An e-course about creating soulful, intuitive, deeply expressive
photographs of the planet we call home. 

Pilgrimage:
Landscape Photography & Deep Seeing

You know the feeling…you’re exploring a stunning landscape, the light is divine, and you’re in the zone with your camera.

But, when you review your images later…they fall flat. They don’t express the wonder and magic you felt in the field (and they’re a tad conventional, if you’re really honest).

Pilgrimage is an invitation to approach the land with the eye of an artist and the heart of a seeker.

For eight nurturing weeks, spanning the turn of the seasons, you’ll learn to deepen your relationship with the land and make intuitive, expressive images that go far beyond the commonplace. Whether you live on the edge of a vast nature preserve or a despoiled urban park, it’s possible to make transcendent, soulful images. In Pilgrimage, we’ll go there.

This is about coming into deeper communion with the land - and your art.

This is about giving your creative spirit the gentle support it needs to shine.

This is about embracing true artistry, one gorgeous image at a time.

If you feel a stirring in your soul, a gentle tug that says it's time to explore new territory, join me for Pilgrimage.

Most landscape photography classes focus on gear and rules. But, if you buy the snazziest new gadgets and follow all the do’s and don’ts…you wind up with generic, postcard-style shots. Many people spend years learning to photograph like this, churning out technically proficient images that look like they could have been made by anyone.

Pilgrimage gets you off the well-beaten path.

The Experience:

Led by photographer and curator Laura Valenti, Pilgrimage is an eight-week multimedia e-course that begins the day you sign up. Unlike a traditional classroom experience, you can do the lessons any time day or night (cozied up in your pajamas, if you like!). You'll receive four in-depth lessons each week - including a photography assignment that helps you apply what you’re learning.

We’ll interpret the word “landscape” broadly in this course, so photographers who work in urban environments, pristine areas, and in-between spaces will feel right at home.

Lessons are delivered via:
 

• Thoughtful readings

• Audio essays

• Gorgeous multimedia slideshows

• Guided meditations to listen to in the field, before you begin to photograph (downloadable mp3s)

• In-depth video interviews with my very favorite landscape photographers

• Beautiful photography examples and resources galore!
  

As soon as you sign up, you’ll be invited into a warm, welcoming online classroom. This is where we'll expand on the themes in the lessons. Expect to find helpful discussions, honest (always kind) feedback, and lots of encouragement and support on themes like: 

• Moving beyond conventional, cliché views of the landscape

• Photographing what a place feels like (instead of just what it looks like)

• My favorite practices for slowing down and tuning in to the energy of the land

• Expanding the idea of “perfect light” so you can work with harsh and low light in creative new ways

• Tapping in to the story of the land and using it as a creative guide

• Finding (and creating) meaningful symbolism in the landscape

• Finding your own story in the landscape (so your images can take you home to yourself)

• Experimental landscapes, natural techniques, and out-of-the box inspiration to free your eye and spirit

• My go-to practice for awakening a sense of awe in the landscape

• Expressive exposure (because the “right” settings don’t always match your vision)

• Photography as a spiritual practice

• Creating soulful, moody, mysterious nighttime images

• Finding beautiful form in the landscape, so your images feel meaningful instead of messy

• Guided meditations to help you slow down and see more deeply

• A behind-the-scenes tour of my post-processing workflow (everything I do to realize my final vision)

• And so much more

Pilgrimage also includes an intimate, exclusive collection of interviews with six visionary photographers:

Cody Cobb: Learn how he finds haunting moments of stillness in the chaos of nature.

Joshua Dudley Greer: Learn how he makes heartbreakingly beautiful images of blighted urban landscapes.

Bootsy Holler: Hear how she uses eco-feminism as a guide for her striking self portraits in the landscape.

Karen Olson: Hear how Japanese forest bathing and eco-therapy inspired her art and helped her navigate a tragic loss.

Sara Silks: See how she combines alternative processes to create a vision that’s truly her own.

Cate Wnek: Learn how she harnesses uncertainty and intuition to create dreamlike images of the natural world.

Is Pilgrimage right for you?

• You can make pretty pictures ‘til the cows come home…but you want to go deeper

• You’ve taken landscape photography classes before, but they all pointed you in the direction of a single aesthetic (and it didn’t feel like you)

• Your images feel too literal, and you’d love to make poetic, emotional, intuitive, heartfelt images of the land

• You feel like you’re making “student work” and you long to be a true artist with your camera

• You feel called to create work that would be taken seriously by galleries, museums, and respected competitions

• You’d love your landscapes to really say something - but you’re not sure how to make that happen

• You want to feel more creative freedom when you’re in the field with your camera

• You’d love to deepen your relationship with the natural world so you can tap into more emotion and direction when you’re out photographing

• You want to feel more trust and confidence in your vision (instead of being swayed by landscape trends and “shoulds”)

• You’re craving creative stimulation, new ideas, and deeper conversation about art making

• You feel stalled in your development as a photographer, and you’re craving evolution and momentum

• You want to spend eight weeks with your photography front and center - living it, breathing it, making images you’re proud of

• You’d love a safe space to experiment and gentle support and guidance from Laura

A bit about me...

I’m Laura Valenti - the artist behind Light Atlas Creative. For me, photography is so much more than a technical exercise. I'm passionate about helping photographers become visionary artists. My teaching centers on clearing creative blocks and cultivating the insight and confidence necessary to make deeply authentic work.

