Predawn through morning
Begin before daylight and work through first light, changing color, mountain layers, and morning atmosphere. Each workshop includes an elevated overlook experience plus additional opportunities as conditions develop.
High Peaks autumn morning lightPhotographs by Jonathan Zaharek from the Adirondack fall environments represented in this workshop. Final route order may change with conditions.
2026 small-group photography workshop
Adirondack Fall Photography Intensive
Chasing Autumn Light with Jonathan Zaharek
Two small-group, one-day fall photography workshops in the Adirondack High Peaks region, built around sunrise, golden hour, sunset, changing foliage, and finished photographs. No Adirondack High Peak summits are climbed. Exact field locations are shared privately with registered participants.
Two High Peaks region photography sessionsSunrise and afternoon-to-sunset sessionsFull group breakfast included
And more. See everything included $499total per photographer
$99reserves your spot
Included with your registration
A complete field-to-print workshop.
Two substantial field photography sessions
Seven-person maximum group
Live online preparation orientation
A full sit-down group breakfast at one of Jonathan’s favorite Adirondack breakfast restaurants, fully included after the morning shoot
Jonathan’s autumn Lightroom presets
Recorded RAW-to-final autumn edit
Private 30-minute post-workshop Zoom review
Your favorite workshop photograph professionally printed for you at no additional cost, in either 12 × 18 or 10 × 20 format
Meet Jonathan
Over a decade photographing the Adirondacks.
Jonathan Zaharek is an award-winning Adirondack landscape photographer, filmmaker, author, and educator. For more than a decade, his images have helped shape the modern visual story of the park through magazines, calendars, and campaigns for leading Adirondack tourism organizations, with work recognized by Nikon. He has hiked more than 8,000 miles across the Adirondack Park, giving him an uncommon understanding of its terrain, seasons, weather, and light. He wrote Hiking the Adirondack 46 High Peaks and brings deep photographic and regional field experience to every workshop.
The workshop day
Two meaningful field sessions with time to reset between them.
Each workshop is built around first light and evening light rather than a rushed sequence of stops. Across the two sessions you will work with elevated mountain views, water and reflections, wide-angle compositions, telephoto compression, intimate details, and abstract foliage while receiving direct field feedback.
Full group breakfast and midday reset
After the morning shoot, sit down together for a fully included breakfast at one of Jonathan’s favorite Adirondack breakfast restaurants, followed by time to rest, back up files, charge batteries, and prepare.
Golden hour through sunset
Return for a second environment with different terrain, foregrounds, light, and compositional problems, continuing through sunset and, when worthwhile, into blue hour.
Choose your foliage window
Two workshops, two different field experiences.
Both one-day workshops take place within the Adirondack High Peaks region and are limited to seven photographers. Exact locations stay private until after registration, but the photographic character and physical expectations of each workshop are described below.
September 26, weather reserve September 27
One-day workshop. September 27 is only the weather reserve if September 26 cannot run.
Timed for the stronger late-September color typically found higher in the High Peaks region. The morning emphasizes first light from an elevated overlook, followed by mountain-lake and reflection opportunities.
Sunrise and morning
Work wide mountain layers, telephoto compression, backlit foliage, atmospheric details, and abstract color before transitioning into a nearby lake environment for reflections, shoreline compositions, and quieter intimate scenes.
Golden hour and sunset
After breakfast and a substantial midday reset, move to a broad wilderness landscape with open sky, distant mountain layers, water, reflections, and strong foreground options. The session is designed to work from golden hour through sunset and blue hour when conditions support it.
Physical profile: approximately 5.31 total miles and 1,132 feet of cumulative ascent across the two separated sessions.
October 3, weather reserve October 4
One-day workshop. October 4 is only the weather reserve if October 3 cannot run.
Designed around the later-turning foliage window at lower elevations within the High Peaks region. Both field sessions emphasize elevated viewpoints, dramatic mountain structure, and directional light.
Sunrise and morning
Begin above a lower-elevation autumn landscape with opportunities for wide scenes, telephoto mountain layers, water and reflection compositions, cliffs, foliage patterns, and abstract details as first light moves through the valley.
Golden hour and sunset
After breakfast and the midday reset, finish with a short but very steep climb to a broad mountain overlook. Exposed rock, autumn foregrounds, layered peaks, direct sunset light, telephoto compression, wide-angle landscapes, and blue-hour possibilities make this the more physically demanding workshop date.
Physical profile: approximately 4.71 total miles and 2,524 feet of cumulative ascent, including one approximately 1,149-foot ascent in under one mile.
Both workshop dates include the same complete field-to-print package: live online preparation orientation, fully included group breakfast, Jonathan’s autumn Lightroom presets, recorded RAW-to-final edit, private 30-minute Zoom review, and one professional 12 × 18 or 10 × 20 paper print.
Participant fit
- Advanced beginner through intermediate
- Basic exposure controls understood
- Stable tripod required
- Lightroom-based instruction
Physical and logistical
- September: approximately 5.31 total miles and 1,132 feet of cumulative ascent across two separated field sessions
- October: approximately 4.71 total miles and 2,524 feet of cumulative ascent across two separated field sessions
- October includes one short, very steep ascent gaining approximately 1,149 feet in under one mile
- Carry your own camera equipment and use a headlamp before sunrise or after sunset
- Own vehicle required between locations
If you need to cancelCancel more than 14 days before the primary Saturday Cancel from 14 days until 48 hours before the confirmed workshop start Cancel less than 48 hours before the confirmed workshop start, or do not attend
You receive a full refund of every payment you have made.
You receive the $400 balance back. The $99 deposit is kept.
No refund is provided because the seat can no longer be reliably replaced.
The $400 balance is due 14 days before the primary Saturday. If Jonathan cancels both the primary and weather-reserve dates, all payments are refunded. Read the complete Workshop Terms & Conditions.
Is this suitable for a complete beginner?
No. You should understand aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and be able to change those settings independently. The workshop focuses on landscape composition, field decisions, changing conditions, and editing.
Why must I keep Saturday and Sunday available?
Saturday is the primary one-day workshop date and Sunday is only the weather reserve. Moving the workshop to Sunday because of unsafe or materially poor conditions is not a cancellation.
Will I know the exact locations?
Yes. Registered participants receive the private itinerary for their selected date. Exact locations, meeting points, and access instructions are intentionally not published publicly. Routes may still change when safety, access, foliage, or conditions require it.
Is peak foliage or dramatic light guaranteed?
No. The dates are selected for strong historical fall potential, but foliage timing, fog, calm water, sunrise color, sunset color, and clear mountain views cannot be guaranteed.
What is not included?
Lodging, transportation, lunch, dinner, camera equipment, and travel insurance are not included. Participants drive themselves between meeting locations.