Springtime in the Smokies 2026: Highlights from Tremont’s Photography Workshop

Cover image by Susan Milinkovich.

Spring in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is easy to love – rushing streams, fresh green leaves, soft morning light, wildflowers tucked along the trail, and mist moving through the mountains. But for photographers, spring offers something more than a beautiful backdrop. It offers a chance to practice seeing.

This year’s Springtime in the Smokies Photography Workshop brought photographers of all experience levels to Tremont for several days of field sessions, instruction, image review, and time spent exploring the changing season through a camera lens.

Led by Steve Zigler, Susan Milinkovich, Tom Vadnais, Dan Thompson, and Rich Rings, the workshop gave participants the chance to slow down, study light, experiment with composition, and receive guidance in the field. Instructors worked closely with students throughout the week, offering advice, encouragement, and technical support as participants photographed streams, forests, trails, historic places, and the many small details that make spring in the Smokies so memorable.

“The instructors were all phenomenal. It felt like I had a personal instructor with the level of attention I received.”

“The workshop instructors were universally excellent. All were patient, extremely passionate and knowledgeable, and generous with their time.”

Tremont’s Springtime in the Smokies and Autumn Brilliance workshops are the only residential photography programs inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Participants stay in dorms on Tremont’s campus, enjoy family-style meals together, and share transportation to some of the most beautiful spots in the Smokies.

Because their home base was inside the national park, the group was able to begin their field sessions early at prime locations, including Elkmont, Cades Cove, and the Foothills Parkway. These outings gave students opportunities to work with changing conditions, ask questions in real time, and practice new techniques with instructors nearby.

The result was a week full of learning, experimentation, and creativity – plus a collection of beautiful images that reflect both the talent of the photographers and the remarkable landscape they were photographing.

Tremont’s photography workshops aren’t just about chasing the perfect image. The program helps participants slow down and notice what is naturally unfolding around them – the direction of light, the movement of water, the shape of shadow, or the quiet moment before a scene changes.

“I learned to see light immersively, before it arrives and after it leaves.”

“This class taught me to appreciate light and shadow, and to wait for nature to reveal its magic.”

Whether participants came with years of experience or were still building confidence behind the lens, Springtime in the Smokies offered space to grow. Students left with new skills, fresh inspiration, and a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“Seeing the seasons change gave me a feeling of renewal.”

If you’re ready to slow down, look closer, and explore the Smokies through your camera lens, join us for a future photography workshop at Tremont.