Daniel Bergmann and I have now finalised the dates and itinerary for our 2014 Iceland summer workshops. We are leading two identical workshops with a brand new custom designed itinerary for 2014. Our new itinerary is the culmination of over 40 years of combined photographic experience (much of it in Iceland) and has been designed to take in the very best the country has to offer in a single experience – ‘Ultimate Iceland’.
In order to ensure we visit and photograph the very best locations and landscapes Iceland has to offer we will spend eleven days circumnavigating the Island. Just some of the location highlights for these expeditions include: The wondrous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, the Volcanic highlands of Landmannalaugar, the steaming geothermal areas at Myvatn, the mighty Detifoss and Selfoss waterfalls, Godafoss waterfall and many more of Iceland’s gems including some lesser known but no less spectacular locations such as the surreal black sand volcanic region of Veiðivötn. We will be using hotels and guest houses as our bases that are functional and clean for the duration of the workshops. Each has been chosen for its suitability and proximity to our target locations. If you can only travel to Iceland once in your life, then this is most definitely the itinerary and workshop you want to experience.
For 2014 we have added an extra day to the workshops making them eleven days / ten nights. All food (excluding alcohol), accommodation and in country transport is included in the workshop from the moment you land in Keflavik, Iceland until the conclusion of the trip eleven days later. We will be utilising highly modified 4-wheel drive super jeeps to enable us to get into the very best areas for photography. We will travel on both bitumen and off road tracks to reach the best locations. Our goal is to ensure we are always in the best locations when the ‘magic’ happens and as such we may stay out late or rise early in order to give ourselves the best opportunities under the spectacular midnight sun. These two workshops promise to provide the ultimate Iceland experience. Wether you are travelling to Iceland for the very first time, or are a seasoned veteran these workshops will leave you having experienced the very best Iceland has to offer.
If you would like to join us then you can download a booking form and detailed itinerary HERE. You will be spending eleven days with people who are just as passionate as you are about photography. In order to ensure everyone gets plenty of individual attention and that we can work as a small cohesive team the maximum number of participants is capped at twelve. Bookings are taken strictly on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to join us for the ultimate Iceland experience and photograph under the spectacular midnight sun then now is the time to register your interest. Bookings are taken strictly on a first come, first served basis and both workshops are fully accredited by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. Due to pre-registrations there is only limited availability on both trips.
Category: Iceland
Iceland ‘Where to Go and What to Photograph’ 2nd Print Edition Map : Review
In December last year I reviewed a map produced by French Photographer Michael Levy titled ‘ Where to Go and What to See‘ in Iceland. This map was produced specifically for photographers and Michael was selling limited edition copies (limited to 1000) via his website. Curious for all things Iceland and photography related I contacted Michael via email and after some brief correspondence he kindly offered to send me a copy of the map for review.
Michael has subsequently released a new and revised 2nd print edition of his Iceland map for photographers, titled ‘Where to Go, What to Photograph’. The first edition of the map reportedly took two years of work from concept to printing and was created entirely by hand (not from a database). This new edition is now the culmination of three years of work. From the International Photographer website: The map shows essential route information, detailed descriptions of all areas of interest (volcanoes, waterfalls, lighthouses, monuments, fauna, flora and curiosities) as well as national parks and nature reserves. Not only can you now prepare your trip in detail, thanks to this handy map, but there’s no chance of missing anything exciting once you get there!
The first, most noticeable and immediate improvement in the 2nd edition is that it is now printed on a tear proof, waterproof substrate. This is a big improvement and advantage over the original map in that it is now far less likely to be irreparably damaged in the field (especially in Iceland, where it rains a lot). Michael has also fixed a small number of typos and inaccuracies that emerged from the first edition and there are various other improvements and additions. From Michaels website:
We have kept all the elements that made the first edition so successful, while adding innovative improvements based on your many comments:
• 50% more information and sights to see, thanks to the expeditions we undertook to Iceland in 2012 and 2013.
• Travel times for the main routes on road and track, by car and by boat.
• Increased legibility through greater visual contrast and the use of high quality paper and inks.
• Map key now in four languages: English / German / Spanish / French.
• Road network updated and improved.
• Tearproof and waterproof paper.
This map is the ultimate tool. It has been created entirely by hand (not from a database), and will be updated regularly. At a glance, you can see all of the areas to explore and photograph in ICELAND. The map shows essential route information, detailed descriptions of all areas of interest (volcanoes, waterfalls, lighthouses, monuments,fauna, flora, and curiosities), as well as national parks and nature reserves.
