Welcome to My World of Photography!
Alpha Male Chimpanzee - Tanzania
Lions at Sunset - Kenya
Palais Garnier - Paris Opera Grand Foyer
Harpy Eagle (Wild)- Brazil
Agressive Jaguar - Brazil
Old Pier at Sunrise - Outer Banks
Lion Cubs Play Fighting - Kenya Golden Eagle Hunter - Mongolia
Drab Treefrog - Costa Rica
Cheetah Mom and Cub - Kenya
My goal is for you to leave a better photographer than when you arrived, be well pleased with your photos and that you had some fun along the way!
Explore my workshops, and then let’s do something super cool together!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you find a photography workshop that suits your eye! There’s a toggle to read a quick description of each workshop that keeps you here on this site. The red button will take you the Muench Workshops site for more details as well as how to sign up. For a fast way to see all of my workshops in a calendar view, use this link to head over to well, my umm calendar!
Galapagos Photography Workshop – April 30 – May 8, 2023
Join us on this photographic adventure of a lifetime, to one of the world’s premier wildlife and landscape destinations, the Galápagos Islands! These islands have been preserved well and offer a unique window into our evolutionary past. It is an ecosystem in which the animals are not afraid of humans—you will find yourself able to get closer portraits of extraordinary wildlife than you ever thought possible! Naturalists will explain the animal behaviors while our two photography pros will instruct you on the best techniques for capturing memorable and meaningful imagery.
Our boat can go where the larger ships can’t, and we will set our own schedule. This means we can go ashore based on lighting conditions and wildlife sightings, making sure that mealtimes are scheduled around our shoots, not during! We’ll walk in the footsteps of Charles Darwin, and we’ll channel his experiences as he formulated his theory of natural selection during his time here in the 1830s.
Just some of the wildlife to be photographed are the blue-footed booby birds, red-footed booby birds, masked booby birds, penguins, land iguanas, marine iguanas, lava lizards, sea lions, red-chested frigate birds, flamingos, finches, tropicbirds, lava gulls, and giant tortoises. If you like snorkeling, then there is even more marine wildlife to photograph, such as sharks, rays, Galápagos penguins, and countless fish. Snorkel gear will always be available on our yacht!
We’ll maximize our shooting time with the best photo ops—getting up early for sweet light and chasing it to sunset. We’ll have the option each night for critiques and instruction from the pros, and interpretive talks by our naturalists. Or, sit back and enjoy a book from the library, watch the dolphins swim, relax in the jacuzzi, or gaze at the equatorial sky from the deck.
Non-photographer spouses, partners, and friends are welcome! This is a perfect workshop to bring them—as long as they love nature and the outdoors, they’ll have a blast!
Everything is all-inclusive, including gratuities, so you only have to worry about making great photographs! With a small group, a luxury yacht, and two experienced pro photographers leading, this trip is sure to fill up fast. Click the “Sign Me Up!” button and we’ll see you in the Galápagos!
Katmai Bears Photography Workshop – August 26 – September 4, 2023
Intimate Alaskan Brown Bear Photography
- Our small private ship gets us up close and personal with coastal brown bears.
- Experienced local guides take us by zodiac to places you can’t get to by land.
- We can quickly move to where the bears are.
- Many more photo ops than other land-based Katmai photo trips.
Katmai National Park and Preserve is most widely known for its bears—more than 2,000 of the magnificent creatures are thought to inhabit the area. This is most evident in the summer months when bears (as well as many of the park’s forty or so other species of terrestrial mammal) gather near the coast to feed on a seasonal abundance of salmon. The park also hosts at least 137 species of birds, many using the region as a migratory corridor in spring and summer. Several species of marine mammals, including harbor seals, sea lions, sea otters, river otters, and humpback whales, frequent Katmai’s coastline, and belugas, orcas, and gray whales feed along the Shelikof Strait just beyond Katmai’s boundaries. It is an area dense with life, and one of the wildest and most unaltered places left on the planet.
To best photograph and explore this wild place, we’ve chartered our own private expedition ship, with a captain and crew exceptionally well-versed in the region. Functional and well-suited to our photographic purposes, our ship will act as our base and means of transportation around this roadless region. Two Zodiacs will enable us to get up close to our subjects. We’ll be photographing both from the Zodiacs and from onshore—but don’t worry, our local guides are experienced and knowledgeable, and the bears well-fed and relaxed. Unlike other bear viewing areas, there is no hunting here, and plenty of salmon means the bears are very non-confrontational, so we can get very close. Don’t try this elsewhere! There may also be opportunities for kayaking.
