The Ultimate List of Photography Workshops in the United States
Soda Citizen workshop instructor and photojournalist Sean Rayford. (Photo by Kati Baldwin)
by Sean Rayford
Photography workshops come in different sizes, shapes and flavors. So, before we jump into this giant list of photo workshops, let’s break a few things down.
Size: Workshops are group or private 1-on-1 experiences. If you want more access to your instructor, this is important. Most photo workshops limit group sizes under ten people, but if education and leveling up your skills is a goal, a private workshop is far superior.
Flavor: Workshops are attractive because of the destination and/or instructor. Some workshops, you may not know your instructor until the day of the workshop. Others, there’s never a doubt as to who you will be interacting with and it’s the entire reason for its existence. And of course some workshops balance this value.
Shape: There are different genres of photography and workshops typically concentrate on one. The most common is the landscape photo workshop, there are many others.
Other Considerations
Price: Photo experiences labeled as workshops can range in price from $99 to $5,000+. But you probably aren’t getting into a true workshop-level experience until you invest several hundred dollars. Some workshops include travel and lodging. Most don’t. Some workshops are more like mentoring experiences and others are like trips to McDonalds.
Workshop or Tour? Some photography experiences marketed as workshops are basically walking tours with cameras. Nothing wrong with these experiences just be aware.
Length? Photography workshops are typically 1-3 day affairs with some ½ day opportunities from some.
Unique offerings: Some workshops offer unique experiences on a boat or with an instructor who is also a certified tour guide. Keep an eye out for these distinguishers.
Featured: Soda Citizen Photography Workshops
South Carolina & Florida: I offer private customized workshops that address individual goals and challenges. I’m a working photojournalist freelancing with Getty Images, NYT, AP, WaPo and more. My workshops are best for documentary photographers interested in storytelling or a unique photography experience.
For states not listed, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) runs peer-led workshops in studios across all 50 states every May and September for $99.
Alabama
Birmingham School of Photography— Classes and one-on-one tutoring for all levels based in Vestavia Hills, AL.
Samford University Academy of the Arts — Photography workshops on wildlife, studio lighting, storytelling, and more. Based in Birmingham, AL.
Nature in Focus Photography Workshops — Nature and wildlife workshops headquartered in Huntsville, AL.
Alaska
Summit Workshops — Alaska Bears— Small-group wildlife workshops at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge featuring bears, puffins, eagles, sea otters and more.
Alaska Photo Treks— Classes and multi-day workshops based in Anchorage. Photograph brown bears, humpback whales, the aurora and more.
David W. Shaw Photo Workshops— Small-group Alaska wildlife and wilderness workshops.
Light Chasing Photo Tours — Alaska Northern Lights — Unique aurora workshop above the Arctic Circle, based in Coldfoot.
Akari Photo Tours — Southeast Alaska Wildlife— Yacht-based workshop through Glacier Bay and Inside Passage featuring humpback, brown bears and more.
Arizona
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation — Taliesin West— Weekend workshops photographing architecture and Sonoran Desert. Based in Scottsdale, AZ.
Trogon Tours — Arizona Bird Photography— Multi-day hummingbird, bat, and bird workshops in Southern Arizona.
Digital Photo Academy — Phoenix— Small-group workshops with local pro photographers throughout the year.
California
Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP) — Workshops, classes, and immersive programs in Los Angeles and San Diego.
Samy's Photo School— Workshops at Samy's Camera, Los Angeles. Topics include AI Photoshop, portrait, studio lighting, Capture One, and more.
Creative Photography Workshops — Los Angeles — Small-group classes in LA covering many levels and genres.
Great Basin School of Photography (Jeff Sullivan)— Landscape and night photography in Bodie, Death Valley, Eastern Sierra, and Yosemite.
Yosemite Photo Workshops—Learn landscape photography from a 38 year veteran of the park.
Jim Patterson Photography — California Coast— Central California coast workshops, Big Sur through Point Lobos.
Michael Shainblum Photography — Landscape and nightscape workshops at various destinations, including Death Valley.
Michael E. Gordon — West Coast School— Small group and private nature and landscape workshops in Idyllwild and Death Valley.
Colorado
Colorado Photographic Arts Center— Year-round workshops, beginner to advanced. Downtown Denver.
Denver School of Photography— Wide variety of classes and workshops in Denver.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center— Immersive photography and new media workshops in Snowmass Village.
