Rocky coastlines, wildflowers, majestic trees, and beautiful beaches – Big Sur is a rite of passage for any landscape photographer. The whole area embodies the magic of the California Coast.

Scott Davenport will be your guide on an exciting journey to this breathtaking and gorgeous coastline.

What You'll Learn

These are just a few of the things you can look forward to on this workshop:

• Reading a scene to create dynamic, compelling landscape compositions

• How exposure settings affect the appearance and feeling of water in your photos

• How to best focus your camera for landscape photography

• Workflow and post processing techniques to emphasize the story of your photo and realize your creative vision

• And much, much more…

From past experience, the more questions and thirst for knowledge you bring to the workshop, the more you will get out of it. Bring those questions!

What To Bring

Participants receive a detailed workshop handbook with details on what gear and clothing to pack. Here's a summary:

• A camera that is capable of manual mode. Interchangeable lenses are a plus.

• A variety of lenses. If you can pack only one, pack your most versatile lens.

• A sturdy tripod. The coast can get windy.

• A laptop with photo editing software.

• A polarizing filter and neutral density filters.

• A warm, waterproof jacket, hat & gloves, and layers of clothing.

• Sturdy hiking boots that can get wet.

• An open mind and a can-do attitude!

Physical Ability

This workshop will involve some hiking. If you are comfortable walking on uneven ground for 1 to 2 miles, you'll be fine on this workshop. There are some coastal trails that wind down up to a hundred feet on steeper inclines, so the hike back up is the tough part. If a location is out of your comfort zone, we'll figure out an alternative.

Photographic Ability

This workshop is for photographers that are serious about improving their craft. All skill levels are welcome. You do not need to be an advanced photographer. You'll get more from the workshop if you already have an understanding of the fundamentals. If you can work comfortably in aperture priority mode and know when it's time to switch to manual/bulb, you are plenty prepared.

What Is Included

• Daily location shoots in the Big Sur area

• Daily hands-on coaching and instruction in the field

• Group and personalized post processing instruction

• Photo critiques

• Water and snacks

• Any required park entrance fees

What locations will we visit?
We will choose from a pool of locations on a daily basis. Soberanes Point, Asilomar Beach, Monterey, and Point Lobos Reserve are just a few of the places we have the opportunity to visit. There are many more great places to choose from, too. Daily weather conditions will play a significant factor in selecting a location. The ocean tides, too. We may visit a location more than once if a particular spot gives us the best conditions for good photos.

Where do I stay?
Our workshop headquarters is Carmel Mission Inn hotel in Carmel, California. The hotel is lovely, conveniently located near many restaurants and coffee shops, and puts us in easy driving distance from so many great locations in the Big Sur area. We also have a private boardroom to work on our photos between shoots, get personalized post-processing lessons, and simply talk photography.

I have also secured a block of rooms at a guest rate for our group. Once you have signed up for the workshop, I will send you booking instructions for our room block.

I'm flying in. What airport should I travel to?
The closest airport is the regional airport in Monterey, California (MRY), about a 15 min drive from the Carmel Mission Inn. Routes into Monterey Regional Airport may be limited depending on where you are traveling from. Another option is flying into San Jose International Airport (SJC). Carmel, California is roughly a 2 hour drive from San Jose.

The workshop runs for 4 full days April 8th - 11th, 2024. I recommend arriving in Carmel the day before on Sunday, April 7th.

Do I need a rental car?
Unless you are local to the area, yes. You are responsible for getting yourself to the Carmel Mission Inn in Carmel, California. I suppose you could Uber from an airport to Carmel, but it'll be one heck of a fare! And after the workshop, you might want to spend a couple of extra days exploring the area yourself. There's just so much to see and photograph!

What level of fitness do I need?
There aren’t any epic hikes. However, you do need to be sufficiently fit to walk a mile or two on uneven terrain while carrying your camera gear. Several of the locations involve steeper grades - meaning the hike out is the tougher part! If you can hike on a steep grade for a 10 to 15 minute clip, you’re in good shape for this workshop. Of course, I’ll never force you to go somewhere out of your comfort zone. We’ll figure out alternatives if and when called for.

Will we shoot in the rain?
The short answer - yes. The Big Sur area gets rain. Fog, too. It’s to be expected. We won’t shoot in a downpour or if there’s a lightning storm. Conversely, we won’t let a light rain discourage us from reaching a location and being prepared for a shoot. The weather can be fickle. Rain showers can come and go over the course of an hour or two. And that makes for interesting photos!

Can I bring a spouse or +1?
As you’ll have your own room at the hotel (see the ‘Where do I stay’ question), you are welcome to bring your spouse, partner, or +1 on your trip. However, during the workshop events, our purpose is to live and breathe photography. Non-participants cannot join us on our location shoots. Your traveling companions are welcome to join us for meals, unless we are dining en route to location.

What post processing software do I need?
Anything you are comfortable with using. I use Lightroom and ON1 Photo. I am also familiar with Luminar, Aurora HDR, Capture One, and Apple Photos. If you don't have any post processing tools, read this blog post and download a free trial. 

When we talk about post-processing, my focus is to teach you why a photo needs adjusting and what should be adjusted to make your photo stronger. The mechanics of how to do that will vary from tool to tool... and it's usually straightforward to figure out once we know what to change any why.

Registration

The workshop cost is $1595. That includes personalized instruction, on location guidance, and post processing lessons

A deposit of $495 reserves your space. Per the workshop cancelation policy, deposits are non-refundable. You will be invoiced for the remaining $1100 prior to the workshop. If you need a payment plan, contact me and I'll make arrangements.

Signups within 90 days of the workshop pay the full workshop price at registration time.

Liability

Participants agree to join the workshop at their own risk and must sign a waiver of liability. By its nature, outdoor landscape photography has inherent risks. I’ll never lead you into an area that is unduly dangerous. If at any time during the workshop you don’t feel comfortable, certainly let me know.

Cancellations

Please review the cancellation policy. This policy covers cancellations from both students and the instructor(s) and refund information.

Deposits are non-refundable.