Dates: July 3 - July 15
Price- $3,750
Group Limit: 10
Early bird Special Sign up before February 1st for 10% discount. Group of 2 discount 5% each, 3 or more 10% each
Join us for an immersive photography workshop taking place in the rugged mountains of Western Mongolia. This region is famed for its Kazakh culture and Eagle Hunters, and the magnificent Altai Mountains. Led by a seasoned photographer Dimitri Staszewski whose work has taken him to this region of Mongolia for the past 3 years. Dimitri's approach to teaching photography includes collaboration with the local communities as well as with the other photographers participating in the workshop. Each day will begin and end together as we set goals and intentions to build routines rooted in connection. Building on Dimitris’ relationships and experience in these areas will give us unparalleled access and insight into the communities and people we will be photographing. This extraordinary journey promises an immersive visual experience as you traverse the vast wilderness of western Mongolia, capturing the essence of this remote and stunning region. Traveling between photogenic locations in a comfortable vehicle, you'll have the freedom to focus on your craft while our expert guides take care of logistics and help you create the personalized photo experience that you desire.
As the expedition unfolds, you'll have the opportunity to participate in structured photography sessions led by our talented instructor Dimitri, honing your skills and mastering the art of capturing Mongolia's diverse landscapes. But this trip isn't just about formal lessons; it's also about the freedom to explore and capture moments as they unfold. Every photographer will spend one day and night completely solo, immersed in the day-to-day lifestyle of our hosts, free to photograph in the style you see fit. The goal of this trip is to offer variety and flexibility taking the experience of our guides and Dimitri and using it to craft a personalized photography experience for you!
While we provide a fully guided experience with a skilled cook staff, your nights will be spent in cozy tents, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the Mongolian wilderness, as well as several family stays in a ger with the group or a local family. In order to get the best possible photo experience, we must immerse ourselves in the life and culture of people in this region where hotels and services are far away., that being said we will have an experienced cook staff to prepare delicious hardy meals after long days in the field! Join us on this photographic odyssey, where structured learning and free-spirited exploration unite to capture the soul of Mongolia through the lens of your camera.
Email seek.mongolia@gmail.com to book this trip and for inquiries!
About the Instructor
Dimitri Staszewski is an award-winning documentary photographer based in Austin, Texas. He’s interested in long-term projects that use intimate and specific storytelling to shed light on relatable and global issues. Cultural preservation is often at the core of his work.
Since 2013, Dimitri has spent a year and a half living and working with communities throughout Mongolia. From 2015-2016, he lived in Ulaanbaatar on a Fulbright-mtvU Fellowship. During that time he traveled all over the country capturing examples of traditional music performed by nomadic herders to create the first and only free, online archive of traditional Mongolian music—mongolmusicarchive.com.
He is currently working on a long-term documentary project about the spiritual connection Kazakh herders in western Mongolia have with wild wolves. This project has required living with nomadic communities for weeks at a time and riding horses for consecutive 18-hour days in subfreezing temperatures. Dimitri truly enjoys the adventurous side of the work he does in Mongolia.
Dimitri is a passionate educator who teaches photography workshops internationally for National Geographic Student Travel and Smithsonian Student Travel. He has presented his research at notable institutions including the University of California Berkeley and the American Center for Mongolian Studies in Ulaanbaatar.
In 2022 Dimitri self-published Heart-Shaped Tomatoes, a cookbook about his 102-year-old Italian immigrant grandmother. He will publish his first photobook, Close to the Bayou, later this year.
Photos by the Instructor
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