Refine your vision and harness the aesthetic potential of one of the world’s most geological wonders.
Wondering where to travel in winter? Bryce Canyon National Park is one of our favorite places to go to view some of the most unique opportunities during this season of snow dustings and low-angled light. Ponderosa pines, fir-spruce forests, slot canyons, horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters, and pink cliffs cover this area. Utah has a wealth of public lands to explore and challenge your photographic senses, and Bryce Canyon National Park in among the most rewarding.
This greatest concentration of hoodoos in the world – an unearthly landscape to be sure – was formed over hundreds of millions of years of deposition and erosion. Bryce’s colorful rock spires are oriented perfectly to catch the reflected morning light, resulting in a glowing fairytale landscape providing endless options for creative photography. Join us to capture its splendor.
This outdoor classroom is a highlight of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction focusing on refining your personal creative vision, composition, digital workflow and image processing, designed and presented by renowned photographers Jack Dykinga and Cliff Zenor. Both instructors have photographed Bryce extensively and know its secrets well. We will photograph at a variety of locations in the park during our morning and evening field sessions, with emphasis on the hoodoos and sculpted designs in the canyons.
Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at the Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel (a Best Western Plus property), located ideally near the park entrance, and with all meals, snacks and beverages included, this is a superb workshop scenario. We hope you’ll join us!
About Vision Workshops
The creation of a truly great finished photograph is part of a process from initial concept and vision through execution in the field to digital workflow and creation of a high-quality, final master file ready for printing or publication. Our Vision workshops address the two greatest challenges faced by photographers as they advance. The first of these is the tendency for original creative vision to reach a plateau in development, and the second is a digital workflow in need of streamlining and refinement to make the most of your images.
On Creative Vision:
When we experience images that really move us, we are aware that they have impacted us, though we may not know what it was in the image that made it so powerful. In other words, we know when it works, but can be difficult to quantify. I try to teach the time-honored components of fine photography to build successful compositions…even in ordinary situations. People ask me, “What’s the difference between a pro and an amateur?” My response is, (a) the amateur has better equipment and (b) the professional photographer must create a publishable image every single time. To be successful, the professional must be the practitioner of a disciplined approach to situations that will result in compelling images that inform and move people. This workshop is designed to unleash that creativity in my students. –Jack Dykinga
Both in the classroom and in the field, Jack and Cliff will focus on advanced seeing and ways to unlock creativity in situations that require conceptual and compositional ingenuity on the part of the photographer. In other words, they will answer the questions, “How do I make a great photograph when the subject matter and composition don’t suggest themselves to me?” and, “How do I avoid photographic clichés when the situation offers up a beautiful composition that is almost too obvious?”
Great photography starts with an impression – an idea, concept, or feeling – channeled through the photographer’s vision, but it doesn’t end there. Once you have a great composition in the bag, it takes good processing skills and aesthetic sensibilities to produce the best final image suitable for showcasing your talents.
Cliff will focus on teaching a logical, effective development workflow that ensures the highest quality for your work, as well an image archive that is stable, consistent, and retrievable over the long term, and that ultimately liberates rather than burdens. He will cover the step-by-step process from shooting RAW files in the field to optimizing the final image.
Workflow topics to be covered include:
As always, both instructors will be present to teach, assist, and socialize with participants throughout the workshop. The workshop includes eight field sessions, classroom lectures and ample hands-on instruction, critiques. Group meals provide an informal setting to socialize and address specific interests that may not be covered during lectures and classroom discussion.
The class size is limited to a small group of ten to ensure that everyone gets the time and attention they need, both in the field and the classroom.
We supply materials in advance of the session to get newcomers up to speed with basics having to do with digital camera set-up and techniques, essential equipment recommendations, and other guidelines to ensure that everyone is ready to make the most of the experience.
Note: Visionary Wild, LLC operates this workshop under a permit issued by the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon National Park.
“What an incredible experience! Beautifully orchestrated and managed, and exceptional guides and support staff. Choices of lodging and destinations very commendable. I have to say, the accommodations were all significant experiences in life, and the birthday celebration I was treated to has to rank at the top of the list for birthdays. Thanks! The whole trip was seamless, good job!” –T. Hanagan, 2017 Varanasi & Ladakh participant
We invite you on an unforgettable journey through the lens to northern India, where the soul-stirring beauty and vibrant energy of Varanasi and the ethereal landscapes of Ladakh converge to create a captivating symphony of colors, cultures, and spirituality. Join us for a transformative photography expedition that will immerse you in the rich tapestry of these remarkable destinations.
