ENGLISH VERSION
HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS ISLE OF HARRIS PHOTO - IMMERSION TRIP
14 - 21 November 2021 th
© Copyright Essential Seeing - Meaningful Photography Learning
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HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS - WWW.ESSENTIALSEEING.COM
Painting with light on the edge of the world...
“The love for nature and travelling has run in my blood for as long as I can remember. Even if all locations have their unique and special soul, after 20 years of travelling the world I have found some places where I stood in awe, feeling specially connected to the land and the light, touched and stirred by the power, beauty and mystery of nature. Come and discover these places with us; Let us share those emotions and express them through photography.“
ISLE OF HARRIS
HIGHLIGHTS
HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS
• Infinite sand beach es, tidal flats, and end less dunes covered with grass swaying in the wind, waves crashing on deserted shores and in the background, the highest mountains of the Outer Hebrides rising from the water...
PHOTO-IMMERSION TRIP Imagine a place of infinite sand beaches, tidal flats, and endless dunes covered with grass swaying in the wind, waves crashing on desert ed shores and in the background, sensual mountains rising from the water... Now, add some of the wild est and most dramatic light condi tions you can imagine and a de lightful sense of remoteness. That is the Isle of Harris. During a whole week, we will photo graph a constantly changing lands cape where the magical brushes of light and weather paint over a can vas of sand, water and grass in this gem of the Outer Hebrides.
JOIN US !
This will be an All Inclusive Photo Im mersion trip conducted personally by Rafael Rojas and his partner Anca Minican. During the entire week we will be based at our comfortable hotel from where we will be able to easily reach all our chosen photo graphic areas and adapt ourselves to the different weather and light conditions. If there is a place which seems been made for landscape photogra phers, it is the Isle of Harris. By far our favourite location in Scotland and one of our preferred places on this planet.
DATES 14th - 21st November 2021 TOUR LEADERS Rafael Rojas and Anca Minican PHOTOGRAPHY LEVEL All photographic levels EXERTION LEVEL Easy PRICE 3,950 CHF (Swiss Francs) VAT incl. BOOKING DEPOSIT Deposit of 1’500 CHF NUMBER OF PEOPLE Group of 4 (min.) to 6 (max.)
• Photograph in the dy namic and changeable light of the Outer Hebri des, without doubt pos sessing some of the most magical and photoge nic light conditions in the world. • Enjoy the sense of re moteness and isolation of the Isle of Harris, truly a place which seems to defy time and space.
• Photograph an orches tral landscape where everything seems to be alive and in movement; the sea, the wind, the vegetation, the clouds... Fantastic possibilities for long exposure photogra phy await us!
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“ An organic landscape where nothing remains the same...�
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT’S INSIDE
4 6 8 10
HARRIS - HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS THE PHILOSOPHY
THE LOCATION
PROGRAMME
11 12 13 15
INCLUDED & EXCLUDED
MAIN DETAILS
LEADERS
FAQ
18 19 22 24
EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
WEATHER & CLIMATE
TESTIMONIALS
BOOKING
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THE PHILOSOPHY
WHAT TO EXPECT?
