Death Valley
Colead with Kah-Wai Lin
SKILL LEVEL
ACTIVITY LEVEL
CLASS SIZE
January 4th - 8th, 2022
All skill levels
welcome
Easy
12 students
5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS | $2,790
Trip Overview
-
Experience the beautiful landscapes and night skies of Death Valley National Park with Kah-Wai Lin and myself as your guides!
-
Capture breathtaking images of the Milky Way!
-
Work hands on with professional shooting techniques to increase your creativity and compositional skills!
-
Advance your photography skills in an exciting group class!
Information
What is included?
-
Kah-Wai Line and myself as your photography guides.
-
Hotel lodging in Death Valley National Park. (Rooms are single occupancy. If desired, double occupancy rooms are available at a reduced rate.)
-
Transportation within Death Valley National Park
-
Post-processing training in Photoshop and Lightroom.
-
My lesson on navigating the night sky and local geology.
What is not included?
-
Airfare and rental car
-
Meals
-
Travel insurance
-
Park entrance fee
What should I bring?
-
DSLR/mirrorless SLR digital camera.
-
Wide angle lens such as 14-24mm. Also worth bringing are a 24-70mm and 70-200mm.
-
Sturdy tripod and ball head.
-
Multiple charged batteries, battery charger, and empty memory cards.
-
Shutter release cable (intervalometer).
-
Headlamp with a red light setting.
-
Laptop computer with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom installed.
-
Warm clothing, thermals, and rain gear.
-
* I recommend ordering a L-bracket for your camera body if you do not already have this accessory. L-brackets allow quickly swapping between landscape and portrait orientation while keeping portrait shots to remain centered over the tripod
COVID-19 Information
-
We will practice social distancing in accordance with COVID-19 protocols and we will wear masks to help limit airborne exposure.
-
Students should book refundable airfare in the event the workshop has to be postponed due to COVID-19.
Physical Fitness Requirement:
-
Ability to hike up to 1 mile is helpful. Most photography locations are near the parking lots where we will be driving to and require only a few minutes hike.
Pricing:
-
This 5 day and 4 night workshop costs $2,790 with a 50 % deposit required to reserve a spot. The remaining balance is due 3 months prior the workshop.
Permits and Certifications:
- I hold the required permit with Death Valley National Park for this workshop.
- In the event of an emergency, I am certified in CPR and First Aid.
- I am trained in the practice of Leave-no-Trace hiking and camping to protect the natural resources.
- Lastly, I served as an Astronomy Ranger at Mount Rainier National Park where we received Interpretive Ranger Training on how to best facilitate visitor experience and learning!
Itinerary
Day 1:
We will start our adventure by meeting at the hotel in Furnace Creek no later than 4pm to talk about the upcoming few days. We will head over to Zabriskie Point to photograph sunset and to Badwater Basin for astrophotography at night.
Day 2:
Today we will wake up early to photograph Badwater Basin during sunrise. This iconic spot is the lowest elevation location in the Northern Hemisphere and offers amazing salt formations to compose scenes with.
Day 3 and 4:
Today we will head to Mesquite Sand Dunes to photograph sunrise from this beautiful spot with endless lines for compositions.
Day 5:
This is our final day as a group. For those needing to return to the airport today you can do so anytime in the afternoon. If possible please schedule your flight for the evening to have ample time to get back to the airport.
Your Teachers
Dr. Kah-Wai Lin was born in Malaysia, but he has lived in other parts of the world for most of his life. He holds a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in medical science from Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Since 2012, Dr. Lin has made his home in New Jersey, USA. Following a successful research career at Princeton University, Dr. Lin followed his passion and became a professional landscape photographer. To date, Dr. Lin has explored and photographed some of the most diverse and remote places in over 30 countries, and he is leading hundreds of photo tours and workshops throughout the world. He has been presenting over 250 seminars around the world.
Hi! My name is Matt and I am a professional photographer with 15 years of experience and a passion for education. Along with a Master's degree in Geology and Planetary Science, I hold a teaching degree and was a National Park Service Astronomy Ranger. The goal of my workshops is to help teach my students so they reach their full photographic potential. Having students push their creative boundaries and enjoying themselves in the field behind the camera means everything to me. I know how exciting it is catching that inspiring moment with a camera and I love sharing that excitement with my students! When you sign up for my workshops you are not only enrolling in an educational trip, but you are joining a family of other workshop photographers who share your passion for travel and self-improvement.
Cancellations + Refunds
Full refunds (excluding the deposit) will be given if a student has to withdraw, but must be requested no later than 6 months prior to the start of the workshop. 50% of the workshop payment (not including the deposit) will be refunded if requested within 4 months to the start of the tour. In the event of a weather related emergency, or any other circumstance causing the workshop to be canceled, a voucher for an upcoming workshop will be issued. We recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover your trip.
Acknowledgement of Risk
By joining this workshop you are acknowledging there at inherent risks during hiking and being in the outdoors. You accept full responsibility for taking care of yourself during this workshop. By joining the workshop you agree to not hold Matt Dieterich Photography, LLC liable for any injures or damaged equipment. I recommend having insurance on your equipment to protect your investment.