2024

MUSES OF THE WEST

Muses of the West retreats consist of a scenic fine art photography tour that takes place in carefully scouted locations in the western US. These intimate small-group adventures are meant to be enjoyed with like-minded individuals who share a love of photographing artistic nudes in unique outdoor and indoor locations. All of our events are built on the model of a 1-1 model-to-photographer ratio and are all-inclusive packages so that all you have to do is get to us and we take care of the rest!

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NEW MEXICO LANDSCAPE TOUR

~SOLD OUT~

June 9-15, 2024

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 WEST ELK TOUR CO

July 22-26, 2024

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GREAT BASIN TOUR UT

August 26-30, 2024

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SOUTHWEST DESERT TOUR UT/AZ

~SOLD OUT~

September 8-12, 2024

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BOOK A CUSTOM PRIVATE TOUR

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As a full-time, traveling model I constantly strive to maintain professionalism across the board. And I genuinely appreciate working with fellow models in the industry who maintain that same level of professionalism. Jessa Ray Muse is one of those models. As the founder and co-organizer(with her husband Greg) of the Muses of the West, Jessa exceeded all my expectations for working with a professional model. She was incredibly respectful, dedicated, but also down to earth. She will never ask models to do anything she wouldn't do herself. And she is super respectful of models personal boundaries. If you are a model considering participating in one of her Muses of the West events, I highly recommend her.

If you are a photographer who enjoys scenic photographic events with models, I highly recommend joining one of the Muses of the West events. You will find it is well organized by a professional model who knows the industry from both sides of the lens. The all-inclusive events include personalized tours to beautiful locations, lodging, and personalized/catered meals(by her chef husband). The meals are truly an amazing asset to the whole experience!
A highly recommended creative experience!!

Gazelle Powers

As soon as Jessa Ray Muse posted the information for the Muses of the West New Mexico Landscape Adventure I knew I wanted to participate. The idea of photographing the three models in the selected interesting locations was exciting. I was drawn to the all expense pre-paid concept, including model fees, meals, transportation to all locations, and lodging. I was also able to have my wife included in the lodging and meals at a small additional fee. The 1:1 photographer to model ratio allowed for more time to make pictures.

As the start approached Jessa provided detailed information on all aspects of the event. We received a comprehensive schedule, the locations where we would stay, information about the models, and lists of what we should bring.

While we were together she was flexible in adjusting the schedule to accommodate weather and alternate photography opportunities. This led to some unexpected wonderful images.

Meals were prepared for the group and were personalized to accommodate food issues. This added to the enjoyment of everyone in the group. All were very good and contained ample portions.

The models were terrific and contributed many interesting ideas for the photographs. They all worked very hard and made the process fun.

Jessa chose varied and interesting places for us to stay. Each had its own charm and allowed us to spend more time together as a group, adding to the fun.

For the reasons above, I highly recommend the Muses of the West Adventures.

Mark Harris

I attended the inaugural Muses of the West tour in 2022 and it was the best put-together model workshop that I've ever attended. Communication prior to and during the event, food and housing were all great and combined with the phenomenal posing and energy of the models made for a very successful trip with lots of great photos. Jessa Ray kept in communication prior to arrival so we all knew what to bring and what to expect for locations and models which made getting excited really easy!

Having the models and photographers share a house for the tour provided more opportunities to engage with each other and share photos and concepts each day so that our pictures together could evolve throughout the trip, versus had we been isolated in our own hotel rooms. The variety of locations provided unique opportunities each day for different poses and multiple opportunities for various types of dresses that the models brought with them.

Jessa Ray picked a group of models with varied looks and styles, but still complemented each other when we did group shoots. Jessa Ray ensured we rotated models between the photographers at each location and also planned pair and trio shoots too, thus ensuring the photographers maximized their variety of photos. Jessa Ray pulled double duty in modeling, pointing the photographers to pre-scouted locations and keeping us on schedule, and even providing alternate plans when other people wandered into our photo shoot location. Although she had a well thought-out plan for each shoot location, there was still ample time for the photographers and models to discover their own unique areas at the location to come up with their own adhoc concepts.

A surprising highlight of the tour was the food. Having a personal chef, Greg, prepare healthy meals each day ensured we were all fueled and ready to go. Jessa told us at the beginning of the trip that there would be no fast food on this trip! Even when we had to leave in the early morning for a sunset shoot, Greg provided homemade super smoothies to get us going that morning and would also cook on location after several shoots so that we could eat at a normal meal time instead of waiting for a long drive back to the house.

Having a tour with experienced models in interesting locations ensures you'll get great photos, but combining that with having a well-planned tour with good food and lodging guarantees you'll have an experience that you'll treasure and remember every time you view those photos.

Greg Holden

Colorado is beautiful and the "Muses of the West" photography tour that Greg Holden and I attended in September 2022 was super. We all stayed in a nice home that is usually a hostel, but the organizers rented out the entire house so that we have privacy as a group but also gave us the chance to shoot in the space. The house was both centrally located for our day trips, and also provided a fine opportunity for everybody to get to know one another. The home-cooked food throughout the trip was over-the-top! Both the models and the shooting locations offered a wide variety of opportunities to get all sorts of fine shots and I have already gotten some photo awards for the resulting images.

