Storms and Saguaros Workshop

Aug 1-5, 2027

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Join us for several exhilarating days chasing storms across the Desert Southwest! Monsoon season provides dramatic light, lightning, rainbows, and big clouds.  You'll learn how to read the weather models, follow the radar, and position yourself for the best shots. With a small group of only 8 photographers, you'll learn weather forecasting and photography skills from both David Swindler and Mike Olbinski.  Mike is an Emmy-winning storm photographer who has been chasing for over 14 years.  We will ensure you get the best shots of these incredible storms with a strong emphasis on safety.

Tuition

Max Group Size

  • 4 Students per Instructor
  • Max 8 Students

Instructor(s)

  • Kevin Dobo
  • Mike Olbinski

Physical Intensity

Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop David Swindler

Highlights

  • Photograph the Southwest during the height of the monsoon season. Expect big storms, lightning and dramatic light!
  • Join Emmy-winning photographer Mike Olbsinski along with David Swindler in search of the best storms.
  • The itinerary is kept flexible so we can take advantage of everything mother nature throws at us. We'll follow the storms even if it means driving some long distances!
  • You will learn how to read the weather models, how to follow the best storms, and how to position to capture incredible images.
  • Small group of 8 photographers means plenty of individual attention.
  • Image critique and post-processing session(s) will be scheduled throughout the workshop.
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Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop David Swindler

Itinerary

The itinerary is being kept flexible to account for weather and current conditions. This is a storm chasing workshop, so we're focused on capturing the most dramatic storms wherever they may be. This itinerary is only meant to give you an idea of what we could be doing each day.

  • Day 1:  Meet at 1PM for a mandatory orientation session in Tucson, AZ. We'll go over many techniques for photographing storms and how we forecast and plan for the weather. After we're done, we notice a cell of storms west of town. We find some nice saguaros and capture daytime lightning shots along with a dramatic sunset.
  • Day 2:  We meet back up mid-morning for a post-processing session. After lunch, the wind patterns are indicative of a dust storm to the northwest. We hurry out there and photograph some intense haboob activity. We stay out until nearly midnight since the lightning keeps on coming!
  • Day 3:  We meet for another classroom session where you'll learn additional storm chasing techniques. From there, we take a few of your photos and show you our favorite post-processing techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop. The temps are cooler today and there isn't as much storm activity so we head to an area with great views and lots of saguaros. We capture some incredible conditions at sunset.
  • Day 4: Today we start out with an image critique session and teach some post-processing skills. Then we notice a storm that's developing to the south so we strategically place ourselves to the side of the storm's path. We capture insane shelf clouds and many lightning bolts! As the rain begins, we drive off and find several other storms to photograph. We return to Tucson well after dark.
  • Day 5:  Departure day.  We may be out really late the night before so you will likely want to sleep in. You can plan your return travel for anytime today.
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Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop Olbinski
Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop David Swindler
Storms - John Sirlin
Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop David Swindler

Logistics

Please arrive in Tucson, AZ prior to 1PM on Day 1 for a mandatory orientation session at the Marriott Courtyard in Williams Center.  To make things simple, a 4-night lodging package at the Marriott will be added to your booking during checkout.  See the Pricing section below for details.  Transportation is provided for all workshop outings.

All participants on this trip should be in reasonably good physical condition with good mobility. For storms, we need to be able to deploy our gear and pack up quickly. This workshop is rated Easy for physical intensity as there won't be much hiking involved.

We timed this workshop for the best chance of monsoon storms and dramatic clouds.  We can't control the weather, but will certainly make the best of what Mother Nature throws at us.  If the storms aren't as active, we'll focus more on landscape photography.  Longer driving distances may be required on less active days.

You may experience many different kinds of weather in July.  Expect very hot temperatures, especially in the afternoon.  If storms come in, lots of rain can fall and the temperatures will cool dramatically.  See the gear list further down for specific recommendations on what to bring.

