#summitadventure

[experiencewildlife]

Summit Adventure Photography Workshop Part 1

Each year I make the trek across the country to Wyoming during the fall season to see the colors change, the animals in rut and to hone my skills as a professional photographer. 

The workshop that I attend each year is  known as the Summit Nature Workshop from the Summit Series of Photography Workshops. This workshop has shaped me into the conservation photographer I am today, but I will get more into that in my Part 2 blog Summit Nature Photography Workshop. 

Although Nature photography is my passion, I have always wanted to take the workshop that is held the week prior, the Summit Adventure Workshop. Although conducted by the same great people from the Summit Series of Photography Workshops the two workshops could not be more different. The Adventure Workshop is a fast paced action sports workshop that is held in Jackson Hole, WY and is facilitated by the best Adventure Photographers in the world. 

You might be asking yourself, “Why would a conservation photographer want to take an adventure workshop?” Well the answer is simple. I am a firm believer in getting outside of your comfort zone and pushing your creative boundaries to the limits. By photographing something outside of my wheelhouse it allowed me to think more creatively and push my photography to a whole new level. 

It’s important in any profession to not become complacent in the everyday rhythm of the job. To learn new skills and then apply them in an innovative way. This workshop allowed me to do all that and more. 

I will say that as a wildlife photographer that has traveled the globe I do feel like I am a bit of an adventure photographer, and growing up as a competitive gymnast I have done my fair share of high impact sports, but this workshop definitely pushed me as much physically as it did mentally and creativity. 

Each day we would go out as a group to photograph athletes in awe inspiring locations. We would then return to edit our photographs and submit 3 images to be critiqued by the faculty. Each night we would be inspired by presentations from the faculty on the projects they were working on.  

Our first photo shoot was located at the Snow King Treetop Adventure ropes course. I had never even seen one of these courses before, let along been on one, so it helped tremendously that we got the opportunity to spend sometime going through the course before photographing the athletes. During this shoot we also got the opportunity to photograph alongside world renowned adventure photographer and Nikon Ambassador Lucus Gilman as he showed us how to photograph mountain bikers using Profoto Speed Lights. 

Lucus Gilman teaches students how to light the mountain biker at the peak moment. 

Model and guide Bruce Bonich makes his way across the Treetop course. 

“Why do we fall? So that we can learn to pick ourselves back up!” - Model Bruce Bonich uses his strength to climb his way back up the rope course. 

For our next outing we rode the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram to the top of Jackson Hole Resort and photographed trail runners and mountain climbers. This experience is a whole new element in itself, photographing in extreme cold with low oxygen levels... it was exhilarating  

Trail runner Aicacia Young gets some air as she makes her way across the mountain top trail. 

This mountain climber makes his way up Corbett’s Couloir.

For our last big outing we took to the water. Considering that I have never been on a river raft where I didn’t fall out at one point or another I was a little nervous for this trip, but our expert guides made for a smooth ride while we photographed kayakers making their way down the Snake River.  

We couldn’t have asked for a more picture perfect setting to photograph kayakers. 

Bruce Bonich shows off his tricks as he sports his classic “Bruce Smile.”

This workshop was an incredible experience and one I would recommend to anyone who is interested in learning more about photography. There is so much you can take away from spending time in the field with the expert faculty and staff, as well as your fellow students. 

I met so many talent photographers but just to name a few...

Abby Lovis is an incredibly talented Adventure Sports and Travel Photographer from Perth, Australia and has a bright future.

Andrew Chad is an adventure photographer from Denver, CO and totally blew me away with his high energy and creative photography. 

The faculty is a list of who’s who on the photography’s most wanted list, and can only be described as the tip of the sword when it comes to pushing new boundaries in photography and film making. 

Here is a list of the faculty. Click on their names to learn more about the incredible work each of them do. 

Corey Rich - Corey Rich Productions 

Jen Edney - Edney Adventure Photojournalism 

Lucas Gilman - Lucas Gilman Productions

Ryan Taylor - Ryan Taylor Visual

Bo Bridges - Bo Bridges Photography

Brad Smith - WWE

Scott Wilson -  Sandbox Motion

Bob Smith - Bob Smith Photos

Dave Black - Dave Black Photography

The staff is what keeps these workshops running seamlessly. They managed to keep everyone happy and motivated throughout some challenging weather and kept a smile on everyone’s faces. 

Chris Steppig - Workshop Director, who puts these workshops together, keeps everyone in check and is not afraid to get his hands dirty. 

Steven Jacobs -  Marketing and Social Media, who wears more hats than I think anyone realizes and has turned into a great filmmaker himself.  

Julio Aguilar - Assistant and Drone Photographer, who works tirelessly both day and night to make sure everything is set up right for each shoot. 

Matt Stirn -  Assistant and local guide, who is an incredibly talented photographer as well as an archaeologist. 

Lastly these workshops would not be possible without workshop founder Rich Clarkson. Rich has dedicated his life to fostering the education of the next generation of photographers. I know he has touched my life as well as so many others in the photographer community. 

This Adventure workshop exceeded all my wildest expectations and I highly recommend to any photographer that loves being in the great outdoors to sign up for this workshop next year. You will not be disappointed. 

Learn more about this and other great workshops from the Summit Series of Photography Workshops by visiting there website at: https://www.photographyatthesummit.com/workshops/

Group photo by: Julio Aguilar