Yellowstone & Grand Tetons Winter Photo Workshop

Jan 22-31, 2025 - Sold Out!

Join the ultimate winter wildlife photo safari in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. 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. In the Tetons, we'll be on the lookout for wildlife and those eye-catching landscapes! As an added bonus, we have a special excursion onboard a vintage Bombardier to a huge waterfall surrounded by winter magic! Expect to learn a lot of new skills from your pro instructors.

Tuition

$10,195
10 Days

Max Group Size

3 Students per Instructor
Max 6 Students

Instructor(s)

David Swindler
2nd TBA

Physical Intensity

Yellowstone and Tetons 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.
Capture the grandeur of the Tetons blanketed by winter snow.
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.
Board a vintage Bombardier and photograph a massive waterfall surrounded by wintery magic.
The workshop is all-inclusive with lodging, meals, non-alcoholic beverages, and point-to-point transportation.
Learn lots of new photography skills 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.

Day 1: 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: 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: 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 West Yellowstone. Along the way, you'll get to capture the west side of the Tetons! We check into our hotel which will be our base for the next 4 nights.
Day 5: 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 photograph many thermal features in addition to lots of wildlife! We return after dark.
Day 6: We head out again via private snowcoach deep into the interior of Yellowstone, visiting West Thumb Geyser and Hayden Valley.
Day 7: Today is our final day of the private snowcoach. We visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Norris Geyser Basin and Swan Lake Flats. Expect lots of stops for wildlife and landscape photos!

Yellowstone Winter Wildlife Photo Workshop

Yellowstone Winter Wildlife Photo Workshop-44

Itinerary (continued)

Day 8: We wake up well before dawn for a special outing onboard a vintage Bombardier. We zip past trees flocked in snow to the edge of a dramatic waterfall, surrounded by winter magic! After capturing multiple angles of the falls, we head out and start the long drive to Gardiner. Once we check into our hotel, we head out for a sunset shoot.
Day 9: We will focus on the Mammoth and Lamar Valley sides of the park today, photographing both landscapes and wildlife. Coyotes, wolves, bighorn sheep, moose, foxes, bison, and pronghorn are often seen.
Day 10: It's our last early morning as photograph the impressive thermal features around Mammoth. We head back for breakfast, pack up, and drive back to the Bozeman Airport. You can schedule your return flight for anytime this afternoon.

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 David Swindler is leading the workshop and will ensure we get to the best spots and find the wildlife. Our goal is to help you learn as much as possible and to get shots you are proud of.

A few months before the workshop we'll hold a pre-workshop zoom meeting with all participants to ensure you are well prepared. We will also email 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. You will be flying into Jackson, WY (JAC) and flying out of Bozeman, MT (BZN).

Temperatures will be very cold in Jan 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 Hot Springs

Pricing

$10,195/person + Tax

Single rooms are available for an additional fee of $900

Trip Includes:

9 Nights Hotel Lodging in Jackson, West Yellowstone, and Gardiner.
All Meals, Snacks, and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.
All Ground Transportation starting at the Jackson Airport (JAC) and ending at the Bozeman Airport (BZN).
Van and Private Snow-Coach Transportation
All Permits and Park Fees.
In-Field Photography Instruction
Post-processing and Image Critique
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Jackson, WY and 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.

Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop Frosty Bison

Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop Action Photo Tours Hot Springs

Coyotes are one of my favorites of Yellowstone's Winter wildlife, especially with their thick winter coats! Our workshop group got to photograph this coyote while he was "mousing". That is when they dive into the snow hoping to catch a meal, which is why he has so much snow on his face. But I liked this shot the best from the series as he stands stoically looking for the whereabouts of his next meal. An interesting fact - foxes are about 80% successful when they mouse in the snow, but coyotes are only about 20% successful.

When you think of wildlife deep in the winter in Yellowstone, what comes to mind? Stately and graceful swans glistening in the morning light and misty fog?

Trusted by Over 800 Reviews

Google Reviews

Trip Advisor

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.