Newfoundland and Labrador Workshop - whales, icebergs, lighthouses, Gros Morne Natonal Park and more

 

 

We begin our time together as we live the life of a lighthouse keeper overlooking “Iceberg Alley”.

Hear the Killer Whales’ call echoing off massive icebergs in our own private cove and hopefully awaken to the sounds of the Humpbacks calling you across vast stretches of the North Atlantic. From this location we will explore the rugged landscape made famous in “The Shipping News”, the Pulitzer prize-winning novel and Kevin Spacey movie.

Imagine the feel the salt spray in your face as you journey out to remote Quirpon Island amidst the dolphins and whales. As you land in the cove, imagine you are returning home to the sod huts, thousands of years old, which lay undisturbed here. Forge a link with ancient humans as you stand in the remains of their huts overlooking the cove and picture the tiny beach coming to like as it was eons ago.

This is your home for the next few days. It lies atop the cliffs at the northern tip of this deserted island. The contrast of the rugged beauty of the island and the cosy luxury of Quirpon Lighthouse Inn will bring back your childhood feelings of laying by the fire as a storm raged outside. Imperceptibly your priorities in life will shift as you become part of the primal connection between humans and the remote reaches of the sea.

You are now in the best spot on earth to visit with whales and icebergs. At dawn, be certain to introduce yourself to your only neighbours – the whales migrating past your doorstep. An abandoned fishing village near the lighthouse is your hiking destination today. Learn of the tragic but romantic mass murder and suicide that inevitably lead to its demise.

View the “vast cathedrals of ice”. On sunny days they appear lit from inside. On dull days other senses take over as they seem to grow in size. Their chilling effect spreads to your mind and you feel a timeless empathy for sailors who have dreaded these giants for millennia.

Europeans first arrived in North America 500 years before Columbus. These Vikings settled in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of L’anse aux Meadows. As you visit, one question will fill your mind- Why here? Be sure to ask resident Vikings who work here today. Join them in their huts and sample cuisine from ten centuries ago.

From here we will sail to Labrador where a 12 year old child was lovingly laid to rest in North America’s oldest grave – 8,000 years ago. Visit Basque whaling site where a boat from the 1500’s raised from the frigid waters shows how little technology has changed in 500 years. A photogenic location at any time of day and your photos, chronicle history very few ever visit.

Heading south along the Viking Trail you might experience time travel visiting isolated fishing villages which have hosted civilizations for thousands of years, capturing lighthouses during golden hours and at the Port au Choix National Historic Site, learn how little we differ from our ancient forbearers. Take time to linger and photograph the memorable sights along the seaside… because you will be busy spotting the thousands of moose and caribou in Gros Morne National Park amidst some of the most breathtaking scenery the east coast of Canada has to offer.

If you think the shoreline to this point has been spectacular, wait until your boat tour of Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne. This landlocked fjord was left as a slash in the cliffs when the last ice age ended. 2000 vertical faces slowly come together as your journey on the purest lake in the world. This voyage is guaranteed to give you memories to savour back in the real world. Afterwards, stretch your legs on a valley of ancient earth’s mantle that has made this park a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The landscape evokes images of the moon more than the earth, but this geological wonder has its own charms. You will enjoy it from sun up to sun down through the lens.

Before our trip together ends, you can have the choice of completing our odyssey with a taste of other experiences unique to out corner of the globe. Kayak with the bergs and whales or hike into a falls for another photography walk to capture the golden light landscapes and local wildlife.

Dates of Workshop:  June 1, 2014 to June 10, 2014

Price of Workshop:  $3890USD is your price ($4250 on my website) – shared accommodation

Photographic Leader(s):  Kevin Pepper

Maximum Number of attendees: max 5, min 4 (2 spots already taken)

Deposit to secure space in workshop:  $750USD

What is Included: 9 nights’ shared accommodation (including 4 at Quirpon Lighthouse Inn). 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, daily snacks, juice and water, 5 suppers (including 1 dinner theatre). Western Brook Pond boat tour. Ferry to Labrador. All park and site passes. Transportation. Minimum of three editing sessions

What is not included: anything not mentioned as included, items of personal nature, travel insurance.

 

Here is the link on my website. http://northof49photography.com/newfoundland-and-labrador

 

More details on the locations

We will be staying in a reclaimed lighthouse, Quirpon lighthouse on a private island, and in some hotels.

We will be spending time whale watching, photographing icebergs, photographing lighthouses on the northern shores of Newfoundland and Labrador and spending a fair bit of time in Gros Morne National Park on the North West coast of Newfoundland.

We will also head over to Labrador to see the original settlement of Vikings in North America, do some shoots along the seaside and visit some of the oldest fishing villages in Eastern Canada.

