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Death Valley and the Eastern Sierra-Nevada, California, Photography Tour

Death Valley, Alabama Hills, Nevada ghost towns, Bodie ghost town, and Mono Lake

 


  September 18th to September 29th, 2024

  7 nights/8 inclusive days  |  Maximum of 8 participants, and a minimum of 4 participants

  $3,465 USD per person  |  Single Supplement: 14% of the base cost of the trip

  The deposit for this photography tour is $400. Make a deposit, or pay your tour balance here

  Explore our discounts for client loyalty, early enrollment, 2 trips in 12 months, referrals and more

  Do you have a question? Ask us via email: Click here
  Arrival airport: Reno-Tahoe, Nevada [RNO]
  Departure airport: Las Vegas, Nevada [LAS]
  Arrival window: For a variety of travel related reasons, arriving one day early is recommended
  Search fares at Kayak, Skyscanner, Orbitz, Google Flights or your favorite airline
 
Death Valley and eastern Sierra-Nevada photo gallery
  Map of overnight locations
  Client responses to our photo tours
  For the single supplement, cancellation policy and enrollment guidance see below

This photo tour will run with one or more participants. Please note that our group limit is not a requirement!  8 places are available at this time.
  Updated: Thursday the 28th of March, 2024

This photo tour has sufficient enrollments, and is a 'go'. However, do please consult with us prior to arranging your travel for the trip!  Indicates that we have sufficient enrollments and the trip is a 'go'
This photo tour will run with one or more participants. Please note that our group limit is not a requirement!  Indicates that this trip requires the minimum number of participants as indicated on line two above

 

 

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Photography Tour Overview:
We kick off this photography trip with a pair of Nevada ghost towns. Then during the following days we'll compose images north to south in the in the eastern Sierra-Nevada of the Alabama Hills, Bodie, Mono Lake and so on. The many colorful Aspen groves in this region are very pleasing to the eye and camera. Then to Death Valley which is often the hottest spot in the nation, but fret ye not as October is a comfortable time of year in the park. We hope you'll join us on our Death Valley and eastern Sierra-Nevada photo tour! As with all of our photography tours, early and late shooting is scheduled for each day.

Notice concerning the Racetrack Playa: Our time in Death Valley does not include photography at the Racetrack Playa - the 'moving rocks' - due to logistical and time considerations, plus in late 2016 the scene was vandalized by someone in a vehicle
 

 


Our itinerary . . .
But first things first! We suggest that you set your camera's clock to the local time, as your images will then synchronize with the times in our included photo tour field notes.

Days 1 + 2  |  Ghost Towns, Mono Lake, Upper Yosemite, and Bodie Ghost Town
Our group will gather at our Reno airport hotel at 9 am. We'll then head south for our first photo sessions at a pair of ghost towns, one of which is Virginia City, and is reputed to be the birthplace of Samuel Clemens' pen name, Mark Twain. Lunch is included today. Serendipitous shots follow as we head down the Three Flags Highway. Late light will be captured on the shores of Mono Lake.
Day 2 will commence with sunrise back at Mono Lake where the light on the Tufa Towers and pre-dawn glow are often spectacular. Part of the day will be spent on the eastern section of Tioga Pass, and the remainder of the time spent at one of America's best preserved ghost towns, Bodie. Once a booming gold rush town, it has been a State Park since 1962 and is now a photographic 'gold mine'.
Lee Vining, 2 nights

Day 3  |  A day of Mountains and Lakes, plus the Alabama Hills
Early shooting, then on south for a collection of pleasing lake and mountain scenes, as the views toward the eastern fringes of Yosemite National Park are not to be missed. On to our hotel for early check-in, which facilitates our excursion for the last light of the day over the Alabama Hills and the High Sierra.
Lone Pine, 1 night

