Experience California's Gold Country - Photography Tour
April 10, 2014 -> April 13, 2014

Step back in time to experience and photograph the glory of the California Gold Rush from within the heart of the Gold Country in the Western Sierra Foothills. Join professional landscape and travel photographer Gary Crabbe of Enlightened Images Photography, and Harvey Abernathy of Night & Day Photos for this wonderful photographic tour designed to capture the feeling and flavor of life in the 1850's during the height of the Gold Rush.

What we'll be seeing and doing:

We will be photographing and learning about the history of the mid-to-late 1800's Gold Rush which began in the heart of the Sierra foothills. As part of this photographic tour, we'll have the opportunity to work with some of the region's living history exhibits, including people in period costumes, a period firing line of old-fashion guns and cannons, and a private tour and night photography of some old-fashioned trains and railroad cars in a railyard exhibit.

We'll also have a chance to photograph inside a haunted old hotel. By the way, if you're lucky enough to actually photograph an authentic, real ghost, chances are that photo will make you very rich. In addition, we'll also have a chance to photograph some of the area's landscapes, which define this part of the western slope of Central Sierra foothills. Hopefully, Mother Nature will grace us with enough rainfall between now and then to insure a magnificent display of local wildflowers.

Tour Outline:

Our tour will start on the evening of April 10th, where we will meet and greet, with an outline meeting of the events over the next three days. Wine and snacks will be served. On April 11th, we will start with a full day of outings, visiting a mining town, with the whole town registered as a California Historical Landmark. We will lunch at a historic hotel with documented ghosts, visiting one of the oldest working saloons in California. Lunch will be provided! Afterwards, we will head to a railyard, where we will have a private tour of steam engines and rail cars from the mid-1800's and beyond. After sunset and dinner, we will have an opportunity to come back for some night photography work in the railyard.

On April 12th, after an optional sunrise shoot & breakfast, we'll start the day meeting up with an organization that enjoys the camaraderie of shooting off cannons and black powder guns in reenactment scenario.. so bring your earplugs, or we'll have some for you. The afternoon will be spent in a living history town where we will have opportunities to photograph people in period piece costumes, handcrafters and events. We'll end the day photographing some of the area's wonderful rolling landscapes. On April 13th, we will head out for hike around the Table Mountains to photograph fields of wildflowers, ending the tour in the afternoon.

Within the busy schedule, we will get hands-on opportunities to work together as a group and individually; with the tour leaders there to enhance your experience, answer technical questions, provide instruction, and help develop your vision as a photographer. You will also receive a wonderful history tour of the early beginnings of this state.

Tour Details:

Cost: $495.00 per person.

What's included?

Three days of outings & tours with on-site photographic instruction and guiding as necessary, meet & greet orientation with wine and snacks; lunch on Saturday, all entrance fees.

What's not included?

Lodging, airfare, transportation and meals are not included, unless otherwise noted.

Number of Participants?

We need a minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 12 participants.

What else should I know?

Rooms have been blocked at the Gunn House Hotel in Sonora, a historic hotel built in 1850. You may choose to stay in other facilities, but we will meet for carpooling from the hotel in the mornings. Participants are urged to ride-share & share travel costs. Breakfasts are included with the hotel rooms in the Gunn House Hotel. Rooms are currently available, so book your room as soon as you sign up for the tour. When you contact the hotel, let them know you are part of the “Experiencing Gold Country Photography Tour.” We will assist in coordinating participants who may want to share rooms, so let us know if you are interested in sharing a room before booking.

Health Considerations:

There will be walking, hiking, and walking on uneven ground, so participants should be in good general health with the appropriate mobility and capability to carry one's own equipment and gear for up to a couple miles over the course of a day. Because all outdoor activities carry some inherent risk, each participant will be required to sign a standard waiver of liability or acknowledgement of risk form. We do not assume any responsibility for medical care. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know beforehand.


Tour Reservation & Cancellation Policy:

Payment in full due at booking. We accept Check, Money Order, Paypal & Credit Cards.


To pay using PAYPAL:

To pay by credit card, simply fill out the bottom (billing portion) of my Secure Online Order Form. In the text area provided for notes, simply indicate "April 2014 Gold Country Photo Tour" and note the number of participants you'll be paying for.

If you wish to pay by check or money order, please contact me for my mailing address.

There will be no cancellations allowed due to weather. We recommend that you purchase travel protection insurance in case of the tour being cancelled in case we are unable to meet the minimum number of participants, or for any other unforeseen circumstances. Cancellations within 60-90 days will be refunded 50% of workshop fee and cancellations made within 60 days of workshop start date are non-refundable. If minimum participant requirement is not met, you will be refunded 100% of the tour fee.



Be sure to also check out the Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) page.


For more information or other questions, please contact me directly.