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May 17-21‚ 2026 - Filling Fast!

Workshop Dates

Note: Price Includes Lodging & Meals. This workshop fee covers your single occupancy room at Boulder Mountain Lodge plus daily brunch & dinner at the renowned Hell's Backbone Grill. (A $500/person discount is available for double occupancy with another participant. Please contact us after both participants have registered to apply this discount.

$5,995
$5,995
Sale Sold out
Payment Options

You can reserve your spot with the initial payment. We'll automatically process the remaining balance on the final payment due date shown below (we'll send a reminder!). If you prefer to handle the entire payment today, select the "Pay in full" option.

Final payment due on February 12, 2026
Learn More and Sign Up

  • Experience Level

    Intermediate to Advanced 

    This retreat is designed for photographers comfortable with their camera's manual settings and who have a foundational understanding of the Rethink Landscape processing methodology (either through our online course or a previous workshop). Our primary focus remains on creative development, observation, and finding your unique artistic voice in the field. The processing component builds upon your existing Rethink knowledge, guiding you in applying it creatively to enhance your images and align them with your vision. This is not an introductory processing workshop.

  • Fitness Level

    Easy to Moderate

    Our explorations involve mindful walking and observation. Most outings involve hikes up to two miles (round trip) on potentially uneven terrain. One optional, rewarding hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls is 6 miles round trip with some sandy sections and modest elevation gain.

    More Info 

  • Creative Focus

    Creative Exploration & Reflection

    This retreat blends mindful field explorations with dedicated time for personal reflection, creative exercises, and inspiring group discussions. We prioritize slowing down, deepening observation skills, and fostering creativity. Integrated into our classroom time are guided processing sessions focused on the creative application of the Rethink Landscape methodology. We'll work on refining your images from the retreat, ensuring your final creations effectively communicate the vision and feeling captured in the field, using the Rethink system as a powerful tool for expression.

  • Group Size

    Limited to 8 Guests

    We keep our group sizes small to ensure the individual attention you deserve.

  • Location

    Boulder Mountain Lodge in Boulder, Utah

    View Map 

  • Fly To

    Salt Lake City (SLC) or St. George (SGU)

    Check Flights 

Description

Escape to the heart of Utah's high desert for the Boulder Mountain Creative Retreat, an immersive experience designed to nurture your artistic voice and recharge your creative spirit. Based at the serene Boulder Mountain Lodge, this is more than a workshop – it's a sanctuary for slowing down, seeing deeply, and connecting your inner vision with the captivating landscape, with lodging and exceptional dining included.

Forget chasing icons; our journey focuses on mindful exploration and personal expression. We'll delve into the subtle beauty surrounding Boulder – from mountain forests to intricate canyons and vast horizons in Grand Staircase-Escalante and potentially Capitol Reef. Our emphasis lies firmly on cultivating presence, deepening observation, experimenting with perspective, and capturing the feeling of place through intimate details, abstract compositions, and developing your unique way of seeing.

You'll find space to explore, experiment, and grow within a supportive community. Guided by two dedicated instructors, our time blends reflective practices, creative prompts, and inspiring group conversations. Connection deepens over shared experiences, including phenomenal brunch and dinner daily, provided by the renowned, Zagat-rated Hell's Backbone Grill, located right next door. Their incredible, award-winning farm-to-table cuisine fuels our creative explorations. As these meals are satisfyingly hearty, lunch is flexible – bring your own snacks for the field, or purchase delicious options from Hell's Backbone's own Little Bone food truck, conveniently located right at the lodge.

Classroom sessions focus on translating your experiences into compelling images. We'll help you refine your work using the Rethink Landscape methodology(familiarity required), ensuring your processing enhances your artistic intent. A unique outcome of our retreat is the collaborative creation of a Zine – together, we'll curate and design this beautiful printed collection of our work and reflections, which you'll receive as a lasting memento after our time together.

Join us if you're ready to move beyond the technical, deepen your relationship with your photography, and find inspiration in the quiet magic of this extraordinary Utah landscape – all while enjoying exceptional food and lodging. Leave feeling refreshed, inspired, with a clearer creative path, and anticipating the arrival of a Zine that captures the essence of our shared retreat.

Meet Your Creative Guides

  • David Kingham

    David is an accomplished professional photographer renowned for his evocative nature imagery. His work showcases intimate landscapes, stunning nightscapes, and masterful black-and-white photography. As the founder of Exploring Exposure, David is dedicated to mentoring aspiring photographers, helping them refine their skills and develop their artistic vision.

