Eastern Sierra Mountains

The eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains is one of the birthplaces of American landscape photography. This region was photographed extensively by such pioneering greats as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, as well as by many contemporary greats, most notably Galen Rowell. Galen Rowell, in fact, chose Bishop, California to be his home as he felt the eastern Sierras embraced some of the most compelling subjects and most captivating light in the world. Bishop served as a central location that allowed him quick access to everything from Mono Lake to Mount Whitney to the Bristlecone Pines of the White-Inyo Mountains.

Bishop, California will be our base for this workshop. We will have easy access to many iconic shooting sites. Starting with the Alabama Hills, at the base of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states, we will progress to shooting the majestic and intricately gnarled Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains. The Bristlecone Pines are some of the oldest living things on earth. We will see and photograph trees that are more than 4,000 years old. Late afternoon golden light on these ancient relics, which were seedlings when the pyramids were being built, is not to be missed.

Another area of focus for our workshop will be the Mono Lake area and the spectacular tufa mounds that line its shore. We will do a sunrise as well as a sunset shoot at Mono Lake to more greatly experience its extensive photographic possibilities. We will find abundant fall color while photographing the aspens lining Bishop Creek and no Eastern Sierras photo trip would be complete without a sunrise shoot at the Buttermilk Boulders. In addition to these famous top-priority locations, there are a myriad of other shooting sites that we may utilize depending on lighting and weather conditions.

October is my favorite time to shoot in the eastern Sierras. Temperatures are very moderate with daily highs commonly in the mid-70s. Visitor numbers are on the low side. The fall colors are at their peak at this time and the aspens groves are simply spectacular.

Each day, we will rise before dawn to be at the morning shooting location well before sunrise. The middle portion of the day will be devoted to processing images, presentations, and critique sessions where we will learn from each other about what works when shooting these landscapes. You will be amazed at the improvement you will see during the five days. Late afternoon will see us heading out to a new location for a sunset shoot. Ansel Adams referred to the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the “Range of Light”. By the end of this workshop, you will understand why.