PHOTO-IMMERSION TRIP Photography is not the goal, but the path. Nowa days, we all rush through our life. We travel fast and we see the world without experiencing it. We think that in order to see more, we need to move faster.But the truth is that travelling in time and light, travelling through mood and weather is often more rewarding. Feelings and emotions, experiences and souvenirs, are not measured in quantity, but in qua lity. Slowing down makes you connect more with a place. When you slow down, your inner landscape tends to blend with the outer one. And then, magic happens. Life is like a good whisky, and should be consumed in small sips. Photography is the best of the glasses for that whisky. Our Photo Immersion trips offer a very particular approach: to slow down our pace, to forget about running after photographic trophies and to focus on creating highly personal work about a specific area for a certain number of days. We minimise the travel in space to focus on travel in the light, travel through the changes in the weather, travel in time. Every day, we photograph a certain “playground” where you will notice that conditions are never the same. Every day, we get a little closer to the spirit of the place. Every day, we make a bet ter friend. In a way, we focus on a type of internal travel, rather than an external one. After many years conducting photo-immersion trips, we have realized the best way is to allow our participants to immerse themselves with plenty of time out in the field on their own, undisturbed unless they need any help. Rafael and Anca are always available for participants, anytime, anywhere, to discuss technical, compositional, artistic, or
philosophic aspects while we work in the field. Participants will not only get a lot of hands on tuition from Rafael during the photographic sessions, but they will also have the possibility of seeing how Rafael works, how he visualizes, composes and creates his own photographs in the field. Rafael will use many of his photographs to explain many concepts in the field, and later on during the postprocessing and critique sessions which will take place at our hotel base. You will receive a lot of instruction about post-processing, which is an essential part of contemporary landscape photography. We want to eliminate all the hassle of travelling so that we can focus on creative photography and maximize our natural immersion in the location. For our entire stay we will be based at a comfortable hotel in the village of Tarbert, close to the areas we will photograph. This will also allow us to make the most of the conditions, tailoring our programme to the weather and light we will experience during our trip. During this phototrip, we will photograph in all kinds of light conditions; sunrise, sunset, dawn, dusk, day and night. In November the sun remains low over the horizon providing us daily with 8.5 hours of great light for landscape photography. And all that under the extremely dynamic and photogenic weather so unique to the Scottish Hebrides. Truly a landscape photographer’s heaven...
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WHERE LIGHT IS MADE
THE LOCATION
ISLE OF HARRIS, SCOTLAND Imagine a place of infinite sand beaches, tidal flats, and endless dunes covered with marram grass sway ing in the wind, waves crashing on deserted shores and, in the background, sensual mountains rising from the water... Now, add some of the wildest and most dramatic light conditions you can imagine and a de lightful sense of remoteness. That is the Isle of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
places, nothing had prepared us for the magic and photographic opportunities of the Isle of Harris. This is truly our preferred photographic location in the whole of Scotland.
There is something about Scotland which attracts landscape photographers from all over the world. It could be the contrast between the ocean and the mountains, the raw nature of the landscape, the un tamed fury of the sea, the transient character of the light, the changeability of the weather and the sense of isolation... If all those elements define Scotland, the Isle of Harris becomes one of its strongest representa tions, the pure essence of what this land has to offer encapsulated in one single place.
Part of the Outer Hebrides, Harris faces the open ocean, unprotected from the winds and the fierce waves of the Atlantic, which become the shaping force of the landscape. Weather fronts roll in from the Atlantic, creating amazing cloud formations and dra matic light conditions like nowhere else on the planet. Photographing the landscape in the Outer Hebrides is like photographing a living organism. Every minute, everything changes... The light, the tide, the clouds, the weather... The landscape becomes a canvas where a transient play of tones, colours and reflec tions are mirrored as the light changes by the second. Photographing in Harris means becoming a hunter of light.
Over the last years, we have travelled and photo graphed extensively in many areas of Scotland, in cluding some iconic places such as the Isle of Skye or Glencoe. As much as we were impressed by these
The landscape of Harris is extremely varied and could be defined as a Scotland in miniature. To the East, a rugged coast outlined with rocky islets welcomes the first rays of the sunrise. Inland, a barren landscape of
turf, lochans and Lewisian gneiss rock unveils the som bre and almost mystical nature of this ancient land. To the west, some of the best sand beaches of the whole Atlantic beg to be photographed. White and golden sand stretches for kilometres, lined by sand dunes covered with marram grass which sways in the wind providing great photographic opportunities. From the ocean, islands and mountains rise from the water, drawing their sensual rounded shapes against the horizon and offering amazing focal points for pho tographs. Talking about Harris is also talking about space, open ness, isolation and remoteness. Huge expanses of sand flats, empty beaches, silent bogs and lochans, unin terrupted views stretching over to the horizon and in finite skies... There is a strong sense of magnetism and mysticism permeating this place. We will be based at a comfortable hotel in Tarbert, South Harris, from where we will have easy and rapid access to all the areas we will photograph, mainly focusing on the coast. You can be sure about some thing, every day the landscape will be different! HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS - WWW.ESSENTIALSEEING.COM - 08
An ancient land filled with mystery...
