2008 Photo Workshop/Details

Return to Tour Schedule Page 

PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY!

WILDFLOWER DAY – MOJAVE DESERT

Saturday, April 5, 2008 …  8:00 am – 3:00 PM 

Spring in the desert is entirely different than in a groomed garden.  There is an uncertainty about whether you will find anything at all or whether you will have a bountiful treasure laid at your feet.  This year will be an interesting one because we have had bad fires in Southern California this fall and we have already have had some rain this winter.  Burnt areas usually have wonderful wildflowers for several years after the fires. 

Trip Details            

At 8:00 am we gather in a park and ride area just of Highway 14 going to the Mojave Desert in the Palmdale/Lancaster area.  We try to car pool as much as possible because there is considerable driving involved in our trip today. 

There are a number of locations where large fields of California Poppies can be found in good wildflower years.  They are frequently mixed with goldfields, owl clover and lupine.  Joshua trees can also be found.   We drive to several of these locations and hope that the right amount of rain and the right amount of sunshine have come just at the right time to allow these wonderful flowers to bloom.  Locations vary but we stop wherever we see some possibilities. 

 All-in-all a great day for learning and understanding how nature photographers scout and find locations, solve problems in the field and learn the flexibility of working with what nature offers. 

Return to Tour Schedule Page     

SOUTHERN UTAH
PHOTO TOUR/WORKSHOPS

Sunday, May 18 – Saturday, May 24, 2008     

This is one of the most exciting “pockets of beauty” in the United States and our workshop promises to explore some of the hidden areas as well as the well known magnificent parks of Zion, Bryce and Kodachrome Basin.

This is our flexible itinerary.

Trip Details
 

Sunday - DAY 1 – Springdale Bumbleberry Inn (Rates: $98 + tax per night- 2 queen)
FLY INTO LAS VEGAS OR
ST GEORGE. 
RENT A CAR
Drive to Springdale
Sunset at overlook or bridge
Program:  Nature by design
Photo of Zion National Park

Monday - Day 2 – Springdale
Bumbleberry Inn (Rates: $98 + tax per night- 2 queen)
Zion National Park - bus into the park and spend about ½ day there
Do lower section of Kolab Reservoir Road
Return to Springdale in the evening

Tuesday - Day 3– Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce View Lodge (Rates: $55 + tax per night)
Sunrise  - Photograph scenic areas in Zion east of the tunnel
Coral Pink Sands & Red Canyon time allowing
Sunset at Bryce Canyon
Stay at Bryce Canyon NP- Bryce View Lodge          

Wednesday - Day 4 – Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce View Lodge
Sunrise in Bryce Canyo
Bryce Canyon from the Bottom with stop at Mossy Cave
Depending on energy level –
Kodachrome Basin 
Sunset at Bryce Canyon
Photo of Kodachrome Basin
 

Thursday - Day 5 – Cedar City                  
Best Western Town & Country Inn
(Rates: $64+ tax for 1 bed; $72+ tax for 2 beds)
Sunrise at Bryce Canyon
Drive to Cedar City stopping at Red Canyon
Afternoon on Kolab Reservoir Road among trees to Condor overlook
Stay in Cedar City at the Best Western Town & Country Inn

Friday - Day 6 – Cedar City
Best Western Town & Country Inn
Bird Program with Martin Tyner this morning
Drive to Parawan Gap – Martin and birds
Dinosaurs’ tracks
Sunset at the Canyons of the Kolab or other scenic area

Photo of Martin Tyner & a Golden Eagle


 

Saturday – Day 7
Optional Sunrise shoot at Canyons of the Kolab
Leave for home as you wish

Photo of Kolab Canyon







SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON DRIVING:

Mileage – approximate
Las Vegas to St. George (116mi)
St George to Hurricane (20mi)

Hurricane to Zion/Springdale (20mi)
Zion to Hwy 14 via Kolab Reservoir (80 mi) – some graded dirt roads
Hwy 14 to Kolab Canyon (20mi) 
Kolab Canyon to Hurricane (40mi)

