Learn to shoot like a PRO!
Nature Photography Workshops
with Bryan Maltais
Through my nature photography workshops I’ll bring you on an adventure to my favorite and most awe inspiring photo locations around the American West. I aim to provide efficient itineraries for highly productive days with expert instruction. I want you to leave with new works of art to add to your portfolio while having a lot of fun with other photographers. I provide a customized level of instruction to each participant based on your skill-level and photography goals. I’m there to help beginners with camera settings, intermediates to move to the next level through new techniques, and advanced photographers who might want a more passive approach. I’ll get you to the best shots at the right times with a library of locations to align with the light and weather.
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Rocky Mountain National Park Photography Workshops
Various Dates
I offer various photo workshops in Rocky Mountain National Park that capture different natural events of the year. Choose from spring during Milky Way season, August to capture huge peaks and the Perseid meteor shower, the peak of the Elk rut in September or custom private workshops in any season. I share my 20+ years of experience photographing and guiding in RMNP to bring you to the right spots at the right time. RMNP is unique for wildlife and year-round photography.
Colorado Fall Colors Photography Workshop-San Juan Mountains
Oct 3-6, 2024
Called the “Switzerland of America”, Colorado’s San Juan Mountains are breathtaking, especially in fall. In this nature photography workshop we’ll be shooting jagged mountain ranges, vast aspen stands and sprawling ranches with wooden rail fences. During fall colors the aspens turn golden, punctuated with beautiful red scrub oak. For this workshop we’ll be shooting from back-roads that lead to one world-class shot after another. The towns of the San Juan Mountains include Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray and Silverton.
Bisti Badlands, NM Photography Workshop-Sunsets and Night Skies
Oct 10-13, 2024 Thurs-Sun ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT!
This photo workshop is timed to capture the Milky Way when it rises early in the night with the Galactic Core in the vertical position above the alien landscape of Bisti Badlands. This allows photographing the night sky shortly after sunset and getting a good night’s sleep to capture sunrise. Learn Milky Way settings and composition, and shoot countless bizarre rock formations, hoodoos and balanced rocks during golden hour. Bisti is like a natural sculpture garden created for photographers. We’ll also photograph exciting Shiprock and Alien Throne while getting plenty of rest in Farmington, NM.
Bosque del Apache, NM Birding Photography Workshopy
Dec 11-14, 2024 Thurs-Sun
Bosque del Apache and surrounding areas along the Rio Grande River is one of North America’s premiere destinations for bird and wildlife photography. This wildlife photo workshop coincides with the overwintering of tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. Highlights include photographing the Snow Goose “blast off” during golden hour, Sandhill Cranes dancing, and various colorful waterfowl. We may even see Bobcat, Coyote, Mule Deer and Javelina. In this unique setting you’ll photograph birds with stunning mountains in the background.
Private Nature Photography Workshops
Macro Photography Workshop-Missouri Ozarks
Apr 27-29, 2024 Sat-Mon
Just west of St. Louis County, Missouri lies a swath of lush Ozark border forest with surprising biodiversity. These forests are teaming with a fascinating biodiversity of herps, insects and wildflowers that may be more expected in the Sonora Desert or subtropical forests. This provides opportunity for a world-class macro photography safari. We’ll be visiting a selection of glades, limestone creeks and Oak/Hickory forests where I’ll guide you to secluded spots with a variety of macro subjects to photograph.
More Nature Photography Workshops on their way…
Nature Photography Workshop Techniques
Techniques that we may practice in workshops include:
Landscape Photo Composition
Macro and Wide-angle Macro Photography
Focus Stacking
Panorama Composite Images
Making Sunstars
Telephoto Wildlife Photography
Bracketing and Blending
Storm/Lightning Photography
Motion Blur in Water and Clouds with ND Filters
Milky Way and Star Trail Photography
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.
“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.”
