Next Workshop: 7 - 13 October 2012
Bookings will only be available through "The Travel Centre", Norfolk Island.
Click here to book through "The Travel Centre", Norfolk Island.
Rising majestically out of the Tasman Sea 550km off Australia, World Heritage Listed Lord Howe Island is a photographer's paradise.
Fed by a mix of warm and cool currents from The Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, New Zealand and Australia, this crossroads in the South Pacific is a treasure-trove of fauna and flora housed on a 7 million year old extinct volcano.
At the southern end of the island, the often cloud-covered twin peaks of Mt Gower and Mt Lidgebird rise perpendicular form the sea. To the north, the sheltered coral lagoon (one of the most southerly coral reefs in the world) arcs around the tiny settlement of Lord Howe. Ancient rainforests cover the slopes, and kilometre after kilometre of white sandy beaches and rocky shores await exploration by you and your camera.
Spring has been chosen not only for its favourable weather and warming seas, but particularly for the incredible bird-life, which descends on the island for the breeding season. Many exotic sea-bird species nest on the rocky shores, including terns, shearwaters, gannets and tropic-birds, along with the famous Lord Howe Island Woodhen in the forested areas.
This week-long workshop will be presented by professional nature photographer and tutor, Michael Snedic .
Your Lord “Howe Island Experience” commences when your Qantas flight departs either Sydney or Brisbane. Upon arrival at Lord Howe you'll be transferred to our workshop base, the centrally-located Ocean View Lodge, only a short stroll from the beach. Your package includes a full English breakfast each morning; welcome and farewell dinners as well as two picnics on the island; a blend of structured lectures, informal discussions, morning and afternoon practical sessions and full day expedition(including a cruise with snorkeling). These sessions will be interspersed with free time to make up your week of photographic learning.
Below is an itinerary of our seven day “Lord Howe Island Experience”, showing you some of the locations we will be visiting and the photography sessions we are offering:
Day 1
After arriving on Lord Howe and a quick settle in at Ocean View lodge, we’ll convene in the lounge for introductions and a session from Michael titled “Getting to know your digital camera and settings”. This will be followed by our Welcome Dinner and an informal chat with Michael where he will let you know what you should expect from the week ahead.
Day 2
It’s up early for our first shooting session - dawn at Ned’s Beach, just a short distance from our base. Ned’s faces east and offers your first chance to capture the sun rising over rocks and sand and as the morning progresses, we might visit the nesting terns around the northern end of the bay. After a hearty brunch, you’ll have some free time before we start our afternoon trek to the top of the sea cliffs at Malabar. The cliffs themselves are spectacular and the views to the north across the Admiralty Islands are remarkable. Red-tailed tropic-birds nest in the cliffs and can be seen soaring on updrafts from this great vantage point. We’ll photograph on the cliffs until the sun sets before heading down the mountain back to base.
Day 3
Another early morning, this time a short bus ride takes us to the wide and sandy Blinky’s Beach, under the gaze of the southern mountains. Blinky’s is a surf beach, open to the prevailing south-east weather, so has many moods. After brunch Michael will critique photos taken so far, to make sure everyone is on the right track. A brief break for coffee/tea etc and then Michael with present an audio-visual on wildlife photography, offering tips and techniques on how to get the best wildlife shots. This afternoon we’ll be heading out on the water for some sheltered coral reef snorkeling, then an early picnic dinner, before capturing sunset on the shores of the southern end of the lagoon.
DAY 4
Sleep-in... You will have deserved it by now! Mid-morning, we’ll head off onto the lagoon again, landing at North Bay. We’ll have another chance for some snorkeling before lunch, and then it’s off for a short walk to the rock pools of Old Gulch and a climb up Mt Eliza for spectacular views over the turquoise lagoon, southward to the twin peaks of Mt Gower and Mt Lidgebird. We’ll depart in time for a safe return across the lagoon.
DAY 5
Free Day. This is your chance for your own personal explorations, or a time to relax. Options include a guided Mt Gower climb; a SCUBA dive; fishing charter or ... maybe nothing!
DAY 6
This morning we’ll head to the grassy fields above Middle Beach cliffs for sunrise, where masked gannets soar by in the early morning light, and coastal pools reflect the coloured sky. After brunch we’ll spend time playing with light and shade in the palm forest of the Valley of Shadows, before a bit of free time and a short stroll to our final sunset session, close-by our base on the shores of the lagoon at Signal Point. Tonight is our Farewell Dinner, followed by a session where we get to see the ‘best shots’ taken during the week by each participant (very relaxed and informal).
DAY 7
This morning you’ll have free time to pack and prepare for the trip home, say our goodbyes... departures for home cities are at various times through the day.
No matter what your level of experience, Michael will help you gain valuable photographic technique that will ultimately lead to you taking better quality photos. With a professional nature photographer and experienced photography tutor on hand throughout the week, there will be many opportunities to ask any questions you may have, specific to your own personal needs.
Photographic Prerequisites: This workshop is suited to the beginner, intermediate or serious enthusiast. A digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera is recommended, however, any camera that has manual functions would also be suitable. Wide angle and telephoto lenses (and a macro lens if you own one) are recommended. Zoom lenses are also suitable. A sturdy tripod is also necessary, especially for our landscape and macro photography sessions.
Some of the topics that will be covered during the Seven Day “Lord Howe Island Experience”:
• Birds
• Macro
• Sunrises
• Sunsets
• Landscapes
• Composition
• Aperture/Depth-of-Field
• Lighting (natural/flash/reflectors etc)
• Exposure and metering
• Focusing points
• Filters
• Image critique
• And much more!
Inclusions:
• Return economy class airfare to Lord Howe Island (ex Brisbane or Sydney)
• All pre-paid airline taxes
• Accommodation (twin share) at Ocean View Lodge
• Photography tuition by Michael Snedic, as per itinerary
• All breakfasts (full English)
• Welcome dinner with Michael
• Farewell dinner with Michael
• Picnic at Lover’s Bay
• Return airport transfers on Lord Howe Island and all other bus transfers
• Cruise across lagoon to North Bay, which includes snorkelling and picnic
Workshop Price:
Ex Brisbane - $3679.00 Twin share (single room price available upon request)
Ex Sydney - $3669.00 Twin share (single room price available upon request)
This workshop is capped at 9 participants to ensure a high student/tutor ratio.
Full details and booking information is available on "The Travel Centre - Norfolk Island" website here
To find out more about the photography component of the workshop, please call Michael on 0408 941965
NB – The sample itinerary provided may be subject to change or variation due to prevailing weather conditions and/or other localised circumstances that are out of the control of Trekabout Photography Workshops.