But, what if we told you, one of the best kept secrets of fall was located in the bayou of the American south. You heard us right…
Today, we are excited to announce a brand new trip to one of the great hidden gems in the United States for landscape photography.
Every November, the cypress swamps of the south offer a fiery red and orange display of fall color. They transform into one of the most unique landscapes you’ll ever see or photograph.
Fall in the south can offer excellent weather conditions as well. Ambient temperatures often drop below lake temperatures, which can create a mysterious pairing of fog and mist with the brilliant colors.
The best way to see the color display is to be on lakes, so we’ve organized private charters that will take our group into the best sections of the bayou every morning and evening.
We guarantee you’ve never seen a place like this and we couldn’t be more excited to offer a brand new trip to the cypress swamps.
Join Backcountry Journeys for our Southern Cypress Swamps lodge-based photography tour this November, and take home a collection of images and memories that will last a lifetime (and make your friends jealous, too).
Join Matt Meisenheimer & Russell Graves on Tuesday, June 29th, 2021 at 11am Mountain for a live webinar event as they discuss this Backcountry Journeys special departure.
Southern Cypress Swamps
Lodge-based / Standard Photo Tour
5 Days / from $3595 double occupancy
+$550 single supplement
Limited to Six Photographers
- November 5th to 9th, 2021 - Sold Out
- November 4th to 8th, 2022 - Available
- November 9th to 13th, 2022 - Sold Out
Deep in the southern United States lies an incredible connection of bayous, swampland, and wetlands. Often overlooked by photographers, these interconnected waterways provided some of the best and most unique fall photography anywhere.
The bayous in Texas and Louisiana are lined with cypress groves laced with Spanish Moss. In November, the groves ignite into a fiery red and orange, creating an amazing display for photographers.
But, that’s not all. The southern climate provides exquisite conditions in fall. Ambient air temperatures occasionally drop below water temperatures, giving way to spectacular fog and mist! We break it down into a simple formula: absolutely unique landscape + gorgeous fall color + atmospheric fog = world-class photography.
This photo workshop is boat-based, as it’s the best way to see fall color in the cypress swamps. A private boat allows us to chase the best conditions and cover a lot of water – the bayou is an expansive area with much to explore.
Join Backcountry Journeys for this extremely unique photography experience. On this 5-day photo workshop, we will lead you to one of the true ‘hidden gems’ in the United States.
- The most unique landscapes ever....
- Master landscape photography
- Cutting Edge Photography Techniques
- Super Small Group
This trip strictly limited to six photographers
- Private Bayou Boat Charter
Itinerary
Most meals included – (B,L,D) denotes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day One (Travel Day) (D)
Arrive in Shreveport, Louisiana, in time for an orientation meeting and welcome dinner.
Day Two (B, L, D)
We’ll begin with an early morning departure that takes us across state lines to Uncertain, Texas. From there, we’ll launch into the bayou waters on a private boat. We’ll spend 3 hours photographing cypress groves and the bayou. Afterwards, we’ll venture to a nearby state park to explore the swamplands on some easy walking trails. With some rest and food, we will head back out on the boat for sunset, which brings magical light to the swamps. We’ll sit down for a fabulous dinner when we return to reflect on the day and prepare for Day Three!
Day Three (B, L, D)
We’ll once again head out on our private boat for sunrise and sunset. We’ll cover new locations and react to the changing light. If we’re lucky we’ll run into some mist and fog on the bayou. During our mid-day break from the boat, we will reconvene in the early afternoon for processing sessions/image critique at our hotel.
Day Four (B, D)
We’ll once again head out on our private boat for sunrise and sunset. We’ll cover new locations and react to the changing light. If we’re lucky we’ll run into some mist and fog on the bayou. During our mid-day break from the boat, we will reconvene in the early afternoon for processing sessions/image critique at our hotel.
Day Five (B, L, D)
On our final day, we’ll set out for one final sunrise session, followed by breakfast. We will say goodbye to the bayou and head back to Shreveport, Louisiana. We will arrive in Shreveport by 2pm.
Southern Cypress Swamps
5 Days / 4 Nights
Trip Price: $3595 (double occupancy)
BCJ Tribe Members: $3,235
+$550 Single Supplement
Deposit: $1500
Fitness Level: Standard (1)
Meals: Most meals included
Start / End: Shreveport, Louisiana
Our Guests Love Backcountry Journeys
At Backcountry Journeys we’ve been perfecting photography trips for years and have some of the BEST photo pros & Trip Leaders in the business. With one of the highest return guest ratios in the adventure travel space we’ve become the gold standard for what a photography tour / workshop should look like. Our commitment to our guests & personalized attention is what sets us apart from the rest – and it shows.
Backcountry Journeys “Tribe” community is one of the most active in the industry – and our guests come back year after year to experience new photo destinations – sometimes several times per year!
