Y O S E M I T E I N W I N T E R | F I R E F A L L S
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY, 17th- 21st, 2026
CLASS LIMIT : 8
INVESTMENT | $3,250.00 / ($2,600.00 Alumni)
ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP
We will have 4 attempts to capture the fire falls display in Yosemite National Park. A few things need to happen in order to see "Fire Fall" in full force. First, there needs to be a cloudless sky to the west, where the Sun can directly shine in the valley and illuminate the falls. Second, you need water flowing over the falls (which does not always happen) but usually does. All of this needs to align during a small gap in the month of February when the Sun sets in the right spot.
In addition to the fire fall photo sessions, we will also capture night sky scenes in the valley and well as a few night shoots, including the Milky Way! We will be here during a new Moon this year allowing us to view and photography the dark skies above Yosemite Valley with waterfalls and other features. We will also photograph many other iconic locations in Yosemite Valley like El Capitan, Half Dome, Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls and some other hidden locations of my own. We will also be chasing the famous rainbows, or often called "spraybows" on the certain waterfalls with other landscapes. I have seen a decent amount of wildlife in this park. The most common sighting will be ravens, but I have also seen black bears, bobcats, coyotes amongst others.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
HALF DOME WINTER NIGHTS | YOSEMITE 2023
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
FIRE FALLS | EL CAPITAN
I have been running these Yosemite Workshops for a decade now, and I have only seen the falls completely dry one time, and that was in 2022. In 2023, it may have been the best flow since the 2016 and 2019 seasons. We are looking for another great year in 2026!
WORKSHOP INCLUDES / WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- Commercial Permit Fees
- 3 Breakfasts in Yosemite
- Multiple shooting locations ( Fire Falls, El Capitan, Half Dome, Tunnel View, Valley View and more)
- Night Sky Sessions with and without the Milky Way
- Sunset and Sunrise Photo ops
- Morning Waterfall Rainbows (Spraybows)
- Post Processing tips in Adobe CS and Lightroom (online video tutorials)
- How and when to use filters for landscapes and waterfalls
- How to create compelling landscape compositions
- Long exposure photography of Bridal Vail Falls at night
- Time-lapse photography and star trail photography session and demonstration
- Access to my brain 24/7, even after the workshop has ended!
- Why the turtle crossed the road!
YOSEMITE SPRAYBOW
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
WEATHER
It's Winter, so expect anything. As always, we cannot predict the weather, but we can keep our fingers and toes crossed until we get there! Tire Chains are required to be with you in your car during the winter. You can pick up Tire Chains at Walmart or any other surrounding gas stations near Yosemite. You may be turned away at a checkpoint if you do hot have them in your car. Some restrictions require chains on / in the car. I don't expect this to be an issue, but it is good to know and also required to have with you when traveling on certain roads... even if no restrictions are in place. Since it does snow here in February. It is recommended to rent a SUV for this trip. Transportation is not included, but carpooling is encouraged in the park since this event has gained popularity over the years.
We will have to walk to the firefalls viewing areas, the walk is a flat and easy 25min stroll through Yosemite Valley/ We will try to carpool to our spots for firefalls. If parking is filled up, we may be required to take a 25 minute walk down the road to get to some locations to view the firefalls, bring proper foot-ware for wintertime. Snow is NOT always present in Yosemite Valley. The hike is about 1 mile. If you have a ADA placard you will be able to park in certain area's that are restricted to "normal" visitors for the firefall event.
FIRE FALL AND TREE | YOSEMITE
YOSEMITE SPRAYBOW
Temperatures in Yosemite will change with elevation. Highs could be in the 20 or 40's. low's could be 5f to 30f. In 2016, it snowed at night and daytime temps hit the 50 and 60s. I will monitor the forecast before departure and keep you informed. You can also check the weather outlooks for Yosemite and road conditions on your won as we get within the 10 day point from departure. Arrive a day early incase of poor weather delays.
FIRST LIGHT | YOSMITE
TIRE CHAIN INFORMATION
Tire Chains must be in your car at all times in and around the park. Road Restrictions may be in place on some roads. You can find a lot of information on the Yosemite Nat'l Park Website links that I have here for you.
Plan on purchasing tire chains at a Walmart along your route. Most gas stations or garages will carry chains, especially surrounding the park. When I drive back to San Fran. I will return them at Walmart (unused), and be on my way. I do not foresee us needing to use them, but rangers have been known to sometimes have checkpoints going into the park and could turn drivers away if they don't at least have them in their car. Review the links about for chains and control information and please respect the parks rules. I will call to check on road conditions and review the forecast for Yosemite 5 days before departure to see if they have any issues.
YOSEMITE VALLEY MILKY WAY
DIRECTIONS
Highway 140 into the park is lower in elevation than Highway 120, so it will have the best chance that road restrictions will not be in place if inclimate weather is forecasted. The other option is a higher elevation road call Highway 120 which peaks around 6,000ft in elevation compared to around 4,000ft on Highway 140.
YOSEMITE SPRAYBOW
LODGING
Lodging is not included in this workshop. It is best to be able to stay in the valley because of early rise times and possible late nights. It's always best to be close to the action. Let me know if you are open to sharing a room with another photographer and we can try to make that work out for you. If you are looking for suggestions for hotel.. I always stay at the Yosemite Valley Lodge right there in the heart of the valley.
UPPER FALLS UNDER STARLIGHTUpper Yosemite Falls under starlight.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
CAMERA GEAR
- DSLR's with Fully Charged batteries and Battery Charger
- Wide Angle Lenses (17mm - 35mm) and a Telephoto for the FireFalls and Wildlife ( 200mm - 400mm+)
- Circular polarizer for your long lens (strongly suggested / mandatory)
- Graduated ND filter for landscapes ( optional, but worth it)
- Cable release for long exposures
- Laptop, memory card reader, and memory cards
- Flashlight / Red Light
- Sturdy tripod
- Off camera flash (optional)
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 2023
STARRY ICE FALLS
OUTDOOR GEAR AND EQUIPMENT SUGGESTIONS
- Winter Jacket
- Winter Hat
- Winter Gloves
- Under Armour / Long Johns
- Insulated Winter Boots ( Optional...Their may be snow on the ground)(No tennis shoes)
- Hiking Boots
- Wool Socks ( Wool keeps your feet warmer than cotton, even when wet)
- Sweatshirts
- Hand / Foot warmers
- Headlamp / Flashlight
- Multi-Tool
- Hand Warmers
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DISCLAIMER
Jeff Berkes Photography reserves the right to make changes to the schedule, dates if need be. We are not responsible for bad weather, delays or cancellations. We are also not responsible for lost or stolen items, injuries, sickness, death or damages to personal equipment and lost of personal travel expense. Failure to comply to park rules, regulations and will result in you being ejected from the workshop. Once a payment has been made, there are no cash refunds, workshop credit is always available in the amount paid. If you spot can be filled, a full refund minus any transaction fees will be issued. By making your investment in this workshop, you agree to this disclaimer. To protect your trip, trip insurance is recommended.
UPPER YOSEMITE FALLS
This workshop does not include travel to, from and during the workshop, meals or overnight accommodations unless otherwise stated.
ARMS OF ORION
MAKE YOUR DEPOSIT OR FULL PAYMENT BELOW!
THIS WORKSHOP SELLS OUT FAST!
| 2026 Fire Fall Photography Workshop in Yosemite |
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