Spectacular New Zealand Photography Workshop & Tour
The ultimate landscape photography experience
Small group photography workshop & tour
Improve your photography amidst spectacular scenery
New Zealand is home to some extraordinarily diverse and spectacular landscapes. From soaring snow-capped mountain peaks, glacial lakes and rivers, to rain forests, fiords, rugged coastlines and the rolling hills of a fertile countryside.
This eleven day photography tour around the central South Island will immerse you in this scenic beauty, offering endless photographic opportunities as well as a unique cultural travel experience.
You will learn…
- Appropriate camera settings
- Working with light
- Composition techniques
- Depth of field & focusing
- Exposure & the histogram
- Use of filters
- Long exposures with water
Ability level
- Suitable for all aside of the complete beginner – please contact sarah@imageseen.co.uk to discuss further
Fitness level
- Moderate
Tutors
- Sarah Howard/Neil Protheroe
Workshop Details
Group Size
Max 8
Dates
29th August - 10th September 2023
Duration
11 days/12 nights
Price
£5995
Deposit 20%
(couples discount available)
Meeting Place
Scenic Suites Queenstown
Photographic Locations
Mount Cook National Park, Wanaka, West Coast Glacier Country, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Doubtful and Milford Sounds in FIordland, Lake Matheson
Included
11 days of photographic tuition and demonstrations, 12 nights ensuite single occupancy accommodation, 1 day boat cruise on Doubtful Sound, breakfast and dinner each day, all transportation within New Zealand, airport transfers, helicopter flight in Wanaka.
Excluded
Travel to and from New Zealand, personal insurance, equipment insurance, lunch, beverages
Accommodation
Mackenzie Country Hotel, Edgewater Resort, Scenic Hotel Franz Josef, Scenic Suites Queenstown, Distinction Luxmore Te Anau
Waiting List
To be informed of new dates or cancellations please click the icon to fill out the waiting list form.
Insurance
Please ensure that you have adequate travel and equipment insurance in place.
LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF NEW ZEALAND’S SOUTHERN ALPS
Photograph Majestic Mountain Landscapes
The wild and untamed yet majestic landscape at the heart of the Southern Alps is easily accessible and a paradise for photographers. From a distance, New Zealand’s highest peak, Aoraki (Mount Cook), appears to float above the turquoise water at the head of Lake Pukaki.
A walk through the Hooker Valley will take us past a glacial blue lake, glacier moraines, the thundering Hooker river and to a glacier terminal face within apparent touching distance of the mountain.
Wanaka
No photography tour to the South Island is complete without exploring the area around Wanaka; gateway to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park and a popular ski resort. Lake Wanaka is home to the famous ‘Wanaka Tree’, which we’ll photograph at sunrise.
A scenic helicopter flight up to Coromandel Peak provides us with another breathtaking sunrise view over the lake. With the alps stretching into the distance it’s an unforgettable sight.
In between, we’ll visit nearby Glendhu Bay with its stunning mountain backdrop, and venture into the Matukituki Valley with its braided river and a postcard view of the Rob Roy glacier. Then it’s on to Dublin Bay on the east shore of Lake Wanaka for a sunset shoot.
THE OUTSTANDING SCENERY OF THE WEST COAST
Between the alps and the Tasman Sea lies the West Coast region, the least populated area in the country but scenically very different from the eastern side of the mountains. Here, ancient Kahikatea trees can be found dotted all over the landscape, on farmland, in rainforests and in swamps. Known as ‘Glacier Country’, the high peaks of the alps can be seen from hundreds of kilometres away.
Star of the West Coast show is Lake Matheson, with its beautiful mirror-like reflections of Mount Tasman and Mount Cook visible on calm, windless mornings.
We’ll visit a nearby vantage point for a picture-perfect view of the massive Fox Glacier, where our panoramic photography skills will come into their own. Okarito Lagoon, right on the beach, is another of our favourite spots, and also the two nearby lakes Wahapo and Mapourika, where we’ll be hoping for moody morning mist to enhance the stunning vistas.
