• Trip overview

• Itinerary

• What you’ll learn

• Tuition & what’s included

• Registration & lodging details

• Cancelations & refunds

• Recommended equipment

• Meet the instructors

• FAQs

Our Death Valley Photo Adventure is a five-day workshop centered around photographing some of the most iconic and photo-worthy spots in the 5,270-square-mile Death Valley National Park in California and Nevada—all during the mildest and most comfortable time of the year. 

Death Valley National Park is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the United States and sits 282 feet below sea level. This remarkable place offers otherworldly views of vast and decadent landscapes. With our fun and knowledgeable crew, you will be led through this incredible park to experience scenery like no other. 

Over the course of the trip, you will have guided instruction from three experienced photographers on how to approach capturing the vast scenes, starry nights, colorful sunsets, and more. With a limit of 7 students, you’ll l have ample one-on-one and small group instruction each step of the way.

January and February in Death Valley is a pleasant time to explore the area, with average highs of about 73 degrees and lows around 46.

About Boston Photography Workshops:

Beginning in 2014, the Boston Photography Workshops has taught thousands of students to improve their photography skills with hands-on learning done in small groups, with friendly and experienced professionals. The BPW believes that to learn something best, you have to go try it—which is why we’re excited to offer our students fun experience-based education as often as possible.

Arrival:

We encourage participants to arrive the evening before we depart for Death Valley and get some rest. An optional social meet-up will be available for those interested.

Day 1:

Meet the BPW Team in a designated location to board on our spacious van to the park. On the way, we’ll make a pit stop at one of our favorite spots: the Amorgosa Big Dune. Hard midday light will highlight the dune’s bold contours, and the desert landscape and warm winds make this the perfect way to transition from Las Vegas to Death Valley.

We’ll then continue to our first location right outside a deserted ghost town. We’ll check-in to our hotel for the one evening, then capture the area during golden hour and then have dinner. After dinner we’ll photograph the star filled sky with the ghost town as our backdrop, ending our night soon after. 

Day 2:

After a good night’s rest and some breakfast we’ll head into the park and begin our adventure with a light hike and a stop at the visitors center. We’ll spend the second half of the day learning new photo techniques at Badwater Basin—the lowest point in North America! After checking-in to our next and final hotel, we’ll finish the day with a sunset stop at one of the areas best (and highest) vistas.

Day 3:

We start our day early with a sunrise shoot over another spectacular vista. Golden light washing over mountains is an incredible way to start the day! The remainder of the morning we’ll rest until late afternoon when we’ll visit Artists Pallet and enjoy another awe-inspiring sunset. After dinner we’ll spend the evening photographing the stars back at Badwater Basin. 

Day 4:

A more casual morning, the group will enjoy breakfast and then transition to an editing session at the hotel, followed by a group lunch and review session. After lunch we’ll depart for sunset photos at the Mesquite Dunes—a shooting location for Tatooine in several Star Wars movies. We’ll eat dinner at a nearby restaurant, then make the most of the night by photographing the stars.

Day 5:

On our last day at the park participants have the option to join us for a sunrise shoot, or sleep in. After check-out we’ll gather for a group slideshow to enjoy everyone’s photos. We’ll then head back to Las Vegas by early afternoon and drop off students by 5p.

Seeing Death Valley is spectacular, but we want you to leave with more than just great photos. Here’s the material we’ll be covering during the trip that will help you grow as a photographer and help you make better photos even after the trip ends.

+ Learn the best camera settings for landscape photography.

+ Understand lens choices for landscape and astrophotography.

+ Best ways to improve and create dynamic compositions. 

+ How and when to make star-trails.

+ When and why to use filters.

+ Image stacking for astrophotography.

+ When to use the HDR method. 

What’s Included:

+5 days / 4 nights of exciting photo education.

+ Round-trip transportation between Las Vegas and Death Valley.

+ Transportation within the park to all workshop locations.

+ Hot breakfasts at the hotel restaurant

+ Group editing session with complimentary lunch.

+ All park entrance fees.

+ Digital Workshop Guide to help prepare for the workshop.

+ One-on-one guidance and instruction.

What’s Not Included:

– Airfare.

- Travel insurance (recommended).

– Lodging costs.

– Dinners and snacks.

– Tips and incidentals.

• An initial deposit of $400 is required to reserve your spot.

• Full tuition is due 60 days prior to class start date.

  • Please the review Cancelations & Refunds policy below for further details.

• Recommended airport:

  • McCarren International Airport (LAS).

• Our Hotel: (~$170/night)

  • The group will be staying at The Ranch at Death Valley. Located inside the national park, this comfortable and spacious hotel offers incredible access to the park’s best locations. Once students register we’ll share an information packet which includes lodging instructions. A group discount has been secured for participants.

• Tuition covers one participant for the workshop.

  • If you wish to bring a +1, your room reservation includes up to two guests. However, any +1 may not participate in class activities, or transportation. Please contact us with additional questions.

During the trip the group will visit many locations and be presented with a variety of photo opportunities. Amazing images can be made with almost any camera and lens—as photographers often say: “the best camera is the one that you have with you.” To help narrow down your choices, here are some general gear guidelines we recommended.

• Digital SLR, or mirrorless camera. 

• Sturdy tripod.

• Headlamp.

• Wide angle lens (~10-20mm f2.8 or wider).

• Telephoto zoom lens (~24-200mm).

• 3-5 camera batteries.

• 3-5 memory cards.

• Laptop computer with editing software.

• Medium weight jacket and sturdy shoes.

After registration students will receive an informational packet with detailed equipment suggestions. Prior to the trip students may also schedule online meetings with our instructors at an additional cost. 

Chris Sanchez: Founder of the BPW, Chris has spent more than 12 years taking photographs around the world for work and for fun. A lover of all things food-related and astrophotography, Chris usually has more snacks in his bag than lenses, but still manages to get great photos. During the trip if you need a snack... you know who to ask.