These are two of India’s most visually rich spiritual centers. In Varanasi, a city that breathes ancient wisdom and carries the echoes of countless prayers, you will witness a vibrant tapestry of life and culture unfold before your eyes. Capture the kaleidoscope of emotions as pilgrims bathe in the sacred Ganges River, the mesmerizing swirls of incense in narrow alleyways, the resplendent rituals that honor centuries-old traditions, and the majestic site of The Buddha’s first sermon, over two millennia ago. The city’s historic architecture, adorned with intricate carvings and timeless beauty, will become your muse as you hone your craft in documenting the captivating stories etched within its walls, and lived by its people.
From the spiritual heart of India, we move on to Ladakh, a Himalayan sanctuary that enchants with its breathtaking landscapes and the serene teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. Lose yourself in the vastness of the snow-capped peaks, mirror-like lakes, and verdant valleys that unfold before you like a painter’s masterpiece. Witness the interplay of light and shadow on dramatic monasteries perched atop rocky cliffs, and find solace in the warm smiles of the resilient Ladakhi people, whose lives are intertwined with the harmony of nature.
This trip offers an exceptional combination of street photography and landscape opportunities. Guided by seasoned photographers Justin Black and Jassi Oberai, and immersed in the cultural riches of Varanasi and Ladakh, this workshop will provide you with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capture the essence of two extraordinary worlds. Whether you are seeking inspiration to move your photography to the next level, or looking to expand your portfolio, let your camera be your passport to unlock the stories that await you in these magical lands.
Come, join us on this incredible photographic odyssey, where the past and present merge, and the extraordinary becomes a brushstroke on the canvas of your imagination.
Refine your vision and harness the aesthetic potential of one of the world’s most geological wonders.
Wondering where to travel in winter? Bryce Canyon National Park is one of our favorite places to go to view some of the most unique opportunities during this season of snow dustings and low-angled light. Ponderosa pines, fir-spruce forests, slot canyons, horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters, and pink cliffs cover this area. Utah has a wealth of parks to explore and challenge your photographic senses, and Bryce Canyon National Park in among the most rewarding.
This greatest concentration of hoodoos in the world – an unearthly landscape to be sure – was formed over hundreds of millions of years of deposition and erosion. Bryce’s colorful rock spires are oriented perfectly to catch the reflected morning light, resulting in a glowing fairytale landscape providing endless options for creative photography. Join us to capture its splendor.
This outdoor classroom is a highlight of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction focusing on refining your personal creative vision, composition, digital workflow and image processing, designed and presented by renowned photographers Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, and Justin Black. All three instructors have photographed Bryce extensively and know its secrets well. We will photograph at a variety of locations in the park during our morning and evening field sessions, with emphasis on the hoodoos and sculpted designs in the canyons.
Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at the Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel (a Best Western Plus property), located ideally near the park entrance, and with all meals, snacks and beverages included, this is a superb workshop scenario. We hope you’ll join us!
About Vision Workshops
The creation of a truly great finished photograph is part of a process from initial concept and vision through execution in the field to digital workflow and creation of a high-quality, final master file ready for printing or publication. Vision workshops with John Shaw and Jack Dykinga address the two greatest challenges faced by photographers as they advance. The first of these is the tendency for original creative vision to reach a plateau in development, and the second is a digital workflow in need of streamlining and refinement to make the most of your images.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on…
On Creative Vision:
When we experience images that really move us, we are aware that they have impacted us, though we may not know what it was in the image that made it so powerful. In other words, we know when it works, but can be difficult to quantify. I try to teach the time-honored components of fine photography to build successful compositions…even in ordinary situations. People ask me, “What’s the difference between a pro and an amateur?” My response is, (a) the amateur has better equipment and (b) the professional photographer must create a publishable image every single time. To be successful, the professional must be the practitioner of a disciplined approach to situations that will result in compelling images that inform and move people. This workshop is designed to unleash that creativity in my students. – Jack Dykinga
Jack will focus on advanced seeing and ways to unlock creativity in situations that require conceptual and compositional ingenuity on the part of the photographer. In other words, he’ll answer the questions, “How do I make a great photograph when the subject matter and composition don’t suggest themselves to me, and how do I avoid photographic clichés when the situation offers up a beautiful composition that is almost too obvious?”
On Workflow:
As photographers have switched to digital, one fact has become apparent: we are drowning in files. We’re shooting more images than ever, and digital file sizes are increasing with each new generation of cameras. Without a smart, logical workflow – and a familiarity with programs such as Lightroom and Photoshop – we will quickly be overwhelmed with data. – John Shaw
John will focus on teaching a logical, effective workflow that ensures the highest quality for your work, as well an image archive that is stable, consistent, and retrievable over the long term, and that ultimately liberates rather than burdens. He will cover step by step the process from shooting RAW files in the field to optimizing the final image in Photoshop.
