SHUTTER NONSENSE PRESENTS
Death Valley Winter 2027
Workshop Overview
This multi-day workshop visits some of the iconic areas of Death Valley National Park in California. During the course of this workshop, we will visit a variety of unique scenes in the park, ranging from badlands, salt flats, overlooks, sand dunes, canyons, and more.
In addition to guiding you through the park to these areas, we will provide photography instruction along the way. Topics will range from capturing a well-exposed image to composition, fieldcraft, and more advanced techniques like exposure bracketing and focus stacking during the workshop. During the midday downtime, we will be available to review editing techniques and have more in-depth discussions of topics we touch on in the field.
Our instruction is a mix of group and individual instruction during the workshop. We cover the broad concepts as a group when we visit locations and then more individual attention while we are photographing to help answer specific questions you may have.
We keep the workshop small so that we can give each participant more individual attention in the field. That means more time to work on the specific skills that matter most to you, while still giving everyone room to photograph without crowding each other.
When
December 6 - 10, 2027
Location
Death Valley National Park
Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells
Instructors
Jeffrey Tadlock, Michael Rung
Fitness Level
Moderate
Spots Left
8 of 8 remaining
Price
$2,195.00
Is This Workshop Right for You?
This workshop is designed for landscape photographers who want to feel more confident making decisions in the field and creating stronger images from the places they explore.
Photographers at every stage are welcome. Whether you are newer to landscape photography or have years of experience behind the camera, we will meet you where you are and help you build confidence throughout the week.
We will work through composition, exposure, simplifying grand scenes, changing light, editing, and image review, along with more advanced techniques such as bracketing and focus stacking. We'll tailor our guidance to the things that will make the biggest difference in your photography.
Itinerary
The conditions can vary depending on the weather and we will adjust locations depending on which will present the best photographic opportunities. Due to this, the itinerary listed below is focused on the activity and not the location to allow for flexibility during the workshop.
December 6th, 2027
Arrive in Death Valley National Park. We will meet late in the afternoon for introductions, orientation to the workshop, and safety talks. Once we complete that, we will head out to photograph the sunset and associated golden light.
December 7th, 2027
Early morning with sunrise. Then lunch with a brief break midday. Reconvene with a “classroom” session and then back into the field for sunset photography.
December 8th, 2027
Sunrise photography. Followed by lunch with a midday break. Reconvene with a “classroom” session and then back out for sunset photography.
December 9th, 2027
Another sunrise in the park. Midday break and lunch, then reconvene with a “classroom” session and then back out for sunset photography.
December 10th, 2027
We will photograph scenes at sunrise on our final morning together. After the sun rises and we have captured what we can, we will have a brief Q&A session to answer any final questions and close the workshop out. The workshop ends by mid-morning to allow checkout from lodging.
The classroom sessions are informal group discussions on specific topics. They typically include a look at photo editing workflows in Lightroom Classic, along with deeper dives into subjects chosen based on participant questions and needs. The goal of these sessions is to review topics that are causing you trouble in the field so we have time to understand them better and then put them into practice during the on-location photography sessions.
Locations we plan to visit during this workshop include:
Badwater Basin
Zabriskie Point
Twenty Mule Team Canyon
Dantes View
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Golden Canyon
Desolation Canyon
Mosaic Canyon
Additional Workshop Information
Fitness Level
Moderate
The majority of this workshop takes place at overlooks or drivable locations. There are certain spots where a 1 to 3-mile hike is necessary. Also, we will spend time in the sand dunes on multiple outings, where hiking can be difficult because of the soft sand. Because of this, good physical condition is required.
If you have questions about the physical requirements of this workshop, please contact us before registering.
Lodging
This multi-day workshop is based out of the Furnace Creek/Stovepipe Wells area inside the park.
You are responsible for making your own lodging arrangements. There are campgrounds in the park, plus a small number of hotels in either Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells. Most of our time in the park will be closer to the Furnace Creek sites, and that's where we'll be camping throughout the workshop, as well. We encourage you to secure accommodations in Furnace Creek to minimize your driving time and save some gas while in the park.
Getting There
Most participants traveling by air will likely find Las Vegas to be the most convenient major airport for reaching Death Valley. From there, you should plan on renting a vehicle and driving to the Furnace Creek / Stovepipe Wells area inside the park, where this workshop is based.
If you are driving to the workshop, plan your route around reaching the Furnace Creek / Stovepipe Wells area of Death Valley National Park.
Transportation
You are responsible for your transportation to and from the workshop, and during the workshop.
Carpooling is encouraged among workshop participants, at your discretion. Carpooling helps when we visit locations with limited parking, and minimizes our impact on the park while also helping foster camaraderie between participants.
An SUV is recommended for some of the dirt roads we will be traveling on. A passenger car is technical doable but may struggle with clearance along rougher portions of the roads.
What to Bring
Please reference our Preparing for a Landscape Photography Workshop page for what to bring and prepare for before a workshop. We will communicate additional information via email prior to the start date.
Included with Workshop
Landscape Photography Guiding
Landscape Photography Instruction
Not Included with Workshop
Transportation to/from/during Workshop
Lodging
Meals
Anything not listed as included
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect against unforeseen circumstances.
Payment Terms
Your spot for the workshop is only confirmed once your $400 deposit is received.
The remaining balance is due no later than 60 days before the workshop's date. If you are booking within the 60-day window, the full amount will be due immediately.
Please review the workshop's Terms and Conditions before registering. Payment of workshop fees means you accept the Terms and Conditions of workshop registration.