South Dakota Badlands Photo Workshop

June 15-20, 2023 - Sold Out!

Join our South Dakota Badlands Workshop for an adventure into some of the most stunning geologic formations! Dates are timed to take advantage of spring conditions with best chances for lush green grass, storms, and dramatic clouds. Big vistas, sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires will keep you pressing that shutter button! And that's not all - plentiful wildlife sightings will give us additional shooting opportunities with species like bison, pronghorn, whitetail deer, coyotes, hawks, eagles, badgers, and more! The workshop includes lodging, transportation, and instruction.

Tuition

$2595
5 Nights Lodging

Max Group Size

4 Students per Instructor
8 Students Max

Instructor(s)

Kevin McNeal
Ryan McGinty

Physical Intensity

South Dakota Badlands Workshop - Badlands National Park

Highlights

Photograph a wonderland of otherwordly spires, pinnacles, massive buttes and deep gorges.
Dates are timed for best chances of lush green grass, dramatic clouds, and storm activity! If skies are clear, nights will be free of moon interference so we can photograph the starry skies.
Wildlife is plentiful with many species such as bison, pronghorn, deer, coyotes, hawks, and eagles.
Expect plenty of individual attention and instruction with our small groups.
Tuition includes 5 nights lodging and all transportation during the workshop.
Post-processing and image critique sessions will be scheduled throughout the workshop to help make the most of your images.

Itinerary

The itinerary is kept flexible to allow us to chase the best weather and conditions. The itinerary below is just an example of what you can expect.

Day 1: Meet at 1PM at the Holiday Inn in Rapid City for a mandatory introductory session. Free airport shuttle service is available by calling the front desk. After a quick dinner, we load up the rig, and head for Wall, SD where we will spend our first night. We end our evening with a brilliant sunset from a view high over the valley below.
Day 2: We wake early to capture a colorful sunrise over the Badlands. We explore many spires, buttes, and grasslands as we take advantage of the warm morning light. We even get some great wildlife sightings! After lunch and a short rest break, we meet for an afternoon post processing session before heading out for our sunset shoot. Dramatic clouds have built up during the afternoon, giving us views of distant storms.
Day 3: It's another early wake-up call for sunrise at Panorama Point. The light doesn't disappoint as it accents the otherwordly textures and shapes of the badlands. After breakfast we reconvene for post processing and enjoy dinner as a group. We head out a little earlier for our sunset shoot today to take advantage of great weather conditions! With clear skies, we stay out late for Milky Way photography.
Day 4: After sunrise at a nearby overlook, we return to town in time to grab a late breakfast and check out of our hotel. We relocate to another town with brand new photographic opportunities! We spend the afternoon photographing both landscapes and wildlife throughout the badlands. Our day finishes up with a colorful sunset over a beautiful lake.
Day 5: It's hard to believe this is our last day together! After sunrise and breakfast, we check out of our hotel and spend the day exploring the Needles Region, the Wildlife Loop, Iron Mountain Road, and more. We end the day with dinner in Rapid City. Lodging is included for the last night, so you can plan your return travel the following morning. Airport shuttle service is available through the hotel.

South Dakota Badlands Photography Workshop

Logistics

Plan to arrive in Rapid City prior to 1PM on the first day of the workshop for a mandatory orientation session at the Holiday Inn in Rapid City. We will cover many photo techniques you will use throughout the workshop and go over logistics and our daily plans.

Tuition includes five nights of double occupancy lodging and all transportation during the workshop. If you book double occupancy as a single individual, we will try to pair you up. If this is not possible, you will be asked to upgrade to single occupancy which is available for an additional fee. You will need to arrange your own transportation to and from the airport in Rapid City. Airport shuttle service is available, as well as Uber, Lyft and taxi services.

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 or post-processing sessions.

This workshop is rated Moderate for activity level. No long hikes are planned but participants should be able to hike 2-4 miles each day to get to the shooting locations while carrying their photo gear.

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!

The weather is highly variable in spring. It could be sunny and warm or a cold front might come in and bring some rain, wind, and storms. Nights can be chilly, so you will want warm layers. Please see the gear list further down. More detailed information will be send out prior to the workshop.

Pricing

$2595 per Person

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Trip Includes:

All ground transportation and photography guiding during the trip.
5 Nights Double Occupancy Hotel Lodging. Single Occupancy adds $600.
Post-processing and image critique
Park entrance fees.

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Rapid City, SD
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.

Before completing your reservation, please read our Terms and Conditions.

Images from Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park of the Black Hills of South Dakota

Images from Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Wide angle lens in the 16-35mm range, preferably with max aperture of f/2.8 or faster for night photography. Ultra-wide angle lenses may allow you to be more creative in your compositions.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Telephoto lenses in the 200-600 range for wildlife.
Circular polarizer filters and ND filters for your lenses. If you like shooting with grads, bring them along.
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 for cool mornings
Rain gear (jacket), and protection for your camera gear.
Headlamp
Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Sun Hat.
Water bottle or hydration bladder.
Hiking poles if you like having them.
Headlamp for night photography.

South Dakota Badlands Workshop - Badlands National Park Bison Wildlife Photography

Kevin McNeal

Photography Instructor

Kevin McNeal is a Washington-State photographer who is passionate about photographing grand landscapes that reflect the most unique places on earth. Capturing moments of magic light and transferring this to print is the ultimate goal. His images hold a combination of perseverance, patience, and dedication to capture landscapes in fresh ways. The stories of how these images are rendered come across in the feelings the images convey. He has traveled all over North America, shooting diverse landscapes and finding remote places with the hope that we can convey to the public that this earth is worth caring for. His award winning images can be seen in galleries and showings across the United States. He was recently invited to the Art Wolfe Art Gallery for the Environmental Photography Invitational. Kevin was the grand winner of the Landscape category for the Natures Best Magazine and was selected for the Smithsonian National Museum of History in Washington D.C.. He is a regular contributor to publications like Outdoor Photographer.

Artist’s Statement

“I believe that the Earth shares secrets with us that only can be discovered by trying to understand our position on this planet. We are never fully intimate with the planet but are given brief moments that make our souls want more. These glimpses of nature’s power are fleeting and never the same twice. I also believe it is important to share with those who want it. The treasures that await us given the patience that is out there. What I try to do is bring some of that magic to my images to share with the rest of the world. Each of my images tells a story that everyone can relate to in some way whether it is success, fear, or challenging oneself to overcome obstacles

Kevin's portfolio can be found at www.kevinmcnealphotography.com.

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.