Did you miss Night Skies of the Southwest registration today? ...well you are in luck!

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Did you miss our Night Skies of the Southwest registration?

Not to worry - we figured this might happen.

As we can only take seven photographers on these special departures (small groups make for better trips anyway!) we decided we would re-open dates for our Night Skies of Joshua Tree trip as well.

After all - we'd love to get as many of you out under the stars as possible!

But...unlike a lot of photography tour & workshops operators we don't think big groups work for photo trips - it's too chaotic, too disorganized & frankly it detracts from the experience!

So this is basically the same great trip - different location. It's one of the best places in the world for night photography – Joshua Tree National Park. 

The American Southwest & specifically Joshua Tree, has some of the darkest skies in the world, which makes it a fantastic area to photograph the stars and Milky Way.

The galactic core of the Milky Way is only visible during specific times of the year (March-October in the northern hemisphere) and during those times the alignment and position of the core varies. 

The park features an impressive display of thousands of Joshua Trees, draped against a background of massive boulders and rock formations - which are absolutely incredible to photograph against the night sky.

On this trip we cover a variety of advanced night photography techniques, such as stacking for noise reduction and in the field low level lighting. This will be an action-packed workshop with a ton of shooting and instruction!

We're also giving away the same great bonus offer video courses so read on if interested!

Pro-Tip: There were a LOT of people who missed registration for Night Skies of the Southwest. We expect these Joshua Tree departures to fill up just as quickly!

Experience the awe and allure of the incredible night skies of the southwest. There is something magical about pressing the shutter and seeing the stars and Milky Way light up your camera LCD a few moments later. It’s an incredible genre of photography and on this workshop, we take you to the best location in the US for night photography – the desert southwest & more specifically Joshua Tree National Park!

Joshua Tree not only offers some of the darkest skies in the world, but also some of the most interesting landscapes for night photography. On this unique trip, we take advantage of the Milky Way orientation and moon phase to create fantastic desert Milky Way & Night Sky photos. The spring orientation of the Milky Way allows us to capture the galactic core over some breathtaking landscapes while in the fall it appears just after sunset!

Joshua Tree National Park features one of the most unique trees in the world, well actually, the ‘tree’ is a succulent, but it’s absolutely magnificent – of course, we’re talking about the iconic Joshua Tree.

You can only find Joshua Trees in parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. But, by far the most impressive display of Joshua Trees is in Joshua Tree National Park. The park has thousands of Joshua Trees, draped against a background of massive boulders and rock formations. Some might say the boulder fields full of smooth, weathered rock are even more impressive than the groves of trees.

All of these things and more, combine to create one of the top night sky photography destinations in the world.

Late spring and fall are fantastic times for photography in the park. Temperatures are comfortable, the core of the Milky Way is visible, and light is beautiful on the landscape.

This workshop starts and ends in Palm Springs, CA. Palm Springs has a commercial international airport for easy access – Palm Springs International Airport (PSP).

We stay at a unique (and really cool!) boutique hotel during the workshop (included) which features a great restaurant as well. Lodging and meals are important aspects of our workshops, and part of the experience as a whole.

As with every Backcountry Journeys excursion you’ll get ample one on one time with your instructor and improve your astrophotography in one of the most premier destinations on the planet. Aside from the fun you’ll experience with your fellow photographers you’ll leave this trip with a highly expanded portfolio of excellent images and a wealth of memories. Join us today for the trip of a lifetime to photograph the landscape and night sky in one of America’s most unique National Parks – Joshua Tree!

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  • Desert Landscapes (Night & Day)
Incredible scenery, astro-photography, perfect weather & the unique alien landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. Does it get any better than this?
  • Learn Night Sky Photography from a pro!
Get hands on 1:1 instruction from a professional photographer while shooting under the stars. 
  • Cutting Edge Photography Techniques
Expect to learn everything from basic camera settings for wildlife to more advanced techniques like auto-focus tracking
  • Small Group

This trip strictly limited to seven photographers

  • Awesome Meals & Lodging Included
Ask our past guests – one of the best parts about our trips is the food!
  • The BEST Trip Leaders
Matt Meisenheimer, Kenton Krueger & Ben Blankenship have been exploring, guiding & photographing the American Southwest for years – you won’t find better trip leaders or instructors anywhere.
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Day-To-Day Itinerary

Please note: This is a “standard” tour, but some locations do require the ability to hike 1-3 miles round trip on rocky, uneven terrain.

