Weather

Expect a wide range in temperatures, in general from around 30°F to 60°F. However, mornings at the Bristlecones can be as cold as 15°-20°F. Days in Bishop could be as warm as 75°F. Also, the Eastern Sierra can be a windy place, and wind chill can make the ambient temperature feel much colder. So please bring […]

Itinerary

For reference, here’s what a typical day will look like: 5:30 am: meet in the morning for the sunrise shoot, drive approx 30 min and walk ~0.5 miles over rocky terrain to our shooting location.  Sunrise is around 6:45 am. Shoot for approx 1.5-2 hours, then go to breakfast or have a field breakfast depending […]

Cancellation and COVID-19 Policies

Cancellation and Refund Policy Deposits are non-refundable. Additional payments toward your balance are fully refundable up to 90 days before the tour. If you withdraw from the tour and we are able to fill your spot, we will refund your payments (including deposit), less a $200 administrative fee and any discounts given to fill the […]

Acknowledgement of Risks and Image Use Agreement

Acknowledgement of Risks Please download and sign this form, and bring it with you to the initial meeting. You can also email us a digital signed copy.  Image Use During this tour we may take behind the scenes photos and videos of the tour participants. These photos are used to share among the group, as well […]

Important Dates

September 28, 2023 – first day of the tour. Please arrive in Bishop around 2:30 pm. Hotel check in is at 3:00, but if they have rooms available you can hopefully check in earlier. October 1, 2023 – transit between Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. This is a gorgeous 1-hour drive. You are responsible for getting […]

Where and When to Meet

On September 28th we will be meeting at 2:45 pm so that we have time to meet the group, do an intro and orientation, then head out to shoot for a few hours before the sun sets at 6:40 pm. We will meet in the Lobby of the Best Western in Bishop: 1025 N Main […]

How to Use Composition, Technique, & Light to Tell Your Story

In the previous lesson we learned to create our story of a place by asking What we like, and Why we like it. Now it’s time to turn that story into a photograph. We can do that by asking a third question: How? “How can I exaggerate the elements of my story using my camera?” […]

Wide Angle Foregrounds

New Zealand is rich with fascinating patterns and objects that can serve as impactful foregrounds in wide angle compositions. To make the most of these, here are some suggestions: Using this simple framework will allow you to create stunning in-your-face wide angle compositions like these.

Wildlife

New Zealand has two kinds of large wildlife: birds, and aquatic animals. We’ll see birds for sure, and in Mt. Cook and Fiordland it’s very likely that we’ll encounter two of my favorites: the kea (mountain parrot), and the fantail. In terms of sea life there’s an almost 100% chance we’ll see New Zealand fur […]

Camera Settings You Need to Know

Don’t fight your gear. Here are settings we see people struggle with over and over on our workshops and tours. Practice changing or accessing these settings before the trip and you will have more success in the field. Know how to quickly adjust your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Even if you aren’t fully comfortable with […]

The Four Things Every Great Photo Needs

Just like your heart has four essential chambers, every successful landscape photo is built from four essential parts: This is one of the most important things I can ever teach you. In fact it’s so important I call it the Golden Rule of Landscape Photography. If you have those four things, I guarantee you will […]

Ask WHAT? and WHY? to Create Powerful Stories for Your Photos

Let’s dive into Visual Storytelling. Before we begin, you need to understand that the subject and story is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of any photograph. If you don’t have this you don’t have a photo. And yet, most landscape photographers never consciously think about the story that they want to tell when they are photographing. […]

Hotel Information

By default you have your own private room in our high-end accommodations for 10 nights of the tour. If you would prefer to share a room with another participant please let us know and we will try to accommodate you. The 11th night of the trip is onboard the Fiordland Navigator ship in Doubtful Sound. […]

Food, Transportation, LNT, Group Etiquette

Food Bottomless Snacks On the minibus we will have bottomless snacks like fruit, cookies, crackers, popcorn, chocolate, chips, and other nibbles throughout the tour. If you have any dietary restrictions please let me know. BreakfastsA full, cooked breakfast is included every morning of the tour. Don’t worry, Josh is not doing the cooking. LunchMost people […]

Packing Lists

Camera Gear and Other Equipment DSLR or Mirrorless Camera. Lenses from wide to telephoto. We recommend the following four lenses or equivalent:  Ultra Wide (14-24mm or 16-35mm) Mid Range (24-70mm) Short Telephoto (70-200mm) Long Telephoto (100-400 or 200-500mm) Sturdy tripod. Extra Memory Cards (we recommend at least 128-256 GB total), extra batteries and a charger. […]

Weather

At this time of year the weather is typically excellent for photography, with lots of mixed clouds and sun, which means great light. Expect temperatures between 30°F and 70°F (-1°C – 21°C). Also, don’t forget that even though a 50° morning doesn’t sound very cold, it can be downright chilly when you are standing still […]

Health, Safety, and Cancellation Policies

Travel, Health, and Camera Insurance Travel insurance is REQUIRED for this trip, which will reimburse you if you need to cancel for any reason, including COVID-19. It can also provide medical coverage, lost luggage coverage, and other benefits while abroad, and policies are generally inexpensive.  IMG and Travel Guard are reliable companies. IMG Plans Travel […]

Acknowledgement of Risks and Image Use Agreement

Acknowledgement of Risks Please download and sign this form, and bring it with you to the initial meeting. You can also email us a digital signed copy.  Image Use During this tour we may take behind the scenes photos and videos of the tour participants. These photos are used to share among the group, as well […]

Typical Daily Schedule

For reference, here’s what a typical day will look like. Sunrise is around 6:30 am, and sunset is around 8:30 pm.  5:15 am – meet in the hotel parking lot and drive 15-30 minutes. 5:30 am – walk 15- 30 minutes over good terrain to our shooting location. 6:00 am – arrive on location 30 […]

Important Dates

Tour Dates October 26, 2023 – First day of the tour. Please arrive in Queenstown prior to 3 pm. On October 26 we will be meeting at 4 pm in the lobby of the Novotel Lakeside. We will have an introduction and tour orientation, followed by an early welcome dinner. Then we will venture out to […]

Thanks for your order. Please wait a moment while we process your payment.