Namibia Overland Safari Workshop Complete

Last night I wrapped up my 2016 Namibia Desert overland Safari and I am now making the long journey back to Australia (currently at the airport lounge in Windhoek). I have been on the road since early February with back-to-back workshops and expeditions to the Weddell Sea in Antarctica, Iceland in Winter, the Iceland Arctic Fox Project, Lofoten in Winter and finally Namibia.  This time away amounted to twenty four flight sections and an awful lot of miles travelled. I am now very much looking forward to a couple of weeks at home before I head to the South Island of New Zealand for my Masterclass workshop.

As is always the case it is going to be many weeks before I can sort through all the photographs I made during these trips, edit and process my selects and share them on my website and social media. My priority is actually to now finish my work on the Arctic Fox Project and have the book ready for release later this year (I will also be formally announcing a new gallery showing of this work). In the meantime I hope you enjoy this image from  the abandoned diamond town at Kolmonskop in Namibia. See you back in Australia.Kolmonskop

Photo of the Month April 2016 – Golden Dune Namibia

It seems appropriate that the photograph of the month for April 2016 should be one from Africa; as I currently in Namibia leading a small group workshop to photograph the incredible landscapes of this country. This photograph of the golden sand dune was taken near Dedavlei in the late afternoon as we were returning to our camp for dinner. I took a short hike up into the dunes to gain a more top down perspective and then focused on the play of light across the dune. The wind was whipping the sand off the top of the dune and was beautifully illuminated against the dark backdrop. In many ways this is an iconic photograph for me that really captures the feeling of the desert here in Namibia.Namibia

National Geographic Traveller Magazine Features Fortress

The current issue (April 2016) of National Geographic Traveller Magazine features one of my photographs from Antarctica as the leading double page spread to an Antarctic travel article – 7 Trips, 7 Continents. Just click on the image below to download the image and article. The photograph titled ‘Fortress’ was taken back in 2011 in the Gerlache Strait during heavy overcast skies. This particular iceberg remains for me one of the most spectacular I have been fortunate to see and photograph. I will be leading a new expedition to Antarctica in late October next year (2017) that will be dedicated to iceberg photography. If you are keen to travel and photograph in Antarctica with a small group of passionate photographers please drop me an email to register your interest. No obligation at this point.MEDIA2016_NatGeoAntarctica

Arctic Fox Project – Behind the Scenes

A little over two weeks ago I wrapped up my winter photographic project on the Arctic Fox in the remote north east of Iceland. The project has spanned the last three winters with the final intent being a book to be released later this year. A portfolio of prints from the project is available now for purchase on my website. A behind the scenes video snippet from one of the last days on the project is included below. Just click on the image below to play the video. Full behind the scenes footage coming soon.

ArcticFoxVideoDaniel Bergmann and I also wrapped up our 2016 Iceland Winter Workshop a couple of days ago (full report coming soon). We had a mix of dramatic and challenging weather during the trip; as is often the norm for Iceland in winter.

I am now in the Lofoten Islands in Norway where I will be co-leading a nine day workshop for landscape photography with my friend Martyn Lucas. We are kicking off in the next couple of days and are looking forward to dramatic winter landscapes and possibly even some Aurora Borealis if conditions permit.

Iceland Winter 2017 – The Frozen North Expedition Open for Bookings

Daniel Bergmann and I are pleased to be announcing our 2017 Iceland Winter Workshop. The workshop will run from the 23rd of February 2016 until the 5th of March 2017 and will focus on the incredible northern landscapes of Iceland as well as the Aurora Borealis. We will be travelling in a highly modified Icelandic Super Jeep (very large modified 4-wheel drive) so that we can get off the main bitumen road and into the more interesting areas for photography and experience the true splendour of Iceland in Winter. We will be focusing our efforts in the Northern part of Iceland in some of the less visited and more spectacular winter locations. In winter the northern landscapes are covered in snow and the light is often soft and ethereal. There are fantastic opportunities to create wonderful images of the winter landscape.

Godafoss in Winter from the top of the fallsIn late February the darkness of the Icelandic winter is starting to lift and the days are becoming longer. We will have up to ten hours of good light during the day and with a little bit of luck the spectacular Northern Lights will increase our photographic opportunities well into the night. Winter conditions in Iceland can be stunningly beautiful: the glacial lagoons freeze, some of the waterfalls are partially frozen, the glaciers appear more blue with fresh snow on top, the landscape of the north is covered in fresh snow and with fewer visitors. With true darkness in winter comes the possibility of seeing the awe inspiring Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). We plan to make photographs of them whenever there are clear skies and intense Aurora activity.Aurora over ReykjanestáThis photography workshop will last for 11 days (10 nights). We will be staying in good hotels and guest houses that are functional and clean. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included and will generally be held at the hotels where we are staying. However, this workshop is all about photography and we will be putting in long hours in the field in order to ensure we get the best possible light for photography. We may take food and drink with us into the field to ensure we are in the right locations get the best possible light. There will be some moderate hiking on uneven ground and a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. There is no obligation to participate in any hikes and every effort will be made to accommodate any requests.
Iceland-7910-EditThis is a unique opportunity to travel and photograph with two experienced professionals who have a combined total of more than 40 years of photographic experience and can take you to the best locations that are off the beaten track, and at the right time – when the light is best. You’ll be spending 10 days with others who are just as passionate about photography as you are, and to ensure everyone gets plenty of individual attention, the maximum number of participants is capped at twelve.Iceland-7629-EditYou can download a complete itinerary and information PDF HERE. The workshop is fully inclusive of all meals, accommodation and ground transportation as well as all tuition and image reviews. Our 2014, 2015 and 2016 workshops sold out in just a few days so if you would like to join us you can register your interest by dropping me an email or by filling in the registration form on my website at www.jholko.com. You can also visit the Iceland Portfolio on my website at www.jholko.com for more images of Iceland in Winter.Iceland-7851-Edit