You will be shooting seascapes, lighthouses, old fishing villages, hopefully some of the tens of thousands of caribou and moose in Gros Morne (if we can see them), some migratory birds, landscapes, whales and icebergs

 

 

 

 

Mongolia... here we come...

In just a few weeks, 7 of us will be travelling across Mongolia, eventually ending up at the Naadam Festival.

The biggest festival of the Mongolian year is the Naadam Festival celebrated in Mongolia nationwide on July 11-13. Naadam is properly know as “Eryn gurvan naadam”, after the three manly games of wrestling, horse racing, and archery making up the core activities of the National Festival.

Mongolians love to dress in their best traditional costumes and riding on their most beautiful horses during Naadam.

Wrestling

Mongolian wrestling has no weight divisions, so mostly the biggest wrestlers are often the best. The wrestlers are divided into 2 sides and it begins with zasuul honoring the glorious titled wrestlers to each other by their unique sounded speech and while wrestlers do short eagle dance by putting hand at the shoulder of the zasuul.  Wrestler wears gutul heavy big boots, shuudag tight unflattering pants and zodog open-fronted and long sleeved small vest across the shoulders. Winners are bestowed glorious titles depending on how many rounds they win. There are nachin (falcon) – 5 rounds; khartsaga (hawk) – 6 rounds; zaan (elephant) – 7 rounds; garid (the Garuda) – 8 rounds and arslan (lion) – given to the winner of the tournament. When an arslan wins 2 years in a row he becomes an avarga, or titan. One renowned wrestler was given the most prestigious and lengthy title of the ‘Eye-Pleasing Nationally Famous Mighty and Invincible Giant’. All titles signify strength and are given during the national festival Naadam. There is a variety of wrestling methods and some elders say there are hundreds of them. Mongolians are really excellent at wrestling, riding and archery.

Horse racing

Mongolians loved horse racing for over 21 centuries. In modern times, horse racing is mainly held during Naadam Festival and Lunar New Year. Riders are kids from age five to 12. There are six categories of horse racing, depending on the age of the horses; shudlen a two-year-old horse will race for 15km while six-year-old azarga and ikh nas horses race for up to 30km. There is no special track but just open countryside. Before a race, the riders sing an ancient song –Gyngoo for the horses wishing for strength and speed and audience all decked out in traditional finery. Some riders prefer saddle and some not. The winner is declared tumnii ekh, or ‘leader of 10 thousand’ and the five winning horses are admired and the riders drink some special airag and sprinkles on the horse’s back. After the races, praise-singer extols the best riders and their horses and 5 winning horses and theirs owners would be talked about in reverence by the crowd.

Archery

Five lines engraved on an ancient Mongolian target immortalizing the phenomenal record of Yesuhei- baatar, saying that his arrow hit the target at a distance of 536 meters. The bow is an ancient invention dating back to the Mesolithic Period. Ancient Mongolians contributed to design of the bow as a combat weapon. Today, Mongolians use less complicated form of archery than in the ancient times; targeting at cork cylinders braided together with leather straps. It is four meters in line and 50cm high. The target is placed on the ground at a distance of 75 meters for men and 60 meters for women. In the past, Mongolians used three types of bows; “big hand” (165-170cm),”average hand” (160cm), “small hand' (150cm). Today Mongolians mostly use the average hand bow, which requires a force of 22 to 38kg to draw.

Arrows are made of pine wood and feather fins allowing it to reach distance of 900 meters. Naadam archery also attracts individual archers as well as team of 8-12 persons. Male archer shoots forty arrows at each target. Traditionally dressed judges stand by the targets raising their hands in the air to indicate the quality of the shot with uukhai sound but surprisingly never get injured. They praise the best shot in a traditional drawing recitative voice.

Then, in October of 2014, Jim Zuckerman and I are headed to partake in the Golden Eagle Festival.

The Golden Eagle Festival

In western Mongolia, deep within the Altai mountain range, an ancient tradition of hunting with Golden Eagles is still alive. The Kazakhs of Mongolia train their eagles to hunt for rabbits and foxes. Once a year, hunters from all over Bayan-Olgii province gather to celebrate this traditional skill and compete against each other challenges that show off the abilities of both birds and their trainers. Prizes are awarded for the fastest eagle, the best traditional Kazakh dress, and more. Various folklore performances are given during the festival. We take you to participate in this regional festival and also to visit with Kazakh families, join the hunters on hunting trips, and see different sights in Bayan Olgii province, home of the Kazakh minority in Mongolia .

Photo Composition Tip - Rule of thirds

Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect.

Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo. Some cameras even offer an option to superimpose a rule of thirds grid over the LCD screen, making it even easier to use.

