This past weekend we had a great workshop in California’s Joshua Tree National Park. As expected after the state’s record rainfall this winter, the wildflowers were out in force and the cacti were blooming which made for some unexpected hummingbird photography. However, it’s Joshua Tree’s eponymous yuccas and ancient granite formations that I love to explore.
I’m happy to have a full slate of upcoming workshops on the calendar for your perusal – from the great Smoky Mountains to here in the Northwest, abstract workshops and nature retreats abound! Sign up today, save a few hundred bucks, and I’ll see you there!
You know what I loved about this latest “Winter in Japan” workshop? The Snow! Meaning snow was falling as we photographing in various locations. It made for great conditions at the snow monkey hot springs farther north in Hokkaido. It was positively magical with the iconic Japanese cranes; the world looked like a shaken snow globe. Using a faster shutter speed really emphasizes the snowflakes. Depending on the light conditions, I was using ISOs between 2000 and 4000 with my favorite 100-500mm lens.
With my new book Wild just around the corner, I’ve been heavily focused on capturing wildlife images that I’d like to include – however it’s time to get back to another passion of mine: abstract workshops! We have a few on the upcoming calendar and these are always eye-opening experiences for the folks to attend. Not only will the exercises and lessons expand your understanding of capturing an interesting provocative abstract image, the fundamentals we discuss and experience will be another tool in your kit to think about for all future photographs.
It’s my goal to ensure you come away with applicable tactics to approach all photographic opportunities with a thoughtful, unique creative eye. Even if abstract subject matter isn’t necessarily interesting to you, the creative process of capturing them is virtually guaranteed to make you a better overall photographer. . . and who knows, you might just spark a new passion!
Check out the events page for all of my upcoming workshops – we’ve just added a couple more!
10. The Moab region has so much to offer and we have park permits to conduct our workshop in both Canyonlands and Arches NP’s. This is a fantastic place to capture the beautifully sculpted rock formations and stars at night!
9. Check two National Parks off your bucket list. Do you have a National Parks passport? Maybe it’s time to get one and start visiting the sites of “Americas Best Idea!”
8. Our diverse itinerary includes a variety of locations; finding abstracts in reflections along the edges of the river, some of my favorite petroglyphs and pictographs, and of course night sessions.
7. Moab is a small town that relies on tourism to fuel its needs, great food and we plan to share some fantastic meals together!
6. Critiques – what good is a workshop if you’re not there to do a little work? I’ll be giving critiques of your photos as we review them and discuss!
5. Limited to just 8 participants, this retreat is designed to combine the best aspects of a relaxing vacation, inspiring seminar, and hands-on workshop all in one exquisite trip.
4. If you’re a movie buff, this location should be on your bucket list. Movies such as Thelma and Louise and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade filmed scenes here.
3. Mid-March is the perfect time to visit, when things are warming up from the cold winter, yet haven’t reached the scorching days of summer. With a bonus of snow capped LaSal mountain peaks making a great background.
2. Of course, hands-on instruction and educational lectures. I love to teach!
1. Adventuresome learning! I work hard to make sure everyone comes away from these workshops feeling better about and more enriched by their photography skills.
Grand Teton National Park ranks among my favorite locations for capturing spectacular fall color. The balance of the massive Teton Range hedged by the beautiful golds, oranges and reds of the foreground flora provides a number of distinct opportunities to capture this juxtaposition of stone and verdure.
Last year a group of my associates were blessed with several perfect sunrise sessions, each with their own unique characteristics to explore. The gorgeous photos in this gallery were captured my my assistant Libby Pfeiffer – I think she got great shots! For a photographer, mornings always come early, and not always easily – yet when the click of your shutter echoes in the quiet morning hours you forget all about missing sleep and are captured in the exhilaration of the moment.
I’ll be leading a Grand Teton workshop next fall, and If this is a location you’ve wanted to visit or if capturing pristine fall color is on your agenda, I highly encourage you to sign up and join our group. I always enjoy seeing and helping our participants push their boundaries and each other to create unique and beautiful images. On top of that, the friends and stories you create along the way will last a lifetime.
I’m happy to announce that Travels to the Edge Season 2 is now available for streaming on my Vimeo On-Demand channel – just in time, as DVDs are getting harder and harder to find. Check out fan-favorite episodes on Mongolia, Iceland, Australia and much more! To celebrate upcoming 2023 international workshops, I’m offering up two full episodes to watch completely free! Just sign up for my email list – don’t worry, I hate spam also!
Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge Season 2 Episode 1 – Japan: Hokkaido & Honshu
The Image many of us have of Japan is congested and kinetic. But Japan has a wild side. In winter, beyond its crowded cities, the country delivers quiet, unexpected natural beauty. In the second season opener, Art Wolfe ventures north to the remote region of Hokkaido to view iconic red-crested cranes; south to the mountains to film the mischievous macaque snow monkey; and journeys on to the sacred temples of Mt. Fuji and Koyosan on a photographic pilgrimage.
Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge Season 2 Episode 10 – The Kingdom of Bhutan
Known as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon”, Bhutan has survived in isolation for more than a thousand years. As this enlightened Buddhist kingdom greets the 21st century, its greatest challenge is to preserve its soul. In episode ten, Art Wolfe finds a photographer’s nirvana of mountainside monasteries, sacred festivals and chanting monks in an environmentally and spiritually progressive nation.
Things have really picked up this year in terms of international travel – from Brazil to Morocco, a couple tours in Africa, and all manner of points in between. It’s been good to get back to traveling again with new faces and old friends and I’m looking forward to the coming year!
Several new workshops have been posted on my events page, a few with early bird specials to save a few bucks. I’ll be adding more later in the year as well, so check my events page often for up to date opportunities.
Here’s what’s on the agenda so far – sign up before they fill!
Lots of fish, lots of bears, lots of action—what else would you expect from a couple weeks in Katmai National Park!? The cubs are always precious but this year they were FEISTY! We enjoyed watching and photographing one group of three siblings get in a row over a fish as mamma bear looked on. The two bigger cubs went at it, while the third smaller cub sneaked in and made off with the fish. Live and learn!
2023’s Katmai Bears workshops are up and there are a few spots available. If you anticipate that you might want to join, don’t hesitate to sign up, as they generally fill up faster than your average workshop! Who’s with me?!
Hard to believe we are fast approaching the final quarter of the year! So far the 2023 slate of U.S. workshops is shaping up to provide a lot of variety, with many popular locations making their return. Save a couple hundred bucks with early bird pricing and lock in your spot today and visit some of the most breathtaking locations in the US.
Each time I return to lead these workshops it’s always exciting to share what I’ve learned on previous trips, and to explore alongside our participants to discover something new. Come along, make some new friends and have a blast with us this spring!
Great Smoky Mountains Photography Retreat – Save $300!
Joshua Tree Workshop – Save $200!
Abstract Columbia River Gorge – Save $300!
Grand Teton Photography Retreat – Save $300!
Hidden Northwest Lake Quinault Photography Retreat – Save $300!
