Rocky Mountain National Park Photography Workshops

• $1750 including a $100 discount for paying in full
• Or pay $450 deposit up front and $1400 remainder ($1850 total) due at least 60 days before workshop
• Workshop size: 6-8

For Terms & Conditions and registration please click below:

These weekdays avoid the peak weekend crowds. Actual itinerary will vary based on where the Elk are moving and weather.

Tues 9/17:

• Meet at Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn at 3:00 for Meet & Greet and camera settings class
• Photograph Elk rut until sunset

Weds 9/18:

• Shoot sunrise at an alpine lake a short walk from the vehicle
• Photograph the Elk Rut through mid-morning
• Breakfast and Mid-day Break
• Photoshop/Lightroom Editing Session
• Photograph Elk rut until sunset
• Dinner in Estes Park

Thurs 9/19

• Hike to Dream Lake to shoot Sunrise
• Wildlife drive to west side of RMNP
• Lunch in Grand Lake
• Return to Estes Park for short break
• Photograph Elk rut until sunset
• Dinner in Estes Park

Fri 9/20

• Shoot sunrise at roadside mountain location
• Photograph Elk rut into mid morning
• Adjourn

This isn’t just a photography tour, but a true workshop where I help each student with settings.

Included:

• Transportation during workshop inside the park
• Guiding in the park and photography instruction
• Post-processing sessions

Not Included

• Transportation to and from Estes Park, and off-hours transportation
• Hotel
• Meals

Lodging-There’s a block of rooms reserved for our workshop at the Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn, Estes Park with a discounted rate. After registration, you’ll receive information on how to book your room. It’s up to each individual to make their own booking. The cost of the room is not included in the workshop price. Staying at this hotel is not required, though we’ll departing from and having editing sessions at this location.

Transportation-Transportation during the workshop within the park is included in the price. We’ll be traveling in an Econoline Van. This arrangement foregoes needing a rental car. You can take a shuttle from Denver International Airport to Estes Park. I do recommend a rental if you want to explore the area on your own during breaks, and before/after the workshop.

Moderate to Easy-We’ll be making one proper hike to Dream Lake for sunrise, the crown jewel of RMNP. This hike is 1-mile each way, and is gradually uphill at about 10,000′. We’ll leave early enough to take a leisurely pace. The rest of the workshop will be roadside and short walks form the vehicle.

If you’re not comfortable hiking to Dream Lake I can provide an alternative shooting location and you can meet the rest of the group later that morning.

There are no photography equipment requirements to attend this workshop. You can use a cell phone or point & shoot if you desire. The following gear will let you practice all the techniques offered in this workshop

Important Photography Gear:

• Interchangeable Lens Camera
• Telephoto Zoom Lens (e.g. 100-400 or 200-600). Elk and other wildlife may be so close that a telephoto lens isn’t required, while in other situations they may be clear across a field.
• Wide Angle Zoom Lens (e.g. 16-35mm or cropped sensor equivalent). Most landscape compositions will fall within this focal range.
• Medium Zoom Lens (e.g. 24-105mm or cropped sensor equivalent )
• Sturdy Travel-sized Tripod and Ball Head-A compact tripod is needed for our sunrise hike to Dream Lake. Use whatever tripod you’re comfortable with to photograph the elk ; much of the photography will be hand-held run and gun, rather than fixed in place.
• Polarizer Filter (example)
  

Useful Photography Gear:

• Neutral Density Filter Set-For blurring clouds and water. I recommend an 82mm set like this with step-up rings to adapt each of your lenses
  
• Panoramic Leveling Head (example)-For panoramic composite images
• L-Bracket-Specific to your camera model (example), for vertical shots and panoramic composites
• Remote Shutter Release (example)

Clothing and Equipment:

• $1750 including a $100 discount for paying in full
• Or pay $450 deposit up front and $1400 remainder ($1850 total) due at least 60 days before workshop
• Workshop size: 6-8

For Terms & Conditions and registration please click below:

Mon 6/3:

• 3:00 pm meet & greet at Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn
• 3 mile hike to glacial Lake to shoot sunset then stay in place to shoot Milky Way
• Field session on Milky Way settings and how to blend blue hour exposure
• Shoot Milky Way at dark
• Return to Hotel by 2:00am.

Tues 6/4:

• Meet at 1:00pm at Hotel Estes
• Lightroom/Photoshop Milky Way editing session
• Wildlife drive
• .75 mile hike (each way) above glacial lake to photograph sunset and Milky Way
• Return to Hotel by 1:00 am

Weds 6/5:

• Early morning wildlife drive to west side of RMNP
• Eat breakfast in Grand Lake
• Return to Estes Park for mid-day break
• 3 mile hike (each way) to another glacial lake to shoot sunset
• Return to hotel by 10:30 pm

Thurs 6/6:

• 1 mile hike (each way) to Dream Lake at sunrise and a stop at another nearby lake

This isn’t just a photography tour, but a true workshop where I help each student with settings.

Included:

• Transportation during workshop inside the park
• Discount on Reserved room
• Guiding and photography instruction
• Post-processing sessions

Not Included

• Transportation to and from Estes Park, and off-hours transportation
• Cost of hotel room
• Meals

Lodging-There’s a block of rooms reserved for our workshop at the Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn, Estes Park with a discounted rate. After registration, you’ll receive information on how to book your room. It’s up to each individual to make their own booking. The cost of the room is not included in the workshop price. Staying at this hotel is not required, though we’ll departing from and having editing sessions at this location.

