Acadia Winter Landscapes 2027: Photograph Acadia’s Quiet Season

Overview

Dates: January 29–February 1, 2027

Price: $1,899

Deposit: $500 at sign up w/remaining due December 14, 2026

Lodging: Included (Bar Harbor Hotel To Be Determined)

Location: Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, Maine

Group Size: Four to six participants

Experience Level: Beginner through advanced

Physical Level: Moderate; winter footing and short hikes of up to two miles

Host:L’aura Lee Bradford Photography(Authorized permittee of the National Park Service)

Why Winter in Acadia

Winter highlights Acadia in a way no other season can. Snow simplifies a busy scene. Ice creates patterns and cold air over a calm sea can produce the ethereal sea smoke.  We’ll hope for dramatic clouds and crashing waves and changing light.

Winter also offers something increasingly rare in Acadia: solitude. At times, it feels like we have the entire park to ourselves. We’ll photograph iconic locations in their quiet winter character and also look for more intimate scenes, patterns, textures, and details.

These dates are chosen specifically for the relationship between tide, light, and moon. We’ll have higher tides near sunrise and sunset giving us more water-filled foregrounds. And the moon stays below the horizon during the evening hours, giving us with dark skies after sunset. If the weather cooperates, we’ll photograph the stars over Acadia beneath some of the darkest skies on the eastern seaboard.

Our schedule will remain flexible so we can respond to the best combination of weather, light, tides, and accessibility each day. We may chase dramatic coastal conditions, concentrate on intimate winter details, or shift our plans to take advantage of a clear night sky.

What to Bring

• DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses.

• Recommended lenses:

  • 24–105mm f/4 (general landscapes)

  • 15–35mm f/2.8 (night scapes)

  • Optional - 100–500mm (compression & distant details)

• Other good lenses include:

  • 14-24mm f/2.8

  • 24-70mm f/2.8 or f/4

  • 70-200mm f/2.8

  • Any wide focal length with 2.8 or better aperture

• Tripod, extra batteries, memory cards, remote shutter release (optional).

• Laptop with Lightroom Classic and latest updates installed and tested

• Photoshop to process star trails images

• Backpack with enough space for gear, extra layers, water and snacks

• Warm clothing + boots suitable for winter conditions. This is key - much of our time is spent in freezing temps.

• Microspikes (“crampons”) for walking safely on icy trails

I will send a more detailed gear list as we get closer, but feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

What To Expect

• Guided field sessions in Acadia’s best locations - from iconic viewpoints to hidden gems - sunrise, sunset, and key daytime hours

• Morning, evening and night sessions (weather permitting)

• Lodging and breakfast at one of Bar Harbors wonderful winter hotels

• Classroom editing sessions: Lightroom Classic workflow, post-processing tips, image reviews

• Supportive small-group size to ensure personalized attention, mentoring, and an opportunity to create lasting friendships

• We’ll carpool to locations as much as possible offering more opportunities to chat about our photographic adventures

Itinerary Snapshot

Note: Our goal is to photograph Acadia landscapes, seascapes, sunrises, sunsets and even some night skies, but we’ll keep our schedule flexible, allowing conditions and group energy to guide our daily flow. Rest assured, we’ll make the most of every opportunity the national park gives us!

Day 1 (Jan 29): Welcome to Acadia

• Meet at our hotel at 2:30 pm for introductions and depart for our first sunset shoot (Sunsets are approx 4:40pm)

• Check into our hotel, group dinner

• If skies are clear we may even get out to shoot some stars

Days 2 & 3 (Jan 30-31):

• Sunrise photo session followed by breakfast at our hotel (Sunrises approx 6:50am)

• Midday editing and depending on conditions and interest the day may include image reviews and/or photography at select daytime locations

• Sunset photo session followed by optional group dinner at one of Bar Harbors excellent restaurants

• Optional night scape session

Day 4 (Feb 1): Sunrise shoot, wrap-up, departures.

What’s Included

• Lodging for three nights in Bar Harbor, Maine (hotel TBD)

• Breakfast at our hotel each morning after our sunrise shoots

• Daily sunrise and sunset sessions capturing Maine winter landscapes in that gorgeous winter light

• Optional Night photography sessions

What’s Not Included

• Transportation to/from Bar Harbor, Maine

• Transportation within the park (we will carpool as much as possible)

• Park entry fees

• Lunch and dinner, however we’ll have the opportunity for group dinners to go over the evening agenda

Physical Requirements

• Participants should be comfortable hiking short distances (1–2 miles) over uneven, sometimes icy terrain while carrying gear.

• Locations are safe but may include ocean cliffs and forest trails - a moderate level of fitness is required.

If you have any concerns about physical accessibility, feel free to reach out - I’m happy to discuss your current experience and how it compares.

Who This Workshop Is For

• Photographers eager to explore Acadia in its quietest season

• Those who want both field instruction and editing guidance

• Photographers looking for a supportive, small-group experience and lasting friendships with like-minded artists