Excursion Outline

Mystical. Enchanting. Thrilling! These are just a couple of the words that describe waking up early, settling into your kayak and pushing off into the Bald Cypress Forest. The earth is still and the wildlife remains asleep. When the fog begins to roll in, and the sun begins to rise, the experience is like no other. Whether you’re a photographer or not, you’ll be captivated by the experience. For photographers though, this is an expedition like no other.

While many photographers flock to the Bald Cypress during Autumn’s changing leaves, we’re adventuring into this magical world where the trees are bare and the only thing clothing them is the draping Spanish Moss. This will provide a unique photographic opportunity for high-key, black and white photography and focusing on the simple structure of the tree itself.

These massive trees can grow to be up to 120 feet tall and can have a trunk three to six feet wide in diameter. It’s no wonder they are frequently referred to as giants.

We have all the details covered and we’ll be sure that this is an experience that gives you ample time, a comfortable and safe experience along with the ability to have flexibility to explore.

Itinerary

All locations and times visited will be determined by the conditions given. All elements are watched closely for the best photographic and learning experience.

Bonus Session
We've listened to our guests and have implemented something that has been hugely beneficial in our time together. Each workshop group attendee will receive an invite for 3 FREE MONTHS to our secure Photography Mentorship Program, Sharpen Your Shutter. Here, you will have access to a live and engaging, online 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 own home. It is recorded, giving you the ability to refer to the session as many times as you'd like for future reference. In addition, you'll find many courses, video tutorials, personal and monthly critiques, business coaching and so much more, surrounded and supported by a community of like-minded people!

Day One
At 12:00pm we’ll gather at the hotel for a brief meet and greet. Following our meet and greet we’ll meet at one of our favorite local restaurants and enjoy lunch together. It’s a great time for us all to get to know each other.

Following lunch a presentation will be given that will explain and review kayak safety, camera settings to prepare you for success, maps and explanations of the layout of the various swamps we will be visiting. In addition we’ll give you a run down of what to expect on the workshop, daily departure times and the potential weather conditions we’ll enjoy during our time together. After the presentation we’ll assign kayaks for the duration of the trip. From there, we’ll push out into our first adventure.

Day Two
Our first morning together will be an early one. We’ll push off in our kayaks just prior to dawn and we’ll kayak and photograph for as long as the light will allow.

By day two, you’ll be kayaking like a pro and finding your confidence.

The area is vast, providing for ample opportunities and compositions. Afterwards, we’ll gather for breakfast and discuss the remainder of our day. Following a short break due to an early rise, we’ll be back on our adventure, grabbing our kayaks and exploring deeper into the swamps.

Each day our shooting times will vary with the light we are given.

Day Three
We’ll start our day early so that we’re hitting the swamps prior to the sun coming up. We’ll spend our mornings wandering through various black water locations. Following our morning adventure we’ll enjoy breakfast together. After a short break, we’ll meet in a conference room for a slideshow of your images and discussion regarding how to improve our approach and enhance our photographic experience. Following we’ll race back to the swamps for sunset.

Day Four

Today is our last day together and we'll be up well before dawn to make the most of our last day! We’ll be back in the swamps for sunrise, for as long as the light will allow us. By this time, we feel pretty confident you’ll be emotionally bonded to your kayak. But don’t worry, we’ll save it for you for next time!

Following our busy morning, we’ll enjoy a bountiful breakfast where we’ll trade contact info, chat about our swamp thing experiences and then say “see you later” until our next adventure!