Category: Antarctica

ANTARCTICA WORKSHOP 2013 – AVAILABILITY UPDATE

Posted in Antarctica, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, South America, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs, Workshops and ExpeditionsLeave a comment

A quick availability update of remaining places on the Antarctica Photographic Expedition I am leading with Daniel Bergmann in November next year. There is currently only one triple share male space remaining and two triple share female places. There are still a few Twin Share spaces available and Twin Privates. There is one mini-suite remaining and the Captains Suite is sold out. If you are interested in joining us on what is going to be a unique and wondrous expedition to Antarctica then please drop me an email to secure your spot. Places are secured on a first come, first served basis. Once they are spoken for and booked thats it.

  • Triple Share Cabin Male (One space left)
  • Triple Share Cabin Female (Two spaces left)
  • Twin Share Cabin (Six spaces left)
  • Twin Private (Eleven cabins left)
  • Mini-Suite  (One cabin left)
  • Captains Suite (Sold Out)

ANTARCTICA EXPEDITION 2013 – REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Posted in Antarctica, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs, Workshops and Expeditions3 Comments

Registrations are now open for a very exciting and unique expedition I am co-leading with Professional Nature and Wildlife Photographer Daniel Bergmann to Antarctica in November 2013.  This has been a trip more than 8 months in the planning and has been designed and structured to provide the very best possible photographic opportunities. It also includes some truly unique features and opportunities that I am really excited about.

The expedition is for a strictly limited number of 50 participants plus leaders and expedition guide and will offer an extended period in Antarctica (15 Day / 14 night Expedition). You will get more time amongst the ice and wildlife in Antarctica than any other photographic trip offers. Whilst most trips to Antarctica take 100+ tourists we are capping the trip at a maximum of 50 dedicated photographers in order to ensure the best possible experience and photographic opportunities. We will be using an ice hardened expedition ship with a highly experienced crew in order to ensure we can get as close as possible to big ice and place you in the best locations for making photographs. Our expedition ship the ‘Polar Pioneer’ is equipped with sufficient zodiacs and crew for all photographers to be shooting simultaneously with plenty of room to spare for camera equipment.The expedition departs on the 9th of November 2013 and returns on the 23rd of November 2013 and includes very special access into areas normally restricted to scientific research, as well as taking in amazing locations such as the breathtaking Lemaire Channel, the Gerlache Strait and the surreal geothermal Deception Island, to name but a few. There is a fly return from the Falkland Islands; which avoids the worst of the Drake Passage and allows us more time in Antarctica as well as the opportunity to visit and photograph in the the wildlife rich Falkland Islands. There is also an option to stay on in the Falklands for each person for as long as they wish. Flights run once a week out of the Falklands with LAN Chile.

KEY FEATURES OF THIS EXPEDITION

  • Strictly Limited to a maximum of 50 participants (much smaller than most other trips to Antarctica, more personal space and the ability for everyone to go ashore and work from zodiacs simultaneously)
  • Ice Hardened Expedition Class Ship
  • 15 Day Trip (Most trips are only 10 days), which means more time for photography
  • Access to areas of Antarctica dedicated to scientific research
  • The expedition is dedicated to photography first and foremost; which means we will be spending the maximum amount of time possible shooting from ship, shore and zodiac.
  • Added experience of Wildlife in the Falkland Islands and the ability to stay on after the trip in the Falklands.

PRICE

Prices quoted are in US Dollars, per person, twin share. Single Occupancy is 1.7 times the twin share price. No single supplement applies if you are willing to share your cabin (triple and twin cabins only).  Deposit to secure your place is $1,250 USD with balance not due until 90 days before date of departure.

