Palouse Barns Photo Workshop

June 20-23, 2027

The Palouse Barns Workshop celebrates the classic rural character of Eastern Washington, where weathered barns, historic structures, country roads, and sweeping farmland create endless opportunities for photography. In spring, the rolling hills come alive with vibrant greens, wildflowers, flowing seasonal waterfalls, and brilliant yellow canola fields in full bloom. With architectural subjects scattered across a vast and ever-changing landscape, local photographer and instructor Ryan McGinty will guide you to the best locations based on light, weather, bloom, and field conditions. Want more? Extend your trip with our Spring in the Palouse Workshop June 16-19, 2027.

Tuition

$1895
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Max Group Size

5 Students per Instructor
Max 10 Students

Instructor(s)

Ryan McGinty
Shane McDermott

Physical Intensity

Highlights

The Palouse turns into a palette of vibrant colors in the spring!
The pastoral landscape is dotted with rustic barns, old buildings, windmills, grain elevators, abandoned homes, and charming towns.
Expect to get off the beaten path with expert instructors. Resident photographer Ryan McGinty knows the Palouse intimately.
Dates are scheduled for the vibrant yellow canola blooms!.
Expect to learn many new techniques on this workshop from abstract telephoto compositions to grandiose wide angle shots!
All ground transportation included.
Post-processing and image critique sessions scheduled throughout the workshop to make the most of your images.
Extend your trip with our Spring in the Palouse Workshop June 16-19, 2027.

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.

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. For sunset, we'll venture out to a few of our favorite barns and silos. We've planned a few shots that can take advantage of the rising full moon.
Day 2: We are out the door well before dawn to capture early light on the rolling hills behind a photogenic barn. We explore many of sights in the area before returning to the hotel for breakfast. We take a midday rest break and reconvene for a classroom session where we'll critique images and teach post-processing skills. After dinner, we head out to capture a distant barn surrounded by rolling green hills.
Day 3: We head out early to capture a picturesque grain silo. After that we find some old houses, barns, and wildflowers to shoot. We return to the hotel for breakfast and another post-processing session. We go out again mid-afternoon and photograph silos, abandoned houses, and grain elevators surrounded by blooming canola and countless shades of green.
Day 4: Time flies when you're having fun! We head out for our last sunrise opportunity. On our way back we stop by an abandoned house and an old town with myriad subjects to shoot. The workshop will conclude by 11AM.

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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 don't want to rent a car, fly to Pullman and take Uber or Lyft to the hotel. If you decide to drive from the Seattle area, expect a 4.5 hr drive. Please be in Pullman, WA no later than 3PM on Day 1 for our orientation session at the group hotel.

For you convenience, a 3-night lodging package at the Best Western Plus will be added to your booking at checkout. Please see the Pricing section for more details. And as a reminder, 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. If you are a light sleeper, we recommend bringing ear plugs and an eye-mask to help you catch up on sleep during the day.

Transportation will be provided during the workshop for all participants. This workshop is rated Easy for activity level. All photo shoots will be close to the vehicles with not much walking required.

If you want to extend your trip, check out our Palouse Spring Workshop June 16-19, 2027. If booking both back-to-back, you'll have one night off in-between and you would need to book your own hotel room for that evening.

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Pricing

$1895/person + Tax

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Trip Includes:

4-Day Intensive Photo Workshop with 2 Pro Instructors.
All Ground Transportation
Park Entrance Fees
In-Field Photography Instruction
Post-processing and Image Critique
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting
At checkout, a 3-night lodging package at the Best Western Plus will be added to your booking. Cost is $275 for double and $550 for single occupancy.

Trip Does NOT Include:

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

The Fine Print:

50% deposit required to hold your spot.
Remaining balance is due Feb 16, 2027.
If you need to cancel, a full refund less a $300 cancellation fee will be given once your spot is filled by another participant.
See the full Terms and Conditions.

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Physical Difficulty

From a hiking standpoint, this is one of the easiest workshops we offer. Most locations require only short walks from the vehicles, making the physical demands relatively light.

The real challenge comes from the schedule. With dates close to the summer solstice, sunrise is just before 5:00 AM, so early departures between 4:00 and 4:30 AM are common.

We build in midday downtime so you can rest, recharge, and catch up on sleep. Taking advantage of that time is important. After an afternoon post-processing session, we’ll head back out for our sunset shoot. With sunset around 9:00 PM, it’s possible we may not return to the hotel until after 10:00 PM.

If you are considering combining both Palouse workshops, we include one night off between them so you have time to recover. We strongly encourage you to use that break to rest and avoid burning yourself out.

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Wide angle lens in the 16-35mm range.
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. 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

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Palouse Photo Workshop Spring Barn Rainbow

Trusted by Over 900 Reviews

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.

Shane McDermott

Photography Instructor

Shane is a seasoned photography instructor with more than 25 years behind the camera and over ten years of experience leading photo workshops. His work is rooted in presence, patience, and a deep relationship with light, shaped by a lifetime spent exploring both creative expression and the natural world.

For more than 30 years, Shane’s practice of yoga and meditation has helped him see beyond surface appearances, and he brings that same awareness into the field. He doesn’t just teach people how to photograph beautiful places; he helps them slow down, truly see, and develop their own creative vision.

Many photographers arrive at iconic locations chasing “the shot” they’ve seen before. Shane gently guides them away from imitation and into genuine discovery, helping them understand how light, form, color, and texture can speak directly to their own sensibility. His passion is helping participants move from simply capturing a scene to creating something that feels alive and deeply personal.

That creative process continues after the cameras are packed away. Shane also guides photographers through RAW processing, adjustment layers, and thoughtful image development, helping them translate the emotion and magic they felt in the field into finished photographs that reflect their own vision and passion.