Workflow topics to be covered include:
The workshop includes eight field sessions, classroom lectures and ample hands-on instruction, critiques, single-occupancy lodging in deluxe rooms (prorated fee available for double-occupancy or for those who do not require lodging), and all meals and drinks. Justin Black will be present to serve as an instructor and to ensure everything runs smoothly. As always, all three instructors will be present to teach and assist students throughout the workshop.
Field sessions begin the evening of the first day. Each morning and evening, we’ll be out to photograph first light before breakfast, and out for evening light before dinner. During mid-day hours in our classroom at the hotel, Jack and John will make presentations on advanced seeing, composition and creativity, digital workflow, and maximizing image potential. Critique sessions will be held each of the last three days before returning to the field for photography in afternoon and evening light. Friday morning will be the final field session, followed by critique until we adjourn at 3:00 pm.
The class size is limited to a small group of ten to ensure that everyone gets the time and attention they need, both in the field and the classroom.
Basecamp is the Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel. Group meals provide an informal setting to socialize and address specific interests that may not be covered during lectures and classroom discussion.
We supply materials in advance of the session to get newcomers up to speed with basics having to do with digital camera set-up and techniques, essential equipment recommendations, and other guidelines to ensure that everyone is ready to make the most of the experience.
Lodging, all meals, and beverages are included in the package.
Please click the “Register” button at the top of the page or contact us directly to reserve your space. A deposit of 50% is required at time of booking, with balance payable 60 days prior to workshop start date.
The workshop begins at 1pm on Monday, January 8th, and ends by 3pm on Friday, January 12th, 2018.
Note: Visionary Wild, LLC operates this workshop under a permit issued by the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon National Park.
The southwest United States holds some of the world’s most inspiring landscape photography destinations, and the area including Capitol Reef National Park is one of our favorites. In addition to numerous steep ridges, colorful canyons, and sandstone formations, Capitol Reef National Park boosts the largest exposed monocline in North America and layers of sedimentary rock recording nearly 200 million years of geological change. This outdoor classroom is a highlight of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction focusing on refining your personal creative vision, composition, and digital workflow, designed and presented by renowned photographers Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, and Cliff Zenor. Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at The Broken Spur Inn in Torrey, the closest town to the Park, this is a superb workshop scenario set to challenge and amaze all participants. We hope you’ll join us!
Photography sessions will take place in locations with very unique geology, including the Waterpocket Fold, Cathedral Valley, Temples of the Sun and Moon, and other opportunities scouted in advance by the instructors. The timing of this workshop was specifically chosen to coincide with the burst of peak fall foliage found among the cottonwoods and willows in the canyons, and aspens in the high country. The leaves of these trees turn into a brilliant hues of yellow, orange, and red during the fall. When set against a background of reddish-orange Entrada Sandstone or grayish desert storm clouds, capturing photos of these glowing leaves will be a very rewarding and exhilarating experience for the landscape photographer.
Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at The Broken Spur Inn, located ideally near the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park, and with all meals, snacks and beverages included, this is a superb fall foliage and landscape photography workshop scenario. We hope you’ll join us!
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
The southwest United States holds some of the world’s most inspiring landscape photography destinations, and the area including Capitol Reef National Park is one of our favorites. In addition to numerous steep ridges, colorful canyons, and sandstone formations, Capitol Reef National Park boosts the largest exposed monocline in North America and layers of sedimentary rock recording nearly 200 million years of geological change. This outdoor classroom is a highlight of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction focusing on refining your personal creative vision, composition, and digital workflow, designed and presented by renowned photographers Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, and Cliff Zenor. Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at The Broken Spur Inn in Torrey, the closest town to the Park, this is a superb workshop scenario set to challenge and amaze all participants. We hope you’ll join us!
Photography sessions will take place in locations with very unique geology, including the Waterpocket Fold, Cathedral Valley, Temples of the Sun and Moon, and other opportunities scouted in advance by the instructors. The timing of this workshop was specifically chosen to coincide with the burst of peak fall foliage found among the cottonwoods and willows in the canyons, and aspens in the high country. The leaves of these trees turn into a brilliant hues of yellow, orange, and red during the fall. When set against a background of reddish-orange Entrada Sandstone or grayish desert storm clouds, capturing photos of these glowing leaves will be a very rewarding and exhilarating experience for the landscape photographer.
Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at The Broken Spur Inn, located ideally near the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park, and with all meals, snacks and beverages included, this is a superb fall foliage and landscape photography workshop scenario. We hope you’ll join us!
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
Testimonials from our 2015 Lake Powell participants
“I just wanted to take a minute to thank you (and the rest of the crew) for the wonderful Lake Powell workshop. Both Lynne and I had a great time and the uniqueness of the location was perfect for a variety of different photographic challenges.” –Steve A.
