Winter In The Desert Photo Workshop

Feb 23-27, 2025

Photograph the Southwest's stunning red rock scenery accented by white winter snow! Crowds are minimal in winter season, allowing us a degree of solitude you will really appreciate. Billowing fog, icicles, storms, and dramatic clouds are hopefully all in store! The itinerary is kept flexible to allow us to take advantage of the best weather and conditions. With a max group size of 8 participants and 2 instructors, expect to learn many new photo techniques from your pro photographer instructors.

Tuition

$2195
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Max Group Size

4 Students per Instructor
Max 8 Students

Instructor(s)

Wendy Casey
Brian Wilde

Physical Intensity

Winter in the Desert Photography Workshop

Highlights

Winter is the ideal time to visit the desert as the snow dampens the sound and highlights the wonders of the red rock landscapes.
With most of the tourists gone, you'll fill your lungs with fresh, crisp air each day and experience a degree of solitude you'll appreciate.
Flexible itinerary allows us to get to the best places for winter conditions.
Photograph magnificent vistas in the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and beyond! Intrepid travel and fresh perspectives are what we specialize in.
Group size is capped at 8 participants and 2 instructors.
Learn from pro instructors both in the classroom and in the field.
Workshop fee includes all transportation.

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Itinerary

We keep a flexible itinerary in order find the best winter conditions and to deliver the best possible photography experience. We reserve the right to change the itinerary and shooting locations as needed. We’ll spend most of our time in the field taking photos but will include image critique and editing sessions throughout the workshop. Night photography is also an option if skies are clear. The itinerary below is just an example of what you can expect.

Day 1 (Feb 23): Arrive in Kanab for a mandatory orientation that starts at 10:30AM. If coming from Las Vegas, know that you will lose an hour when driving to Utah. After the session, we'll grab lunch, load up and drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to shoot sunset.
Day 2 (Feb 24): Full day of shooting on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. With fresh snow on the rim, compositions are endless with snowy foregrounds and the dramatic canyon below. A few short hikes are planned for today. Return to our hotel in Tusayan after sunset.
Day 3 (Feb 25): We are up early for our final sunrise opportunity at the Grand Canyon and then start the drive back to Kanab. We photograph several places along the way and get back to town after dark to check into our new hotel.
Day 4 (Feb 26): With our flexible itinerary, we'll decide as a group where we want to photograph today and tomorrow. The options are endless and include places like Bryce Canyon, Zion, White Pocket, and the Grand Staircase Escalante. Expect a full day of shooting and a post-processing session in the evening.
Day 5 (Feb 27): We get up early for one last sunrise shoot. With clear skies, we decide to get out early and capture the pre-dawn Milky Way and then stay out for sunrise. We return to town for breakfast. We'll hold a midday image critique and post-processing session before the workshop concludes no later than 4PM.

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Bryce Canyon Milky Way Photo Tour Thors Hammer Winter in the Desert Photo Workshop

Simplicity is often preferred in photography, as it helps to strengthen the subject matter and reduce distractions. That was my intention while photographing this snowy scene at Bryce Canyon. Since we didn't get any light this particular morning, the clouds and fog helped to simplify the scene and make the tree become more prominent.

Logistics

Please arrive in Kanab, UT by 10:30AM on Feb 23rd for a mandatory orientation session. To simplify lodging logistics, we have pre-paid the accommodations for our group. When you checkout, a 4-night lodging package will be added to your booking. Cost is $325 for double and $650 for single occupancy. We will finish the workshop around 4PM on Feb 27th. It's up to you if you want to stay in Kanab that night or head somewhere else.

All participants on this trip should be in reasonably good physical condition. We aren't planning any long hikes on this trip, but the presence of snow can make short hikes seem much harder. You should be comfortable walking around 1-2 miles per day. For winter hiking, you will want to get a pair of micro-spikes so you don't slip on the ice. Click Here for a recommended pair from Amazon.

