Sabino Canyon National Park

The Sabino Canyon National Park is a popular recreation  area located along Sabino Creek right at the edge of Tucson, Arizona and at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. What really makes Sabino Canyon special is the presence of the saguaro cactus – a spectacular plant that makes for an excellent photographic subject.

 The saguaro cactus is a universal symbol of the southwest, yet they are only found in a small portion of the United States. This exceptional strain of cacti only grow in the Sonoran Desert area, which spans extreme southeastern California, northwestern Mexico, and the location of this class, southern Arizona.

The saguaro is large and tree-like – it can grow as tall as 50 feet and live up to 200 years. The cactus flower is the state flower of Arizona, and visitors to the southwest desert have always been awestruck by this plant.

The saguaro cactus is so iconic that its silhouette is found on the label of Old El Paso brand products, even though no saguaros grow within 250 miles of El Paso , Texas.

Learn new compositional skills as you explore the different angles at which you can photograph the cactus. Get down low and point your camera up towards the sky – you might be surprised at how much your image can change with a slight bend of the knee! By doing this, you emphasizing its height while making your image more compelling.

Learn more about macro photography as you zoom your camera up close to the cactus, investigating its texture with your lens. Also, learn how to switch your camera setings from color to black and white, thus giving you the freedom to completely change the tone and mood of your final image.

The cacti aren’t the only incentive to take this class – you will also begin to master landscape photography. Your DPA instructor will help you effectively capture the beauty and feeling of these unique southwest vistas.

Martha Lochert or Chris Mooney, your DPA instructor, will meet you in the covered area to the left of the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center main entrance. Please note there is a $5 parking fee at the park.

Please bring your fully charged digital camera, an extra charged battery (if you have one,) and any other photographic equipment you would like to use during the class. Please dress for the weather and wear your most comfortable shoes.

Call Digital Photo Academy at 1 877 372 2231. Lots of people seem to hang up if our welcome recording comes on instead of a live voice, but we promise to return your message within a day or two if you leave one with your name and number.  It would be even better if you included your e mail address as well as the date and city of the class you are considering.  If leaving a voice mail message is not your thing, please email us at [email protected] or [email protected].

5900 N. Sabino Canyon Road
Tucson, AZ , AZ 85750