Lance Kuehne Photography Workshops

### Master Harsh Light and Bold Landscapes in California’s Most Dramatic Settings

Saturday to Friday, January 3rd to 9th, 2026

Join a small group of photographers on a 6-day adventure through some of California’s most dramatic landscapes. From the surreal dunes of Death Valley to the granite peaks of the Eastern Sierra, this workshop is designed to maximize your time in the field and minimize time behind the wheel.

We’ll make a sweeping 1000+ mile loop—starting in Petaluma, crossing the Tehachapi Mountains to Ridgecrest, spending two full days in Death Valley, and then working our way north through the Eastern Sierra and Lake Tahoe before returning to the Bay Area. You’ll photograph sunrise over the dunes, sunset at Zabriskie Point, vibrant desert canyons, the ghost town of Rhyolite, the Alabama Hills, alpine lakes near Mammoth, and the strange towers of Mono Lake.

Many days will begin at dawn and end after sunset to take advantage of the best light. We’ll also schedule time to rest, sleep in, and review images. An optional image critique will be available during the trip, with a follow-up session a few weeks later. A map of our route will be provided to help you revisit your favorite locations after the workshop.

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### What You’ll Learn:

• How to expose for extreme light and shadow using histograms and filters
• Techniques to maximize sharpness, depth of field, and impact
• Creative composition and how to tell a story through landscape
• Ways to evoke emotion and a strong sense of place in your images

Details:

• Small group: limited to 5 participants
• Affordable lodging just outside the park (upgrade options available)
• Flexible itinerary to adapt to weather and light
• Ordinary car and tire chains required (people can carpool if they want)
• Map of the itinerary included
• Optional post-workshop critique (via Zoom)
• Online registration (tuition due 10 days before start date)
• Fee is for Tuition only: does not include lodging, transportation, meals, or park entry fees

Join us for a compelling afternoon of winter photography on Mount Tamalpais, when the mountain is at its most raw and atmospheric. In early winter, the landscape is quiet and often cloaked in fog—bare branches silhouetted against gray skies, rain-fed creeks flowing through mossy ravines, and shifting light breaking through coastal clouds. It’s a time of solitude, subtle beauty, and dramatic mood.

This small-group workshop is designed for photographers of all skill levels and will guide you from shadowy forest trails to open ridgelines above the Pacific—ending with a sunset and twilight session at one of Mount Tam’s sweeping coastal overlooks.

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### What to Expect

📍 Meeting Point: Start at my studio (carpooling available) or meet in Fairfax.

Mount Tam in early winter is a study in contrast and calm. You’ll explore quiet redwood groves, windswept hills, and coastal cliffs softened by moisture and mist. This is a perfect time to experiment with mood-driven compositions, long exposures, and capturing the subtle textures of a dormant but still expressive landscape.

You’ll photograph:

• Fog weaving through bare trees and ridge-top grasses
• Soft winter light breaking through dramatic skies
• Patterns in rain-fed creeks, pools, and reflective surfaces
• Silhouettes and layered hills during golden hour
• Coastal twilight as mist rolls in over Bolinas Lagoon