Conclusion:
The 2nd Edition is a significant improvement over the 1st edition map. The use of a tearproof and waterproof substrate alone makes the upgrade worthwhile if you already own the 1st edition and plan to return to Iceland. If you had been waiting for a revised edition then now is the time to purchase. My original grip remains in that there is still currently no digital version (especially given the Iceland e-roadbook Michael offers is available as a digital download). I would like to see a digital download version for photographers who do not wish to carry a traditional map with them into the field. As I wrote back in December, photographers are some of the fastest adopters of digital technology and I don’t think there is a serious photographer out there who does not own a tablet device (or phone) of some description that cannot store and display digital map files in the field. I would also like to see GPS co-ordinates added to the map in a future digital edition for photographers who prefer to work with a digital map and a set of co-ordinates for finding a given location. Geo-tagged maps are starting to become quite popular with photographers and there are now a number of photographers producing (and selling) geo-tagged maps of iconic locations in America as an example.
With that said, this remains a hand crafted labour of love and it is important to remember that this map is printed in limited quantities (2000 in the 2nd edition) in the photographers home country of France. It is to my knowledge a unique effort to provide a single map of photographic locations in Iceland and should be considered as such when deciding whether to purchase.
For the photographer travelling to Iceland for the first time this 2nd edition map will likely prove invaluable as it provides sufficient information to plan a self drive tour and covers virtually all of the major iconic locations you are likely to want to visit as well as ensuring you don’t miss the ones that are somewhat harder to find. In combination with something like the Lonely Planet Guide to Iceland and Michael’s e-roadbook to Iceland it will provide a great launching pad for an exciting photographic tour of discovery. It is worth noting that no map can replace local knowledge when it comes to reading the weather and light so I suspect even photographers travelling in groups or with guides will find this map useful as it provides an easy to read and follow reference as you drive around the island. I have personally carried and used it on my own workshops and expeditions so that I can easily illustrate where we are in Iceland to those in the group.
Producing a map for photographers of a country so rich in photographic locations and subjects is a daunting challenge and Michael is to be commended for his hard work and dedication in continuging to upgrade and produce new versions.
For all the international-photographer content visit the International Photographer
Photo of the Month – May : Godafoss in Winter
The photo of the month for May 2014 is also from Godafoss waterfall in the North of Iceland. This photograph was taken from the edge of the top of the falls with the Canon 17mm F4L Tilt and Shift Lens on the Canon 1DX Camera. I used a custom made adapter to hold a 3-Stop LEE graduated ND filter and the LEE Big Stopper 10 Stop ND filter. Exposure time was eight seconds at F5.6. In hindsight, I think I actually prefer this photograph from the top of the falls to the other one I posted last month. This photograph has a more dramatic feeling with the snow and ice in the foreground and I feel better emphasises the horseshoe shape of the falls.
Iceland Winter Aurora Workshop 2014 – SOLD OUT
I had been planning to announce that the 2014 Iceland winter Aurora workshop I am leading with Daniel Bergmann was open for bookings this week. However, due to the waiting list for the 2013 workshops and pre-registrations for next years workshops the 2014 trip is already completely sold out. If you are interested in joining you can still register to be put on the waiting list by sending me an email to info@jholko.com. We are looking forward to frozen waterfalls, spectacular glaciers, icebergs, precipitous mountains and with a little bit of luck the spectacular natural phenomena ‘Aurora Borealis’. 2014 is predicted to be another strong year for the Aurora on the cusp of the eleven year solar cycle and it will be very exciting to see and photograph the Aurora over the spectacular and primordial Icelandic landscape. If you would like to read more about this workshop and register to be put on the waiting list please visit the workshops page on my website at www.jholko.com
Iceland Summer Workshop – Space Availability EDIT – (SOLD OUT)
I have just had a cancellation on my summer Iceland workshop this July which has freed up a place for anyone who would like to experience the awesome majesty of the Iceland landscape on a dedicated photography workshop. This trip is unique in that it is limited to just six people in total. The workshop is ten days / nine nights and has been designed to take in the very best of Iceland. We will be headed into the spectacular geothermal highland regions as well as to iconic locations such as the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. We will photograph massive waterfalls, glaciers, icebergs and precipitous mountains. We will be travelling in a Icelandic modified four wheel drive super jeep and will be able to access areas normally inaccessible to cars and standard road going four wheel drives. Because we are travelling in such a small group we will be able to move and work quickly to really maximise our time at each location. To get an idea of the sort of photographs you will be able to make on this trip please visit the Iceland Portfolios HERE.
The cost of the workshop is $6,050 USD and is fully inclusive of food and accommodation (excludes flights and alcohol). A detailed itinerary and information form is available for download HERE. If you would like to join please send me an email to info@jholko.com
EDIT – This last place has now been filled and the trip is sold out.
www.WILDNATUREPHOTOTRAVEL.com 