What to Expect on a Zach Cooley Photography Adventure

As your guide, my goal is to maximize your time in Arches National Park to be able to see the best places at the best times, and provide photography guidance and tips to level up your knowledge and skills, and come away with photos you are excited about.  I want it to be nothing less than the best trip possible for you.  But what will a trip with me be like?  Read on to get a good idea of what to expect if you join me on an adventure into the park.

Is it a photo tour, or a workshop?
When I first started offering photography trips to Arches National Park, I struggled with whether I should call them “Photography Tours” or “Photography Workshops”.  To be honest, I still do.  In fact, I use the terms interchangeably in reference to my trips.  The reason is because they are truly a combination of the two.  Also, since there are no official definitions, a lot of people may not know the differences between a “tour” a “workshop”, or they have varying definitions for them. Someone might provide a “workshop”, when another would call it a tour, and vice versa.  I know that people like to know what they are getting into, so I wanted to lay out exactly what one would expect if they are going to join me on a trip to Arches National Park, regardless of what their perception is of a “tour” or “workshop”.

Who will be on the trip?
Just you and me!  Well, up to 4 people total in your group, photographers or not. I’ve had families as well as solo photographers on trips.  Photography tours and workshops are often with groups of strangers, which can be great for networking, but it usually comes with the trade off of less one-on-one time with the instructors.  On an Arches Tour with me, you’ll have all of my time and attention for a personalized experience.

Where will we go?  What will we see?
Oh, the places we’ll go!  Arches National Park is filled with gorgeous natural wonders and one could easily spend days just enjoying the main attractions.  Some tour providers will have a canned schedule with set locations, but I make it a point to cater our trips as necessary.  For example, I’ve taken people out who had visited the park the day before, so we talked about which locations they had already seen and we avoided those.  Nothing is set in stone, and that’s part of the adventure.  If a storm rolls in, I’ll take us to where conditions will be best for rainbows.  If we’re at a site that you’re loving and want to keep taking photos there, we won’t move to the next location until you’re ready.  In short, I’ll have an optimal itinerary in mind based on the conditions that day, but beforehand and throughout the trip we’ll talk about options and your preferences if you have any.  The trip is all for you!

To optimize our time in the park, we’ll usually visit sites with short and easy hikes, generally shorter than a mile long.  This allows us to spend some good time at a handful of photogenic areas in Arches.  If there are any sites in particular that are on your must see list, just let me know.  While I currently only offer photography trips within Arches National Park,  I’m looking forward to expanding to include other experiences in the Moab area outside of the park.  The exception to this is Moab Moon Missions which I started last year. Plans for missions this year are in the works and I’ll be making some of those available very soon. In the meantime, you can find more information on those here. 

What will I learn?
Our “classroom” is Arches National Park, and as with other elements of the trip, what you learn will be specific to you and your preferences.  Whether you’re just starting out in photography, or have been practicing for years, and regardless of if you’re shooting with your phone, DSLR, or any camera in between, I’m happy to help you get the best photos with professional and personalized instruction and tips that will take your photography to the next level for all of your future expeditions as well. We’ll talk camera settings, composition, photography philosophy, and everything in between.  At the same time, I know that at times things can get overwhelming when learning new things, so we’ll always slow down or even turn off the photography talk switch for some peace and quiet if needed. Aside from all the photography stuff, I’ll happily hit you with all sorts of knowledge about Arches National Park history, geology, flora and fauna, etc.  I’ve spent a lot of time studying it all and there are so many fascinating facts to learn!

How long are the trips?
Trips with me to Arches National Park are usually around 5 hours total.  Leave the planning and navigation to me as you enjoy the views. On the logistics side of things, you don’t have to worry about a thing. I pick you up and drop you off at your place of lodging.  If you are staying outside the Moab area, or if you prefer, we can coordinate meeting up in town. Pickup and dropoff times will depend on sunrise or sunset.  Now, all this said, while on the booking page you’ll see options for a tour with sunrise, sunset, or sunset and Milky Way, these are just the most common trips I do.  I’m happy to accommodate any needs with scheduling, or even do shorter or longer trips, so just let me know if you’re looking for something different and we’ll go from there.  

What have people said about a tour with Zach?
I’m happy to say that as of February 2023, Zach Cooley Photo has only 5 star reviews!  Granted, there are only a few on Google so far, but my aim will always be to provide that high level of service and it is a priority of mine to have you walking away with the best possible experience.  Here are a few things people have said about their trip with me to Arches (full reviews found here).

“His patience, direction, professionalism and knowledge of the secret spots in the park are unmatched. I am an experienced photographer but still took away new ideas, thoughts, cropping and ways of seeing! I highly recommend Zach!”

“We had an amazing tour with him in the Arches National Park. He will bring you to the secret spot for the gorgeous photos. It is not just a photography tour, it is also an unforgettable adventure!!! I would say it is good for any level photographers. :)”

“Zach was an awesome guide and I highly recommend using his services for your photography adventures - no matter your skill level! He is super responsive, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable about gear and photography techniques both in the field and in post processing. He really knows his way around Arches NP, which is vital for astro photography being out in the dark!”

I hope this has given you a good idea of what an a trip to Arches National Park with me is like, but if there is something I’ve left out that you might have a question on, please let me know!  If you are interested in booking a trip, you can start here.