Wild Horses in Utah

Apr 5-8, 2025 - Sold Out

Apr 9-12, 2025 - Sold Out

Apr 13-16, 2025 - Sold Out

Venture to the isolated West Desert of Utah in search of one of largest herds of wild horses left in the United States! The dates have been carefully selected for stallion behavior where the males fight for breeding rights. We'll photograph a variety of interactions between the stallions, mares, and the small foals. With beautiful mountains all around us, you'll get great shots of horses in the landscape along with close-up action shots.

Tuition

$2100
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Max Group Size

4 Students per Instructor
Max 8 Students

Instructor(s)

Wendy Casey
2nd TBA

Physical Intensity

Highlights

Photograph one of the largest herds of wild horses left in the US!
Dates coincide with stallion behavior where the males will be posturing and fighting for breeding rights.
Capture interactions between the stallions, mares, and foals.
Take your photography and understanding of wild horse behavior to the next level with pro-instructors.
Classroom sessions will be held during midday hours to enhance your shooting technique and post-processing knowledge.
All transportation included along with transfers to the SLC International Airport.

Itinerary

The itinerary is highly variable and depends on herd location, conditions, weather, and much more. Our job is to optimize your photography time as best we can. If we get any heavy rain, the roads can become impassable . Should that happen, we'll go to an alternate location such as the Bonneville Salt Flats. The itinerary below is just an example of what we may do.

Day 1: Meet at 1PM at the Salt Lake City International Airport for transport to Tooele, UT. If you have your own vehicle, you can meet us in Tooele for at 2PM. Having your own vehicle will give you more flexibility for food options during the workshop. During the orientation session we'll cover important safety information, shooting techniques, and the projected itinerary. We'll break for dinner and then head out for a sunset shoot with the horses!
Day 2: After an early breakfast we head out to find the wild horses. We are in luck as the mustangs are posturing with each other and we get some dramatic action shots! We return to town for lunch and an afternoon classroom session where we'll critique images. That evening we enjoy a productive sunset shoot with the horses.
Days 3: We take a break from the horses this morning and go out to the Salt Flats for sunrise. The sky lights up beautifully and we capture the polygonal formations. We have another midday classroom session where we do a deep dive into post-processing techniques before heading out for a sunset shoot with the horses.
Day 4: We get up early for our final shoot with the horses. The horses are especially active today, running back and forth. We get many action shots with the beautiful mountains in the background. We return to town, check out of the hotel, and head back to the Salt Lake City Airport. The workshop will conclude by noon.

Logistics

Our goal is to capture the best images possible during our time together and this can mean starting before dawn and ending well after sunset. Our in-field photography sessions will be pretty intense and we'll make sure you well educated on the shooting techniques before we go out. Expect 1 hr drives each way to and from town to the horses. As such, you'll want to take naps during midday downtime to ensure you get enough sleep.

Lodging and food are not included in the workshop fee. We have secured a block of rooms at our hotel of choice in Tooele, UT. Information on how to secure your room will be sent after booking.

Depending on where the horses are, short hikes from the road may be required to reach them. The terrain is flat but can be uneven with occasional rocks and gopher holes. Daily walking mileage won't exceed 1-3 miles total.

Transportation will be provided during the workshop including transfers to/from the Salt Lake City Airport. We will be picking up at 1PM on the first day and dropping off by noon on the last day. If you will be driving your own vehicle or a rental vehicle, you can simply meet us in Tooele, UT at 2PM on the first day. However, having your own vehicle will give you much more flexibility for dining and shopping.

As we get closer to the trip, we'll schedule a zoom meeting with all participants and talk about logistics, gear, clothing needs, and more. This will be your chance to meet the instructors and ask any questions you have.

The weather can be highly variable in the spring. It can be calm and pleasant or windy and stormy. Please come prepared for all types of weather. Don't despise bad weather as that is often when we capture the most dramatic photos! Please see the gear list further down.

Pricing

$2100/person + Tax

Loyalty Members Save 10%

Trip Includes:

Professional photography instruction and in-field guiding.
All ground transportation throughout the workshop.
Classroom instruction including image critique, wildlife shooting skills, and post-processing techniques.
Entrance fees and permits
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting

Trip Does NOT Include:

Lodging
Meals, beverages, and snacks
Transportation to/from your home to Salt Lake City.
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 due 120-days prior arrival. We will contact you to arrange final payment. See the full Terms and Conditions.