White horses of Camargue

Few roads head through the Camargue plain. This area unfolds between the two mouths of the Rhone river on the southern coast of France. While travellers rarely leave these roads the Camargue horse moves with sure-footed confidence through this marshy wasteland.

With an area of over 930 km2 (360 sq mi), the Camargue is western Europe's largest river delta. It is a vast plain comprising large brine lagoons or étangs, cut off from the sea by sandbars and encircled by reed-covered marshes. These are in turn surrounded by a large cultivated area.

Approximately a third of the Camargue is either lakes or marshland. The central area around the shoreline of the Étang de Vaccarès has been protected as a regional park since 1927, in recognition of its great importance as a haven for wild birds. In 2008 it was incorporated into the larger Parc naturel régional de Camargue.

But the bell of the ball are those Shaggy-maned, Camargue stallions, scarred by battles amongst their own herd, their shrill calls echo in the vast emptiness of the area, and their presence, impressive and intoxicating.

The horses of the Camargue are believed to be of Arab breed, introduced in medieval times by Saracen invaders who landed on the nearby coast to sweep into Spain. Some of the Saracens’ sturdy white horses roamed riderless into the Camargue area and bred there, creating a new home for themselves.

Whether you are a painter or photographer, the light here is golden. Whether it is kissing the water of the medetranian, caressing the white coat of the Camargue stallions, or creating that perfect catch light in one of the thousands of birds eyes… you have to visit the area to appreciate what we experienced.

 

I already decided I will return next year. Look for a private workshop that I will be doing in July of 2014 and a 2 day extension to my Paris workshop with Denise Ippolito in September 2014.

 

Contact me if you are interested,

 

Kev

www.photographerslounge.net

In 2014 I am headed to the best spot in the world to view the Northern Lights... Iceland

This coming winter is said to be the best time for a decade to see the Aurora Borealis, or ‘northern lights’... so I am headed to the best spot in the world to view the Northern Lights, Iceland.

 

Why? The event will be caused by the Solar Maximum - a period when the sun's magnetic field on the solar equator rotates at a slightly faster pace than at the solar poles. The solar cycle takes an average of around 11 years to go from one solar maximum to the next - varying between 9 to 14 years for any given solar cycle.

The last Solar Maximum was in 2000 and NASA scientists have predicted that this winter will be the greatest since 1958, where the aurora stunned the people of Mexico by making an appearance on three occasions. Scientists have stated that the 'Northern' lights could at least be visible as far south as Rome.

Possibly the most accessible, affordable place where you’ve got a good chance of seeing the lights is Iceland. Lying on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Iceland is only a three-hour flight from London and an hour shorter than a trip to England for those in North America.

It is possible to see the lights from Reykjavik itself, or head to the infamous Eyjafjajokull volcano to see them in a particularly dramatic setting. While you’re there, take a dip in the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, an hour from Reykjavik.

Clothing: be sure you’re dressed for the occasion. This is not a party you’ll want to attend in a mini-skirt.  For winter aurora photography you want to dress warm… and warm from head to toe. For the hands, you’ll want gloves thick enough to keep you warm, but thin enough to allow you to operate your camera. Personally I prefer to forgo gloves and keep my hands in warm pockets between shots. Most of the time it works fine. If you’re averse to occasional frostbite, try a different approach.

Batteries: The temperatures of the far north take an enormous toll on battery life. My camera batteries last around 1,200 actuations in normal conditions, but in the arctic winter have become exhausted after as few as 50 frames. The conventional cold weather advice is to keep your battery warm by storing it in a jacket pocket while not in use. I recommend bringing multiple batteries and a charger, and rotating the batteries through the charging station when they’re not in use. If your aurora photography will take you far from the nearest well-stocked camera store, consider also bringing backups.

Tripods: Carbon fiber tripods are just wonderful. They’re light, and in cold weather can be carried without chilling your hands as much as metal would. In frigid temperatures, however, both the carbon fiber legs and the adhesive used to connect then to your tripod base can become brittle. Exerting substantial pressure on your tripod, particularly when its legs are buried in deep snow, can easily result in the amputation of a leg. If you’d prefer not to find yourself hundreds of miles from civilization, with only a 'two legged tripod' for support, be particularly cautious when planting your gear in deep snow.

Cameras and lenses: As noted above, weather-sealing is preferable. In part, this is to help prevent condensation from forming inside your equipment, when you move from a cold environment (e.g., shooting outside) to a much warmer space (e.g., into a heated car). Particularly for non-weather-sealed equipment, including most medium format cameras and lenses, it is essential that the cold-to-warm transition be made gradually. It only takes one misstep to generate trip-ending amounts of condensation inside your lenses or sensor. To help slow the transition, I transfer my equipment to a camera bag that has also been outside, and only after sealing the bag do I move the bag and its contents into a warmer space. The camera is then allowed to heat up, slowly and safely, within the bag. For even better protection, consider placing your equipment in an airtight enclosure, such as a Ziploc bag, during the thawing process.

