Lake Superior Wild & Scenic Photography Retreat

 

Join Andrew McLachlan for an all-inclusive photography retreat on Rock Island, a seven acre peninsula along the wilderness coast of Lake Superior. The dates for this event are October 17-21, 2018 (4 nights). Maximum number of participants is 12.

Often referred to as Canada’s inland sea, Lake Superior offers some of the most dramatic scenery available for landscape photography in Ontario. Being well-traveled along this coast I will ensure that you are in the right locations, receive in-depth photographic instruction, and are inspired to capture breathtaking imagery. We will focus our photographic efforts on landscapes at sunrise and sunset, as well as starry nightscapes. Mid-day photo sessions to specific locations will be based on the current weather conditions that each day provides. There will also be plenty of time set aside each day for image review and Photoshop image optimization instruction. The dates for this retreat were chosen as they coincide with the onset of Superior’s stormy season, which often means rough seas with waves crashing into Superior’s rugged coast.

Our accommodations during this retreat will be divided between two locations; Rock Island Lodge and the High Falls Motel. Availability is limited at Rock Island Lodge, therefore, accommodations at the lodge will be assigned on a first to sign up, first serve basis. Once the Rock Island Lodge maximum is met additional participants will be place at High Falls Motel for their accommodations. Please note that High Falls Motel is located only a few minutes away from Rock Island Lodge.

Itinerary:

Day 1:

• meet and greet dinner at 6:30 p.m.
• photographic presentation
• night sky photo session (weather permitting)

Days 2, 3, & 4:

• morning photo session
• breakfast
• free time / mid morning photo session
• image review / photoshop instruction
• lunch
• free time / early afternoon photo session
• late afternoon/sunset photo session
• dinner
• image review / photoshop instruction
• night sky photo session (weather permitting)

Day 5:

• morning photo session
• breakfast
• free time / mid-morning photo session
• participants depart for home at 12:00 p.m.

 

What’s Included:

• In-depth photographic instruction during each of the photo sessions with LCD review
• Image review and Photoshop image optimization instruction
• Accommodation at Rock Island Lodge or off-site at High Falls Motel
• Wednesday – dinner
• Thursday, Friday, & Saturday – breakfast, lunch, & dinner
• Sunday – breakfast

What’s Not Included:

• Transportation to and from Rock Island Lodge / High Falls Motel
• Transportation to nearby locations within Lake Superior Provincial Park or Wawa (car pooling of participants is encouraged here)
• Alcoholic Beverages

Workshop Fee:

$995.00 CDN plus taxes per person based on double occupancy

$1195.00 CDN plus taxes per person based on single occupancy

*All past workshop participants will receive a $50 discount*

To reserve your spot in the Lake Superior Wild & Scenic Photography Retreat a non-refundable retainer of $350.00 CDN is due now. The balance owing will be due no later than May 31, 2018.

To arrange payment or for further information please contact me by clicking here.

Cancellation Policy:

61 days prior to the workshop date a full refund less the non-refundable retainer.

60 days prior to the workshop date or less no refunds.

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Peru 2018 – Landscapes & Micro Fauna of the Cordillera Escalera Photographic Workshop

 

Join Andrew McLachlan and Mark Pepper (Understory Enterprises) for an exclusive photography retreat within the Cordillera Escalera, near Tarapoto, Peru. This location is situated within the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in Amazonian Rainforest. The dates for this event are June 30 – July 6, 2018 (6 nights). Maximum number of participants is 6. All accommodations for this photo tour will be shared with no single supplement option available. The photo tour fee is $3500.00 US Currency. We need to arrive in Tarapoto, Peru on June 30^th and we will depart for home on July 6^th.

The focus of this photo tour will be landscapes and micro fauna of the Cordillera Escalera.  There is nothing quite like watching the sun rise over the foothills of the Andes Mountains as each new day awakens, standing in awe at towering waterfalls, photographing dart frogs within their natural habitat, or venturing out to explore the night life within the Amazon rainforest. One highlight of the night-time excursions will be photographing the endangered Cochran Frog, which has a very limited range in the Cordillera Escalera. We will also be photographing many species of insects endemic to this region. The biodiversity of the Cordillera Escalera leaves no shortage of subjects to photograph.

If you have not already viewed my image gallery from my scouting trip to Peru’s Cordillera Escalera please click here.

We could not ask for a more friendly and knowledgeable guide. Mark Pepper has been exploring this rainforest environment for over 15 years. Mark has even worked with BBC film crews filming in the area. Using his extensive knowledge and keen eye he will locate several species of dart frogs for us to photograph, not to mention some very fascinating insects!