Your expedition leaders will not only help assure that you are safe and comfortable but also that you come home with some great shots and learn some new photography skills. We will work with you on the finer points of wildlife photography, spending time on the technical and artistic aspects. In addition to instruction in the field, we will make sure to make time for our signature Lightroom instruction and image reviews.
Mongolia Eagle Hunters and Gobi Desert – September 19-30, 2023
The Very Best of Mongolia: Eagle Hunters, Landscapes, Gobi Desert
September 19 – 30, 2023
We will begin our journey into the heart of the Gobi Desert to meet the traditional Bactrian camel herders. Bactrian camels are the lifeblood of the Gobi people—used for meat, milk, fur, and transportation. The ability of the camels to survive and thrive in arid conditions cemented their importance along the infamous Silk Road—the great movement of goods between ancient Europe and Asia—and earned them their prominent place in the art and literature of the region. Life here is little changed—the nomadic camel herders still live as they have for centuries. We’ll have the opportunity to compose portraits of the herders and their livestock in a variety of different lighting situations against the stunning backdrop of some of the longest sand dunes in the world.
We’ll then travel to Ölgii province to meet the Eagle Hunters, their families, and eagles. We’ve been invited into the world of the Kazakh Eagle Hunters because of the trust we have built through nearly 10 years of visiting them. We’ll journey up into the mountains with them and watch as they exercise and train their birds. After several days of photographing this community, we’ll get to photograph our very own private eagle festival! Why private? The Golden Eagle Festival has 2,500 attendees, and it’s challenging to get the photographs we want. From our front-row seats, we’ll watch the region’s hunters gather to test their skills and those of their eagles. Look for horse racing, too, and even goatskin tug-of-war. It’s just our small group and about 40 Eagle Hunters. It’s a festive event, the stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! Our private Eagle Festival has become something that the Eagle Hunters know about and compete for. We’ll be staying close to the action the whole time, living in cozy, fire-warmed gers—traditional round, felted tents—set up for us among the families’ own homes. Kazakh hospitality is legendary, and you’ll likely be invited for a cup of tea or two!
Journey deep into the Mongolian countryside to places few get a chance to experience. You will be learning how to capture photographs of action, intimate portraits, compose compelling environmental portraits, and work on your landscape composition techniques throughout our journey in these stunning landscapes.
This workshop is fully customized—you’ll have simple but comfortable accommodations and our own private chef—so you can focus on the experience. Time has also been set aside for our famous image reviews and critiques to help you produce stunning images throughout our journey.
Come witness lifestyles that have been preserved for centuries with an instructor who has a wealth of experience leading photographers on epic adventures around the globe.
Bird Photography and Birding the Falkland Islands – November 11-18, 2023
Photograph Exotic Birds in a Remote Location
Photograph the astounding array of birdlife in the Falkland Islands on this remote expedition. Albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, geese, Falkland steamer ducks, wrens, penguins, and even the predator, the striated caracara, all live in and around the Falkland Islands. There have been over 220 species spotted in the area, and we plan on spending seven days focused on photographing as many as possible in the unusually scenic locations of the Falkland Islands.
This workshop will be for photographers who love capturing intriguing birds, penguins, and seals in scenic locations that are difficult to access. On white sandy beaches, and steep rocky cliffs, you’ll photograph king, gentoo, Magellanic, and southern rockhopper penguins, black-browed albatross colonies, and southern elephant seals.
This is a unique opportunity to visit these very remote locations. The accommodations are modest and owned by very welcoming locals eager to show you the beauty of their homeland. Our pro photographer, accompanied by a local guide, will lead you to all the locations and share their knowledge of the birds and areas.
This is a small group of only six participants and two leaders, so there will be no crowds.
This workshop is an extension of our Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica expedition. For those joining that expedition, you will embark on our expedition ship in Stanley to continue the journey to South Georgia and Antarctica. There is also a weekly flight leaving back to Punta Arenas, Chile, if you are not continuing on the expedition.
Galápagos Islands – May 12-20, 2024
8 Days Exploring the Wildlife and Beauty of the Galapagos
Join us on this photographic adventure of a lifetime to one of the world’s premier wildlife and landscape destinations, the Galápagos Islands! These islands have been preserved well and offer a unique window into our evolutionary past. It is an ecosystem in which the animals are not afraid of humans—you will find yourself able to get closer portraits of extraordinary wildlife than you ever thought possible! Naturalists will explain the animal behaviors, while our two photography pros will instruct you on the best techniques for capturing memorable and meaningful imagery.