But Iceland, while conjuring up images of frozen water dripping from your nose, is not as cold as one would think.

I am headed there in February of 2014. The weather in February is characterized by essentially constant daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 3°C throughout the month, exceeding 7°C or dropping below -3°C only one day in ten.

Over the course of February, the length of the day is very rapidly increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 3:04 hours, implying an average day-over-day increase of 6.3 minutes.

The shortest day of the month is February 1 with 7:03 hours of daylight; the longest day is February 29 with 10:07 hours of daylight. The earliest sunrise is at 8:36am on February 29; the latest sunset is at 6:44pm on February 29; the latest sunrise is at 10:10am on February 1; the earliest sunset is at 5:14pm on February 1.

Here is our itinerary for our workshop in February 2014…

February 5th - Arrival Keflavik airport

At  Keflavík, Tim and Kevin, will meet the group. We leave the airport and drive through the lava fields to our guesthouse in Reykjavík.
Dinner and overnight in Reykjavík

February 6th - Reykjavík Höfn Vatnajökull glacier

We start the morning by taking a one hour flight to Höfn, a small fishing village in the southeast of Iceland. The contrast in the nature of the Southeast is breathtaking, with spectacular black beaches and dominating white glacier Vatnajökull. Serenity, energy and forces of nature combine to make the region of Vatnajökull a never-to-be-forgotten experience. We will spend the day exploring the region and if we are fortunate, we will see the Northern lights dancing above the glacier.
Dinner and overnight in Smyrlabjörg guesthouse.

February 7th - Vatnajökull glacier – Jökulsárlón lagoon – Skaftafell

Today we will visit many of Vatnajökull’s outlets and outwash areas and the Jökulsárlón, a famous glacial lagoon full of icebergs, an unforgettable experience. The glacial scenery continues with a visit to the stunning Skaftafell, Iceland’s second largest national park were the landscape has been formed in thousands of years by different influences of fire and water (volcanic eruptions and the glaciers). Again the night skies present the possibility of northern lights.
Dinner and overnight at Icelandair Hótel Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

February 8th - Vík – Geysir – Gullfoss

We leave Klaustur and drive towards the coast to the basalt caves of Reynisfjara were we take a small walk on the black beach and have a view towards Dyrhólaey. We drive to the small but high waterfall Seljalandsfoss and walk the path behind it. On we drive to the world famous Geysir region, where hot springs are in abundance, such as the famous great Geysir which has given name to hot springs all over the world. We will see one of the most active geysers in the area, Strokkur, spouting up to 30 meters. From Geysir we drive to Gullfoss the Golden waterfall, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Europe. Here you can see thousands of tons of icy water thunder majestically down in a double-fall into a deep gorge. Again the night skies present the possibility of northern lights.
Dinner and overnight at Hótel Geysir.

February 9th - Pingvellir – Reykjanes peninsula

We leave the Geysir area and drive to Þingvellir national park. Þingvellir is a remarkable geological site, and the most historic place on the island, where the world’s oldest democratic parliament was founded in 930. We continue to the Nesjavellir geothermal area and on to the lava fields of Reykjanes peninsula.

More then half of the peninsula is covered with lava flows and you will see lava cones and craters of different sizes and shapes. We will walk where the mid Atlantic ridge rises from the ocean and head for the lighthouse on the westernmost tip of the peninsula. We continue to the small fishing village Grindavík and end in the Blue Lagoon, a unique man-made pool of geothermal water (37-39°C) in the middle of a moss-covered lava field. The Blue Lagoon is a combination of many factors, the most important being the origin of the geothermal seawater from 2.000 meters beneath the surface.

Dinner and overnight in Reykjavík.

February 10th - Departure from Keflavík airport

Transfer to Keflavik airport.

Included:

Transfer from/to airport upon arrival and departure
3 nights in a hotel in the country
2 nights in a hotel in Reykjavik
Full board from dinner on day one to breakfast on day 6
Flight from Reykjavík to Höfn
Boat trip on the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon
Entrance to the Blue Lagoon and towel
Expert photographer guidance (Tim Vollmer/Kevin Pepper)

For more information, please visit http://www.photographers-lounge.com/international-workshops/2014-workshops/iceland-winter-wonderland/

I hope you can join us

Kev

Species Spotlight - Bald Eagle

The Bald is a bird of prey found in North America. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting.

