The Red Cathedral

The Experience

The Sedona formations were deposited in the Permian, two hundred seventy million years ago, and iron oxide turned them red. Everything since has been erosion and light. Cathedral Rock. Bell Rock. Courthouse Butte. These are not decorative features of a landscape. They are geological testimony — and they photograph differently at every hour, in every season, in every weather system moving through the Oak Creek corridor.

We work the long Oak Creek corridor — from the canyon rim south through the formations to the creek bed — timed for the specific light that makes the red sandstone read against the sky. In mid-autumn, when the cottonwoods turn gold against the red walls, the palette becomes briefly extraordinary: iron oxide red, cottonwood gold, juniper green, creek-bed silver, the cream of cumulus against cobalt. This is the window the session is built around. We also work Cathedral Rock from the creek-crossing approach — the image that defines Sedona photographically — and the less-traveled Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte corridors where the tourist density drops and the composition opens.

Session Formats

Choose your depth of field.

Every GTTS workshop runs in small groups — eight participants maximum, most sessions capped at six. The guide is always the photographer. The format is always the field.

What's Included

Everything except the excuse not to come.

• Personal instruction from Frédérick M. St. Simon throughout
• All ground transportation during the session
• Grand Canyon or National Park entry fees where applicable
• Field editing review (Full Day and Extended sessions)
• Portfolio critique (Extended Expedition only)
• Accommodation (Extended Expedition only)

Who This Is For

Serious photographers. Serious beginners. Serious travelers.

This session suits photographers at all levels who are drawn to saturated color, geological form, and the relationship between water and rock. It is the most accessible of the four GTTS workshops in terms of terrain — Oak Creek Canyon trails are well-maintained and the primary shooting locations involve minimal hiking. It is also the session most frequently requested by first-time visitors to Northern Arizona who want to understand why the professional photography of Sedona looks so different from their own.

All sessions are camera-agnostic. Full-frame mirrorless, crop sensor DSLR, or a smartphone with intention — the equipment matters less than the eye behind it. What GTTS teaches is not how to operate a camera. It is how to see a landscape.

Pricing

Per person. No hidden fees. No agency markup.

The Dawn Patrol at $285 focuses on Cathedral Rock and the creek crossing in the pre-dawn and golden hour window. The Full Day at $595 covers the complete Oak Creek corridor from rim to formation circuit. The Autumn Special at $650 runs October 15 through November 15 when the cottonwoods are in peak color — the window is approximately four weeks and the images made in it are unlike anything the same location produces in other seasons.

A 50% deposit confirms your reservation. Balance due 14 days prior to session. A signed participant agreement and release is required before the session date. Travel agencies and trade partners: 15% commission available — contact for trade registration.