Northern California with Joe McNally
Measuring less than 50 square miles San Francisco justly ranks as one of the greatest cities in the world. Famous for grand-dame Victorians, cable cars, a dynamic waterfront, and a soaring golden bridge, this city truly has it all.
Napa is an old City by California standards, founded in 1847. Surrounded by some of the most prestigious vineyards in the world, Napa also has a colorful past as the jumping-off point for 49ers bound for the gold rush. Join us as we stroll through the vineyards, talk with the winemaker, or sip award-winning wines with dramatic views of the valley floor.
This workshop incorporates a mix of photographic learning and discussion in the classroom, as well as exploration and practices out in the field. Most days include a photo shoot in the field, hands-on learning, on-location demos, specific assignments to enhance your photographic skills, and edit-and-critique sessions in our designated classroom. The weekend is capped off by a final image presentation to showcase participants’ best or favorite work taken throughout the week.
OUR LOCATIONS
- Union Square, San Francisco
- Sausalito and The Golden Gate Bridge
- Napa, Healdsburg, and the Wine Region
- Private tours and tastings of world-class vineyards
WHAT'S INCLUDED
7 Days/6 Nights
- All accommodations
- On location classes, demos, and assistance in the field
- 3 Classes/edit & critique sessions
- 3 Dinners
- Some local transportation
- Travel, landscape, architecture, and people photography
ACCOMMODATIONS
We typically stay in upscale, boutique hotels in the 4 and 5-star category.
In San Francisco, The Clancy, a new addition to the Marriott Autograph Collection.
In Napa, 5-star luxury in the Archer Hotel
DATES
- GROUP 1: April 24 - 30, 2022 SOLD OUT!
- GROUP 2: May 1 - 7, 2022 NEW DATES ADDED!
COST
$5695 per person
$3500 Companion Fee
WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP RIGHT FOR?
- Beginner, amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers
- Photographers with an interest in learning about flash
- DSLR, mirrorless, compact camera users
- Please note this workshop will require a fair amount of walking while in San Francisco.
WEATHER | SUNRISE/SUNSET
April – Temps 70/60 F Sunrise 6:15am | Sunset 7:55pm
May - Temps 75/65 Sunrise 6:10am | Sunset 8:05pm
TRAVEL INFO
Airport: San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Transfer time is about 30 minutes to downtown San Francisco
We will have a private coach for our time in the wine country. While in San Francisco, we will be using public transportation to get to some locations and will walk to others.
FUN FACTS
During the Great Depression, not a single bank in San Francisco failed. In fact, business was so good that the city constructed the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge during the Depression.
In 1906, three quarters of San Francisco was destroyed by an earthquake and fire. The earthquake was the first natural disaster to be documented in photographs. The resulting fire burned for four days, and caused more than $8 billion in damage in today’s dollars.
There are 420 physical wineries in the Napa Valley that produces over 815 different wine brands. And of those wineries, 95% of them are all family owned.
Back in 1976, “The Judgement of Paris” occurred. This event was when two Californian wines, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, were put to a blind taste testing where they completely dominated over the other, world renowned French wines. This is the moment that little ole Napa Valley, California wines got themselves on the map and taken seriously in the wine world!
Levi Strauss invented denim jeans in San Francisco for the Gold Rush miners who needed durable yet comfortable clothing.