PROGRAMME
HARRIS: HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS PROGRAMME AND TYPICAL DAY DAY 1 - 14TH NOVEMBER 2021 - ARRIVAL IN THE ISLE OF HARRIS We will pick you up at Stornoway airport on the first day and transfer you to our cosy hotel which will serve as our base. You should arrive before 5 pm. We will en joy dinner together, get acquainted and introduce the photographic trip to all participants. DAYS 2 TO 7 During 6 full days we will explore and photograph the most interesting and pho togenic areas of the isle of Harris and Lewis. In November, the sun rises at 8:00 am and sets at around 6:00 pm, staying low over the horizon for the whole day. Our daily schedule will vary depending on the locations we will visit. Most of the land scapes we will photograph nestle on the West coast, so we may focus particular ly on the sunsets and late evenings, also planning for some sunrise photography sessions in certain specific locations. - 07:00 - 9:00
Photographic session at dawn and sunrise
- 09:30 - 10:30
Breakfast at the hotel
- 10:30 - 11:30
Free time and/or critique session
- 11:30 - 14:00
6 FULL DAYS
Photographic session
- 14:00
Packed Lunch
- 15:00 - 17:00
Photographic session at sunset and dusk
- 19:00
Dinner
- 20:00
Free time and/or critique session
DAY 8 - 21ST NOVEMBER 2021 - END OF PHOTO TRIP We will have breakfast together and officially end the photographic trip. We will arrange the transfers to Stornoway airport for the early morning, so that partici pants can easily catch their connecting flights back home. HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS - WWW.ESSENTIALSEEING.COM - 10
INCLUDED EXCLUDED
& INCLUDED
EXCLUDED
Tour led by Rafael Rojas and Anca Minican
Photographic and clothing equipment
‘ In the field’ photography advice, daily briefings,
International and domestic flights
commentary sessions & image reviews
Any meals other than those stated in
Special workshop session on Adobe Lightroom
ALL INCLUSIVE
the detailed itinerary
Accommodation in comfortable hotel
Personal expenses: telephone, gifts,...
Alcoholic beverages
Single occupancy for all participants All meals and non alcoholic drinks
Medical, Accident and Repatriation
Insurances (compulsory for all partici
Transport during the whole stay Transfers from and to the airport of Stornoway
pants)
Unforgettable experiences and a lot of fun!
Travel Cancellation insurance
(strongly advised)
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MAIN DETAILS
TRIP DETAILS PHOTOGRAPHY LEVEL All photographic levels, from beginners to advanced photographers, are welcome. A certain familiarity with your camera will be highly beneficial in order to get the most from this photographic trip. EXERTION LEVEL Easy. We will mainly work around sandy beaches, with some dune climbing and walks of 1 km maximum from the car.
CANCELLATION FEES Should you need to cancel this Photo Trip, the follo wing fees apply: - 90 days or more before the departure date: Your deposit fee - 89 to 61 days before the departure date: 50% cancellation fee - 60 days or less before the departure date: 100% cancellation fee
PRICE 3,950 CHF (Swiss Francs) VAT incl.
It is strongly advised to acquire travel cancellation insurance.
SINGLE OCCUPANCY Single Occupancy accommodation in superior rooms is included on this photo trip for all participants. Couples will be able to share the same room.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE Groups are limited from 4 (minimum) to 6 (maximum) This number includes photographers and nonphotographing partners / spouses.
PAYMENT DETAILS Deposit of 1’500 CHF at the time of booking. Full payment of the Photo Trip due 120 days (4 months) prior to the departure date.
LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION Transportation will be in a van seating 9 people. Ac commodation will be at a comfortable hotel in Tar bert, with single superior bedrooms for each partici pant. Breakfasts will be served at the hotel, we will take packed lunches with us for greater flexibility and we will enjoy a 3 course dinner at the restaurant every evening.
NON-PHOTOGRAPHING SPOUSES / PARTNERS Non-photographing spouses and partners are welcome on this trip. Even though the dinner conversations will certainly revolve around photo graphy, all locations visited will allow non photogra phing partners and spouses to discover and fully en joy the beauty of the Isle of Harris. Same rates apply. LANGUAGES The official language for this photographic trip will be English. However, bear in mind that personal ex planations to each participant can be done also in French or Spanish, as we are bilingual in these other languages. A certain international composition of the group should be expected, with all the fun and wonderful implications that brings!
