Learning Lab: Wildlife Photography Essentials

At a Glance

Location

Wyoming

Tuition

$4,995

Dates

September 11 – 16, 2028

Fitness Level

Moderate

Availability

Limited to 8 Guests

Collections

Learning Lab
US National Parks and Wilderness

Learning Lab: Wildlife Photography Essentials Photography Workshop

Name: Learning Lab: Wildlife Photography Essentials
Start: 2028-09-11
End: 2028-09-16
Location: Learning Lab: Wildlife Photography Essentials

Build Confidence Photographing Wildlife in Greater Yellowstone

September 11 – 16, 2028

Explore different ways to compose powerful wildlife images
Understand different autofocus and subject tracking techniques
Learn to control shutter speed and exposure as conditions change

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of North America’s great places to learn wildlife photography. Open valleys, mountain forests, alpine slopes, and sweeping landscapes support an extraordinary variety of wildlife, while autumn brings golden aspen, cool mornings, and beautiful low-angle light. From our private ranch in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains, we’ll explore both Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley and the surrounding mountain country.

This Learning Lab is designed for photographers who are new to wildlife photography or want to build a stronger foundation. You do not need previous wildlife photography experience. Over four days in the field, your Muench Workshops Pros will help you develop the technical skills, field awareness, and creative instincts needed to photograph wildlife with greater confidence.

We’ll begin with the practical essentials. You’ll learn how to set up autofocus and subject tracking, choose appropriate shutter speeds, manage exposure as conditions change, and work comfortably with longer lenses. We’ll practice locking focus on and tracking moving subjects, handling larger lenses effectively, and making quick decisions as a scene develops. The goal is to make camera operation increasingly instinctive, leaving you free to concentrate on the animal in front of you.

From there, we’ll focus on observation and anticipation. Great wildlife photography often depends on recognizing what may happen before it happens. We’ll study posture, movement, feeding, interactions, and other behavioral clues, learning how gesture and body language can turn an ordinary frame into something much stronger.

Composition is equally important. You’ll learn when to make a tight portrait and when to include more of the environment, how to work with backgrounds and negative space, and how viewpoint, eye contact, balance, and the placement of an animal within the frame can change the photograph. Rather than automatically filling the frame, we’ll encourage you to consider how habitat, scale, and landscape can help tell a more complete story.

Image reviews back at the ranch are an important part of the workshop. Together, we’ll examine why one frame works better than another, looking at focus, timing, gesture, spacing, backgrounds, and composition. These discussions will help you recognize stronger opportunities the next time you are in the field.

Depending on conditions and wildlife activity, we may encounter bison, elk, pronghorn, moose, bears, coyotes, foxes, wolves, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and other species of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

By the end of the workshop, our goal is for you to understand how to approach wildlife photography wherever you go next, from setting up your camera and handling a long lens to reading behavior, anticipating action, and making stronger decisions about timing and composition.

Muench Workshops is an Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service. Throughout the workshop, we’ll emphasize patience and responsible wildlife photography, including maintaining appropriate distances and recognizing signs that an animal may be uncomfortable.

Your Pros

Richard Bernabe

Kathy Lichtendahl

Itinerary

About the wildlife: This workshop offers significant opportunities for photographing wildlife, and while we do our best to maximize our wildlife encounters—based on past experiences, local knowledge, and the current conditions—we need to impress upon you that the wildlife really is wild and that we don’t control it.

This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, local conditions, and other factors.

September 11, 2028: Arrival and Introduction to Wildlife Presentation

Arrive at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport by 12:00 PM, where you’ll be met and transferred to the ranch. After settling into your suite, we’ll gather for our first home-cooked dinner, introductions, and an orientation to the days ahead. We’ll also go over camera setup and answer any initial questions so everyone is ready for our first morning in the field.

September 12–13, 2028: Foundational Skills Building in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley

We’ll spend our first two days exploring Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, heading out early when wildlife is often most active and the light is at its best. The valley’s open terrain offers excellent opportunities to spot bison, elk, pronghorn, coyotes, foxes, bears, wolves, and other wildlife.