But don’t just take it from us! Our TripAdvisor page says it all – below are a few recent testimonials from some of our past travelers:
“What an amazing trip we had! Thanks to Ben and PJ, our very competent and patient guides, we saw a huge variety of wonderful vistas from delicate snow scenes in the first two days contrasted with the steam arising in places, to massive mountains in cloud and sunlight, magical pine forests and geysers. At all times we had access to Ben and PJ to ask for advice of needed and they offered suggestions for good angles for shooting landscape and wildlife shots. Among the wildlife we saw were many bison and elk herds, pronghorn antelope, bald eagles, grizzly bears (Mum with two cubs), chipmunks, Red-tailed hawk, coyote and even distant wolves! We were very fortunate with the weather which allowed us to see the landscapes in a variety of moods in snow, cloud and sunlight, all helping to give us a broad taste of these magnificent wilderness parks.
I can highly recommend these tours to anyone as they are great value for money, often exciting, educational and a lot of fun!”
Marion A
Sydney, Australia
“Glacier National Park is glorious! I highly recommend taking this Backcountry Journeys trip. It was our second trip (previously did Zion and Bryce with Russ and Crystal) and my husband and I were very happy with the results.
Matt Meisenheimer is a fabulous guide who really takes his craft seriously. He always made sure we were in the right place at the right time and was willing to put in extra time to allow us to see more areas within the park.
Matt taught me new functions and features on my camera that made me enjoy the trip even more. To be honest, you don’t get much sleep on this trip – up early and out until late, but the landscapes are so beautiful, you just don’t mind.
I can’t wait for our next two trips with Backcountry in 2020 – Yosemite and Grand Teton. I’m sure those trips will be equally awe inspiring and rewarding.”
Linda E
Chicago, Illinois
"Just completed the Great Smoky Mountains in Autumn standard trip with Backcountry Journeys. This is my 3rd trip with BCJ and as was expected it was another awesome trip. Our guides, Russell Graves and Ben Blankenship were great. Having focused mainly on landscape tours previously, this tour had a good mix of landscape and wildlife. Our guides were patient, proficient and extremely helpful in providing tips on appropriate lenses and the proper camera setting for every occasion. Since they had abundant knowledge of the Smokies we were in the right place at the right time. To top off the fact that being in the Park was special, the food and lodging provided throughout the trip were top notch!"
Tony E
Springfield, Missouri
"I'm an amateur photographer and wanted a tour that focused on getting "the picture" as well as teaching you about your camera and getting those pictures. This group did exactly that. I went on Backcountry Journey's Ultimate Northern Lights 6-day trip in Oct 11-17, 2020. Had a fantastic experience! Our guide, Russ, was knowledgeable, helpful, patient and definitely wanted us to have a good photo experience. Ours was a small group (thanks to COVID), but he gave individual attention to each of us and was always ready to answer questions or help. Fortunately for our group, the weather, KP numbers, and solar wind cooperated and we got some incredible pics! Russ had several different sites picked out for us to view the Lights, and was flexible to make changes when the weather dictated to do so. They chose a very nice hotel and restaurants for us. They also had COVID rules that the group adhered to, making the trip comfortable under the circumstances. I would highly recommend the company and will travel with them in the future."
Cindy S
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
"My first photo trip ever, booked almost last minute - and absolutely great experience!
Small group of people with similar expectations, led by two guides-professional photographers, knowing the area and understanding nature - all together looks like the recipe for success!
Yellowstone and Grand Teton in autumn offer unlimited opportunities for photographers, both professional and amateur. Having guides ready to give precious hints and advice taught me a lot, and nice personalities of Ben and Russell - our guides - made the trip also fun."
Dorota P
New Haven, Connecticut
"We had an exceptional trip with Backcountry Journeys to Katmai and the Northern Lights. We were able to get up close with the bears and have lots of opportunities to take great photos. The photographic advice was top notch. Same was true for Northern Lights!!
Our guide knew where to go, how to get us there and then get great pictures. Lots of night photography skills were shared."
Peter T
Piedmont, South Carolina
“This 5 day, six night photo workshop on the Big Island of Hawaii was more then I had even imagined. Monumental exploding surf, plunging waterfalls and isolated beaches for sunrise and sunset. Our photographer guide always at the ready with suggested gear or a strong arm down a steep hillside.
All inclusive workshop had us at very nice accommodations and great food choices from fine dinning to quirky breakfast spots.
My second trip with Backcountry Journeys. Also a wonderful way for a photographer to see the right spots.”
Stephana B
Fishers, Indiana
"This was a bucket list trip for me and it totally exceeded all my expectations and then some! From my initial conversations with Russ, the ease of booking, reminders/updates along the way and the trip in genearl was amazing! The guides, all experienced/advanced photographers, went out of their way to make sure we got the best shots possible and were always willing to do what it took to help! Even the rain didn't slow us down! My co-photograhers were also awesome and I made lifetime memories and friends!"
Terry B
Dallas, Texas