Favorite Photo Workshops/Tours?

[aj500]

My first workshop was in 2014 with Chris Bray. It was held in Kenya. Being in Africa with the animals had to be my favorite. It was expensive but I would do it again. Other workshops were with Doug Gardner, east coast ducks, swans and geese in North Carolina and Maryland (20220. I went with Doug to Wyoming last December (2022) to photograph big horn sheep. My next workshop will be at Lake Martin, LA, to photograph cypress swamps and wildlife. Most of the time I shoot solo trips but I would go with Doug any chance I can get.

 

[GrandNagus50]

Grandnagus50, you will have a great time in Yellowstone with Barbara Eddy. She is very knowledgeable and a great host. If this trip still includes meals, they are excellent. You will be out shooting about 12 hours each day. I’m so jealous, I wish I could go again.

Well, that trip is now well in the past, it was a year ago last February. Yes, Barbara was a wonderful leader and she is a congenial, warm person. The workshop itself was so-so, with not a whole lot of animals showing up to photograph other than the ubiquitous bison and coyotes (it wasn't cold enough was the explanation). We ended up doing several "artsy" exercises like with sunbursts and camera panning. Not my cup of tea, but under the circumstances we had to do something photographic. I also grew weary of crawling in and out of the back seat of the snowcoach. Yes, she had her own chef, so the meals were a real highlight.

I will add that since I posted in this thread previously I have increased my esteem for Glenn Bartley as a photographic tour leader after I went with him to Colombia. He is first rate. Also, I now will endeavor to avoid workshops where the guide/leader prioritizes his/her photography over guiding the group. I will name no names here, but when it seems like a trip "where you get to pay for the privilege of photographing along with XX" who is doing his own thing, I feel a little ripped off.

 

[ElenaH]

Talking about photo-workshops.
I've got an excellent offer from Pangolin (because I am subscribed) but I have booked and already paid my Africa trip in Sep/Oct 2023. Otherwise I would have taken the offer ;-)
Perhaps, somebody would be interested. Here is a text from Toby (Pangolin):


I wanted to give you a heads up about some Best of Chobe Photo Safari dates that we have just released which I think you might be interested in.

We had a cancellation of a group that has left a gap and rather than let it lie empty we wanted to offer an amazing deal on our best selling Best of Chobe 7 day safari in this coming September 2023.

The Best Of Chobe includes three nights on The Pangolin Voyager Houseboat followed by three more at The Pangolin Chobe Hotel in the company of one of the Pangolin Photo Hosts. Here are the details.

If you don't have a camera and telephoto lens we can lend you one for the duration...all you have to do is get here!

We have three sets of back to back dates and we are reducing the price from $3,995 to $2,500 (R44,000 for SA) and not charging a single supplement if you want your own room!

Here are the dates we have available.

19 – 25 Sep 2023
22 – 28 Sep 2023
25 Sep – 1 Oct 2023

These are going to fill fast so if you are keen please email [email protected] (or reply to this mail) and we can save you a space on this safari.

All the best,

Toby

Toby Jermyn
Director
Pangolin Photo Safaris


I assume, they have it on their site as well.
I think, they are very good Photo-hosts and the price is excellent taking in account you don't need to pay more as a singe traveller.
I've met Guts (from Pangolin) in 2013 in Senyati camp, it was in the beginning of the Pangolin carrier. I've been on Pangolin boat in 2016 with Tuskphoto (photo-host Wim van den Heever). I think, the offer-price for 6 nights all inclusive is very attractive and pangolin has very professional photo-hosts!

I think also, that not only photographic skills are important fo the photo-hosts but also organisational and social. And Wim von den Heever was just great! He also didn't take photos by himself but was taking care about us. I participated in three wrkshops of Tuskphoto, in one of Stefan Tungler in Africa and in some photo workshops in Europe.

 

[Viathelens]

Talking about photo-workshops.
I've got an excellent offer from Pangolin (because I am subscribed) but I have booked and already paid my Africa trip in Sep/Oct 2023. Otherwise I would have taken the offer ;-)
Perhaps, somebody would be interested. Here is a text from Toby (Pangolin):


I wanted to give you a heads up about some Best of Chobe Photo Safari dates that we have just released which I think you might be interested in.

We had a cancellation of a group that has left a gap and rather than let it lie empty we wanted to offer an amazing deal on our best selling Best of Chobe 7 day safari in this coming September 2023.

The Best Of Chobe includes three nights on The Pangolin Voyager Houseboat followed by three more at The Pangolin Chobe Hotel in the company of one of the Pangolin Photo Hosts. Here are the details.

If you don't have a camera and telephoto lens we can lend you one for the duration...all you have to do is get here!

We have three sets of back to back dates and we are reducing the price from $3,995 to $2,500 (R44,000 for SA) and not charging a single supplement if you want your own room!

Here are the dates we have available.

