Death Valley
National Park
Tuition
Coming Soon
Location
Death Valley, USA
Dates
February
Fitness Level
Moderate
Availability
Limited to 6
Death Valley: Light & Landscape
A Photography Workshop Among Dunes, Badlands, Salt Flats, and Mountains
February 2028 — Dates Coming Soon.
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Photograph dramatic desert landscapes during beautiful sunrise and evening light
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Explore dunes, salt flats, badlands, ghost towns, and Racetrack Playa
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Small-group instruction with only six photographers and classroom processing sessions
Death Valley is a landscape shaped by extremes, where vast salt flats, sculpted sand dunes, rugged mountains, and colorful badlands create an extraordinary environment for photography. In February, cooler temperatures and low winter light provide ideal conditions for exploring and photographing one of America’s most dramatic national parks.
Limited to only six photographers, this workshop will take us from the patterns and shadows of Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes to Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, abandoned structures at Rhyolite Ghost Town, and the remote Racetrack Playa. Our photography sessions will be planned around sunrise, sunset, twilight, and the changing light across the desert landscape.
Between our time in the field, we’ll hold classroom sessions devoted to image review and post-processing in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Randy will work with participants on composition and technique in the field, then bring those photographs back into the classroom to demonstrate how to develop them into finished images.
With a small group, carefully selected locations, classroom instruction, and time built into the schedule to rest between early mornings and evening shoots, this workshop is designed to give photographers an immersive Death Valley experience while helping them create stronger landscape images.
Your Instructor
Randy Van Duinen
This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, road conditions, local conditions, and other factors.
Monday: Arrival, Orientation and Welcome Dinner
Arrive in Death Valley and check into our hotel. In the evening, we’ll meet for workshop orientation and our welcome dinner, discuss the days ahead, and prepare for our first early-morning shoot.
Tuesday: Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Sunrise, Classroom Session, Zabriskie Point Sunset
We’ll start before dawn at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, photographing the patterns, textures, and shadows created by the early morning light. After breakfast and some downtime, we’ll meet for our first image review and post-processing session. Late in the afternoon, we’ll head to Zabriskie Point to photograph the colorful badlands through sunset.
Wednesday: Badwater Basin Sunrise, Death Valley Landscapes, Rhyolite Light Painting
We’ll begin at Badwater Basin, photographing the salt flats and surrounding mountains as morning light moves across the valley. After breakfast, we’ll explore additional locations before returning for an afternoon break. Later, we’ll travel to Rhyolite Ghost Town, photographing the ruins through evening light before finishing with a light painting session after dark.
Thursday: Sunrise Photography, Classroom Session, Racetrack Playa Twilight
We’ll begin with a sunrise shoot at a location selected according to conditions and light before returning for breakfast. After a classroom session and midday break, we’ll travel by four-wheel-drive vehicles to Racetrack Playa, photographing the playa and its famous sailing stones through late afternoon, sunset, and twilight.
Friday: Zabriskie Point Sunrise, Image Review and Workshop Wrap-Up
We’ll head out early for our final sunrise shoot at Zabriskie Point, photographing the badlands as the first light reaches the surrounding peaks. After breakfast, we’ll meet for a final image review, post-processing discussion, and workshop wrap-up, concluding around noon.
Itinerary
Gallery
