Photo Workshops & Tours
Interested in photography? Join us on an Adventures Northwest Photography Workshop in Alaska or the North Cascades.
We offer a variety of sublime photographic experiences, opportunities to take your photography to the next level in some of the most beautiful places in the world.
Our workshops offer small-group instruction in camera technique, image processing and composition, including an in-depth exploration of Adobe Lightroom. We’ll be immersed in splendor every day. By land or by sea: We’re thrilled to partner with Northwest Navigation and the North Cascades Institute to make these workshops possible. Join us on one of these Photographic Adventures!
2024
Grizzly Bears & Fjords: May 26 – June 2, 2024
Glacier Bay: June 6 – 13, 2024
San Juan Islands: October 10 – 13, 2024
2025
Grizzly Bears, Fords Terror & Fjords: May 25 – June 1, 2025
Glacier Bay: June 5 – June 12, 2025
San Juan Islands: October 16 -19, 2025
A Passion for Photography…and the Land
“The two most engaging powers of a photograph are to make new things familiar and familiar things new.”
– William Thackeray
Adventures Northwest Photography Workshops reflect our ongoing love affair with photography. We’ve been devoted to the art form for decades and live to make exceptional photographs that capture the beauty, relevance and meaning to be found in the beautiful world around us. Great photography starts with seeing, really seeing, both the big picture in its incalculable grandeur and the tiny details that tell small and intimate stories. Every day begins with a sense of anticipation and excitement for the visual beauty that surrounds us—whether we’re in Alaska or the North Cascades or among the sensuously entwined madrone forests of the San Juan Islands. We understand how fortunate we are to be immersed in beauty and feel grateful for the opportunities to convey this beauty to others through our art.
A Deep Dive
Photo by Marie Duckworth
Our workshops are immersive and hands-on. More than simply a tour, we are focused on delivering the kind of practical, useful information that will enable you to take your photography to the next level. Group size is small, affording opportunities for one-on-one attention as well as group instruction. We believe in helping our students through the entire process – from composition and camera technique to file organization, editing and processing, post-production fine-tuning and finally, optimizing for printing. All students will go home with at least one print —ready for framing —from the workshop.
Art & Science
In addition to the technical aspects of digital photography and processing, we’ll focus on how to pre-visualize images and take advantage of lighting conditions, foreground/background juxtaposition and the color palette to maximize the impact of our photographs. In our group discussions we’ll discuss the art of composition, the elimination of the extraneous, and visual techniques to maximize impact and highlight the essential elements of a theme.
All of our workshops include in-depth instruction in using Adobe Lightroom to refine and enhance our images. We’ll explore exposure adjustments, contrast, sharpening, color, noise reduction, cropping, spot removal, lens corrections, the use of graduated filters, adjustment brush techniques and other tools to make your images come alive. During critiques, we’ll discuss student work and share suggestions and observations about your images in a supportive setting, helping you to improve your photography by stimulating your creativity and gaining mastery of the technology that allows for the creation of photographic art.
About Us
Adventures Northwest Magazine has been the Pacific Northwest’s premier outdoors magazine since 2006. The magazine is dedicated to exploring deep connections to the glorious natural world of the northwest and inspiring readers to discover (or rediscover) this deep and timeless connection. One of the most effective ways to express this, we believe, is through the art of photography. Images can convey the beauty of these landscapes in a way that goes beyond words and resonate in both our minds and our hearts, touching people in lasting and powerful ways. When we express a genuine love for the Earth and all its beauty, we invite others to join us as passionate fellow travelers on a journey of discovery and to become advocates for the protection and healing of our planet.
We’ve been leading photography workshops since 2016 in some of the most amazing places on the west coast of North America: Alaska, the North Cascades and the Salish Sea.
Meet Your Instructors
Alan Sanders has been making photographs since the 70’s and teaching photography since the 80’s. He has taught at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. His photographs are part of the permanent collections of several museums as well as many private collections.
Currently he teaches photography at Whatcom Community College and is a digital imaging specialist at Quicksilver Photo Lab in Bellingham. As a recovering commercial photographer specializing in advertising and public relations, he now concentrates on fine art photography.
John D’Onofrio’s photography has been exhibited widely in museums and galleries around the United States and utilized by the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, the National Parks Foundation, and Defenders of Wildlife. His work has been published in numerous calendars, books and publications including National Geographic Adventure, Washington Trails, The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest, The North Cascades: Finding Beauty and Renewal in the Wild Nearby, and featured on the NBC and ABC television networks. He lives in Bellingham, WA., where he serves as editor/publisher of Adventures Northwest magazine. He is co-author of Images of America: Mount Baker (Arcadia Publishing) and loves nothing more than a good adventure.
Comments from Participants
“You never know what you are going to get with a photo workshop, but this trip has set the bar for others to try to match – I got the best Lightroom instruction that I have ever had. My workflow time has been cut in half using the knowledge I gained!”
Photo by Dave Tugwood
“I can’t imagine a more valuable photography workshop…It felt like we had our own personal mentors on board.”
“Best workshop of my long learning life!”
“Wondrous! Our trip aboard the David B. with Alan and John left us improved as photographers and as observers of the visual world; an immersive and truly interactive experience: small things, big things, technical, conceptual, multi-level; on the boat, along the shore at the glaciers …help was always at our elbow! We left loaded with evocative images – a record of what we saw, what we experienced, and what we learned.”
“An all-inclusive landscape photographers dream team learning experience!”
“Having been on some similar workshops, I found that this particular learning experience went well above and beyond. John and Al have a true passion for photography and the subjects being photographed. It was the experience of my life.”
“Having been on some similar workshops, I found that this particular learning experience went well above and beyond. John and Al have a true passion for photography and the subjects being photographed. It was the experience of my life.”
“In seven days this workshop can transform your eye, focus your attention to detail, and restore your soul.”
“My perspective about photography was blown out of the water this weekend!”
“I learned a lot and gained a level of confidence that translated to better pictures. You are very good teachers. I am grateful to you both, for your professionalism, patience, kindness, and your humor!”
“I have been to a lot of workshops, and received many hours of instruction, but this was the best info I had ever heard on many areas of Lightroom.”
“John and Al are extremely knowledgeable about the art and science of both photography and image processing… I learned a substantial amount of new information…and truly believe it’s helping me take my shooting and processing skills up to the next level.”
“John and Al are extremely knowledgeable about the art and science of both photography and image processing… I learned a substantial amount of new information…and truly believe it’s helping me take my shooting and processing skills up to the next level.”
“John and Alan were great at helping each person grow in their skills by providing helpful comments. Critique time wasn’t scary. The instructors were both supportive and pushed students to grow as photographers.”
“Expert teaching by accomplished photographers! So inspiring to spend time at this beautiful location in the company of such passionate people!”
“What a great team John and Alan make! Just the perfect blend of art and technology with plenty of humor and fun sprinkled in.”