Fantastic trip. I learned a lot from Michael and Eric both in the field and in the classroom. Everything was very well planned and communicated. And of course, the locations we visited were incredible!

I have followed Michael’s photography videos on YouTube for years, and I truly admire his style. He has a unique and sensitive eye. He puts his emotions into what he sees and what he captures, and that feeling comes through his images and touches many people. I always told myself that someday I would join his workshop. Michael and Eric’s Death Valley Photography Workshop was a wonderful experience for discovering the beauty of nature—whether grand landscapes or small, quiet details. They both take great care of their students. They provide clear guidance and demonstrations to the group, and then work individually with each person to help them follow their own vision and offer technical advice. Every day, one instructor led the group from the front while the other stayed behind to make sure no one was left behind. No matter the conditions, they always made safety a priority. One morning during a sunrise shoot, Randy’s truck had a serious flat tire. Michael and Eric made sure everyone else returned to the hotel for breakfast, while they stayed behind to help Randy until the truck was fixed. Their kindness and care brought our group even closer together. They encouraged each student to develop their own style, both in capturing images and in post-processing. The schedule was well organized and intensive—there was no time wasted. I learned so much, but I still want to learn more. I would definitely like to join Michael and Eric’s workshop again.

Michael Shainblum and Eric Bennett put together an outstanding workshop. It was a tremendous learning experience with the guidance they provided at each the various photo spots we visited as well as their review of some of our sample images and post processing tips. Their gracious with their time an attention and just really nice individuals. It was a great group of participants as well. I'm anxious to do another workshop with them.

I had a fantastic time at Michael and Eric’s Death Valley workshop! I came in aiming to grow artistically/creatively, gain/refine technical skills, explore new types of landscapes, and come away with photos I was proud of. Michael and Eric certainly helped do all of those while enjoying the company of a fun, light-hearted group! Creatively, abstracts (dunes, mud cracks, badlands colors) pushed me the most so it was really helpful having them provide a range of potential inspiration ideas to discover what we resonated with while also giving feedback (both the what and why) on specific compositions to help iterate on and improve them. The mid-day classroom sessions helped by (1) showing a wide range of Death Valley landscape photos to draw inspiration from, and (2) seeing how Michael/Eric approached editing our photos was a great combination of critique/showing what editing could draw out of RAWs. Watching their two different styles across Lightroom and Photoshop in real time was also very helpful in getting a sense for their artistic process as well as picking up some technical tricks. Their deep knowledge of the area was apparent, and locations were thoughtfully chosen to make best use of weather conditions. All combined, I learned/grew a lot, had a great time with the group, and brought back photos I love. I look forward to future adventures!

I really enjoyed the Death Valley workshop. Michael and Eric worked hard to make sure it was a great experience for everyone and put us in position each day to photograph beautiful scenes during the best light. Their attention to detail, tips on composition and frequent reminders to follow the light were very helpful to me during our photo shoots. They also provided valuable feedback during a couple of dedicated image editing sessions that has already made noticeable improvements to my image processing. Just as important as the photography, though, is that I had a blast during and in between our photo shoots, which was in large part due to Michael and Eric keeping the mood light and fun. They are excellent photographers, great guys, and were a pleasure to spend the week with. I look forward to joining them again on another workshop in the future.