Magic of Cowboys is so much more than just your standard photography workshop with horses, cattle and cowboys. This is delightfully SO much more! Numerous participants have come back annually -- a testament to how special and beloved this event has become. Get your hats, boots, and camera gear ready because pard'ner, we're doing it again!

Feeding the heart, soul and camera, the Magic of Cowboys will lift your spirits! You'll have a buffet of photo opportunities that are creatively packed into three days of fun. Marvel at the diversity of high quality, unique images you'll come away with and how much you'll learn along the way.

If cancelations occur, we will notify you of an opening and/or when future events are available for registration:

Click to add yourself to the list.

Level 2-3: Easy to Moderate

Solid knowledge of manual exposure settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO). A pre-workshop online course on manual exposure settings is provided ($99 value) at no additional cost.

An easy, 45-minute drive from the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport transports you to an entirely different place where time slows down, history is deep, and the traditional ways of cowboys and cowgirls are carried on. Located against the stunning backdrop of the legendary Superstition Mountains on 5,800 acres of the pristine Sonoran Desert in Gold Canyon, Arizona, lies the very special Donnelly D-Spur Ranch.

The “D-Spur” is a decades-old, privately owned, working ranch with some of the most spectacular scenery in the Valley of the Sun. Situated adjacent to the Tonto National Forest and legendary Superstition Mountains, It will be our jaw-dropping setting for your Magic of Cowboys Photo Experience!

*Percentages are estimates. Agenda may vary based on weather or other factors.

Action (20%): You will learn how to best capture the action with fast-moving horses, cattle, and ranch-related activities with the cowboys and cowgirls. Roping, herding, and more are planned! We will also teach you silhouette photography with the plentiful 2 and 4-legged creatures!
Free-Roaming horses/cattle (10%): Our cowboys will work cattle in the pen, the nearby landscape, and/or will round up free-range cattle in from the open range for us to photograph. Additionally, there are often free-roaming horses on the land surrounding the ranch.
Silhouettes (15%): You will learn how to capture gorgeous silhouettes of the cowboys, cowgirls, and more!
Portraiture Made Easy (candid and stylized) (40%): A highlight is to help photographers who are new to (and even intimated by) portrait photography to have a relaxed, stress-free, fun, and “no-judgment” type experience.

Many photographers shy away from learning portraiture as it can be intimidating, stressful, and nerve-wracking! We REMOVE that part and just give you a ton of fun in a friendly, supportive environment.
- How to use settings, natural and off-camera lighting to photograph both candid and stylized images of cowboys, cowgirls, and a re-enactment actors from the late 1800s in full authentic dress—back when Arizona was just a territory!
- Easy to remember posing tips for men, women, and groups
- How to use natural light, a reflector, and one-light flash techniques
Free-time for your photography (15%): Apply what you have learned! Explore the ranch and photograph the landscape, cattle, cowboys, cowgirls, horses, and more.

The Magic of Cowboys & Cattle is truly different from your typical photo tour or workshop. It's an immersive experience!

Campfire & Music: Join us at the campfire for local legend and singer/songwriter, Steve Holmquist, for incredibly beautiful campfire music during dinner.
Award-winning, authentic "Chuckwagon" meals: Our "chuckwagon" chef has won numerous awards and competitions for her chuckwagon style cooking over an open fire! Using hot coals, cast iron, and incredible recipes, she’ll prepare meals by campfire for us that are beyond amazing! See how it was done 100+ years ago and taste the rich flavors that go along with the experience!
Horseback riding (optional): Consider an optional guided horseback ride through the desert! Whether you are a beginner or advanced rider, this ranch will take great care of you and show you places in the desert you can only get to on foot or horseback! (Available Friday morning before the workshop begins)

The entire experience is designed to bring out the best in your photography while immersing you in the rich culture of the cowboy and ranch life - right in the heart of the Wild West!

You may review our cancelation, transfer and refund policy here.

