Las Vegas & Beyond: A Southwest Photography Adventure
$995
+ registration fees
IN-PERSON | 72 Hours (equivalent to 6 credits)
DAY 1: 10:00AM – 7:00PM
DAY 2: 7:00AM – 8:00PM
DAY 3: 8:00AM – 7:00PM
DAY 4: 8:00AM – 4:00PM
Offered in collaboration with Hudson County Community College
Photography Instructor: Sara Abbassi
Class Coordinators: Lorene Lucile & Renata Cap
SPACE IS VERY LIMITED AND FILLS UP QUICKLY, SO REGISTER EARLY!!
**We reserve the right to change any of the activities listed below, should any of them be unavailable due to inclement weather.
March 27 – 30, 2027
May 1 – 4, 2027
Want to join the adventure in Nevada, but don’t need the credits? Register for our Travel-Only option here. Spots are limited!
Discover the art of digital photography while exploring the fascinating contrasts of Las Vegas and the American Southwest—from dazzling neon lights and legendary entertainment landmarks to historic ghost towns, colorful desert landscapes, and the breathtaking Grand Canyon.
This immersive, hands-on course combines photography, history, culture, and adventure as students learn to see the world through a creative lens. Explore the stories behind Las Vegas’s transformation into an entertainment capital, discover Nevada’s Wild West heritage, and experience the extraordinary natural beauty of the Mojave Desert and Grand Canyon.
Throughout the course, students will develop practical photography skills through interactive workshops, guided excursions, and creative photo challenges. Experiment with composition, lighting, perspective, and visual storytelling while capturing everything from the energy of the Las Vegas Strip to vintage cars in a historic mining town and dramatic red-rock formations.
More than simply taking great pictures, students will learn how photography can capture a moment, communicate a story, and offer new perspectives on the people, places, and cultures we encounter.
No previous photography experience is required. A smartphone or digital camera is all you need!
Key Experiences
– Las Vegas Strip & Downtown: Discover the city’s iconic landmarks, including the Bellagio fountains, Caesars Palace, and Fremont Street, while experimenting with architectural, street, and nighttime photography.
– Mob Museum & Neon Museum: Step into Las Vegas’s colorful past! Explore the fascinating history of organized crime, entertainment, and the city’s legendary neon signs.
– Nelson Ghost Town: Travel back to the Wild West and discover Nevada’s mining history while photographing vintage cars, weathered buildings, and rustic desert scenery.
– Seven Magic Mountains: Experience a striking contemporary art installation in the middle of the desert and explore how color, creativity, and perspective can transform an ordinary photograph.
– Valley of Fire State Park: Explore extraordinary red sandstone formations, discover ancient rock art, and capture the dramatic colors and textures of Nevada’s desert landscapes.
– Grand Canyon West: Experience the incredible scale and beauty of the Grand Canyon while exploring its geological history, the cultural heritage of the Hualapai people, and the art of landscape photography.
– Creative Photography Challenges: Put your new skills to the test through fun, hands-on assignments, experimenting with different photography styles and building a personal collection of memorable images.
*We reserve the right to change any of the activities if any of them are unavailable due to inclement weather or any other reason.
PRICE INCLUDES
– Tuition fees
– 3 nights at Excalibur, Luxor or similar hotel in Las Vegas (sleep in your own Full/Queen bed in a shared room with other au pairs)
– Local transportation costs to and from all activities
– Day trip to Hoover Dam & Grand Canyon West
– All activities including entrance fees to parks and museums
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
– Airfare to/from Las Vegas
– Airport transportation to/from first lecture and hotel
– Meals
– Registration fees (platform and processing fees)
ASSIGNMENTS & COMPLETION CERTIFICATE
In addition to the in-person class hours in Nevada, this course will include pre-assignments and follow-up assignment as part of the 72-hour class.
You will be invited to join Google Classroom 3 weeks before class starts, which is the platform we use for all our assignments. Check your junk or spam folder, as invitations to join Google Classroom sometimes end up there. Please make sure you register for the course with a valid email address, since this is where you will receive the invitation. Your email has to be Google compatible, so it’s best to use gmail, hotmail or yahoo. If you do not receive a notification to join Google Classroom, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact us.
Pre-assignments will be posted on Google Classroom 3 weeks before class starts. Make sure you join Google Classroom early and complete the assignments BEFORE coming to class. It will take you approximately 14 hours to complete them.
Follow-up assignments will be posted on Google Classroom on the weekend of class, and also consist of 14 hours. You must complete them in order to receive your course completion certificate. Course completion certificates will be emailed to you a few days after the assignment deadline. You will have 4 weeks to complete the assignments. If you need your certificate earlier, please indicate it during the registration process and upload proof of deadline.
All assignments must be completed in order to receive your course completion certificate!
ATTENDANCE
Attendance IS MANDATORY all days during the class in Nevada. If you are late or leave early, your will risk not receiving your certificate. Please note, that this is a long weekend intensive class and the days are long. Bring comfortable shoes, water, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen. We expect you to come to class rested and ready to participate, learn and have fun!
DAY 1: 10:00AM – 7:00PM
DAY 2: 7:00AM – 8:00PM
DAY 3: 8:00AM – 7:00PM
DAY 4: 8:00AM – 4:00PM
** Detailed agenda, schedule and information will be shared on Google Classroom 2 weeks prior to class start date. All registered students will connect via WhatsApp, giving an opportunity to get to know each other before the trip and make plans to share an Uber from the airport, which is approximately $20-30.