Palouse Photo Workshop

June 16-19, 2027

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Each spring, the Palouse comes alive with color and texture. The rolling hills of Eastern Washington turn myriad shades of green, while the canola fields add sweeping bands of vibrant yellows across the landscape. Wildflowers line the backroads, seasonal waterfalls flow through deep canyons, and the entire region becomes a playground for landscape photography. With so much ground to cover and conditions changing daily, local photographer and lead instructor Ryan McGinty will put you in the right places at the right times for the best photos. Want more?  Extend your trip with our Palouse Barns Workshop June 20-23, 2027.

Tuition

Max Group Size

  • 5 Students per Instructor
  • Max 10 Students

Instructor(s)

  • Ryan McGinty
  • Shane McDermott

Physical Intensity

Palouse Photography Tour Double Rainbow

Highlights

  • The Palouse in Eastern Washington turns into a palette of vibrant colors in the spring! Wildflowers and canola are blooming and the fields are a tapestry of greens.
  • Get off the beaten path with expert instructors. Resident photographer Ryan McGinty knows the Palouse intimately.
  • Learn many new techniques on this workshop from abstract telephoto compositions to grandiose wide angle shots!
  • All ground transportation is included.
  • Post-processing and image critique sessions scheduled throughout the workshop to make the most of your images.
  • Extend your trip with our Palouse Barns Workshop June 20-23, 2027.
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Palouse Photo Workshop
Palouse Spring Photo 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.

  • 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 go out to a nearby location.
  • 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:  We are up early again for sunrise at an iconic lone tree. 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 since big puffy white clouds are coming in. They complement the yellow canola fields perfectly! After a quick dinner, we go to Palouse Falls to photograph the sunset over the deep canyon and the raging waterfall.
  • Day 4:  Even though we are tired, we are rewarded with a brilliant sunrise at one of our favorite overlooks.  We explore a few other nearby areas before returning to the hotel.  The workshop will conclude by 11AM.
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Palouse Spring Photo Workshop
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 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.

Check out our Palouse Barns Workshop June 20-23.  You can book both to really round out your Palouse experience, especially if you want to focus more on architectural subjects in beautiful landscapes.  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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Palouse Photo Workshop
Palouse Photo Workshop Spring Old Truck
Palouse Photo Workshop

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 respectively.

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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Palouse Falls
Palouse Spring Photo Workshop

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.

Palouse Barns Photo Workshop
Palouse Lone Tree
Palouse Barn

Recommended Camera Gear

  • Sturdy tripod and ballhead
  • Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
  • Wide angle lens in the 16-35mm range.  We recommend a lens 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
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Palouse Spring Photo Workshop
Palouse Photo Workshop Spring Rainbow

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Ryan McGinty Profile Photo Olympics

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

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.