Yellowstone & Grand Tetons Winter Photo Workshop

Jan 11-21, 2025 - Sold Out!

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Join the ultimate winter wildlife photo safari in Yellowstone National Park. With 6 participants and 2 instructors on our own private snowcoach, everyone is guaranteed quick access to their gear when animal sightings happen. We'll also focus on the breathtaking snowy landscapes and colorful hot springs. As a bonus, the workshop includes an additional 4 days in Grand Tetons! Expect to learn a lot of new skills from pro instructors David Swindler and Juan Pons. Juan has been leading Yellowstone Workshops for the past 20 years and knows where to find the wildlife!

Tuition

  • $10,995 
  • 12 Days

Max Group Size

  • 3 Students per Instructor
  • Max 6 Students

Instructor(s)

  • David Swindler 
  • Juan Pons

Physical Intensity

Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop

Highlights

  • Experience the Serengeti of North America with the largest concentration of free-roaming wildlife in the lower 48 states!  Winter is one of the best times to capture the wildlife and landscapes in Yellowstone.
  • Instructors David Swindler and Juan Pons will make sure you get the best shots.  Juan has been guiding photo workshops in Yellowstone for over two decades and intimately knows the behavior pattern of its wildlife.
  • Transportation is provided in private snowcoach and a comfortable van. Workshop is capped at 6 participants and 2 instructors for plenty of individual attention and space for gear.
  • The workshop is all-inclusive with lodging, meals, and ground transportation included.
  • You will learn lots of new photography skills while in the field along with post-processing and image critique sessions.

Itinerary

The exact itinerary will be kept flexible to account for the weather and current conditions in the park. We will optimize our time for the best possible photography. Since our dates at the Snow Lodge get assigned to us later in the year, there is a small chance the workshop dates may shift slightly.

  • Day 1 (Jan 11): Arrive at Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) no later than 1PM. We will pick up participants from the airport and transfer to hotel in Jackson. We'll hold a mandatory orientation session, review the latest wildlife reports and discuss our final itinerary before heading out for a quick sunset shoot followed by dinner.
  • Days 2-3 (Jan 12-13): We spend the next 3 days exploring Grand Teton National Park.  The locations we visit and the mix of landscape vs wildlife will depend on weather conditions.  The Tetons are often a good place to capture Moose, Big Horn Sheep, Elk, Red Fox, Swans, Bison and more.
  • Day 4 (Jan 14): Day 4: We head out early for our final sunrise shoot in the Tetons before returning for breakfast. We check out of our hotel and start the drive over to Gardiner, MT.  We'll stop for lunch in Bozeman and then make the scenic drive through the Paradise Valley. After checking in to our hotel, we head out for a quick evening shoot.
  • Day 5 (Jan 15): We will focus on the Mammoth and Lamar Valley sides of the park on these days, photographing both landscapes and wildlife.  This is also the best area of the park to find wolves!  We will photograph the Mammoth thermal features as well. We will be stopping all along the way for wildlife and landscape photos.
  • Day 6 (Jan 16): Today we travel via private snow coach along the Madison River looking for wildlife and scenic photo ops. Most snowcoach tours will pack 14+ people into one vehicle, but we will be comfortable with only 6 workshop participants. This way we have plenty of room for gear, warm clothes, and quick exit/entry for our photo ops. Scenic viewpoints abound and we'll end the day with sunset at Old Faithful.  We may stay out after dark for some night photography too!
  • Day 7 (Jan 17): We continue our journey via private snowcoach deep into the interior of Yellowstone, visiting West Thumb Geyser and Hayden Valley.  Overnight at Old Faithful.
Yellowstone and Tetons Winter Photo Workshop
Yellowstone Winter Wildlife Photo Workshop Wolf
Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop Action Photo Tours Coyote

Itinerary (continued)

