Circle Bar Ranch, Montana, May 19-23, 2026
Join the Cowgirls with Cameras on a Photography Learning Immersion Experience
5 Days, 4 Nights | May 19-23, 2026
Hobson, Montana
NEW LOCATION FOR 2026!
Montana is a magical place — especially in the spring. At 5000 feet elevation and nestled at the base of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Circle Bar Ranch is the ideal location to capture the stunning beauty of the Western landscape.
This event is one of our immersive learning experiences and designed for intermediate to advanced photographers looking to take their skills to the next level. The education offering are chosen by the participants ahead of the event so they are customized to the specific group attending. Topics include everything from understanding horsemanship to advanced camera technical understanding and creative editing.
THIS EVENT LOCATION ALSO OFFERS DAILY HORSEBACK RIDES INCLUDED!
Private Rooms Available.
This is a Cowgirls with Cameras Photography Learning Immersion Experience designed for Intermediate to Advanced Photographers.
If you feel you need assistance reacing the intermediate level, we offer pre-workshop mentorships to give you everything you need to succeed at this workshop.
Our Learning Immersion workshops offer beginner, intermediate and advanced photographers a chance to grow their skills in a safe and supportive environment. Learning photography can also be a lonely experience and workshops can be intimidating and scary. Learning photography in a workshop setting can be harsh, feel competitive, or stifling, and we don’t want that to be the experience for our students. We want this experience to allow you room to establish a solid foundation and/or expand your skills while having fun and getting the knowledge you’ve been craving.
Register now!
There are a limited number of spots available for this experience. Your deposit of $750 secures your spot at the event and is credited toward your balance. Deposits are non-refundable. Please use this checkout form to secure your spot today!
Full experience price: $3475 Shared | $3725 Private Accommodation
This event blends immersive learning with a retreat style atmosphere and daily horseback rides if you choose!
Your Leaders: Cara, Kim and Phyllis!
Cara Taylor Swift
Fast Horse Photography, Equine Portrait Specialist
Super Powers:
Eliciting Horse Human Connection
Posing People with Horses
Seeing the extraordinary
in the ordinary.
Canon
Lightroom Classic
Photoshop
PC
Kim Beer
Kim Beer Photography & Be More Business, Gestaltist
Super Powers:
Helping you connect with and love your Muse.
Innovative Business Building
Creative & Fast Workflows
Canon
Lightroom CC & Classic
Photoshop
Mac and iPad Pro
Phyllis burchett
Phyllis Burchett Photography, Photographic Artist
Super Powers:
Artistic Expression in Photography
Seeing the Details
Patience
Passive Income
Nikon
Photoshop
Bridge
PC
The magic of a Cowgirls with Cameras Experience is in our Leaders!
We are three very different photographers and all successful in our own craft using different approaches and techniques. We have been in your shoes — the novice photographer yearning to learn more; the intermediate photographer seeking to become better at your craft; and the experienced photographer looking to expand your horizons and fully tap into your creativity. We each offer our unique super powers, methods, and view points for you to consider. We believe this offers our students the opportunity to truly choose what works best for them. Our instruction style is open, engaging, non-judgmental, and friendly. We are passionate about photography, artistic expression, business, and having fun — we want to inspire you and help you take your photography to the next level.
About the Cowgirls with Cameras Photography Learning Immersion Experience at Circle Bar Ranch
This experience will be learning intensive with a focus on classroom learning and shooting. Mentoring, relaxation (ie fun!), and community building will also be part of the event.
Scheduled shoots are all western equine themed and include a wide range of setups including portrait, lifestyle, action, and creative opportunities. Instructors will be available during the shoots to direct models and help participants with capturing the images they envision.
Classroom time is scheduled between shoots. Our classroom time will be divided between lecture and hands-on learning. Topics covered will include editing, creativity, camera knowledge, composition, business, mindset and more. The classroom time at our workshops is designed to give you the skills you need to get the most out of the scheduled shoots.
