Announcing an exciting Northern Arizona workshop to Sedona with Alain Briot and Natalie Briot
When it comes to Sedona there are two types of photographers: those who have been there and those who want to be there. But, not matter which category you currently fit it, both have something in common: we all want to return to Sedona over and over again.

I first visited Sedona in 1983 and since then I have been back every year, most years on several occasions. Why? In two words: stunning beauty. Beauty of the red rock formation whose shapes never cease to surprise the eye and trigger the imagination. Beauty of the colors, from the red and orange sandstone to the deep green of the Juniper, Pinyon Pines and Cottonwood trees to the deep blue water of Oak Creek which acts as a liquid mirror reflecting the entire landscape. Beauty of the light which, twice a day, for a short time only, transforms the landscape into what may be the most photogenic opportunity in the world, leaving up to us the opportunity to capture this splendor with the camera.

And this is what this workshop is precisely about: learning how to capture this incredibly beautiful location with the camera so that we can transform what we have seen into what we have captured. Learning to bridge the gap between what our eyes see and what our cameras can capture, between what we see in nature and what our film, or digital sensors, see.

Your Workshop Itinerary
The itinerary for this workshop was designed with two goals in mind: convenient travel arrangements and exciting photographic opportunities. We will start and conclude this workshop in Sedona where Natalie and I will welcome you. The exact location and time of our first meeting will be emailed to you after you register. We will use Sedona as our home base and lodging for the duration of the workshop will be in Sedona.

Friday, March 11th, 2016
Meeting and orientation near Bell Rock in Sedona followed by sunset shoot. 

Alain and Natalie will present the goals and expectations for the workshop and the participants will introduce themselves  to each other.  Informal discussion about the workshop goals and expectations followed by a question and answer session.  Sunset shoot at Bell Rock following orientation.

Saturday, March 12th, 2016
Oak Creek Canyon

Photograph sunrise from Bell Rock to provide the participants with the opportunity to shoot the same location at both sunrise and sunset and compare the photographs.  After Breakfast, we will explore Oak Creek Canyon, stopping along the road to photograph.  The highlight will be a leisurely hike along the West Fork of Oak Creek, which provides stunning opportunities for river views with red rocks and foliage.

Sunset will be at Red Rock Crossing.

Sunday, March 13th, 2016
Cottonwood, Jerome mining and ghost town and Tuzigoot National Monument

We will explore and photograph the towns of Cottonwood and Jerome, Arizona.  Jerome is located only a short distance from Sedona.  We will start driving to Jerome after breakfast, photograph in Jerome most of the morning, have lunch in Jerome, and do some more shooting after lunch.  In the afternoon we will drive to Tuzigoot National Monument, which is just down the road from Jerome, and photograph there.

We will photograph sunset along the Verde River which runs right next to Tuzigoot National Monument. This will be a great opportunity to work on reflections. 

Monday, March 14th, 2016
Montezuma’s Castle National Monument, Red Tank Draw, Red Rock Crossing

We will start our day by photographing Montezuma’s Castle as well as the Verde River (great reflections) which runs through the Monument.  Montezuma’s Castle includes Indian ruins perched high up in a cliff.

After photographing Montezuma’s Castle we will drive to a little known canyon nearby and photograph Indian Rock art in a pristine natural environment.  A short hike is required, over river rocks, so sturdy footwear and camera backpacks are necessary to make your experience enjoyable. 

We will end the day with a second sunset opportunity at Red Rock Crossing.  We will photograph this stunning location from a different place than our first shoot to provide you with two different views of this world class location.

Tuesday, March 15th, 2016
Sunrise along Oak Creek Canyon

We will get up early to photograph sunrise along Oak Creek Canyon.  Afterwards, we will have breakfast as a group.  The workshop ends after breakfast to provide participants with plenty of time to catch their return flight

Red Rock Crossing and Cattails
Linhof Master Teknica, Rodenstock 150mm, Fuji Provia 100F


Alain framing a composition through the Linhoff Multifocus Viewfinder at Red Rock Crossing
©Natalie Briot

Alain showing the view "under the black cloth" to a student at Red Rock Crossing
©Natalie Briot

Luminous Canyon
West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon

Important things to keep in mind:

Meeting place:
Sedona, Arizona

Closest airport:
The closest airport is Phoenix, Arizona.  Driving time from Phoenix to Sedona is approximately 2 hours.  There can be roadwork and or traffic jams between Phoenix and Sedona so give yourself extra time if you are catching a connecting flight.

Lodging:
- Lodging for the duration of the workshop will be in Sedona at the hotel of your choice. A list of accommodations in Sedona will be emailed to us after you register. We will use Sedona as our "home base".

