5 days / 4 nights photographing the cypress swamps in fall color via kayak

This workshop is co-led by f-stop ambassador Dani Lefrancois! Enjoy editing sessions with two very different styles, techniques and perspectives.

There is something eerily beautiful about this place. Stillness is the first word that comes to mind. Moody, haunting and breathtaking are others. These silent swamps filled with bald cypress trees, which are some of the oldest trees in the world, can often be shrouded in a layer of mist rising from the water. Everything dead quiet until a great blue heron squawks to break the silence. This is a typical scene for a morning spent on the bayou. Either wandering along the shorelines, or floating in a kayak, the experience of being here in such an undisturbed place feels almost as if being in a church on the water. Each tree covered in a veil of Spanish moss, slowly turning a little more vibrant orange or red with each passing day. Nothing moves except for a fish here, or a bird over there.

The photography here is slow, patient, and absolutely wonderful. We will experience this truly one of a kind landscape by foot (a bit) and by kayak (the best way possible). On this 5 Day Photography Workshop on Caddo Lake, which straddles Texas and Louisiana, we will be surrounded by calming waters, remarkable biodiversity, and big cypress trees. We’ll move at a leisurely pace to appreciate and enjoy the experience of the landscape as much as we are there to photograph it’s unique beauty. With compositions and color in every direction you can expect to come away with images that are truly your own and not to be duplicated by anyone else. There are no iconic shots here, only a extraordinary blackwater ecosystem with ancient trees that surely have stories to tell. And capturing a glimpse of their long story through the lens of your camera is something pretty special.

This is certainly not a typical landscape photography workshop. More like a floating water adventure! The best images will be made while we are immersed in cypress trees out on the lakes and swamp waters. So we will be throwing the usual landscape photography techniques out of the canoe as far as settings are concerned. All useful tricks and techniques that I have picked up to photograph these scenes will be shared before we go out for our very first shoot. We will also have classroom time scheduled as well to demonstrate and practice post processing workflows to help bring your images to life!

The majority of this workshop will be by kayak, paddling into small coves surrounded by bald cypress trees, reaching areas that larger boats just cannot access. Having prior experience in a kayak is important to be comfortable and take one less worry away while handling camera gear over the waterways. If you have any questions of what this entails please contact us.

All lodging and meals are included in this workshop. Lodging will be at three beautiful luxury homes right on Caddo Lake in Uncertain, Texas. Each home is complete with fire pits, overwater gazebos, boat docks, a hot tub and a private bedroom and bathroom for each participant. Meals will be prepared by a local gourmet chef specializing in southern creole cuisine. Needless to say we have taken great care to ensure that your comfort and accommodations only enhance the experience that you’ll have in this unique place.