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LEADERS HEBRIDEAN
Watercolours RAFAEL ROJAS Rafael Rojas is a fine art photographer specialized in large format landscape and nature photography. Following a career as an engineer, researcher and university lecturer he made a dramatic change by becoming a pro fessional photographer of nature and lands cape, his true passion and vocation. Today, he travels the planet always in search of those fleeting moments when light and land combine to create sheer magic and inspire the soul. His work has been awarded in the most prestigious international nature photography competitions, including First Prize several times in the International Photography Awards (USA), Px3 Prix de Photographie de Paris (France), Nature’s Best (USA), International Conservation Awards (USA), European Nature Photographer of the Year GDT (Germany), MML International (Spain), Trierenberg Super Circuit (Austria), Panoramic Photographer of the Year, etc.
Learn with Rafael Rojas, Master Hasselblad photographer and former University lecturer...
His fine art prints, which form part of numerous pri vate collections belonging to individuals and cor porations, are often exhibited at international level, in private galleries and museums such as the Smith sonian in Washington and the Burke Museum in Seattle, USA. His photographs are also frequently used by various companies and institutions and are often published for editorial use in magazines. One of the main activities of Rafael Rojas is tea ching and lecturing about personal and expressive landscape photography, which he carries out dur ing his photographic workshops and Photo Trips. This allows him to share and pass on to others his pas sion and knowledge about photography by means of photographic tuition in locations where natural inspiration is at hand. Rafael uses his former experi ence in teaching at the university, his contagious passion and a deep experience and knowledge of the natural environment to assure optimal learn ing and unforgettable memories for all his clients.
He has collaborated in the creation of several photography books, including “Visions of Earth” and “Natura”. He is the a uthor of his own line of instructive photography books which he publishes and distributes from the website Essential Seeing in different languages as electronic Books. He is the co-owner and co-founder of Platinum Press Editions, an exclusive editorial house specialized in the creation of unique fine art photography books of the highest quality. He works with a panoramic 617 medium format film camera, Hasselblad 6x6 and a whole Nikon digital system, always set on the sturdiest tripod available. He speaks Spanish, English, French, Italian and Ro manian...
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LEADERS HEBRIDEAN
Watercolours
ANCA MINICAN Anca Minican, the partner of Rafael Rojas, provides a very special touch to all our photographic workshops and trips. Trained as an architect and interior de signer, she is a true lover of nature and the wilderness and always accompanies Rafael on his photographic expeditions all over the planet.
Her broad experience in the corporate world, her professionalism and her methodical and serious approach make her a valuable asset for the organization, on-site logistics and the support to customers during our workshops and photographic trips. She also plays a key role in the team building and knows how to create an amicable environment with a personal touch as all our clients can testify! She is co-editor of the whole range of Rafael Rojas Photography books, ensures the representation of our Limited Edition Fine Art prints and manages the photographic library of Rafael Rojas Photography. Anca is co-owner and co-founder of Platinum Press Editions, an exclusive editorial house specialized in the creation of unique fine art photography books of the highest quality. She speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian and Romanian.
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FAQ
HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS IS THIS TRIP AVAILABLE FOR ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC LEVELS? Yes. This Photo Immersion trip caters for all photographic levels, from beginners to advanced and even professional photogra phers. However, the truth is that to make the most of the possi bilities of this photographic trip it would be best that you already have a certain knowledge of the use of your camera so it is re commended that you exercise a little and become accustomed to your equipment in the weeks prior to the trip. Or you may pre fer to enrol on one of our intensive photographic workshops of 1/2 day or 2 days in Switzerland (see availability). In any case, during our Photo Immersion trip to Harris we will tackle the basic technical use of a DSRL for all our beginner participants. WHAT IS THE FITNESS LEVEL FOR THIS TRIP? Easy. We will mainly work around sandy beaches, with some dune climbing (dunes of up to 50 m of height). Normally all the areas we will photograph are quite close to the car, but we might walk for one kilometer or two on some occasions. CAN I BRING A NON-PHOTOGRAPHING COMPANION? Non-photographing spouses and partners are w elcome on this trip. Even though the dinner c onversations will certainly revolve around photography, all locations visited will allow non-photo graphing partners and spouses to discover and fully enjoy the
beauty of the isle of Harris. Same rates apply as for photogra pher participants. WHICH PHOTO EQUIPMENT SHOULD I BRING? In terms of photographic equipment, the choice depends very much on your experience, your budget and your style of photo graphy. There are a few general points though which should be mentioned. Most photographers tend to bring too much equip ment to Photo Trips, leading to extremely heavy bags which then become a burden more than a useful tool to experience and photograph the places we visit. Never bring pieces of equipment you are not familiar with to a photo trip, and limit your equip ment to what you will need in the majority of cases. Typically, any camera you use normally and a couple of zooms like a 24-70 and a telephoto 70-200 are more than enough for the vast ma jority of situations. Bear in mind that in Scotland the weather is of ten wet and windy. You might want to bring a photo bag with a rain cover, so that you can protect your bag from the rain when not using your camera. In the same way you might want to bring a rain cover for the camera and lens, even if normally we photo graph without protection and never had a problem!. Please re fer to the Checklist document where we mention photographic and non photographic equipment necessary for this trip.