The Bald Eagle is an opportunistic feeder which consists mainly on fish, which it swoops down and snatches from the water with its talons. It builds the largest nest of any North American bird and the largest tree nests ever recorded for any animal species, up to 4 meters (13 ft) deep, 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) wide, and one metric ton (1.1 tons) in weight.

Bald Eagles are not actually bald; the name derives from an older meaning of "white headed". The adult is mainly brown with a white head and tail. The sexes are identical in plumage, but females are larger than males. The beak is large and hooked.

The Bald Eagle's natural range covers most of North America, including most of Canada, all of the continental United States, and into northern Mexico. It is the only sea eagle endemic to North America. Occupying varied habitats from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran Desert and the eastern deciduous forests of Quebec, to New England, and heavy populations along the Pacific Northwest States of the USA and Provinces of Canada.

The northern birds are migratory, while southern birds are resident, remaining on their breeding territory all year. At minimum population, in the 1950s, it was largely restricted to Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, northern and eastern Canada, and Florida. Today, they are much more common (almost attaining their peak numbers pre-colonization in North America), and nest in every continental state and province in the United States and Canada.

Northern Bald Eagles will also congregate in certain locations in winter. From November until February, one to two thousand birds winter in Squamish, British Columbia, about halfway between Vancouver and Whistler. Another 5,000 to 8,000 winter in the Harrison and Fraser River area of British Columbia. This area is between Chilliwack and Harrison Hot Springs. The birds primarily gather along the BC Rivers as they are attracted by the salmon spawning in these areas.

If you would like to photograph these fantastic birds of prey during one of the most active times in their annual cycle, contact us. We run annual photography workshops during the November to January timeframe in the lower mainland of British Columbia.

Please see our next workshops here, http://www.photographers-lounge.com/canadian-workshops/bald-eagles-and-mountains

The Bald Eagle Migration in the Harrison River in British Columbia

I used to live within 20 miles of the largest migration destination of Bald Eagles in Canada... and then I moved away! What was I thinking????

From October to January, these majestic birds return to the Fraser River Basin to look for ideal nesting locations. Once found, they lay their eggs in February. It’s a pattern repeated every year, as the bald eagles follow spawning salmon along the Fraser and Harrison rivers.

Depending on the size of the salmon run, the number of eagles can be jaw dropping. The count in 2010 placed the number of eagles close to 7500 in a few kilometer stretch of the Harrison river. Talk about a photographer's playground.

I can remember when I lived there, sitting there watching eagles flying everywhere, and then to watch them interact with the bears that come down to feed on the spawn, well, that's a sight one never forgets.

I have been yearning to get back to the place I love so much... so, I set up some bald eagle workshops so I could share these incredible sights with you.

We will stay in the Fraser Valley... here you will have the best of both worlds... fantastic landscapes and one of the most beautiful birds in North America.

For these workshops I have partnered with two very talented photographers, Len Silvester and Jamie Douglas.

Len is one of Canada's premier nature and bird photographers and Jamie, another fantastic photographer that has inspired me for years... we just don't hold his Scottish accent against him (kidding Jamie)

Please consider joining us on these 4 day workshops.

To see the details, please click here... http://www.photographers-lounge.com/canadian-workshops/bald-eagles-and-mountains/

The Cape Buffalo, one of Africa's BIG 5 animals...

Cape Buffalo, one of Africa's "BIG 5 animals", are commonly found in protected wildlife areas (that have plenty of water), throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Four sub-species of African Buffalo have been recognized and basically reflect the different type of regions and habitats they live in: Forest Buffalo (S. c. nanus); West African Savanna Buffalo (S. c. brachyceros); Central African Savanna Buffalo (S. c. aequinoctialis); and Southern Savanna Buffalo (S. c. caffer). The forest buffalo are smaller than those found in the savanna.

Cape buffalo are large, adults stand 4-6 feet tall and males weigh in at around 700 kg's (1500 lb's). Even lions don't dare take a chunk out of this beast unless they have friends helping them. Cape Buffalo are said to have killed more big game hunters than any other animal in Africa and are one of Africa's most dangerous animals. Needless to say, the Cape buffalo has never been domesticated, but if left alone they are quite placid, just like their bovine brethren.

This is just one of the amazing animals we see on our African Safari's. Please see our next trip back here, http://www.photographers-lounge.com/international-workshops/2014-workshops/tanzania-photo-safari/

Tanzania... another check off the bucket list

It was just over twenty (20) hours that our wheels raised off Canadian soil. But we made it, all checked into our lodge for the night, the Karama Lodge. The people that came with me can now officially check this off the bucket list and just sit back and enjoy this photography workshop with the Photographer's Lounge...

We arrived later in the night at our first destination, the Karama Lodge. We landed just before 8pm and got to see a glimpse of our destination as we descended into Arusha... it was a tease... we have to wait till tomorrow to get this show on the road.

