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Spring greetings Reader,
We missed you last month! February and March were such a whirlwind for us that we had to skip our newsletter, but weโre excited to be back with updates.
February saw us return to our winter home in Death Valley, where we led two fantastic workshops. One highlight was taking a group deep into the backcountry via Jeeps, which is always an incredible experience! We were truly humbled to hear from many attendees that it was the single best workshop they had ever attended. Thank you!
Sadly, our personal exploration time in Death Valley was limited on this trip. We did manage some adventures, including exploring a few spectacular unnamed canyons. Our favorite was an unassuming canyon in the Grapevine Mountains that appeared short on satellite maps but just kept going! We eventually ran out of energy and daylight before reaching its end, which weโve lovingly nicknamed โHummingbird Canyonโ after seeing more hummingbirds there than in any other canyon.
Unfortunately, another canyon hike ended unexpectedly when Jennifer slipped on the hike back. She caught herself with her finger, resulting in a fracture. Thankfully, itโs healing well without needing surgery, though sheโs still carefully tending to it.
After Death Valley, we ventured south to Anza-Borrego State Park in Southern California for another workshop. This year presented unique challenges: one of our favorite locations was surprisingly permanently closed, and wildflowers were essentially nonexistent. However, thanks to some dedicated scouting, creative thinking, and our wonderful, open-minded participants, we still had an absolutely fantastic workshop and created some great images.
Keep reading below for exciting details on rare, last-minute openings in three of our previously sold-out workshops!
April is already looking busy. Iโm putting the final touches on the Rethink Landscape course and presets, with the official release coming very soon! We are also hard at work finalizing our 2026 workshop schedule. Exciting times are ahead, so stay tuned! โ David
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Warmly,
David Kingham and Jennifer Renwick |
โฌ๏ธ More exciting updates, creative tips, and photos below! โฌ๏ธ
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Finding Your Vision Beyond the Obvious
Arriving at a new location, especially a stunning one, can be overwhelming. Before you lies an incredible landscape, and the desire is often to capture everything. Yet, you also want your images to reflect your unique perspective. How do you balance both?
One effective approach we often teach is to photograph the grand, sweeping scenic first. Get that classic wider shot, the one that captures the scale and initial impact. Think of it as satisfying that first impulse, getting the 'must-have' view documented.
Once you have that image, make a conscious shift. Switch your mindset and your lens. Put on a telephoto and start exploring within the larger scene you just captured. This deliberate change encourages you to slow down and observe more intimately. Use the longer focal length to isolate compelling elements you might have otherwise missed: the elegant curve of a distant ridgeline, the dramatic play of light and shadow on a specific feature, fascinating textures up close, or distant layers compressed into beautiful, near-abstract patterns.
Searching for these 'intimate landscapes' after addressing the wider view often yields more personal and revealing photographs. You move beyond simply documenting an iconic spot towards discovering hidden compositions and interpreting the specific details that genuinely caught your eye. It's a pathway to developing a more distinct vision.
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Exciting Update! Several workshops that were completely sold out now have a rare opening due to last-minute cancellations. If you missed out before, now's your chance! We have one spot available in each of the following, but they won't last long:
โ
Workshops with Open Spots
๐ซ Sold Out (Join the Waitlist ๐ค๐ผ)
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Latest in Nature Photography |
๐ We're always on the lookout for inspiring, informative, and innovative content in the world of photography. Here's what caught our eye this month:
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By Sarah Marinoโ
โOur dear friend, Sarah, shared a truly impactful collection of her images from Rocky Mountain National Park. Alongside the photographs, she included a deeply personal essay reflecting on her experiences within the park, adding a powerful layer of narrative and emotion to the stunning visuals.
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by Cole Thompson and John Barclayโ
โCole and John discuss an important aspect of photographic growth: how to effectively give and receive feedback on images. Their key point, which resonates strongly with our teaching philosophy, is the importance of clarifying the photographer's own vision before diving into a critique. This is exactly the approach we take in our workshops when giving feedback. We believe that understanding the artist's intent first makes the feedback truly constructive and is important for fostering their unique perspective and accelerating their growth as a photographer.
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By Guy Talโ
โI really connected with Guy Tal's meditation on hope versus appreciating the present. He argues that focusing on hope for a different future can detract from finding value in our current experiences. It reminded me, as a photographer, to truly embrace the conditions and moments I encounter in nature as they are, rather than wishing for something else. Itโs a powerful nudge to find meaning in the act of seeing and creating right now, appreciating the process itself.
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Our spring has been a whirlwind of workshops! We kicked things off by teaching a short workshop for the Death Valley Natural History Association. What an amazing group! Their enthusiasm for learning was contagious, and everyone left inspired.
Shortly after, we dove into one of our most intensive workshops of the year: leading a small group of adventurers deep into the Death Valley backcountry via Jeeps. This trip involved long drives each day, a good amount of hiking, and delivered seemingly endless photographic opportunities. Check out some fantastic images from our participants below.
Next month, stay tuned for photos from our latest workshop in Anza-Borrego, which was another incredible adventure!
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