Out of Death Valley
Landscape Photography Conference
January 26th-30th, 2022
Image by Alex Noriega
Immerse yourself in the desert landscape of Death Valley for 5 days, shooting side-by-side with the pros.
Experience striking extremes of contrast in the hottest, driest and lowest National Park in the United States with several leading landscape photographers in the world. Explore, learn and push your creativity as you photograph, its raw natural beauty of undulating sand dunes, sculptural badlands and the desert light rise or fall under wide open skies. Death Valley is a perfect winter backdrop to spark your creative soul.
“It was an amazing week. In all different kinds of ways. You learn a ton of information from phenomenal photographers. It’s something for everyone.”
INSTRUCTORS
Learn from some of the world's best landscape photographers
Highlights
Immerse yourself in photography morning, noon and night
From small group, hands-on, in-the-field photography classes and discussions to photowalks and critiques, improve your photography with this epic photography experience in Death Valley National Park.
- Camera settings for desert landscape photography
- Slowing down and going beyond the iconic shot
- Capture tack sharp images every time
- Photographing natural patterns for stunning abstract images
- Composing intimate scenes to grand landscapes
- Techniques for dramatic night photography
- Shooting and processing for dramatic black and white images
- Workflow from capture to print
- Post-processing secrets of the pros and much more
Location
Death Valley, California
It's easy to find inspiration everywhere you go when you can immerse yourself in over 3.4 million acres of parkland. The conference takes place inside the park at The Oasis at Death Valley. With classes at The Inn and accommodation at The Ranch, everything is set-up for you as a perfect basecamp for photographers. All daily hands-on excursions are just down the road, from Badwater Basin to Zabriskie Point and more. Out of Death Valley is a perfect place to learn, play and be inspired.
Conference Price
$3900
Reserve with a deposit of $1500. The remaining balance is due 90 days before the event.
Price above is based on double occupancy.
What’s Included?
4 nights accommodation at The Ranch at Death Valley
4 dinners, 3 lunches and 4 breakfasts
Hands-on instruction from the top photographers in the field
Daily hands-on workshops and in-the-field excursions
Private Out of Death Valley online community to connect with your fellow photographers
What’s not included?
Does not include airfare, transportation or park permits.
“Thank you for enriching our lives by bringing us all together with such beautiful, passionate instructors. They gave us so much inspiration. So many life lessons. Not just photography.”
– USHA
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to Death Valley?
Death Valley is an easy 2 hour drive from Las Vegas.
How are we getting to the photo locations?
You are responsible for your own transportation to shooting locations to minimize risk of exposure to others.
What Death Valley locations will we photograph?
Despite its name, Death Valley is one of the most photographically diverse locations in the world. We’ll photograph all of the top spots within an hour drive of Furnace Creek including some of the world’s most famous dunes, badlands and salt flats.
What fitness level is required for the excursions?
Some of the field sessions will have almost no walk. You get out of the car and start shooting from the overlook. Other excursions require a hike through the dunes or salt flats. We will describe the field session difficulty in the session descriptions before you choose your field sessions.
What is the weather in Death Valley in January?
The average high in Death Valley is 67 and the average low is 40. There is very little precipitation in Death Valley even in January.
Who is this event for?
Photography enthusiasts and pros. All levels of passionate photographers are welcome. Just be ready to eat, sleep and drink landscape photography for five days.
How can I learn more about Death Valley before the event?
We recommend Desert Paradise: The Landscape Photographer’s Guide To Death Valley National Park by Sarah Marino and Ron Coscorrosa.
What photography equipment do I need?
You’ll want a DSLR or mirrorless camera and a tripod. We’ll share detailed equipment recommendations before the event. A laptop is suggested so you can work on your images during the post-processing and critique sessions.
Will there be a chance to hang out with the instructors?
You bet! Throughout the week we will eat meals together, hang out in the evening and photograph together in small groups. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and hang out with your favorite photographers.
Will I be sitting in classes all day?
This is a hands-on, immersive photography experience. We’re not going to bring you all the way to Death Valley to sit in a classroom watching something you could watch in bed on Youtube. Over 5 days, you’ll learn new techniques in the field while shooting with some of the world’s best photographers. There is classroom time available to practice post-processing and to get feedback on images, but you’ll be in the field most of the time. There are plenty of options available each day for you to create a schedule that matches your interests, inside and outside the classroom.
Can I bring a non-photographer friend or family member with me?
Of course! They are welcome to join us for the group presentations at no charge. The in-the-field teaching excursions are limited to ten people and are reserved for conference attendees only. A meal pass will be offered at an additional charge so that they can join us for group meals. If you are sharing a room with them, you must purchase the single occupancy ticket.
What is your COVID-19 policy for in-person events
(These guidelines may change as the Covid-19 situation evolves)
- Full-group classroom sessions will be taught online in the days leading up to the event. These sessions will be recorded to view later. This will give us even more instruction time in the field compared to our typical events.
- All in-person sessions will be limited to 15 or fewer people gathering at the same time. Seating will be provided to space people at least 6 feet apart.
- Attendees may drive themselves to locations or we will coordinate carpools with participants wearing masks.
- Masks or face coverings are required by all staff, instructors and attendees indoors and when we are unable to socially distance outdoors.
- Group meals will be served so that you we can spread out or take your meal back to your room.
- Soap, hand sanitizer and face coverings will be provided when necessary.
- We will monitor the temperature of all participants using a no-touch thermometer each day.
- We will provide instruction in an outdoor setting when possible and maximize ventilation indoors.
Please follow the CDC guidelines and stay home if:
- You have tested positive for COVID-19 or are showing COVID-19 symptoms.
- You have had close contact with a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
- Please see our updated refund policy in case you choose not to attend or the state regulations do not allow our event to run with this format.
What is the refund policy?
You can read the refund policy here.