The Mystic Forest
Information

Where does the workshop take place?

This workshop is based in Crescent City, California, in the heart of the redwood country. I won’t know the exact destinations for our field sessions until assessing the conditions immediately prior to the workshop, but possible locations include Prairie Creek, Del Norte Coast, and Jedediah Smith redwoods state parks, Redwood National Park, and other areas along the coast. We may even venture up to the southern Oregon Coast for a sunset.

When does the workshop begin and end?

We’ll start with an introduction and short instruction session at our meeting space in Crescent City at 1:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon, May 29th, followed by an early dinner break and evening field session. We plan to go from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday through Thursday, with short classroom sessions and breaks in the middle of the day. The workshop ends about 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd. Our aim is to get you to great photo locations throughout the workshop, so the exact schedule may change to take advantage of the weather and conditions.

Transportation

Participants must provide their own transportation to and from Crescent City. It’s about a six-and-a-half-hour drive north of San Francisco. There is an airport in Crescent City, with one commercial flight per day (airport code CEC). Arcata Airport (ACV) is 70 miles south (about 90 minutes); Medford, Oregon (MFR) is about 110 miles east (2 hours 10 minutes). Rental cars are available at all of these airports. We might be able to pick you up at the Crescent City airport, but can’t guarantee this. During the workshop we’ll carpool to our field locations – we’ll discuss these arrangements at the introductory session.

Equipment

Whatever camera you normally use will probably be just fine. A digital SLR or advanced mirrorless camera is ideal, but a compact digital camera could work if it has full manual controls and Raw mode. You’ll want to have a selection of lenses from wide angle to short telephoto (or zooms that cover that range). A sturdy tripod is a must. We’ll send you a complete list of things to bring prior to the workshop.

Experience

This workshop is suitable for photographers of all levels except real beginners. You should have a good understanding of technical fundamentals like exposure, shutter speed, aperture, and depth of field.

Hiking

The best spots to photograph redwoods aren’t right by the road, so some moderate hiking will be required. We’re also likely to descend slippery, muddy trails, and walk over piles of unstable driftwood logs to reach some of the rocky coastal beaches. The most difficult hike we anticipate doing is three miles roundtrip, with a steep 700-foot climb. Please be sure you’re healthy, in good physical condition, and mobile and sure-footed enough to descend rough, muddy, slippery trails, and negotiate obstacles like unstable driftwood logs, before signing up for this workshop. If you have any questions about the hiking involved please email me.

Lodging

We’ve reserved a block of rooms at the Ocean View Inn in Crescent City. There are also many other hotels and RV parks in Crescent City. When you register for the workshop we’ll send you information about all the lodging options. Lodging is not included in the workshop tuition.

Meals

There are many restaurants in Crescent City – even a few good ones! On most days you won’t need to pack a lunch, as we’ll be close to restaurants or stores during the middle of the day. Meals are not included in the workshop tuition.

COVID Considerations

We want to make this workshop as safe as possible for all participants. Since the COVID-19 pandemic situation is constantly evolving, our procedures and requirements may change as well. We will, of course, follow CDC guidelines, as well as state and local requirements. We may also institute additional measures to ensure everyone’s safety, including proof of vaccination and/or a negative COVID test, masks while indoors, avoiding carpools (meaning everyone will have to drive their own vehicle to field locations), and conducting classroom sessions via Zoom.

Deposit

A $700 deposit reserves your space in the workshop. The balance is due 60 days before the workshop (don’t worry, we’ll remind you!).

Cancellation

We know you’ll enjoy this workshop and learn a great deal, but should you need to cancel for any reason we will refund your tuition (or deposit) in full up to 60 days prior to the start of the workshop. Should you need to cancel within 45 to 59 days we will refund your tuition less a $150.00 cancellation fee. Refunds are not available less than 45 days prior to the workshop unless we can fill the vacancy, in which case you’ll be charged a $150 cancellation fee. If you do need to cancel we ask that you let us know as soon as possible so we can alert people on the waiting list.

In the rare event that we need to cancel this workshop because of lack of enrollment or an unforeseen event you will receive full credit toward a future workshop. We recommend that you avoid purchasing non-refundable airline tickets, and consider getting trip cancellation insurance.

This workshop is full!
Please email us to sign up for the waiting list.