These first days are about building strong foundations. Your Muench Workshops Pros will help you improve autofocus and subject tracking techniques, choose appropriate shutter speeds, manage exposure as conditions change, and become more comfortable handling longer lenses.

Just as importantly, we’ll begin learning how to watch wildlife. Rather than simply reacting when an animal appears, we’ll study movement, posture, feeding, and interactions to recognize clues about what may happen next. As your confidence grows, we’ll also work on gesture, backgrounds, negative space, and deciding when a tighter portrait or a wider environmental image tells the stronger story.

September 14–15, 2028: Exploring Wildlife and Scenery of the Beartooth Mountains

For our next two days, we’ll turn toward the Beartooth Mountains, exploring mountain valleys, meadows, forest edges, rocky slopes, and higher-elevation habitat. Depending on conditions and wildlife activity, we may encounter moose, elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots, pikas, foxes, and other species of the region.

The change in landscape gives us a chance to build on what we have learned and think more deliberately about composition. We’ll practice scanning for wildlife, recognizing promising habitat, and deciding how an animal fits within the wider scene. Longer lenses can isolate subjects and simplify backgrounds, while wider compositions can show habitat, scale, and a stronger sense of place.

By this point, camera operation will be becoming more instinctive, allowing us to concentrate increasingly on timing, gesture, interaction, and the relationship between the animal and its environment. We’ll also use image reviews to look closely at why one frame works better than another, helping you develop both your editing eye and your ability to recognize stronger photographs while you are still in the field.

September 16, 2028: Final Review Session and Departure from Bozeman

Following breakfast, we’ll gather for a final classroom session and image review, using photographs from the week to reinforce the key lessons we’ve covered and answer any remaining questions.

Afterward, you’ll be driven back to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport for your flights home.

Testimonials

Tamsyn C.

Yellowstone '26

Kathy was extremely knowledgeable about Yellowstone, the animals, and birds. We learned so much from her during the week that we never would have known if we'd gone without her!

Laura R.

Beartooth Mountain Ranch '25

Kathy was very knowledgeable of the general area and knew when/where to get the best shots.

Howard W.

Beartooth Mountain Ranch '25

Kathy was very accommodating, extremely knowledgeable, and quite helpful. She was able to answer every question about local geography, geology, history, culture, wildlife, and conservation.

Vicki S.

Botswana Safari '26

Richard Bernabe's instruction was enjoyable and really applied to our experiences on this trip. I was able to shoot with a level of confidence I might not have had. We can't wait to travel with him again, he was wonderful!

Cheri S.

Botswana Safari '26

The instruction was fantastic, with Richard being very, very helpful and encouraging. I loved InSight [Muench Workshops' proprietary image review software] that aided the image reviews.

Maria B.

Outer Banks: Shape

Richard was exceptional - very hands on, never took his camera out (which is rare to see with an instructor), and walked around to make sure everyone got the shot. To make the most of our short time, he got up at 4AM to scope the weather and adjust our itinerary.

Gallery

muench workshops photo, usa, gv19091503, yellowstone national park, wildlife, young grizzly bear, walking, brown and gray fur, rocky ground, brush, grass, sparse vegetation

muench workshops photo, usa, yellowstone, wildlife, fall autumn, elk, two elk, male elk with antlers, antler locking, dry grass, open field

muench workshops photo, usa, gv17090659, yellowstone national park, wildlife, elk, male, antlers, grassland, tall dry grass, open field

muench workshops photo, usa, gv17091722, yellowstone national park, wildlife, american bison, grassland, blue sky, dry grass

muench workshops photo, usa, yellowstone national park, wildlife, winter, small bird, brown and white feathers, black eye stripe, black beak, rocky surface, stalactite formations, cave environment, water droplets

