Looking for 2024 Colorado Fall Colors Workshop?
Colorado Fall Colors Photography Workshop-San Juan Mountains
with Bryan Maltais
Sept 30-Oct 3, 2023 Sat to Tues
(You can also register below for Fall Colors Workshop 2024)
Why experience a Fall Colors Photo Workshop in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains?
Colorado’s San Juan Mountains are comprised of epic peaks and vast aspen stands. When they turn yellow in fall it’s like gold bullion rushing down the mountains, punctuated by beautiful red scrub oak. Much of the San Juans are composed of long mountain ranges that stretch from east to west rather than singular peaks. This unique quality makes them good to photograph at both sunrise and sunset, and also provides excellent material for wide panoramic images. Back roads lead to countless world-class shots for the chance to leave this workshop with many portfolio photos. You’ll be treated to a gorgeous mix of jagged peaks, sprawling wilderness and western ranches with classic wooden rail fences. Let me share my 20 years of experience exploring the San Juan Mountains to bring you to the best shots. The towns of the San Juan Mountains include Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray and Silverton.
Ich spreche Deutsche
San Juan Mountains Fall Colors Photography Workshop Instruction
I provide a customized level of instruction to each participant based on skill-level and photography goals. I’m there to help beginners build a foundation in basic camera settings, intermediates to move to the next level through learning new techniques, and advanced photographers who might desire a more passive approach. The San Juan Mountains offer a lot of material to spend time in the field shooting; we’ll have image critique and post-processing sessions as time permits.
Depending on conditions, techniques that we may practice in this workshop include:
Landscape Photography Composition Principals
Panorama Composite Images
Sunstars Through Aspen Leaves
Telephoto Wildlife Photography
Bracketing and Blending
Motion Blur in Water and Clouds with ND Filters
Fall Colors Photo Workshop Information
Sat Meet at the Chipeta Lodge in the lobby at 2:30 pm, have a quick briefing/introductions, then head out to shoot sunset.
Sun/Mon We’ll be leaving by 5:30 am, depending on first location to shoot pre-dawn and then sunrise. Sunrise is about 7:05 am. We’ll continue to shoot into mid-morning and then return to Ridgway for a late breakfast and short break. We’ll explore the plethora of photography locations throughout the San Juan Mountains through sunset. Sunset is at about 6:50 pm and we’ll return to the hotel as late as 8:00pm.
Tues Leave hotel by 5:30 am to shoot sunrise and through mid-morning, then conclude the workshop.
We’ll be shooting many of these main locations with other photos along the way (weather and time will dictate the final itinerary):
-
- The Sneffels Range from Ridgway’s county Roads
- The Dallas Divide
- Red Mountain
- Wilson Peak
- Last Dollar Road
- Telluride
- The Grenadier Mountains
- Silverton and its Railroad
- Aspen Forests around Ouray
- Owl Creek Pass
Sept 30-Oct 3, 2023 Sat to Tues
- Workshop cost is $1575 including the $350 deposit
- Receive a 5% discount for payment in full of $1500
For Terms & Conditions and registration please click below:
A block of rooms is reserved at the beautiful Chipeta Lodge in Ridgway with a generous rate. After workshop registration, you’ll be given instructions for booking and paying for your room. Please note that if you must cancel your room, the hotel does not refund charges unless cancelled more than 30 days prior. Ridgway is the ideal central location to reach most of our shots. Staying at this location is not required for the workshop, though this is the best option for staying coordinated with the group.
up to 6
This workshop is physically easy. It will be roadside photography with short walks from our vehicles. Opportunities for short ~1.5 mile hikes may arise depending on conditions. The main challenges to consider are waking early, being in the cold and being at high elevation (7,000-10,500 ft).
Workshop participants will be driving their own vehicles, which allows maximum versatility for exploration before and after the workshop and saves on workshop fees. We ask that you be willing to carpool with other students to save fuel and build new friendships. I have room for a copilot based on first come first served. We’ll be driving on dirt/gravel roads with a few deep ruts and bumpy sections. A Subaru or modest SUV is sufficient, but I don’t recommend a sedan. If you don’t have such a vehicle, there are usually enough participants with SUV’s willing to carpool.