    View David's Portfolio 

  • Jennifer Renwick

    Jennifer is a professional photographer renowned for her captivating abstract and small scene imagery. With a keen eye for detail, she uncovers the hidden stories within grand landscapes. Jennifer is passionate about helping fellow photographers discover their unique style and guiding them to express their vision through meaningful projects.

    View Jennifer's Portfolio 

Visual Inspiration

What You'll Experience

  • Deepen Your Observation: Learn techniques to slow down and truly see the landscape, noticing details, light, and textures often overlooked.
  • Develop Your Unique Vision: Move beyond imitation and discover what resonates with you, guided by exercises and discussions focused on personal connection and expression.
  • Creative Exploration: Experiment with different ways of seeing and composing – from intimate details and abstracts to broader landscapes – finding the approaches that best suit your evolving style.
  • Personalized Field Guidance: Benefit from dedicated attention from both David and Jennifer (4:1 ratio), receiving tailored advice and support as you work through the creative process in stunning locations.
  • Inspiring Group Connection: Share insights, challenges, and breakthroughs within a supportive community of fellow photographers focused on creative growth.
  • Connection with Place: Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere and diverse beauty of the Boulder Mountain region, including explorations into nearby Grand Staircase-Escalante and potentially Capitol Reef areas, focusing on how to interpret these places uniquely.
  • Create a Collaborative Keepsake: Contribute to and receive a beautifully printed Zine, a unique collective portfolio showcasing the work and perspectives developed during our shared retreat experience – a tangible reminder of your creative journey.

Itinerary

Preparation: Upon registration, a comprehensive itinerary will be sent to you, ensuring all the details are at your fingertips to help you plan your travel arrangements seamlessly.

Day 1: Arrival & Immersion Your retreat begins mid-afternoon. We'll start by:

  • Gathering for introductions with your fellow participants and instructors, David and Jennifer.
  • Diving into the core philosophy guiding our time together – focusing on the art of seeing, fostering connection, and setting intentions for developing your creative voice.
  • Heading out for our first field session to immerse ourselves in the landscape and begin exploring the possibilities presented by the evening light.

Days 2-4: Exploration, Vision & Connection These middle days form the heart of our creative exploration, flowing with a flexible rhythm dictated by light, weather, and the group's energy. Over these days, we will:

  • Typically start early to embrace sunrise opportunities and head out again for evening field sessions to work with the compelling light near the start and end of the day.
  • Journey to diverse locations around the magnificent Boulder Mountain area, always encouraging you to look beyond the obvious and discover compositions that resonate personally.
  • Engage in inspiring classroom sessions covering creative concepts, vision development, group image reviews, guided processing using the Rethink Landscape methodology, and discussions around selecting and sequencing images for our collaborative retreat Zine.
  • Receive personalized guidance from both David and Jennifer in the field as you practice translating your observations and feelings into meaningful images.
  • Participate in valuable group image reviews and discussions, providing constructive feedback focused on strengthening your vision and creative expression, both for individual growth and potential inclusion in our collective Zine.

Day 5: Sharing & Looking Forward As our time together draws to a close, we'll focus on reflection and next steps:

  • An optional, final sunrise field session may be offered for early risers.
  • Our concluding classroom gathering provides a reflective space to share key images and the insights you've gained, celebrating the creative growth experienced during the retreat.
  • We'll discuss practical ways to continue nurturing your creative path and maintain momentum long after you return home.
  • The retreat formally wraps up around lunchtime, sending you off inspired, refreshed, and equipped with powerful new ways of seeing and creating, with the anticipation of the collaborative Zine to follow.

Please Note: This outlines the typical flow, but flexibility is central to our approach. Our priority is fostering the best possible learning environment. We will adapt our plans daily based on weather conditions, light quality, and group interests to maximize creative opportunities. The focus remains steadfastly on the journey of discovery and the development of your unique photographic vision.

What's Included:

  • Expert Instruction & Guidance: Creative guidance and classroom instruction from David Kingham & Jennifer Renwick (4:1 ratio).
  • Small Group Environment: Max 8 participants for personalized attention.
  • Lodging (Single Occupancy): Your workshop fee includes four nights of private, single occupancy lodging at the comfortable and scenic Boulder Mountain Lodge.
  • Double Occupancy Discount: Attending with another registered participant and wish to share a room? A discount of $500 per person is available for double occupancy. Please contact us after both participants have registered to make arrangements and receive the discount.
  • Meals: Daily Brunch & Dinner included (at Hell's Backbone Grill).
  • Creative Sessions: Focus on vision, observation, composition, creative exercises, and group discussions.
  • Image Review & Processing: Constructive image reviews and guided "Rethink Landscape" processing sessions (prerequisite knowledge required).
  • Collaborative Workshop Zine: A curated 8x8 keepsake featuring participant images, delivered post-workshop.