muench workshops photo, usa, yellowstone national park, winter, snow, wildlife, elk with antlers, snow patches on ground, dry grass, overcast sky

muench workshops photo, wyoming, fox, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, wildlife, fall autumn, red fox, standing on rock, rocky terrain, moss on rocks, daylight

muench workshops photo, wyoming, goats, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, wildlife, fall autumn, two mountain goats, white fur, small black horns, rocky terrain, mountain slope, snow in background, green grass patches, daytime natural light

muench workshops photo, wyoming, squirrel, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, two chipmunks, orange moss on rocks, small pebbles, flying insect, sunlit natural setting

muench workshops photo, wyoming, goats, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, mountain goat adult, mountain goat kid, rocky terrain, shedding fur, sunlit rocks

muench workshops photo, wyoming, moose, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, antlers with velvet, standing in shallow water, drinking water, rocks, grass, trees

muench workshops photo, wyoming, goats, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, white mountain goat, rocky cliffs, steep terrain, moss and lichen on rocks

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains montana, wildlife, mountains, ermine standing upright, white and brown fur, rock surface, dry grass, bright daylight

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains montana, mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, small bird, dark feathers, perched on rock, sharp beak, detailed plumage

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, wildlife, fall autumn, bald eagle, perched bird, bare tree branches, pine cones, overcast sky

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, fall autumn, landscape, mountains, rocky mountains, cloudy sky, patches of snow, small lake, dry grassland, valley, overcast weather

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, fall autumn, wildlife, badger, american badger, short legs, brown gray fur, black and white facial markings, dry grass, shrub bushes, semi arid environment

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, fall autumn, wildlife, pika, small furry animal, rocky surface, gray and brown fur, black eyes, whiskers

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, fall autumn, wildlife, antelope, pronghorn antelope, close up, brown fur, white markings, large ears, black nose, dark eyes, blurred background

muench workshops photo, wyoming, pine martin, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, small mammal, brown fur, rounded ears, dark eyes, claw tipped paws, rocky surface

muench workshops photo, wyoming, clarks nutcracker, hunter peak ranch beartooth mountains, fall autumn, wildlife, gray bird, sharp black beak, pine branch, pine cones with resin droplets, green pine needles, white background

Behind the Scenes

muench workshops photo, usa, yellowstone and grand teton national parks fall 2018, beartooth highway montana, landscape, people, fall autumn, mountain with layered rock formations, lake with calm water and reflections, three people wearing outdoor jackets, people using cameras and tripods, rocky shoreline with scattered stones, dense forest of evergreen trees, cloudy sky with patches of blue

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, people, mountains, fall autumn, person crouching, camera, wide brimmed hat, glasses, blue shirt, orange autumn leaves, tall dry grass, trees with fall foliage

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, people, mountains, fall autumn, rock formation, pine trees, person holding camera, river, rocky riverbank, cloudy sky, yellow autumn foliage

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, people, mountains, fall autumn, elderly man, white hair, white mustache, dark brown hat, checked long sleeve shirt, holding camera with telephoto lens, sitting on grass, dry grass, calm water body, rocks near water

muench workshops photo, usa, beartooth mountains wyoming, people, mountains, fall autumn, person crouching, camera with telephoto lens, blue jacket, gray beanie, black backpack, tripod attached to backpack, forest undergrowth, dry grass, fallen logs, tree trunks

muench workshops photo, usa, yellowstone tetons, yellowstone national park, landscape, wildlife, people, fall autumn, herd of bison grazing, grassy field with shrubs, two photographers with cameras, overcast sky, early autumn vegetation

muench workshops photo, usa, gv18100023, yellowstone national park, landscape, wildlife, fall autumn, bison, yellow leaved tree, yellow shrubs, dry grass, mountains in background, cloudy sky

muench workshops photo, usa, yellowstone lake yellowstone national park, landscape, lake, person wearing gray beanie, person in brown jacket, person photographing with camera, camera tripod, dry grass, shrubbery, frozen lake, swans on ice, mist over water

Staying at the Ranch

You'll stay at a secluded ranch in Wyoming, surrounded by the landscapes and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. All lodging and meals are included, and dietary requirements can be accommodated with advance notice.

