In this photography workshop, you'll experience three days and two nights of photography where you'll have a chance to capture the Hoodoos lit up with the setting sun and stars behind – while another night, learn and practice light painting in a prairie ghost town.
Capture sunrise over the Alberta badlands in an early morning shoot and then photo lessons and image review throughout the day. Learn how to position and light a model with the Atlas Coal Mine as your backdrop, then tour and photograph the once thriving mine.
Learn Lightroom and image editing techniques in a classroom setting while reviewing your images. Come and enjoy a weekend of photography with other avid photographers.
Fall 2018 will be the 10th edition of this weekend photography workshop!
Student Image – Karen Albert
Alberta Photography Workshop in Drumheller, AB
- Where: Drumheller, Alberta
- When: Sept 21 – 23, 2018
- Who: You and seven other fabulous people. Spouses and non-photography types are welcome.
- What: Photography workshop with on-location lessons including a portrait session and night photography.
- Why: To expand your photographic horizons, meet some new friends, learn a trick or two and have lots of fun.
- Max Group Size: 10
- Remaining Spots: SOLD OUT
Price: $1097 CAD
Note: While the price of this tour is listed at $1097 Canadian dollars, you will be charged only a $250 reservation fee with the remainder being invoiced 60 days prior to the workshop.
This workshop pairs well with our 5-day Wine & Photography workshop in the Okanagan Valley the following weekend (September 30th – October 5th).
We've scheduled these photography workshops to run back-to-back, allowing anyone traveling to Canada to spend some time improving their photography skills, while on vacation. Ask us about travel ideas that would lead you through Calgary, Canmore, Banff and the Canadian Rocky Mountains as you make your way west towards Vancouver.
If you want to participate in both fall 2018 workshops, you will get a special bonus discount of $150 off when you register for both.
“I have never quite accomplished a good night shot when it comes to including skies and stars, even after a class in night shooting and multiple tries on camping trips. I was attempting it again while light painting at the hoodoos and after a few suggestions from Darlene, I had a turning point moment. I looked at the preview in my camera and I was stunned, I could hardly believe I had taken the picture I was seeing. That single moment was worth the entire trip” – Karen Albert
Best Light
You get to photograph at the optimal times of day for the best light possible, not like other tours where you end up at the best locations at midday, and the worst lighting conditions. This is a workshop and tour designed for photography.
Night Photography
Learn and practice night photography to dazzle your family and friends! Even if you’ve never done night photography this workshop will help you learn some ins and outs of shooting at night, and once again, on-site help as you’re shooting.
Gain Confidence
You will get to work with an experienced photography teacher, Darlene Hildebrandt, who will show you how to create great lighting on location and pose people. With a little guidance and support, you’ll be photographing with confidence. YOU will take images so good you may surprise yourself!
It's Easy
All the arrangements, bookings and schedules are planned for you – all you have to do is register, pay and show up! What better way to spend a weekend.
Portrait Shoot
Our photography workshop includes a non-intimidating photo shoot with a model (an old miner). With professional photography instruction and assistance during the session, the fear factor will be removed from the equation. If you’ve never worked with people or done any portrait photography, now’s your chance!
Your Images Will Sing
With class time to review images, learn how to make improvements, post processing tips and tricks that are easy and you can do yourself. You will leave with knowledge on how to take your images to the next level.
The Drumheller area of southern Alberta is an oasis on the prairies. It’s a desert in the middle of wheat fields, where you’ll find old coal mines, dinosaur bones, deep canyons, ghost towns, and even a tumbleweed or two on occasion. If you are not familiar with the area, it’s sort of like a mini Grand Canyon, mixed with Arizona desert, mixed with the old west. If you live in Washington, Idaho or Montana you’re just a days drive away. Of course, if you live in Alberta, BC or Saskatchewan you are even closer.
Experience a Uniquely Beautiful Valley With Other Photography Enthusiasts
“I was not sure what to expect going in, as I knew I had a lot less experience than anyone else in the group. I was basically starting from scratch with SLR photography. The group size was perfect for me to ask questions, get some help, and then play around on my own. Darlene, you have an incredible amount of patience with everyone, most definitely meant to teach. I feel inspired to keep learning, and will be back for another photography workshop in the future.” – Stacey Oviatt
This is a tentative schedule, may not be exactly as shown here:
- Friday Afternoon
- Arrive at 2 p.m. in Drumheller for a meet and greet, and discussion of logistics for the weekend. Workshop notes will be handed out and we'll go over general tips to get the most out of the weekend. We'll go over some shooting tips for the evening's lessons and for sunrise the next morning. Get to know one another and then supper out at a local restaurant. (dinner included in your fee)
- Friday Evening
- An evening workshop south-east of Drumheller at the Hoodoos. We'll get there just before sunset and then spend a few hours working on night photography. It's this first night that you may begin to understand that photography doesn't have to end when the sun goes down, that's when it just starts to get interesting.
- Saturday Morning
- Up bright and early for a stunning sunrise shoot over the valley of the badlands. Then lessons and a few exercises at a local attraction and another interesting venue, all before 9 a.m.
- Saturday Mid-Morning
- A few hours on your own from 9 a.m. till noon. Take a nap, look through your images and grab a lunch meal with a buddy before some one on one time. (lunch on your own, not included)
- Saturday Afternoon
- One-on-one time with your instructor after lunch, in scheduled time slots from noon until 1:30 p.m., followed by image review from the previous evening and the morning photo sessions. Then night photography instruction in preparation for the evening's activities.
- Saturday Early Evening
- Supper out with our group before the evening activities (dinner is included in your fee)
- Saturday Evening
- Night photography at a ghost town a short distance from Drumheller. Sunset photos with dramatic backdrops provided by the ghost town. Classic prairie landscape with the rustic charm of a small practically abandoned (but cared for) ghost town. Photos of old buildings and once the sun sets, night photography on site with light painting demonstration and practice. Make use of the grain elevators, a restored railroad station and plenty of rustic buildings and machinery. Things wrap up close to 11 p.m., so be prepared for a very long day – sun up until well past sundown.
- Sunday Morning
- Join your instructor at the Atlas Coal Mine, along with a former coal miner, for lessons in lighting and portraiture. Following the portrait session, feel free to wander around the mine and photograph anything that captures your eye. We're here well before they open for the day, so have the mine all to ourselves. Your mine tour fee is included in your registration fee and our miner model is quite happy to lead the tour explaining what it was like in his day. An abandoned train trestle nearby provides ample opportunity for some great shots, as does an old cabin from years ago.
- Sunday Early Afternoon
- Lunch in the historic East Coulee School museum tea room, time on your own to tour and photograph in the the school, or just learn the history of the area from the miners perspective. Your instructor is available to answer any questions.
- Sunday Afternoon
- Class time, image review, Lightroom techniques and examples, questions, answers and wrap up.
“The teacher considers everyone special and makes an effort to give what each student is looking for. I learned some concepts of photography that I used to do and had dropped it to only realize it was a good thing. Also doing night photography made me more understanding of exposure, ISO and so forth making it more clear how it works.” – Danielle, Fall 2016 [photo by Danielle]
