New Orleans and South Louisiana Photography Scouting Workshop
New Orleans and South Louisiana Photography Scouting Workshop
New Orleans & South Louisiana: Where the Light Has an Accent
Quick Facts
Skill Level i
All Levels
Fitness Level i
Easy
Terrain
Flat Walkways , Walking Long Distances , Wet Environment
Location
New Orleans, LA & Lafayette, LA
Tuition
$1,995
The Experience
New Orleans & South Louisiana Photography Workshop (Scouting Workshop)
Join Benton Downs Photography for a flexible, scouting-style workshop exploring the best photo opportunities in New Orleans and Cajun Country (Lafayette/Breaux Bridge area). We’ll work sunrise through night scenes—focusing on composition, light, camera technique, and real-time field coaching.
What You Will Learn
In the Field
- Street/Architecture Photography
- Bird Photography
- Swamp Photography
- How to photograph during sunrises and sunsets
Beyond the Capture
- How to eat a Beignet
- Seeing the light
- Looking for details that tell a story
Through The Lens
Planning Your Trip
Nearest Airport
New Orleans (MSY)
Lodging Suggestions
TBD
Transportation
Provided
What's Included:
- Photo walks
- Ground transportation during the workshop.
- A pre-workshop Zoom meeting will be held to support preparation and provide details for the workshop (typically 3-4 weeks ahead of the workshop dates).
- A post-workshop Zoom Meeting to share images and editing ideas.
- Since this is a Scouting Workshop, we’ll be testing a variety of shooting locations and optional local experiences. A few of these may have separate admission or participation costs that are not included in the workshop fee. Any added expenses are typically small/nominal, and we’ll always let the group know in advance.
- Field Instruction and support, as needed, based on skill level.
What's Not Included:
- Transportation to or from New Orleans: For those flying, the New Orleans airport is the closest airport.
- Transfers between airport and hotel. Although Barry will try to coordinate arrivals to reduce expenses.
- Lodging. We will inform you of the best lodging options once you have booked your seat on the workshop. We expect hotel room nights to range from $175 to $250 per night.
- Meals and drinks during the workshop (except for one group meal).
- Personal expenses or additional excursions you plan on your own.
Itinerary
Day 1
Day one begins with a mid-afternoon meet-up at a location shared during the pre-workshop Zoom. After introductions, we’ll review how a scouting workshop works, discuss our goals for the week, and cover key shooting topics for New Orleans—working in mixed light, photographing architecture and details, and staying mobile while we explore. That evening we’ll head out for our first field session to scout a handful of high-potential locations for sunset and early night photography, focusing on finding compositions that feel distinctly “New Orleans.”
Day 2-3
Days two and three will follow the rhythm that makes this city shine: early mornings and late afternoons/evenings, with a flexible plan that lets us chase the best light and adjust quickly based on what we discover. We’ll explore a mix of iconic scenes and lesser-known pockets, evaluating access, crowds, safety, and how each location photographs in real conditions. Mid-day is reserved for rest, image reviews, and optional coaching on editing, composition refinement, and building a cohesive set of images from a destination.
Day 4-5
On day four we’ll transition to the Breaux Bridge/Lafayette area and begin scouting South Louisiana’s slower, more atmospheric side—cypress, water, fog (when we get it), and the quiet glow of sunrise and sunset. We’ll test a short list of promising swamp/bayou and cultural locations, paying close attention to timing, logistics, and how to create strong, clean compositions in a visually complex environment. We may drop by the Raine, LA Frog Festival for some local fun and flavor. Day five wraps with a trip to a zydeco breakfast brunch complete with great food and local musicians. In between bites we’ll be able to photography some great dancers “cuttin’ a rug.” We’ll make our way back to New Orleans to drop everyone off at the airport. While driving back we’ll do a group debrief where we’ll map out what worked best and start shaping the future “signature” itinerary this scouting trip is designed to create.
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