We timed this workshop for a good chance of snow in the Southwest. It seems each year that the snow is coming later and later which is why we are targeting this week of Feb. However, we can't control the weather and it's possible we won't have snow at some or all of the locations. The weather can vary quite a bit in winter weason and you'll want to prepare for the worst. We could have sunny weather and highs in the 40's but it will most likely be much colder. It's not uncommon to see sub-zero morning temps in Bryce Canyon. Please see the gear list further down for specific recommendations. No matter what the weather does, we’ll get awesome photos. If it’s exceptionally wet, some of the dirt roads may be impassable and we'll modify the itinerary accordingly. Transportation will be provided in 4WD trucks so we can handle most winter conditions.

We will be driving from Kanab, UT to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. You are welcome to drive your own vehicle if you wish. If you choose to ride with us, please restrict your baggage to one one moderately sized suitcase and a camera bag.

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Pricing

$2195/Person

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Trip Includes:

All ground transportation and photography guiding during the trip.
Post-processing and image critique sessions.
All necessary permits and entry fees for the places we will visit.
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting
4-night lodging package will be added to your booking at checkout. Cost is $325 for double or $650 for single occupancy.

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Kanab, UT.
Alcoholic Beverages.
Meals 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 approximately 120 days prior to departure. We will notify you when the final payment is due. Please see our full Terms and Conditions.

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Winter in the Desert Photo Workshop Bryce

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Wide Angle Lens. Frame frame - aim for 16-35mm range or wider. Crop sensor, 10-22mm.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Telephoto lenses will come in handy in Bryce and the Grand Canyon. Anything in the 70-400mm range.
Circular polarizer filters are useful. Bring any ND filters if you have them.
Extra batteries, memory cards, and cleaning supplies.
Remote cord for your camera.
Laptop if you wish to backup your photos or do any editing (optional)

Personal Gear List

Sturdy hiking footwear, thick hiking socks, and long pants.
Several warm layers. For the most comfort, we recommend wearing moisture wicking base layers. A fleece or down jacket will help keep you warm and a waterproof shell or coat should be worn on the outside.
Snow pants or gaitors that you can seal around your boots to keep snow out. If your snow pants aren't insulated, make sure you wear an insulating base layer.
Warm hat, thick gloves, and glove liners (useful to operate your camera controls).
Micro-spikes or micro-traction devices will help when walking on slick surfaces. Snowshoes will not be needed for where we're going.
Headlamp in case we are hiking in the dark.
Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Sun Hat
Water bottle

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Trip Advisor

Wendy Casey

Photography Instructor

Wendy is proud to be a Utah Native and began hiking and camping with her parents at a very young age. She has many fond memories hiking to amazing viewpoints and taking in the grandeur that is Utah. Her interest in photography began in the 80’s where she made her film images come to life in a darkroom.

She now enjoys the creativity of the digital world by photographing a wide range of interests, from Landscape, Wildlife, Portraits, to Sports. Her favorite is capturing epic scenery with a human interest.

When Wendy and her husband Randy are not at home on their farm, they are out on a trail somewhere, exploring, photographing and creating videos of their adventures. Wendy has a lot of experience with horses on their ranch and will be an instructor on some of our wild horse and ranch workshops.

Over the years, she has participated in many art shows. Her local favorites are the Kimball Arts, Park City Art Festival and Midway Swiss Days. She has shipped her art around the world and has her work hanging throughout the state in hospitals, clinics and many large and small businesses. Her images have also been featured in and on the covers of local magazines.

Wendy loves to help others develop their passion for photography and capture through the viewfinder, winning scenes to last forever and an epic story to go with it.

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Brian Wilde

Photography Instructor

Brian Wilde is an entrepreneur and a passionate wildlife and portrait photographer based in Salt Lake City, UT. His work has been featured on Forbes, CNN, MSN, Daily Mail, DP Review, DY Photography, and the cover of Foto Magazine. His portraits include noted celebrities such as President Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, James Earl Jones, John C. Reilly, Jessie Jackson, and more. His work has graced the CNN Travel homepage numerous times, is featured in world class hotels, and his print “God’s Painting” has won a major National Geographic award. Recently, he won a prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year Award for his wild stallion portfolio in the Thrills & Adventures category.