FAQs

Workshops

  • A workshop can last from a few hours up to a couple of days, and does not include any accommodations, transport or meals, unless otherwise noted. On a tour, All arrangements are made for you, including hotels, transportation, and some meals. Please review each tour individually to see what they include. Tours offer a more well-rounded experience and allows you to practice new learned concepts over a longer period of time.

  • Most of our students are beginner or intermediate hobbyist photographers, or even just smartphone users. But by the end of a workshop, beginners have become intermediates, and intermediates have become advanced. Everybody on our workshops can learn the same skills quite comfortably. You should never feel that you aren't good enough to learn with us!

  • To get the most out of our workshops and tours, it's nice to have a camera that lets you take control of the settings. A D-SLR or a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera is what we recommend. We also strongly recommend a sturdy tripod. Please check the recommendations on each workshop individually, or read our blog for specific lists.

  • The oldest we've taught on a workshop or tour was 84 years old, and the youngest was 9 years old, accompanied by an adult. We’re suitable for almost any age.

  • All forms of outdoor recreation inherently come with a certain amount of physical activity. Since all of our workshops and tours take place outdoors, you must be comfortable with being on your feet for up to three hours. Some walking is involved with your equipment, often on unpaved and rocky surfaces, and sometimes with an incline. Please only bring the equipment that you are comfortable with carrying for the entire duration of the workshop or shoot session. All of our outdoor venues are different in their terrain and physical expectations, and is explained on each registration page. You will never be required to do anything that is beyond your ability level and you may feel free to opt out of any session. If you have concerns about the physical activity level on any workshop or tour, please let us know.

  • Generally we do not teach post-processing techniques on our workshops or tours, unless specifically stated. Some instructors will include this via zoom or as an added part of a workshop.

    Your time with us is spent outdoors on-location, creating pictures, or traveling to new shoot spots. We prefer not to have editing or critique sessions while we are traveling. We do encourage you however to check out our editing sessions in our online web learning series.

  • Workshops happen rain or shine, since the best photographs are taken under a wide variety of conditions. But, If we decide that the conditions are too dangerous, or much too unpleasant, we will cancel the workshop for the safety of the group.

  • Updated as of 3/1/2023

    Workshops can be cancelled for a 50% refund up to 30 days before the workshop date. Within 30 days, any cancellations of any sort will be nonrefundable. If we are able to replace your registration via a waitlist, you are entitled to a full refund, however this is never guaranteed. If you are able to find a replacement on your own, in the same regard, you will receive a full refund.

    Workshops are conducted rain or shine, unless a determination has been made in an emergency or other event rendering the workshop unsafe or impossible. In this case, registrations are provided full refunds.

    For tour bookings, you may cancel your registration at any time, but you will incur a cancellation fee. If you cancel your registration before 90 days of the start of the tour, you will receive 50% of your deposit. If you cancel within 90 days of the start of the tour, your deposit, and any funds collected are nonrefundable. In the case that the tour is cancelled by BlueHour, you will have all funds returned to you. We highly recommend you purchase travel insurance that would cover your costs due to a trip cancellation or interruption for any reason.

Tours

  • A tour is an organized group experience where you travel together for the purposes of photography. Tours are the perfect blend of photography, sightseeing & vacationing. Tours include some combination of lodging, transportation and admissions.

  • Our tour goers appreciate spending more time in picturesque locations rather than making just quick stops. We give you the opportunity to immerse yourself and to be able to create great work. Our tour goers range in age, from teens to retirees. They also range in skill level and camera type. Because we have two guides, we are able to accommodate all. As long as you are looking to improve your skills, have a good attitude and are open minded, you’ll surely enjoy any tour!

  • What’s included depends on the tour. All tours include photo guidance, ground transport for the group, and all overnight accommodations. Some tours include ticketed experiences, or possibly even flights. Most importantly, the hard parts are already taken care of by us.
    No planning needed.

  • The cost of each tour depends on various factors. Typically, tours will range from $1600-$6000 depending on where we’re going, length of time and what’s included.

    We have a couple of options for tours, too, depending on your commitment level. We offer a discount price only valid for a short time, but is nonrefundable and paid upfront. Or, you can pay a little more, with a deposit and full balance due later.

  • All tour transactions are to be paid via bank transfer or by paper check. A deposit or a full balance is due upon receipt of your invoice after registration. If you prefer to pay by check, you will receive instructions on where to send it. We are sorry but we will not make exceptions to use credit cards.

  • After reviewing tour information and our policies, you can let us know you’d like to join a specific tour by filling out the registration form on the tour page. You’ll choose your payment option, and either pay your deposit online or send us a check for the full balance. Once received, we’ll confirm with you, and we’ll keep in touch.

  • All of our tours can be attended by people of average physical fitness. The days are long, and consist of travel in vehicles, sometimes for several hours at a time; long periods of being on your feet during the photo shoots; and walking on paths that may sometimes be steep, slippery, or rocky. The walking distances will vary from tour to tour. Each tour will have descriptions about anything of note on the tour page.

  • For most tours, we recommend an ultra-wide landscape lens, a midrange zoom, a telephoto zoom, as well as a tripod. Please read our blog for our equipment recommendations. We will provide specific equipment recommendations for each tour in a welcome email for the trip.

  • In most cases, flights are not included in your tour cost. There may be an exception when we partner with an international tour company that offers this.

    When it comes to booking, we will provide you recommended arrival and departure times so that you can fit your flights to the tour schedule. We recommend booking your flights once you have committed to to going on the tour, and waiting no more than 2 months prior.

  • If you feel you might need to cancel for personal reasons, make sure you choose the refundable payment option when you register. In this case, the deposit is refundable up to 90 days before the start of the tour. Once the final balance payment is made, the entire balance is nonrefundable.

    If you have chosen the nonrefundable payment option, in the event of your cancellation, we will be unable to return these funds. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance in advance if you wish to cover the cost of your trip.

    If BlueHour cancels the tour for any reason, you will have all of your payments returned to you.

  • We will not be doing formal critiques or editing tutorials while on tour, as most of our travelers prefer to explore and take more pictures rather than staying indoors. If there is interest in an image review/editing session, this can be performed on Zoom after the tour for an additional small fee.

  • Probably. We always recommend it to protect yourself in case you need to back out of a trip.

  • There are a few different kinds of insurance you should be aware of.

    Trip Cancellation Insurance covers your costs in the case that you cannot attend the trip due to a covered reason.

    Trip Interruption Insurance reimburses you for costs if your trip is cut short due to a covered reason. Trip Delay Insurance reimburses you for expenses incurred due to a delay.

    Cancel For Any Reason Insurance reimburses you for some expenses in the case that you cancel your trip for any reason.

    Typical “covered reasons” include things like illness, sudden death in the immediate family, legal obligations, etc.

    Travel Health Insurance helps cover expenses incurred in the case you need medical care during your trip. Coverages for this can vary widely.

    Many travel credit cards offer a number of these coverages. We recommend purchasing Cancellation Insurance to cover your travel with us.