Our boat can go where the larger ships can’t, and we will set our own schedule. This means we can go ashore based on lighting conditions and wildlife sightings, ensuring that mealtimes are scheduled around our shoots, not during! We’ll walk in Charles Darwin’s footsteps and channel his experiences as he formulated his theory of natural selection during his time here in the 1830s.
Some of the wildlife to be photographed are the blue-footed booby birds, red-footed booby birds, masked booby birds, penguins, land iguanas, marine iguanas, lava lizards, sea lions, red-chested frigate birds, flamingos, finches, tropicbirds, lava gulls, and giant tortoises. If you like snorkeling, there is even more marine wildlife to photograph, such as sharks, rays, Galápagos penguins, and countless fish. Snorkel gear will always be available on our yacht!
We’ll maximize our shooting time with the best photo ops—getting up early for sweet light and chasing it to sunset. Each night, we’ll have the option for image reviews and instruction from the pros and interpretive talks by our naturalists. Or, sit back and enjoy a book from the library, watch the dolphins swim, relax in the jacuzzi, or gaze at the equatorial sky from the deck.
Non-photographer spouses, partners, and friends are welcome! This is a perfect workshop to bring them—as long as they love nature and the outdoors, they’ll have a blast!
Everything is all-inclusive, including gratuities, so you only have to worry about making great photographs! With a small group, a luxury yacht, and two experienced pro photographers leading, this trip is sure to fill up fast. Click the “Sign Me Up!” button, and we’ll see you in the Galápagos!
Polar Bears, Arctic Birds & Wildlife – Svalbard Norway July 4-14, 2024
Polar Bears, Seals and Walrus Amongst Stunning Landscapes
Svalbard’s location between continental Norway and the North Pole places it squarely in an area with some of the most impressive displays of wildlife in one of the largest undisturbed arctic environments on the planet. Glaciers, snow-covered mountain ranges, and fjords cover much of the archipelago. We hope to see and photograph polar bears, many types of seabirds, reindeer, arctic fox, whales, walruses, and other marine mammals.
Since it is a series of islands, Svalbard is best explored by private expedition ship. We’ve strictly limited this workshop to 12 guests on our own private, ice-strengthened ship. With such a high instructor-to-guest ratio, there will be plenty of time for one-on-one instruction and our signature image reviews. We will work with you in the field to capture better wildlife and landscapes images. Back on the ship, we will show you how to process your images so that you’d be proud to hang them on your wall.
The focus of this workshop will be the abundant wildlife—think polar bears on ice, breeding birds, walrus, whales, and seals. Then there is the awe-inspiring scenery that surrounds you. Our schedule has been designed to optimize our time on small-boat excursions. We use two large Zodiacs to get off the ship and get close to the wildlife, and into the frozen landscape. With 24 hours of daylight, the photography never stops!
Bald Eagle Migration Photography Workshop – January 14-20, 2024
Beginning in late October, thousands of bald eagles make their way down from the Yukon and northern British Columbia. Along the way, they’ll come to nest in the scenic Fraser Valley to mate and raise their young. It is the largest bald eagle migration in North America, and an unparalleled opportunity to capture eagles feeding, constructing nests, and tending to their chicks.
While eagles will be the focus of this workshop, they are far from the only highlight. Over the years we have seen and photographed the following common species at our locations: red–tailed Hawk, grebe, common goldeneye, wood duck, sandhill crane, great blue heron, green heron, Northern pintail, short–eared owl, bufflehead, common merganser, Snow goose, trumpeter swan, mute swan, rough–legged hawk, dunlin, Anna’s hummingbird, and great horned owl. Rarer sightings include: Pacific loon, red–throated loon, belted kingfisher, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, barn owl, barred owl, saw–whet owl, canvasback, and egret.
We will will teach you everything you need for a successful bird of prey shoot, from planning and positioning, to clothing and gear. You’ll also learn proper camera handling techniques and settings for optimizing your birds–in–flight shots, as well as ways to enhance your creativity in bird photography. We know birds, bird behavior, and bird photography and we will show you how learning your subject’s habits maximizes your number of “keeper” shots!
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica November 18-December 8, 2023
More Photo Pros. More Photo Ops. The Most Extraordinary Way to Explore the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica.
- Five photo pros and three naturalists onboard our private ship. More personal instruction, attention, and more inspiration to hone your craft.
- We limit this workshop to under 50 guests—so you’ll feel welcome and cared for—instead of being one among hundreds on a tourist ship.
- We go where other ships can’t, so you can capture more unique photographs. We have more landings and excursions, and you can be on every one of them every time.
- Single-occupancy and double-occupancy cabins are available.