Karama Lodge has twenty-two stilted log cabins definitely offer comfortable accommodation with a natural design. Constructed with local materials, the cabins allow close proximity to the surrounding forest flora and fauna. Each cabin has its own wooden balcony with comfortable chairs where you can relax and admire the spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Meru, the Maasai steppes beyond.

The cabins of Karama Lodge are made with natural materials and fit perfectly into the surrounding forest. Every effort is made to protect the local flora and fauna, therefore Karama is still home to a wide variety of forest wildlife, beautiful tropical birds, medicinal plants, flowers and indigenous trees.

Its too bad we can't enjoy this place more. But tomorrow we are headed out on safari and off to a place I know everyone will love, Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manyara is a "Paradise of Wildlife" that supports over 400 species of birds, great swathes of flamingo and a boisterous community of hippos... and if we are lucky, we will also get to see the famous tree climbing lions, characteristics mostly found only in Lake Manyara National Park.

Until next post,

Kev

2013 Kawartha Photography Workshops in Ontario

Workshop Dates:

Exact 2013 Dates are coming. We have outlined below when we will be running the workshops. If you are interested you should book your spot now as we are limiting the spots to only 4 next year. Exact dates are generally announced 45 to 60 days in advance of the workshop.

Workshop One - February 2013
Dates to be determined based on ice thickness on lake - plan on the second or third weekend in February - SOLD OUT
Workshop Two - April 2013
Dates to be determined to coincide with Trillium blooming - plan for the third weekend in April
Workshop Three - August 2013
Dates to be determined - plan for the last half of the month.
Workshop Four - October 2013
Dates to be determined based on peak fall colors in the area - plan for first or the second weekend in October.

Come and join us on our weekend retreats to Lake Salerno in the Kawartha's. In 2013 we are only offering four workshops, a winter, spring, summer and fall workshop

In the Kawarthas, an area positioned one and a half hours north east of Toronto, both water and land are equally impressive. The shimmering lakes and rivers that offer breathtaking sun rises and sunsets are ribboned together by the Trent-Severn Waterway, which stretches from Lake Ontario to nearby Georgian Bay. This water route is well travelled in summer by yachts, powerboats and houseboats, with many stopping overnight at the numerous locks. The Kawarthas also boasts fish-rich waters and an abundance of water fowl. Our destination, Lake Salerno continues to be home to migratory Loons that keep coming back year after year. These beautiful birds offer the avid photographer plenty of opportunity to photograph them in their natural habitat.

But the land also offers you countless photo opportunities. Here is a mix of fertile carpets of farmland and fragrant pine forests that are home for wildlife such as coyotes, bears, wild turkey, beaver and a variety of owls.

A Photographers Lounge Weekend Photography Workshop at Salerno Lake in the Kawartha’s is designed to incorporate both classroom learning as well as a hands-on approach to applying the classroom teachings in the field with your camera. These fun and engaging weekends are designed to immerse the participants into the art of photography at a remote location. 

What We Deliver
Our goal when we run a Weekend Photography Workshop is to improve your photographic aptitude through a focused learning environment. A Weekend Photography Workshop is a targeted learning experience: classroom time, combined with special assignments and hands on camera work is how we facilitate your learning. We also build in time to critique photographer’s images that were taken both before and during the Workshop. 

Our small groups guarantee a great instructor-to-student ratio and plenty of time to answer all of your questions. Weekend Photography Workshops are like a unique course designed just for you! Workshops typically begin on a Friday evening and run to Sunday afternoon.

What can you expect to photograph while at Salerno Lake with us?
The lake has an abundance of Common Loons and other water fowl on the surrounding lakes at any given time. There is also wild turkey, deer, fox and bear that call the area home. Hummingbirds seem to make the circuit daily and constantly visit the feeds set up around the cottages. The abundance of lakes and shorelines also offer a multitude of seascape and landscape photo opportunities.

Investing in one weekend devoted to improving your photography is the most effective way to learn!

How It Works
You arrive Friday night by 5pm and we will shoot after dinner Friday, sunrise Saturday morning, Sunset Saturday and then out again on Sunday morning.

During the afternoons we will spend time in the digital darkroom and edit your images that you have taken.

All workshops end on Sunday by 1pm to ensure you can arrive home at a decent time on the Sunday.

Cost
The 2013 fee for a Weekend Photography Workshop at our private home on Salerno Lake is $350/person. This includes accomodation at our private home, two breakfasts, two dinners, light lunch on Saturday, all your drinks and photographic workshop fees.

Not included is your transportation to and from the workshop location. We will send you directions once you register for one of these workshops.

