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Death Valley & Joshua Tree National Parks Photography Workshop Stovepipe Wells, CA; Twentynine Palms, CA February 4th - 10th, 2024 Biennial Workshop; Next one held in February 2026 Instructor: Andy Cook Andy will be leading a
photography workshop to capture the stunning beauty of the lowest place on the
continent and the unusual landscape of Joshua Tree NP. Join us as we photograph the best of each National Park.
![]() Itinerary Outline The
workshop
starts on Sunday, February 4th, 2024 at 6:15 P.M. with an
introduction and orientation. We start shooting
on the morning of Monday, February 5th, 2024. The Death Valley portion of
the workshop ends after shooting on Wednesday evening, February 7th, 2024. Thursday morning is a
relocation period and no formal shooting is scheduled. This is a great
opportunity for participants to re shoot a Death Valley scene that may
have suffered due to weather or other issues. We regroup in the lobby of the Fairfield Inn in
Twentynine Palms, CA at 2:30 P.M. on Thursday, February 8th, 2024. Drive
time to relocate is about 5 hours. Workshop ends after photographing sunrise on Saturday morning, February 10th.
First Lodging Location: Sunday, February 4, 2024 (Check-in) - Thursday, February 8, 2024 (Check-out): Stovepipe Wells Village, Hwy 190, Death Valley, CA. Phone # 760-786-2387. In Death Valley, about a year before the workshop, we will have 11 rooms reserved. Before contacting Stovepipe Wells Village, please contact us at 719-635-6268 for the group code. Relocate to Fairfield Inn, 6333 Encelia Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA. 760-361-5000 Check-in Thursday, February 8, 2024; Check-out Saturday, February 10, 2024. Generally, one can expect to be at a
shooting location for the start of civil
twilight (about 5:55 A.M.) and we'll stay at that location
through sunrise. We
will go to a late breakfast after the morning shoot. On a few
days we've
scheduled a midday break allowing participants time to download, nap,
process images... We will
provide breakfast bars and
water for the early mornings. In the afternoon we will
head back out into the field and shoot past sunset (approximately
5:25 P.M.) We do have
time for a late
dinner in a restaurant scheduled for each evening.
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![]() This workshop does involve some
hiking into the dunes and cross country walking to arrive at certain
shooting locations (some days the total distance walked is 2 to 5 miles, mostly level),
while other shooting
locations will be just beyond the parking lot. The hiking may
be deemed easy to moderate activity based upon one's
condition. Walking surfaces beyond the parking lot are generally
uneven, hiking boots are recommended; bring old beat up boots as the
environment is rough on shoes. One doesn't have to be in
tip-top shape, but one's enjoyment
will be
enhanced by good health and preparation. Please consult with your
doctor before attending our workshop.
Proper hydration is a must with outdoor activities. We will provide water in the field. Be prepared for possible temperature
extremes and sudden changes in
weather. Be aware that mornings can be cold and midday very warm. Often
we will be out in darkness before sunrise and after sunset, please
bring a flashlight. On
this workshop we do not photograph stars as a group. Individual
participants sometimes venture out on their own for star
photography.
Equipment Recommendations:
Bring all camera
equipment
including
the camera's manual. We recommend using a polarizing filter with many
photographs on this workshop. To blur cloud motion on a bright day,
consider bringing a 9 or 10 stop neutral density filter, this filter
can be the screw on type. Andy does not recommend variable ND filters. Andy combines
images of various exposures in post processing (HDR). Andy will be
happy to
teach participants his field technique for capturing high dynamic range
images (requires a cable release with some cameras). A lens
range
from 16 mm to 300 mm after the lens multiplication factor is
recommended. However, we think participants should bring their
entire range of lenses. We recommend shooting with a sturdy outdoor
tripod
that
can adjust from standing height (without cranking up a center
post)
to very close to the ground. This type of tripod does not have
attachments from part way down the legs to the center post; i.e. the
legs can move independently. Please use a cable release or know how to
work the camera's timer delay to avoid camera shake. If you have Photoshop questions, then please bring a
laptop with Photoshop loaded and updated.
To
be as prepared as possible for this workshop, please review the 2
videos, 7 lessons and 10 workshop handouts found at the link below:
Below please find the PDF handouts recommended for this workshop. One needs to print or download to a digital device these documents before the workshop from the link above. For this workshop we recommend that participants: *Print: Blank Workshop Locations Visited. *Print or download to field digital device: CFDER Field Reminder (This is useful to those new to our workshops and/or trying to develop a useful field workflow.) *Print or download to field digital device: Steps to Capture Panorama Photographs *Print or download to field digital device: Hyperfocal chart for camera’s LMF. (Unless you already have a depth-of-field app on a smart phone.) *Print or download to digital device: Andy’s Camera Settings (Only if unsure about what the camera’s settings should be.) *Print or download to digital device: Tripod Tips and Techniques (Only if one is new to tripod use or are considering a tripod purchase.)
ADOBE® PHOTOSHOP® & POST PROCESSING VIDEOS
Series of video lessons teaching post processing for Landscape and Nature Photographers. Excellent for beginners and intermediate users of Adobe Photoshop.
![]() 2022 Group Photo
Rocky Mountain Reflections Photography, Inc. is authorized by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, to conduct services in Death Valley & Joshua Tree National Parks.
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