Join us for a Southern Ocean adventure like no other! On this all-inclusive 22-day journey, we’ll experience the region’s best, including the subantarctic Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic peninsula. This trip has it all! We’ll encounter diverse and abundant wildlife, be awed by expansive landscapes, and visit historic sites that evoke the days of early exploration.
We’ve timed our expedition for the end of the Antarctic spring and the very beginning of summer, one of the best times for photography in the region. In the subantarctic islands, this is courtship time for seabirds; vast numbers are gathering. King, macaroni, gentoo, and chinstrap penguins are mating and beginning to tend eggs, and the previous year’s king penguin chicks are shedding their down. Wandering albatross chicks—nearly grown by now—are beginning to test their wings. Elephant seals are consolidating their harems as females arrive en masse to the beaches, and a few fur seals may also be spotted. On the peninsula, snowfall is still likely during late spring, adding drama to icy landscapes and wildlife tableaus, and whales are starting to arrive at their summer feeding grounds in the region’s nutrient-rich waters. Expect rapidly changing spring weather but also dramatic skies and unparalleled light conditions. Fewer visitors this time of year means greater opportunities to explore.
For this journey, we’ll be traveling aboard the ice-strengthened vessel, Polar Pioneer. The Polar Pioneer is a small, extremely sturdy expedition ship that provides regular expedition cruises in polar waters. Built in Finland in 1985 as an ice-strengthened research vessel, she was refurbished in 2021 and 2022 to provide a comfortable range of triple, twin, and suite cabin options for a maximum of 54 expeditioners. We are offering double and single-occupancy cabins on this expedition.
The highly-experienced crew ensures that this incredible ship is always in excellent condition and that guests’ experience is of the highest quality. The single, twin, and suite cabins are stylish and luxurious, and the large, spacious bridge offers incredible views of some of the world’s most staggering landscapes and seascapes. Meals on board are quite good—the breakfast buffet has both continental and hot options, lunch is served at your table, and the day ends with a three-course dinner. You won’t go hungry! Mealtimes are set by us and are based on our shore excursions—photography first.
Muench Workshops is the sole charterer, so we “own” the boat for this expedition. We control the itinerary. We’ll be able to adjust our course for ice conditions, light, and extraordinary wildlife and landscapes. This allows us to maximize photographic opportunities with as many shore landings and zodiac excursions as possible. Our ship is small and can access all potential landing sites—we’ll go where the big ships can’t and make more landings. And with only 50 guests alongside five pros and three naturalists, our instructor ratio is unmatched. Expect one-on-one instruction in the field and our signature image reviews in the evenings and during sea days. We’ll also have plenty of talks on the region’s natural history and photography topics—wildlife photography, beginning and advanced Lightroom, photographic composition, technical refreshers, and much more. We are dedicated to helping you capture the natural beauty of Antarctica! Your non-photographer spouse, partner, or traveling companion is welcome, and we’re happy to help them make the most of the adventure.
If you love birds, extend your trip with our Falkland Islands Birds workshop, which links up to this expedition.
As always, everything’s all-
Polar Bears and Arctic Wildlife Photography – Svalbard Norway – July 14-24, 2024
Polar Bears, Birds, Walrus and so much more!
Svalbard’s location between continental Norway and the North Pole places it squarely in an area with some of the most impressive displays of wildlife in one of the largest undisturbed arctic environments on the planet. Glaciers, snow-covered mountain ranges, and fjords cover much of the archipelago. We hope to see and photograph polar bears, many types of seabirds, reindeer, arctic foxes, whales, walruses, and other marine mammals.Since it is a series of islands, Svalbard is best explored by a private expedition ship. We’ve strictly limited this workshop to 12 guests on our own private, ice-strengthened ship. With such a high instructor-to-guest ratio, there will be plenty of time for one-on-one instruction and our signature image reviews. We will work with you in the field to capture better wildlife and landscape images. Back on the ship, we will show you how to process your images so that you’d be proud to hang them on your wall.The main subjects on this Svalbard autumn light photo expedition will be wildlife and landscapes in stunning late-season light. Svalbard is the best place to photograph Polar bears, and we hope to find some of them in the best light available. The ice condition at this time of year usually allows us to explore the northeastern parts of the archipelago, making this an extraordinary Svalbard photo tour. September is a great time for watching and photographing big whales. We have good chances of finding blue whales, fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, beluga, and white-beaked dolphins. The light conditions are great at this time of year, so get ready for some stunning wildlife photography. This is the Svalbard photo tour for nature photographers focusing on exceptional light. Join us for an unforgettable experience!As usual, on all our Svalbard photo tours, we will plan for longer stops than typical tourist cruises when going ashore to provide participants with enough time to get excellent pictures. We use two zodiac boats to get ashore or search for wildlife at sea.
