Willow Creek Ranch Photo Workshop - Fall 2023
Dates: To be determined - Probably mid-September, 2023
For the comfort and safety of be waitlisted
oothers.,YOU MUST HAVE A COVID VACCINATION TO ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP****
Location: Willow Creek Ranch at The Hole-In-The-Wall, Kaycee, Wyoming
Workshop cost;
First-time participants: $2200.00
Former participants: $2000.00
- This is all-inclusive and includes gratuity for our ranch crew.
Fee covers the entire workshop, meals, snacks, and lodging during the entire workshop, as well as airport-ranch-airport transportation.
A couple of end-of-class slide shows of student work on YouTube. I throw these together in a couple of hours on our last day together so we can share our work with each other and everybody at the ranch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKtM3bxim_w&t=461s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsw1lD5i_Ds
Link to my website: http://www.adamjahiel.com
About Adam :
Adam Jahiel is an internationally recognized photographer who lives and works in the American West. Mostly known for his photography of the American Cowboy,
his photography has taken him all over the world. His poetic and dynamic images have been exhibited and published across the globe. In 1996, he became the first living photographer to have a one-man show at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, in Cody, Wyoming. His photographs are in the collections of the Nevada Art Museum in Reno, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, as well as private and corporate collections.
Adam has had a varied professional career. He has worked for the motion picture industry, and adventure projects, most notably as the photographer for the landmark French-American 1987 Titanic
expedition. His work has appeared in most major U.S. publications, including Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, National Geographic, Smithsonian and countless others.
About the workshop:
This workshop is for all levels of skill, from beginner to pro.
Workshop is limited to 8 people.
There is no horseback riding to worry about. We travel all around the 57,000 acres of the ranch in trucks.
There is no strenuous walking or hiking unless you want to. It is perfect for all ages and physical conditions.
Opportunities abound, for every kind of photographer for landscape, portraits, photojournalism, animals, and of course cowboys at work.
The goal of this workshop is for people to learn and grow as photographers. You will learn new skills, and hone old ones. 5 complete days to shoot, learn, think, share, and experiment, gives you the rare opportunity to immerse yourself in your photography. I encourage people to push past their existing comfort zones.
We have a modern meeting room, with a large, flat screen TV, and a digital projector system, coffee and snacks. Plug in your laptop, and leave it there all week. The room is always accessible.
What this workshop is not...
There are many workshops where hired models pose in front of tried and true backgrounds at the perfect time of day, orchestrated by the "teacher" and his/her helpers. Everybody lines up. Everybody shoots the same picture. These are great for some people, but I don't think there is much "learning"taking place. To me, it seems pointless to spend the time, money and effort to go into one of these “canned" situations. I want to see my people stand on their own two feet, sweat, take risks, experiment, fail, learn from their mistakes, and develop their individual ways of seeing and personal style. I want to help you help yourself. And the photo opportunities here are more magical than anything a person could set-up.
Testimonials:
“Being a great photographer doesn’t always translate to being a great photography teacher. Adam defies the odds and delivers on all counts—in spades. He generously shares insights that build on each student's personal style, opening our minds—and eyes—to the craft of making rich, memorable images. Adam's teaching and way of seeing the West will stay with you long after the workshop ends. ” — Maura Allen
"Out of all the photographic workshops I have had the opportunity to attend and teach. the Willow Creek Ranch Workshop is the real deal. Real people on a real working ranch with real mud, dirt and grime. It is a rare chance to get this close to live action with cattle, horses and true grit cowboys/cowgirls. In short, this is one workshop not to be missed." - Tom Kirkendall"
Adam led our small group in Cuba last spring. It was a rich and rewarding experience and Adam is a knowledgeable and kind leader. I highly recommend his workshops for the personal touch he lends to the experience," --Jody Miller, Palm Springs, California
Agenda:
My goal is to help photographers learn and grow. There is no set agenda, because everybody brings a different skill set to the workshop. You will learn from me, your fellow participants, and from your own experiences.
