The Jewels of the Arctic Expedition – Availability Update

Posted in Arctic, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs, Workshops and Expeditions2 Comments

Just a quick update on the availability of remaining places for the Jewels of the Arctic expedition I am co-leading with Daniel Bergmann in August next year. If you are interested in grabbing one of the remaining places and would like more information you can download a detailed itinerary and information PDF HERE.

AVAILABILITY

  • Triple Share Male (SOLD OUT)
  • Triple Share Female – 2 Places Available
  • Twin Share Male (SOLD OUT)
  • Twin Share Female (SOLD OUT)
  • Twin Private Male – 3 Cabins Available
  • Twin Private Female – 3 Cabins Available
  • Mini-Suite – Only 1 Suite  Available
  • Captains Cabin – 1 Cabin Available

This dedicated photographic expedition departs on the 5th of August 2013 and docks on the 18th of August. The trip will set sail from Longyearbyen in Svalbard and will be taking in the very best of Spitsbergen and Greenland before docking in Isafjordur in Iceland. A connecting flight will then take you to Keflavik International airport for connecting flights home.

This expedition will combine the very best of Spitsbergen and Greenland with a taste of Iceland and has been structured to provide the best possible photographic opportunities. Spitsbergen’s rugged northwest coast comprises mountains, tundra and fjords. Greenland’s remote east coast shows off the immensity of the icecap, fantastic icebergs and massive granite spires rising over 1000 metres above the fjords.

This expedition offers a complete Arctic experience for photography: tundra walks amidst reindeer and exquisite dwarf vegetation, zodiac cruises  near calving glacier fronts, hikes to breathtaking mountain vistas and warm welcomes into indigenous communities. We will likely see and photograph Polar Bears, Reindeer, Arctic Foxes, Walrus, Glaciers, icebergs and more. It is going to be a truly spectacular photographic trip for a very limited number of photographers aboard an ice hardened expedition class ship.

The expedition is for a strictly limited number of 50 participants plus leaders and expedition guide. Whilst many trips to the Arctic take 100+ tourists this expedition is capped 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.

Travel Photographer of the Year Finalists 2012

Posted in Landscape Photographs, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized2 Comments

Finalists for Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) have been announced and I am very honoured to be included amongst the list of finalists names. It is particularly pleasing to see a few other Australian photographers also amongst the finalists – some familiar names and also some new ones. This is the first time I have entered Travel Photographer of the Year and I did so after reading that the finals are judged on actual prints rather than digital images online. I am a big proponent for judging prints over digital images. There is something magical about a truly beautifully crafted fine art print that no digital jpeg can ever match. I know many photgraphers that dont print their own work or even have it printed at a lab for that matter. Personally however, I really don’t feel like I have produced anything until such time as I actually make a print. I come from a film background and photography has always been about the printed image for me. Competitions that judge prints are becoming a rare commodity these days so I was keen to support TPOTY if for no other reason than they are helping keep the craft of print making alive. I am looking forward to making the print I need to submit by the end of this month on my favourite paper Moab Somerset Museum Rag and to seeing the photographs from the other finalists when the winners are announced later this year.

The finalist images will be exhibited at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in Kensington, London, England in summer 2013. The exhibition will open with a private view in June 2013. Doors will open to the public two days later, closing in mid-August 2013. The exhibition will be free to enter and I am hoping to stop past on my way through London before my Summer Iceland and Arctic Workshops.

This image from Antarctica ‘Ice Sanctuary’ was not my entry – but I wanted to share a similar image from my last Antarctica expedition in 2011. A high resolution version of this photograph can be seen on my website at www.jholko.com in the Antarctica portfolio. What was my finalist image? You will have to wait and see…..Footnote: I have become very selective about which photographic competitions I choose to enter these days. Competitions are springing up all over the web on a daily basis and many of them have horrendous terms and conditions that see the photographer signing away all their rights to their images. If you are entering competitions do yourself a big favour and read the fine print. Even competitions that are sponsored by major corporate giants are being found guilty of creating ‘rights-grab’ competitions that see the photographer ending up with no rights to their own images. Make sure the competition you enter protects your rights as a photographer.

Only 600 Miles to the North Pole!

