Yosemite National Park Winter
While Yosemite doesn’t get the honor of being America's first national park, it is this area of vertical granite cliffs, placid meadows and rushing waterfalls that inspired our country’s long history of protecting public lands and irreplaceable scenery. And it all takes on a new level of magic in winter, when ice glazes over streams and talus, when snow gently blankets the valley. We will explore the valley that inspired America’s greatest idea, in winter, at night, when the stars hover over one of the most magnificent landscapes in the world.
Workshop Details
December 7-12, 2025 — Sold Out, Join Waitlist Below
This is a 5-night, 6-day workshop. Your adventure begins late morning on December 7, and ends after the final slideshow on the afternoon of December 12.
$2,395. Register below.
Skill level
Open to all who have an understanding of the basic principles of photography and of their cameras.
Group size
13, with 2 instructors — 7:1 ratio
NPS website
Our workshop mission is to explore every U.S. national park. As with all our Passport Series locations, it may be years (if ever) before we repeat any specific park experience. If you have a dream of making epic long exposures at night in Yosemite in winter, we hope you join us.
Workshop Leaders
Registration
Hoping to get a spot? Sign up below for our no-fee waitlist.
| • Deposit of $800 is required to reserve your spot at the workshop. |
| • Balance of $1,595 is due on September 8, 2025. → 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 September 7, 2025. (see cancellation and refund policy) |
| • The workshop fee does not include lodging, food, airfare, entrance fees, or transportation to or during the workshop. |
The Yosemite Winter Experience
The natural wonders of Yosemite National Park have inspired generations of outdoor enthusiasts. From its most famous sons—John Muir and Ansel Adams—to the millions of photographers and nature lovers who have followed, Yosemite was and remains a national treasure.
In many ways Yosemite is considered the birthplace of landscape photography. Whether this is due to the outsized influence that Ansel’s photos have had over the years, or the continuing inspiration of such an iconic location, is definitely up for debate. What’s never argued, however, is the stunning beauty of this mountain paradise. It’s so epic in fact, that we decided it was one of the few parks we’d divide up into two (or three?) different workshops.
For this winter Yosemite experience we’ll be focusing on the main valley. El Capitan. Half Dome. The Merced River. And of course Yosemite Falls, the country’s tallest waterfall at 2,425 feet, and the iconic Tunnel View overlook. We’ll explore the riverbanks, waterfalls and cliffs that define Yosemite Valley.
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.
For more advanced night photographers, we can offer 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 are interested in upping your skills beforehand, we 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. You may also be interested in watching Tim’s video Lightroom: Library and Develop Modules, which is designed both for beginner and intermediate photographers.
What You Will Learn
We hope to push you to step outside your comfort zone—to test the limits of what you and your camera can do.
TOPICS COVERED WILL INCLUDE:
how to photograph and edit star points
how to photograph and process star trails
how to scout your images using PhotoPills and other available resources
and more …
Night Conditions
Logistics & General Info
Travel
You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own transportation.
Note that Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) is not a viable option for this time of year, because the mountain pass to Yosemite Valley will be closed.
Nearby Airports:
Fresno Yosemite International (FAT) — 2.5 hours from our lodging in the park
Oakland International (OAK) — 4 hours
Rental Car
You will need a rental car to get to the workshop and to the shoot locations.
There is no need for four-wheel-drive.
If you are interested in carpooling or sharing a rental car, let us know and we will try to connect you with another attendee looking for the same.
Lodging & Food
You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own meals and accommodations.
Lodging
You are not required to stay at the official workshop lodging, though doing so does make it easier to meet with the group each day.
Info and group code will be sent soon after registering.
If you are interested in sharing a room, let us know and we will try to connect you with someone like-minded in the group.
Food
While we wouldn’t consider Yosemite a foodie destination, we will say the food is better than at most other parks.
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.
Weather
Expect daytime temps in the high 40s F, and nighttime lows in the high 20s.
December in Yosemite can be somewhat mild (for winter) to quite cold. It’s best to be prepared for a variety of conditions.
Recommended Attire
Base layers, rain gear, and warm winter hats, gloves and coats are a must.
A wool or alpaca sweater and heavyweight winter jacket will likely be useful.
There won’t be long hikes, but we will be on trails, so quality waterproof trail shoes or hiking boots would be optimal.
Exertion Level
The exertion level of this workshop is Moderate. (See more about our classifications.)
No vigorous activity will be required during the workshop, but we will be outside at night in winter conditions. Please consider your physical abilities prior to registering. There won’t be any long hikes, but we will be doing short hikes on unmaintained trails, possibly on snow or ice, and you should be comfortable carrying your own equipment over uneven ground in the dark.
Considerations
IMPORTANT: We encourage reading our FAQs page 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.
It’s All Been Shot Before ...
“The full feel of a place. That’s what visiting our national parks is all about. This experience is our muse.”
That’s what I thought. It’s all been shot before. After teaching workshops for many years and seeing the great icons of our national park system over and over again, I resigned myself to the fact that there were several places I just didn’t need to go. I’d seen all of the classic images made in these locations, and they were already done by someone else. Nothing left to see here, move along.
Arches, the Tetons and Yosemite were three of the places where I was sure I would not find my own photos. How wrong I was. So utterly wrong.
I remember that on my first visit to Yosemite I was simply floored by the variety of beauty that surrounded me. I should have known by this point that photos can never capture the entire essence of a place. They are, of course, satisfying to make, and to a large degree can describe a certain feature or area. But to get the full feel of a place through one iconic shot? It doesn’t happen.
The full feel of a place. That’s what visiting our national parks is all about. The full experience of all that place has to offer. This experience is our muse. It’s what inspires us to pull out our camera, not just to shoot the icons but to explore the hidden or less-visited beauty. It’s this combination of scents and sounds, the tactile feel of bark and stone, and of course the play of light (moonlight?) across the land that excites our senses and moves us to try to visually capture this experience to share with others.
We’ve all heard the saying “It’s not the destination but the journey that counts.” The same goes for photography. It’s not our best iconic shots that matter most, but all of the photos that we make and all the experiences we enjoy that lead up to those images.
Yosemite reminded me that there are always multiple interpretations of any location. And in a place as beautiful as Yosemite, there are many, many interpretations yet to be revealed.