Is “Haggis” a popular name for hamsters?
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WHAT CLOTHING SHOULD I BRING? Good clothing and equipment is essential for this photographic trip. If you fol low our recommendations you will be able to fully enjoy and photograph the magic of the Atlantic. It is very important that you bring a layered system of clothing, specially suitable for humid-rainy weather. Here below we list the dif ferent necessary elements: You should bring comfortable boots/shoes for trekking, with a well gripping sole. We will walk over sand, moss, boulders, rock and a lot of water. This is why it is paramount that the boots are thoroughly watertight. We strongly recom mend the use of over-boots which can be worn over your normal boots, like those sold by the NEOS company in the US and which can be ordered from Europe easily.We personally take Goretex trekking boots with us, and then use high Neos over-boots. The use of these over-shoes is twofold: You can walk in the mossy and marshy terrain, normally drenched with water, and also photo graph right on the shore as the seawater swirls around your feet. http://www.overshoe.com/Pages/default.aspx Bring warm clothing, especially for the early morning and late evening, as even though we are under the influence of the sea, we may experience chilly tem peratures. It is very important that you bring a layered system of clothing, with thermal underwear (merino wool is recommended), polar fleece and down inner jacket, and an impervious outer garment with a rain hat to keep you dry. This layered system should also be used for your lower clothing: Merino wool leggings, preferably down trousers and impervious over-trousers which serve to protect you from the wind and rain. Gloves and a balaclava can help too. It is always easier to dress down than to dress up, and you can always leave those things you might not need at the hotel. Bear in mind we will assist registered participants to gear up during this trip. In fact, knowing how to prepare and photograph in the cold is part of the learn ing experience of this photo-immersion trip! HOW CAN I REACH THE ISLE OF HARRIS? The best way to get to the Isle of Harris is by plane. The company Flybe (www. flybe.com) offers low cost flights to Stornoway (Isle of Harris) from a number of European cities. Otherwise, you can always fly to Edinburgh or London and then catch a domestic flight to the Isle of Harris. Another solution is to catch the ferry at Uist (Isle of Skye, Scotland) with the company Caledonian MacBrayne (http://www.calmac.co.uk/), which goes to Tarbert, Isle of Harris. Bear in mind that the seas can be rough and sometimes the ferries are cancelled due to bad weather. Flying is therefore recommended.
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DO I NEED A VISA FOR VISITING THE ISLE OF HARRIS? Citizens of the USA and most European and other countries do not need a visa to enter the country. Please visit the UK government website to confirm whe ther or not you need a visa, that is your responsibility! WHICH LANGUAGE/S WILL BE USED DURING THIS PHOTO-TRIP? The official language for this photographic trip will be English. However, bear in mind that personal explanations to each participant can be done also in French or Spanish, as we are bilingual in these other languages. A certain international composition of the group should be expected, with all the fun and wonderful implications that brings. We are used to dealing with international groups in our workshops and photo trips and it is normal to have four or five nationalities represented in the group. Trust us, that is one of the strong points of our photo-trips and a highly enriching experience. HOW IS THE TEACHING STRUCTURED IN THESE TRIPS? After many years conducting photo trips, we have realized the best way is to allow our participants to immerse themselves with plenty of time out in the field on their own, undisturbed unless they need any help. Rafael and Anca are always available for participants, anytime, anywhere, to discuss technical, compositional, artistic, or philosophic aspects while we work in the field. Participants will not only get a lot of hands on tuition from Rafael during the photographic sessions, but they will also have the possibility of seeing how Rafael works, how he visualizes, composes and creates his own photographs in the field. Rafael will use many of his photographs to explain many concepts in the field, and later on during the post-processing and critique sessions which will take place at our hotel base. You will receive a lot of instruction about postprocessing, which is an essential part of landscape photography. HOW EASY WILL IT BE TO CHARGE MY BATTERIES? We can charge our batteries every day in our hotel rooms, and also in our ve hicle as we will take an inverter; however, bring plenty of batteries with you (2 minimum) so that you are always ready and flexible. Bear in mind that cold temperatures can strongly affect the time of use for a fully charged battery.