QUEENSTOWN AND GLENORCHY
Lake Wakatipu is the third largest lake in New Zealand and is surrounded by mountains. At the northern end is the frontier town of Glenorchy, the deltas of the braided Rees and Dart rivers, with stunning views of the peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park.
We’ll follow the scenic lake shore road to Bob’s Cove and Bennett’s Bluff, which opens up to an amazing view across the lake towards the Alps which some may recognise from The Lord of the Rings movies.
Further on lies Glenorchy, with its old wharf, lagoon walkway and lush green beech forest, also featured in Lord Of The Rings. We’ll be photographing at sunset in the area around Glenorchy before heading back to Queenstown for dinner.
FIORDLAND - Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound
Located in the south west corner of the South Island, Fiordland is a wild, rugged, largely inaccessible area dominated by the southernmost peaks of the Alps and numerous deep flooded valleys, or ‘fiords’. Of these, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound are the best-known. It is more beautiful than you can possibly imagine. Steep rock faces, lush green vegetation and countless waterfalls make this a unique place to photograph. It also rains a lot! Fiordland is one of the wettest places on earth. But the rain creates mist and mood, adding to the already striking landscape.
New Zealand Photography Workshop - General Information
The workshop is suitable for all abilities, whether you are a keen amateur, or a more experienced photographer. It is not suitable for the complete beginner. Please email sarah@imageseen.co.uk if you have any queries.
Throughout, we will give you both practical and technical advice, to help you gain confidence and develop your photographic technique, as well as individual guidance and hands-on demonstrations in the field. We will also look at composition and developing your vision.
A minimum of 6 bookings are required for the workshop to proceed. As such PLEASE DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS until you are informed that this number has been reached.
You will be collected from Queenstown Airport (ZQN) or from your Queenstown hotel between noon and 1pm, from where we will travel in our comfortable and spacious Mercedes Sprinter to Twizel, a journey of around 2½ hours. After check-in we will convene at 4pm for introductions and a trip briefing, before heading out to shoot sunset, before dinner. At the conclusion of the workshop we will return to Queenstown, arriving no later than noon, following which onward travel plans can be made. We will visit a number of locations over the course of the workshop which will offer you numerous challenges and allow you to fully explore your creative potential. The workshop has a relaxed format and is designed to be enjoyable as well as well as educational, so aside of improving your photography you can also enjoy the beautiful surroundings and most importantly have fun!
2-3 – There will be time to review and critique your images and the opportunity to discuss them with Sarah and Neil and the rest of the group as we look back on our days’ photography.
Minibus transportation is provided.
The touring nature of this workshop means that we will be using five different accommodations, each for a minimum of two nights. All rooms are single occupancy and ensuite. In Twizel, for Mount Cook National Park: Mackenzie Country Hotel In Wanaka: Edgewater Resort In Franz Josef, for the West Coast: Scenic Hotel In Queenstown: Scenic Suites In Te Anau: Distinction Luxmore Hotel
Moderate – A moderate level of fitness is essential for all clients. Most locations are easily accessed however one location involves a walk of around 40 minutes each way, and another potentially up to 90 minutes each way if completed to the end, both undulating (not steep) well-maintained tracks.
- DSLR or mirrorless camera with ideally both wide angle and telephoto lenses. (A bridge camera will be adequate if it has manual functions – please contact sarah@imageseen.co.uk if you are unsure if your camera is suitable)..
- Tripod
- Cable/remote release
- Filters – a polarising filter, a set of neutral density graduated filter/s and some solid neutral density filters will help you get the best result in-camera.
- A rain cover for your camera.
- A laptop and card reader is useful to select and review your images for the purpose of our image critiques but not essential. Before buying any equipment or if you are unsure of what to bring, please email sarah@imageseen.co.uk for more information.
Please ensure that you insure your photographic equipment. It is also recommended that like with any holiday, you take out personal insurance in case you need to cancel.
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