The Oregon Coast is a treasure for the landscape photographer. Rocky coastlines, towering sea stacks, beautiful beaches – all shaped by the strong tides of the Pacific Ocean. It is without a doubt one of the most photogenic places on earth.

Co-hosts Scott Davenport and Derrick Story will be your guides 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 and stairways that wind down several 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 your 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.

Where is the workshop based?
Headquarters for the workshop is in the heart of Old Town Florence, Oregon. There are plenty of lodging options and restaurants in town. It’s also centrally located on the Oregon Coast within comfortable driving distance from many prime photo locations.

Where should I stay?
Two very convenient options in Florence are the River House Inn and The Old Town Inn. Both are walking distance to workshop headquarters. There are many other accommodations in Florence within a few minutes drive.

You will book your room on your own, but we provide the workshop meeting space that will serve as your home base for class, lab, and yes, snacks as well!

The workshop runs 4 full days, November 9th - 12th. We recommend arriving in Florence the day before on the 8th. Most likely, you’ll want to stay in town the evening of the 12th (unless you like late night flights :).

What locations will we visit?
In terms of shooting locations, we will choose from a pool of possibilities on a daily basis. We’ve researched many sites, and have the luxury of choosing the best given the shooting conditions each day.

The Heceta Head Lighthouse, Coos Bay, and Cape Perpetua are just a few of the places we’ll choose from. There are so many other great places to visit, 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.

I'm flying in. What airport should I travel to?
Headquarters for the workshop is Florence, Oregon. The best airport for arrival is Eugene Airport (EUG). Florence is about a 90 minute drive from Eugene.

Do I need a rental car?
Yes. You are responsible for getting yourself to Florence. You could Lyft your way there, 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 Oregon coast yourself. There's just so much to see and photograph!

Is Oregon cold in November?
On average, temperatures at the coast are about 50F/10C. The wind can be strong and in the early mornings and evening. Layers of clothing are advised, along with a waterproof jacket with a hood. A hat and gloves are also recommended.

What level of fitness do I need?
There aren’t any epic hikes. You do need to be sufficiently fit to walk a mile or two on uneven terrain. Several of the locations involve steep grades or longer staircases to reach - 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, you’ll never be forced 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 Pacific Northwest gets a lot of rain. 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! All the photos on this page were taken in the month of November.

What post processing software do I need?
Anything you are comfortable with using. The instructors are very familiar with Lightroom, Photoshop, ON1 Photo RAW, 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. 

The post processing focus in the workshop 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 why we want to change something in a photo.

Is a COVID-19 vaccine required?
Yes. All participants must have received their full complement of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Registration

The workshop cost is $1295. That includes personalized instruction (two instructors!), on location guidance, and post processing lessons

A deposit of $295 reserves your space. Per the workshop cancelation policy, deposits are non-refundable. You will be invoiced for the remaining $1000 prior to the workshop. If you need a payment plan, contact us and we'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. We’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 us 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.