Palouse – Washington & Idaho Photography Workshop

Led by Joe Reardon, Copley Master — Copley Society of Art, Boston
June 7–11, 2026 | 5 Days

Price: $2,500 per person
Deposit: $500 holds your spot

The Palouse region of Eastern Washington and western Idaho is one of the most visually distinctive agricultural landscapes in North America. Rolling hills, sculpted farmland, and open sky form a landscape defined not by landmarks, but by gesture, rhythm, and light.

This 5-day workshop is open to photographers and non-photographers of all experience levels. The emphasis is not on equipment or technical mastery, but on learning how to see landscape as form, movement, and visual narrative.

Locations & Landscape Experience

We base our explorations near Colfax, Washington, placing us within easy reach of the Palouse’s most expressive terrain. Our days begin early, often before sunrise, when light reveals the land’s subtle curves and tonal transitions.

Key locations include:

• Steptoe Butte — a panoramic vantage point where early morning light creates long shadows and layered compositions across the hills

• Kamiak Butte and surrounding backroads — quieter, less-traveled areas where repetition, pattern, and abstraction emerge naturally

• Historic barns, grain silos, and isolated trees — visual anchors that add scale, history, and narrative

• Palouse Falls — a dramatic counterpoint to the farmland, offering opportunities to work with motion, contrast, and geological texture

Seasonal elements such as canola and sunflower fields may also appear, adding controlled color against the land’s dominant tonal structure.

What We Are After

The Palouse rewards patience and restraint. This workshop focuses on:

• Reading the land through line, curve, and repetition

• Recognizing when light transforms ordinary terrain into expressive form

• Creating images that feel balanced, intentional, and resolved

• Seeing farmland as abstraction rather than subject matter

• Understanding when to simplify rather than react

I do not photograph during workshop sessions, allowing my full attention to remain on participants—helping refine composition, visual decisions, and individual creative direction.

Daily Rhythm & Instruction

Each day blends fieldwork with reflection. We spend extended time in fewer locations rather than rushing from place to place, often returning to the same scene under different light.

Instruction is hands-on and individualized, with guidance tailored to each participant’s way of seeing. Evenings include informal discussion and image review, focusing on visual clarity, storytelling, and artistic growth rather than technical critique.

What’s Included

• Five days of on-location instruction and visual guidance

• Small-group format for personalized attention

• Informal image discussions and critique

Not Included

Travel to and from the Palouse region, lodging and meals (hotel information provided upon receipt of deposit), travel insurance (recommended), and personal expenses.

Workshop Details

• Dates: June 7–11, 2026

• Location: Colfax, Washington (Palouse region)

• Duration: 5 Days

• Price: $2,500 per person

• Deposit: $500

• Experience Level: Open to all

In Closing

The Palouse is not a landscape that reveals itself instantly. This workshop is designed to slow you down, sharpen perception, and help you create images that reflect how the land moves, not just how it looks.

The closest major airport is Moscow Arpt in Moscow Idaho

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