I’ve had my fingers in a lot of pots in the art world, for over 20 years now. I teach interactive e-courses, support emerging photographers in my creative mentoring program, speak to photo groups, lead retreats, and curate exhibitions for galleries and photo festivals around the world. I also jury competitions and serve as a reviewer at portfolio review events, where I help photographers fine-tune their vision and promote their work with more confidence. 

Why Pilgrimage?

Why did I create this class? There’s a lot of conformity in the landscape photo world. Throughout my career in the arts, I’ve watched a lot of photographers struggle to make “perfect,” by-the-book landscapes - only to wind up disappointed in how run-of-the-mill they look.

The truth is, artists don’t aim for by-the-book. They respond to their environment intuitively, honoring their impulses in each moment, listening and looking with a spirit of connection and an embodied inner knowing.

In Pilgrimage, I’ll share all my favorite creative practices with you - but more importantly, I’ll help you find yourself in your work. And that? That’s the path of the artist.

If you’re ready to begin the journey, join me for Pilgrimage.

There are two ways to experience Pilgrimage...

The first option is outlined above. The second option includes everything mentioned above and adds a mentoring component. You can sign up for one hour or four hours of mentoring to pepper throughout the course.

Here’s what that looks like:
 

Step 1: I’ll review your past photographic work, website (if you have one), and any portfolios or other images you want to share. I really will look at ALL of it.

Step 2: We’ll schedule our 60-minute mentoring call(s). Ask me anything - it's your time to use however you like. I’ll offer my reflections on your strongest images and help you build on what you have. We’ll chat about your personal photography goals, and I’ll offer suggestions on overcoming any specific creative challenges you might be grappling with. 
 

The mentoring option is a wonderful fit if you’d love detailed feedback and personalized advice from a seasoned curator, photo juror, and professional portfolio reviewer. And, when you bundle mentoring with your course registration, the mentoring rate is specially discounted.

Sessions don’t expire and can be scheduled at any point (even after the class ends).

Imagine...

You walk out into a gorgeous landscape feeling deeply attuned - to the land, to your art. You’re not thinking about “rules,” “shoulds,” expectations, the art world, social media likes - you’re deeply present, embodied, free. You’re making brave, intuitive creative decisions and your inner compass is strong.

This is absolutely possible for you.

Join me!

Frequently Asked Questions

When does class begin?

Pilgrimage is “on demand,” which means it begins the day you sign up. You’ll get access to the first lesson as soon as your registration is complete.

What kind of camera do I need?

All cameras are welcome! You don’t need anything fancy to take this course. In fact, the simpler, the better! DSLRs, point-and-shoots, camera phones, pinhole cameras made from oatmeal boxes – I have a strict equipment nondiscrimination policy. If it makes you happy to shoot with it, you've got the right gear for this class.

Tell me honestly…how good do I need to be for this?

Since Pilgrimage is a conceptual photography course (not a technical class), photographers at every level are welcome. It's never too early to start making more artistic, expressive landscape photographs, so beginning photographers will feel right at home in the course. The only prerequisite is being comfortable with basic camera operations and knowing how to upload images to your computer.

I'm an experienced photographer. Is this class a good fit?

Since Pilgrimage is about deepening your relationship with your photography, even photographers with many decades of experience will benefit. Experienced photographers often take my classes when they’re feeling blocked and would like to breathe new life into their practice. We’ll start where you are and build from there.

How much time do I need to put in?

We each learn and process information at our own pace, so I’m hesitant to put a number on it, but you’ll likely make the most of this course if you spend about two hours a week on the lessons and your weekly assignment. If you miss a week, you can always catch up at your own pace.

What kind of landscape photography are we talking about here?

We’ll interpret the word “landscape” broadly in this course. If you photograph along the urban/rural divide, in pristine wilderness areas, or in despoiled landscapes, you’ll feel right at home in this course. If you want to photograph outside more, this is the right class for you.

Are there any "live" elements of this class? Do I need to schedule specific times to tune in?

You can do the course entirely on your own schedule - you don't have to be online at any particular time. I’ll give you regular feedback on your posts and you’ll be able to share follow-up images and respond whenever it works best for you.

What happens if I fall behind?

My online classes are nice and flexible. There’s really no such thing as "falling behind." If you miss a lesson (or a few) because life gets in the way, you can catch up without missing a beat. Art doesn’t unfold on a timetable, so there is absolutely zero pressure to rush or force things in this class. You'll have access to all the lessons for three full years after the live course ends, so you can refer to them as many times as you like.

What do I need to access this class?

You'll need basic computer skills and internet access to navigate this course (if you can watch videos on your computer, you're in good shape). The online classroom is mobile friendly, so you can easily navigate it with a mobile device if you’re on the go.

What’s the refund policy?

My classes are very highly rated, and many students take them more than once. If you need to leave class for any reason, you’re welcome to shift your prorated registration to another session of the same course, to one-on-one mentoring, or to a different e-course of your choosing. Because you'll get access to the course and all the course resources (and because you'll get to keep your access for three full years), registration isn't refundable.

I’ll be traveling during the class (and away from my computer), can I still participate?

Many students travel while taking the class. You’ll be able to access all the lessons, post images, and interact in our online classroom from a mobile device, so it’s easy to participate when you’re on the road. And of course, you can always skip lessons and return to them later - Pilgrimage is nice and flexible.