Included
- Room discount
- Field and classroom instruction
- Guiding to best spots
Not Included
- Cost of hotel room
- Transportation/fuel
- Meals
Recommended Gear
Interchangeable Lens Camera
Wide Angle Zoom Lens (e.g. 16-35mm or cropped sensor equivalent)
Medium Zoom Lens (e.g. 24-105mm or cropped sensor equivalent )
Tripod and Ball Head
Polarizer Filter
You can rent any gear that you don’t have. It’s conveniently shipped to you, then you ship it back in supplied packaging. I recommend Borrow Lenses.
Macro Lens
Telephoto Lens (400mm or stronger) in case we encounter wildlife
Prime lenses from 16mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 70mm etc… can substitute for zoom lenses
Panoramic Leveling Head (example)
Arca Swiss L-Bracket-Specific to your camera model, useful for vertical shots and required for panoramic shots
Neutral Density Filters (e.g. 5 and 10 stop)
Remote Shutter Release
Laptop with Adobe Creative Cloud for editing sessions and image reviews
In addition to what you would normally pack for a trip, these are special considerations for this workshop:
Food/Water: Though we plan to return to Ridgway midday for a meal and rest, you should bring enough food/water/snacks to last you the day. I’ll have precautionary water and snacks. Though we will be shooting secluded locations, we’ll typically pass by service stations and be in proximity to Ouray, Telluride, Silverton or Ridgway.
Clothing: The San Juan Mountains in fall can either be mild or wintry so it’s best to pack for both. After all, we’re hoping for the first snow to paint the peaks white by workshop time. Plan for standing still for long periods before sunrise in below freezing temperatures. I recommend insulated boots, thermal underwear, wool hat, gloves, face gator/balaclava, down/fleece layers, and both a top and bottom outer shell. Also prepare for the 70’s by lunchtime.
Questions? Contact Me
Workshop Testimonials
- Ed-Falston, MD
- Michael-Eaton, CO
- Jason-Houston, TX
- Stacey-Fort Collins, CO
- Lily-Chicago, IL
- David-Ashburton, NZ
- Michael-Morgan Hill, CA
- Shanna-Loveland, CO
“This workshop was by far the best one I’ve attended. Bryan took us to amazing places! Even though I’m a pretty experienced photographer, he still was constantly checking in with me (and everyone) to make suggestions or check on my progress. He was flexible in changing plans to try and catch the best light. Definitely a five star experience.”
-Ed. Fallston, MD
I took a private camera settings lesson to learn how to use my Sony A6700 with the 200-600m telephoto lens for wildlife photography. Bryan tailored the lesson well and helped me understand many aspects of my camera and the skills needed to make the most of it while shooting my chosen subject wildlife. We covered so much more than I’d expected in the two hour lesson. I feel huge value was added to get the most out of the equipment and subject. Looking forward to getting out into Colorado.
-Michael, Eaton, CO
“I took an absolutely amazing private workshop with Bryan in Telluride, CO. His photography expertise is only surpassed by his knowledge of the Colorado countryside. We shot a large variety of shots including astrophotography, sunset, sunrise, pano, long exposure, starburst, eclipse, and even a little wildlife. I would recommend using Bryan anytime you want to improve your photography game and see some back country hidden gems.”
-Jason, Houston, TX
My husband and I have taken 3 private workshops with Bryan so far. I took the beginner’s camera course and 2 Milky Way workshops in RMNP. I started with the beginner’s course because we bought nice cameras, knowing we wanted to get into serious photography, but let them sit there because they seemed too complicated. In only two hours Bryan showed us how changing one setting affects the others, and how each setting makes the picture look different. I was blown away by how much I learned in just a lesson. I then booked him to take us up to a stunningly beautiful lake in Rocky Mountain National Park at night to learn how to shoot the Milky Way. What an adventure! It was a beautiful hike where we learned how to shoot blue hour along with the milky way. Bryan gave us step by step instructions of which settings to dial in and why. He let me figure them out on my own and stepped in when I couldn’t. And then, voila, I had this amazing, bright picture of the Milky Way on my viewfinder! We even witnessed SpaceX launching a bunch of satellites into orbit! It was so much fun we did it again! I felt safe and listened to the whole time and now feel like since I can take night photos I can do anything with my camera!
