We’ll start our final day at Mescal with a catered breakfast in the Saloon.

Grab some breakfast, get settled in, and get ready for another great day of photography. Please be ready to go when breakfast ends so we can head out for our first shoot of the morning.

After breakfast, we’ll head back out into the desert for our first shoot of the day. You’re welcome to walk with the group or catch a ride in one of our golf carts.

Please follow the photography staff’s directions as we make our way to the shooting location, and be sure to bring all the camera gear you’ll need for the morning session.

Primary Lens: 200 - 400mm focal length range

Alternate Lens: Wider or longer focal lengths for different perspectives

Tripod or Monopod: Optional

Bring other focal lengths for different perspectives.

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We’ll start our final morning of shooting with a classic Old West scene as a wagon train makes its way across the ridge at sunrise.

We’ll photograph the wagons, horses, and cowboys in silhouette against the changing colors of the morning sky, creating dramatic images that feel like a scene straight out of the Old West.

As the light changes, we’ll continue working the scene and give you multiple opportunities to capture the wagon train moving across the ridge.

After our sunrise shoot, we’ll make a short move to our next shooting location nearby.

Please follow the photography staff’s directions as we get everyone into position for our next setup.

Primary Lens: 200 - 400mm focal length range

Alternate Lens: Wider or longer focal lengths for different perspectives

Tripod or Monopod: Optional

Bring other focal lengths for different perspectives.

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For this shoot, we’ll move into position as our cowboys and wagons create a wagon train loop around us.

With the wagon train continually moving through the scene, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to photograph the horses, cowboys, and wagons from a variety of angles as they pass by.

Keep your camera ready! The constantly changing positions of the wagons, horses, and riders will create new compositions and moments with every pass.

After our morning shoots, we’ll make our way back to the Saloon for our next education session with Lisa.

Take a few minutes to get settled, grab a drink or snack, and be ready to begin when everyone is back in the Saloon.

Join us as we look back on our time together at Magic of Cowboys! We’ll share favorite moments, talk about what we’ve learned and hear what made the workshop special for you.

We’re holding our closing ceremony this morning so we can give it the time it deserves without keeping everyone too late after dinner. There’s still plenty of photography and fun ahead today!

We’ll take a 20-minute break before lunch.

Use this time to relax, grab a drink or snack, use the restroom, and recharge after our morning sessions.

We’ll gather in the Saloon for our final catered lunch of the workshop.

Take some time to relax, recharge, and enjoy lunch with your fellow photographers and staff before we begin our afternoon photography sessions.

After lunch, we’ll split into our four photography groups and head to our assigned stations for the afternoon.

Please follow the photography staff’s directions so you know which station your group is starting at. We’ll rotate throughout the afternoon so everyone has an opportunity to photograph at each station.

The same lens and gear recommendations apply to all three shooting stations. You’ll rotate through each station, so there’s no need to change or reorganize your gear between them.

Primary Lens: 24 - 70mm or 70 - 200mm

Tripod or Monopod: No

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Station 1: Meet the Wranglers

Get to know Jesse Bell, our head horse wrangler, and the team behind our action sessions! Join them for a relaxed Q&A about the horses, life as a wrangler and what goes into creating the scenes you’ve been photographing. Bring your questions and enjoy hearing stories from the people behind the reins.

Station 2: Hotel Bar Scene

At this station, we’ll step inside the Hotel and photograph cowboys at the bar in the exact location where Steve McQueen stood during a pivotal scene in Tom Horn.

We’ll use the character of the historic bar and carefully placed light to create a cinematic Old West scene. You’ll work with light, composition, and the positioning of our cowboys to create images that look like they could have come straight from a Western movie.

CLICK HERE FOR EXAMPLE IMAGE

Station 3: Poker Game

At this station, we’ll step inside the Oriental, one of the recognizable locations from Tombstone, to create a classic Old West poker game.

We’ll use flash to shape and control the light, creating a dramatic, cinematic scene around the poker table. You’ll work with lighting, composition, and the placement of our cowboys to capture the tension and atmosphere of a high-stakes poker game in the Old West.

CLICK HERE FOR EXAMPLE IMAGE 

Station 4: Low Key Portrait

At this station, we’ll create another dramatic low-key Western portrait, giving you one more opportunity to put the lighting techniques you’ve learned throughout the workshop into practice.

We’ll carefully control the light to create deep shadows and highlights that bring out the character of our subject. This is your chance to refine your low-key technique and create a powerful, moody portrait.

CLICK HERE FOR EXAMPLE IMAGE

After completing all four afternoon stations, we’ll take a quick break before heading back out into the desert.

Use this time to grab a drink or snack, use the restroom, and get your camera gear ready for our next shoot.

It’s time to head back out into the desert for our next shoot. You’re welcome to walk with the group or catch a ride in one of our golf carts.

Please follow the photography staff’s directions as we make our way to the shooting location, and be sure to bring all the camera gear you’ll need.

Primary Lens: 200 - 400mm focal length range

Alternate Lens: Wider or longer focal lengths for different perspectives

Tripod or Monopod: Optional

Bring other focal lengths for different perspectives.

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We have a few surprises planned for our workshop finale! Join us from 4:30 p.m. to sunset for an exciting evening of photography as we bring our time at Magic of Cowboys to a memorable finish. Have your cameras ready. We’re keeping the details under wraps!

After our final sunset shoot, we’ll head back to the Saloon for one last dinner together.

This is our chance to relax, enjoy a great meal, share some stories from the past four days, and celebrate an incredible photography adventure at Mescal.