The Wild Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula Photography Workshop April 27 - May 3, 2025
Jagged snow-capped mountains, lush temperate rainforests with their cascading waterfalls, and a wild coast with beaches, sea stacks and magnificent sunsets – the Olympic Peninsula is one of the most dramatic and diverse photographic locations in the USA. In this workshop we'll sample the best of the Peninsula, including lots of time in the Olympic National Park. It’s the perfect setting for improving your mastery of the art of photography and making better photographs in a variety of rewarding locations. You’ll come back with great images, new friends and enriched skills and knowledge.
Join Bob Stavers. Al DaValle and Mark Gardner to explore the Olympic Peninsula and the art of photography. This workshop is for anyone proficient with their camera system and the desire to become more artistic, creative and personally expressive in their photography. We hope that you'll join us for the exciting photographic adventure.
To register, click HERE, or for more information read on.
To view images by participants and instructors in previous workshops, click HERE.
"The workshop was great - both for photography and fun conversation. Selfishly speaking, it was terrific having a relatively small group. It made for a lot more unstructured photo review time. To me, that was the most valuable learning experience. You and Al are very constructive and helpful." - Scott G., Carbondale, CO
This workshop is much more than a photo tour. Sure, we'll visit some very photogenic locations, but, more importantly, we take a deeper dive into the art of photography. This workshop will focus on artistry and creativity in both the camera and in the digital darkroom. We'll explore more advanced techniques in both capture and post processing for creating final artwork. Whatever your approach, color or black & white, whatever your style and whatever your subject matter, this workshop can open new doors into the art of photography.
Our time in the workshop is structured into formal sessions in the field and indoors, as well as informal get-togethers for sharing and socializing. The sessions will cover the complete photographic workflow from initial vision, effective image exposure, to the finished digitally post-processed image or traditional darkroom image. We’ll focus on the art of photography including the art of seeing, better understanding light, using the elements of composition and post processing to realize your vision.
"I wanted to thank you two for the amazing Olympic National Park photography workshop you put together. Choosing to attend was for me, the right decision. In addition to subsequently having that rare “ah ha” moment, I enjoyed a great experience. Over the course of the week, we visited numerous and diverse locations, with you two being incredibly generous with sharing your knowledge and insight. Also so valuable were the non-field activities including personalized editing instruction, image critiques, laughing (important to me) and breaking bread." - Mitch F., Reston, VA
The Olympic Peninsula has more great locations than we’ll have time to visit. Our choices for locations will be dictated by the weather, road conditions and the desires of the group. These sessions may involve some moderate hiking up to 2-3 miles round trip, but nothing too strenuous or too far. Locations may include the mountain views from Hurricane Ridge, the rainforests of the Hoh River and Crescent Lake areas, rugged beaches such as 2nd Beach and Ruby Beach, and the old growth forests and waterfalls of Sol Duc. Given the variable weather of the Olympics, you should be prepared to photograph in all weather conditions.
The indoor sessions will include image reviews, lectures, demonstrations and discussions. In particular, we'll review the photographic work of all participants and instructors, with everyone providing input and encouragement to one another. We'll also review images made during the workshop and explore topics of interest to the group in demonstrations and discussions. Reviews will focus on the entire process from initial vision to final photograph, and how to better execute throughout that process. There are no secrets - only a remarkable sharing of everything artistic and photographic.
“The Wild Olympics Workshop was an incredibly beautiful outdoor experience, and for me it created a fundamental leap forward in my capabilities as a photographer. The amazing variety of conditions and image-making opportunities packed months of experience into a seven-day adventure. And sharing time together, insights and stories with experienced photographers around me was as much a pleasure as it was an education. I highly recommend the workshop.” Greg R., Wildwood, MO
During the workshop you'll be responsible for your own lodging and meals. We plan to split our time between Port Angeles, WA and Forks, WA. We'll reserve a block of rooms at the recommended hotels in each location. For ground transportation, we'll carpool as some locations have limited parking. More details on travel will be provided after you're registered.
In the past we've rented a house through AirBnB or VRBO in both Port Angeles and Forks. The houses have proven to be great places for image reviews, demonstrations, discussions, and plenty of fun. We'll be doing that again for this workshop. The common areas of the houses will be open to all. The instructors will be staying in the bedrooms of each of the houses.
Having the houses also provides space for eating and drinking. In the past, we've purchased breakfast and lunch makings for the group, and split the resulting cost among the workshop's participants and instructors. In addition, Forks doesn't provide the finest dining options, so we typically get pizzas once or twice to bring back to the houses and share for dinner. This saves us both time and money during the workshop and provides more time for photography. We'll send more details after you register.
"I really enjoyed the Olympic Peninsula Workshop. The sea stacks, rain forest, and rocky beaches were beautiful to photograph. The tips and tricks I learned really improved my photography skills. Mark and Al gave much needed thoughtful instruction. The fellowship of the group was both fun and rewarding. I look forward to returning!"- Tom C., Greenwood, IN
The workshop dates are Sunday, April 27 through Saturday, May 3, 2025. We ask all participants to arrive April 27 and join us for an informal “get-to-know-you” dinner that evening, when our motel reservations begin. The workshop begins shortly after breakfast the following morning. The workshop runs until noon Saturday, May 3. Please make your travel plans with that in mind, so you don’t miss any of the workshop. The Olympic Peninsula is a very popular travel destination. We encourage you to book your travel as early as possible. After you register, we’ll provide additional information about travel and preferred lodging.
The workshop fee is $2195. You can register for the workshop with the full fee, or with a non-refundable deposit of $250, by clicking HERE. If you pay the full fee to register and cancel prior to March 23, that fee is refunded less the $250 deposit. If you register by paying the deposit, then final payment is due by March 23, 2025. Any fees or deposit paid will be refunded if the workshop is cancelled. The workshop fee does not include travel to and from the workshop or lodging and meals during the workshop. For additional information or answers to your questions, please contact Mark at 360-472-0191 or markbgardner@outlook.com.
"This was my first trip to the Pacific Northwest. This workshop was the perfect adventure for exploring the Olympic Peninsula and learning about landscape photography." - Michael F, Indianapolis, IN