Namibia’s Landscapes and Wildlife Photo Workshop July 22 – August 3, 2024
Deadvlei, Sossusvlei, Quiver Tree Forest, Kolmanskop, and Etosha
Namibia boasts some of the most spectacular and varied landscapes on the planet. Situated along the far western edge of southern Africa, her extensive coastline is bathed by cold Atlantic Ocean currents. Raucous colonies of sea lions can be found here, as well as the wooden “bones” of shipwrecks lost in the region’s frequent dense fogs. A bit inland, onshore winds push desert sands upwards into the highest (and oldest!) dunes on Earth. This harsh environment nevertheless contains a wealth of extraordinary desert-adapted plants and animals. Rich opportunity for wildlife spotting also exists in Etosha National Park—home to many Africa’s most iconic species, including elephant, zebra, giraffe, lion, and even rhino. Farther afield, other rare landscapes, such as the bizarre Quiver Tree Forest and the ghost town of Kolmanskoop, provide additional unique photo opportunities.
We’ve been leading safaris in Africa for at least a decade and are extremely well-versed in the region. Together with local guides, we have designed an itinerary that will take you from coast to dunes and from game parks to ghost towns, covering the best that Namibia offers. You’ll travel on foot, in custom-designed game-viewing vehicles, and even by helicopter and stay in comfortable and exclusive accommodations. Days will be long and productive, and with only eight guests, you can expect plenty of instruction in the field and during our signature image reviews.
Ready for a desert adventure like no other?
Fall in Svalbard Photography Workshop – August 29-September 8, 2024
Polar Bears, Seals, Walruses, and Birds in Sweet Autumn Light
Svalbard’s location between continental Norway and the North Pole places it squarely in an area with some of the most impressive displays of wildlife in one of the largest undisturbed arctic environments on the planet. Glaciers, snow-covered mountain ranges, and fjords cover much of the archipelago. We hope to see and photograph polar bears, many types of seabirds, reindeer, arctic foxes, whales, walruses, and other marine mammals.
Since it is a series of islands, Svalbard is best explored by a private expedition ship. We’ve limited this workshop to 12 guests on our own private, ice-strengthened ship. With such a high instructor-to-guest ratio, there will be plenty of time for one-on-one instruction and our signature image reviews. We will work with you in the field to capture better wildlife and landscape images. Back on the ship, we will show you how to process your images so that you’d be proud to hang them on your wall.
The main subjects on this Svalbard autumn light photo expedition will be wildlife and landscapes in stunning late-season light. Svalbard is the best place to photograph polar bears, and we hope to find some of them in the best light available. The ice condition at this time of year usually allows us to explore the northeastern parts of the archipelago, making this an extraordinary Svalbard photo tour. September is a great time for watching and photographing big whales. We have good chances of finding blue whales, fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, beluga, and white-beaked dolphins. The light conditions are excellent at this time of year, so get ready for some stunning wildlife photography. This is the Svalbard photo tour for nature photographers focusing on exceptional light. Join us for an unforgettable experience!
As usual, on all our Svalbard photo tours, we will plan for longer stops than typical tourist cruises when going ashore to provide participants with enough time to get excellent pictures. We use two zodiac boats to get ashore or search for wildlife at sea.
Wild Jaguar Photography Workshop – November 7-15, 2024
Photograph Jaguars in the Wild
Join us on a journey to the heart of Brazil, the Pantanal. We will travel the pristine waterways in search of one of the world’s most potent cats, the jaguar! The jaguar prefers to hunt prey at the water’s edge, and it’s no coincidence that we search for powerful aquatic cats by boat! Our photographic focus will be on the king of the swamps, the jaguar, but you might wear out your shutter with the myriad of birds and mammals along the way! The Pantanal is home to an astonishing array of beautiful birds. It is said that five of the most beautiful birds in the world live in the Pantanal; fingers crossed!
We will cruise the rivers and waterways in custom boats. Our professional guides are experts at guiding you to the best spots to encounter jaguars. They are also skilled boatmen that will do their best to get the boats in the best position for us to capture images of jaguars and other wildlife. These big cats come quietly out of the jungle to quench their thirst or explosively pounce to hunt for prey, and we’ll be ready with our cameras. This small and private workshop will have private boats and vehicles used to find wildlife, allowing greater comfort and flexibility for our adventure. Traveling without the addition of extra people lets us spend more time doing what we love, photographing some of the most amazing animals on earth!
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