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EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST DON’T FORGET PHOTOGRAPHIC GEAR Camera (DSRL strongly recommended, but all cameras are welcome)
P assport
Lenses (wide angle, standard, telephoto)
Visa if required
Tripod and cable release (compulsory!!)
C omfortable Gore tex boots/shoes for trekking, with a well gripping sole.
Memory cards or film, batteries (minimum 2) and charger
NON PHOTOGRAPHIC GEAR:
Filters (if available): Polarizer, Neutral Density, Graduated Neutral Density
Portable Storage Device or any other redundant way of backing up your
Water-tight over-shoes for walking on the beach and boggy-mossy soil
We strongly recommend the NEOS over shoes http://www.overshoe.com/ W arm clothing based on three layers: thermal underwear, fleece and down
images (laptop, other cards, portable hard disk like a Hyperdrive Color
jackets, fully impermeable hard shell. Gloves, balaclava and good shocks.
space or similar)
Sun hat
Laptop, only if available, with Lightroom and Photoshop software in
Umbrella
stalled (30 days trial versions available for free on Adobe.com)
Sunglasses
for processing your digital photographs for the various critique sessions
Head torch
A rain cover for the photo bag (important) and eventually for the
Hot & Cold Thermo
camera. E lectric plug adaptor, in case you need one
Personal and hygiene items (no towels needed) Medical, Accident, Repatriation and Travel Cancellation insurances docs
(http://www.hobbyprojects.com/electricity-power-standards/type-gelectric-power-plug-socket.html)
Please bear in mind the volume limitation for your photo-bag! We will be travelling in a van of 9 seats, which should be able to accommodate all our bags we nor mally take for our photographic sessions. Therefore, equipment-wise, less is always more ! HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS - WWW.ESSENTIALSEEING.COM - 18
WEATHER AND CLIMATE Talking about Scotland is talking about weather... Strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the presence of inland mountains, weather in Scotland is variable, dynamic and dramatic. It can be gloomy too. Sun, rain, hail, snow, sun again, a rainbow… All this can occur in the course of an hour. This is particularly the case in the Outer Hebrides, as they face the open ocean, unprotec ted from the winds and the fierce waves of the Atlantic, which become the shaping force of the landscape. Weather fronts roll in from the Atlantic, creating amazing cloud formations and dra matic light conditions like nowhere else on the planet. Photographing the landscape in the Outer Hebrides is like photographing a living organism. Every minute, everything changes… The light, the tide, the clouds, the weather... The landscape becomes the canvas where a transient play of tones, colours and reflections are mirrored as the light changes by the second. Photographing in Harris means becoming a hunter of light. That is the beauty of this place, every day, conditions are different. Every day, the landscape is a new one. Wind is an inseparable element of the Hebrides. Unobstructed, it blows in from the Atlantic Ocean, creating incredible and often fleeting moments of majestic light. It can also provide great oppor tunities to photograph an orchestral landscape where everything seems to be alive and in move ment; the sea, the vegetation, the clouds... For many years, we have visited and photographed all over Scotland, particularly in the winter season. In all these trips, we have experienced fine weather, stormy weather, rain, sun, hail and snow, clear skies, amazing cloud formations, incessant rain... And also the very best natural light phenomena we have ever seen or photographed in any other place on this planet. Such is the beauty and magic of Scotland, and the Hebrides in particular. Dramatic weather can and surely will happen during our stay, and with it dramatic light as you have never seen it before. In winter, the sun is low for the entire duration of the day, providing a warm and raking light ideally suited for landscape photography all day long. Sunrise and sunset times are also quite decent, so that we can make the most of the day with more than 8 hours of ideal photographic light. The islands are very quiet during this winter period and we might well be alone in the places we visit and photograph. One important aspect is the preparation. It is definitely true that bad weather means good wea ther for photography. However, nobody can appreciate the atmosphere, mystery and drama of the north, let alone engage in creative photography, when cold, wet or ill prepared. This is why it is very important that you bring a good layered system of clothing which will keep you warm and dry. We strongly advise you to bring thermal underwear of merino wool (shirt and leggings), a se cond and third layer of fleece and down (upper and lower clothing) and an outer garment that is totally impervious consisting of jacket and trousers which allow for breathing but which will keep you dry inside. Hats, gloves and balaclava and some good socks will be important too. There is no such thing as bad weather, but inappropriate gear and badly prepared trips! HEBRIDEAN WATERCOLOURS - WWW.ESSENTIALSEEING.COM - 19
