Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We're sorry, but this workshop is full!
MAX. STUDENTS: 8
COST: $2990.00
Your instructors on this workshop will be Aaron Bieber and Christopher Blake. Read about them here.
Gold Morning, by A. Bieber
Come join us in the autumn of 2008 to experience some of the most beautiful landscapes in America at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The park straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, connected at the south end to the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. The park spans a wide range of elevations, from 875 to 6,643 feet above sea level. The variety of elevations, the abundant rainfall, and the presence of old growth forests give the park an unusual richness of animal and plant life. About 10,000 species are known to live in the park, and estimates as high as an additional 90,000 undocumented species may also be present.
This workshop is scheduled to coincide with the peak of fall color in the park as well as the new moon. Though it’s difficult to predict the peak of foliage change precisely, the range of elevations in the park gives the photographer a good deal of “wiggle room.” Even if colors haven’t peaked at 800 feet, odds are good that at over 3,000 feet you’ll see the full color of the Great Smokies. Thanks to the size of the park the night skies are very dark—especially during a new moon—which makes great astronomical images possible.
Who should attend this workshop?
Floating Sun, by A. Bieber
This workshop is open to photographers of all skill levels and is limited to eight participants. There is no heavy hiking involved; we will be doing a lot of walking on paved roads as well as trails, but this is not a wilderness trek. To get the most out of this workshop you should be able to walk at least a few miles along easy terrain and expect to arise before dawn and stay out into the night each day.
There are no specific equipment requirements to attend this workshop, although you may find yourself limited without at least an entry-level SLR camera, either film or digital.
If you want to advance your photography skills and get the most out of a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this workshop is for you.
Itinerary
October 25th
We’ll meet late in the day in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You may drive to Gatlinburg directly or fly into Knoxville, Tennessee. We’ll have introductions at dinner that evening.
(D)
October 26th-29th
Untitled, by C. Blake
From our hotel we’ll make two trips daily into the park: one before dawn to photograph from the first light of day until mid-morning, and a second trip a few hours before the sun goes down to capture sunset and then move to another location for astronomical and night photography.
Each day we will have opportunities to photograph the abundant wildlife in the park including deer, black bears, birds, and more. We’ll take you to the best locations to capture beautiful landscapes and make sure you’re in the best places at the best times. For example, we will walk into Cades Cove—a lush valley surrounded by mountains and a popular destination—just before dawn to capture the best light of day while tourists in their cars wait for the gate to be unlocked and miss out on all the good stuff!
Some of the locations we’ll photograph are:
- Cades Cove
- Clingman’s Dome
- Laurel Falls
- New Found Gap Road
- Mingus Mill
(BLD)
October 30th
We may make a last trip into the park to pick up any sights we haven’t yet seen, and then it’s farewell. Check-out from the hotel is before noon.
(B)
What we will give you
As part of the workshop experience, we will provide you with a few essential items that we have found to be indispensable on these trips. The Great Smoky Mountain Workshop package includes a GMRS (family band) two-way radio with several-mile range; a bright xenon flashlight for light painting and general navigation; a rugged, waterproof National Geographic map of the park that we will refer to often; and lots of information about the art and science of photographing on location and specifically to the Great Smoky Mountains. All of these items are, of course, yours to keep.
Registration
This workshop is all-inclusive. We will provide 14 meals, lodging in a local hotel, and as with most of our workshops, a National Geographic park map, two-way radio, and our usual package of information on the history, geography, and climate of the location including photography tips and guidelines that you can use during the workshop and in the future. The cost for this workshop is $2,990.
Although this workshop is all-inclusive, we are sorry that we cannot offer transportation. The park has very tight roads and at times we’ll be driving on unpaved passages, which would be clumsy for a large van. We’ll make our best efforts to organize carpools, but you should be prepared to “play it by ear” or to caravan in your own vehicle. Your registration package will contain comprehensive travel information including car rental companies and directions.
Sorry, We're Full
This workshop has reached capacity! Our workshops fill up quickly, especially within the months just before they begin. Please do read about our other upcoming workshops.