Other outstanding features of this workshop: The model-to-photographer ratio was great, so we all got to pair off in various combinations. The photo shooting locations covered a wide range of environments. We had ample time in the evening to process and review the work as the workshop progressed. I personally learned a great deal from working with the other photographers and models, as well as having a great time.

Bill Seelig

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to model for Muses of the West's Sangre de Cristo tour in late August. All I have to say is wow, Jessa and her partner are just fantastic. These events are extremely well thought-out. Photographers are guaranteed to get amazing pictures as the team hand-pick incredible locations, experienced art-models and time the shoots perfectly. On top of all this, they take great care of everyone with delicious and nutritious meals, a positive attitude and a well-thought-out schedule. Highly recommended for both models and photographers!

Lucy Tyler

I had a great time at Muses of the West. Lots of beautiful locations, food, new friends and photo opportunities. I would definitely recommend.

Marie Brooks

New Mexico Landscape Tour

June 9-15, 2024 – SOLD OUT –
1:1 Model to Photographer Ratio
4.5 days shooting & 6 nights Lodging
$4800 All-inclusive tour package
Exploration of New Mexico from north to south starting with hoodoo formations, cracked eggs, boulder fields, lava flows, & ending at the extraordinarily beautiful White Sands NP. (Permits are acquired for locations where it is required).
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Customized to fit the needs of the group)
*Photo of Gazelle Powers, Velveteen Serpent Queen & Jessa Ray Muse Taken by Mark Harris during the 2023 New Mexico Landscape Tour

Our Muses:

Joy Lamore →

St. Merrique →

Jessa Ray Muse→

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West Elk Tour

July 22-26, 2024
1:1 Model to Photographer Ratio
3.5 days shooting & 4 nights lodging
$4500 All-inclusive tour package
Exploration of Colorado’s West Elk Loop Features Wild Flower Meadows, Aspen Tree Groves, Mountain Landscapes, Gnarled cedar trees, Pothole formations, Red Rock Canyon walls, Boulder fields, and the Famous Black Canyon. (Permits acquired for locations where it is required.)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, includes elevations at 5500-10,000ft high (All tour locations are customized to fit the needs of the group)
*Photo of Her Stillness Dances, Marie Brooks & Jessa Ray Muse Taken by Andy Yeung on the First Muses of the West 2022 West Elk Tour

Our Muses:

Astrid Kallsen→

Belladonna→

Jessa Ray Muse→

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Great Basin Tour

August 26-30, 2024
1:1 Model to Photographer Ratio
3.5 days shooting & 4 nights lodging
$4500 All-inclusive tour package
Exploration of the West Utah Great Basin Desert features Lava Flows, Lava Tubes, Extinct Volcanic Domes with 360 views, Hollowed volcanic formations, cracked Earth, the Sevier Dry Lake Bed, Sand Dunes, Hot Springs, and more! (Permits are acquired for all locations where it is required).
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Customized to fit the needs of the group)
*Photo of Kristy Jessica Taken by David Keith Skuse on the 2023 Great Basin Tour

Our Muses:

Kat Keen→

Shauntia→

Jessa Ray Muse→

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Southwest Desert Tour

September 8-12, 2024 – SOLD OUT –
1:1 Model to Photographer Ratio
3.5 days shooting & 4 nights lodging
$4500 All-inclusive tour package
Join us for an adventure around the border of southern Utah and northern Arizona! We will enjoy sandstone hoodoo formations, colorful hills, slot canyons, ending with a finale of petrified sand dunes, and swirled red rock formations! (Permits acquired for all locations where it is required).
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Customized to fit the needs of the group)
*Photo of Jessa Ray Muse Taken by Robert Wolff on a Scouting Expedition for the Southwest tour in 2023

Our Muses:

Whitney Masters→

Earthly Eva →

Jessa Ray Muse→

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Custom Private Tour

Not a group tour kind of person? We understand, and even though all our events are a much smaller size than the usual tour we know they aren’t for everyone. This is why we are here to curate private tours for you. We have many models from our previous tours and current 2024 schedule that may be booked for private tours with enough notice.

Price:

  • $550 half-day(minimum) – $1,000 USD per full-day, per model. Customized multi-day, multi-model packages are available.

Included:

  • Jessa Ray or Greg as a skilled offroad driver/tour guide(s).
  • Gas expenses in our Subaru Forester Wilderness within 30 minutes travel.
  • Filtered Water(please bring a refillable water bottle).
  • Basic first aid skills, and first aid kit.

Not Included:

  • Food(meals provided for an extra fee). Greg can be hired to cook for $50 per meal, plus the cost of food.
  • Transportation costs(local airport pickup can be arranged).
  • Alcoholic beverages.
  • Lodging costs are to be covered by the photographer. Local recommendations are available upon request.

*Photo of Organizers Greg & Jessa Ray Muse Taken by Stephen Podrasky on a Custom Private Tour in Western Colorado in July 2023

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