Lodging
Lodging is available for self-booking at the Best Western in Gold Canyon, AZ, which is about 10 minutes from the ranch.
Transportation
The hotel does not provided a shuttle to the ranch. Please plan to book any airfare, rental cars, etc. on your own. These are not included in the workshop price.
Horseback riding
A 2-hour horseback tour is available on Friday morning, starting at approximately 10am. This may be booked through the Donnelly D-Spur Ranch directly. The approximate cost is $90/person plus tip.

Day 1: Afternoon
Day 1: Afternoon
Lighting and Lens Choice
Learn how to choose the right lens for portraiture! It's amazing what nuances change depending on the lens you use. We will start with a fun activity that puts it all into perspective, literally, and helps you master how lens choice can impact the outcome of your portraits. You will also learn about how to expose properly to create beautiful images in a variety of natural lighting conditions and settings.
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Day 1: Evening
Day 1: Evening
Backlight, Action and Silhouettes
Learn techniques for capturing backlit portraits, action and stunning silhouettes against the evening desert sky.
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Day 2: Morning
Day 2: Morning
Silhouettes at Sunrise
Continue to perfect your silhouette exposures as the cowboys and horses roam the hilltops until the sun crests over the peak.
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Day 2: Midday
Day 2: Midday
Lights, Camera & Posing
Learn through fun, interactive activities how to pose, light and capture portraits without intimidation! We incorporate lots of laughter with our instruction so that everyone is having a good time while learning! Build your knowledge through sequential, hands-on activities with our cowboys, cowgirls, and re-enactment actors and capture images using natural light, reflectors, and ultimately-with a single flash.

We will top off the evening with incredible horse-and-rider action, silhouettes, and more!
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Day 2: Evening
Day 2: Evening
Gunsmoke, Action & Silhouettes
Apply everything you've learned thus far and translate it into spectacular imagery with gunsmoke, horse and cowboy silhouettes--and lots of action at the ranch! You'll be drooling with these photo ops!
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Day 3: Morning
Day 3: Morning
Action!
We'll start the day before dawn capturing beautiful slow-shutter / panning style images of cowboys and cowgirls, then we'll move into roping longhorn cattle! We'll also have the horses running and kicking up dust (a participant favorite!). There is always an extra secret or two (or more) up our sleeves that won't be revealed until that day!
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Day 3: Midday
Day 3: Midday
Scavenger Hunt
Grab your camera and explore the ranch! We have a special photo scavenger hunt for you to enjoy while you put your skills and creativity to work! Photograph the action, the moments, a cowboy at work or deep in thought, details, macro, saguaro cactus, rusty and weathered stuff, cattle, and much more. We cannot wait to see what you can find!
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Day 3: Afternoon
Day 3: Afternoon
Closing event
We will meet together one last time for a final Q&A along with camaraderie, words from your leader and instructors, and a group photo before we hit the Happy Trails until we meet again...
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Feb 8, 2023:
Feb 8, 2023:
Live webinar
On February 8, 2023 we will host a live webinar event for all attendees of the 2023 Magic of Cowboys. We'll share images, offer helpful image reviews, processing tips and more. It will be a great way to reconnect and learn even more from this experience.
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Day 1: Afternoon

Lighting and Lens Choice

Learn how to choose the right lens for portraiture! It's amazing what nuances change depending on the lens you use. We will start with a fun activity that puts it all into perspective, literally, and helps you master how lens choice can impact the outcome of your portraits. You will also learn about how to expose properly to create beautiful images in a variety of natural lighting conditions and settings.

Langell Photography, LLC

53 reviews

A nature photographer and birder from the age of eight, Lisa is the founder of Langell Photography, LLC. She began her own business in 2010 after long vibrant careers as a floral designer, educational psychologist, consultant and in helping launch and manage two startups that grew into leading companies in the Ed-Tech space. Since then, she has earned numerous awards and has been published in Outdoor Photographer, Arizona Highways, Ranger Rick and more.