Mentoring from one or all of the instructors is available and encouraged during the event. Also included in your experience are 3 sessions of up to 45 minutes of mentoring before or after the event itself. This is a $600 value if purchased separately PLUS you have full mentoring access to all three instructors at the event itself.
Community is a key aspect of our Immersion Photography experiences. We encourage sharing and friendship both during and after the event. Some of our most memorable moments and best friendships have come from the workshops we have attended, and we want you to have that same opportunity at every Cowgirls with Cameras event. Built into the schedule is time to get to know each other and foster support for each other both in our lives and art.
Relaxation time is important to the creative process. Although this event is intensely focused on learning, we will have built in down time for relaxation and just hanging out with each other, the animals, and nature.
We hand pick our locations to offer
• beautiful scenery
• real ranch lifestyle
• horses
• a variety of settings
• comfortable lodging
All of our Photography Learning Immersions cover:
Posing
Working with Models
Lighting Techniques and Strategies
Photography Business Skills
Mindset
Creativity
Camera Equipment: In order to get the most out of this experience, we recommend you have a DSLR or Mirrorless removable lens camera system. If you don’t own one of these camera systems, we can help you choose what to rent so you maximize your experience and can test out equipment before you commit!
Editing Equipment: A laptop and/or iPad is required to take advantage of the classroom time focused on editing and workflow. Instruction will take place in industry standard Adobe software. For laptop users, we will work in Photoshop, Bridge, and Lightroom Classic or Lightroom CC. For iPad users, we will work in Lightroom CC and Photoshop Mobile. If you edit in Photoshop Elements, you can still benefit from the classroom instruction, but you may not have access to all the tools for some techniques. If you edit with Affinity, you will need to alter some steps of the Photoshop instruction to the specifics of your software.
Lighting Equipment and Accessories: Almost all our instructional and setup shooting will be done with available light. There are, however, occasions and locations where off camera lighting techniques will be covered. In these cases, we will have lighting setups provided for Canon and Nikon users. If you use another brand of camera equipment, we will provide you with the requirements for your camera setup prior to the event or you can observe the techniques and apply them at home when you have the required equipment. An accessory list for each location will be provided at the time of registration.
The Important Details
The investment for this event is
$3475 Shared Accommodation,
$3725 Private.
Classroom Instruction
In Field Instruction
8 Photography Setups
Model Releases
Lodging
Meals
Travel to and from the location is not included.
The closest airport to this location is Great Falls International (1 hour 45 minutes from the ranch). Additional airports are Bozeman and Billings which are each about 3 hours away. You should plan to arrive on location by 2 pm on May 19 and plan to depart the ranch by 10 am on May 23 unless other arrangements are made in advance. There will not be a need to leave the location during the event, so sharing a rental car is advised to cut down on expenses. We will connect attendees through social media and email prior to the event so you can make arrangements.
Lodging is provided by the ranch and included. This location offers both shared and private rooms. Shared rooms will be two people per room. Rooms are comfortable and fully outfitted.
Meals are provided by the ranch and included. The ranch is happy to accommodate a range of dietary needs if they know in advance. Please notify us if you need vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, or other dietary options for your meals. Also let us know in advance if you have any food allergies.
We do everything we can within reason to make you comfortable during the event. If you have any special needs, please notify us in advance so we can arrange to meet them or set expectations accordingly.
Activity Level, Personal Gear, and Weather Considerations
Participants in this experience should be in good health and feel comfortable walking over uneven terrain and standing for extended periods of time. We may have to hike a short distance to shoot locations so please be prepared by bringing hiking or western type boots/shoes with closed toes. Weather in the west can be unpredictable, so pack layers to accommodate your comfort in both warm and cold temperatures. We often find morning to start off chilly and quickly rise in temperature and layering allows you to adjust your comfort level easily.
Horse experience is NOT necessary to participate in this experience.