Day 4, 5 + 6  |  Alabama Hills, Low Flying Military Jets and Death Valley National Park
We'll start the day by entering the Alabama Hills just before dawn, and shoot continuously as the sun lights up the boulder-strewn landscape. Several decades ago it was a popular filming spot for Hollywood's westerns, plus 'overhead' stands California's highest peak, Mt. Whitney at 14,495'. As we enter Death Valley we'll make stops to photograph Joshua trees, and *low flying military jets on training exercises. and we'll be deep in the park when the last light hits.
On days 5 and 6 we’ll rise early for first light on the colorful dunes and hope that the record temperature of 134°f is only a July phenomenon! It is also the lowest point in the lower 48 States at 282 feet below sea level. We'll shoot early and late, and subjects in the park will include sand dunes, mountains, ghost towns and wildlife, plus we'll take midday siestas.  * The jets don't fly everyday, nor is the time announced, so this photography event cannot be guaranteed
Death Valley NP, 3 nights

Day 7  |  Death Valley National Park and on to Las Vegas
Early light photography one last time, and after breakfast and check-out, we'll continue to shoot Death Valley scenes as we make our way to Las Vegas with picture stops along the way. The included dinner on the last night of our photography tour will feature an 'It's You!' presentation of clients in action on this tour by John.
Near the Las Vegas airport, 1 night

Day 8  |  Departure day
As there isn't any photography scheduled for the day of departure on this trip, your flight home can be arranged for any time today. Transport to the airport is included unless you’re staying on for a day or more. Departure is from the Las Vegas airport [LAS]

Photo Tour Photographer/Leader: John Baker, Travel Images Photography Tours
The preceding itinerary is a copyrighted work by John Baker Photographer LLC, and Travel Images Photography Tours

 

 


Enhancing Your Photography Skills

Describing the assistance you'll receive on one of our photography tours takes more than a few words, so for greater detail please go here.

 

Exertion level: This photography tour is classified as 'non strenuous' to 'quite strenuous'

The dunes in Death Valley NP can be quite strenuous in places with soft sand. We do however venture onto the dunes early before the day warms up

A majority of images are found in close proximity to our vehicle

In every other respect this photography tour is considered non-strenuous to mildly strenuous

 

Do you need a Visa for travel to the United States?
Travelers from all countries can do a quick check of visa requirements here or here
Our international clients may need to contact the embassy of their intended destination in their own country for a visa. Go here or here


 


Photography Tour Cost, Deposit, Cancellation Policy and Enrollment Guidance

Trip Cost: $3,465 USD per person not including airfare. A 5% discount is applied to all double occupancies. A single room supplement is required for single occupancy


Single Supplement: 14% of the base cost of the trip

 

The deposit for this photography tour is $400. Make a deposit, or pay your tour balance here

 

Cancellation policy: Go here

Enrollment guidance: Go here


 


Included in the Trip Cost: The following items are included in the trip cost . . .

  • Photography instruction throughout the trip by John

  • All accommodations with private facilities [en-suite]

  • All breakfasts

  • Lunch on day one of the trip

  • Dinner on the last night of the trip

  • On-vehicle snacks and bottled water

  • All ground transportation

  • Airport pick-up on day 1, and drop-off on departure day. Arrival prior to day 1 is not included

  • Entrance fees for sites and activities listed below under ‘Admissions Included’

  • Following the trip you'll receive detailed field notes describing the time, place and subject of each photo stop, plus image uploads to a private web page of clients 'in action' on the trip

Not Included in the Trip Cost: The costs for these items are the responsibility of each participant . . .

  • Airfare

  • Travel costs between your home and the gateway airport and return

  • Any transportation or travel costs incurred prior to or after the tour’s inclusive dates

  • Pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodation

  • Lunches and dinners except for lunch on day one of the trip, and dinner on the last night of the trip

  • Alcoholic beverages

  • Entrance fees or costs related to optional sites or activities not included in the itinerary

  • Baggage fees

  • Medical expenses

  • Personal items such as the hotel mini-bar, laundry et cetera

  • Incidental charges incurred at our accommodations such as movie rentals, internet and phone

  • Travel insurance

  • Passport or visa expenses

  • Airport departure taxes, if applicable

Admissions Included in the Trip Cost:

  • Admission to National and State Parks, and National Monuments in the itinerary are included

  • All other possible rides, admissions or excursions are optional and not included

 
 

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Travel Images Photography Tours: Guided Landscape, Natural History, Macro and Wildlife Photography Tours
Email  |  Phone: [+1] 208-559-8248 | Postal: Travel Images, P.O. Box 939, Middleton, Idaho 83644-0939