March 19-21, 2014 in Death Valley, CA
with Scott Martin and Lance Keimig
Lance Keimig and I invite you to join us in Death Valley in March. Unlike our usual Full Moon Night Photography workshops, this one will take place in the waning stage of the lunar cycle which will offer us some dark skies full of stars. I’ve come to love this time of night after the sun has gone down and before the moon comes up. It will be a great chance to rely upon light painting and make some ‘galactic sky’ images. We are also going to some unusual and remote locations in the park that most workshops don’t get to.
There will also be lots of opportunities for light drawing as well as light painting. Adding add to these scenes will be an important process towards getting a satifiying image. This intensive workshop is intended for photographers with a good grasp of photographic principles and for those who are comfortable with their equipment. At least minimal experience or familiarity with Night Photography and light painting is recommended, as working in the desert without the aid of moonlight can be challenging. We’ll be pushing you to step outside your comfort zone, to test the limits of what you and your camera can do.
Shooting in remote locations means long drives both before and after shooting hours, so expect some late nights. One night in particular will require a 2.5 hour drive on a rough road that requires a 4WD high clearance vehicle. We expect to carpool to this location and take a few vehicles as possible.
We are thinking of this as a class for those looking to expand your photographic horizons, recharge your creative batteries, share ideas with friends and colleagues, and to go home with some exciting images from this unique landscape. Locations may include the famous Racetrack Playa, Rhyolite, Mesquite Sand Dunes, Badlands, Charcoal Kilns, Goldwell, and more. Discoveries await.
Accommodations
The workshop base camp will be at Furnace Creek. We have secured a block of standard rooms at Furnace creek Ranch at a discounted rate, and once you make your deposit, you will receive a code that can be used to reserve one of the group rooms. If you wish to upgrade to a deluxe room, they are available on a first come, first served basis. The group reservation is for 5 nights, from March 18th to check out on March 23rd. Plan to arrive on March 18th or sooner and check out March 23rd or later.
Furnace Creek Ranch has a nice national park feel with rooms from $210-275. Several excellent good dining options. Call (800) 236-7916 or book your reservation online.
Furnace Creek Inn is first class, gorgeous with fantastic dining. Historic charm and luxery. Rooms are $350-500. There are currently rooms available for $380 during the workshop. Lunch is less expensive than anywhere in park ($10-14), dinner is pricey at $25-45 per entree. Breakfast $6-15. Call (800) 236-7916 or book your reservation online.
Farabees Jeep Rental is next to the Furnace Creek Inn and is the place to rent modified 4WD Jeeps for remote locations like the racetrack. Ice chest with ice and water included. $175/2dr/day, $195/4dr/day 760-786-9872
Getting there
Death Valley is located in eastern California, 2.5 hours west of Las Vegas, NV. There are several ways of getting there. If you will be flying, fly into Las Vegas and take this route. Here are route recommendations for those coming from Los Angeles or from San Fransisco
Registration
The price for the workshop is $1195. Lodging, meals and vehicles are not included. For a workshop with two great instructors and a small number of participants, we hope you’ll find this to be an excellent value. You can secure your spot by paying a deposit with the button below.
Money handling for this workshop is provided by Lance Keimig Photographics. After reserving your space in the workshop, book your reservation at the Furnace Creek Ranch or Inn.
All photos on this page are © 2013 by Scott Martin.