A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 participants for one of our Salerno Lake Workshops ensures quality instruction.

Who Should Attend
There may be some medium level hiking involved. You should have a moderate level of fitness and be able to hike through forests for extended periods of time.

The photographer that will get the most out of one of these workshops is someone that understands the basic functions of a camera and wants to take their images to the next level.

To Book Your Space
If a unique weekend Photography Workshop in the Kawartha’s is the best option for you, please visit the following link and contact us for more details http://www.photographers-lounge.com/workshops/kawartha-workshop-series

Day Four of Our Twelve Days Of Christmas Gifts For A Photographer

How about a "Bucket List Trip to Participate In A Workshop With Rick Sammon"?

Next year Rick and I are going to some awesome places... and the photography opportunities are going to be spectacular!

Tanzania - Come join us on a African Photo Safari in April of 2013. We will be going for a 7 days safari, spending time at Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and the Central Serengeti.

Provence - To start the tour we will bring the white ranch horses to different properties, allowing for a wide range of photogenic backdrops and behaviours. We photograph the white horses running through the shallow water of salt marshes and along the beach in the waves and salt spray. With shots of fighting stallions, mares with their dark foals in the fields or at the ranches, and detailed portrait head shots and guardian riders in their gear. We’ll have many opportunities to capture this time-honoured breed in a variety of environments unique to this seaside estuary.

Venezuela - Together we will photograph the Catatumbo lightning storm and travel into the Andes Mountains to capture the culture and scenery of this amazing part of the world.

Canada - Join Rick and I as we do a Canadian Caravan in north central Ontario in Canada near the iconic Algonquin Park area.

Iceland - What an awesome tour of Iceland this will be. We will be travelling to Reykjanes, Blue Lagoon, Hengell Geothermal area, Pingvellir, Gullfoss waterfall and geyser geothermal area, Fjallabaksleio, Eldgja Canyon, Vatnajokull Glacier Park, Jokulsarlon Lagoon, Skaftafell, Dyrholaey and Skogafoss waterfall

We would love to have you join us! Shoot me an email

Lighting Options for your studio

Lights are probably the most complicated and costly piece of the studio puzzle.

For me there are essentially three primary choices for studio lighting: natural lighting, constant (continuous) lighting or flash.

Natural light speaks for itself and comes as ambient lighting direct from the sun, or off of reflectors.

You don't need a big budget to get high-quality light for your portraits. By using the sun to help you, you can create stunning portraits on a tiny budget.  But for indoor applications, its not going to be that effective. The only time I ever use natural lighting is for shooting moody boudoir imagery.

My advice, “All photographers should begin by understanding natural light and shadows. If you learn how to control the light and shadows from natural light, it will be much easier to transition into using studio lighting that I will address later in this blog post.

Then there is continuous lighting. Continuous lighting has a long association with portrait photography, and for most professional photographers it is no longer their first choice. The main reason for this is because flash is more versatile than continuous lighting. Unlike a flash unit, a photographer has very little control over continuous lights. The least desirable trait of continuous lighting is the amount of heat they generate. That’s why they are referred to as “hot lights.”  Not only are you and your model going to be suffering in the heat, but the high temperatures will tend to dry out and crack your light modifiers in time.

Now that I basically said, “no” to continuous lighting, this lighting source does have advantages…  It has a “what you see is what you get” appeal… or “sneak peak” before the shutter is clicked.  Unlike flash lighting, which generally requires trial exposures to see how the lighting looks, when you’re using a continuous light source, the effect of any light can be seen “live” on the subject. For this reason, continuous lights are great for those starting out in portrait photography who don’t have an in-depth knowledge of flash. The low purchase price of incandescent photo lights also means you don’t have to commit yourself to spending a lot of money if you simply want to give it a go.

But you are also able to achieve this “sneak peak” when using strobes and flashes but you will need to attach a small clip-on light to the light stand and shine it upon the subject. It will not be sufficient to light your subject, but it will give you an idea of how the light will fall.

Flash photography can come from your speedlites or strobe lights. They each offer increased quality of light and give you a much wider range in possibilities. Strobes give you a brighter burst of light to freeze action... Strobes come in intensity of 150 watts all the way up to 600+ watts of power... the later ideal for wedding receptions and large areas that you are trying to photograph. For a home studio though, a 150watt strobe is plenty of light.

So… Are strobes better than off-camera flash? Here are some pros and cons of each… with my personal opinion on at the end.

Off Camera Flash: Advantages

· They are lightweight and you can mount them on your camera’s hot shoe

· They are battery powered, so you don’t have to have access to an electrical plug to make them work

· The transmitter and receiver to be wireless are already built in (in most cases) so you don’t have to buy them separately.

