Magic in the Tetons Spring 2025

june 2-6, 2025

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Grand Teton National Park is one of the most spectacular and awe inspiring landscapes in the world. These rocky peaks rise majestically above the floor of the Jackson Hole Valley and will take your breath away with their beauty. There is endless inspiration for photographers in this amazing corner of northwest Wyoming. June brings a beautiful and lush landscape and dark skies for Milky Way shooting!

The Tetons have held my heart since I was a young girl. As the story has been told to me, at the age of 4, I held up my arms and declared them "My Mountains". I think this is a common reaction to this magical place! Come spend 4 days with me in this amazing place as I lead you to some of the iconic can't miss spots in the valley as well as a few personal favorites. 

*Kristen Ryan Photography is an authorized permittee of the National Park Service

Included in the workshop: 

* 4 days of photographic adventures in an amazing national park! 

• 4 nights of lodging in a prime location - a bedroom to yourself in a cabin with one other attendee

• Welcome reception & light dinner

  * Small group limited to 7 attendees for lots of 1:1 attention

• Pre-retreat 15 minute photo chat with Kristen to prepare for the adventure

• Private group in Women Capture Magic to bring our group together before the retreat as well as after where we can continue to share our images and chat after the retreat including post processing feedback

Not included: Airfare, Transportation to the cabins, or during the retreat, meals, travel insurance (highly recommended)

DATES: JUNE 2-6, 2025 - Retreat begins at 4:30 in the afternoon of June 2nd with check in to the cabins at 4:00 p.m. followed by a welcome dinner and reception, then out for sunset. The retreat will wrap up in the evening of June 5th for travel home on June 6th.

Skill Level: All skill levels welcome though a solid understanding of shooting in manual is recommended.

Activity Level:  Many of our locations are very close to the parking areas, which require little walking. However, participants should be prepared to walk up to several miles per day as we move around at locations.

Investment: $3600 (6 spots) - Each attendee will have their own bedroom in a two bedroom cabin with a shared kitchen, bathroom and cozy living room steps from Grand Teton National Park.

$4275 (2 spots) This opportunity provides for a one bedroom cabin with bathroom, kitchen and living area all to yourself for the weekend!

The cost includes 4 days tuition plus 4 nights lodging, light welcome reception dinner, in field instruction, and opportunity for post workshop discussion and critique.

Deposit: A *deposit of $1000 will hold your place in the workshop. The remaining balance is due 90 days prior to the workshop*. Deposit is non refundable unless your spot is filled, in which case it will be refunded minus an administration fee. This same policy applies to the full tuition after it is paid. No exceptions.

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Group Size: Limited to 8 attendees

Accomodations & Travel: We will be staying at Dornan's. This location will be ideal as we will be close to Grand Teton National Park and many excellent shooting locations. We are also only 15-20 minutes from the town of Jackson and about 10 minutes from the Jackson Hole (JAC) airport. Other airport alternatives are Idaho Falls (approx 2 hours drive) and Salt Lake City (5 hours drive).

During the retreat, we will carpool to locations so you may need to rent a car and/or contribute some cash to another attendee who volunteers to drive. We need 2 additional drivers to myself so that additional drivers can switch off!

We will be staying in cozy cabins which each have a living area, kitchen and bathroom.  Dornan's has a small grocery store and a pizza/pasta restaurant. Dornan's is our home away from home and chosen not only for its fantastic location but to foster a retreat feeling of this workshop together.  Not to mention, the view.

Itinerary: Participants should be prepared to be flexible in the schedule. Weather and photographic conditions will dictate our schedule for shooting, discussion, meals and even sleep. We will take advantage of getting out in the field as much as possible while still providing time for meaningful connection, discussion and meals together. Weather in the Tetons varies greatly and the forecast can change on a dime. Therefore the itinerary remains flexible and TBD until very close to the retreat and even may change as we go. We take advantage of clear skies for Milky Way shooting and this can sometimes mean very late nights. We will not hit sunset, stars and sunrise every day but will pick and choose based on conditions.

The workshop time will be heavily focused in the field but will also include post processing discussion after the retreat via scheduled chats if you choose to take advantage.

Photographic Opportunities: We will chase the light and follow Mother Nature as she guides us through our three days. We will capture the grand landscape as well as more intimate scenes. Possible shooting locations include Schwabacher's Landing, Oxbow Bend, Mormon Row, Snake River Overlook, Signal Mountain, String Lake, Jenny Lake, among others. Specific itinerary will not be determined until the week before due to the impact of weather conditions. 

** Kristen Ryan Photography is an authorized CUA permit holder of the National Park Service and will conduct my workshop based on the permit's guidelines.

*** Terms and Conditions

TESTIMONIALS FROM PAST JUNE attendees

“4 Words – Book Your Trip Immediately! Magic in the Tetons is the second retreat I’ve been to with Kristen, and it was absolutely a dream come true. She has an amazing passion for this area of Wyoming, and it is infectious. Kristen’s ability to mix her knowledge of the area, compassion for nature first and truly outstanding photography skills is a “win-win-win” for anyone in her group. With her phenomenal guidance, relaxed attitude, genuine nature and her generous desire for you to have an awe-inspiring experience, you will no doubt have a trip of a lifetime. This is a place that you will not only take award winning photos, but you will make life-long friendships and connections and memories to treasure forever. If you are on the fence about whether to invest in this retreat, I’m telling you, do not hesitate any further – book your trip immediately!” - Jen D ( June 2021 )