What's Not Included:

  • Transportation: To/from Boulder, UT. Carpooling highly encouraged during the retreat.
  • Lunches: (Available for purchase or bring your own).
  • Alcoholic Beverages: (Available for purchase).
  • Travel Insurance: Strongly recommended.
  • Personal Items: Camera gear, clothing, personal snacks, reusable water bottle, etc.

Your Commemorative Workshop Zine

As a special part of your Exploring Exposure workshop, we create a unique, tangible keepsake: a custom-designed 8x8 Zine featuring images from you and your fellow participants. It’s a beautiful way to remember the shared adventure and the landscapes explored.

More than that, the process encourages you to mindfully review your work, finalize your processing, and select your most meaningful images for inclusion. About a month after the workshop, you’ll share your selections with us. We then handle the curation, layout, and printing, sending you this beautiful collective memory to hold onto. It’s one more way we support your creative journey, even after the workshop ends.

Our Teaching Philosophy

At our workshops, we are dedicated to helping you discover and develop your unique creative style through personalized training tailored to your skill level and photographic interests. Our goal is to provide you with a rigorous learning experience, both in the field and the classroom, to elevate your photography to new heights.

Your growth and satisfaction are our top priorities. We put your interests first, focusing solely on your learning experience. Throughout the workshop, we will take photographs alongside you to demonstrate how we approach a scene, share techniques, and foster a sense of camaraderie within the group. However, we will never leave you to pursue our own photographic endeavors. Our attention will always remain on you and your progress.

We regularly check in with each participant to provide helpful feedback and advice on your work, without being overbearing. Our biggest goal is to see you succeed and learn, and we are committed to supporting you every step of the way.

We recognize that each participant joins our workshops at different stages of their photographic development. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced photographer, we are here to guide and assist you. We firmly believe that there is always room for growth and improvement in photography, and we are committed to helping you refine your skills and find your unique creative vision.

Above all, we strive to create a fun, engaging, and rewarding experience for you. Our small group sizes allow us to build strong connections with our clients, fostering a sense of community and belonging. We are driven by our love for photography and find immense joy in witnessing our participants' growth and artistic development.

Join us on this exciting journey of photographic discovery, and let us help you unlock your full creative potential.

Safety First

Your safety is our utmost priority, especially when exploring remote locations. As certified Wilderness First Responders, David and Jennifer are prepared to handle any situation, big or small. We also carry satellite communication devices to ensure we can request rescue assistance if needed in areas without cellular coverage.

Responsible

As proud members of Nature First Photography, we are committed to responsible nature photography practices. We abide by and promote the seven principles of this movement to our clients, encouraging them to join us in preserving the natural world we capture through our lenses.

Join Nature First

Legal Compliance

At Exploring Exposure, we operate with the highest level of integrity. We obtain all necessary permits, carry comprehensive liability insurance, and acquire any required certifications to ensure our workshops are conducted legally and ethically.

For this workshop, Exploring Exposure is Authorized Permittee of Capitol Reef National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and the Bureau of Land Management. We are also an equal opportunity service provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are spouses/partners welcome?

Our workshops are designed as immersive group learning experiences. Participation in all activities, including field excursions and instructional sessions, requires full registration and payment of the workshop fee. Therefore, spouses or partners who wish to join must register as participants.

Will I have cell service during the workshop?

In many remote areas we visit, cell service and Wi-Fi can be extremely limited or non-existent during field excursions. Expect potential periods of being offline. Service is typically available at our accommodation, but cannot be guaranteed everywhere. We carry a satellite communication device for emergency use.

Will weather cancel the workshop?

Often, dramatic weather provides the best photographic opportunities! We prioritize participant safety, but the workshop will proceed in most weather conditions. Locations or schedules might be adjusted if conditions pose a significant safety risk (e.g., hazardous roads, extreme events). We encourage embracing the elements! Please note that no refunds or rescheduling are offered based on weather circumstances.

Do the instructors photograph during workshops?