“Thanks again for another great trip… Quite the adventure!” –Dan W.
“Just back from a houseboat-based photo workshop on Lake Powell with Visionary Wild. It was a great trip with lots of old friends, and few new ones.” –Julie F [Posted to Facebook]
“Thanks again for great time at Lake Powell! I had a ton of fun.” –Walter R.
The sinuous channels, sculpted slick rock, red rock formations, abstract glowing reflections, and sublime canyon light of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon await you on this eight-day, seven-night photographic exploration with Jack Dykinga and Jeff Foott. A professionally crewed deluxe 75-foot houseboat will be our base camp, and 19-foot Boston Whaler motorboats will provide access to the quiet corners of the sprawling lake, including sections of Glen Canyon that haven’t been seen since it was flooded. We’ll also have a few kayaks along for accessing slot canyons so narrow that one can touch both sides with arms outstretched.
The trip will begin at Comfort Inn and Suites in Page, Arizona, with an afternoon meeting and orientation before kicking things off with a group dinner. The next morning, we’ll drive across Glen Canyon Dam to Wahweap Marina to board our boat and cruise out to onto the lake. From pre-dawn to post-sunset each day, we will make the most of the light, including mid-day use of bounced canyon light. Instructors Jack Dykinga and Jeff Foott will guide excursions by motorboat to explore and photograph while the houseboat crew cruises from one anchorage to the next. We will make short hikes into side canyons and across the slickrock landscape to access mind-bending locations. Each evening, we will spend the night at anchor in a secluded cove beneath the amazing starscape of the clear southwestern sky.
Accommodations on the houseboat include five staterooms with queen beds (suitable for single or double occupancy), plus two large pull-out beds (convertible dinette areas, best suited to single occupants), as well as the option for two guests to sleep out under the stars on the sun deck (the crew and leaders will also share this space). The boat also features two full bathrooms with hot showers, washbasins, and toilets, spacious common areas, a hot tub, fireplace, and more. Hearty meals will be prepared by our friendly, Coast Guard-licensed captain and guide, Myron Cook.
Pricing and Accommodation Options:
Master Suite – One Queen Bed, extra room, and private entrance onto stern deck (Quantity: 1 only)
$6995 Double Occupancy (per person) – or – $7995 Single Occupancy
Standard Cabin – One Queen Bed (Quantity: 4)
$5995 Double Occupancy (per person) – or – $6995 Single Occupancy
Convertible Dinette Bed – One full (Quantity: 2)
$5995 Single Occupancy
Sun Deck Mattress – Outside, under the Stars (Quantity: 2)
$5500 Single Occupancy
Maximum group size is limited to nine guests.
This workshop will be operated under a Commercial Use Authorization issued by the National Park Service.
The majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante are a creative photographer’s dream come true. This outdoor classroom is a highlight of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction focusing on refining your personal creative vision, composition, and digital workflow, designed and presented by renowned photographers Jack Dykinga and John Shaw, with support by popular workshops leader Jerry Dodrill, a protégé of the legendary Galen Rowell. Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at the beautiful Boulder Mountain Lodge, and with first-class dining at the famous Hell’s Backbone Grill, this is a superb workshop scenario, which helps explain why Visionary Wild clients often repeat this experience. We hope you’ll join us!
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
The majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante are a creative photographer’s dream come true. This outdoor classroom is a highlight of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction focusing on refining your personal creative vision, composition, and digital workflow, designed and presented by renowned photographers Jack Dykinga and John Shaw, with support by popular workshops leader Jerry Dodrill, a protégé of the legendary Galen Rowell. Packaged with single-occupancy lodging at the beautiful Boulder Mountain Lodge, and with first-class dining at the famous Hell’s Backbone Grill, this is a superb workshop scenario, which helps explain why Visionary Wild clients often repeat this experience. We hope you’ll join us!
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
The sinuous channels, sculpted slick rock, red rock formations, abstract glowing reflections, and sublime canyon light of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon await you on this eight-day, seven-night photographic exploration with Gary Ladd, Jeff Foott, and Justin Black. A professionally crewed deluxe 75-foot houseboat will be our base camp, and three motorboats will provide access to the quiet corners of the sprawling lake, including sections of Glen Canyon that haven’t been seen since it was flooded. We’ll also have a few kayaks along for accessing slot canyons so narrow that one can touch both sides with arms outstretched.
The trip will begin at Comfort Inn and Suites in Page, Arizona, with an afternoon meeting and orientation before going out for an inaugural group dinner. The next morning, we’ll drive across Glen Canyon Dam to Wahweap Marina to board our boat and cruise out to onto the lake. From pre-dawn to post-sunset each day, we will make the most of the light, including mid-day use of bounced canyon light. Instructors Gary Ladd, Jeff Foott, and Justin Black will guide excursions by motorboat to explore and photograph while the houseboat crew cruises from one anchorage to the next. We will make short, easy hikes into side canyons and across the slickrock landscape to access mind-bending locations. Each evening, we will spend the night at anchor in a secluded cove beneath the amazing starscape of the clear southwestern sky.
