sunny days with cool nights or cold rain and storms. You need to come prepared for the worst conditions. You'll need to bring warm layers to ensure you don't get cold photographing at night. Please see the gear list further down.
Pricing
$1200/PERSON
Trip Includes:
• All ground transportation and photography guiding during the trip.
• Post-processing and image critique
• Final Group Dinner
Trip Does NOT Include:
• Transportation to/from your home to the hotel.
• Alcoholic Beverages.
• Meals and snacks.
• National Park entrance fees.
When you complete the checkout process, you will be given the option to either pay the full amount or put down a 50% deposit. If you pay the deposit, the remaining amount will be charged 30-days later to the card we have on file. After registration, you will receive an email and a liability waiver which must be signed prior to participating in the workshop.
Flying In
There are 3 options if you are flying in for the workshop. We listed them below for you, so far Denver seems to be the cheapest option but has the longest drive. If you come in a day or 2 early it's a beautiful drive in and would be well worth it for the photo ops!
Denver International Airport: About a 6 hour drive
Salt Lake City Utah: About a 4 hour drive
Grand Junction Colorado: About a 2 hour drive
Recommended Camera Gear
• Sturdy tripod and ball head
• Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
• Fast Wide Angle Lens. Our favorite night photo lenses include Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, Tamron 15-30mm f2.8, Nikon 14-24mm f2.8, and Canon 16-35mm III f2.8.
• A mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
• Telephoto lenses.
• Circular polarizer filters are useful. Bring any ND filters if you have them.
• Extra batteries, memory cards, and cleaning supplies.
• Remote cord for your camera.
• Laptop if you wish to backup your photos or follow along during the post-processing instruction.
• We may have some Olympus and NiSi loaner gear available for you to try.
Personal Gear List
• Sturdy hiking footwear, hiking socks, and long pants.
• A rain jacket and several warm layers since it can get cold at night.
• Headlamp for night photography.
• Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Hat.
• Water bottle or hydration bladder.
