Mount Rainier
National Park
SKILL LEVEL
ACTIVITY LEVEL
CLASS SIZE
July 6th - 8th, 2024
All skill levels
Easy
8 students
(2 seats left!)
3 DAYS | $1,495
Trip Overview
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Experience the beautiful landscapes and night skies of Mt. Rainier National Park with myself as your guide, a former Mt. Rainier Astronomy Ranger and photographer of the Mt. Rainier National Park Service Forever Stamp!
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Capture breathtaking images of the Milky Way and alpine meadows around Mt. Rainier!
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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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Post-processing training in Photoshop and Lightroom.
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Lesson on navigating the night sky.
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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, lodging, or rental car
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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 for 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 workshop costs $1,495 with a $800 deposit required to reserve a spot. The remaining balance is due 3 months prior the workshop. 3 % card processing fee is added at checkout.
Permits and Certifications:
- We hold a valid National Park Service CUA permit to conduct a workshop in this park.
- 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 as a group at the Paradise Inn next to the Jackson Visitor Center in Mt. Rainier National Park. Introductions will be made for students. 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 meet at Whittaker's Bunkhouse in Ashford to review our images and cover post-processing techniques. Tonight we will shoot at Reflection Lakes to photograph the night sky. This is a perfect location for capturing star trails, or panoramas of the lake with Mount Rainier.
Day 3:
Today we will meet at Whittaker's Bunkhouse in Ashford to review our images and cover post-processing techniques. Tonight will head to the eastern side of the park where we will shoot the night sky over a beautiful lake. 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.
Day 4:
Departure day.
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.