Accommodations on the houseboat include five staterooms with queen beds, plus two large pull-out beds (all suitable for single or double occupancy), as well as the option of sleeping out under the stars on the sun deck (the crew and leaders will share this space). The boat also features two full bathrooms with showers, spacious common areas, hot tub, fireplace, and more.
Hearty meals will be prepared by our friendly boat crew: captain Randy Tucker – a Coast Guard-licensed and experienced Lake Powell and Grand Canyon guide – and his wife Barbara, a certified Grand Canyon raft guide. Randy and Barb are some of the finest people we know, and we are very pleased to have them join us for this trip. We hope you will too!
Zion National Park’s red rock and limestone cliffs and spires tower above sculpted canyons, grottoes, and waterways, forming a unique and awe-inspiring landscape at the convergence of the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert. Autumn’s arrival brings comfortably cool temperatures and fall colors in the maples and cottonwoods. Zion is quite simply one of the gems of the National Park system, a highlight of the American Southwest, and one of our favorite outdoor photographic “classrooms.”
Charles Cramer is a masterful artist renowned for landscape photographs that derive their power from their elegant and gentle calm. He has returned again and again to Zion over the years to draw inspiration from its astonishing interplay of canyon light, color contrasts, and dramatic forms. Garnering rave reviews whenever he teaches, Charlie enjoys nothing more than sharing his insights, creativity, and craftsmanship with other passionate photographers in an effort to help them refine their own vision. Assistant instructor Justin Black has led four prior workshops at Zion and is always struck by the way this landscape reveals its secrets like the layers of an onion being peeled back – every visit yields a new discovery and new qualities of light.
This all-inclusive workshop will be based at Flanigan’s Inn of Springdale, Utah, just outside the western entrance of Zion National Park, providing excellent access to field locations. Along with eight field sessions, Charlie and Justin will present projected lectures on composition, light, exposure control, anticipating and working through changing conditions, and essentials of digital workflow. Three critique sessions will provide essential constructive feedback on images created during the workshop.
Click “read more” below right for more information…
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
Situated immediately adjacent to the majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante, this place is a creative photographer’s dream come true. This is our outdoor classroom for this workshop, part of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction designed and presented by world-renowned photographers Jack Dykinga and John Shaw.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
Situated immediately adjacent to the majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante, this place is a creative photographer’s dream come true. This is our outdoor classroom for this workshop, part of our Vision series, a special program of advanced instruction designed and presented by world-renowned photographers Jack Dykinga and John Shaw.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
Situated immediately adjacent to the majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante, this place is a creative photographer’s dream come true.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
Situated immediately adjacent to the majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante, this place is a creative photographer’s dream come true.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Click “Read More…” below right to read on and see the image gallery…
Here are some impressions that our friends from our last two trips have shared:
It’s difficult not to heap superlative praise on Jack Dykinga and Justin Black for their photographic expertise and their absolute willingness to share that expertise with the rest of us. They are truly visionaries in the landscape photography world, and their love of the Grand Canyon is infectious, and are a lot of fun to be around.
Having traveled to 5 continents, I can honestly state the Grand Canyon river trip was the best photo trip I have ever taken.
Seeing the Grand Canyon from the bottom is a visual and spiritual experience that is not to be missed by any photographer. This was my second trip down the Colorado River with Justin and I expect that it won’t be my last.
My mind is still in the Canyon. Thanks to you, Jack and Justin, for putting together this amazing experience. The Canyon is past wonder. I am sitting here working on the images and can’t seem to leave the river.
While I think I’ve finally gotten the sand out of all of my clothes, equipment and person, it will most definitely be a long time before I get the Grand Canyon sand out of my soul. I think Jack said it best when he said that the Grand Canyon was a special temple. It is awe-inspiring. I really enjoyed my time with you all, and hope to see all of you again on another Jack and Justin adventure.
About two days into the trip…I realized that I should enjoy the trip because it was just about as good as it gets. It was indeed. At this point, maybe it’s enough to say that I actually miss the sand and I hope we all will continue to keep in touch.
Designed by Jack Dykinga and Justin Black, this trip absolutely maximizes photographic potential and overall quality of experience that can be had during ten days on the Colorado River in the mile-deep Grand Canyon.
