Images of the Ancients

Photograph Ancient Remote Civilizations And Rock Art

November 15 – 20, 2023

From 13,000 B.C. to a few hundred years ago, ancient civilizations thrived within the towering sandstone canyons of the Cedar Mesa region. Up in the high desert of Utah, junipers and piñons live on the cliffsides, and cottonwoods hug the washes and streams. Here we will find some of the most preserved dwellings, pictographs, and petroglyphs found in North America that can still be photographed in their original state.

This will be a small group experience because of the sensitive nature of the locations and the limited space at each place. We’ll use jeeps to access these remote locations on 4-wheel drive roads. You will need to be in shape enough to walk up to two miles to these sites with your camera and tripod on your back. This will be a small group of enthusiastic photographers to capture images of very unusual sites of ancient civilizations. Bring your super wide-angle lenses for low light, where you’ll learn to photograph the dwellings under the starlight. Don’t forget to bring your 100-400mm lens. We will be capturing some fantastic landscape images as blue hour turns the desert into an array of colors and textures.

These locations have been previously scouted to ensure you access during the best times. Friends of Cedar Mesa will give an interpretive presentation about the region. We have arranged to have a local Navajo guide accompany us to a site with a shelter, pictographs, and petroglyphs. He will give us his interpretation and share his knowledge of the people that once thrived there.

This workshop will be held in collaboration with Friends of Cedar Mesa. In addition to creating images of these locations, we want you to learn about the people who lived here and how to preserve these amazing sites for generations to come.

Ten percent of all proceeds will go to Friends of Cedar Mesa to help fund their essential preservation and educational endeavors.