Oct 25th – 29th , 2026
Advanced Photography Boot Camp: Push Your Limits in Sedona
$1,695.00
Only spaces remaining!
Description
Advanced Photography Boot Camp: Push Your Limits in Sedona
Advanced level of our wildly popular Photo Boot Camp
Join MPA instructors Toby Gelston and Frank Stelges in beautiful Sedona, Arizona for our Advanced Photography Boot Camp!
Highlights include small-group personalized instruction, daily critiques, and classroom time in addition to photographing stunning Sedona. Tailored for experienced photographers, this boot camp emphasizes daily challenges that push creativity and technique—perfect for those who know their camera and have a strong grasp of the exposure triangle. Lightroom sessions will dive into advanced editing techniques, including complex masking, selective adjustments, and enhancing fine details to create polished, compelling images.
Dates: October 25–29, 2026
- Small group instruction with an attendee-to-instructor ratio of 5:1 (10 participants, 2 instructors)
- Stunning sunrise and sunset shoots amidst Sedona’s red rock landscapes
- Daily challenges and constructive feedback designed to elevate your photography
- Full moon landscape photography with hands-on instructor support (weather permitting)
- Daily classroom instruction focused on editing techniques using your newly captured images
This is a blend of classroom instruction and in-the-field practice.
Sedona, located in Arizona, is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and iconic red rock formations, making it a truly special place for photography. Here are a few reasons why we chose Sedona to host this boot camp:
- Red Rock Landscapes: Distinct formations such as Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock create dramatic backdrops. Light shifts across the formations throughout the day offer endless opportunities to capture dynamic, compelling images.
- Dramatic Sunsets and Sunrises: Clear skies and unique geography often produce brilliant sunrise and sunset colors—ideal for landscape photography.
- Diverse Flora and Fauna: Cacti, wildflowers, and varied desert plant life provide opportunities for macro, nature, and wildlife photography.
- Architectural Variety: From modern structures to rustic cabins and Spanish-inspired buildings, Sedona offers rich architectural subject matter for creative exploration.
Our tour is set for late October, which is prime photography time in the Sedona area.
A Photographic Boot Camp for Advanced Students
Those who join should have a strong understanding of their camera, the exposure triangle, and basic Lightroom organization and editing.
VERY LIMITED SPACE available on this tour! As always, we expect it to sell out—don’t miss it!
Registration and more details below.
Please Note: While this isn’t a hiking trip, there is some walking involved. Most outings include short walks of up to about ½ mile at a time over uneven, rocky terrain, as is typical in Sedona. A basic level of mobility and comfort on rough ground is important so everyone can safely and comfortably access the shooting locations.
The Details:
- Attendee to Instructor Ratio: SMALL GROUP tour – 10 photographers and 2 Instructors!
- Price: $1895 (SPECIAL $1695 if paid in full at registration)
- 6 Month Payment Plans Available at Full Rate
- Price includes:
- The MPA team personally educating and photographing with you!
- Full days of shooting with classroom instruction.
- Transportation during activities and shooting times
- Price DOES NOT include:
- Transportation to Sedona, AZ
- Phoenix International Airport
- Shuttle from the airport to the hotel
- Recommended Trip Insurance
- Personal Expenses
- Such as meals, room service, alcohol, or beverages
- Accommodations
- We can help facilitate a roommate if you would like
- Transportation to Sedona, AZ
Base itinerary:
Oct 25th – Arrive in Sedona and Evening Group Meeting
Oct 26th – Photography Sessions & Classroom Session Full Day
Oct 27th – Photography Sessions & Classroom Session Full Day
Oct 28th – Photography Sessions & Classroom Session Full Day
Oct 29th – Depart at your Leisure
Each day will present various photographic opportunities. Based on a number of factors, each day will be flexible to where we go and exactly what we photograph. This keeps everything fresh and exciting!
Plan to experience VERY full days of photography with time in the classroom too. Weather dependent, we will also plan at least one evening of night photography and our workshop is timed perfectly to capture a rising full moon!
Accommodations:
Room Info comings soon
Instructors:
- Toby Gelston
- Frank Stelges
Instructors are scheduled, however, they are subject to change as needed.
Tour Pack:
Please download the updated Tour Packet here. (Coming Soon)
The information contained in this packet is also available under the Tour Prep page here on the web site. However, this packet will also include some gear specifics for this tour.
Testimonials:
A few words from guests on a recent Toby and Frank-led photo workshop:
This was a great workshop expanding both my photographic and editing skills. Toby and Frank did a wonderful job challenging us to push our skills through informative teaching sessions and daily assignments. I highly recommend this fun workshop.
By Lauren R for Advanced Photography Boot Camp
Beginners and experienced photographers alike will benefit from the style of this instruction. For relative newcomers, you will learn the capabilities of your gear and become familiar with techniques that will serve you forever. For experienced photographers, the challenges posed on daily shoots will push you to think differently about what you’ve “always done” and will help you grow as an artist. Toby and Frank have a very broad knowledge base and can answer just about any question you may have with kindness and understanding. Egos are left out of the trip – this is all about learning and having a great experience in photography.
-Lori Jennings-Emery
If you are looking to take your photography skills to the next level, jump at the opportunity to attend Toby and Frank’s workshop. This “Dynamic Duo” provides a one-of-a-kind adventure while helping you with your technical and creative skills. The daily photo challenges helped push my creativity and see subjects in a new way and the image review provided an opportunity for feedback not only from the DD but from other students. I look forward to attending another workshop to expand on what I’ve learned.
-Marjorie O’Brien
I so appreciated the opportunity to learn more about photography from both of you in Italy, the daily challenges were outstanding as these made me “work” to achieve the objective, then be able to review everyone’s photo in that challenge was another opportunity to absorb your knowledge and how to better critique photos.
I still feel it was the most outstanding experience I’ve ever had on a tour!– Diane Bush
I just spent a month with Toby and Frank on a spectacular trip to Italy. Not only was the scenery fantastic, but the exceptional instruction and assistance from Toby and Frank was outstanding. My photo skills (capture, camera knowledge, composition, and expanding my boundaries) was greatly enhanced through the daily challenges we were assigned. This soon became a highlight of my trip. I learned an incredible amount in such a short time…and came home with some really amazing shots! I feel I have really grown in my photography through this experience. Totally loved it!
– Julie Heale
I have traveled with the McKay Photography Academy many times since 2020. I keep going back to MPA because of the fabulous locations but also the great education by the professional instructors and the small groups. But the trip to Italy in the spring of 2023 stands out among the rest. We stayed at 3 different places for 6 days each, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and the Dolomites. Each day, we were given daily challenges by our instructors, Toby Gelston and Frank Stelges. Staying in each place allowed us to have time in the afternoon before dinner to have image reviews. The daily challenges were very creative. We shot in black and white, looked for reflections in water, looked for the “Good Life….La Dolce Vita, while in Sienna, details and motion as examples. This forced us all to think differently about how we would normally photograph, be it landscapes, architecture or people. The image reviews allowed us to learn and improve our work each day. One of my favorite McKay trips of all.-Mary MaddenYour Italy workshop was terrific. Great scenery, wonderful food and a supportive group. What really helped me grow my skills were your daily challenges, the image review with constructive feedback, the opportunity to see how others saw the same location, and the suggestions made by my fellow photographers. A truly enjoyable way to become better at my craft.-Rudiger Wolf