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead.
Monopod will make it easier to hold your camera while in the field shooting the horses.
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body. If you have 2 bodies, bring both.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Telephoto zoom lens in the 100-500mm range. There is no need for super-telephoto primes like 500mm or 600mm f/4.
Wide angle lenses are optional but can come in handy at the Salt Flats.
Circular polarizer filters are useful for the wide-angle or mid-range lenses.
Extra batteries, memory cards, and cleaning supplies.
Laptop if you wish to backup or review your photos.

Personal Gear List

Sturdy footwear, hiking socks, and long pants .
A rain jacket and several warm layers since it can get cold in the mornings.
Warm hat and gloves
Headlamp.
Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Hat.
Water bottle or hydration bladder.
Knee pads for shooting lower to the ground.
Hiking poles if you like having them.

Trusted by Over 900 Reviews

    
 
 
        
   Vicki Timmons 
 July 12, 2024
 
 
  Great trip. Great guides. Kevin and Ryan went out of their way to ensure we had a good trip and got the shot!
  
 
       
   Dana Rizzo 
 July 3, 2024
 
 
  Participated in their Spring in the Palouse for Women Photographers multi-day photo workshops and had a great experience. The instructors knew all the best places to take us, and offered guidance and direction as needed. I can't wait to sign up for my next workshop!
  
 
       
   Julie Iverson 
 June 29, 2024
 
 
  This was my first workshop with Action Photo Tours and I had an excellent experience.  Ryan was extremely knowledgeable about the area and had scouted perfect locations to shoot.  Both Ellen and Ryan were so helpful and made sure that all in the party were getting good photos.  I learned how to use bracketing and photo stacking.  I'm already looking for another workshop to attend.
  
 
       
   Debra Mastronardi 
 June 25, 2024
 
 
  What a thrill to chase storms on the Tornado Alley workshop.  David and Shane provided excellent guidance with technical and compositional advice.  We traveled to 5 different states chasing storms!  Once in a lifetime experience.
  
 
       
   Jan Latta 
 June 25, 2024
 
 
  This was my first photography workshop! - My equipment an iPhone 15 pro!  Ryan and Kevin welcomed me into the group of long lenses and sturdy tripods. They were supportive and patient. I learned so much! We were presented with expert instruction and incredible sunrise and sunset opportunities. A great experience photographing the beautiful Palouse country.  Thank you!
  
 
       
   Sherri Oster 
 June 23, 2024
 
 
  Action Photo Tours is by far the best photography workshop operator I've traveled with.  This is high-energy travel.  Their guides are not only very knowledgeable and great photographers in their own right, but they are also great with people.  When you're traveling with a group, you understand how important this is.
  
 
       
   George Schlossnagle 
 June 23, 2024
 
 
  A great tour as always. David assembles great adventures with solid organization and great shooters.
  
 
       
   Erin Davis 
 June 21, 2024
 
 
  So glad I went with Action Photo Tours! Ryan and Shane were amazing, helpful, guiding, and down to earth. I would defiantly book again with Action Photo Tours!  I can't wait for my next adventure!

Google Reviews

Trip Advisor

Wendy Casey

Photography Instructor

Wendy is proud to be a Utah Native and began hiking and camping with her parents at a very young age. She has many fond memories hiking to amazing viewpoints and taking in the grandeur that is Utah. Her interest in photography began in the 80’s where she made her film images come to life in a darkroom.

She now enjoys the creativity of the digital world by photographing a wide range of interests, from Landscape, Wildlife, Portraits, to Sports. Her favorite is capturing epic scenery with a human interest.

When Wendy and her husband Randy are not at home on their farm, they are out on a trail somewhere, exploring, photographing and creating videos of their adventures. Wendy has a lot of experience with horses on their ranch and will be an instructor on some of our wild horse and ranch workshops.

Over the years, she has participated in many art shows. Her local favorites are the Kimball Arts, Park City Art Festival and Midway Swiss Days. She has shipped her art around the world and has her work hanging throughout the state in hospitals, clinics and many large and small businesses. Her images have also been featured in and on the covers of local magazines.

Wendy loves to help others develop their passion for photography and capture through the viewfinder, winning scenes to last forever and an epic story to go with it.