The Wave and Beyond Photo Workshop

Oct 3-9, 2025 - Sold Out!

Photograph the iconic Wave! Explore the sandstone wonderland of Coyote Buttes North on this rarely offered photo workshop. With a flexible itinerary, we'll maximize your photo opportunities throughout our week together and we have permits to guide all over the Southwest. The dates fall during the new moon week, so when skies are clear, we'll capture the brilliant Milky Way! When we're not hiking into remote corners of the desert, we'll schedule time for post-processing training and image critiques. This trip is physically challenging and is only for those with very good fitness and stamina. But the rewards are well worth it as you'll photograph some of the world's most extraordinary sandstone formations!

Tuition

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Max Group Size

5 Students Max

Instructor(s)

David Swindler

Physical Intensity

Highlights

Highly coveted permits for The Wave have been acquired for our group!
Photograph the Wave, the Second Wave, Sand Cove, Top Rock, and many more hidden gems.
Oct offers the perfect hiking weather with cooler temperatures and calm conditions.
Brilliant fall colors will be on display in the higher country.
Dates are timed to capture the full moon with the beautiful landscapes.
Explore remote parts of the desert with a flexible itinerary.
Learn new photography skills and post-processing techniques from a pro-photographer instructor.
All transportation provided in lifted 4x4 trucks.

Itinerary

In order to give our clients the best possible photography experience, we keep the itinerary flexible to account for weather, conditions, and group interest. The itinerary below is just an example of what you can expect. The only day that is fixed is Coyote Buttes North on Oct 5th.

Day 1 (Oct 3): We meet in Kanab, UT at 1PM with a short orientation session and classroom style instruction. After lunch, we venture out to one of our favorite spots in Zion National Park for our first evening shoot.
Day 2 (Oct 4): We are up early for our sunrise shoot, followed by breakfast and an instructional classroom session. That afternoon we venture into the high country to capture the brilliant displays of fall colors all around us!
Day 3 (Oct 5): This is the day we've all been waiting for! It's time to go to the Wave! Since we are expecting nice weather in October, be prepared for a very long day. We'll start hiking well before sunrise and will stay out until after sunset to fully maximize our time in this special area. We may even get some neat shots with the rising full moon!
Day 4 (Oct 6): We take a leisurly morning to rest up after our big day. We meet middday for a post-processing session. After lunch, we head out to explore some otherwordly badlands, ending at a high viewpoint over Lake Powell. Right at sunset, we'll capture the full moon as it rises over the beautiful landscape.
Day 5 (Oct 7): We hold an image critique session today and talk about more ideas to enhance your post-processing. That afternoon, we head out to White Pocket. Amazing compositions abound all around us and we enjoy some great golden light at sunset.
Day 6 (Oct 8): Today we do several hikes to some rarely visited hoodoos. There are so many creative compositions! That afternoon, it looks like some nice clouds are buildling over the Grand Canyon, so we head out there to see if we get lucky with a colorful sunset.
Day 7 (Oct 9): Departure day. You can plan your return travel anytime.

I've seen Alstrom Point in many different conditions and I love seeing how much the light changes the landscape. On this evening, the full moon rose just as the sun was setting. Then the sky turned a deep red back behind us and reflected all that gorgeous color onto the rocks. The calm water and the moon in the distance really added a magical feel. The Southwest is so incredible! If you've never seen places like this, put it on your list for 2019!

The Second Wave Coyote Buttes North Action Photo Tours

Logistics

Hotel accommodations are not included in the workshop fee, allowing you the flexibility to stay where you'd like. Kanab has many great hotels such as the Springhill Suites, Hampton Inn, La Quinta, along with many AirBnb's. You will need lodging for 6 nights starting Oct 3. Oct 9 is the departure day and you can plan your return travel anytime that day.

Rough roads are the norm out here and transportation will be provided during the workshop. However, you will need your own transportation to get to/from Kanab. The closest major airport is Las Vegas which is roughly 3.5 hours away. The central meeting point for the workshop will be the Action Photo Tours Office.

Excellent fitness, balance, and mobility are required to attend this workshop. Hiking to the Wave is serious business and we could cover 9-10 miles while we are out. The terrain can be steep, loose, and uneven in places and you'll need to be able to carry your camera gear, tripod, food, and 4 liters of water. How much we hike on the other days of the workshop will depend on where we go but you can expect 1-6 miles each day.

Food is not included in the workshop fee but there are many restaurants in Kanab along with 2 grocery stores. When we're out all day, you'll need to pack a lunch and you'll have time to prepare that the day before.

We have permits to guide all over the Southwest and we have lots of options for the "open" days of our itinerary. We will use the weather, current conditions, and group interest to guide our decisions on where we go.

Pricing

Sold Out!

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Trip Includes:

7-Day Intensive Photo Workshop with 1 Pro Instructor.
All Groud Transportation in Lifted 4x4 Trucks.
Permits for North Coyote Buttes
Post-processing instruction and image critique.
Park Entrance Fees
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Kanab, UT
Hotel Accommodations
Meals, Snacks, and Beverages.
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 50% deposit, the remaining balance will be charged June 15th to the credit card we have on file.

Recommended Camera Gear

Tripod you can hike with but also sturdy enough for night photography.
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Wide angle lens (16-35mm is perfect). Ultrawide Angle Lenses in the 11-14mm range will also work nicely.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Telephoto lenses may have some use for abstract shots and wildlife sightings. In the interest of keeping your pack weight light, we don't recommend bringing them on hikes.
Circular polarizer filters are recommended. There is no need for ND filters.
Extra batteries, memory cards, and cleaning supplies.
Comfortable hiking backpack that can carry your camera gear, tripod, lunch, and drinking water.
Remote cord for your camera. We recommend a corded release (not wireless) and one that has a button that can lock into place for shooting back-to-back shots for lightning.
Lightning Trigger (optional) for daytime lightning.
Laptop if you wish to backup your photos.

Personal Gear List

Sturdy hiking footwear, hiking socks, and long pants .
Sun shirt and hat (recommend long sleeves and a hood).
A rain jacket.
Headlamp with fresh batteries.
Sunscreen, Sunglasses, and Lip Balm.
Backpack that can comfortably carry your camera gear, tripod, food, water, and rain jacket.
Water bottle or hydration bladder.
Trekking Poles - bring them if they help you.

Trusted by Over 900 Reviews

David Swindler

Founder - Photography Instructor

David Swindler is an award-winning landscape and wildlife photographer. Among others, he has been recognized by the International Photography Awards, Siena International Photo Awards, International Aerial Photographer of the Year, Sony World Photography Awards, International Landscape Photographer of the Year, and National Geographic. He received a degree in chemical engineering and worked in the semiconductor industry specializing in optics and photolithography. In 2014, he left his day job to follow his true passion. He has traveled to some of the most remote regions of the world and has extensive experience photographing a wide variety of subjects and conditions. As the founder of Action Photo Tours, he finds great satisfaction in helping others learn photography, especially in the wild desert environment near his home in Kanab, UT. David is an expert in night photography and loves to get out and shoot the starry night skies.

Gallery Awards and Media Coverage

Having guided photo tours for years, David is very familiar with many different types of cameras. He is a master with light and composition. But most importantly, his dedication to his clients is what really sets him apart! But don't take our word for it - read what others are saying: Trip Advisor.