Erin Babnik has developed international recognition for her expressive style of photography, for her adventurous approach in the field, and for her thought-provoking writing and public speaking. Her enthusiastic support of creative photography expressed in her articles and talks has made her one of the most notable voices among the current generation of landscape photographers. She brings this joy of discussion and encouragement to interactions with her workshop participants, offering a unique dimension to the workshop experience. Her work has appeared in well over a hundred publications, including books, magazines, and travel guides. Erin is honored to be a Canon Explorer of Light and is also a member of the illustrious nature photography team Photo Cascadia. 

February 27:

We will begin our trip on February 20 at 1:00pm with an orientation seminar in the Boardroom of the Inn at Furnace Creek, located on the hill above the Furnace Creek area of Death Valley National Park. Following a short break, we will rendezvous for a sunset outing.

February 28–March 4:

Each of these days will include sunrise and sunset outings, in addition to one indoor creativity and image review seminar. Additional midday outings may be arranged last-minute if weather conditions offer special opportunities. 

Each day will be its own adventure with as much photography as we can pack in and covering as much ground as is possible. Some days may involve more driving than others, with some destinations requiring a drive of up to two hours each way. I will encourage and facilitate carpooling arrangements between participants for each outing of the workshop.

March 5:

Sunrise on this day will be optional and self-guided so that I can set up for the post-processing seminar. This seminar will be substantial and will take up most of the day, both morning and afternoon. After its conclusion, we will all meet for an optional farewell dinner (no-host) at the Furnace Creek Saloon (located in the Ranch area).

Hotels:

We have a block reserved at the Ranch at The Oasis at Death Valley in Furnace Creek for February 26–March 6 (8 nights). Registered participants will receive the block code.

Camping:

The weather is usually quite comfortable for camping in Death Valley during this time of the year. It can be very windy sometimes, but the temperatures are usually quite nice. My favorite campground, Texas Spring, is a first-come, first-serve campground. If you get there in the morning around 9-10am, you can usually score a nice spot, even on busy days. Furnace Creek Campground is my next favorite, and it takes reservations in advance online and by phone. There are also options for backcountry camping nearby if your vehicle has at least 9 inches of clearance (no 4WD necessary, but somewhat high clearance is). Showers are available for $10 per person at the Furnace Creek Resort.

Airports

• The nearest airport is in Las Vegas. McCarran International Airport (LAS) is about two hours away from Furnace Creek.

• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is about five hours away from Furnace Creek.

Rental Cars

Many options are available for renting a vehicle of any kind from either airport listed above. Any car will be sufficient for most of our outings, but a vehicle with higher clearance could make driving easier on some roads. In the event that we decide to travel on a road where AWD or 4×4 is necessary, then we will arrange car pools for that outing. Because we have many options on any given day, we will only consider a road requiring AWD if there are enough capable vehicles in the group to accommodate everyone.

Your Camera.  You can choose to use any camera you like, but a digital camera with full manual control and interchangeable lenses is highly recommended in order for you to have the best experience.

Lenses.   There are opportunities to use any and all focal lengths, so bring a good range of them.

Tripod.   A tripod is essential for low-light stills and for timelapse photography.

Filters.   Polarizing or neutral density filters can be very useful, but it is possible to get great results without them.

Other gear. Several batteries, plenty of memory, a remote trigger, lens cleaning supplies.

(Optional) Laptop. If you would like to follow along or take notes during the two processing sessions, then you may want to have your laptop with you. The software applications that we will emphasize include Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe AfterEffects, and Adobe Premiere.

Clothing & shoes.   Weather conditions in the Eastern Sierra and desert during this time of year can be quite cold, especially during the morning hours. Bring insulating layers: good set of base layers, layers for warmth such as fleece and down. A shell jacket and hiking pants will help to protect against the elements as well. Good hiking boots are advised, and if you don’t want to get them salty or muddy, then bring boots to wear for any outing where we might encounter corrosive or wet ground (you will be notified in advance of each outing). It is also a good idea to bring a warm hat and gloves.

Willingness to learn and discover.

Hiking on this workshop will be minimal. Some locations may require a hike of up to one mile, but most are not far from a parking area. The most strenuous hikes will be those that we do to photograph sand dunes. These hikes will still be about one mile out, but walking on sand dunes is relatively strenuous compared to most other outings.

While adventure and great photos are our main goals, your safety is a priority. Erin is certified by Wilderness Medical Associates as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR), but safety begins with you. In order for participants to have a comfortable experience where they can concentrate on the photography, it is highly advised that you have proper attire consisting of non-cotton outdoor dedicated clothing, including an assortment of layers to keep you warm.

COVID-19 SAFETY: Please note that all Erin Babnik Photography workshops will operate as “pandemic aware” events, following all CDC guidelines in place at the time of the workshop. In addition, we respectfully request that, until further notice, all participants be “Covid Green” by the start date of the workshop (i.e. either full vaccination, negative test, or recent recovery) on an honor system basis.

INCLUDED:

• Tuition

• In-field instruction on the art and craft of fine-art landscape photography.

• A substantial post-processing instruction session.

• Guidance to unique photography locations.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Flights and transportation.

• Lodging.

• Meals.

• Park entrance fees.

• Travel and cancellation insurance.

COST: $1895 ($550 deposit)

PAYMENT: Payment may be made using a credit card or via PayPal directly through this web page using the sign-up button in the right column. A non-refundable deposit of $550 will reserve your spot in this workshop. The final balance of $1345 is due by Thursday, January 13, 2022.

INDEMNITY WAIVER: All participants are required to sign a standard workshop indemnity waiver: here.

CANCELLATIONS: Deposits are non-refundable. Cancellations require us to re-open enrollment and/or to engage in additional promotional efforts to fill the workshop on short notice, so our policy is that there will be no refunds on the final balance after January 13, 2022, with one exception: if we find another participant to fill your space and the workshop is ultimately full when it begins, then you will receive a refund of your final balance, (the deposit is non-refundable). All refunds are subject to a 4% processing fee. We highly recommend that you obtain travel/cancellation insurance for all workshops.

Use the sign-up button on this page (in the right side column) to place a deposit with a Credit Card or via PayPal. If you would like to pay by another method, use the contact form on this page to ask Erin about options for sending a personal check or bank transfer.