Olympic National Park Photography Workshop

May 2020

Olympic National Park offers up a multitude of landscapes indicative of the Pacific Northwest. In this workshop, we will visit the Hoh Rainforest and its Hall of Mosses. The rugged coastline includes the awe-inspiring sea stacks of First and Second Beach as well as Ruby and Rialto beaches. We will also explore the inner forests in search of cascades and waterfalls. This workshop will take advantage of the best the northwest has to offer.

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Highlights

Small Group Size

Our workshops are kept small and personable. You are sure to get ample time with the instructor over the course of the workshop.

Sunset & Sunrise Seascapes

The rugged coast of the Olympic Peninsula will offer us opportunities to work on movement with water and a focus on using shutter speed and filters for creative control of your images.

Temperate Rainforests

The variety of subjects in the rainforest is unrivaled. Mosses, lichens, mushrooms, and more fill the forests with life and subject matter.

More Information

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Our Olympic National Park Photography Workshop topics include:

• Transforming your artistic vision into memorable photographs
• Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO – their relationship to one another and how to change them for exposure control
• Metering and getting a correct exposure
• Histograms, how to read them, and how to fine-tune exposure
• Creative depth-of-field effects using aperture control
• Capturing motion within your photos using different shutter speeds
• Timing waves to capture crashing spray, water streaks, and sandy reflections
• White balance and creative coloration
• Creating perspective, depth, and a sense of “being there” in your photos
• Creating powerful compositions with impact
• Composing to control your viewer’s attention in your photos
• Composition balance, tension, and visual flow
• How to use filters to capture dramatic light or create long-exposure effects
• Shoot planning and how to be at the right place at the right time
• Aspects of post-processing and digital workflow
• Shoot planning and how to be at the right place at the right time

Getting to the workshop

This workshop is based out of Forks, Washington which is about a 3.5 hour drive from SEATAC airport, and ventures into the Olympic National Park, a vast area filled with temperate rain forests, rugged coast line, waterfalls, mountains, lakes, and more. We will use Forks as our home base and have rooms reserved in town.

Our Olympic National Park  photography workshop begins on Thursday afternoon where we will go over logistics and introductions before heading out to photograph sunset. Friday and Saturday will be spent photographing from sunrise until sundown with  mid-day breaks due to the long days at this time of year. The workshop wraps after sunrise on Sunday. Our weekend will be spent wandering through forests draped with mosses and lichens, photographing sea stacks along the coast, and venturing to snow melt waterfalls with electric green mosses, and more.

This workshop is organized to take advantage of the best and most interesting locations in the Olympic National Park. However, the exact itinerary and places we visit may change depending on the group and weather conditions.

Weather

Olympic National Park in spring can a mix of just about everything. Certainly we may encounter rain, possibly snow (although unlikely). We may also have clear skies or foggy conditions. The best advice is to prepare for everything, and have layers and extra shoes to always have a dry pair.

$1250 per person for the workshop*

  • Lodging supplement for 3 nights motel lodging, cost $450
  • Save $125 if you are a returning client or per person when you sign up with a friend (single occupancy). Use code friendONP
  • Save $350 per person when you sign up with a friend and share a room. Use code friendONP2

A deposit is required to reserve your spot with the balance due 60 days prior to the start of the workshop.

What’s Included

• Quality, professional, 1-on-1 photography instruction on par with your level as a photographer
• Small class size with two full time instructors
• 3 nights lodging (with lodging supplement)
• 3 days of in-field shooting and instruction
• Water and snacks throughout the workshop
• A fun, positive, interactive learning environment

What’s Not Included

• Getting to the workshop in Forks, WA. SeaTac (SEA) Airport is a 3.5 hour drive away.
• Transportation during the workshop. While students need to provide their own transportation during the workshop we will be carpooling as much as possible.
• Meals

Cancellation Policy

Please view our cancellation policy here.