Action Photo Tours — Colorado Fall Colors— 5-day aspen workshop in Crested Butte and the San Juans. Round-trip transport from Denver included.
Christine Kenyon — Colorado Fall & Milky Way— San Juan Mountains, Sept 29–Oct 3, 2026. Small group, lodging included.
Joe Garza / Light Chasing Photo Tours — Colorado Fall— 5-day San Juan Mountains fall color workshop, lodging at Twin Peaks Lodge in Ouray.
Jason in the Wilderness — Private and small-group workshops in the San Juans, Ouray, Telluride, Crested Butte.
Photos by Sean Rayford on assignment for Getty Images after Hurricane Irma pounded Florida. Rayford leads Soda Citizen photo workshops in South Carolina and Florida.
Florida
Soda Citizen Sunshine Photography Workshops— Private customized documentary photography workshops led by a working photojournalist across Florida. Locations include Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Daytona and Orlando. Avaialble in January and February.
Slonina Photography — Florida Wildlife— Multi-day tours in the Everglades, Big Cypress, Sanibel, and Wakodahatchee Wetlands.
Steven Blandin Bird Photography — Boat based photo workshops for Tampa Bay spoonbills, Vero Beach ospreys, Sarasota black skimmers and more.
Wildlife With Ronen (Ronen Tivony) — Private and small-group Florida wildlife workshops with a Florida Master Naturalist and Royal Photographic Society Fellow.
Mark Smith Photo Workshops— Florida osprey, roseate spoonbill, owl, and airboat wildlife workshops based in Vero Beach.
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts — Year-round photography workshops in Tampa covering all genres and skill levels.
Georgia
Atlanta School of Photography- Workshops and classes for various genres geared for different level photographers. Offering multiple opportunities weekly.
Larry Winslett Photography Workshops— North Georgia waterfalls, Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
Thorsten Overgaard Workshop- Informal Atlanta based hands-on workshop where most participants are Leica users.
Hawaii
Oahu Photography Tour — Corporate looking photo workshops exploring scenic spots and based in Oahu.
Joe Garza and Nick Selway - Fine art landscape photography workshops on Maui and Kauai during April (and other destinations throughout the year)
Illinois
John Gress Photography — Studio Lighting Workshops— Single and multiple day portrait lighting workshops in a Chicago studio. April and June 2026.
Angie McMonigal — Architecture Photography Chicago — Guided architecture workshops in Chicago's Loop. Available in September
Chicago Botanic Garden Photography Classes— Year-round photography workshops/classes in a great setting in Glencoe, IL.
Kentucky
Mountain Workshops — Photojournalism workshop in October in Clark County.
Maine
Acadia Photo Workshops / Down East Adventures — Full-day Acadia National Park workshops, sunrise to sunset. Led by John K. Putnam and available in October..
Coastal Maine Photo Tours— Travel-style photography workshops along the Maine coast. Offering private photo tours, along with multi and single day workshops.
Massachusetts
Blue Hour USA (Dave Long Photo)— New England workshops: Cape Cod, Cape Ann, lighthouse moonrise, Gloucester schooner racing.
Boston Photography Workshops — Offering workshops and classes since 2014.
Photographing People Workshop — Located atThe Griffin Museum of Photography from June 12–14, 2026
Missouri
Missouri Photo Workshop — For more than 70 years, documenting small town rural Missouri. Highly recomnded
New Mexico
Santa Fe Workshops — 30+ years as one of the world's premier photography workshop institutions. All levels.
Geraint Smith Photography Workshops — Half and full day workshops available year round in New Mexico.
New York
International Center of Photography (ICP)— One of the world's great photography institutions. On-site NYC and online workshops from beginner to advanced, all genres.
Penumbra Foundation — An impressive offering of over 100 unique workshops each year in NYC. Darkroom, alternative process, studio, and digital.
James Maher Photography — NYC Street Workshops— Group and private street photography workshops in SoHo, Chinatown, Lower East Side, and more. Also a licensed NYC history guide.
Shoot New York City— Group and private street photography workshops in Harlem, Coney Island, Hell's Kitchen, Chinatown, and more NYC neighborhoods from Leanne Staples, another licensed New York City tour guide, photographer, artist and writer. Since 2010.
Steve Simon NYC Workshops— Street photography mentorship intensives throughout 2026: Spring workshop May 4–8, Mermaid Parade June 19–21, Autumn Day & Night Sept 12, Parade Edition Oct 12.