19 – 25 Sep 2023
22 – 28 Sep 2023
25 Sep – 1 Oct 2023

These are going to fill fast so if you are keen please email [email protected] (or reply to this mail) and we can save you a space on this safari.

All the best,

Toby

Toby Jermyn
Director
Pangolin Photo Safaris


I assume, they have it on their site as well.
I think, they are very good Photo-hosts and the price is excellent taking in account you don't need to pay more as a singe traveller.
I've met Guts (from Pangolin) in 2013 in Senyati camp, it was in the beginning of the Pangolin carrier. I've been on Pangolin boat in 2016 with Tuskphoto (photo-host Wim van den Heever). I think, the offer-price for 6 nights all inclusive is very attractive and pangolin has very professional photo-hosts!

I think also, that not only photographic skills are important fo the photo-hosts but also organisational and social. And Wim von den Heever was just great! He also didn't take photos by himself but was taking care about us. I participated in three wrkshops of Tuskphoto, in one of Stefan Tungler in Africa and in some photo workshops in Europe.

Just the other day I came across a site where they, too, were offering around a $1000 discount, no extra for single room. It's also in September. Apparently they were not filled up and wanted to get the spot filled. Maybe this is "going around" this September. I did take the spot, a boat trip around the San Juan islands in WA.

 

[JAJohnson]

My first photo workshop/trip was to the Galápagos Islands in 2017 with Thom Hogan and Wilderness Travel. 2 weeks in the islands on a large motorized sailboat. Great trip and an other-worldly location. Sold me on photo travel.

I went to the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica with Matt Kloskowski in 2018. A wonderful location with amazing wildlife. Matt ran a good trip. I’d love to go there again, with Matt or with Steve.

I have done two trips so far with Visionary Wild — one to Torres Del Paine National Park in 2019 with Justin Black and Michael Melford. I had a great time and the trip was very well done. I had mostly thought of it as a landscape trip, but it turned out that there was also a lot of interesting wildlife to photograph. I went to the Antarctic Peninsula in Jan/Feb 2020 (before covid largely shut travel down) on a trip lead by Justin, Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom. Also a wonderful trip and an amazing location. I am planning to go to Iceland with Justin and Chris Linder in September on a trip that will focus on the interior highlands of Iceland.

I did a trip with Brad Hill to Gwaii Haanas National Park and Reserve in British Columbia in 2019. It was also great — lots of marine mammals, birds and black bears and also beautiful scenery and interesting historical sites. I have had two other trips with Brad in British Columbia cancel/postpone due to covid. I am hoping to do a marine mammals focused trip with him this coming October and the Khutzeymateen grizzly bear sanctuary next May/June, assuming the Canadian border opens up one of these days.

I would recommend any of these trips if the location and subject matter interests you.

I am planning to go to Katmai National Park next month with Art Wolfe to photograph grizzlies bears. I haven’t done the trip yet, but it was highly recommended by someone I know from one of my prior trips who did the trip in 2019 with Art and got amazing photos.

I have learned a lot on these trips from the leaders and my fellow participants. They have been in great locations with timing and logistics well thought out. And I have enjoyed meeting others with similar interests — I regularly keep up with several people I met on these trips.

Interesting recommendations. Thank you!

 

[jhallettbc]

The only photography workshop I've ever done was a 5 day one in the 90's with William Albert (Bill) Allard who made his name with National Geographic. He is still my all time favourite photographer of people. His sense of composition is unsurpassed as well as using contrast between light and dark. He seemed to specialize in the West and cowboys although not exclusively. I know the workshops people want to talk about are nature ones but if you have time do a Google search to see some of his photos. If you subscribed to NG in the past, you will recognize some of them.

 

[GrandNagus50]

I went on a terrific spring warbler photography trip in southern Ohio with Jamie Cunningham of Sabrewing Nature Tours. She was an excellent, conscientious leader; I would go on another trip with her if the destination was right. Her colleague Brian Zwiebel also has a very good reputation as a photo tour leader.

 

[AprilInA2]

What photo tours and workshops have you taken, and which were your favorites? Which did you not enjoy? Why? When and where did you go, and who organized and led it?

Steve's workshops, of course, are very highly rated, and I look forward to taking my first next year. In the meanwhile, it would be interesting to learn of other experiences people may have had.

Thanks!

I love Greg Basco’s workshops. In addition to being a remarkable photographer, he is funny, kind and generous with his knowledge.

