O the Oprah Magazine, April 2005
Western Exposures
Shooting elk, bison, eagles against purple mountain majesties -- a luxurious photography safari in Jackson Hole.

If you've ever flipped through a National Geographic and imagined yourself photographing Patagonian icebergs or portraits of Masai warriors, now you can get one step closer to your daydream. This spring Rich Clarkson, former director of photography for the National Geographic Society, will kick off a four-day workshop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Clarkson and his renowned faculty will lead sunrise sessions in Grand Teton National Park, setting out for glacial lakes and snowcapped mountains in search of resident bison, bald eagles, moose, elk, and antelope. Among the highlights: first-rate digital equipment, including Nikon's latest SLR cameras and Apple G4 computers; lodging at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole, opened in 2003; and a small group size (no more than a four-to-one student-to-teacher ratio), which gives pupils plenty of hands-on instruction as well as the chance to powwow with the profs at nightly cocktail gatherings. ($2,955 includes classes, equipment, accommodations, and most meals; 800-295-5281)