Posted in Arctic, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs, Workshops and Expeditions1 Comment

A couple of days ago I received an email from someone interested in joining my new expedition to the Arctic in August next year – The Jewels of the Arctic. As a parent of young kids one of the questions about the trip really made me smile and after some back and forth email I just had to ask if it was ok to share it on my blog. The question at its heart is actually a very good one – ‘How far will we be from the North Pole?‘. The interested party clearly also saw the humour in the circumstance of the question and kindly agreed to let me share the relevant correspondence here on my blog. Enjoy.

Dear Josh,

I would very much like to join you on the Jewels of the Arctic trip next August but I just have a few questions if thats ok. I see that the trip finishes in Iceland which is fantastic as I have not been there before either. How long would you recommend I stay? And can you please give me some ideas of things I should see?

Will you be giving advice on what equipment to bring? I only have a Rebel and two zoom lenses for it but plan on getting a longer lens before we leave.

And I feel silly for asking this, but my kids want to know how far we will be from the North Pole as they would like me to personally deliver their Christmas wish lists to Santa Clause. Last year they did not get the new bikes they asked for and they think the mail man might never have made it to his house.

Thanks Josh.

I couldn’t let an opportunity to add to the humour slide by…

Dear XXXXX,

Thank you for your email and interest in the Jewels of the Arctic trip next August. I have attached some additional information on the expedition for your reading and made some comments below about Iceland and equipment

<Snipped out the extensive Iceland and equipment text>

In terms of view of how close we will be to the the North Pole: At our most northerly position we will be only 600 miles from the Pole; although much is dependant upon the prevailing ice. We will see and photograph grazing Reindeer on this expedition as well as Polar Bears and other wildlife. Whilst I cannot guarantee Rudolph or his helpers will be amongst the Reindeer I feel quite sure that at least one of the available Reindeer will be able to deliver your children’s letters to Santa in time for Christmas (I am under similar instructions from my own kids). I believe the standard Reindeer courier cost is a small bag of carrots. Please let me know if you’re children would be happy to have their letters delivered by Reindeer and I will endeavour to make the necessary arrangements.

Kind Regards,

I was certainly wondering at this point if I was going to hear back – but I did. And after a few more swapped emails the interested party has joined the expedition and we have agreed to package up our Christmas letters and send together. If anyone else would like their Christmas letters delivered by Reindeer please let me know.

Royal Canadian Geographic Society 2013 Calendar

Posted in Antarctica, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife Photographs3 Comments

One of the real joys of Polar photography (both North and South) is the abundance of wildlife and the myriad of photographic opportunities available for not only landscape, but also wildlife photography. I am still sorting through the thousands of frames I shot of penguins and seals on my last Antarctic trip even as next years new and exciting Jewels of the Arctic expedition and Antarctic Expeditions are rapidly approaching.

One of my favourite wildlife photographs from Antarctica last year is of an Antarctic fur seal wallowing in the snow not far from the waters edge. This was a fun photograph to take as I was lying in the snow during a shore landing only a few metres from the seal; which seemed totally oblivious to my presence. I shot this with a 300mm lens to get nice and tight and simply waited for the seal to raise its head and yawn (as they are prone to do – seals seem to get bored very easily :-) ). This photograph was recently picked up by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and I am pleased to say is featured in their 2013 Calendar as the image for September. Copies of the calendar are available from the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.A larger version of this photograph can also be seen on my portfolio website at jholko.com under Antarctica.

Chamonix France – A Glass of Wine, Cable Release and Deck Chair

Posted in France, Landscape Photographs, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Very occasionally a situation presents itself where I can make a photograph I am really pleased with from the side of the road, or some other easily accessible location. More often than that not however I have to travel, walk and hike to get the image I am after – Nature rarely serves up the scene on a platter; you have to get out there and hunt for it.

Whilst in France a couple of months ago I was able to make a photograph that was under the most civilised of circumstances. I was fortunate to get a room with a rear balcony at my hotel in Chamonix and immediately noted the wonderful view across the mountain range and the angle of the setting sun. Tired from driving all day my wife and I unpacked, opened a bottle of Burgundy, tore a piece off a fresh baguette with some cheese and pulled up a couple of deck chairs to watch the sunset over the alps. As we sipped our wine the light continued to get better and better so I scurried inside, grabbed my camera, tripod  and cable release and set it up next to my deck chair. With the sun setting and cable release in hand I clicked the shutter between drinks and nibbles. Looking back on it I cant recall a more civilised photography session and as such this photograph of the Alps from Chamonix is my photograph of the month for November.