32 Workshops in Mongolia and Still Looking Forward to the Next
I have now conducted 32 photography workshops in Mongolia, and I still look forward to returning every year.
Since my first visit in 2012, Mongolia has become a place where familiar faces matter as much as familiar landscapes. Each return brings the chance to catch up with friends, see how their families are growing, and introduce another group of photographers to people who have become an important part of my life.
Our 2026 Eagle Hunters and Gobi Desert photography workshop gave me plenty of reminders of why I keep coming back. We photographed camel herders on the dunes, eagle hunters at Tolbo Lake, cultural dancers in a private theatre setting, and archers on horseback. We also shared the sort of laughter and conversation that stay with you long after the bags are unpacked.
Sunrise and Sunset in the Gobi Desert
Our journey began in Ulaanbaatar before we travelled south to the Khongor sand dunes in the Gobi Desert.
We photographed camel herders at both sunrise and sunset, working with the changing light and the lines of the dunes. These sessions reward photographers who keep watching. A shadow stretches, a ridge catches the light, or a camel turns just enough to give you the separation you were waiting for.
I enjoy helping people see how much a small adjustment can change a photograph. Moving a few steps can clean up a background. A lower camera position can give a camel and rider more presence. Pulling back can show just how small they are in that landscape.
After years of working with the herders, there is a familiarity that helps these sessions unfold. We understand one another, and that gives our photographers time to experiment, ask questions, and build on what they have learned as the light changes.
Eagle Hunters at Tolbo Lake
From the Gobi, we travelled back through Ulaanbaatar and west to photograph five eagle hunters at Tolbo Lake.
This part of Mongolia means a great deal to me. Over the years, I have watched young men become fathers and friendships grow through repeated visits. Arriving with a group gives me the pleasure of introducing people from different parts of my life to one another.
This year also reminded me how much those relationships matter when plans change.
Some of the eagle hunters we had arranged to meet were delayed at a festival. With our photography sessions approaching, we needed to make other arrangements. Mongolia occasionally likes to contribute its own itinerary.
I called friends who were willing to rearrange their plans and spend a few days with us. Their willingness meant our group could still have the experience we had travelled so far for.
I am grateful for that. Trust develops through years of showing up, treating people fairly, and keeping your word. Thirty-two workshops have given me many opportunities to build those friendships, and a responsibility to look after them.
At the lake, those connections helped create time for photographs that placed the hunters and their eagles within the landscape they call home. I want our guests to leave with some understanding of the people in their photographs, too.
A Theatre to Ourselves and Archers on Horseback
In Ulaanbaatar, we rented a theatre for a private cultural dance performance.
Having that space reserved for our group allowed us to concentrate on the dancers’ movements, expressions, and costumes. After working with the open landscapes of the Gobi and western Mongolia, it was a chance to approach photography differently and experience another part of the country’s culture.
We also photographed horseback archers in a rural setting. These sessions required anticipation: following the rider, watching the bow, and trying to bring movement, timing, and background together in one frame.
The variety was part of what made this workshop rewarding. Each setting asked our photographers to observe differently and practise a different skill.
Time to Help Each Photographer
We had eight photographers and three instructors on this workshop. That gave us time to work with people individually, whether they needed help with camera settings, a composition, or the confidence to try something new.
My guiding philosophy has remained consistent throughout my years of leading workshops: our guests’ photographs come first.
Sometimes the most useful thing I can do is put my camera down and stand beside someone while they work through an image. Seeing their excitement when it comes together is still one of my favourite parts of this job.
James Begeman and Mindy Huston have now joined me on a couple of workshops in Mongolia. Watching them take on more responsibility, support our guests, and develop friendships with our local team has been rewarding.
As I think about the future, I want the experience we have built here to continue with leaders who care about the country and its people. Sharing that responsibility is part of looking after something I value. I still look forward to my own return every year.
The Friendships That Travel Home
There was plenty happening between the photography sessions, too.
Conversations on the drives. Jokes over meals. People sharing what had worked, what had gone wrong, and what they hoped to photograph next.
Over the course of the workshop, guests who had arrived as strangers became friends. By the end, they were exchanging contact information and finding ways to stay in touch. Watching those connections develop is one of the quieter pleasures of leading a trip.
For our final evening, we rented the Museum of Natural History for a private tour, a musical performance, and a catered dinner. It gave us time to sit together and reflect on everything we had experienced before heading home.
I am grateful to our eight photographers, to James and Mindy, and to the hunters, herders, performers, drivers, and local team who made this journey possible.
After 32 workshops in Mongolia, I have plenty of photographs. I also have friendships that have become part of my life and memories shared with people from around the world.
That is why I look forward to returning every year. There are friends to see, stories to catch up on, and another group of photographers to introduce to a country I care deeply about.
If you would like to experience it with us, explore the Mongolia Eagle Hunters and Gobi Desert photography workshop with Akari Photo Tours.