Most meals included – (B,L,D) denotes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Day One (Travel Day)(D) 

We will meet at our hotel in Palm Springs, CA at 5pm the first evening of the trip for an orientation and welcome dinner. After a short break, the action already begins! The core of the Milky Way becomes visible a few hours after sunset so we will head to the park and setup at an awesome location featuring Joshua Trees and interesting rock formations. As the Milky Way changes orientation in the sky, we will visit a few other locations before calling it a night and heading back to Palm Springs. 

Day Two (B,L,D) 

Sleep is on the schedule for the morning of Day Two. After breakfast, we will check out and head to our hotel for the remainder of the workshop at Twentynine Palms, CA…right outside the national park. Before and after lunch will be spent exploring the unique landscape of the park. The plan for tonight is an early dinner and a sunset shoot. After sunset, we will shoot the Milky Way and maybe practice some star trails. Then, back to the hotel for some rest. 

Day Three (B,L,D) 

On Day Three, we will spend the morning catching up on rest. We will get breakfast as a group and spend the early afternoon exploring the park or reviewing images from the last two night shoots. Another early dinner and sunset at Cholla Cactus Garden then the Milky Way and stars! Tonight, we’ll check out Arch Rock and Split Rock. Two of the most photogenic rocks in the park for astrophotography. 

Day Four (B,D) 

After a late night, the Day Four morning will be used to catch up on rest. We’ll do some image review and check out some other spots in the park during the day, if we have energy! The night of Day Four will be our last time capturing the core of the Milky Way and the stars. We will check out a few more iconic rock formations and do some short walks. 

Day Five (B) 

Day Five has quite a few possibilities. We may stay out late shooting the Milky Way the night before or we may call it an earlier night for a sunrise shoot on the morning of Day Five. Either way, we will spend our last morning photographing in the park before heading back to the hotel. After packing up, we will return back to our starting point in Palm Springs. We will arrive no later than 12pm on the final day.

Night Skies of Joshua Tree

5 Days / 4 Nights

Trip Price: $3295

BCJ Tribe Members: $2965

Deposit: $1500

Fitness Level: Easy 

Meals: Most meals included

Lodging: 4 nights lodging

Start / End: Palm Springs, California

Dates:

  • October 3rd to 7th, 2021
  • April 30th to May 4th, 2022

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:

Testimonials
Backcountry Journeys Photography Trips are World Class
We set the bar high - but don't just take our word for it! The following reviews are straight from our TripAdvisor Page!

“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


Register for the trip & get the following
THREE bonus offers!
Bonus #1

How to Capture the Milky Way

A video tutorial covering the basics of capturing the Milky Way. Instruction includes how to plan and prepare for a night photography outing, recommended gear, camera setting suggestions, focusing tips, and processing considerations.

Total Value = $97

Bonus #2


Mastering the Milky Way

A video tutorial featuring a start-to-finish edit of a Milky Way image in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC. Topics covered include - processing night images, making the Milky Way pop, using selective tools, noise reduction and sharpening, and more!

Total Value = $97


Bonus #3

Advanced Astrophotography

A video tutorial covering advanced astrophotography processing techniques in Photoshop CC. Topics include focus stacking at night, adding contrast & pop to the Milky Way, advanced noise reduction, removing hot pixels, and exposure blending.

Total Value = $197

Book Your Trip Today knowing that your purchase is protected & backed by one of the most rock solid guarantees in the travel industry

HERE’S THE DEAL

We’re so confident that the trips we offer will not only meet but exceed the lofty expectations set forth on our website – if your trip experience does not 100% match the promises laid forth on our website we will gladly give you a credit toward a future trip. Natural events such as wildlife & weather are certainly out of our control but every aspect of the trip including logistics, accommodations, vehicles, itinerary & your expert trip leaders will match the lofty promises we’ve made on the site – we guarantee it!

Worry Free Travel

If there are still any COVID-19 related travel issues during any trip you book – rest assured you will be able to transfer your trip at no cost before your final payment is due. Our peace of mind guarantee to you!

On top of that we offer one of the most rock solid guarantees in the travel industry.



HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU GET TODAY!
  • Night Skies of Joshua Tree - ($3595 Value)

          Special Price: $3295 or $2965 for Tribe Members!

  • Mastering the Milky Way - ($97 Value)
  • How to Capture the Milky Way - ($97 Value)
  • Advanced Astrophotography in Photoshop - ($197 value)


Book Your Trip & Get it all Right Now

$3986

$3295

BCJ Tribe Member? $2965

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Trip Deposit Only $1500

YES! Book My Trip

Hurry. We are only accepting seven photographers on these special one-time departures. Registration is open until the trip is full but we expect all seven spots to sell out for both dates

*Final Balance due 120 days prior to departure

We'll see you in Joshua Tree!
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