“Give me but one hour of Scotland, let me see it ere I die”
William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813 – 1865)
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VISAS/PASSPORTS: Please ensure:
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
1) That you have pre-arranged your entry visa if required 2) That your passport is valid to visit the UK, and that it does not expire in a critical date HEALTH: No vaccinations are mandatory. It is a condition of booking that you disclose any medical conditions you might have in cluding allergies or special nutritional require ments. This is essential as it may affect both your own and other people’s enjoyment of the trip and will allow us to understand the implications in relation to the particular trip. LUGGAGE: Please bear in mind the volume limitation for your photo-bag! Even though we will be 8 people travelling in a van seating 9, we should be able to accom modate all the bags in the van that we nor mally take for our photographic sessions. INSURANCES: All participants must be in possession of Health, Accident and Repatriation Insurances. Additionally, we strongly advise you to conclude a Travel Cancellation Insurance. If you need any help with this, let us know and we will suggest some leading companies with which we normally work.
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TESTIMONIALS “ The photo immersion trip was an exceptional experience. Due to the very small group size everyone receives a very personal attention to develop his photographic skills, not only on the field but also the critique sessions and post processing where very helpful. Not only the professionalism of Rafael, but also the other aspects of the trip such as the choice of diversity in shooting locations, the excellent lodging facilities and food, the personal attention of Anca for the “non-photographic” needs of everyone of us, the humor and group dynamism with which Rafael and Anca fuel everyone’s enthusiasm are the extra assets that made this trip unforgettable. Believe me, these people are 200% engaged and passionate in what they do ! I am really looking forward to go on another trip with them. J. Van Marcke, Belgium “ Rafael and Anca are jovial, methodical, multilingual and determined organizers, with enormous attention to detail and always striving for perfection, radiating a positive atmosphere. Rafael’sphotographic eye and qualities as a patient teacher have deeply contributed to the improvementof my photographic work, not only in the field, but also at post-processing. A total success! ” Yves Curchod, Switzerland
“ Breathtaking landscapes, unbelievable lodges in the middle of the desert, a dream camp ing under the acacia trees and the milky way, a perfect organization... Rafael and Anca have offered us a magical photo-trip, out of this time, which remains with you long after it is finished... Sharing a couple of weeks with a group of strangers is always a tricky thing... but not a problem at all with Rafael and Anca, who knew how to create a great ambiance in the group and foster the complicity of all its members. In terms of photography, the sheer variety of the places chosen by Rafael, his permanent implication and his effective photographic tuition elevated the quality of this experience to a higher level. ” Bernard Dupas, Switzerland “ Namibia is without doubt a dream destination for every landscape photographer. The itinerary, the places and the timing chosen by Rafael and Anca for this photo-trip made it border on the sublime. Rafael and Anca’s attention to detail turned this trip into an unforgettable experience. Congratulations and thanks so much to both of you. ” Yvonne and René Hick, Belgium
“ Not only is Rafael a very talented photographer, but he also knows how to coach and foster his participants’ photographic work. His enthusiastic passion for photography is highly contagious! A top-notch photographic trip! Thanks so much to both of you! I am looking forward to seeing you again. ” Jean Cognard, France
