Spring in the Palouse

For Women Photographers

June 23-26, 2024 - Sold Out

Mission:

To promote participation of women in nature photography by building a community that fosters confidence, support, and meaningful connections.

Who Is It For:

Women photographers interested in building a sisterhood to learn new skills, share adventures, pursue passions, and venture beyond comfort zones, TOGETHER.

Chicks Who Click Special! Join a dynamic group of women photographers to take in the incredible scenery of the Palouse. Surrounded by rolling hills, we explore the beautiful landscapes bathed in a palette of vibrant colors. The wheat is spring green and the yellow canola is in full bloom. Wildflowers are abundant and the waterfalls are gushing! The workshop is led by Amy Osness and local photographer Ryan McGinty, who will ensure you get to the best spots as per the conditions. Come experience the power of Chicks Who Click!

Tuition

$1750
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Max Group Size

5 Students per Instructor
Max 10 Students

Instructor(s)

Ellen Bennett
Ryan McGinty

Physical Intensity

Highlights

Chicks Who Click Special! Join the fun camaraderie and energetic spirit of this group of Women Photographers.
The landscape turns into a palette of vibrant colors in the spring! Wildflowers and canola are blooming and the fields are lime green.
Expect to get off the beaten path with resident photographer Ryan McGinty and Ellen Bennett. They'll get you to the best spots!
Learn many new techniques on this workshop from abstract telephoto compositions to grandiose wide angle shots!
Transportation included so you can concentrate on your photography.
Post-processing and image critique sessions will be scheduled throughout the workshop to help make the most of your images.
Extend your trip with our June 19-22 Palouse Barns Workshop!

Itinerary

The exact itinerary will be kept flexible to account for the weather and current conditions. We will optimize our time for the best possible photography. The itinerary below is just an example of what you can expect. If we shoot the night skies, we will likely skip sunrise the following morning.

Day 1: Meet at 3PM in Pullman, WA for a mandatory orientation session. We will cover many techniques you will be using during the workshop and discuss the itinerary in detail. We'll break for a quick dinner and then head out for our first sunset shoot.
Day 2: We are out the door well before dawn and make our way up to Steptoe Butte. This high vantage point affords 360-views of the surrounding countryside and you can shoot everything from wide angle to telephoto as the morning light accents the vibrant green fields below. We return to the hotel for breakfast and then spend a few hours doing a post-processing session. After an afternoon break, we venture into some very scenic areas to photograph barns and rolling hills.
Day 3: With nice clouds in the forecast, we head out early to capture sunrise at the thunderous Palouse Falls. We return to the hotel for a late breakfast and another classroom session. We go out again mid-afternoon since big puffy white clouds are coming in. They complement the yellow canola fields perfectly! After a quick dinner, we find some old houses, barns, and wildflowers to shoot.
Day 4: Even though we are tired, we wake up early for one last sunrise in the countryside. The workshop will conclude by 11AM and we'll say our final goodbyes.

Palouse Photo Workshop Spring Barn Rainbow

Palouse Spring Workshop Palouse Falls Amy Osness

Pricing

$1750/person + Tax

Save 10% by Joining Our Loyalty Program

Trip Includes:

All Ground Transportation
Park Entrance Fees
In-Field Photography Instruction
Post-processing and Image Critique

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Pullman, WA.
Lodging
Meals, beverages, and snacks.
Instructor Gratuities.

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 120-days prior to arrival to the credit card we have on file.

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Wide angle lens in the 16-35mm range. We recommend an aperture of f/2.8 or faster for night photography.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Long telephoto lenses in the 100-600mm range. You will want a lens that is longer than 200mm for many of the locations we visit! A 100-400mm or 150-600mm will be perfect.
Circular polarizer filters and ND filters for your lenses. If you like shooting with grads, bring them along. A 9 or 10-stop ND filter will be useful for creating very long exposures.
Backpack to carry your gear.
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.

Personal Gear List

Sturdy hiking footwear, hiking socks, and long pants .
Warm jacket, hat, and gloves for cool mornings
Headlamp
Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Sun Hat.
Water bottle or hydration bladder.
Hiking poles if you like having them.
Bug Spray

Palouse Photo Workshop Spring Canola Sunburst

Ryan McGinty Steptoe Sunset Palouse Spring Photo Workshop

Logistics

If you are flying in, we recommend going through Spokane (GEG) or Pullman WA (PUW). From Spokane, it is a 90 minute drive to Pullman. If you fly directly to Pullman, you can arrange transportation to the hotel via Uber or Lyft. Please be in Pullman, WA no later than 3PM on June 23rd and meet us at the Coast Hilltop Inn.

Lodging is not included in the workshop fee so you have the option of staying wherever you like. The group will be based at Coast Hilltop Inn. We will notify all participants once the hotel is ready to start accepting bookings. Please note that meals, beverages, and snacks are not included in the workshop fee.

Our goal is to maximize your photography while you are here. This can mean long days and not a lot of sleep. We will utilize the middle of the day for rest breaks and post-processing sessions.

Transportation will be provided during the workshop for all participants. This workshop is rated Easy for activity level. Almost all shoots will be in fairly close proximity to the vehicle.

If you want to extend your experience, consider adding on our June 19-22 Palouse Barns Workshop!

This workshop is part of our annual Chicks Who Click program for Women Photographers only. If you are male, we invite you to join our Palouse Spring Workshop June 15-18, 2024.

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Trip Advisor

Ellen Bennett

Photo Adventure Specialist

I was raised in the desert Southwest and though I love traveling to new places and old favorites this landscape has my heart. I have always been a wayfarer regarding my interests and hobbies; I rode horses growing up, practiced and taught yoga in college, rock climbed through my 20s and now I am a Grand Canyon river guide. My parents always supported my pursuits because my enthusiasm for life tickled them to the bone. My dad, an aerospace photographer, was especially jazzed when I took an interest in photography in high school and handed me down all of the equipment to get started.

Through all of my wanderings photography has remained a constant, providing the creative link between my passion for adventure and the outdoors. I will never get enough of that “Wow!” feeling when I see a stunning image rendered on my camera’s LCD and helping guide others to that same experience is the bacon in the beans for me. I started working for Action Photo Tours in 2021 and everything about their instructors, locations, deep research, proficiency and stop-at-nothing vibe shows me that I have found the company where we can all grow and have countless “wow” moments together.

Ryan McGinty

Photography Instructor

Ryan McGinty is a seasoned landscape photographer living in the Palouse area of southeastern Washington. His first-hand experience in this unique agricultural area makes him the perfect instructor to lead people to out-of-the-way places for those once-in-a-lifetime rainbows, sunsets and sunrises in the beautiful rolling hills. He loves chasing the light and diligently checks weather apps to get the latest sun and rain predictions, cloud formations, wind and temperatures for the best locations and light.

His interest in photography started at an early age and continued in college with graduate work at Brooks Institute of Photography. His experience in portrait, wedding, film, and medium and large format photography give him an extraordinary background for his award-winning landscape photography.

His passion for the Palouse is only exceeded by his passion for photography and his desire to show people his favorite places. He takes a legitimate interest in his clients and strives hard to ensure they get the best shots. His photographs have been published in books, calendars and travel guides.