ANCIENT GIANTS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

A springtime photography tour and workshop in the amazing Redwoods.

May 25 - 28, 2023

Optional Add-On for those attending our Oregon Coast & Redwoods 2023 Workshop

When you immerse yourself in the towering redwood forests of California, it’s easy to look up and feel small. From the forest floor to the massive trunks and all the way up to the treetop canopy, everything about these forests feels both grand and intimate at the same time. Some of the most impressive and unique trees can be found near Eureka, California which has a plethora of groves throughout the region. With 163 Coastal Redwoods Groves in Humboldt State Park, you could spend years photographing these magnificent trees and barely scratch the surface.

On this 4 day Photography Workshop we will continue south from southern Oregon a few more hours into Humboldt County to explore a number of scenic groves that we won’t be able to get to on our main Oregon Coast and Redwoods Workshop. There will be much more time spent in different Redwood groves, each having their own interesting characteristics. After wrapping up in Oregon and checking out of our hotels on May 25th we will drive down to Eureka for the next leg and work our way back up to the Del Norte Redwoods for perhaps another opportunity at those magnificent forest light beams.

The goal of the workshop is to give extended time improving your skills at forest and woodland photography. There will be additional post processing time as well to help bring your images to life.

ITINERARY

We will check out of our hotels in Brookings, Oregon on Thursday May 25 and continue on driving south to Eureka, California where we will have a late afternoon dinner and head out to explore a favorite grove that looks like it was manicured by little gnomes (pictured to the right). We will spend two nights in Eureka and then head back north for one night in Crescent City. Depending on the weather in Crescent City for sunset, we will either head out to shoot sea stacks on the beach, fields of hillside wildflowers or into another impressive grove of redwoods. The final morning we will photograph a coastal grove known for light beams (cross your fingers) and then wrap things up. Locations you can expect to see and explore will include Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the Samuel H. Boardman corridor, and plenty of places in between. There will possibly be some back tracking and repeating of some favorite spots. Each afternoon we will check into our new hotel, grab some food, and rest up a bit before heading out for sunset. In the afternoons and evenings we will also mix in post processing instruction in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for those that are interested. This workshop will end after our morning photography field session on Sunday May 28.

USEFUL INFO / PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY

The sun rises at approximately 5:40am and sets at 8:40pm during this time of the year. Add in driving time to and from locations and this will make for very early mornings and late nights. Temperatures typically range from the 50’s to 70’s but can be colder, windy and rainy. Prepare for variable weather.

Physical difficulty of the locations will be easy to moderate. It is important for participants to be in good physical health. While many locations will be a short distance from a parking lot, there won’t be any long hikes but there may be some short steep sections to get down to beach areas.

AIRPORT / ACCOMODATIONS / RENTAL CAR

Closest airports to our starting point of Crescent City, California are Eureka (1.5 hour drive), Portland (5.5 hours), and Sacramento or San Francisco. We will meet on Sunday May 23. We will be carpooling as much as possible. A standard mid-size rental car will be sufficient. Lodging options will be sent out as the date approaches. Preliminary plan will be to spend night 1 in Crescent City, nights 2 & 3 in Eureka, and night 4 in Brookings, Oregon. Hotels will be approximately $150 per night or less and can be shared if participants would like to.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

A different kind of workshop to challenge and grow your creativity. From big vistas overlooking the ocean to small and intimate forests, your photography skills will get some work in finding compelling compositions and shooting in wide ranges of good light. This time of year along the California coastal forests provides excellent opportunities for weather, blooming flowers, and foggy mornings all making it possible to create interesting and beautiful images. There is nothing quite like wandering in these old growth forests with the fresh smell of springtime and rejuvenating life in the air. This unique and special place is the perfect environment to improve your landscape photography by recognizing the subtle beauty, creating order out of chaos in the forest, and using difficult light to capture compelling images.

As stated previously there will be early mornings and late evenings but the days are structured to not wear anyone out and get the most enjoyment of the surroundings and scenery. I will provide tips in the field to capture images correctly "in camera" with the goal being that part becomes second nature and students can then focus on the creative aspects of landscape and nature photography. Post processing instruction will run the gamut of importing and organizing files into Lightroom to processing images in Lightroom and Photoshop and finally prepping images for the internet or for print. I am an open book and willing to share any tips or tricks he's learned to help you turn your photos into art!

RECOMMENDED CAMERA GEAR, ETC

• DSLR & Lenses ranging from wide angle (12mm) to telephoto (300mm). A macro lens will also useful to bring as well.

• Camera manual

• Memory cards

• A very sturdy tripod

• Cable Release Trigger

• Filters (Circular Polarizing Filter, Graduated ND Filters and Solid ND filters for long exposures)

• Lens cloths, rocket blower, etc. 

• Computer with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop

• Notebook

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Meals and snacks

• Lodging (Optional)

• Transportation

• Park entrance fees

TESTIMONIALS

“I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for an amazing workshop on the Oregon Coast. Your planning and execution on every place we visited was outstanding. I think I can speak for the incredible group we had when I say your leadership and attention to everyone's needs did not go unnoticed. You and Gary Randall were truly a great partnership. I personally appreciated your help on anything I needed and couldn't be any more satisfied with the entire experience, friendships, knowledge and most of all memories documents within my photos. I have no-doubt I will see you on another workshop very soon.” - Greg Chimenti

"If you are interested in a photography workshop, I strongly encourage you to book a trip with Chris! As a testament to my endorsement, I have been to three workshops with Chris in the last 10 months. His workshops are well thought out and managed. He makes sure you have what you need and helps you to get better at your craft. If you get great conditions you will walk away with some outstanding images! Either way, you will learn a lot and be happy with the images you capture. You won't be disappointed!" - Dan Kayser

CANCELLATION POLICY

We reserve the right to cancel the workshop if minimum participants are not met or in the event of an emergency. In the event of emergency where Chris cannot personally attend, then a replacement guide will be the first option. If a cancellation does occur, participants may either use the fee towards a future workshop or receive a full refund. We are not responsible for travel expenses incurred and therefore strongly recommend travel insurance to cover such costs.

A $200 change fee will be charged for changes or cancellations. Participants who cancel prior to 90 days before the workshop will receive either a full refund or credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Any cancellations within 90 days of the workshop cannot be refunded under any circumstances. Only if we are able to fill the vacancy, will the participant will receive a credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Workshop credits are good for one calendar year from the date of the missed workshop.

Any cancellations within 30 days of the workshop (for any reason) will forfeit their entire registration fee as it is extremely difficult to fill the space on that short of notice. If a true emergency arises last minute we will do our best to work with you granting a partial credit towards a future workshop, but this is not guaranteed. Again travel insurance is strongly recommended.