Beyond the Badlands

Sept 25-29, 2023

Join us in Hanksville, UT for a foray into some remote and seldom photographed parts of the Utah badlands. Come witness one of the most spectacular and otherworldly landscapes on Earth! Many places here are perfect for drone & aerial photography. Even better, we'll get a few opportunities to photograph the full moon! This workshop is rated Moderate for physical intensity with 2-4 miles of hiking per day.

Tuition

$2095
50% Deposit

Max Group Size

4-5 Students Per Instructor
Max 8 Students

Instructor(s)

Nickolas Warner
2nd Instructor TBD

Physical Intensity

Badlands Photo Workshops Utah Photography Workshops

Highlights

The badlands of central Utah are filled with remote photo locations that will blow your mind!
Dates are timed for full moon photography.
Central Utah is the mecca for aerial photography. Bring a drone if you have one!
With a small group, we guarantee plenty of individual attention. You will learn many new camera skills while visiting spectacular locations.
We provide all the transportation during the workshop so you don't have to worry about the rough roads.
Post-processing and image critique sessions will be scheduled throughout the workshop to help make the most of your images.

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Beyond the Badlands Full Moon Photo Workshop

Itinerary

The itinerary is kept flexible based on weather, current conditions, and group interest. The following itinerary is just an example of what you can expect. We will be targeting locations in the greater Hanksville and Capitol Reef areas.

Day 1 (Sept 25): Meet at 3PM in Hanksville, UT for a mandatory introductory session. After dinner, we head out to a nearby location for sunset photos. This area is also perfect for drone photos!
Day 2 (Sept 26): We venture out to capture a beautiful sunrise! We head back to town for a midday break and meet up after lunch for a post-processing session. In the evening we explore some of our favorite areas of the badlands, capturing a variety of images from abstracts to grand landscapes.
Day 3 (Sept 27): We wake up early and drive to one of our favorite overlooks for sunrise. After this, we photograph several other interesting locations and head back to town. After breakfast we do a short hike through a slot canyon. The afternoon forecast is calling for clouds, so we drive out to a seldom visited viewpoint in the stark badlands. We're in luck as the sky lights up brilliantly!
Day 4 (Sept 28): With good clouds forecasted for sunrise, we wake before dawn to photograph one of our favorite morning locations. You'll get wide landscapes, abstracts, and more. This is also the perfect place to take drone aerials. The landscapes here are so otherworldly. We do our final post-processing session and then depart for our sunset shoot in the Capitol Reef backcountry where we'll capture the full moon as it rises above the rock formations.
Day 5 (Sept 29). This is a special morning as we are perfectly positioned for capturing the full moon as it sets behind the landscape. We return to Hanksville and say our goodbyes. The workshop will conclude by 11AM.

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Spire Lit by Moon Utah Badlands David Swindler Action Photo Tours

Logistics

Please arrive in Hanksville, UT prior to 3PM on September 25th. We didn’t include hotel stays on this trip to allow you the flexibility of a lodging option of your choice. We highly recommend you book a cabin at Duke's Slickrock. Take advantage of our special workshop rate by emailing them dukesslickrockcampground@gmail.com or calling (435) 633-6655 and mentioning Action Photo Tours. You will need lodging for the nights of September 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th.

All transportation during the workshop is included. Everyone on this trip should be in reasonably good physical condition. We aren't planning any long hikes, but the uneven terrain, sand, and steep uphills can make short hikes seem much harder. You should be comfortable walking around 2-3 miles per day.

We are keeping the itinerary flexible since we can't control the weather. Don't worry - we'll make the best possible use of our time. Our job is to get you the most stunning photos and help you learn as much as possible!

This time of year the temps are mild during the day with cooler nights. There is always a chance that rain and cold temps may move in. You'll need to bring warm layers to ensure you don't get cold photographing early in the morning. Please see the gear list further down.

This area definitely has potential to become the next photography hotspot. We don't want to see that happen since it is such a delicate area that can't handle a lot of traffic. We will ask all participants to not reveal certain locations when posting shots online.

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Additional Notes

Many of the areas we visit are perfect for using a drone camera and recommend bringing one. Having a drone is NOT a requirement for attending the workshop. We are more than happy to help instruct you on your drone photography.

We are authorized permit holders with the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). We carry a satellite beacon in case we run into any emergencies in the backcountry.

We keep our groups small so we can give you adequate individual attention. Education and instruction is an important component of our workshops which is why we also schedule plenty of post-processing time throughout our days together. Come explore our amazing world with us!

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Beyond the Badlands Photography Workshop Goblin Valley Night

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Pricing

$2095 per Person

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Trip Includes:

All ground transportation and photography guiding during the trip.
Post-processing and image critique
Park entrance fees.

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Hanksville, UT.
Hotel Accommodations.
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 90-days prior to arrival to the credit card we have on file.

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Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Wide Angle Zoom Lens. Anything in the 14-24mm range will work well.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Long telephoto lenses will come in handy for creating abstract images. We really like long zoom lenses like the 100-400mm, 150-600mm, etc.
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. An intervalometer will be especially useful for doing long exposures at night.
Laptop if you wish to backup your photos or follow along during the post-processing instruction.
We may be able to rent you gear if you don't have everything you need.

Personal Gear List

Sturdy hiking footwear, hiking socks, and long pants .
A rain jacket and warm layer since it can get cold in the mornings.
Headlamp for night hiking
Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Hat.
Water bottle or hydration bladder.
Hiking poles if you like having them.

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Nickolas Warner

Photography Instructor

Nickolas Warner is an award-winning photographer with recognition by the Epson Pano Awards, International Landscape Photographer of the Year, and Outdoor Photographer. He has a particular interest in extreme and unusual locations. His travels have taken him to some fascinating locations, but the American Southwest is his favorite place to photograph.

Nickolas spent the past decade guiding in Alaska, where he provided instruction on photographing the aurora borealis, and shared his knowledge of the far north’s rugged terrain and resilient wildlife.

When not guiding, Nickolas enjoys long distance hiking and extended backpacking trips through remote wilderness areas.

Nickolas's portfolio can be found at Nickolas Warner Photography

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