I love to help people to understand, appreciate, and use light to create photographs. When we first meet, I take stock of what I think people need, and what they would like to accomplish, and build the workshop from that information. I can help edit images, and demonstrate some Photoshop methods, but I try and keep it more about shooting and seeing and less about technology.
We will be looking and talking about photographs, videos, and film. In the evenings, folks can go back and edit pictures in the meeting room, socialize, or sleep.
The ranch has a very familial atmosphere. My first workshop at Willow Creek was in 2013, and the family who own the ranch will quickly become "family". It won't take long for you to feel
like it is a 'home away from home'.
Meals:
The meals are plentiful, and snacks are always available. The cooking is fantastic. Please note: I am not responsible for weight gain...
Photo opportunities:
Unbelievable. Infinite. Incredible.
landscapes, cowboys, horses, sheep, pets, old buildings, petroglyphs, horses, longhorn steers and amazing night skies. We will go out to several locations, photograph the cowboys moving and working cattle.
We will be photographing cow-work and branding. Weather permitting, we will camp out at the location where Butch Cassidy's cabin used to be. It is glamping, not camping, as tents are set up, food is prepared for us from the chuck wagon.
We stop when we want to stop, and do what we want to do. I am often driving one of the ranch pickups as well.
This workshop is about you, and not about me, and I am always more than happy to help you.
I try to limit the number of participants to 8, so that everybody gets all the one-on-one help they need.
Accommodations:
The main cookhouse is a historic old building, that has several small rooms. There are several cabins, with all the comforts of home. No hot tubs or golf course, but pretty much everything you need. You will probably have a roommate.
Payment:
Payment in full is required to reserve your spot. You can pay by check or use your credit card.
Getting there:
The nearest airport is in Casper, WY, about 2 hours from the Ranch. We provide transportation from Casper, to and from the Willow Creek Ranch, in order to avoid people having to rent cars. As your travel
schedules become firm, please email me your travel information so I can start working on the logistics. Other airports in the area are Sheridan, WY, (2 hours), and Billings, MT, (3 ½ hours, comes through Sheridan).
Workshop arrival and departure time:
Arrival:
Attendees can aim to arrive at the workshop between 12-6 p.m. on their arrival day. Since travel logistics can vary, please check with us with your plans so that we can accommodate and know when to expect everybody. Some folks fly into Casper the day before, spend the night in a hotel, and we provide transportation to the ranch around noon on the workshop arrival day.
Departure:
Most attendees will choose to leave the morning after the final workshop day. We can get most people to their flights out of Casper that day, as long if their flight is not early in the morning. For early morning flights, we suggest you spend the night in Casper, and leave the following day.
About the workshop:
The goal of this workshop is for people to grow as photographers, by learning and thinking and experimenting. I encourage people to push past their existing boundaries.
We have a meeting room, with a large, flat screen TV, and a digital projector system. Plug in your laptop, and leave it there all week. The room is always accessible. Since this is real-life, there is no set schedule. Weather and livestock usually dictate what the cowboys will be doing, and that dictates what we will be doing. Every day, there are always great opportunities for shooting. Between shooting opportunities, as time allows, we meet, look at photos, share ideas, ask questions, and learn new things.
Meals:
The meals are plentiful, and snacks are always available. The cooking is fantastic. Please note: I am not responsible for weight gain...
Photo opportunities:
Unbelievable. Infinite. Incredible.
Landscapes, cowboys, horses, sheep, pets, old buildings, petroglyphs, horses, longhorn steers and amazing night skies. We will go out to several locations, photograph the cowboys moving and working cattle.
We will be photographing cow-work and branding. Weather permitting, we will camp out at the location where Butch Cassidy's cabin used to be. It is glamping, not camping, as tents are set up, food is prepared for us from the chuck wagon, and the only finger we have to lift is to push the shutter button on your camera.
