Palouse Workshop, April 27 – May 1, 2026 (Deposit)
Regular price$2,099.00Sale
This workshop is now full. If you would like to be notified if and when a spot opens up join the waitlist via email.
Total workshop fee: $2,895, which includes five days of instruction and all entrance fees. A $1,500 deposit secures your spot.
Download the workshop PDF for a complete description of the workshop, including full itinerary, specific gear recommendations, lodging and travel information and more.
Course Description There is a reason photographers flock to the Palouse each spring. This lush farming region in eastern Washington and northern Idaho was created by wind-driven deposits of deep glacial loess (ground rock dust that forms incredible soil). The result is a landscape of undulating dune-like patterns of deep greens, yellows and browns dotted with barns, beautiful trees and small historic towns. It’s a bit like Tuscany, but with a Pacific Northwest flair. Blend the farming culture with the presence of Washington State University and you have quirky, fun locals in overalls who enjoy a good latte before a fresh, farm-to-table gourmet breakfast. The cultural and photographic opportunities here are never ending.
Our home base and classroom will be in picturesque Colfax, Washington, in the heart of the Palouse. We’ll stay at the Best Western in Colfax — and have reserved a block of rooms if you wish to stay there — and will use my Mercedes Sprinter van, El Jefe, to explore this region’s spectacular sights. Along with my workshop coordinator and co-instructor, Rick LePage, we’ll photograph this intensely photogenic region, from small farm towns that seem frozen in time to lush rolling hills, high vistas, churning wind turbines and a spectacular, raging 200-foot waterfall.
Palouse locations For those of you, like me, who like to research a location in advance: check out Steptoe Butte’s incredible view down over this rolling hill country, the town of Palouse itself and Palouse Falls State Park. Look up the Missoula flood events that formed the scablands we’ll see at Palouse Falls. The geologic history here is amazing.
Outside of class time, we’ll have sunset and dawn shoots in the locations listed above, and we’ll scout throughout the area, following the light and the weather to capture this beautiful place. Along the way we’ll cover advanced techniques like HDR, panoramic mergers, focus stacking and long exposures.
To get an idea of what we do and see on a Palouse workshop, watch the video below, from our last workshop there.
Tentative workshop schedule The schedule below is a sample of what we’ll do during our week together. Once we’re in the area, we’ll be flexible, depending upon the weather, the group’s interest and availability of some of our locations. We will have sunrise and sunset shoots during the week, and we will also have ample classroom time to view each other’s photos, talk about photographic processes, showcase our photo editing techniques and have general Q&A.
Day 1, Monday, April 27:
Meet & greet at our classroom (9 a.m. start)
Discussion of Palouse as a photographic location
Student image presentation
Afternoon drive through the countryside, with sunset shoot up on Steptoe Butte
Day 2, Tuesday, April 28:
Sunrise shoot in the valley
Focus stacking, HDR, Pano demonstrations in the field
Image reviews
Scouting drive through Washington and Idaho
Day 3, Wednesday, April 29:
Morning trip to Kamiak Butte
Editing session -- Q&A
Trip to Palouse Falls State Park for late afternoon shoot
Day 4, Thursday, April 30:
Image reviews
Photo walk in the town of Palouse and early dinner
Steptoe Butte for moonrise and sunset
Day 5, Friday, May 1
Sunrise shoot (location TBD)
Final image reviews and Q&A
Photo walk in Pullman
Group dinner at Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman
Payment Terms The Palouse workshop is priced at $2,895, which includes five days of field and classroom instruction, and admission to all locations. You can reserve your spot with a $1,500 deposit; you will receive an invoice for the final balance approximately 90 days before the start of the workshop. The balance must be paid in full 60 days prior to the workshop to hold your place.
All workshop payments are fully refundable less a 10% fee up to 60 days prior to the first day of the workshop. If you cancel anywhere from 59 to 30 days prior to the workshop, we will make every effort to find a replacement. If we can fill your spot, 90% of your workshop fee will be refunded; if we cannot find a replacement, we will refund 50% of your workshop fee. Any cancellation within 30 days is non-refundable.
For complete details on this workshop, download the workshop PDF, which contains information on gear to bring, hotel information and more.
