Oregon Coast Photography Art Retreat (2026)
Photography Art Retreat
June 10th - 14th, 2026
Led by Jess Santos and Ryan Oswald
Join us on the Oregon Coast for a retreat that blends photography with the principles of classical art. Along rugged shores and in the quiet majesty of the redwoods, you will learn to create with intention. Through a process of concept development, field practice and critique, you will build a body of work that carries depth and story.
This retreat is about slowing down and studying the landscape with a painter’s eye. You will explore how color, form and light shape emotion in an image and how to connect those elements into a cohesive vision. From fog-filled forests to glowing sunsets and star-filled skies, the ever-changing Pacific Northwest becomes your palette.
Workshop Details
Location: Oregon Coast and Redwood Forests
Dates: June 10-14, 2026
Group Size: Limited to 8 students with 2 instructors
Hiking Difficulty: Moderate, no more than 2 miles over rocky terrain
Flexibility: Schedule adapts to weather and light; if storms roll in, we continue with critiques, editing, and classroom learning
Why This Retreat is Different
The Oregon Coast is unpredictable and always changing. This retreat uses that unpredictability as part of the creative process. Each location becomes a study in harmony, balance and visual rhythm. With a small group you receive personalized guidance, time for reflection and space to refine your artistic voice.
We also include both pre- and post-retreat Zoom editing sessions, recorded so you can return to the lessons and finish your images at your own pace.
Ideal For
Photographers ready to create with intention and vision
Artists who want to apply classical principles to photography
Creatives curious about color harmony, story and visual design
All levels of experience welcome, with focus on growth not gear
The Sea is Calling, Will You Answer?
Step into the Pacific Northwest with a painter’s mindset and return with images that carry story and emotion. Space is limited to keep this retreat personal and mentorship-focused.
Reserve your spot today and begin your artistic journey.
Planning your shoots
- Scouting and evaluating conditions
- Composing an image to grab the viewer’s attention
- Composing an image with a person in frame to show scale and tell a story
- How to work with light and how to find the best light for the scene
- Utilizing apps, such as PhotoPills, for more efficient planning
- Choosing the right lens, find your focal length
- How and when to use filters
- How to shoot with a plan or vision for editing
Capturing your image
- Histogram: How to read for perfectly exposed images
- Exposure control: How to use ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed in different scenarios
- Creative ways to use lens distortion
- Focus stacking & Focal Length Blends
- Bracketing and exposure blending
- Focusing at night to capture pin sharp stars and foreground
- Blue Hour Blending: How to capture blue hour & Milky Way
- Stacking for Noise Reduction: how to shoot the proper frames to stack
Bringing the image to life
- Lightroom and Photoshop: Learn our post-processing workflow
- How to blend multiple images together in Photoshop (Blue Hour Blends, Focal Length Blends, Exposure Blends, Composites)
- Luminosity Masks
- Dodging and Burning
- Blue-hour Blends
- Star-stacking: how to edit starry night skies with Starry Landscape Stacker (or Sequator)
- Understanding layers and masks
- Finishing touches using clone stamp and removing distractions
- Creating Orton glows and painting with light
- Sharpening: Creating sharpness in your final image