“The beauty of the landscapes, and Kristen's deep knowledge of where and when to find their enchantment is part of what makes Magic in the Tetons such an exceptional experience. Learning to chase the light, and fine tune our skills in the field was wonderful. But the most valuable parts of this experience went far beyond the technical. Making images and getting to know like minded women was very uplifting and enriching. Kristen's one-on-one attention was perfect because I feel like she gave each of us the exact guidance we needed for where we were in our photographic journeys. She also helped us learn to make images mindfully, to think about what we want to convey, and realize our visions. I enjoyed learning with Kristen so much I want to do it again. Make time for this adventure, you won't regret it!” - Benita ( June 2021 )

“Kristen’s retreat was a fantastic experience! It is so great to be able to come together with like minded women, to get out and create some beautiful landscape images in a beautiful location! Kristen is a master at having you at the right location at the right time and knows the area very well, she is a wonderful teacher that can help any level of photographer learn something new . The ladies I met while there became quick friends ! I will never forget sitting in the dark visiting laughing and then watching as my lcd screen lit up with some Milky Way stars or waiting for the sun to make its appearance on another glorious day in the Tetons! I highly recommend going on a retreat led by Kristen!” - Pam L ( June 2021 )

”Kristen’s perspective of the Tetons is magical and infectious. I was so exhausted when I left but she gave us so many opportunities to grow as photographers. We were up for sunrises and sunsets and astrophotography! But the best part was the peace. Peace to be present and be with other women. It’s a special retreat. I only hope I get many more retreats with Kristen!” - Elizabeth P ( June 2021 )

“I cannot say enough about Kristen’s retreats. I attended Magic in the Tetons in June of 2021 and Magic in Chicago in August 2021. Before the June retreat, I was a little nervous going in, I felt like a beginner still and didn’t know anyone attending. I was quickly put at ease. All of the women were wonderful. Everyone was from all over the country and all different ages and stages of life, but we all instantly bonded. Kristen is so friendly and welcoming and created that atmosphere among the group. Kristen’s knowledge of the Tetons is vast. She knew exactly where to take us for our shoots. I learned so much during the shoots. No matter what your ability Kristen is there to help or leave you be if you are comfortable. Plenty of help was offered between Kristen, her assistant Addie and the other women. The opportunity to go to a beautiful location and shoot to your heart’s content is one of the best aspects. All the planning is done for you and I never felt rushed. I left the retreat with so much knowledge, a full SD card and 10 new friends. After the retreat Kristen posted many post processing videos, I continued to learn so much more. She was available to help with any editing and continues to check in. A week after the Teton retreat, an opening came up in the August Chicago retreat. I immediately signed up. I wondered if the experience would be different with a different group of women. It was not at all. Another group of fabulous women, location & assistant. I enjoyed both immensely and cannot wait to attend another.” - Lisa D (June 2021)

“I attended the Magic in the Tetons Workshop this past June. I highly recommend this retreat for anyone looking for a highly supportive photography experience in possibly one of the most beautiful places in the country. Kristen keeps the group size small 6-8 women, so that she can offer maximum individual attention to everyone that has technical questions as well as help on composition, light, etc. I like her approach of using the time we had there to maximize shooting, and handling processing afterwards. Kristen knows the Tetons inside and out: the best venues and when to shoot them. She has a special connection there that really comes across. She also got cabins in the park for us to stay, which cut down a lot of driving time that we would have had to do if we stayed in Jackson Hole. It was so much fun shooting sunrise, sunset, and the Milky Way. (I finally learned the ins and outs of shooting the Milky Way and I am definitely hooked!) It was so great being with a group of like-minded women photographers (who had a blast at 3AM shooting the Milky Way in the cold). The group was very supportive of each other and I made some great friendships. I definitely will take more of her workshops.” - Chris C (June 2022)

“Early this summer I had the privilege of participating in Kristen Ryan’s “Magic in the Tetons” photography retreat. While creating images of dramatic snow-capped mountains on spectacular blue sky days was definitely one reason to sign up for a Wyoming photography workshop, Magic in the Tetons turned out to be so much more. Kristen is a great leader: she’s friendly, knowledgeable about the technical aspects of mountain photography, and always helpful. With her familiarity, long history with, and love of Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding area, she was able to take us to spots that felt intimate and far enough away from more popular, too crowded areas. These sites were, yet ,awe inspiring with unique foreground framed by the dramatic mountainscapes. Everywhere I went in the Tetons contained little surprises. Sitting by a stream edge one evening at sunset I was delighted to find small bog orchids seemingly reaching up to the darkening mountain peaks. Once, at sunrise, white pelicans drifted through a series frame of lightening snowy mountain tops. Early another evening chunky black thunderclouds produced stormy drama (and rain), eventually breaking to allow leaking soft haloes of golden sunlight and an opposing rainbow over the buttes. Our small group was comprised of women originating from East to West Coast. Despite different interests and photography experience, we were able to bond as a group over our passion for carrying camera gear over all sorts of terrain to shoot photos in western weather that ranged from mouth parching dry in summer heat to nearly “bitter cold” at night (as described by the group’s Floridian member). I will always cherish the memory of the seeing the Milky Way over the Tetons we made while standing over rushing water in the deeply dark and cold middle of the night. The group camaraderie, the scenery waiting to be revealed in almost agonizingly slowly series of long exposure shots, the quiet and solitude of composing in starlight was truly magical. There’s just something inherently energizing and even joyful about sharing a creative experience in a gorgeous natural setting. Yes, please, I want More! I’d do it all over again and again! I have beautiful photos from my Magic in the Tetons trip, but more important, I have the unforgettable memories of just being there and feeling that place being imprinted on me.” - Beatrice S (June 2022)