· A good off-camera flash is usually cheaper than a good Studio Strobe.

· These were made for location shoots. Although Photoflex carries the Triton flash with a remote battery pack.

· You can place these anywhere which gives you incredible flexibility about where you place your light.

Off Camera Flash: Disadvantages

· They’re not generally nearly as powerful as a studio strobe

· There is no modeling light in most cases, so they don’t help with seeing your subject, auto focus, or getting a preview of how your lighting will look.

· They need fresh batteries.

· A strobe will recycle faster that an off-camera flash.

· You need a special adapter to put one of these on a light stand.

· You need to have an accessory of some sort to soften and diffuse the light. Gary Fong sells a great series of diffusers.

Studio Strobes: Advantages

· They definitely will throw a lot more light when you need it.

· They were made to have softboxes attached, so you don’t have to have special adapters, specially made softboxes, etc.

· More times than not they come with continuous modeling-lights built-in. These help you see your subject, they help your camera’s auto-focus lock on and they give you a preview of how the shadows are going to fall on your subject.

· Since they plug into the wall, they recycle very quickly and you can fire off lots of consecutive shots without waiting for the flash to recycle.

· They will not cost you a small fortune in batteries.

Studio Strobes: Disadvantages

· The cost of bulbs

· These require a wireless transmitter and receiver to fire them wirelessly. Most come with it, but it does increase the price.

· They’re too big to just throw them in a camera bag. You need separate protective cases to go outside your studio.

· You have to take a certain amount of care not to break the flash bulb, especially if you’re shipping it for a location shoot.

· Good strobes are fairly expensive

So which lighting set up should you use in your studio?

We discussed natural light, continuous lighting, professional, strobes and speedlites... My suggestion is to start out with a combination of a few off-camera flashes and purchase a studio strobe that plugs right into the wall. You can now get a really good strobe almost the cost of an off-camera flash. But I would also buy a professional constant light as well. This will give you some versatility and you can decide from there which way you want to go.
 

Here is a link to constant lighting options for your home studio from Photoflex.

Here you will find a link to a good speedlite kit with a softbox and umbrealla that can be used with your flashes

Here is a link to a good strobe portrait light studio kit from Photoflex

Tomorrow we will look at working with a model and model releases

Mongolia - a country of historical culture and unsurpassed beauty

If you could take a martini shaker and add a dash of vast landscapes of the Gobi, sprinkle in a twist of the snow capped mountains of Bayan-Ölgi and the dramatic gorges and lakes of Khovsgol and then add in the Ger tents of the nomad and the cry of a soaring golden eagle. Shake it all up and top it off with some of the oldest Buddhist temples and ruins, abundant wildlife and legendary hospitality… you come up with a recipe for one of the most inviting and beautiful countries in the world.

Since the fall of communism, Mongolia has done just about everything in its power to open itself up to the world. While the old traditions survive and the wild nature is still mostly intact for the adventurous traveller, Mongolia has also reached out to the West for economic and cultural ties.

Mongolia is one of the only legitimate democracies in Asia. Democracy has given foreign investors enough confidence to stick with Mongolia during hard biggest mining companies in the world. Tourism, along with mining and cashmere, has become a key feature of the economy. The poor infrastructure and short travel season have kept receipts small, but a growing network of ger camps cater to travellers seeking ecotourism adventures. Without fences or private property to restrict a traveller’s movement, Mongolia is a perfect destination for horse trekking, long-distance cycling or hiking, or more leisurely activities such as fly-fishing, yak carting or camping out under a sprawling mass of stars.

Like us, most travellers come for Naadam, the two-day summer sports festival that brings the city of Ulaanbattar to a standstill. But a trip to capture Mongolia’s unique charm will always lie in the countryside where, rather than being a spectator to the wrestling, you may find yourself making up the numbers! Outside the villages it’s easy to meet nomad families whose relentless sense of hospitality can at times be nothing short of overwhelming.

As a travel destination, Mongolia is a special place for people who enjoy culture, the outdoors and adventure. Immersing oneself in the Naadam festival and the urban culture and then heading out on the vast plains, riding horses and camping with nomad families, Mongolia offers the chance to step back in time to a simpler way of life. It is an invigorating and exhilarating place to visit, and remains one of the last unspoiled travel destinations in Asia.

For this reason I have decided to visit the country twice in the next two years. In 2013 we will be participating in the Naadam Festival and journeying out into the countryside. In 2014 we will be once again returning to participate in the Golden Eagle festival and see the Gobi desert.

To see more information on these trips please check out the itineraries.

Naadam Festival

http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours/our-2013-photo-tours/mongolia-photo-tour

Golden Eagle Festival

http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours/our-2014-photo-tours/mongolia-photo-tour