Jam packed learning experience and photography opportunities! Lisa's workshop is very well organized...with activities tightly scheduled throughout each day. Intensive...informative...fun...great instruction from Lisa as well as all of her assistants. 18 participants, yet plenty of individual help when needed. The schedule is intense...be sure to eat well and stay hydrated throughout the day! And get plenty of sleep that first night because Saturday is a lonnng and intense day!!! Truly...I came away with an increase in knowledge about various techniques...especially high key techniques and panning. And an even better understanding about my camera! Well worth the cost. A great experience!

By Kathryn W for Magic of Cowboys 2024 on Jan 29, 2024

Lisa Langell's Magic of Cowboys 2024 has been an excellent workshop. She is detailed and organized with helpful handouts, she provides personal assistance and has plenty of Add'll assistants to also help participants. The day-to day program is well paced. Pre-workshop and post on-line sessions are also extremely useful. The locale is great, the models which she provided very approachable and willing to work with photographers on poses. I am not new to workshops; I have attended many over the years. This is one of the best I have attended. It was so enjoyable I'd sign-up again! Emily M. Wilson /Seattle

By Emily M W for Magic of Cowboys 2024 on Jan 25, 2024

This was a terrific experience. If you're looking to both master your camera and immerse yourself in the awesome culture of cowboys & cowgirls, this is for you. Lisa's staff is knowledgeable, patient, and available throughout the entire workshop. The ranch personnel are delightful. The location is fantastic. Lisa Langell is a consummate professional and surrounds herself with the same caliber of people, from the fantastic food to the handouts, from the staff to the photography activities, this is a first rate experience.

By Lindy G for Magic of Cowboys 2024 on Jan 23, 2024

My sister and I had a wonderful time. I was fortunate that my brother in law had decided not to go and I was given the opportunity to take his place. Lisa was so accomodating in this change at the last minute. There was no additional charge. Which was great! I wasn't able to participate in the zoom meeting that Lisa had and that was ok too. Her staff as well as herself were so great in helping me with settings and the use of my camera. I loved how she would give us settings and suggest what lens to use before each event. The models, the cowboys, and we even got to meet the owner, were so nice and PATIENCE with us. They taught us about ranch life, the horses, cows and surviving cholla attachments(I had several). I must say the weather was coopertive as well. We didn't get our Sunday baked chicken through no fault of Lisa. however, they came up with Plan B and so pizza it was. Funny thing was we had eaten there two nights in a row but never had the pizza. That was good on both accounts. We had a traditional meal cooked like on the range. That was so good! The ladies did a great! This trip was my first workshop. I was very happy with everyone and the other photographers. We seemed to all get along well. Special shout out to the girls who got up early to make coffee at 5 am. they don't even drink coffee. Lisa and her team were just amazing! Loved being there in the open country. Experiencing early sunrise with a rider and saguaro cactuses for beautiful silhouettes. Horses running in the arena, great for panning shots. Sunset with riders running down the road dust and all. Beautiful!!! Learning high key and low key exposures. The only thing I would add is that it would of bee fun to sit around a campfire with the cowboys. However that runs into a longer day and I understand how hard that would be to pull off. The days were early and so full of moments. I can't complain at all. I would do this trip again and highly reccomend it to others. Thank you Lisa and staff for a great experience with my first workshop. :)

By Adrienne M for Magic of Cowboys 2024 on Jan 23, 2024

Thank you so much for the very kind words! We truly appreciate them and are SO pleased that you had a delightful time! It was great to have you and we sincerely enjoyed you and Heidi attending our Magic of Cowboys event!

By Langell Photography, LLC on Jan 23, 2024

I am so impressed with everything that this workshop provided! From Lisa and her staffs professionalism, the ranch, the instruction, right down to the food served! I went in knowing little about manual settings and left with a good understanding and the will and drive to learn more! Simply put...I loved it!