Dusk, Mono Lake 1979. from At Mono Lake.

The Landscape of California
Autumn at Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra

A Digital Photography Field Workshop

A strange lunar-like lake, eerie tufa towers, and fall colors...

October 12-15, 2024

4 days. $995 for first 4 students, $1200 thereafter.

Credit Card Registration Workshop is operated under a permit with the Inyo National Forest. 

Join us for four days exploring photography in the stark and beautiful scenery of this legendary lake, unlike any other landscape in the world. Its alkaline water, desert vistas, volcanoes and unusual tufa towers make it a remarkable place.

The workshop will be taught by the pioneer in digital landscape photography, Stephen Johnson. Also the organizer of the "At Mono Lake" exhibition from which selections are currently on display at the National Forest Visitor's Center. Steve has been teaching at Mono Lake for more than 40 years.

These four days will be a dynamic combination of a traditional landscape photography workshop while diving deep into the digital age. Technical and aesthetic considerations will be discussed in detail, while we explore this high desert lake and its strange environs.

Testimonials

I had a wonderful time attending the 2022 Mono Lake Photography Workshop, and I definitely recommend it to other nature photographers! It was a tailored and flexible learning experience, well beyond that which I had hoped for. Steve took us to beautiful and interesting places to photograph and wanted to be helpful to each of us at every turn. In addition, I learned much about the geological and water history of the area from Steve who played an important role as an activist and photographer in saving Mono Lake's water. All in all, a very special workshop! -Sara Burgess

Mono Lake Photo Gallery

The At Mono Lake exhibition catalog 1984..

This video is both an invitation to the workshop, and a short history of how the "At Mono Lake" Exhibition came to be.

The Place
The presence of this huge lake in the eastern Sierra desert is improbable at best, its out of place character is pervasive, at times seeming more lunar than terrestrial. 

Mono Lake can change from a tranquil expanse of silver water to a blue-green stormy sea in minutes. It is a most intriguing place. It is both a challenge and a pleasure to photograph at Mono Lake. But Mono Lake's beauty does not necessarily make it easy to photograph here. The desert sun can be harsh, and the horizon can appear endless. It takes time and patience to catch the subtlety of Mono's moods. The autumn weather should provide some interesting cloud formations. The lake's strange landforms can easily become ordinary when photographed casually. Consequently this place demands a certain intensity to do it visual justice. A primary goal of our time spent together will be to slow down and understand the lake on a more intimate level than might normally be possible.

Field instruction will concentrate on technical and aesthetic issues, working to develop a personal vision of this endangered lake. We will be doing some walking and hiking. Digital exposure and dynamic range, color management, printers, papers and pigments, b&w and color, composition, emotion and amazement-all will be part of our ambitious 4-day excursion into the evolving world of digital photography.

Mono Lake Storm. 1979.

The workshop will include a survey of the area's photographic history, natural history of the basin, and the development of the photo exhibit "At Mono Lake."  Graduate Thesis on the exhibit posted!

Students are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.

Stephen Johnson Photography is an equal opportunity provider and this workshop is operated under special use permit with the Inyo National Forest.

Aspens and Sage. Lee Vining Canyon. 1988.

Scholarships

A full-time photo student tuition scholarship is available for this workshop. To apply, please download the application form and send it to us by mail or email. 

Policies

Refunds and Cancellation (note changes): This workshop is financially dependent on adequate class registration. Where minimum enrollment requirements are not met, the class will be canceled, and a full refund given. You will be notified at least one week in advance if a workshop is not going to take place. Student initiated cancellations received prior to one month before the workshop will receive credit for a future workshop of similar value, a 50% credit will be given for notice received at least 2 weeks immediately prior to the workshop (a full credit less a $50 overhead fee will be given if another student is able to fill the spot from a waiting list). No credit will be given if cancelled less than 2 weeks prior to the workshop. Credits need to be redeemed within one year.

Workshop Spouse Policy Our workshops are designed to be intense visual experiences with fellow participants committed to photography and the workshop learning experience. Workshops often include short hikes, evening critiques and lectures. While we welcome spouses to group dinners (and lunches where practical), but would rather other activities are arranged for partners during the day when the group dynamic and size can be effected by non-participants. Thank you for your understanding.

Email questions to: info@sjphoto.com

“In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.  (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.

To file a complaint alleging discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provided in the letter all of the information requested in the form.  To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.  Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (a) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (b) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (c) email: program.intake@usda.gov.”

“USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.”