  • Triple Share Cabin $9,990 per person (Only One Left)
  • Twin Share Cabin $11,500 per person
  • Twin Private $13,200 per person
  • Mini-Suite $14,200 per person (Only One Left)
  • Captains Suite $14,900 per person
  • Flight to Punta Arenas from the Falkland Islands $660

Positions are strictly filled on a first come, first served basis and once they are filled thats it (some berths and cabins are already booked and spoken for). If you are excited by the idea of travelling to Antarctica with a small group of dedicated photographers you may register your interest by contacting me via email. To get an idea of the sort of photographs you can take on this expedition please visit the Antarctica portfolio on my website at www.jholko.com

JUNE PHOTO OF THE MONTH – ‘BLACK DAWN’

Posted in Antarctica, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, South America, Travel Photography, Uncategorized2 Comments

Time has really slipped away from me over the last few weeks and I realised this evening that I am already a week late updating my photo of the month for June. This photograph of the Andes Mountain range near Ushuaia in South America was taken from the deck of the Ocean Nova ship as we cruised up the Beagle Channel on our way to the Drake Passage and Antarctica. It is somewhat ironic for me that my favourite photograph of this mountain range should be taken from the deck of a rolling ship with a 300mm lens rather than the chartered helicopter I spent a dedicated hour shooting from with wide angle lenses. It just illustrates how you don’t have to use a wide angle lens from a helicopter to get an evocative shot of a mountain range. The Andes is a spectacular snow capped mountain range with precipitous and towering peaks with countless rugged and jagged ridges that is evocative of a more primordial earth. Being able to see it up close and personal from a helicopter with the door off was really a very special experience. Being able to photograph it from the deck of a ship as it cruised slowly past was equally satisfying. A higher resolution version of this photograph  can be seen on my portfolio website at www.jholko.com under South America. This photograph was awarded with a Silver award at the 2012 APPA Australian Professional Photography Awards.

2012 APPA AWARD WRAP-UP

Posted in Antarctica, Iceland, Landscape Photographs, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, South America, Travel Photography, Uncategorized3 Comments

Once  a year the annual APPA Australian Professional Photography Awards are held in Australia. This year they were conveniently held in my home state of Victoria. The event is sponsored by Canon Australia and is run by the AIPP Australian Institute of Professional Photography. Widely regarded by many as the toughest photographic competition in the world today APPA remains one of the few world wide competitions where the finished ‘print’ is judged (in the vast majority of categories) by a panel of professional photographers who are each considered experts in their chosen specialities. The five judges score each print out of 100 points under strictly controlled lighting conditions. The judges scores are then averaged to give a final overall score out of 100.  Prints of a professional standard that score between 75 and 79 points are not considered of award standard but are considered to be a good example of solid professional practice. Prints between 80 and 84 are considered examples of photographs above professional practice and worthy of recognition and are subsequently classed as a Silver Award. Prints between 85 and 89 are of exceptional standard and are awarded with a Silver with Distinction. Prints judged 90 – 94 and 95 – 100 are Gold and Gold with Distinction awards respectively that are reserved for prints that are considered to be of the highest calibre. Judges are often heard to wax lyrical about a Gold award print needing to be one that is never forgotten.   It takes a print of exceptional quality to be awarded with a Silver or Gold award.

Last year (2011) was my first year entering the APPA awards as a full member of the AIPP. Full members of the AIPP are allowed to enter a maximum of four prints across any of the categories and I was thrilled to receive a Gold award with my very first print in the landscape category. My subsequent three prints in ‘landscape’ each scored Silver awards. This year I was equally thrilled to receive two Silver with Distinction awards and two Silver Awards for two photographs from Antarctica and two from Iceland respectively. Each of these prints was printed on my personal favourite paper – Moab Somerset Museum Rag, Higher resolution versions can be seen on my portfolio website at www.jholko.com and limited edition prints are available through Source Photographica in Brighton.The Fortress – Silver with Distinction APPA 2012Lone Penguin – Silver with Distinction APPA 2012Black Dawn – Silver APPA 2012Iceland Pastels – Silver APPA 2012

THE DIGITAL SHOW – GICLEE AND MOAB

Posted in Antarctica, Iceland, Landscape Photographs, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, UncategorizedLeave a comment

If you are in Melbourne tomorrow and willing to brave the current spell of bad weather  I will be at the Digital Show at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre for the APPA (Australian Professional Photography Awards). I have a selection of some of my favourite prints on display on a range of  different Moab papers at the Giclee / Moab stand (right behind the Canon stand) . Please feel free to come and say hello and chat all things photography!

Moab Prints at The Digital Show