Some locations during this tour will require the ability of being able to walk several kilometres over uneven terrain in a humid environment. There is also the possibility of river crossings on some hikes, however, these rivers are narrow and shallow. If you have any concerns regarding these please do inquire for additional information.

Our accommodations will be at the luxurious Understory Enterprises Field House, which is also equipped with a gorgeous infinity pool over-looking the Cordillera Escalera, within the foothills of the Andes Mountains and Amazonian rainforest. Many of our morning sunrise sessions will be conducted on site, as we have an outstanding view of the sun rising over the mountain range.

 

 

Itinerary:

Meet and greet on June 30, 2018 at the Understory Enterprises Field House.

Daily excursions will be determined based on the current weather conditions.

Image review sessions will be conducted both in the field via LCD and via laptop computers at the Understory Enterprises Field House.

Breakfasts – will be at the Understory Enterprises Field House

Lunches – at various locations during the tour based on each day’s travel plans

Dinners – we will go into the town of Tarapoto for dinner at one of the many fine restaurants

 

What’s Included:

• In-depth Photographic instruction throughout the photo tour
• Accommodation at the Understory Enterprises Field House
• Transportation to and from Understory Enterprises Field House to all photographic destinations
• Pick-up and drop-off at the Tarapoto airport for your arrival and departure
• Free Wifi at the Understory Enterprises Field House
• All meals

What’s Not Included:

• Transportation to and from Lima, Peru
• Transportation to and from Tarapoto, Peru
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Travel insurance
• Medical insurance

Photo Tour Fee:

$3500.00 US per person.

To secure your spot a non-refundable retainer of $1200 US is due now. The balance of the photo tour fee ($2300.00 US) is due no later than March 31, 2018.

A signed Waiver of Liability form must accompany the non-refundable retainer. Waiver of Liability forms will be emailed to those wishing to register.

Travel Insurance: 

Participants are encouraged to purchase their own medical, travel, and trip cancellation insurance.

Cancellation Policy:

Full refund less $1200 US non-refundable retainer 91 days prior to Photo Tour date.

No refunds 90 days prior to the date.

 

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Migrating Waterfowl

Gadwall Drake Wing Flap, Humber Bay, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR lens
ISO 500, f8 @ 1/640 sec

I have been spending some of time over the last week traveling between the cities of Barrie and Toronto, Ontario to photograph migrating waterfowl. Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe in Barrie had a mix of Common Loons and Pacific Loons in full winter plumage, while Humber Bay on Lake Ontario in Toronto was productive for Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, and Mallards. An alternate location to Humber Bay and located nearby is High Park, it turned out be productive for Wood Ducks, which are still hanging around due to our warmer than usual start to winter. This slow start to winter has also led to some late season fall colour that adds a lovely pop of colour to some situations as it reflects in the water. Here are a few of the images I created last week during these outings.

Mallard Drake, High Park, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 500, f8 @ 1/60 sec

 

Mallard Hen quacking, Humber Bay, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 500, f8 @ 1640 sec

 

Common Loon (winter plumage), Kempenfelt Bay, Barrie, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 800, f8 @ 1160 sec

 

Pacific Loon (winter plumage), Kemenfelt Bay, Barrie, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 500, f8 1/250 sec

 

Northern Shoveler Drake, Humber Bay, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 500, f8 1/2500 sec

 

Northern Shoveler Hen, Humber Bay, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 500, f8 @1/500 sec

 

Wood Duck Drake, High Park, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500, Nikon 200-500mm VR Lens
ISO 500, f8 @ 1/500 sec

 

Wood Duck Drake Wing Flap, High Park, Toronto, Ontario
Nikon D500. Nikon 200-500mm VR lens
ISO 500, f8 @ 1/1000 sec

 

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Upcoming Presentation: Photo Arts Club of Newmarket

On Tuesday November 14 at 7:30 p.m. I will be presenting my Ontario & Beyond: Wild Places Wild Faces program for the Photo Arts Club of Newmarket Camera Club at the Newmarket Communtiy Centre and Lions Hall located at 200 Doug Duncan Drive in Newmarket, Ontario. Non-members are welcome to attend the presentation for an entry fee of $5 per person. The presentation features tons of Ontario related imagery and info for those looking for new places to explore within our province as well as destinations that are further afield such as Cayman Brac and the Amazon Rainforest.

