Bryce Canyon
In the surreal and vast expanses of the Utah landscape, we will spend a magical week exploring the otherworldly hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park. The crimson, orange and yellow rock spires make the perfect foreground for our night photography.
Workshop Gallery
Workshop Details
June 9-14, 2019 — Completed
This is a 5-night, 6-day workshop. Your adventure begins at 10 a.m. on June 9 and ends after a final slideshow by 5 p.m. on June 14.
$1,750 + applicable taxes. Register below.
Workshop Leaders
Tim Cooper
Matt Hill
Skill level
Open to all who have an understanding of the basic principles of photography and of their cameras.
Class size
14, with 2 instructors — 7:1 ratio
NPS website
As with all National Parks at Night Passport Series workshops, we will teach at this location only once. If you have a dream of making epic long exposures at night at Bryce Canyon National Park, we hope you join us.
THIS EVENT HAS PASSED. THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST!
Deposit of $500 is required to reserve your spot at the workshop.
Balance of $1,250 due on March 11, 2019.
Pay Balance here.You may choose the “Pay in Full” ticket if you desire to pay all at once.
Last day for a cancellation request is March 10 (see cancellation and refund policy).
The workshop fee does not include transportation to and from the park, lodging, food or the park admission fee.
The Workshop Experience
Both Tim and Matt absolutely love the Desert Southwest. Throughout their careers they have made countless trips to the Red Rock Country of the Colorado Plateau that spans the Four Corners area of the southwestern U.S. While it’s hard to single out an individual park as a favorite, Bryce Canyon is certainly within the top levels of their list.
The huge rock spires called “hoodoos” (some as high as 200 feet) are the main feature of Bryce Canyon. Their varied colors and myriad shapes make up the largest grouping of hoodoos in the world. While the majority of images you see of Bryce are taken above the sculptures from the rim of the canyon, we’ll also venture down inside to explore the trails, trees, shapes and colors from below.
From the canyon floor, the magnificent rock walls, trees and pinnacles pierce the night sky. The near silence amplifies the sounds of a raven’s wings to the volume of a jet. The high elevations, coupled with near zero light pollution will provide us with a canopy of stars that inspire both awe and creativity.
Bryce Canyon is a magical place to spend a week of wonder, insight and tranquility.
Hiking
To ensure we get to some of the best locations, we’ll be hiking on high-elevation trails with steep drop-offs. Many of our hikes will begin with the 500-foot descent into the canyon and end with the 500-foot ascent out of the canyon. Most of the hikes will take place at over 7,500 feet of elevation. Folks with bad knees, weak hearts and bad backs should really consult a doctor before attending. Here is a link to a description of the typical trails we’ll be hiking. Hiking poles should be considered for those with balance issues.
Note: To ensure the safety of individuals and the group, National Parks at Night reserves the right for workshop leaders to use their discretion to limit an attendee from engaging in a rigorous activity on-site should that person's physical health or ability be in question. If you are unsure about your ability to meet the physical demands of this workshop, we will be happy to discuss your concerns one-on-one before you register. You are also, of course, welcome to attend a workshop and sit out any physical activity that makes you uncomfortable.
What You Should KNow
Participants must have at least basic photo skills, know their cameras well, and be comfortable shooting RAW in manual mode with a DSLR or high-end mirrorless camera.
Night photography experience is not necessary, but even folks with extensive experience shooting at night will find this class challenging, stimulating and inspiring. For more advanced night photographers, we can offer a portfolio review, specific challenges and goals, and will offer guidance in the field if you mainly want to concentrate on creating portfolio images or learning more advanced techniques.
If you would like to attend this workshop but are unsure whether you have adequate night photography skills, we can offer pre-workshop tutoring to get you ready for your adventure with us. Alternatively or additionally, a few of us have written books that may be productive pre-workshop reads.
What You WILL Learn
You’ll go home after the workshop with a solid grasp of shooting the landscape under moonlight and starlight. Milky Way shooting, star trails and star points will all be explored.
Other topics covered will include:
composing and focusing in low light
using the moon as fill light on the landscape
optimizing exposure for RAW capture and development with Lightroom
light painting
post-processing
and more …
This workshop will have both field and classroom instruction. We will be in the classroom each day, and out in the field at different locations each night. Participants can stay out shooting as long as they, or their camera’s batteries, hold out.
While in the field, the instructors will demonstrate their own techniques and will work with participants one-on-one to make sure everyone gets the most out of the workshop.
During classroom sessions there will be presentations by the instructors, but we will focus on developing your images and sharing everyone’s work and ideas with each other. Each day will have a review of the previous night’s work.
Night Conditions & Opportunities
On this workshop you can expect the following night-sky conditions and nocturnal photography opportunities:
quarter to full moon
light painting
Travel
You are responsible for your airfare and car rental. There is no need for four-wheel-drive or high-clearance vehicles for the workshop. If you are interested in sharing a car rental, let us know and we will try to connect you with someone like-minded in the group.
Nearby Airports:
Las Vegas (LAS) — 4 hours from Bryce Canyon
Salt Lake City (SLC) — 4 hours
Food & Lodging
We encourage eating two meals per day—a good breakfast and a great late lunch. When on the night shoots, you may wish to bring snack food or a sandwich and plenty of water.
You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own meals and accommodations. A group hotel will be announced after registration. If you are interested in sharing a room with another participant, let us know and we will try to connect you with someone like-minded in the group.
Weather
Due to Bryce Canyon’s high-elevation climate, weather and temperature can be highly variable. That being said, summer days tend to be quite pleasant, with daytime highs in June typically in the high 60s to low 70s. Nighttime lows, however, average in the mid 40s.
Recommended attire: Bring a base layer and warm winter coat, as standing around in these low temperatures can make you quite cold. As always, layer your clothing so it’s easy to remove when hiking and to put but back on while standing.
Considerations
Please read our FAQs section for more information about skill and gear requirements, and other information that pertains to all our workshops.
If you have questions, please contact us—we're happy to talk it over with you.
A New Discovery ...
“After exploring the rim and hiking down into the canyon I realized how wildly interesting and unique this park is.”
Being a photography instructor, I get to see a lot of photographs. Many of them shots of our country’s most iconic locations. I have seen a million photographs of the Grand Tetons, Delicate Arch and of course sunrise over Bryce Canyon.
Sometimes this abundance of images makes me feel like I have already visited the place and dampens my enthusiasm for an actual visit. This is the way it was for me until I actually made it to Bryce Canyon.
Wow, how misguided I was. The classic view over the amphitheater is simply amazing. But there is so much more. After exploring the rim and hiking down into the canyon I realized how wildly interesting and unique this park is. The towering orange rock spires and clear skies are an incredible combination. I immediately knew this was a perfect location for a photography workshop. Day or night!
