Sharpen your photography skills at BSA’s inaugural Adventure Photo Workshop

The Glade Creek Grist Mill in West Virginia. Photo by Gary Hartley
The Glade Creek Grist Mill in West Virginia. Photo by Gary Hartley

Update, June 4, 2020: Workshop organizers intend to move forward with the workshop, abiding by or exceeding all federal, state and local health guidelines and policies existing at the time of the event. For example, all attendees will have single-occupancy rooms, though families will be allowed to room together.


Amateur photographers know a whole lot happens between point and shoot.

Each shooting situation presents a challenge, and the solution involves the right mix of light, color, composition, distance and a captivating subject.

You aren’t born able to pull off a perfect picture; those skills must be learned.

Elevate your amateur photography to the extreme at the BSA’s inaugural Adventure Photo Workshop, held this October at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia.

Over the course of five fun-filled days, you’ll join passionate amateur photographers as you sharpen your abilities, vision and creativity. With the awe-inspiring SBR as your home base — a place that’s especially stunning in the fall — you’ll encounter inspiration everywhere you look.

What you’ll do

Through a mix of lectures, labs, demonstrations and plenty of time out in the field shooting, you’ll acquire proven techniques for taking better landscapes, portraits, lifestyle photos, and even pictures of the planets, moon and stars.

At the end of the workshop, you’ll be able to:

  • Use high-level lighting techniques indoors and outdoors
  • Resolve creative photography challenges
  • Make your photos more compelling
  • Demonstrate advanced photography technical skills using the equipment you already own

For a closer look at what’s in store, check out the course syllabus.

Photo by Chuck Eaton

When and where

The workshop begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020. You can depart either after lunch on Friday, Oct. 23, or on Saturday, Oct. 24.

It all takes place at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, the BSA’s newest high-adventure base and home of the National Scout Jamboree, held every four years. As a workshop participant, you’ll gain access to photo locations not available to the general public.

Throughout the week you’ll stay in comfortable, climate-controlled lodging with private bathrooms.

See transportation options under the FAQs on this page.

Photo by Ken Sklute

Who will teach you

You’ll learn from Ken Sklute, a past Canon Explorer of Light who teaches photography around the world.

Ken specializes in difficult-to-capture subjects like the Aurora Borealis, the Milky Way, monsoon lightning storms, tornadoes and more.

Through his engaging, immersive teaching style, Ken will prove that every photographic puzzle has a solution.

Who can attend

Anyone can attend the Adventure Photo Workshop. You need not be involved in Scouting at all. The general public is welcome!

The New River Gorge in West Virginia. Photo by Gary Hartley

What equipment you’ll need

Find a recommended equipment list on the FAQs here.

At a minimum, you’ll want an HDSLR body, two lenses, a tripod, a flash or two, a laptop with processing software, a laptop power supply and a card reader.

Learn more

Find more answers to your questions on the official site.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.