The ranch has seven private guest rooms in addition to the leaders' accommodations. Most guests will have their own private room. One additional space is available for two friends or partners traveling together, with one guest staying in an upstairs loft area. The loft shares a bathroom with the adjoining room.

With the exception of this shared arrangement, all guests will have single-occupancy rooms.

Fitness

Moderate: You’ll explore open valleys and mountain terrain by vehicle and on foot. Be prepared for uneven ground, variable mountain weather, and hikes of up to three miles while carrying your camera gear.

Flights

Arrive at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), Bozeman before 12:00 PM on September 11, 2028. Flights out can be made after 4:00 PM on September 16, 2028. Air travel delays are common. Please arrive early, possibly even the day prior, so you don’t miss any of the workshop.

What to Bring

Please see our page How To Prepare For Your Workshop. We will send you a detailed information document 90 days before your workshop. This document will include specifics of where and when to meet, gear and clothing recommendations, and more.

What’s Included

Single occupancy lodging.
All meals, soft drinks, and snacks during the workshop.
All permits and park fees.
All transportation during the workshop.
Tips for crew, drivers, and local guides.
Photographic guiding and instruction from 2 pros.
Image reviews and post-processing instruction.
Adventure, fun, inspiration, and a great time!

Not Included

Travel to and from Bozeman, Montana.
Unscheduled airport transfers.
Passport and visa fees (if applicable).
Any meals or accommodations before or after the workshop dates.
Items of a personal nature.
Alcoholic beverages.
Medical Evacuation Insurance including coverage from point of injury (required).
Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance (optional, but recommended).
Anything else specifically not listed as included.

Payment Terms

Your deposit of $2,995 will hold your space in this workshop.
The balance is due not later than May 1, 2028.
All of our standard Terms and Conditions apply, including our cancellation and refund policy.
Need special payment arrangements? No problem, just ask us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What techniques will I learn during this wildlife photography workshop?

You'll learn how to set up autofocus and subject tracking, choose appropriate shutter speeds, and manage exposure as conditions change. You'll also practice locking focus on moving subjects, handling longer lenses effectively, and making quick decisions in the field. Additionally, you'll develop skills in observing wildlife behavior, anticipating action, and composing stronger images.

Is this workshop refundable?

Yes, this workshop is refundable. Cancellations made more than 150 days before the start date receive a full refund. Between 150 and 91 days, you'll receive a refund of payments exceeding 50% of tuition. Between 90 and 61 days, you'll receive a refund of payments exceeding 75% of tuition. No refunds are available within 60 days of the workshop, but if we fill your space, you'll receive a 100% refund of payments made. All refunds are issued by the original payment method and are subject to a 5% administrative processing fee.

What kind of wildlife can I expect to photograph?

In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, you may encounter bison, elk, pronghorn, moose, bears, coyotes, foxes, wolves, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. The diverse habitats of open valleys, mountain forests, and alpine slopes provide excellent opportunities for wildlife photography.

What is the fitness level required for this workshop?

The fitness level is moderate, as you'll be exploring open valleys and mountain terrain, often on foot. Be prepared for uneven ground and short hikes up to three miles with your camera gear.

What is the group size for this workshop?

The workshop has a maximum capacity of 8 participants, ensuring personalized attention and guidance from the two professional photographers leading the trip.

What should I pack for this wildlife photography workshop?

Bring comfortable hiking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, and your camera gear, including longer lenses for wildlife photography. A tripod and binoculars can also be helpful. Don't forget personal items like sunscreen and any necessary medications.

Do I need travel insurance for this workshop?

Medical evacuation insurance is required for this workshop, and travel medical and trip cancellation insurance is optional but recommended. It's always a good idea to protect your investment and ensure peace of mind during your travels.