Key Details
Dates: October 23 - 25, 2020
Location: The Olympic Peninsula in Washington State
Price: $965 per person + $30 online booking fee
Lodging: Two nights lodging included in the tour price
Group Size: Limited to 6 participants
Postponed for Spring 2021
Hiking Tour & Photo Workshop Summary
During October, the Olympic Peninsula features some of the best fall colors and stunning waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest. Olympic Hiking Co. is excited to partner Michael Matti for our 3rd Olympic Peninsula Photography Tour and Workshop, exploring the top fall destinations in Olympic National Park. This three-day special event combines our top-rated hiking tours with Michael leading brilliant on-site photography demonstrations for how to best capture these iconic viewpoints and lessons for his overall photo taking process.
After two days of outdoor explorations and photography, the third day will focus on the workshop portion of the event, which will include an indoor media session where we will cover a wide range of valuable topics including workflow, editing, and social media strategy.
The tour will start at 12:45 PM on Friday, October 23rd at the Seattle Ferry terminal and end back at the Seattle Ferry terminal around 7:15pm on Sunday, October 25th. You also have the option to meet in Port Angeles or at the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal if you prefer to drive to one of those locations yourself.
The tour will feature an action-packed itinerary from sunrise to sunset, as we cover as much of the peninsula as we can. Expect early morning starts around 5:30 AM on Saturday and Sunday. The specific locations for the tour will vary depending on the weather each day but they will include waterfalls, rain forests, beaches, and lakes. Marymere Falls, Sol Duc Falls, Second Beach, Ruby Beach, Kalaloch, the Hoh Rain Forest, and Lake Crescent are some of the locations we plan to visit on this tour.
Destination Gallery
About Your Trip Leaders
Michael Matti: Your Expert Olympic Peninsula Photography & Workshop Instructor
Michael Matti is an adventure and travel photographer based out of Seattle, Washington. He moved to Seattle in 2013 from Indiana, after graduating with a degree in photography and has now been working full time as a professional photographer for over 6 years. His work takes him all around the world as he shoots mostly for outdoor and travel brands. As well as shooting commercially, he loves teaching others through his workshops, sharing about both the art of photography and the more technical side of settings and editing. He also loves showing others the beauty of the Olympic Peninsula through these workshops. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest, no area has captivated him more than the Olympic Peninsula. He has made dozens of trips to the area and will always keep coming back.
Tommy Farris: Your Olympic National Park Hiking Guide & Tour Leader
Inspired by his passion for the beauty of the Olympic Peninsula and his hometown of Port Angeles, Tommy Farris founded the Olympic Hiking Company in 2016 and became a commercially authorized tour company in Olympic National Park. Since the launch, Olympic Hiking Co. has facilitated over 1,000 group tours, backpacker trailhead shuttles, and custom private tours for over 4,000 passengers. Tommy surrounded himself with a team of expert naturalist hiking guides with various environmental science backgrounds so the Olympic Hiking Co. guides can provide a wide array of information at each destination. As a hands-on and passionate business owner, Tommy enjoys all of the elements of operating Olympic Hiking Co. and continues to guide for special custom events and private tours like this photography tour and workshop.
Other Important Trip Details
Lodging Discount
If you book for two or more participants traveling together and would like to share a hotel room, or if you don’t require lodging during the trip, please reach out to discover@hikeolympic.com to inquire about a $200 lodging discount.
What is included
2 nights lodging in your own private room
Light breakfast buffet on Saturday and Sunday
Water and snacks throughout the event
Transportation during the 3 day event (ferry tickets, modern tour van, etc.)
An insightful guided hike to each destination
Photo instruction
Social media strategy help
Photo editing instruction
Copy of Michael’s personal Lightroom Presets
What is not included
Any flights to and from Seattle
Lunches and Dinners
Transportation to the Seattle Ferry Terminal before the workshop and transportation after you arrive back at the Seattle Ferry Terminal
Travel Insurance
Gear: You are expected to bring your own photography and outdoors gear. The weather on the Olympic Peninsula can vary greatly with cold mornings/evenings, persistent rain showers, and wind gusts, so pack accordingly with water resistant clothing and warm base layers.
Group Size
The workshop will consist of 4-6 total photographers. This workshop is limited to 6 participants and will run with a minimum of 4 participants.
Skill Level
This workshop is open to all skill levels but is best suited for a beginner/intermediate photographer, as they have more to learn from the experience.
Difficulty of Hikes
Easy. There will be short hikes every day with the focus on photo opportunities. The longest single hike could be 3 miles. There could be up to 6 miles of hiking in a day, all on relatively flat trails.
Necessary Gear
Camera, lenses, tripod, laptop (or whatever device you edit photos on), outdoor backpack, and activewear clothing for the outdoors.
Recommended Gear
Polarizing filter (strongly recommended), umbrella (we will have several available for you to use as well), headlamp or flashlight (we will also have extra of these), rain jacket, waterproof hiking shoes or boots.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel for any reason before the workshop, you will be issued a full refund if your spot fills by the start of the workshop. If you cancel before September 23rd and the spot does not fill, you will be issued a 50% refund. If you cancel anytime after September 23rd but before the start of the workshop, and the spot does not fill, you will only be issued a refund for the lodging.
COVID-19 Policy
If we have to cancel the workshop due to COVID-19, we will provide participants a 100% refund.
If you are unable to travel due to a COVID-19 travel restriction, you will be provided a 100% refund.
If before the workshop you feel sick or do not feel comfortable traveling due to COVID-19, there will be no penalty to reschedule for a future workshop. Otherwise, a cancellation refund will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Testimonials
Questions? Contact: michaelmattiphoto@gmail.com