Hope to see you there 🙂

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Rusty Old Wrecks-Teaching Moment Photographic Workshop

Yesterday I held the first Teaching Moment Photographic Workshop – Rusty Old Wrecks. We had beautiful over-cast conditions during the entire workshop and the forecasted rain held off for much of the day. There were six participants, eager to create images of these old dilapidated gems. I am looking forward to sharing the participant photos with you soon. I will be announcing a winter installment of this workshop as part of the Teaching Moment Photographic Workshop series, as well as a host of other awesome locations where folks can hone their photographic techniques and vision under the instruction of yours truly. Today’s post features some of the imagery that I created during the event as a way of showing the participant various compositional options for the enormous number of wrecks at the auto yard.

When I process my image files of the rusty old wrecks I often like to apply some Nik Detail Extractor, Nik Tonal Contrast, or Topaz Labs Clarity to enhance the grunginess of the rusted metal. Sometimes I add a touch of all three photoshop plug-ins to really grunge it up!

After applying a touch of grunge to the image files the only other step that I perform to optimize the photos is a simple “S” curve to pump up the level of contrast within the scene. The image directly above was a new find for me and I have created several Creative Edit options that I will share with you in a future blog post. Directly below is my favourite wreck at the auto yard. I just love the blues mixed in the the pinkish reds and the browns of the autumn grasses and weeds.

 

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Dart Frogs of the Cordillera Escalera

Ameerega trivittata, Chazuta, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f16 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

Perhaps the biggest highlight of my recent trip the Cordillera Escalera region of Peru was having the opportunity to photograph several species of dart frogs within their natural habitat. Since dart frogs are a diurnal species, searching for them is made somewhat easier as we are doing so during the light of day. Often we encountered the frogs among the dry leaf litter on the jungle floor where their brilliant coloration really stands out. My go to set-up for photographing the dart frogs in the wild is the same set-up that I use here at home, in the wild or in my Dart Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest Workshops – a Nikon D500 with Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens and a Nikon SB400 Speedlight mounted on a Wimberlet F-2 Macro Bracket (the best macro bracket available today). To be more specific regarding my macro lens of choice, I use the Nikkor 105mm f2.8 D Micro Lens originally released in 1990 and now discontinued, but it is still a fantastic lens that focuses down to lifesize which is perfect for these tiny frogs.

The above photo of the Ameerega trivittata represents the largest dart frog we encountered, with this species being approximately one inch in length. The remainder of species encountered were not much larger than a thumbnail. Since the dart frogs are most often encountered on the jungle floor creating pleasing images of them means you to must get down to their level. Lying down among the leaf litter will, 99% of the time, yield the best perspective from which to photograph them.

Please note that I prefer to caption my dart frogs according to their scientific name. Not only is the most accurate means of identification, it is also less confusing as many of these dart frog species can have several common names.

 

Ameerega cainarachi, Chazuta, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f22 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

The below Ranitomeya imitator is actually a frog that mimics the coloration of dart frogs. These tiny frogs are completely harmless and incapable of producing toxins, yet their brilliant colors warn potential predators that perhaps they should stay away.

 

Ranitomeya imitator, Chazuta, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f22 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

My favorite encounter was with the Ranitomeya summersi we discovered during a grueling 8 kilometer hike through a large, multiple hectare reserve belonging to Understory Enterprises. Without the expertise of Understory Enterprises these dart frog images would have been very difficult to capture.

 

Ranitomeya summersi, Chazuta, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f22 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

The below images of Ameerega femorlais and Cryptophyllobates azuriventris were located on a short excursion in the jungle near Pongo, Peru. The Cryptophyllobates azuriventris was a particularly nice find as my guide indicated it was the first time he had found an adult specimen here in about 12 years.

 

Ameerega femoralis, Pongo, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f22 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

Cryptophyllobates azuriventris, Pongo, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f22 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

During one of our night excursions along small streams within the Cordillera Escalera to search for tree frogs and insects we encountered several Hyloxalus nexipus sleeping on narrowed leaved plants over-hanging the streams. To create the below image sitting in the stream to gain the low perspective was required.

 

Hyloxalus nexipus, Tarapoto, Peru
Nikon D500, Nikkor 105mm Micro Lens
ISO 100
f22 @ 1/60 sec
Nikon SB400 Speedlight on a Wimberley F-2 Macro Bracket

 

WORKSHOP UPDATE

A quick update on the Dart Frogs of the Amazon Rainforest Photographic Workshop – Understory Enterprises and yours truly have added a second date on Sunday November 26 in Mississauga, Ontario and there are only two spaces remaining for this event. We do not use wild caught specimens in these workshops, they are all captive bred here in Ontario at the Understory Enterprises breeding facility. These workshops give folks the incredible opportunity to photograph nature’s most colorful animals in a comfortable setting with natural set-ups. Click here for more information and click here to register yourself for this event.

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