“How come you don’t teach in Yosemite, Yellowstone, or the Tetons?” This is a common question, and there are four principles that determine our National Parks selection.
The 4 Principles for choosing our National Parks
First, our goal is to teach, not tour, so the National Parks we choose must present opportunities to learn basic as well as advanced creative seeing and technical skills in order to master the art of landscape photography. This means students need solitude, locations without crowds or significant interruptions. Some of our larger parks are quite crowded and as one Park Ranger pointed out, “It’s wall to wall tripods and traffic.”
Second, we work with the National Park Service to identify parks that have unique, challenging, and not often seen photographic locations. To reach these sites requires some hiking or extensive 4-wheel drive excursions. These parks provide exploratory adventures as well as great opportunities to master the art of landscape photography.
Third, we teach end-to-end workflow so it is important to work in locations where we can access a conference room or other teaching facility.
Fourth, we want our program to be cost effective for our landscape photography workshop students. Thus, a big part of organizing a Master Class requires us to find moderate, comfortable lodging, meals, and support services near our National Parks.
We love what we do, and our support staff invests a great deal of time working with the National Park Service and others to ensure that we position you in a park that allows you to grow while photographing what most others will never see. Come join us! Some of our alumni have are well on their way to apply for the Artist in Residence programs for our National Parks. You will be amazed at what you will learn and how you will grow as an artist.
