Outdoor Photography: Chasing the Light – Spring 2026

Beautiful landscapes are all around us. From the sweeping grandeur of our National Parks to the quiet moments unfolding in your own backyard, there are photographs waiting to be discovered and shared. This class is designed to help you uncover those images and create captivating landscape photographs with intention, confidence, and creativity. Learn which gear best suits the places and times you want to shoot, along with practical tools for planning around light, weather, and composition. We’ll explore both the technical and aesthetic decisions that shape your final images, from camera work in the field to the processing choices that bring your creative vision to life.

Throughout the class, we’ll look closely at your work and the work of others to better understand what makes landscape photography compelling and emotionally resonant. The main goal of the course is simple: to help you get closer to expressing your personal vision of the landscape, no matter what camera, tools, or techniques you use. The final is a showcase of your landscape work (including work prior to the class) consisting of 8-10 printed images.

*There will be two field trips that are tentatively scheduled for April 19th and May 9th. Locations TBD. There will be no class the week of April 15 or May 6 due to the field trips.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Through lectures, hands-on practice, demonstrations, and image reviews, you will explore a wide range of concepts and techniques essential to outdoor and landscape photography, including:

• Understanding the qualities and behavior of natural light
• Choosing the right equipment for different outdoor environments
• Maintaining your gear and building efficient pre-, during-, and post-shoot workflows
• Survey of both modern and historical landscape photographers
• Approaching specialized types of shooting such as macro, HDR, and panoramic photography
• Incorporating time-lapse imagery into your creative toolkit
• Modifying, shaping, and balancing natural light

COURSE OUTCOMES

• Properly pack and be prepared for variety of conditions in outdoor shooing
• Use a variety of specialized equipment to enhance your outdoor photography
• Broader awareness of the types of outdoor photography and options for shooting under natural lighting conditions
• Understand proper gear maintenance
• Learn a variety of post-production and printing techniques to enhance outdoor images
• Create a small cohesive body of outdoor photographs

If you’re ready to deepen your craft, expand your skills, and see the world with a more attentive and expressive eye, this class will help guide you there.

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR STUDENTS

• Weekly attendance is vital to student success in PCNW courses. We require that students attend the first meeting in order to retain their spot in the class. A waiver may be granted if permission is given by, and subsequent arrangements made with, both the PCNW Registrar and Faculty. Please see our Education Policies for details about attendance policies and academic expectations.
• PCNW adheres to a strict payment, cancellation and refund policy. Please review our Payment & Refund Policies prior to registration.
• Intermediate and advanced courses have prerequisites which students must satisfy prior to enrollment. Prerequisites may be waived based on experience or prior courses taken through other institutions. To verify that you meet the prerequisite(s) for a course, contact Jennifer Brendicke, Registrar at jbrendicke@pcnw.org.
• Students are required to provide their own camera, unless otherwise noted in the course description. If you have questions about camera equipment or resources, contact us at pcnw@pcnw.org.
• Additional materials and supplies, not covered by a materials fee for a course, are the responsibility of the student. Detailed information about course expectations, required texts and materials will be provided at the start of the quarter.
• Students should prepare to spend several hours per week completing assignments outside of class, which may require use of the PCNW facilities; view our Rental Rates for details about additional fees. Rental fees for use of PCNW Facilities are a separate cost from tuition.

Image © Tara Champion