  • Day 8 (Jan 18): Today we travel back to Mammoth via private snowcoach and visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone along the way. Expect lots of stops for wildlife and landscape photos!  Overnight in Gardiner.
  • Days 9-10 (Jan 19-20): We are back in the Lamar Valley and Mammoth side of the park looking for wildlife and landscape photography opportunities. Our itinerary will be flexible depending on current conditions. Overnight in Gardiner.
  • Day 11 (Jan 21): After breakfast, we pack up and drive back to the Bozeman Airport, arriving no later than noon. You can schedule your return travel for anytime this afternoon or evening via BZN airport.
Yellowstone Photography Workshop

What to Expect

Our workshops are pretty intense - you should not expect a leisurely vacation.  Our goal is to capture the best images possible during our time together and this means starting well before dawn and ending after sunset.  However, we will usually take a longer lunch break to rest and recuperate.

This workshop is unique with a very small group and 3:1 participant to instructor ratio! We want EVERY participant to have fast access to their gear without being held up by a large group.  This is essential when speed is of the essence for either shooting or exiting the vehicle to get the shot. We also want to ensure you have plenty of room for your gear and warm clothing.  Compare that to your typical Yellowstone workshop where you have one instructor and up to 14 participants in a single van!  Rest assured you will have the best vantage points at all times without being held back by a large group or overcrowded vehicle/snow-coach.

Expert wildlife and landscape photographer Juan Pons has led Yellowstone workshops for the past 20 years. He knows the park intimately and will ensure we get to the best spots and find the wildlife. Instructor David Swindler will be joining him and both pros will be on hand throughout the workshop to teach you new skills and ensure you get the best photos!

After you register, we'll be emailing you detailed information on how to book your flights along with checklists for clothing and gear to bring.  We will continue to stay in touch as we get closer to ensure you are setup for success before you even arrive. You will be flying into Jackson Hole, WY and flying out of Bozeman, MT.

Temperatures will be very cold in Jan/Feb but this is also what makes the photography so good this time of year with frost-lined trees, foggy meadows, and snowy landscapes!  We will make sure you have the right gear to comfortably photograph in these frigid conditions.

Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop Steamy Mist Geyser
Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop
Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop
Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop Hot Springs

Pricing

$10,995/person + Tax

Single rooms are available for an additional fee of $1300

Trip Includes:

  • 10 Nights Hotel Lodging in Gardiner, Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Jackson
  • All Meals and Snacks.
  • All Ground Transportation to/from Bozeman Airport
  • Van and Private Snow-Coach Transportation
  • All Permits and Park Fees.
  • In-Field Photography Instruction
  • Post-processing and Image Critique

Trip Does NOT Include:

  • Transportation to/from your home to Bozeman, MT.
  • Alcoholic 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 deposit, the remaining amount will be charged 120 days prior to the credit card we have on file.  Since this workshop is done in collaboration with other parties, no loyalty discount is offered. See the full Terms and Conditions.

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David Swindler Photographer

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, 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.

Juan Pons

Juan Pons

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Juan is a nature and wildlife photographer, whose passion is photographing our worlds magnificent wildlife and natural features. Juan is a strong supporter of wildlife and natural habitat conservation and is a member of several conservation organizations. Though private individuals purchase photos directly from him, Juan donates his images to non-profit organizations with nature and wildlife preservation missions. Juan never ceases to be amazed by the natural subjects he photographs and hopes that sharing his photographs will inspire others to appreciate and respect natural life.

With more than 30 years experience in photography, Juan has also become a recognized expert in Wildlife Photography, Lightroom and on maximizing the capabilities of DSLRs when shooting video.

Juan travels extensively capturing nature’s beauty, and has been teaching photography out in the field and the classroom for more than 18 years. Listen to an interview with Juan on The Candid Frame Podcast.

Juan’s work has been featured on numerous publications, including: Sierra Magazine, Nature Conservancy, Audubon Magazine, American Photo, Audubon North Carolina, Wildlife in North Carolina, The Independent, and many others.

Juan has been the founder of numerous popular photography podcasts and most recently started a new YouTube channel features all things photography.