- Bring clothing suited for a variety of temperatures, from cold mornings to warm afternoons. Also be prepared for potential rain and for active weather. To quote David Muench: "bad weather equals good photographs."

- Food, lodging and transportation are not included. Some of you may want to camp, some stay in a hotel, some may want to eat with the group while other may prefer to be on their own. This arrangement provides for maximum flexibility while keeping the cost of this workshop to a minimum. It will gives you maximum freedom in planning your meals and give you time by yourself if you choose.

- We will email you directions to Sedona as well as a list of hotels in Sedona when you register. You will then receive an email with the Friday evening meeting place and a detailed workshop schedule approximately 2 weeks before the workshop.

- We will be photographing from 4000 to 6000 feet elevation on average. Normally the only problem you can expect is a slight shortness of breath. However the higher elevation is something to keep in mind if you live at sea level or you are prone to encountering physical difficulties at higher elevations.

- A passenger car is suitable for this workshop since we will not drive on 4 wheel drive roads during the workshop. However, if you rent a car, we recommend you rent an SUV as it is more suited to this kind of activity.

- We have a no tag-along policy. Spouses, friends, significant others and non-photographers need to be registered as full-time participants to join any aspect of this workshop. This includes meetings, print reviews, lectures, meals and all other aspects of this workshop. No exceptions. For further details read our Workshop FAQ.

- We do not carry cell phones. We will use walkie-talkies to communicate with each other during the workshop, when we are on location and when we are driving. If you become separated from the group we will call you on your walkie-talkie to find out where you are (provided you are within a 2 or 3 mile range). For these reasons we ask that you bring a walkie-talkie, such as a Motorola Talkabout or equivalent, to the workshop. Please set your walkie-talkie to channel 4-5.

Montezuma's Castle Jackie Stoken, workshop participant	Tuzigoot David Mayer, workshop participant

Cost and registration:
The cost of this once in a lifetime workshop is only $1395. To reserve your seat in this workshop:

1- Use the Paypal button below:

2016 Sedona Spirit of the Southwest Workshop $1395 only

2- Email us at alain@beautiful-landscape.com
3- Call us toll free at 800-949-7983 (or 928-252-2466 )

We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. A receipt will be mailed to you the day after your registration has been processed. As you can imagine seats in this unique workshop are going to be in high demand so to be fair with everyone reservations will be made on a first come first served basis. If this workshop is for you, if you have been thinking about building up your portfolio, becoming more serious about your photography, or if want to visit very rarely photographed locations which offer exciting photographic possibilities: sign up now.

Abandoned Mining Equipment, Jerome, Arizona

Red Rock Crossing, Sedona, Arizona
Linhof Master Teknica, Rodenstock 210mm, Fuji Provia 100F

Liability Limitation
Beaux Arts Photography, Beautiful-Landscape.com, Alain Briot, Natalie Briot, guides, and cooperating agents aim to provide every participant a safe, educational, and enjoyable experience. We act solely as agents for you regarding accommodations, special activities, and travel, by any means, and assume no liability for any act, error, omission, injury, loss, delay, mishap, or damage to persons or property arising from any cause during the course of the workshop or in transit thereto. We can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in the services to be provided. We reserve the right to change our arrangements should conditions necessitate, or to cancel any aspect of the workshop due to exceptional circumstances. In the event that we deem it necessary to cancel the workshop we will provide a full refund which the participant(s) acknowledges as full and final settlement. In the event of a workshop cancellation airline tickets, car rentals and hotel reservations associated with participation in this workshop will not be refunded. We recommend you purchase refundable airline tickets and make refundable car and hotel reservations. We also recommend you carry travel and camera equipment insurance.

As there is always an element of risk in any adventure associated with the outdoors, participants must read this form carefully. This liability release will certify that the participant is physically fit and capable of participating in outdoor photography exercises in field locations, and is fully and completely aware of any associated risks created by field locations and weather.

Meeting times, meeting places and itinerary are subject to changes dictated by the weather, the road conditions and other imponderable variables that are part of doing landscape photography. We do not carry cell phones. You are responsible for being at the meeting place at the designated time and have your photographic equipment with you.

By joining this workshop I acknowledge that I have read the above information concerning responsibility and release Beaux Arts Photography, Alain Briot, Natalie Briot, their guides, instructors and any cooperating agent from any liability. Beaux Arts Photography, Alain Briot, and Natalie Briot will assume no liability for injury, illness, or loss of personal property or expenses thereof associated with workshop participation. I also acknowledge that Alain and Natalie Briot have the right to refuse service to anyone at anytime and that workshop policies are subject to change at any time.