Applying our experience of numerous Grand Canyon raft trips, and in collaboration with our hand-picked boat crew from Arizona Raft Adventures/Grand Canyon Discovery, we’ve developed an itinerary that takes advantage of favorable late summer conditions and sets us up for the best landings for photo excursions and camps along the river. Detailed planning and the expert skill of experienced boat crews we’ve worked with before are critical, because there’s no going back upstream on the Colorado River.
Our itinerary starts in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the Radisson Woodlands hotel. The day before our departure for the river, we will convene to get to know each other (and catch up with returning friends), and Jack will make presentations to get your creative juices flowing and prepare you for photography in the Canyon. This will be followed by an orientation by AZRA staff to go over the game plan, safety, answer questions, and distribute dry bags for packing your personal gear. We’ll set off early the following morning for Lee’s Ferry, where our raft and crew will be waiting for us at our launch point.
A little about the raft: We will use a 32-foot-long raft built around a strong aluminum frame with a below-deck cargo hold for important items that tolerate getting wet, like camp chairs and cans of beer. Personal gear and camera bags will be stored in drybags strapped to lockers on deck above the waterline. Two expert AZRA guides will crew our raft, which is equipped with a quiet, 30HP, four-stroke Honda motor for steering purposes. The motor is shut off as we drift with the current down the river in stretches of calm water. We will be running a great deal of whitewater, and where you sit in the raft will determine whether you get soaked or stay dry (or dryish). Getting soaked by a big splash is a great way to cool off, as is floating a rapid in your life vest, which the guides offer as an option on occasion and as safety conditions permit.
Once on the Colorado River, we quickly enter Marble Canyon and from there the canyon rim towers higher and higher as we pass through ever more ancient rock strata. From the raft, we’ll take in the stunning mesas and rock formations all around us, watch bighorn sheep just a few meters away at the water’s edge, marvel at condors soaring overhead, and watch the light and shade play across the water and reflect in hues of gold and red on the canyon walls. Each afternoon, we’ll pull into riverside beaches, which will serve as our camps. These are selected in advance for group comfort and excellent photo opportunities close to camp in the evening, and to position us strategically to target the next morning’s photography location.
As we arrive in camp each afternoon, we’ll form a “bag line” as a team to unload personal gear and camp equipment from the raft to the beach. This group bonding experience is not to be underestimated. After that, we each locate our personal piece of Colorado River beach to put down our tarp, sleeping pad, pillow, sheet, and sleeping bag (all provided, as are tents, though no one seems to bother with them after a night or two). Then, while the boat crew prepares a fabulous and well-deserved dinner, we’ll photograph in the evening light. Otherwise, choices of camp activities are up to you. We’ll gather the camp chairs in a circle to chat over a beer or glass of wine, have a rinse in the river, or just relax and enjoy the peace, solitude, and crystal clear night skies.
When our time on the river comes to an end, it will be too soon. We will have been away from computers, smart phones, and traffic for ten days. AZRA will pick us up at Diamond Creek for the trip back to the Radisson in Flagstaff, stopping off on old Route 66 at Delgadillos Snow Cap in Seligman for an obligatory milkshake. After a proper shower and calls to loved ones to confirm that we’ve reemerged into civilization, we’ll meet for a final celebratory dinner with our boat crew at one of Flagstaff’s finer restaurants. After breakfast the next morning, we’ll meet to edit and project images for review and critique. Wrapping up by mid-afternoon, we’ll say “until we meet again,” and our merry band will part company with hard drives full of amazing images, heads full of incredible memories, spirits uplifted by the experience, and hearts just a little heavy that it’s all over.
We hope you’ll join us for this trip of a lifetime!
Zion National Park’s red rock and limestone cliffs and spires tower above sculpted canyons, grottoes, and waterways, forming a unique and awe-inspiring landscape at the convergence of the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert. Autumn’s arrival brings comfortably cool temperatures and fall colors in the maples and cottonwoods. Zion is quite simply one of the gems of the National Park system, a highlight of the American Southwest, and one of our favorite outdoor photographic “classrooms.”
For three decades, Jack Dykinga has captured the astonishing beauty of light, form, texture, and natural history that make the southwestern American deserts and canyons unique. He knows this landscape and its amazing light better than anyone and enjoys nothing more than sharing his insights and vision with other passionate photographers. Assistant instructor Justin Black has co-led three prior workshops with Jack at Zion and is always struck by the way Zion reveals its secrets like the layers of an onion being peeled back – every visit yields a new discovery and new qualities of light. This all-inclusive workshop will be based at Flanigan’s Inn of Springdale, Utah, just outside the western entrance of Zion National Park, providing excellent access to field locations. Along with eight field sessions, Jack and Justin will present projected lectures on composition, light, exposure control, anticipating and working through changing conditions, and essentials of digital workflow. Three critique sessions will provide essential constructive feedback on images created during the workshop.