Transportation-Transportation during the workshop within the park is included in the price. We’ll be traveling in an Econoline Van. This arrangement foregoes needing a rental car. You can take a shuttle from Denver International Airport to Estes Park. I do recommend a rental if you want to explore the area on your own during breaks, and before/after the workshop.

Moderate to Challenging-We’ll be doing 1 hike per day, up to 3 miles (each way) at up to 10,000 ft. Though each of these trails is rated moderate by Colorado standards, they can be challenging if you’re coming from sea-level.

There are no photography equipment requirements to attend this workshop. You can use a cell phone or point & shoot if you desire. The following gear will let you practice all the techniques offered in this workshop

Important Photography Gear:

• Interchangeable Lens Camera
• Fast Wide Angle Zoom Lens (e.g. 16-35mm f/2.8 or cropped sensor equivalent)
• or Prime Lens equivalent
• Medium Zoom Lens (e.g. 24-105mm or cropped sensor equivalent )
• Sturdy Travel-sized Tripod and Ball Head
• Polarizer Filter (example)
  

Useful Photography Gear:

• Neutral Density Filter Set-For blurring clouds and water. I recommend an 82mm set like this with step-up rings to adapt each of your lenses
  
• Panoramic Leveling Head (example)-For panoramic composite images
• L-Bracket-Specific to your camera model (example), needed for vertical shots and panoramic composites
• Macro Lens
• Telephoto Lens (e.g. 100-400mm or 200-600mm) for candid landscapes and wildlife
• Remote Shutter Release (example)

Clothing and Equipment:

• $1750 including a $100 discount for paying in full
• Or pay $450 deposit up front and $1400 remainder ($1850 total) due at least 60 days before workshop
• Workshop size: 6-8

For Terms & Conditions and registration please click below:

Our itinerary and specific locations that we end up shooting will be based on the weather. These weekdays avoid the peak weekend crowds.

Tues 8/12:

• 3:30 pm Meet & greet at Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn. This classroom session will include best settings and compositions for the park.
• Sunset Photography at select location

Weds 8/13:

• Sunrise Photography at select location
• Wildlife drive to west side of RMNP
• Brunch in Grand Lake
• Return to Estes Park for Mid-day break
• 3:30 Photoshop/Lightroom editing session at meeting space
• Photograph sunset at select location
• Break for Dinner
• Photograph Perseids Meteor Shower

Thurs 8/14

• Sunrise Photography at select location
• Wildlife drive to west side of RMNP
• Brunch in Grand Lake
• Return to Estes Park for Mid-day break
• 3:30 Photoshop/Lightroom editing session at meeting space
• Photograph sunset at select location

Fri 8/15

• Hike to Dream Lake to shoot Sunrise
• Wildlife drive
• Adjourn

This isn’t just a photography tour, but a true workshop where I help each student with settings.

Included:

• Transportation during workshop inside the park
• Guiding in the park and photography instruction
• Post-processing sessions

Not Included

• Transportation to and from Estes Park, and off-hours transportation
• Hotel
• Meals

Lodging-There’s a block of rooms reserved for our workshop at the Best Western Plus Silver Saddle Inn, Estes Park with a discounted rate. After registration, you’ll receive information on how to book your room. It’s up to each individual to make their own booking. The cost of the room is not included in the workshop price. Staying at this hotel is not required, though we’ll departing from and having editing sessions at this location.

Transportation-Transportation during the workshop within the park is included in the price. We’ll be traveling in an Econoline Van. This arrangement foregoes needing a rental car. You can take a shuttle from Denver International Airport to Estes Park. I do recommend a rental if you want to explore the area on your own during breaks, and before/after the workshop.

Moderate to Easy-We’ll be making one proper hike to Dream Lake for sunrise, the crown jewel of RMNP. This hike is 1-mile each way, and is gradually uphill at about 10,000′. We’ll leave early enough to take a leisurely pace. The rest of the workshop will be roadside and short walks form the vehicle.

If you’re not comfortable hiking to Dream Lake I can provide an alternative shooting location and you can meet the rest of the group later that morning.

There are no photography equipment requirements to attend this workshop. You can use a cell phone or point & shoot if you desire. The following gear will let you practice all the techniques offered in this workshop

Important Photography Gear:

• Interchangeable Lens Camera
• Fast Wide Angle Zoom Lens (e.g. 16-35mm f/2.8 or cropped sensor equivalent)
• or equivalent prime lenses
• Medium Zoom Lens (e.g. 24-105mm or cropped sensor equivalent )
• Sturdy Travel-sized Tripod and Ball Head
• Polarizer Filter (example)

Useful Photography Gear:

• Neutral Density Filter Set-For blurring clouds and water. I recommend an 82mm set like this with step-up rings to adapt each of your lenses
  
• Panoramic Leveling Head (example)-For panoramic composite images
• L-Bracket-Specific to your camera model (example), needed for vertical shots and panoramic composites
• Macro Lens
• Telephoto Lens (e.g. 100-400mm or 200-600mm) for candid landscapes and wildlife
• Remote Shutter Release (example)

Clothing and Equipment:

• $650 for half day, or $1000 for each full day

For Terms & Conditions and registration please click below:

Discounts are offered for multiple attendees. Plan your own custom workshop with friends or camera club.

• 1 person – $1000 per day
• 2 people – $750 per person, per day
• 3 people – $650 per person, per day
• 4 people – $550 per person, per day
• 5 people – $500 per person, per day
• 6 people – $450 per person, per day
• 7 people – $400 per person, per day
• 8 people – $375 per person, per day
• For groups of 8, further 10% discount for each workshop day after 2 days.