Winter Light: Photographing Desert Preserves Fall 2022

Join us for a day of photography in two special desert places off the beaten track: Whitewater Preserve, and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Winter is an excellent season to photograph the low desert, with its cool temperatures, longer shadows and views of distant peaks.

The day consists of photographic field sessions, group instruction and one-on-one assistance from your instructor. Your questions will be answered! You’ll learn tips and techniques for controlling sharpness, exposure, making panoramic photographs, and using lenses, along with creative exercises in photographing the desert landscape. Class begins in the morning close to the rugged cliffs of Whitewater Preserve. After lunch, we relocate to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve for afternoon field sessions among the cottonwoods. Hiking at each preserve is easy – to moderate; we’ll be walking on trails that are mainly level. Participants are encouraged to bring a tripod with their camera(s).

Download the course outline:

If you are a member of JTNPA you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. If you are not a member you can become one .

Please print and fill out the .  You can bring the completed form to the class.

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel, notify us at least seven days prior to the start of the course and we will process your request minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds, transfers, or credits will be granted if cancellation occurs within the seven day period. Please note that we cannot make any exceptions to this refund policy for any reason, including but not limited to medical reasons, illness, travel delays, personal situations, emergencies, or weather. This program depends on registration for its funding. While inconvenient, please understand that this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last minute cancellations.

Until further notice, all indoor Desert Institute classes will require proof of vax or a negative test within 72 hours. Thank you for your understanding.

Craig Fucile, B.A., Physical Geography, currently teaches photography for University of California, Riverside Extension. He has also taught for UC Irvine Extension, UC Santa Cruz Extension, University of La Verne, the Sierra Club and Friends of Photography. A long time instructor, Fucile has taught numerous photography workshops in western landscapes that he enjoys photographing including: Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Eastern Mojave, Owens Valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Anza-Borrego, Kings Canyon, Sequoia. During Fall 2017 he was an artist in residence for Angeles National Forest/ San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. He received the Fall 2010 Instructor Excellence Award from UC Riverside Extension and the 2007 Distinguished Instructor Award from UC Irvine Extension.

Host or Publisher Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park