Camera Gear

• Digital SLR camera
• Lenses. Wide and ultra-wide angle lenses are highly recommended
• A sturdy tripod
• Closed footwear with good traction, possibly a second pair, too
• Creativity and a positive attitude
• Warm clothes in layers, gloves, a warm hat, and a rain jacket, umbrella, gators
• A wide-brim hat and sunscreen
• A one-liter (or larger) water bottle

Recommended clothing

Most participants will be comfortable with a warm jacket, beanie, and gloves for the mornings and evenings, and rain wear (if nexcessary) throughout the day. For our late night and early morning shoots, we recommend a very warm jacket, hat, and gloves. A wide-brim hat, sunscreen and sunglasses, and a large water bottle will also be indispensable.

Highly recommended items

• Filters (ND, Grad ND, Polarizer)
• Remote shutter release
• Camera rain sleeve
• Flashlight

Fitness level

This workshop is appropriate for photographers of most fitness levels. We will walk approximately 5-8 miles over the course of the workshop each day over mostly even terrain. All participants are expected to be able to carry their own camera, personal gear, and water during the workshop.

Spectacular Locations
Our workshops combine the very best scenery we can find along with in-depth knowledge of the areas we’re visiting. From the coast to the mountains to the desert, our workshops visit some of the most breathtaking landscapes you can imagine. And with hundreds of hours spent scouting and shooting in each location, we know the best times to visit, the best things to see, and the best shots to get. Plus we’re constantly adding new and cool locations to our line-up so you can keep expanding your photographic horizons.

1-on-1 Instruction at Your Level
We take a three-tiered approach to our photography instruction: Philosophy. Theory. Technique. This means that no matter what level of photographer you are, you can expect to walk away from a workshop with your head bursting with ideas about how to refine your vision and find your own style, an understanding of camera techniques and composition concepts that will springboard your photography, and the actual “How-To” of nailing a shot in the field. And with our relaxed, casual, 1-on-1 approach, you can soak up just the information YOU need to become a better shooter.

Small Class Size
Our multi-day workshops insure you get ample one-on-one time with the instructors. Our small groups also help us build camaraderie, plus we can go places big photography tours can’t.

A “Go Happy or Go Home” Attitude
We believe that photography is as much about enjoyment as it is about scoring a keeper for your portfolio. We create a fun and dynamic environment where you can meet other photographers, learn at your own pace, enjoy the beauty of nature, and have a great time while doing it.

We Never Stop Scouting
Sea to Summit is never content to rest on its laurels. Before and after every workshop we are scouting, scouting, scouting. Whether it’s to find new and exciting locations to shoot or to provide a different view of the old icons, we strive to show you the absolute best places for photography.

Fully Insured and Permitted, Leave-No-Trace Advocates
Sea to Summit takes pains to ensure our activities are 100% above board. We obtain all the necessary permissions and insurances required in order conduct our workshops.

We are also strong advocates of Leave No Trace (LNT) wilderness ethics. We teach responsible photography practices and never sacrifice the environment for the sake of a photo. Our goal is to leave our photography workshop locations in better shape than the way we found them.

Your Instructors

Jim and Vinny both reside in the Seattle area of the Pacific Northwest. While Jim has recently moved to the area in 2015, Vinny has lived and explored this area his entire life. Working together at Kenmore Camera, Vinny and Jim are teaming up to lead our Olympic National Park workshop. Through a combination of theory, philosophy, examples, and on-the-spot feedback, they help students reach those “a-ha!” moments that take their photography to the next level.

Jim Patterson

Jim Patterson has a a vast experience teaching landscape photography and has taught many students along the coast of California teaching seascape photography. He has explored some of the locations in Olympic National Park we will be visiting and plans on further scouting leading up to the workshop.

Vinny Pickens

Vinny brings an enthusiasm for the outdoors and an extensive knowledge of the outdoors. He has also worked in the camera industry for well over a decade and brings a wealth of technical knowledge along with him in addition to the creative side of photography.