This Creative Core workshop deals heavily with developing creativity and visualizing compositions, with a great deal of photography in the field. Creative Core workshops are general outdoor photography workshops designed to expose participants to the full creative toolbox, but the emphasis of individual participants’ work is up to them. Whether they wish to focus on classic landscape, abstraction, color, black and white, HDR, panoramics, multiple exposures, or all of the above, any enthusiastic photographer will feel right at home in this workshop. Jack and Justin have decades of experience successfully accommodating a range of experience levels within the context of a workshop.
In advance of the session, we supply materials to get everyone up to speed with fundamentals of digital camera set-up and technique, as well as essential equipment recommendations, recommended packing list, and other guidelines to ensure that everyone is ready to make the most of the experience.
Note: This workshop is operated under National Park Service Commercial Use Authorization.
Boulder Mountain rises to the west of Capital Reef National Park in the picturesque Aquarius Plateau of South Central Utah. It is the highest timbered plateau in North America, with over 50,000 acres of rolling forests of pine, spruce, fir, and aspen, as well as expansive meadowlands. The area features the dramatic red rock canyons and sculpted formations for which southern Utah is famous, but it is a little known and refreshing alternative to more heavily trafficked southwestern locations.
Situated immediately adjacent to the majestic Grand Staircase descending toward the Grand Canyon and the canyons of the Escalante, this place is a creative photographer’s dream come true.
The author and desert wilderness advocate Edward Abbey once astutely observed:
There are more hills, holes, humps and hollows, reefs, folds, domes, swells and grabens, buttes, benches and mesas, synclines, monoclines, and anticlines than you can ever hope to see and explore in a lifetime.
We’ll add that the quality of light and atmosphere here are superb.
Jack Dykinga has become one of the greatest practitioners and teachers of nature photography, specializing in Southwestern landscape. This workshop combines eight field sessions to an array of locations that Jack knows like the back of his hand. Three critique sessions of participant photographs made during the session will build on Jack’s highly effective projected lectures on composition, qualities of light, and working the scene to distill the essence of the image. Assistant instructor Justin Black will provide support thoughout the workshop and keep the itinerary on track. The class size is limited to fifteen to ensure that everyone gets the time and attention they need, both in the field and the classroom.
Basecamp: Our group will be virtually taking over the Boulder Mountain Lodge, an intimate arrangement of buildings and outdoor common areas located on a 15-acre bird sanctuary at an elevation of 6650ft. In addition to beautiful rooms, the welcoming and comfortable lodge offers an array of amenities. Our meals will be provided by Hell’s Backbone Grill, a highly rated gourmet restaurant featuring southwestern flavors. Our group meals provide an informal setting to socialize and address specific interests that may not be covered during lectures and classroom discussion.
Jack and Justin will share specialized techniques and insights drawn from decades of experience in landscape photography to help you make this sublime landscape sing in your work. This Creative Core workshop deals heavily with composition, working a scene through changing light, exposure control, developing creativity, essential gear and creative tools, fundamentals of digital workflow, an introduction to digital exposure blending and stitching, and a great deal of photography in the field followed by highly constructive group critiques. Creative Core workshops are general outdoor photography workshops and the emphasis of any individual participant’s work is up to them, whether they wish to focus on classic landscape, abstraction, color, black and white, HDR, panoramics, multiple exposures, or all of the above. Any enthusiastic photographer will feel right at home in this workshop.
We supply materials in advance of the session to get newcomers up to speed with basics having to do with digital camera set-up and techniques, essential equipment recommendations, and other guidelines to ensure that everyone is ready to make the most of the experience.
Lodging, all meals, and beverages are included in the package. Breakfast and dinner is served at the renowned Hell’s Backbone Grill each day, and the grill provides box lunches as well.
Please contact us promptly to reserve your space. A deposit of 50% is required at time of booking to reserve space, with balance payable 60 days prior to workshop start date.
What happens when a group of enthusiastic photographers join together for a 10-day raft trip through 226-miles of mind-bending Grand Canyon scenery and 1.75 billion years of geological history?
Here are some impressions that our friends from past trips have shared with one another:
The sand may be gone, but my mind is still in the Canyon. Thanks to you, Jack and Justin, for putting together this amazing experience. The Canyon is past wonder. I am sitting here working on the images and can’t seem to leave the river.
While I think I’ve finally gotten the sand out of all of my clothes, equipment and person, it will most definitely be a long time before I get the Grand Canyon sand out of my soul. I think Jack said it best when he said that the Grand Canyon was a special temple. It is awe-inspiring. I really enjoyed my time with you all, and hope to see all of you again on another Jack and Justin adventure.