Capturing daytime lightning requires a lightning trigger with a cable that is specific to your camera. The trigger is not needed for shooting lightning at dusk or at night. With lightning triggers, you get what you pay for.  Cheap triggers will almost always deliver sub-par results. We recommend the new Bolt Hunter Device.

We never know how late we'll be out when we're storm chasing.  So Day 5 is our departure day, giving you time to sleep in if we arrive late on the last night.  You can plan your return travel for anytime on Day 5.

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Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop Olbinski
Storms and Saguaros Photo Workshop Storm Chasing
Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop Olbinski
Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop David Swindler
Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Photo Workshop

Pricing

$2295/Person + Tax

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Trip Includes:

  • 5-Day Intensive Photo Workshop with 2 Pro Instructors.
  • All ground transportation and photography guiding.
  • Daily classroom sessions covering topics such as reading weather models, forecasting, planning, and photo techniques.
  • Post-processing and image critique.
  • At checkout, a 4-night lodging package at the Marriott Courtyard in Tucson will be added to your booking. Cost is $500 for Double Occupancy and $1000 for Single Occupancy.

Trip Does NOT Include:

  • Transportation to/from your home to Tucson, AZ.
  • Meals, snacks, and beverages.
  • Instructor Gratuities.

The Fine Print:

  • 50% deposit required to hold your spot.
  • Remaining balance is due Apr 1, 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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Storms and Saguaros Photo Workshop Storm Chasing
Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop David Swindler

Recommended Camera Gear

  • Sturdy tripod and ballhead
  • Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
  • Wide Angle Zoom Lens (16-35mm on full frame).
  • Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
  • Telephoto lenses are optional but may come in handy for distant storms and cloud patterns.
  • Bring a circular polarizer filter and or 3-stop ND filter for your wide angle and mid-range zoom lenses.
  • Lightning trigger. We recommend the new Bolt Hunter Device for best results.
  • Extra batteries for your camera and lightning trigger along with extra memory cards.
  • A blower and micro-fiber cloth for cleaning.
  • Remote cord for your camera. We recommend a remote where you can lock down the button for back-to-back exposures.
  • Backpack or case for your gear.
  • When it starts raining, we will be packing up. Bring your lens hoods to help keep droplets off your lens!
  • Laptop if you wish to backup or edit your photos.

Personal Gear List

  • Sturdy footwear, hiking socks, and long pants.
  • A rain jacket since it can get cold when storms roll in.
  • Headlamp for when we are out at night.
  • Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Sun Hat
  • Water bottle.
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Storms and Saguaros Storm Chasing Workshop Olbinski

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Kevin Dobo

Kevin Dobo

Photography Instructor

Kevin’s first foray into landscape photography was on a week-long youth group bicycle tour of coastal Maine at the age of 16. When he returned home and developed dozens of rolls of film, his mother exclaimed, “There are no people in your photos!”.  Such a thing never occurred to him. The coastline and forest foliage were what caught his eye.

Kevin has seen lots of changes in technology, from 35mm film cameras to pocket-sized digital compacts, then to full sized DSLRs and now mirrorless. From his native Ohio, the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, and the Front Range of Colorado, he never loses sight of the simple pleasure of capturing a magical moment in the great outdoors.

After a couple years nomading across the US in the wake of the Covid pandemic, Kevin along with his partner Monte, settled in Kanab, Utah and Tucson, Arizona. Two years later, the endlessly colorful southern Utah landscape won out over the distinctive but scorching Sonoran Desert, and Kanab is now home. Kevin loves the desert Southwest and enjoys sharing his photographic insights with photographers from all around the world.

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Mike Olbinski

Mike Olbinski

Photography Instructor

Mike is an Emmy-winning photographer and filmmaker based out of Phoenix, Arizona and has been chasing the monsoon across the desert southwest for nearly 14 years. Born and raised in the state, storms were fascinating to him and a small child and it wasn't until his early 30s that he realized his passion for capturing storms on camera and sharing those images with the world. His time-lapse work has been licensed by most major brands across the globe and he routinely collaborates with the BBC, National Geographic and more.