Our goal for the Great Sand Hills photography workshop is to bring together keen photographers to explore this spectacular corner of Saskatchewan. We will uncover the secret beauty of old farmsteads, open sand dunes, grand river valleys and vast prairie landscapes. I will show you some of my favorite spots in the Sand Hills area and enable you to return home with spectacular images.
Photo assignments, image review sessions and post-processing tutorials will help you expand your technical photography skills and your creative vision. We will be able to learn from one another in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. You will have an opportunity to share your experience and knowledge with the group, and exchange ideas with fellow photographers during evening reviews. As a tour leader, I will always be available to answer your questions and provide insightful tips and suggestions.
When: June 5 – 7, 2020 and July 3 – 5, 2020
Where: the Great Sand Hills is the largest remaining area of contiguous native prairie in Saskatchewan. The area covers about 1,900 square kilometres (750 sq. miles) of sand dunes, rolling grasslands, saline lakes, cotton wood groves and aspen bluffs. We expect to encounter pronghorn antelopes, different species of birds of prey and a large number of deer along the way. The main attraction of Great Sand Hills – open sand dunes – may rise more than 15 metres (50 feet) above the surrounding prairie, second in Canada only to the Athabasca Sand Dunes in northern Saskatchewan. The Sand Hills have been identified as one of five Natural Areas of Canadian Significance in Saskatchewan.
Open sand dunes in Great Sand Hills south of Sceptre
We will stay at Grandma Shirley’s Bed & Breakfast in Leader, Saskatchewan. Leader is a thriving community of over 1,000 situated along the South Saskatchewan River. It is one of the sunniest places in North America, with 2350 hours of sunshine. Tourism is a growing part of the local economy, and amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool and a golf course await visitors.
Photography workshop highlights
– sunset and sunrise photography at the open sand dune area south of Sceptre
– photography along South Saskatchewan River south of Empress, an area with some of the most spectacular views in southern Saskatchewan
– evening photography overview: if you choose, share some of the images you have captured u to this point with appreciative fellow photographer. A great learning opportunity to see what others have photographed at the same location.
Level: the Great Sand Hills photo workshop is suitable for photographers with intermediate and advanced photography skills. Because we do so much photography on the tour and review images every evening, novice photographers will also find this instructional photo tour beneficial for advancement of their photography skills.
To ensure personal attention and limit the impact on a fragile ecosystem, the size of the group is limited to a maximum of 4 participants.
Cost: $435 per person
What is included: the photo tour fee includes photography guide, two nights accommodation at the Grandma Shirley’s Bed & Breakfast and hearty breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. The registration fee is based on single room occupancy. There is one room available for shared accommodation. Please inquire about the possibility to adjust the registration fee if you plan to share a room.
What is not included: tour fee does not include the cost of meals other than breakfast (light snacks and coffee will be provided before the morning photo session). Participants are responsible for their own transportation. Car pooling is encouraged.
Prairie along South Saskatchewan River near Empress
A deposit of $100 is required to keep your spot. Your deposit or full registration fee are refundable if you cancel in writing by June 3, 2020. If you cancel after June 18, 2020, we will return your registration fee, minus the $100 deposit. We do not provide any refunds if you voluntarily not attend the workshop.
If you need more information about this photography workshop, please call Branimir at 306-220-5703 or send an e-mail to branimir [at] shaw.ca
Both Great Sand Hills photography workshops are now full. Thank you for your overwhelming interest. Due to popular demand, I added the second date (June 2020) but that one got filled up really fast. I will try to organize another workshop in the area this summer; either in late July or early September. Please bookmark this page for updates, or contact me to receive e-mail notification about the new dates.
Sunset over South Saskatchewan River near Empress
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Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj is a biologist and internationally published environmental photographer specializing in western Canadian landscapes. He leads photography workshops and photo tours, and gives public presentations on photography, natural history and conservation biology topics.