Hurricane to Zion (20mi)
Zion to Bryce (80mi)
Bryce National Park and back (40mi)
Bryce to Kodachrome and back (50mi)

Bryce to Cedar City via Hwy 14 (60 mi)

Around Cedar City locations (30- 50 mi)

Return to Tour Schedule Page  

BODIE AND THE EASTERN SIERRAS PHOTO WORKSHOP/TOUR

Dates: to be announced later

**This tour is on hold at the moment, due to personal travel plans.

 Trip Details 

Bodie, now a California State Historic Park, is the most fabulous gold mining ghost town in the West.  We have the most unusual and exciting privilege of entering the buildings and photographing the interiors and artifacts left by early miners.  In addition, we visit other sites of natural beauty along the rugged eastern face of the Sierras. 

FLEXIBLE TRIP SCHEDULE 

Sunday: Arrival times differ, but we encourage you to join us in my room at 3:00 PM for introductions and orientation.  About 5 PM we will set out to photograph sunset at the Mono Lake South Tufa State Preserve off Highway 120.    This evening, a short slide presentation on Bodie as well as beginning to review some of your images.  Please bring 10-20 slides with you. 

Monday: This is a long day as we leave for Bodie about 7:30 am.  As soon as cleared with the duty ranger, I begin by opening up the Boone Store.  Light can be stunning in the early morning in that building.  We will spend today photographing the building interiors.  Dinner and quitting times may vary with our energy level and light quality.  Lunch is a picnic in the parking lot and after dinner near Bridgeport, we may decide to return to Bodie and paint some of the buildings with light for a little special night photography.   

Tuesday: a repeat of the previous day with photographing building interiors and artifacts.  We hope to have the time and energy this evening to see a short program on composition called Nature by Design.   

Wednesday: After two full days in Bodie, we welcome a more leisurely day.  Today we go to places like Lee Vining Canyon, Lundy Canyon and Virginia Lakes road.  Some of the most beautiful of fall colors can be found in these locations.  Learn to make a single leaf speak for the entire forest as we put into practice some of the composition and visual exercises that will allow us to capture what we see and what we feel with our cameras.   

Thursday: Sunday morning for a dawn shoot at Mono Lake is always good for the hardy souls who like to get an early start.  The lake is entirely different at dawn than at sunset.  Before you leave for home, you might want to drop into the Mono Basin Visitor’s Center (hours 9am – 5pm).  Departure time as you wish. 

Alternate/addition to Thursday (Sunday) morning: Boat tours of Mono Lake’s Lee Vining Tufa section and the islands are offered weather permitting.  It is an exceptional tour with an outstanding naturalist guide.  The perspective is entirely different than when standing at the edge of the lake.  Cost of about $35-50 (I will confirm this prior to our trip).  Please let me know of your interest when making your reservation. 

Please note - I OFFER A 10% DISCOUNT ON THE OWENS AND BODIE TRIPS WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER.

Return to Tour Schedule Page 

PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY!
We have limited space in each workshop and a most liberal cancellation policy. Several times in the past we have cancelled a workshop only to be flooded with last minute requests for reservations.

PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY!

Click Here to return to our main page.
Click Here for General Information about the Workshops, including information about Gift Certificates.
Click Here for the Photo Stock List
Click Here for more info about my workbook, "Nature by Design."
Click Here to read more about Noella
Click Here to register for her online photography classes
Click Here for photography by Noella Ballenger at Alamy

Read my articles on Apogee Photo Magazine
to learn more about photographic technique.

http://www.apogeephoto.com/YP_archives.shtml#noella
http://www.apogeephoto.com/nwp_archives.shtml#noella
http://www.apogeephoto.com/tech_archives.shtml#noella
http://www.apogeephoto.com/travel_archives.shtml#noella
http://www.apogeephoto.com/BOParchives.shtml#noella

Stock photography by Noella Ballenger at Alamy.
Download our images 24/7 from Alamy - a leading portal for both general and specialist images.