Field Workshop

Dates June 4–10, 2005
Leader Cliff Zenor
Fee $1,995 from Crescent City, California
Deposit $300
Limit 8
Terms and Conditions
Have you ever visited a place so majestic, so spectacular, the experience produced a "lump" in your throat? Like entering one of the world's great cathedrals, walking through a cathedral grove of redwoods stirs countless superlatives to mind: overwhelming, spiritual, colossal and primeval are but a few.

Whether in the tradition of Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter or today’s contemporary masters, photographic images of the redwoods have evoked a sense of towering strength, mysticism, serenity and peace to all who behold them. Yet no image can produce the same emotion as visiting these extraordinary trees, firsthand.

Drawing from the same natural elements that inspired these artists, our spring tour to redwoods country will produce stunning images and wonderful photographic experiences to be remembered for years. Our trip coincides with the Pacific Coast rhododendron bloom in early June. Images of these fragile blossoms juxtaposed against the commanding trunks of the redwoods are now recognized as one of America’s natural icons.

Coast redwoods, the world’s tallest living trees, are only found in northern California and just above the Oregon border near the coastline. They have thrived here as remnants of their more widespread relatives in the Jurassic Era, 160 million years ago.  Here growing conditions are ideal and these giants can grow to more than 300 feet tall and live for over 2,000 years. Rich soils, a temperate climate, high winter rainfall and summer fog all contribute to the success of the groves. Billowing fog drifting through the towering trees during our tour can only enhance our own photographic opportunities!

In the 1920s several disjunct state parks were established to protect the trees from rampant logging. In 1968 a national park was put in place to encompass most of the remaining redwoods. Together, the state and national parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve. They contain 104,312 acres and, of those, 38,982 remain as old growth forest.

We plan four productive shooting days among the ancient redwoods. On another day, with clear weather, we’ll photograph our way up the Oregon coast—arriving at Bandon Beach for sea stack photography at sunset.

Join Cliff Zenor in the field for a stimulating week of hands-on instruction during this superlative photo shoot of the best of the redwoods.


Day 1
Participants arrive in Crescent City, California. We will meet later for dinner. (D)

Days 2-6
We have four full days of photographing the best of redwood country including Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and the Lady Bird Johnson Grove of Redwood National Park. In addition to the rewarding images to be made in the redwood groves, within the parks we’ll visit and photograph a number of rugged and scenic beaches that offer a wealth of sea stacks and other coastal features.
Besides the rhododendrons, meadows of lupines will also be in bloom. These lupines are a favorite seasonal food of the local black bears and it is possible that we may encounter them one foggy morning as they forage for the tasty tips of opening lupine blossoms. On our fifth shooting day we plan to head north to the Oregon coast to shoot pleasant coastal landscapes and sea stack silhouettes at sunset. (BLD)

Day 7
Participants may depart at any time today.



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