About two days into the trip…I realized that I should enjoy the trip because it was just about as good as it gets. It was indeed. At this point, maybe it’s enough to say that I actually miss the sand and I hope we all will continue to keep in touch.
Designed by Jack Dykinga and Justin Black, this trip absolutely maximizes photographic potential and overall quality of experience that can be had during ten days on the Colorado River in the mile-deep Grand Canyon.
* Note: Please click the “read more” tab below right for all the details, the image gallery, and National Park Service concessionaire compliance information.
Applying our experience of numerous Grand Canyon raft trips, and in collaboration with our hand-picked crews from Arizona Raft Adventures (AZRA), we’ve developed an itinerary that takes advantage of favorable spring conditions and sets us up for the best landings for photo excursions and camps along the river. This detailed planning and the expert skill of experienced boat crews we’ve worked with before are critical, because there’s no going back upstream on the Colorado River.
This trip is scheduled for May, when water and wildflowers are in greater abundance, and daytime temperatures are a bit cooler than the rest of the river guiding season. Our itinerary starts in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the Radisson Woodlands hotel. The afternoon before our departure for the river, we will convene to get to know each other (and catch up with returning friends), and Jack will make an introductory presentation to get your creative juices flowing. This will be followed by an orientation by AZRA staff to go over the game plan, safety, answer questions, and distribute dry bags for packing your personal gear. We’ll set off early the following morning for Lee’s Ferry, where our raft and crew will be waiting for us at our launch point.
A little about the raft: We will use a 32-foot-long raft built around a strong aluminum frame with a below-deck cargo hold for important items that tolerate getting wet, like camp chairs and cans of beer. Personal gear and camera bags will be stored in drybags strapped to lockers on deck above the waterline. Two expert AZRA guides will crew our raft, which is equipped with a small, quiet four-stroke Honda motor for steering purposes. The motor is shut off as we drift with the current down the river in stretches of calm water. We will be running a great deal of whitewater, and where you sit in the raft will determine whether you get soaked or stay dry (or dryish). Getting soaked by a big splash is a great way to cool off, as is floating a rapid in your life vest, which the guides offer as an option on occasion and as safety conditions permit.
Once on the Colorado River, we quickly enter Marble Canyon and from there the canyon rim towers higher and higher as we pass through ever more ancient rock strata. From the raft, we’ll take in the stunning mesas and rock formations all around us, watch bighorn sheep just a few meters away at the water’s edge, marvel at condors soaring overhead, and watch the light and shade play across the water and reflect in hues of gold and red on the canyon walls. Each afternoon, we’ll pull into riverside beaches, which will serve as our camps. These are selected in advance for group comfort and excellent photo opportunities close to camp in the evening, and to position us strategically to target the next morning’s photography location.
As we arrive in camp each afternoon, we’ll form a “bag line” as a team to unload personal gear and camp equipment from the raft to the beach. This group bonding experience is not to be underestimated. After that, we each locate our personal piece of Colorado River beach to put down our tarp, sleeping pad, pillow, sheet, and sleeping bag (all provided, as are tents, though no one seems to bother with them after a night or two). Then, while the boat crew prepares a fabulous and well-deserved dinner, Jack and Justin will lead photo sessions in the evening light. Otherwise, choices of camp activities are up to you. We’ll gather the camp chairs in a circle to chat over a beer or glass of wine, have a rinse in the river as conditions permit, or just relax and enjoy the peace, solitude, and crystal clear night skies.
When our time on the river comes to an end, it will be too soon. We will have been away from computers, cell phones, and traffic for ten days. AZRA will pick us up at Diamond Creek for the trip back to the Radisson in Flagstaff, stopping off on old Route 66 at Delgadillos Snow Cap in Seligman for an obligatory milkshake (or two). After a proper shower and calls to loved ones to confirm that we’ve reemerged into civilization, we’ll meet for a final group dinner with our boat crew. After breakfast the next morning, we’ll meet to edit and project images for review and critique. Wrapping up by mid-afternoon, we’ll say “until we meet again,” and our merry band will part company with hard drives full of amazing images, heads full of incredible memories, spirits uplifted by the experience, and hearts just a little heavy that it’s all over.
We hope you’ll join us for this trip of a lifetime, especially if it’s for the second time!
* NOTE: The raft-trip component of this package is operated through Arizona Raft Adventures, a National Park concessionaire. National Park Service rules require that we disclose and distinguish our cost for the AZRA ten-day raft trip itself, which is $2840 per participant. The fee for the photographic workshop, the days prior to and following the AZRA raft trip, is $3,155. This includes instruction, critique, meals (beginning with dinner the night before the raft trip and ending with lunch the day after the raft trip), lodging in Flagstaff the night before and the night after the trip, as well as all taxes and gratuities. The total combined cost for the raft trip and workshop is $5,995 per person.
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