THE PLAYGROUND OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Join us for a scenic photography tour and workshop in the Columbia River Gorge, located on the beautiful West Coast between Oregon and Washington state

A DESTINATION EARTH PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

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FUTURE DATES: TBD 

To be notified and get first priority on our next Columbia River Gorge Photography Workshop, please click here.

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Dividing the states of Oregon and Washington, the Columbia River Gorge is a geological wonder and landscape photographer’s paradise. With lush forests and abundant waterfalls breathing life on both sides of the river, the chance to get lost in nature and create beautiful imagery is a daily occurrence. On this 4-day photography workshop in Columbia River Gorge we will be exploring rolling hillsides covered in wildflowers, breathtaking waterfalls, and scenic views of Mt. Hood. You will be guided you to some of the best photo spots along the historic Columbia River Highway that is teeming with waterfalls and also have the opportunity to explore some lesser known locations. Our plan for the week will be to shoot sunrise from a scenic vista, from there head out to photograph waterfalls and cap each day with a sunset session. We will also demonstrate post processing techniques and tools in a classroom setting towards the end of the week. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune your photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life.

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INSTRUCTORS: CHRIS BYRNE & GARY RANDALL

GROUP SIZE: 8 participants

COST: $3250 (No Lodging) / $3950 (Lodging Included, 4 Nights Single Occupancy)

DEPOSIT: A 50% deposit is required to secure a spot, with the balance due 90 days prior to workshop

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ITINERARY

We will meet the afternoon of Wednesday April 26 in Hood River, Oregon. From there, after our meet and greet we will begin with a sunset session in the Columbia River Gorge and possibly stay out for photographing the Milky Way (depending on each person’s level of jet lag).

Each morning we will rise early to shoot sunrise and continue to one of the many many waterfalls in the region and keep shooting until the light is too harsh. Often in the Pacific Northwest there is enough cloud cover to photograph all day long! Midday we will gather for lunch and hold post processing sessions if we aren’t out in the field. Each day will conclude with a sunset shoot. The workshop will end after sunset on Saturday April 29 with a group dinner.

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USEFUL INFO / PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY

The sun rises at approximately 6 am and sets at 8 pm during this time of the year on the West Coast. Add in driving time to and from locations and this will make for very early mornings and late nights. Temperatures typically reach into the 60’s during the day and as low as the 30’s at night. Be prepared for colder variable weather with wind and rain.

Physical difficulty of this workshop will be moderate with some tough climbing and wet terrain. Waterfalls in the area can have steep and slippery trails with some difficult sections. It is important for participants to be in good physical health and be sure on their feet. Our longest potential hike will be an out and back 4 miles round trip hike with 800 feet of elevation gain.

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AIRPORT / ACCOMODATIONS / RENTAL CAR

Participants should fly into Portland International Airport (PDX). We will meet on Wednesday April 26 in Hood River, Oregon, which is approximately an hour drive from the airport. We will be carpooling as much as possible, and a standard mid-size rental car will be sufficient. Lodging will be at the Best Western Plus in Hood River and is included for those that choose the option for the nights of April 26-29, checking out on April 30.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

A wonderful week chasing light, waterfalls, and taking a photo tour of the lush Pacific Northwest. You’ll be standing in creeks with mist in the air and fresh spring growth bringing the forest to life. Be prepared to get wet! All with the peaceful sounds of running water as our backdrop to creating memorable images. If you can close your eyes and picture yourself in this fairytale paradise then this workshop is for you! Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge is the ideal location to take photos from sunrise to sunset and late into the night.

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. We will always be providing 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 to help you turn your photos into art!

