Roan Highlands Day Trip

$350.00

August 23, 2026.

One day in the Roan Highlands exploring the grassy balds. Includes Sunset.

August 23, 2026.

One day in the Roan Highlands exploring the grassy balds. Includes Sunset.

 

Limited to 6 participants

A three-day Workshop exploring the grassy balds of the Roan Highlands. A truly amazing 3 day trip so you can cover all the vastness of the Highlands including the incredible dark skies of Roan!

Take your photography to new heights as we will explore the ins and outs of composition and using angle of view to compliment your composition. This Workshop is slightly different than our usual tour because we’ll be camping right on top of the world. You'll roll right out of the tent for magnificent sunrises and right after dinner, you will be right there on location for as much of the night sky as you can handle. During Sunrise and Sunrise, there are amazing wildflowers growing in the fields of golden grass. A perfect foreground for amazing colorful skies and 360 degrees of layers upon layers!

We will also share how to “see the light” and bring new life to a scene that might look rather ordinary during the harsh light hours. This workshop is rather unique as we don’t do an official classroom segment, but there are many great campfire talks with phone and iPad visuals on how to capture for Black & White and compositional pieces that are so important in this vast environment. Our past participants have called this, “incredibly invaluable!”

Arrive at your leisure. Explore as much or as little as you like on the way in... Enjoy beautiful sunny days on one of the highest mountains around, and gaze the night away under star-lit nights. You do not need to be an expert backpacker for this trip. A basic prior knowledge of camping is helpful.

We will start the trip with a 2.5 hike to our camp location, and for the next three days and nights you will explore the Appalachian Trail, wander around on golden grassy balds, enjoy sunrises and sunsets from 6000’ and gaze in amazement at some of the darkest skies in the area. As almost everyone knows, the core of the Milky Way begins to descend towards the horizon in September, eventually falling below the horizon in October. What better way to catch the Milky Way before it’s gone for the year!!

Every day we will wake to a gorgeous sunrise, followed by breakfast and lounging under the amazing conditions that Roan is famous for. Many of our guest enjoy photography throughout the day, with amazing skies, fog and many other fascinating conditions. You truly never know what will happen up there next. At sunset, we’ll travel to some of our favorite locations to photograph huge views! Talk about a Panorama!! Our guests are usually in awe of all the layers sprinkled with golden light.

At night, we’ll begin our Astrophotography journey right there at camp!! Using tents as part of our composition. As the night progresses, we will head out to more of our favorite locations. I have been photographing the Milky Way for over 15 years and I can say with confidence that these are the best skies around!

Join us for this amazing adventure up at 6000’ for an experience that you will never forget!!

*We are fully Permitted in the Park and promote “Leave No Trace”

Get ready for Smores by an open pit fire!! We hope to see you there! Cancellation Policy:  If you need to cancel your booking, the Deposit is non refundable on all Seasonal and Group Photography Workshops.  If the cancellation is less than 90 days, you will receive a full refund minus the deposit and 15% admin fee, when your spot is filled. If the cancellation is more than 90 days, you will receive a full refund when your spot is filled, or, you may move to another available workshop (minus a 15% admin fee) in the current calendar year. The remaining balance on the new Workshop is due upon transfer.

If you are booked for a Private Workshop and you need to cancel, you may reschedule your workshop one time within the current calendar year during an available time.


Topics we will cover

  • Learn how to create powerful compositions and bring your artistic vision to life

  • Visualizing your composition, capturing and guiding the viewer

  • How to identify and control: Balance and visual flow

  • How to achieve focus in the dark

  • The correct settings for night sky shooting

  • Light Painting

  • How to create beautiful Long Exposures to unveil a hidden visual world

  • How to find and photograph the Milky Way

  • All of the planning Apps we use for Astrophotography

  • Sky Trackers and how they work

  • How to read the weather

  • Image Critique

  • Post Processing and Digital Workflow in Lightroom and Photoshop

 

What’s included

  • Photography instruction with Landscape Photographer Tommy White.

  • Lightroom and Photoshop training.

  • 3rd party programs like TK Actions, Luminar and Nik.

  • 2 Full days of Night Photography and field Instruction.

  • One on One field guidance in framing, settings, visual flow and “seeing” in the landscape.

  • GPS field guidance to track our shoot locations.

  • Drinks and Snacks are provided during Workshop.

  • Identifying important subjects both near and far.

  • Capturing textures, shapes and patterns.

  • Visual interpretation of the landscape. How to “see” and use the light.

  • Guidance and safety throughout the entire trip.

  • Limited field equipment and accessories for your use.

What’s not included

  • Participants should plan to provide their own transportation. Carpooling will be available at your own discretion.

  • Meals during the trip. I will always have drinks and snacks on hand, but plan to travel with your own favorites as well.

  • Lodging - We will provide information for you on Lodging upon registration. As photography is all about the weather, we will plan to move about for the best conditions. We will have a secured place to stay on the night of our arrival and the night before our departure.

  • Park and admission fees. We are fully permitted in State and National Parks, but occasionally there are other fees per individual.

  • Alcoholic beverages.

  • Travel Insurance (Highly Recommended, but optional).

  • Personal Items.

PACK LIST

Click HERE to view the Packlist