The Palouse
The Palouse: Landscapes and the Night Sky
July 12 - 16, 2018
The Palouse is a stunning, little-known area of eastern Washington state, and it's popular among photographers because of the stunning graphic shapes and colors of the hilly topography. In addition, classic red barns, abandoned grain elevators, and rusting farm equipment dot the rural countryside adding to the charm and the photographic opportunities. That would be enough for a great photo workshop, but in addition the Palouse is a perfect place to photograph stars because there are no big cities nearby. The Milky Way is clearly visible, and it adds drama, visual impact, and beauty to the landscapes. This workshop is timed to be there during the New Moon (which is actually no moon at all), and this is the ideal time to capture the greatest intensity, color, and contrast of the night sky. Jim will explain the technical aspects of photographing the Heavens, and you will have many opportunities to take incredible night pictures. Jim will also do some painting with light, and this further embellishes the night images you'll take by adding strong foreground elements. Taking a siesta in the middle of the day will give you enough rest to photograph late at night. The staging area for this photo tour is Colfax, Washington. It is one hour by road south of Spokane, and you'll have to rent a car to make that drive or you can carpool with another participant. Our photo excursions will be by carpool as well. Please note that the cost of the hotel, all the breakfasts, and one dinner are included in the workshop fee. You will fly into Spokane, Washington (unless you live within driving distance) and drive one hour to the hotel in Colfax. Itinerary Day 1, July 12, Thursday. Arrive in Spokane and rent a car or carpool with a fellow workshop participant and drive one hour (65 miles) to Colfax, Washington. We meet in the lobby of our hotel at 4pm for an orientation and slide show in which Jim discusses star photography and capturing the Milky Way, making a panorama image, composition, choosing the best lens for landscapes, and HDR. Overnight Best Western Wheatland Inn, Colfax. Days 2 - 4, July 13-15, Friday - Sunday. We will spend these next three days exploring one of America's best kept secrets. Sunrise and sunset are the ideal times for landscape photography, and we will take advantage of the beautiful, low angled sunlight which accents and embellishes the multicolored wheat fields of the Palouse. We will also have night photography sessions and Jim will demonstrate how to paint with light in conjunction with capturing the Milky Way. He will also show you how to take panorama images both day and night. Day 5, July 16, Monday After another sunrise outing to capture low angled sunlight on the beautiful contours of the Palouse, we head back to Spokane for our return flight home.
Workshop fee: $1875 Includes four hotel nights, one welcome dinner, all breakfasts, photographic instruction, and critiques of your work. Single supplement: $220 Not included: Transportation to and from Spokane, rental car, meals other than the welcome dinner and all the breakfasts, trip insurance. |