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2024 Yellowstone Spring Wildlife Tour

Photography Tours, Workshops, Consulting, and Presentations

I lead photo tours and photography workshops, give talks, and provide consulting services and classes both locally and abroad.  You’ll find information on my Yellowstone photo tours and overseas tours to Latin America, Africa and more below.  If you have questions or would like to schedule a private session, please contact me.

Virtual Consultations

Virtual consultations with Max WaughBook a private session to get advice or critiques from Max. (NEW!)

Learn more about virtual sessions.

Yellowstone Spring Wildlife

Yellowstone Spring Wildlife Tour

June 2 – 8, 2024 (3 Spots Left!)

Learn more about this tour.

Brazil Amazon + Pantanal

Brazil Jaguars and Wildlife Tour

July 21 – Aug. 1, 2024 (FULL)

Learn more about this tour.

Great Bear Rainforest

2019 Wilds of the Great Bear Tour

Sept. 22 – 30, 2024 (2 Spots Left!)
Late Sept., 2025

Learn more about this tour.

Borneo

Red Leaf Monkey

October 2024

Contact me for more information.

Cats of Mongolia

Cats of Mongolia Tour

Nov. 10 – 24, 2024 (3 Spots Left!)
November 2025

Learn more about this tour.

Yellowstone in Winter

Yellowstone Winter Photo Tour
January 11 – 18, 2025
January 18 – 25, 2025

Learn more about this tour.

Costa Rica Wildlife

Costa Rica Photo Tour
March/April 2025

Learn more about this tour.

Wild Pumas of Patagonia

Wild Pumas of Patagonia TourMay 3 – 10, 2025

Learn more about this tour.

Alaska Brown Bears

Alaska Peninsula Brown Bears

Late June 2025
August 2026

Learn more about this tour.

Zambia: Rivers of Life

Zambia Rivers of Life photo safari

September 2026

Learn more about this tour.

PNW Spring & Winter Outings

Pacific Northwest Owl Photo Tours and Workshops

Sorry, private local tours are currently on hold. You’re still welcome to contact me for a private consulting session.

  • "Max's basic photography lessons are well-designed, informative, and useful for anyone starting out in photography.  For pure novices, Max makes things easy to understand and he makes sure everyone is on the same page before moving on. I personally had some photography under my belt before taking his class, and Max helped reinforce my knowledge with solid fundamentals, as well as techniques to help me take my next step forward."
    - Chris S.
  • "Your expertise was very helpful and I learned a tremendous amount about photography in the jungle.  Lighting, lens choices, camera adjustments, etc. is very difficult in the rainforest and your were a superb teacher. My pictures improved throughout the week.  We will certainly look forward to accompanying you on other trips in the future and can recommend you without reservation."
    - Steve B.
  • "Max's class served not only as a great introduction to nature photography, but to general photography as well. I really got to know my equipment and feel more comfortable just shooting and shooting and shooting. I'd highly recommend his class!"

    - Adam C.

  • "Max's photography class is a treat for any photographer. He taught me how to use and understand my first DSLR. I was in the class with more experienced photographers and Max divided his attention among the students equally. He is a patient, knowledgeable and fun teacher."

    - Margaret H.

  • “Max’s knowledge of Yellowstone, its inhabitants, where specific inhabitants are known to have been spotted and how the park changes over time is second to none.  Although I was familiar with basic operations of my photography equipment used in everyday settings, Max was patient with my questions about how to set up my equipment up for wildlife encounters. He is comfortable and gentle about making suggested lighting settings, shutter speed, etc.  All of this makes for a very fruitful and fun experience.” - Ryan G.
  • "I found the workshop informative and practical, and Max certainly knows Yellowstone well, including sources of information as to wildlife movement."

    - Lance G.

Schedule a Private Workshop or Tour

Customized Pacific Northwest Photo Workshops

owlshorteared122111skagit72Customized Pacific Northwest and Seattle Area Workshops and Tours

At this time I have put local tours on hold. However, I am offering virtual consultation sessions as a (cheaper) alternative to aid clients with learning, research, and educational opportunities. Learn more about booking a consultation.

Destinations include:

  • Boundary Bay & Reifel Bird Sanctuary: Birds of Prey and Wetland Wildlife
  • Discovery Park or Yost Park: Barred Owls and Other Birds
  • Mt. Rainier: Incredible Scenery and Some Wildlife
  • Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge: Wetland Birds and Wildlife
  • Skagit River: Bald Eagles!
  • Skagit Valley: Short-Eared Owls and Other Birds of Prey
  • Washington Park Arboretum: Wetland Exploration by Boat
  • Woodland Park Zoo/Northwest Trek: Great for Practicing Photography

Talks and Presentations

I have begun to offer photography talks and presentations. Please contact me to discuss ideas for presenting to your photography club, expo, festival, or school group.

Intro to Nature Photography Course (Seattle Area)

blackbirdredwinged050612arboretum19Seattle Intro to Nature Photography Course

At this moment, I am no longer offering this course. However, if there’s enough interest, I may put together a new virtual hybrid model, consisting of online presentations and follow-up critiques. If this interests you or your group, do let me know! I am now offering virtual consultation sessions if you’d like to book a less formal informational session.

Learn about nature photography and put the concepts you learn into practice during field trip shoots! This is a good option for beginners just learning about photography, or intermediate photographers looking for an excuse to shoot more.

The course consists of four weeknight classes and three field trips, spread over four weeks in the greater Seattle area. We’ll cover nature photography subjects and techniques, as well as the basics of photography.  Topics include:

  • Wildlife, landscape and macro photography
  • Getting to know your gear: Cameras, lenses and accessories
  • Elements of exposure: aperture, shutter speed, ISO
  • Composition
  • Patterns, lines and texture
  • Light
  • Post processing
  • Ethics and the business side of photography
  • …and much more!

Customized Yellowstone Photo Tours

morninggloryCustomized Yellowstone Tours and Extensions

I will be happy work with you to put together a personalized Yellowstone itinerary that suits your needs as a photographer. You may either look into adding an extension to one of our existing tour itineraries (great for hitting some of the neighboring areas of the park or simply spending more time in Yellowstone), or planning a private guided itinerary for the duration of your stay in the park.

Popular extensions include geyser and thermal tours, a visit to Grand Teton National Park or simply more time spent photographing wildlife in Yellowstone.

I am happy to work with photo groups on a full private tour itinerary as well.

Learn more about my customized Yellowstone tours and extensions here.

Customized International Photo Tours

 

giraffe-manyara20Personalized International Nature Photo Tours

Plan a personalized photo tour for your family or group.  Throughout my travels, I have worked with several of the top tour operators in exotic photo destinations around the globe. With the help of these localized partners, we can plan a customized itinerary to some of the world’s top wildlife destinations. Individuals or groups are welcome, and we can customize a tour to focus on the skills or subjects you wish to target.

I am currently available for custom photo tours to some of the following destinations:

  • Brazil: The Amazon and Pantanal
  • Chile: Customized puma trips in Chilean Patagonia
  • Costa Rica: Extreme Jungle Wildlife
  • Ecuadorian Amazon & the Galapagos Islands: The Best of Both Worlds
  • Great Bear Rainforest: Land of the Spirit Bear
  • South Africa: Land of Leopards
  • Tanzania: Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, and more

Learn more about these customized wildlife photo tours.

Have questions about my classes, workshops and tours?  Or would you like to inquire about scheduling a private tour for your family or group?  Don’t hesitate to contact me!