This October I hosted my first ladies photography workshop at Badlands National Park. Going into the experience I wasn’t sure what to expect but the whole workshop exceeded all the expectations I did have. I left the workshop with five amazing new friends, and completely invigorated and fired up to host more female workshops!

While on the workshop we explored various landscapes within the park. We woke before the sun and chased the light until there was no more. One of the highlights for everyone was photographing the stars and Milky Way. While we only had one night with clear skies it was enough for us all to marvel at the insane beauty that is the night sky in the Badlands. We sat under the blanket of stars in complete awe, the Milky Way shone so brightly and stretched clear across the sky. It was a moment I will not forget!

We got the chance to see and photograph various wildlife while there. We saw bison, deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep.

One of our adventures was to photograph and explore a nearby ghost town. I loved looking through these buildings and dreaming of the lives of the people that must have lived there.

The Badlands really are an extraordinary place to visit and photograph. There are so many textures, colors, shapes, and lines. There are also such varying perspectives within the park. You are able to be on top of the Badlands or down in it. It really makes for a diverse experience.

We had some crazy weather while we were there which led to some really amazing dramatic skies. I think we saw a total of 4 rainbows! One day it snowed all day and was windy and cold. I had to get creative with what I could teach them in those conditions. We worked on portraits in the hotel room and I also did an image review and editing session with all of them.

This experience filled my bucket on so many levels. This was hands down the most rewarding experience of my professional career. I am looking forward to doing more of these workshops in 2021! Thank you so much, Sally, Carol, Kaitlyn, Rebecca, and Megan for opening your hearts and minds to me and joining me on this workshop. I learned just as much from all of you as I suspect you learned from me!