Palouse Eastern Washington Photo Tour
This outstanding photography tour capitalizes on unique Eastern Washington landscapes created thousands of years ago by the Missoula Ice Age floods. As the title indicates, this tour features the world-famous Palouse and its rolling hills of vibrant farmland, but rather than focusing solely on that one landscape for the entire tour, we explore equally impressive locations that are missing from every other Palouse photography tour.
In addition to the Palouse, we photograph spectacular bluffs overlooking the mighty Columbia River that have been untouched by agriculture and development for the last 80 years. We also photograph the surrounding mountains, jagged gorges, towering columnar basalt cliffs, hidden lakes, amazing waterfalls, beautiful wildflowers, and breathtaking sunsets.
You will improve your photo skills with personalized, professional photography instruction, and enhance your digital workflow and editing skills with one-on-one post processing instruction. You will use various exposure techniques and filters and learn ways to improve your compositions. You will also do some focus stacking, HDR processing, and image reviews, as well. Aside from the technical stuff, you will rest well in award-winning hotels, enjoy delicious gourmet cuisine, travel comfortably in private transportation, and have a ton of fun!
Photographers of all skill levels are welcome. The only requirement is a basic understanding of your DSLR, SLR, or mirrorless camera.
Fitness Level: Moderate
Participation requires that travelers be able to walk unassisted for three miles over uneven, potentially muddy and slippery trails, and up-and-down inclines with moderate altitude gain. There are hikes over a variety of terrain including pavement, gravel, and dirt trails with large roots, rocks, and stairs, and daily excursions can be more challenging during inclement weather.
TOUR DATES, PRICES & REGISTRATION
Registration & Final Payment Deadline: April 15, 2025
Availability
6 Person Maximum
Do It Yourself (DIY) Price: $2,175.00 (Credit Cards) / $2,100.00 (Checks)
DIY price includes professional photography and post processing instruction, image reviews, location expertise, snacks, and water. Price does NOT include airfare to and from Tri Cities Airport (PSC), ground transportation, lodging, meals, park fees, travel insurance, gratuities to instructor, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service.
All-Inclusive Price: $3,275.00 (Credit Cards) / $3,175.00 (Checks)
All-inclusive price is based on double occupancy and includes professional photography and post processing instruction, image reviews, location expertise, ground transportation including to and from Tri Cities Airport (PSC), all lodging and meals during the tour, snacks and water, and all park fees. Price does NOT include airfare to and from Tri Cities Airport (PSC), travel insurance, gratuities to instructor, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service.
Single Supplement: Additional $1,000.00 (Credit Cards) / $975.00 (Checks)
Single supplement applies to all-inclusive tour participants that are traveling alone and prefer their own hotel rooms rather than sharing rooms with another guest or when sharing rooms is not available.
Deposit / Payments
$1,000.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration. Remaining balance is due on the Registration & Final Payment deadline listed above.
Cancellations & Refunds
Deposits are non-refundable. For refunds, we require that a cancellation request in writing be received before 11:59pm Pacific Time on the Registration & Final Payment date. If we receive your written cancellation request before the Registration & Final Payment deadline and can refill your space, we will refund all payments, minus any discounts given to refill your space. If we cannot refill your space, we will refund 50% of all payments. No refunds are given, nor cancellations allowed after the Registration & Final Payment Deadline date. No partial refunds are given for unused services. There is a $50.00 charge for all returned payments. Please see our complete Liability & Cancellation Policy.
ITINERARY
Day 1 - Arrive in Tri-CitiesA representative from ColorTexturePhotoTours will greet you at Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) and take you to our hotel in Richland on the bank of the beautiful Columbia River. After getting settled, we'll have a delicious welcome dinner and shoot the Cable Bridge, which is the first of its kind ever constructed in the United States. We'll shoot throughout sunset, then return to our hotel. Note: Please schedule flight arrival at Tri Cities Airport (PSC) no later than 4P.
Day 2 - McNary Wildlife Refuge / Palouse Falls
After a morning shoot at amazing McNary Wildlife Refuge, we'll have breakfast and edit images, do image reviews, and enjoy a late lunch / early dinner before traveling to Palouse Falls. Created more than 13,000 years ago, Palouse Falls is among the last active waterfalls on the Ice Age floods path, and was designated as Washington's state waterfall by the state legislature in 2014. Palouse Falls plunges 198 feet into a swirling pool before flowing through a winding gorge of colorful columnar basalt and merging with the Snake River. We'll shoot through sunset, then return to our hotel.
Day 3 - Reach Museum / Hanford Reach / White Bluffs
After breakfast and editing images, we travel to the Reach Museum for some history of the Hanford Reach, also known as White Bluffs. Using photos, movies, and historical props and literature, this unique facility documents the history of the Hanford Reach, including Hanford's role in the top secret Manhattan Project. After visiting the museum, we'll enjoy a delicious late lunch / early dinner and travel to White Bluffs. White Bluffs was once part of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and has been untouched by development and agriculture since 1943. This stunning location along the Columbia River is filled with vibrant colors, tremendous textures, rolling mountains, wind-blown sand dunes, desert plants and wildlife, and the photo opportunities here are limitless. After shooting through sunset, we'll return to our hotel.
Day 4 - Ancient Lakes
After a local morning shoot, we'll have breakfast, edit images and do image reviews, before traveling towards sensational Ancient Lakes. Along the way, we'll stop and have an incredible meal at one of the best restaurants in the region. Ancient Lakes is a beautiful location created by the Missoula Ice Age floods that carved out jagged canyons and left several lakes and waterfalls surrounded by towering basalt cliffs and colorful desert foliage. After shooting through sunset, we'll travel back to our hotel.
Day 5 - The Palouse
After breakfast, editing images, and image reviews, we will travel to the Palouse, and photograph the fantastic region of farmland that's filled with abstract patterns, shapes, colors, and shadows. We will shoot throughout the day, only stopping for a late lunch / early dinner, and end the day at towering Steptoe Butte. Located high above the Palouse Hills on the eastern edge of Washington state, Steptoe Butte offers unmatched views of the unique landscape. The bluff stands out against flowing hills of green and beige with an occasional barn breaking up the landscape and colors shifting and changing in the light. We'll photograph through sunset, then return to our hotel.
Day 6 - Depart Tri-Cities
After breakfast and editing images, we'll travel by private transfer to Tri-Cities Airport, where you'll catch your flight home. Note: Please schedule your flight departure no earlier than 11A.