“ Mind-boggling landscapes, an unforgettable group of people, lots of laughs, a perfect organization of the trip and magical souvenirs which made this photo-trip unforgettable! A huge thank you to Rafael and Anca for all these magical moments ! ” Justine Epars, Switzerland “ I recently spent 14 incredible days on a photo trip to Namibia with Rafael Rojas an Anca Minican. The entire trip was perfectly orchestrated from start to finish. Whether a novice or s erious photographer, Rafael and Anca masterfully meet each participants needs. I am c ontinually inspired by Rafael’s passion for his craft and his unique ability and desire to share his considerable knowledge. It is a gift. Rafael and Anca are the consummate hosts. I left enriched, fulfilled, made some fantastic photographs, and now have memories that will last a lifetime. ” Aubra Franklin, USA
“ Having never been on a photo-trip before I did not know what to expect and was somewhat apprehensive of the anticipated trip...but to my delight and amazement, it was outstanding. Rafael and Anca were the perfect hosts and had made sure that every little detail was provided which resulted in a photo-trip of a lifetime that will never be forgotten. And, I would not hesitate to sign up again for another incredible experience! ” Luke Classen, USA For me it was an unforgettable trip, largely exceeding my expectations. As a photographic experience it helped me to reflect and look for a more personal, intimate and emotional kind of photography and, as Rafael said so often, look for the photographs inside of my photographs... Thanks my friends.
Paco Conesa, Spain
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TESTIMONIALS “ Unforgettable photo-trip, not only for the places chosen by Rafael but for his top-notch orga nization ! Incredible accommodation in lodges ideally placed to maximize the photographic opportunities. Rafael knew how to pass on to us his passion for photography and his detailed knowledge about all places we photographed. The photographic tuition was perfectly integra ted into the different photographic sessions in a very practical way, without it becoming too academic or theoretical ! ” Marie-Eve Glasson, Switzerland “
“ Excellent photographic workshops! Personalized and passionate tuition, gorgeous ambiance, field instruction mixed with feedback and critique of the photographs taken...After many workshops made with them, I never stop learning and it is always a great pleasure to come back with Rafael and Anca! All the teaching is tailored to each of the participants and of great quality, and the good sense of humor never abandons Rafael and Anca. The workshops are planned with a lot of thought, and we are always in the right place at the right time. The only problem is...all workshops and trips are quickly sold out!” S.Schild, Switzerland
“ This was a extremely well planned and scouted trip. Rafael knew where to take us and when, as he read the weather continually. I would say that was one of the things that was of best value for me on this trip. Also, he was very open and available for help if I needed it.
The photo-trip was a real success, with lots of unforgettable moments, both photographing and with the rest of the group. Rafael and Anca are a dream team for this kind of photographic trips. They are always surpassing your needs and expectations, with top-notch photographic coaching and a wonderful kindness.
I have been to many photo trips and this one was definitely one of the best, specially in terms of the possibilities for outstanding photography. Rafael really does take you to spectacular settings. The rest is really up to us and our abilities, but he does help us to “see” more possibilities than just the obvious. As I reflect back on my week with Rafael, I truly think he has helped me train my eyes to see more simply. I feel I am more demanding and selective in what I choose to photograph. I really enjoyed myself tremendously, it was fantastic, and I did not want it to end. I hope to travel with him again! ” Lorraine Thomas, USA
“ Anca and Rafael are one of the two friendliest people I know and their good sense of humour makes the trips with them very pleasant. Going out on a trip with Rafael is one of the most rewarding photographic experiences because he readily shares his ample knowledge and experience which will almost certainly make you a better photographer. “ Jochim Thies, Germany
J.S. Jacquet, France
I have attended to many workshops with Rafael and Anca in the last couple of years. In all of them, the choice of the places, the organization, the instruction and the great ambiance created by Rafael and Anca have made a difference, turning these events into very special and enlightening experiences. To be consumed without any moderation and with a lot of pleasure! B. Dupas, Switzerland
Rafael has made me feel his passion about photography in a way that no other photographer has never done! He really spurred on me the will to learn, always giving away without limitation! Bravo and thanks so much! C. Bongard, Switzerland
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