General Info and Policies for Workshops

About Our Workshops
We’ve chosen a select few truly superb locations, scouted out the best times, and planned the workshop to maximize your photographic experience. Guy and Michael believe that to get the best images you must maximize your time in the field. With the exception of weekend workshops where we may base from standard lodging, this is the number one reason why we forsake warm beds, showers, and restaurants for the ‘full immersion’ method of breathing, eating, and sleeping in the landscape. This intimacy with the landscape will reveal itself in more sensitive photographs. By exploring a few key areas in greater depth, we hope to give you maximum opportunities for it all to come together.

Our Photography Workshops provide you with in-depth instruction in remote and unique field settings. The main focus of our Workshops is learning – but because we go to great locations, you will certainly go home with wonderful images on film (or cards if you'll shoot digitally). Here especially, our small group size assures that you will have adequate time with the instructors and that your questions can be answered.

Group Sizes
We deliberately keep our group sizes small; generally no greater than a 1:4 instructor to participant ratio. This allows us to provide a high degree of personalized attention, and also allows each photographer to hopefully produce photographs that are unique and distinctive from his/her fellow workshop participant.

What is Included
Your workshop fees include full instruction and location guiding. Upon receipt of your deposit, you will be supplied a trip checklist to assist with your preparations.

What is Not Included
Airfare, car rentals, and meals are not included, nor are items of a personal nature (telephone calls, laundry, room service, etc.).

What is Required of You
Our workshops are based on foot and vehicle travel only. We use vehicles only to access trailheads, and from there we travel on foot. We do not use pack animals or any other form of transport other than leg and lung power. Making photographs in out-of-the-way locations accessible only by foot provides for immeasurable satisfaction in the images made during the course of the workshop. It is therefore necessary that you be reasonably fit and in good health. Shortly after booking your workshop, you will receive more details, including details on the distances and duration of our hiking, including elevation gained and lost during the workshop. If you book a workshop and the required fitness level seems too great, we'll suggest an alternative workshop or refund your payment.

Liability Waiver
Each participant is required to sign a liability waiver in order to participate in Gordon-Tal Workshops. Upon confirmed registration, you will receive additional information regarding your workshop as well as our waiver. Your signed waiver must be returned to us no later than 21 days before the start date of the workshop in order to participate.

Registration and Payment
Although trip dependent, to generally hold a spot on a trip, we require 100% payment at the time of booking, payable via PayPal. As an alternative to immediate online PayPal deposit, you may reserve a spot by completing the registration form and mailing your payment to us the same day. We will hold your spot for seven business days pending arrival of your payment. You may pay by personal check or money order.

Full payment of the workshop fee guarantees a place in the workshop. If a deposit is made, the full workshop fee must be paid NO LATER than 30 days prior to the start of the workshop. If the balance is not received within 30 days of the start of the workshop, the reservation is canceled. In this instance, no deposit refund will be given unless that space is filled by another person from the waiting list.

Cancellation Policy
It is impossible to predict the weather when arranging for a workshop. What some people consider "bad" weather can and often does make for great photography. Therefore, the workshop will not be cancelled due to weather unless extreme weather conditions make it unsafe or unproductive to begin/continue the workshop. Participants should come to the workshop prepared for all weather conditions. We will generally update everyone within a few days of the workshop so that they know what type of weather to expect.

If a workshop is cancelled by Gordon-Tal Photographic Workshops for any reason, a full refund of the amount paid will be sent to each participant.

Refund Policy
If you cancel 30 days or more before the start date of the workshop, 100% of your payment(s) will be returned to you. If you cancel 29 days or fewer from departure, you will be charged 50% of the workshop fee. If you cancel 14 days or fewer from departure, no refund will be given.

Cancellations, for any reason, must be in writing (e-mail or postal mail).

Trip Insurance
Occasionally circumstances arise that prevent a person from participating in a workshop after registration. If you wish to protect your investment in the workshop and travel costs, please investigate inexpensive trip insurance. The insurance will reimburse you in the event that some circumstance prevents you from attending the workshop.

Trip Extensions
We will generally be photographing in the area before and/or after the trip concludes. This can be an ideal time to go back and work favorite spots or further explore the area. If you would like to stay beyond the departure date, contact us in advance for rates and information.

Private Instruction and Guiding
We can provide private instruction and guiding for those who want a more personalized experience or who have schedule constraints. Call or email for more information or rates.