Craters of the Moon
National Monument
SKILL LEVEL
ACTIVITY LEVEL
CLASS SIZE
August 26th - 29th, 2022
All skill levels
welcome
Easy
8 students
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS | $1,295
Trip Overview
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Experience the beautiful landscapes and night skies of Craters of the Moon National Monument with myself as your guide, a former Artist in Residence for the park!
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Capture breathtaking images of the Milky Way and landscapes around Craters of the Moon!
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Advance your photography skills in an exciting group class!
Information
What is included?
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Myself as your professional photography guide.
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Hotel lodging. (Rooms are double occupancy. If desired, single occupancy rooms are an additional fee.)
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I was an Artist in Residence at this park and have scouted the many spots to shoot!
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Post-processing training in Photoshop and Lightroom for creating publication and print quality photographs.
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Lesson on navigating the night sky and local geology.
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Light refreshments during the field instruction and classroom sessions.
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Small group size of 8 students.
What should I bring?
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DSLR/mirrorless SLR digital camera.
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Wide angle lens such as 14-24mm. Also worth bringing are a 24-70mm and 70-200mm.
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Sturdy tripod and ball head.
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Multiple charged batteries, battery charger, and empty memory cards.
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Shutter release cable (intervalometer).
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Headlamp with a red light setting.
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Laptop computer with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom installed.
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Warm clothing, thermals, and rain gear.
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* 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.
What is not included?
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Park entrance fee
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Airfare
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Meals
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Travel insurance
Physical Fitness Requirement:
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Ability to hike up to 1 mile will be helpful on this workshop. Most photography locations are near the parking lots where we will be driving to and require only a few minutes hike.
Pricing:
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This 4 day and 3 night workshop cost $1,295 with a $600 deposit required to reserve a spot. The remaining balance is due 3 months prior the workshop.
Permits and Certifications:
- I have submitted my application with the National Park Service for the required permit to conduct a workshop at this park. The workshop is pending acceptance of the permit with the NPS.
- 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!
COVID-19 Information
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We will practice social distancing in accordance with COVID-19 protocols and we will wear masks to help limit airborne exposure.
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Students should book refundable airfare in the event the workshop has to be postponed due to COVID-19.
Itinerary
Day 1:
We will start our adventure by meeting as a group at the Paradise lodge in the afternoon at 3:00pm. Introductions will be made for students and we will have dinner at the Paradise Lodge restaurant at 5:00pm. After dinner, we will hike around the Paradise area capturing the beautiful dark night skies. Paradise offers a lot of great compositions, especially of the Tatoosh Range where fog can fill the valley at night.
Day 2:
Today we will all meet at Paradise Lodge at 2:00pm to review our images and cover post-processing techniques. We will have dinner at the Paradise Lodge at 5:00pm and then proceed down the hill to Reflection Lakes to photograph the sunset and night sky. This is a perfect location for capturing star trails, or panoramas of the lake with Mount Rainier.
Day 3:
Today we will head to the eastern side of the park where we will shoot the night sky over a pair of beautiful lakes. This location offers views of wildflower meadows surrounding Upper and Lower Tipsoo Lake. On calm nights stunning reflections can be paired with the Milky Way. Please pack a meal and snacks as this location only has a small café in the giftshop.
Day 4:
Today we will continue our exploration of the eastern side of the park by visiting Sunrise to photograph this unique location. We will arrive at the Sunrise Visitor Center at 4:00pm. The eastern side of Mount Rainier is in the rain shadow so sees less rainfall compared to the western side. The higher elevation here makes for incredibly crisp images of the night sky. If we are lucky, we can photograph the Northern Lights from the trailhead above Sunrise if the conditions are right!
Day 5:
This is our final day as a group and we will spend our time working on image post-processing at Whitaker's Mountaineering in Ashford starting at 10:00am. For those needing to return to the airport today you can do so anytime in the afternoon.
Your Teacher
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.