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Photo Field Trip 2016

Musings and memories from a creative adventure jamboree.

By Peak Design

March 4^th, 2016

Coffee with extra twee, please.

We’re not good actors and we’ve never been in a Wes Andersen film. But thanks to our recent attendance at Photo Field Trip, we kinda know what living in a fantastical world of color, adventure and adorably vintage typefaces might be like.

This February, for the 3rd time ever, Photo Field Trip happened. The event is a convergence of young, talented photographers who spend a week building their skill set, building a community, and building their businesses. On paper it sounds like a convention, but in practice it was far from conventional.

Yes, it was a hipster paradise. Kitschy buntings? Check. Artisan coffee? Check. Ubiquitous hashtaggery? #Check. Just to give you an idea of how glorious it was: there were 2 vendors at this event whose businesses were housed in reconditioned vintage vans. One was a film developing service and the other gave away artisan granola. You can’t make this stuff up.

For 5 days in february, a Bunch of right-brained weirdos moved to El Capitan Canyon and lived in the set of Moonrise Kingdom.

Best of all, we got invited. Well, we sort of invited ourselves. Point is, they let us in. And once we were into it, we were into it.

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Yurts: Fuck Yeah.

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

ThE madman behind it all

Photo Field Trip began as all good things do: the vision of a possibly crazy person. In this case, that person is Whitney Chamberlin, co-owner of Our Labor Of Love (photography studio), Smilebooth (robotic photo booths) and The Flashdance (all-vinyl pop DJ collective). So the answer is no, he’s not a 19th century railroad tycoon, despite what his name and portrait (below) might suggest.

As can be said about his other ventures, Whitney is truly growing something special with Photo Field Trip.

Source: The Flashdance website. We suspect this was taken with one of Chamberlin's new-fangled robot picture machines.

Sorry, no room for cool kids

Let’s nip something in the bud right now: the Field Trippers may have been a trendy (and good-lookin’, might we add) bunch, but there was a mandatory ego check at the entrance to this club. Once you step into Photo Field Trip, you’re instantly part of a community.

You’re there to make friends, learn, share, and not take yourself so god damn seriously.

How’s that for a breath of fresh air? Around 500 young, creative photographers showed up, most of whom rolling solo. They were there to put themselves out there—not to promote, but to connect.

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Hilarity Ensued

It all happened in a flash. This place had everything: polar plunges, wolf modeling sessions, midnight laser discotecs. Oh, and not to mention a full week of photography workshops. The 1.5 hour courses covered topics ranging from night lighting to wedding photography to busting out of creative slumps. One workshop was called “How to Annoy Your Kids on Snapchat.” Another called “What Your Photos Say Behind Your Back.” One panel session was simply a roundtable discussion about folks’ worst, most disastrous photography mistakes. There were some doozies.

Shit got wacky, and as it did, it also got real. Awkwardness was abound, and embraced. That was the real beauty and allure of Photo Field Trip.

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

LaZers & Blazers

Note that on Wednesday night we partied.

Until Next Time

New friends, great to meet you. Whitney and crew, thanks for making Photo Field Trip happen. Wolves, you’re still mildly terrifying to us. We sure hope to see y’all again soon in Marfa.

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Photo Field Trip 2016

Write your story here. (Optional)

Photo Field Trip 2016

Footnotes

All photos taken by Annie Nyborg of the Peak Design team, except those otherwise noted.

FootNotes

All photos taken by Annie Nyborg of the Peak Design team, except those otherwise noted.

© 2026 Peak Design

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