 

[Mhayes]

I did a trip to Peru through Glenn Bartley with Jess Findlay as leader - this trip is not possible now due to political turmoil and safety issues but I enjoyed it and have signed up for Costa Rica next April. Jess does trips of his own in conjunction with Connor Stefanison in British Columbia - the loon trip in May/June is the one to do if you want amazing exposure to loons, mountain bluebirds, grey owls, grebes, ruddy ducks etc. Their tutoring is also excellent. The 3-4 day Manning Park workshop in July is also good for dusky grouse, picas, marmots, Clark's nutcracker, different types of squirrels, alpine flowers, landscapes and some songbirds. I have friends who have taken their Vancouver winter birds in February and Okanagan birds which are also reputed to be excellent trips. For a comprehensive bird coverage of Ecuador I can recommend the San Jorge Magic Bird Circuit run by George Cruz - 17 days, wonderful lodges, Ecuadorian culinary delights, hundreds of bird species, and expert guides - covers from the peaks of the Andes down to the Amazon River including both east and west sides of the country.

 

[SonoranDesert]

Tom Bol Photo Workshops - https://tombolphotoworkshops.com/

Costa Rica, Bosque del Apache, Tucson.

Tom and Cree Bol are consummate teachers coupled with a great sense of humor.

 

[raptor photo]

Abinoone thanks for starting this. This is a great thread and I'm going to go through it and jot everything down on a piece of paper to refer to! Since 2011 I've been on over 30 photo trips with various leaders. In all of them I've only found one leader that I had a problem with, Josh Cripps (landscape) on a Death Valley trip. My problem was mostly with his co-leader but he was "under her spell," she took a dislike to me and I to her and I left the trip early. I filed that as a learning experience! Gary Hart and Michael Frye are wonderful people to travel with, both very experienced and both very nice people (landscape). I've gone on multiple trips with them. I've gone to Costa Rica twice with Steve (wildlife) and both times were wonderful. I've gone to South Africa (Gregory Sweeney, wildlife) and to Kenya (an independent tour (just two of us) using Best Camping Tours, (also wildlife) and Gregg was great, the Best Camping people were also very good (the jeep driver was excellent!). I spent two weeks in Venice with Tony Rizzuto, Photographer's Breakthrough (street and scenic), a good trip and a good trip leader. I spent time in Cuba with Steve Simon (street photography), another good trip and good trip leader. Max Waugh did a good job on a trip to Yellowstone (wildlife). I also spent a day with Mike Jackson in Teton NP and he was very nice (wildlife). I've only done one Joseph Van Os tour, landscape, to the Palouse, and that was an "interesting" trip due to the people on the trip, one problem person, but the trip went ok anyway, although I've never signed up for one of their tours again. I spent a day with Trent Sizemore in Yellowstone once and I would not do that again. I went to Katmi NP, bears, and Alaska, whales, (this March) with Expeditions Alaska and had a wonderful time, good trip leader and a funny guy! One person I've traveled a lot with for wildlife is Brent Paull, he goes to Yellowstone NP and many other national parks, he is an excellent photographer but can be difficult at times, but I'd still recommend him. Most of these trip leaders were willing to help when asked and the majority of them took shots while on the trip, some did not, some took more shots than others. I don't have a problem with them shooting but do have a problem when they focus on getting a specific shot instead of helping the tour attendees get that shot and sometimes that does happen. I'm going on a trip with Muench Workshops in November to South Georgia for penguins and I'm hoping that turns out to be a great trip.

In keeping with the subject of this thread...I'm setting up two days in Point Reyes with a guide, with an intent to focus on getting bobcat shots. If anyone in the Bay Area or I guess anywhere else, although it's closest to the Bay Area and Central Ca., is interested in joining me please PM me for info. It will cut my cost in half and there would just be the two of us with the guide. It looks like it will be Sept. 6-7 although I'm still waiting for him to confirm that those dates will work.

Early September will probably be a bit to early for peak bobcat season, the grass is still really long out there right now. Also, you might want to check out Sierra Vista Open space preserve in the Bay Area for bobcats, it's not a widely known spot but all of the local photographers go there for bobcats. https://bcgforums.com/index.php?threads/bobcat-hunt.21845/#post-248500
There are usually 3-5 bobcats there every winter, very comfortable with humans and there are nice landscapes there as well.

 

[AprilInA2]

One question I have for members responding to this thread relates to gender. I attended one workshop with a well-known photographer where I didn’t feel particularly welcome as a female, and an African-American one at that. I’m always looking to work with folks who exude an egalitarian vibe. Greg Basco is one photographer I can highly recommend. Any thoughts on others?

 

[Viathelens]

Early September will probably be a bit to early for peak bobcat season, the grass is still really long out there right now. Also, you might want to check out Sierra Vista Open space preserve in the Bay Area for bobcats, it's not a widely known spot but all of the local photographers go there for bobcats. https://bcgforums.com/index.php?threads/bobcat-hunt.21845/#post-248500
There are usually 3-5 bobcats there every winter, very comfortable with humans and there are nice landscapes there as well.

Thanks for the tip on where to go. I'll go and hope for the best as it's really the only time I can do it. I head to San Juan Islands in late September and in late November to Antarctica for penguins. Maybe October, but I always have to work out a pet-sitter so it can be difficult. I've jotted down the preserve you mentioned.