We stop when we want to stop, and do what we want to do. I am often driving one of the ranch pickups as well.
This workshop is about you, and not about me, and I am always more than happy to accommodate you.
I limit the number of participants to 8, which ensures me the opportunity to give everybody all the attention they need.
Accommodations:
There is a main bunkhouse, bunkhouse/cookhouse, and several cabins, with all the comforts of home. No hot tubs or golf course, but pretty much everything you need. You may have a roommate.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
What skill level do I have to be?
This workshop is designed to accommodate ALL levels, from beginner to pro. Again, the workshop is more about training your eye, and appreciating light, than anything else.
What equipment do I need to bring?
Bring what you have. Don’t make the mistake of being over-encumbered with photo-gear. If you have a second camera, even a point and shoot, bring that. It is always nice to have a backup camera. Cameras and lenses are not bomb-proof! Since you will be hours away from the nearest camera store, plan ahead!
Equipment suggestions:
Essential:
Camera(s) -Lenses(s) -Batteries: Important to bring several batteries. I suggest at least two. If you are shooting and
checking your screen all day, you will go through a lot of power.
Battery charger:
Very important
Memory Cards: Memory is inexpensive. You don’t want to run out of this, although many will be downloading to their laptops if they choose
to bring them, which is recommended.
Optional Equipment
Tripod: Not an absolute must, but nice to have. Something small but stable is fine.
Cable Release: Not an absolute must, but nice to have.
Filters: A Polarizing filter is useful. There are two types of polarizing filters: linear and circular. For digital cameras you need the (sadly more expensive) circular type.
Laptop: Not absolutley necessary, but highly recommended. One of the advantages of using a digital camera, is that you will be able to shoot and then download your work, edit it, and then we can discuss what worked and what didn’t, and head out the next day, armed with your new-found knowledge. I use a Mac, with Photoshop and Lightroom. Some people have used IPads. Some folks shoot film!
Software: I am more interested in the process of seeing, shooting and thinking than teaching you how to manipulate images using the various software that is available. At the same time, depending on your needs an desires, I am happy to teach you, and will share with you, some of the methods use. I will at least, get you comfortable and moving in the right direction. For those thinking about photo editing software, you can now get the full-on Photoshop set-up for a low monthly fee. I find the new Photoshop monthly subscription, to be a wonderful deal. The basic package includes Adobe Bridge and
Adobe Lightroom. The price is about $20 a month.
Thumb or external hard drives.
Great for moving files from your laptop to the workshop computer that we will be using to look at, and edit your photos with.
Pencils paper, etc.
Manual(s) for Camera –
Backup Camera
Personal gear:
Hat/Sunglasses/Comfortable walking shoes/layers! / at least one warm coat (it is Wyoming. You never know). Average June and September temperatures range from 74 during the day to 42
at night. Think about bringing a small flashlight, sun block, bug spray, and the like. We have experienced all kinds of weather. It is Wyoming after all!
I recommend you bring:
Your CAMERA MANUALS. These can be the original booklet, or downloaded on your computer from going to the manufacturers web site, and typically, looking under
“Support”. I have copies of my various manuals everywhere, including my laptop, IPads, and cell phone. You never know when you might hit the wrong button and
lock up your overly complicated camera.
Spouses and friends: To accompany the workshop members, you need to pay the full workshop fee. The Willow Creek Ranch is not a ranch with hot tubs/TV/golf
course and so on. It is a great place to relax, think, read, write, and enjoy the great outdoors.
Payments,
Cancellations, and Refunds: There are no refunds for cancellations thirty (30) days or less prior to departure. A fifty percent (50%) tuition
refund will be given for all cancellations 31 days or more only if we can fill your spot. There are NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY, even for medical
emergencies. WPW STRONGLY RECOMMENDS TRIP INSURANCE to protect you in the event of an unexpected situation that prevents you from attending the workshop. Refunds may be used as credit toward a future workshop