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FIELD & CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WILL INCLUDE:

• Beautiful photo tour of the scenic Columbia River Gorge located between Washington and Oregon
• Creating compelling compositions and storytelling through images
• Controlling your camera in manual mode
• Understanding and using the Histogram
• Finding foregrounds
• Filters - when & how to use them and avoiding their pitfalls
• How lens selection affects the scene
• Technical Tricks: Bracketing, Focus Stacking, Perspective Blending
• Understanding and using light
• Capturing Difficult Scenes (getting all the pieces in the field to put together in post processing)
• Lightroom - importing and organizing
• Lightroom development tools
• Cleaning up images - cloning tools, warping and stretching, eliminating distractions
• Blending images in Photoshop
• Dodging and burning
• Using layers and masks
• Mindful sharpening (depending on the output)
• Image Critiques

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WHAT TO BRING, CLOTHING, ETC.

• Quick dry, lightweight long pants and shirts
• Fleece or warm jacket
• Shoes that can get wet, muck boots are ideal
• Waders
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Rain coat
• Bug Spray
• Sun Block
• Umbrella

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Meals and snacks
• Airfare
• Transportation
• Park entrance fees

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COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

— REGISTER NOW —

50% DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE A SPACE
FINAL 50% PAYMENT IS DUE 120 DAYS IN ADVANCE

CLICK ANY IMAGE ABOVE TO VIEW A LARGER SLIDESHOW OF IMAGES FROM THIS WORKSHOP

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MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

CHRIS BYRNE

Hello there! I’m Chris Byrne and I spent way too many years aimlessly wandering the earth and working for the man before finding my true passion in nature and landscape photography. My love of nature started very early in life as I would study the photographs in my dad’s huge collection of National Geographic magazines and spend as much time as I could out out in the woods exploring with my younger brother. Many years later as an adult I took a trip to Glacier National Park in Montana and rediscovered my love of nature. However, the photographs I was trying to get just didn’t do the place any justice. It was then that I decided to get serious about photography and quickly poured all of myself into the craft, learning as much as possible as quickly as I could. I was a super sponge and had a new passion for life! As soon as I became proficient in my skills, I wanted to share my knowledge and began teaching others. Now I lead workshops to some of the best places on the globe. Seeing people make breakthroughs in their art is something that I cherish. I truly believe that nature is good for the soul. The more you explore, the more you will be inspired!

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GARY RANDALL

Gary Randall is an award winning professional photographer, artist, writer, traveler and adventure seeker who lives in the foothills of the south side of Mount Hood, Oregon. He has been a lifelong resident of all sides of Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge and has spent his life exploring the outdoors. Gary has been taking photos since he was about six years old when he was given a Brownie Hawkeye. Taking photos has been a passion since. He bought his first 35mm SLR, a Yashica, when he joined the U.S. Navy and immediately wanted to learn how to develop his own photos. He joined a camera club and started spending hours at a time in a darkroom learning new techniques from the “old guys” there that were willing to teach what they knew. It was during his stay on the little atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Midway Island during the late 1970’s that he got his first taste of the world of travel, adventure and was where he first became serious about the hobby of photography. After raising a family, he has two grown sons Chris and Matt, and a career change that lead back to the use of a camera, he has transitioned to photography full time. Since digital photography has come into play and has developed into a high quality method, it has allowed him the ability to do many of the darkroom processing techniques that he learned in the past, plus a lot more – all with the lights on.

Through the last 15 years Gary has been recognized for his work both for photography and volunteer work in his community. He is a licensed outfitter and guide who conducts photography tours, classes and workshops. He earned a Silver Medal award from the Professional Photographers Association 2017 International Photographic Competition.

Whenever he’s not at home taking care of business, you can find him wandering near and far to find the the unique scenery that makes up his work. He shares his adventures with his wife Darlene, his dog Betty and his PPV (Photographic Pursuit Vehicle) his 1990 Jeep Cherokee. Photography is his life. Photography is his reason.

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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. 

TRAVEL INSURANCE

For peace of mind we do recommend getting Travel and Medical Insurance when joining an adventure like this. Specifically reimbursement for “Cancellation for Any Reason.” Medical insurance will be up to the participant at the level they want. We are not responsible for travel expenses incurred and therefore this is a necessity. Companies that we recommend to help with this include Arch Insurance, Ripcord and Squaremouth.