Excursion Outline

SOUTH DAKOTA and its Badlands are known as the land of stone and light making this region of the United States one of the most interesting places to explore freely and photograph.

This breathtaking landscape is home to one of the world’s richest fossil beds and is located on over 244,000 acres of protected land.

The original people who lived in these interesting and rocky plains called the area mako sica which literally translates to Badlands. Don’t let the name fool you, you’ll find excellent and unique photographic opportunities in this magical place.

Diversity of lines, texture, colors and shapes of the rocks are fodder for the nature photographer. If you’re looking for a chance of pace and hoping for wildlife during the trip, not to worry the local buffalo, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep and the pronghorn.

Storms often roll through the great plains providing dramatic skies to complement the dramatic shapes of the land. The workshop itinerary will remain flexible to allow us the best opportunities to chase the storms and position ourselves for the most dramatic light.

Some hiking is involved in this workshop, but should be manageable by most.

Itinerary

All locations and times visited will be determined by the conditions given. The itinerary below is provided to give an idea of the flow of each day. Times and locations may vary. All elements are watched closely for the best photographic and learning experience. During our first day we will cover camera settings, composition and guidelines. This time in the field will be the foundation for the rest of our time together.

Bonus Session
We've listened to our guests and have implemented something that has been hugely beneficial in our time together. Each workshop group will be invited to a live, recorded, online critique and post processing session, a short time after the workshop. This makes way for more shooting in the field and the option to learn from the comfort of your home and the ability to refer to the recorded session for future reference.

Day One
We’ll begin our workshop with a meet and greet at the hotel at 4:00 pm in historic Wall, SD. During that time we’ll review the details of our time together, before heading out to enjoy dinner together. You’ll have the chance to get to know one another and discuss gear and the opportunities for the week. After dinner, we'll head out to a viewing point nearby, that will allow us to capture the sun setting over the horizon and chase long shadows stretching their way across the rolling plains. By the end of this first evening session, you’ll be fully knowledgeable of our “in field workflow”. Our focus for day one is to make sure you're fully equipped for the entire week.

Day Two
We'll be up before the crack of dawn and heading out to capture different angles and subject matters amidst the jagged peaks. We're training our eye to see in a different way, and wide lenses will be very important to us as we slow down and look for lines, shadow and details to enhance the story of our image. You'll find this workshop to be a refreshing but challenging compositional delight. After our sunrise session we'll return back to the hotel for breakfast and a short break. We'll meet back up in the afternoon to capture the interesting texture and cracks of the earth in the badlands. For sunset, we'll find ourselves with a high view of the surrounding countryside to capture the beautiful evening light, long shadows, and extraordinary vistas of the Badlands.

Day Three
We’ll once again start our day before dawn traveling to our sunrise location where we’ll find unique rock structures for foreground. As the sun creeps up over the horizon we’ll photograph the sky shift from blues, purples, pinks to lighting the rocks in beautiful golden light. Following an excellent sunrise we’ll head back to Wall for a hearty breakfast.

The Badlands and Great Plains are home to some beautiful wildlife. After breakfast we’ll keep moving and locate the resident bison and big horn sheep. Of course we’ll also see the antics of the local prairie dogs. After a long day, we’ll grab a quick bite to eat before heading out to our sunset location. Some easy hiking may be required and appropriate hiking footwear is strongly suggested. Hiking poles are an asset for those needing a little more stabilization.

Day Four
Our last morning together will find us photographing sunrise as we say goodbye to this beautiful part of America. Afterwards, we'll join for brunch at a local diner and recap on the lessons learned, trade contact information, and bid each other farewell.

Following our workshop, an email will be sent out where we will gather on a zoom call to work on post processing and providing you with easy and helpful tips to make the most of your images from the Badlands.