Harvey Stein — NYC Neighborhood & Coney Island Workshop — 4-day weekend workshop exploring out-of-the-way NYC neighborhoods. June 19–21, 2026. ICP faculty.
Photo by Sean Rayford in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Bat Cave, North Carolina. Rayford leads workshops in the Carolinas and in Florida.
North Carolina
Soda Citizen Photography Workshops— Private customized documentary photography workshops led by a working photojournalist exploring small towns in Southern Appalachia.
WNC Photo Tours— East Coast Mountain Landscape workshops in Western North Carolina and beyond.
Tommy White Photography Workshops — Small-group landscape workshops in the Southern Appalachians, covering NC, SC & TN.
Kevin Adams - Offering workshops in the Outer Banks and mountains in western North Carolina.
Oregon
Natural Connections Photo Workshops — Oregon Coast landscape and nature workshops. Many workshops also available in other states.
TJ Thorne Photography— Multi-day small group workshops on the Oregon Coast and Death Valley.
Art Wolfe — Columbia River Gorge & Oregon Workshops— Multiple offerings each month, including Columbia Gorge abstract photography and Olympic Peninsula retreats.
South Carolina
Soda Citizen Photography Workshops — Fully customized and private documentary workshops with working photojournalist Sean Rayford (NYT, Getty Images, AP, WaPo).
Hope Taylor - Wedding Business centered photo workshop in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Jennifer King - Group workshops featuring coastal landscapes, cypress swamps and gardens. Available during March
SE Center for Photography— Classes, workshops, and exhibitions in Greenville, SC.
Photo by Sean Rayford at the Newberry, SC July 4 bicycle parade. Rayford leads workshops in the Carolina’s and in Florida. He might even venture in Tennessee and Georgia if you ask nicely.
Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont — Photography Workshops— Workshops inside the national park led by resident instructors. All levels. Lodging and meals included.
Action Photo Tours — Great Smoky Mountains— Firefly, waterfall, black bear, and fall color workshops. Four students per instructor wax with multiple dates in 2026.
Barry Spruce Photography Tours— Small Group Smoky Mountain waterfall and wildlife workshops. Whitetail deer rut specialty workshop and based in Townsend, TN.
Michael Rung Photography — Smoky Mountains Spring Workshop— Group Multi-day spring wildflower and landscape workshop in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Tommy White Photography— Multi-day Southern Appalachian group landscape workshops featuring waterfalls and wildflowers.
Texas
Texas Photography Workshops — Multi-day ranch, rodeo, street, and fundamentals workshops across Texas.
Texas School of Professional Photography — Annual week-long professional photography education event.
Jason Weingart Photography — Storm/Astrophotography— Storm chasing and astrophotography workshops based in Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Dallas Photo Workshops— Beginner, intermediate, advanced, and post-production workshops at The Cedars Union, Dallas.
Digital Photo Academy — Dallas — Small-group workshops led by local pro photographers throughout the Dallas area.
Dallas Photography Summit— Annual photography education event featuring Unmesh Dinda. August 8–9, 2026.
Utah
Action Photo Tours— Southwest workshops in Moab, Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon. 4WD access, dark sky photography. Kanab, UT.
Jason in the Wilderness— Private and small-group workshops in Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, and Grand Canyon.
Washington
Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW)— Year-round workshops with film, portrait, drone, post-production and more.
Art Wolfe — Olympic Peninsula & Pacific Northwest— Workshopsnature photographer Art Wolfe featuring Olympic Peninsula retreat, Columbia River Gorge, Mount Rainier and more.
Backcountry Journeys— A multitude of photo workshop offerings in the Pacific Northwest including Olympic National Park.
West Virginia
Natural Connections Photo Workshops— The newest national park is the New River Gorge Park in Wild and Wonderful WVA. Available in October.
Reflection in a Pool (Jesse Thornton)— Small group landscape and night sky workshops in Dolly Sods, Canaan Valley, Seneca Rocks.
Wyoming
Slonina Photography — Yellowstone & Grand Tetons— Small-group wildlife and landscape workshops. Authorized NPS permittee.
Backcountry Journeys — Yellowstone & Grand Teton — High ticket small-group workshops including fall rut, wildlife, and landscape sessions.
Alex Jones at the RNC in Cleveland, Ohio. 2015 (Photo by Sean Rayford)