Our commitment is first and foremost to your learning and creative exploration. While you might see us create some images during our time in the field, it's always with an educational purpose in mind. We might photograph to:

  • Walk you through how we evaluate and compose a scene, sharing the excitement and challenges together.
  • Demonstrate a specific technique (like focus stacking, long exposure, or ICM).
  • Make images during our field sessions that reflect the specific locations and conditions you're experiencing. This provides highly relevant examples for demonstrating the Rethink processing workflow, directly applicable to the images you're creating on the trip.

Engaging in the creative process alongside you can be instructive and helps foster a shared experience and connection within the group. However, this never takes precedence over providing personalized attention and ensuring you have the support you need to develop your vision. Our focus remains squarely on you.

Detailed Fitness Requirements & Terrain

This workshop involves moderate hiking, with our longest trek being the 6 mile round-trip hike to Calf Creek Falls. The trail features some elevation changes, rocky sections, and sandy areas. Other hikes will be shorter and mostly on flat terrain. To fully enjoy the Calf Creek Falls hike, you should be in good physical shape. If you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

How to Get There

By Car

Boulder, Utah is located along the stunning Utah Scenic Byway 12, roughly between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks. It's accessible via UT-12 from either US-89 to the southwest or UT-24 to the northeast.

By Air

  • The nearest major airport is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), approximately a 4 to 4.5-hour drive. St. George Regional Airport (SGU) is another option, roughly a 3.5 to 4-hour drive. Smaller airports like Cedar City (CDC) might also be possibilities depending on connections.
  • We recommend using Google Flights to find the best option for where you are coming from.

Cancellation Policy

We put a lot of care into planning intimate, high-quality workshop experiences. Because our group sizes are small and significant logistical planning begins well in advance, we must adhere to a firm cancellation policy. We strongly encourage you to purchase trip insurance to protect your investment should unforeseen circumstances arise.

  • Initial Payment: An initial payment is required to secure your spot in the workshop.
  • Cancellation More Than 120 Days Out: If you need to cancel your registration more than 120 days before the workshop start date, we will refund your initial payment, minus a $100 administration fee.
  • Cancellation Between 90 and 120 Days Out: If you cancel fewer than 120 days but more than 90 days before the workshop start date, your initial payment becomes non-refundable. However, should we successfully fill your spot from a waiting list or new registration, we will refund your initial payment, minus a 5% payment processing fee.
  • Automatic Final Balance Payment: The remaining balance for the workshop will be automatically charged to the card used for the initial payment 90 days prior to the workshop start date. We will send a courtesy reminder email a few days before this charge occurs. It is your responsibility to ensure your payment information is up-to-date. If you need to use a different card for the final payment, please contact us well before the 90-day deadline.
  • Cancellation Within 90 Days (After Automatic Final Payment): If you cancel fewer than 90 days before the workshop start date, after the final balance has been automatically charged, all payments made (initial payment and final balance) are non-refundable. This is why we strongly recommend trip insurance. However, should we successfully fill your spot from a waiting list or new registration, we will refund your total payments, minus a 5% payment processing fee. We will make a reasonable effort to fill the spot but cannot guarantee it, especially close to the start date.
  • Process & Policy Understanding: All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing via email or US mail. Please understand that this policy applies regardless of the reason for cancellation, including medical emergencies, travel disruptions, or other unforeseen circumstances. There are no exceptions.
  • Trip Insurance is Highly Recommended: Again, to safeguard against unexpected events (personal/family emergencies, illness, travel delays, etc.) that might prevent you from attending, we strongly recommend purchasing trip cancellation and interruption insurance. This can help cover your workshop fees and travel expenses should you need to cancel within the non-refundable period. These are just suggestions, and we have no affiliation with them, but you might consider providers like TravelGuard, World Nomads, or Allianz Travel. Please research plans carefully to ensure they meet your needs.
  • Workshop Cancellation by Exploring Exposure: We reserve the right to cancel a workshop if the minimum participant enrollment is not met or due to other unforeseen circumstances (e.g., leader illness, park closures). If we must cancel a workshop, you will be notified as soon as possible and offered the choice of transferring your registration and payments to a future workshop or receiving a full refund of all payments made directly to Exploring Exposure. Exploring Exposure is not liable for any other expenses you may have incurred, such as airfare, lodging, or rental cars. Trip insurance can often cover these associated costs in case of workshop cancellation by us, providing another reason for its purchase.

Have Questions?

Feel free to reach out, we are happy to help!

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