Joshua Tree National Park with John Bosma (Travel Workshop)

About

Welcome to Joshua Tree National Park, a place that embodies the raw beauty and mystique of the desert. With its twisted Joshua trees, rugged rock formations, and breathtaking sunsets, Joshua Tree is a haven for landscape photographers and nature enthusiasts alike. People visit this unique park to immerse themselves in its otherworldly landscapes, find solitude in the vast expanse, and capture moments of pure natural wonder.

This workshop is designed to help photographers of all levels capture the extraordinary beauty and unique landscapes of Joshua Tree. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, this Joshua Tree Photography Workshop will take you on a visual journey through this epic destination, allowing you to capture its magic and create stunning images that will leave a lasting impression.

Immerse yourself in the breathtaking scenery as you learn essential techniques such as composition, exposure, and post-processing. Whether seeking to refine your skills or just starting, this workshop offers a supportive and inspiring environment for photographers of all backgrounds. With hands-on instruction and personalized feedback, you’ll leave with a stunning collection of images that capture the unique spirit of Joshua Tree National Park.

Take advantage of this opportunity to elevate your photography and create lasting memories in one of nature’s most awe-inspiring landscapes.

ITINERARY & GENERAL INFORMATION
Wednesday, September 25th – we’ll meet @ 3 PM for an orientation session followed by a group dinner:

• Tentative photo destinations/logistics of moving around / types of photos
• Camera techniques and shooting strategies we’ll be using
• Equipment and camera gear
• Answer any questions you have

Thursday, September 26th – our first full day in the field will start with sunrise near the Jumbo Rocks Campground area. In addition to Skull Rock, there are many other unique and rugged jumbo rock formations, Joshua Trees, and hiking trails in this area of the park. After lunch, we’ll spend the afternoon photographing the Cholla Cactus Garden and the Ocotillo Patch. For those interested in night photography, we’ll conclude our day with sunset at the Rock & Tree formation.

• Sunrise & Morning near the Jumbo Rocks Campground
• Lunch back at Twentynine Palms
• Afternoon at the Cholla Cactus Garden and the Ocotillo Patch
• Dinner back at Twentynine Palms
• Sunset/Blue Hour at the Rock & Tree formation

Friday, September 27th – we’ll start our second full day with sunrise at Arch Rock followed by a short hike to Heart Rock – both of these attractions sit in the midst of another landscape full of rugged and unique jumbo rock formations. We’ll spend the remainder of the morning at Hall of Horror – this area of the park features Joshua Tree groves, cacti, and large rock formations which attract rock climbers. After lunch, we’ll spend the remainder of the day and sunset at Hidden Valley – this area of the park includes the Hidden Valley Trail Loop and a wide-open area full of Joshua Trees, desert, and interesting rock formations.

• Sunrise & Early Morning at Arch Rock and Heart Rock
• Morning at Hall of Horror
• Lunch at Twentynine Palms
• Afternoon & Sunset at Hidden Valley
• Dinner back at Twentynine Palms

Saturday, September 28th
Sunrise Location TBD

WHAT TO EXPECT
The majority of our days will start early, before sunrise. After a quick cup of coffee or tea, we’ll be off to get into position at a location in the best light of the day with breakfast in the field in order to maximize our shooting time.

More important than just getting you to some of the best and most remote locations at the best times of the day, this landscape photography workshop will teach you how to visualize an image, how to plan your shoot, how to capture your image in the field, and how to bring your image to life using a variety of post-production techniques.

In the Field:
We’ll learn how to scout and visualize a scene, compose a ground/sky/sea landscape to show scale and tell a story, how to manage complex highlight and shadow scenes, how and when to use filters, how to plan your images for a blended blue hour composite, how to focus your camera at night to capture pin sharp stars and foreground, and how to use apps like PhotoPills to plan a shoot. We’ll also use techniques such as dynamic bracketing and exposure blending, focus stacking and focal length blending, neutral density filters, and stacking for noise reduction.

In the Classroom:
We’ll spend time developing your post-production workflow – learning when Lightroom is enough and when you need to move your work into Photoshop. We’ll learn how to use techniques such as luminosity masks to create and solve contrast, color, and blending issues; how to blend multiple images together in Photoshop to create blue hour blends, focal length blends, and exposure blends; how to use start stacking to create pin sharp starry night skies; how to create Orton glows and sharpen your final image; and how to use apps like ProPanel to increase your efficiency.

You’ll benefit from hours of capture time in the field with an instructor by your side, and classroom instruction as you learn new techniques and strategies for creating dynamic images.