-Stacey, Fort Collins, CO
My husband and I have taken 2 workshops with Bryan, awaiting a third. He’s an excellent field guide and teacher! My favorite photo spots with him were landscapes in Colorado, including Crystal Lake and bent Aspens, and his macro workshop in the Ozarks to photograph frogs, insects and salamanders. For the Colorado Fall Colors tour in 2023, I was very impressed with the landscape pictures I was able to take with Bryan’s guidance, both with his technical expertise and willingness to address each student’s needs with personalized tutoring. I went with my husband who had attended Brian’s previous trips. Both my husband and son (age 15) recently attended Bryan’s Missouri Macro photography workshop in April and loved it. We appreciated the wonderful full experience that Bryan provides with from spot-on expertise and fun. Bryan’s tours are one of the best and continue to be a great value. I shoot with a Sony and I plan to buy the Sony A1 second generation camera when it becomes available in 2025. we will continue to refine our photography with his workshops.
-Lily. Chicago, IL
“My wife and I met Bryan while he was photographing the Routeburn track in New Zealand. I had just become interested in photography and he shared some impactful tips for making better landscape photos. We travelled to America a few years later for a photography trip through the western states. For our Colorado leg, we enlisted Bryan for a photography tour of Crested Butte and the Telluride area. As a fledgling photographer, it was highly educational watching and learning from a master at work. Bryan’s knowledge, hospitality and professionalism to his craft is amazing. We are looking forward to getting to the States again soon for more of the same.”
-David, Ashburton, New Zealand
“I’ve been a professional nature photographer and cinematographer for 20 years, and needed video and stills of Colorado’s best spots for a large project. Being from CA, I didn’t have time to figure this out alone. After reviewing Bryan’s website and speaking with him, I spent three highly productive days with him in the San Juan Mountains during fall colors. I captured more material than I could have hoped for. Bryan had an excellent attitude during our 18-hour days. Whenever the light or clouds changed for the worse, he knew right where to go next to suit conditions. He was even able to teach this “old dog” some new techniques.”
Michael Routh, Dreamchase on Demand
“I took a wildflower workshop with Bryan in Crested Butte and was most interested in learning how to shoot flowers in the foreground with mountains in the background. I also wanted to practice macro photography. Bryan took me to spots I would have never found, at the perfect dates for peak bloom. I needed some help with my complicated Olympus, which is a one of the systems Bryan also shoots with. I was amazed what I learned; focus stacking, super magnification, and beautiful ways to take landscape compositions. Bryan was super patient and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!”
Shanna, Loveland, CO
About Bryan Maltais- Fort Collins, CO
Bryan Maltais is an award-winning professional photographer, film-maker and founder of Wilderness Shots Photography Workshops. His images are displayed in spaces around the world and have been published in well known photography magazines and media channels. He’s also the author of “Infinite Horizons-The Complete Nature & Landscape Photography Guide“.
“I was addicted to exploring nature and observing animals very young, keeping terrariums full of insects and amphibians. Craving a camera to capture the beauty that I witnessed in nature, my dad gave me a manual Canon that he had lying around from 1970. A military brat, I grew up in Germany, New Jersey and Missouri. I received my BS in Wildlife Biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. This gave me a good foundation for understanding the natural world. I also did a stint in the Army, which gave me a good foundation for tolerating insects and lack of sleep. My dream was to live in the Rocky Mountains, so after college I moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado where I still live today. Since then I’ve been shooting and documenting the American West and producing wildlife nature documentaries. My latest film is on Amazon Prime. My goal with nature photography workshops is to share knowledge, fun and adventure with others while enjoying nature. I currently shoot Sony and Olympus gear. When not photographing, I garden in my raised beds and teach 3-4 year olds in Sunday School.”
