Cradle Mountain Winter Workshop 2026
Location: Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
Dates: July 24th-28th 2026 (5 days)
Instructor: Benjamin Maze
Physical Activity: Low-Moderate
Group Size: 5
Price: $4450
Join me for an incredible 5-day winter workshop exploring the iconic beauty of Cradle Mountain!
Cradle Mountain is popular for a reason. Not only is this area amazing for photographing what is arguably Australia’s most iconic mountain, reflected in Dove Lake and its surrounding tarns, it’s also surrounded by incredibly lush, photogenic rainforest. The winter timing gives us a chance to capture a dusting of snow resting on the peaks, frosty water foregrounds, and even potential snow down into the forest! Whether it’s foggy, snowing or shining with sun, we’ll have plenty to photograph and learn during our time here. For anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife (besides the wombats you’ll see amongst the grass), a lunchtime feeding tour of the Devils @ Cradle is included. If we get lucky, we might even have the opportunity to capture the aurora dancing in the night skies!
Overview
You’ll learn how to capture dramatic, refined and unique images with personal instruction from myself every step of the way, as we explore creating engaging wide-angle compositions alongside the fascinating smaller scenes that can be found in nature. We’ll be keeping a flexible itinerary, with a range of possible locations in order to maximise our opportunities. I’ll be there to instruct you on capturing unique perspectives and what makes a compelling composition, settings for maximum quality and creative control, techniques for front-to-back sharpness, maximising dynamic range, reacting to conditions, and much more. Our group size of no more than 5 guests will ensure you receive plenty of 1-on-1 tuition from myself throughout the experience.
Back at our nearby spacious accommodation at Cradle Mountain Hotel, we’ll be spending time in educational sessions to maximise your learning. This will entail presentations on theory and technique, covering everything from the beautiful coastline to chaotic forest scenes and the smaller scenes of nature. When time allows, we’ll also go through some group post-processing sessions to help you make the most of your files.
Time in the field is the priority, however, which is why every guest is entitled to a complimentary post-workshop 1.5-hour online session. These can be used to go through start-to-finish edits on images captured during the workshop, critique & feedback, or whatever else would be most beneficial to your learning experience. In these sessions, you’ll be able to learn the proper editing application of the in-field processes you were taught, from focus stacking to exposure blending, as well as creative techniques and workflow tips that will result in natural yet striking images that stand out amongst the crowd.
Most of all, you’ll get to enjoy a fun week of nature photography led by a passionate photographer who has created internationally recognised imagery in the area and loves to guide people along in their creative journey!
If you’re unsure about the benefits of joining a workshop or want to learn more about my approach as a leader, you can read more about my workshop philosophy here.
Booking
Single Room: $4450
Your single room booking provides a spacious Split Level King Room to yourself for the duration of the workshop. This includes a king bed, modern private ensuite, sunken lounge/study area, private balcony, complimentary wifi, television and more.
Secure your position on the workshop with a $1000 deposit. Final payments are made via direct bank deposit and are due no later than 60 days prior to the workshop’s commencement.
By booking you acknowledge and accept our Terms and Conditions
Got questions? Read on for more info!
Accommodation
We’ll be staying at the comfortable and convenient Cradle Mountain Hotel for the duration of the workshop, providing us with a comfortable and convenient base for our 5 days. Each guest will have their own Split Level King Room, which includes a king bed, modern private ensuite, sunken lounge/study area, private balcony, complimentary wifi, television and more. The hotel is also home to our private board room from which we’ll run presentations and editing sessions, as well as a permanent Peter Dombrovskis gallery for those looking for inspiration during down time. We’ll primarily be eating dinner between the hotel’s own restaurant and the Peppers Cradle Mountain restaurant, while in the mornings a buffet breakfast is included. Lunches will be sorted on a day-today basis depending on conditions and whether we plan to be in the field during this time.
Activity Levels
The workshop requires a low-moderate level of fitness. Participants must be comfortable with short walks to locations with a head torch before sunrise/after dark, on slippery rainforest trails, and in potentially cold/wet conditions (if safety allows). Comfortable walking/hiking shoes that have sufficient grip, as well as warm walking-appropriate clothes and waterproof layers, are a must. Some inclines, unsealed paths and steps will be encountered whilst accessing certain locations. An example of a longer walk to be prepared for includes the Liffey Falls track (2km return, 75m elevation difference). Further information as well as a packing list will be provided after booking; please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.
Inclusions
✓ 4 nights of single-room accommodation
✓ Devils @ Cradle Day Feeding Tour
✓ Buffet-style breakfast at accommodation
✓ On-location coaching
✓ Educational sessions
✓ Post-workshop 1-1 online session
✓ Private vehicle transfer to & from Launceston
✓ Private transport throughout the workshop
✓ All park passes & associated costs
Exclusions
✖ Flights/Travel costs
✖ Lunches, Dinners and Beverages
✖ Insurance
✖ Equipment
For questions & enquiries, get in touch below
Testimonials
“Ben is a superb teacher who is always willing to provide help when needed. He provided an excellent mix of theory in his presentations with practice out in the field. He was patient and understanding, and was able to answer any questions asked of him. I would have no hesitation at doing another of his workshops, or recommending his workshops to others.” - Anne W
“Ben's workshop is highly recommended. He is generous, knowledgeable and patient. We had a wonderful time being taken to amazing locations while staying in lovely accommodations.” - Kamal R
“Ben's … workshop was the best I've done. He is an incredibly talented photographer, but also a gifted teacher: patient, intuitive, encouraging and enthusiastic. He went above and beyond to ensure everyone got the help they needed; the schedule was flexible to made best use of weather and tides; he was well-organised and great company. Highly recommended and hope to do another workshop in the future.” - Kerry L
“This is the second workshop I have done with Ben. He is a passionate and focussed professional photographer. He is continually pushing participants the “raise” the bar with their photography. A great person." - Jim I
“Ben is so knowledgeable and is willing to share ideas on composition and processing … Ben’s help in the field gave me new composition options and things to consider: shapes, spacing and balance. And his help in processing gave me confidence to explore new techniques. Ben is very generous with his time and knowledge. I would recommend his workshops to anyone at any stage of their photography journey.” - Kate M
“Ben … carefully planned our excursions to take advantages of the tides and the morning or afternoon light and he provided one-on-one instruction to all the participants in a caring, thoughtful and skilled way. The editing part of the workshop was also very informative and provided opportunities for participants to develop their skills in either Lightroom or Photoshop. I would highly recommend attending one of Ben's workshops.” - Karen S