TUITION & PAYMENT TERMS
What’s Included in Your Tuition:
• 2 full-day and 2 half-day training days
• All applicable permit fees inside Joshua Tree National Park
• Workshop course materials
• In-the-field photographic training
• Online prep & orientation classes prior to the workshop
• Post-production classes and techniques during the workshop
• Online post-production classes after the workshop

What’s Not Included in Your Tuition:
• Transportation to/from your home to Basecamp
• Lodging
• Ground transportation during the workshop
• Your National Park Pass for entry to Joshua Tree National Park
• Meals
• Alcoholic beverages
• Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance
• Personal expenses, gratuities, and anything not listed as included

WHAT TO BRING AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR WORKSHOP
Please see our How to Prepare For Your Workshop page for guidelines on workshop prep, gear, and packing. Approximately 90 days before your workshop, you will be sent a PDF with more specific instructions.

John Bosma is a fine art landscape photographer specializing in capturing nature’s beauty. He has won multiple awards for his work and is a well-known mountain climber and hiker. Many of John’s landscape photos come from his personal adventures in the great outdoors, or as a colleague once said, “John takes fantastic images. It’s just that none of them are below 10,000 feet!” In addition to his photography, John runs a series of professional full-immersion landscape photography workshops. These workshops are designed to allow photographers of all levels to learn from master photographers and develop their unique photographic voices.

John’s Death Valley National Park images were recently displayed as part of the 100 Years of the National Park Service Exhibition. His work has also been displayed in various museums and galleries, including the Griffin Museum of Photography in Boston, Massachusetts; the Amanda Smith Gallery in Johnson City, Texas; the Los Angeles Center of Photography; and the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art.

In addition to his landscape and fine art photography, John is an accomplished sports photographer. He is an official photographer for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Special Olympics, the World Police & Fire Games, the ALS Association, NCAA Sports, and Nike. His commercial and editorial photographs have been featured in publications and online magazines, and his images have appeared in numerous advertising and marketing campaigns. John was also featured in 2021 as one of the top ten best event photographers in Los Angeles.

Details

TUITION

Non-Members = $1,150
Members = $1,050 (Become a Member and save!)

TO ENROLL

To register please scroll to the bottom of the page.

WORKSHOP DATES

September 25-28, 2024. We will meet for orientation and dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Our first full workshop day is Thursday, Sept. 26. We will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 28 around mid-day.

DEPOSIT, PAYMENT AND REFUND POLICY

A $200 deposit is required to reserve space in the workshop. The balance is due August 1st, 2024. Refund requests arriving by end of July, 2024 will result in loss of deposit. Refund requests arriving between August 1-15, 2024 will result in a 50% loss of the workshop fee. Refund requests arriving after August 15, 2024 will result in 100% loss of the workshop fee. All refund requests must be submitted in writing via email to info@lacphoto.org.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

• 2 full-day and 2 half-day training days
• All applicable permit fees inside Joshua Tree National Park
• Workshop course materials
• Online prep & orientation class prior to the workshop
• In the field instruction, mentoring, and camera techniques during the workshop
• Online post-processing class after the workshop

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

• Transportation to/from your home to the Hotel
• Lodging
• Meals
• Alcoholic beverages
• Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance
• Personal expenses and anything not listed as included

PROPOSED ITINERARY (subject to change)

Wednesday, September 25th – we’ll meet @ 3 PM for an orientation session followed by a group dinner:

• Tentative photo destinations/logistics of moving around / types of photos
• Camera techniques and shooting strategies we’ll be using
• Equipment and camera gear
• Answer any questions you have

Thursday, September 26th

• Sunrise & Morning near the Jumbo Rocks Campground
• Lunch back at Twentynine Palms
• Afternoon at the Cholla Cactus Garden and the Ocotillo Patch
• Dinner back at Twentynine Palms
• Sunset/Blue Hour at the Rock & Tree formation

Friday, September 27th

• Sunrise & Early Morning at Arch Rock and Heart Rock
• Morning at Hall of Horror
• Lunch at Twentynine Palms
• Afternoon & Sunset at Hidden Valley
• Dinner back at Twentynine Palms

Saturday, September 28th
Sunrise Location TBD

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
Limited to 10 participants

WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP DESIGNED FOR?
This workshop is designed to accommodate all camera formats and all skill levels. Our goal is to introduce you to the breathtaking beauty of Yosemite National Park and to help you advance your photography through creative personal expression.

REQUIREMENTS/PREREQUISITES
Participants must be familiar using their cameras and have a basic understanding of photography fundamentals. Participants should be in good physical condition and able to comfortably walk several miles a day and hike up/down mountain terrain.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING
Participants should wear/bring layered clothing. Please expect the early mornings and late evenings to be cool while daytime temps can average 89 degrees. You don’t need heavy-duty hiking boots, but you should have comfortable walking shoes since we will be walking up to a mile a day as we move around the locations.

LODGING RECOMMENDATIONS
Twentynine Palms is located next to the east park entrance, or Joshua Tree, which is located next to the west entrance. Both locations have quite a few affordable options in terms of hotels.

TRAVEL SUGGESTIONS
It is recommended you arrive in Joshua Tree the evening of September 24 OR in the early afternoon on September 25.

MEALS
You are responsible for all your own meals/snacks during the workshop.

QUESTIONS?
Please email info@lacphoto.org or call 323.464.0909

Add to Calendar