The Exotic Silk Road Photo Tour 2

The Exotic Silk Road 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY INVESTIGATION

Book Both and Tours 1 + 2 !

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The Exotic Silk Road Photo Tour 2 UZBEKISTAN

3 - 12 OCTOBER 2021 10 DAYS/9 NIGHTS

REGISTAN SQUARE, SAMARKAND This is one of the highlights of the tour.

The Exotic Silk Road 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY INVESTIGATION

Silk Road Photo Tour 2 • 10 Days US$5995 An invitation from Peter Eastway...

are invited to join just one or sign up for both of them (there’s a discount if you join them both),

4 In 2019, I travelled through Uzbekistan,

but don’t ask me to suggest which one will be the

Kyrgyztan and Kazakhstan with a group of keen

best - they are both going to be simply amazing.

photographers and a long time friend and European photo guide. Mehmet Ozbalci.

The second tour explores remarkable Uzbekistan.

While there are lots of wonderful landscape, we’re

The trip was so successful that we’ve planned a

a little more focused on the architecture and the

return photo tour for 2021 that will be bigger and

people. Highights include Samarkand’s Registan

better!

Square (you’ll recognise it when you see it) and the ancient towns of Khiva and Bukhara.

As we travelled around the ‘three Stans’ in 2019, both Mehmet and I made extensive notes on how

On the following pages, you can read a brief

we could extend the itinerary so we had more

synopsis of what we have planned. We need 6

time in these amazing loctions; how we could add

intrepid photographers to accompany us in 2021

in extra locations we had to drive past because

(maximum number is 10) to make it happen. So,

there wasn’t time in 16 days; and how we could

do you have a sense of adventure? Would you like

optimise our photography shoots to come back

to add one, two or three Stans to your passport?

with even more amazing photographs.

Bookings and further inquiries via email to Kim The outcome is two different Silk Road photo

Valenti - kim@betterphotography.com

tours, one of 14-days, the second 10-days. You

A musician poses in Khiva

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The Travel Program - Silk Road Photo Tour 2 6

DAY 1 OCTOBER 3: TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN

an enjoyable train trip of two hours.

Arrival in Tashkent and transfer to the hotel.

In the afternoon, we will discover the scenic Siab

Overnight in a 5-star hotel.

Bazaar where you will see women in colorful local dresses. This is one of the most interesting bazaars

DAY 2 OCTOBER 4: TASHKENT

in Central Asia, offering a tremendous amount of

In the morning, we will photograph the colourful

people photography.

Chorsu Bazaar where the local people shop for almost anything and everything, including fruit,

Next to the bazaar, is the Bibi Hanim Mosque, built

vegetables, meat, bread, dried fruits, textiles,

in the 15th century, an impressive photogenic

brooms, baskets etc... This is a great opportunity

building with its great big blue dome.

to photograph people. We will also take a short walk to visit the Kukeldash Madressa, which is still

We will then go to the Registan Square, which

an active religious school, and also Juma Mosque.

consists of three photogenic madrassas and it is a real jewel in the heart of the old city.

In the late afternoon, we will photograph the impressive Khasti Imam religious complex, in the

We will photograph it at night. Overnight in a

old city.

4-star hotel.

DAY 3 OCTOBER 5: SAMARKAND

DAY 4 OCTOBER 6: SAMARKAND

In the morning, we will take the fast train to

In the morning, we will photograph Shakhi Zinda,

Samarkand, the ancient capital of Tamerlane. It’s

which was once the burial place of the noble

Siab Bazaar, Samarkand

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and elite people. There are several mausoleums

Dinner will be in the house of a family, where one

built in this 15th century complex and it is an

room is converted into a cosy restaurant. They will

important pilgrimage site... great opportunities

show us how to make the traditional Uzbek dish

to photograph the pilgrims with beautiful

of ‘pilav’. Overnight in a boutique hotel.

backgrounds of blue tiled walls.

DAY 6 OCTOBER 8: BUKHARA Next we will go back to Registan Square to see

Early in the morning, we will photograph the

the interior of the Madrassas and the beautifully

impressive domed buildings and minarets of

decorated mosque.

Bukhara at dawn, then we’ll head back to the hotel for breakfast and have time to rest (or go

In the afternoon, we will to go a village with a

shopping)!

workshop making traditional silk paper, using the bark of mulberry trees. We will photograph the

In the afternoon, we will visit and photograph a

people working in the silk paper making process.

blacksmith workshop and keep exploring the old

In the late afternoon, we will visit the Gur Amir

city. Dinner will be in an old madrassa with a show

Mausoleum where Tamerlane and his descendants

of Uzbek traditional clothes and a performance of

are buried.

local dancers. It’s an ideal place to photograph the models in traditional dresses.

DAY 5 OCTOBER 7: BUKHARA We drive to Bukhara which was once the largest

DAY 7 OCTOBER 9: KHIVA:

commercial and religious center on the Great

We drive to Khiva through the Kyzylkum Desert,

Silk Road. After arriving, we’ll take a walking tour

with a stop in the desert to photograph the

around the old city, including domed bazaars, Poi

square-shaped ‘sand stoppers’.

Kalon religious ensemble and the Ark fortress.

We arrive at Khiva in the late afternoon. Khiva

One of the towers in Bukhara

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is a thousand-year-old fortress city, with its

DAY 10 OCTOBER 12: DEPARTURE

old section well preserved and it is also one of

Transfer to the International airport in Tashkent.

the most interesting cities in Central Asia for photography. We will photograph the impressive

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city walls of Khiva from one of the towers.

Overnight in a 3 star superior hotel.

DAY 8 OCTOBER 10: KHIVA In the morning, we will be out to photograph a number of interesting spots in the pre-dawn light, including a mosque with wooden columns, an old graveyard with the city walls in the background and people.

In the afternoon, we will photograph musicians playing in an old Madrassa, which will be private to our group, and then we’ll explore the part of the city where the local people live.

DAY 9 OCTOBER 11: BACK TO TASHKENT Today we’ll take a flight back to Tashkent from Urgench or Nukus, for overnight in Tashkent.

Overnight in 5 star hotel.

Early morning, Khiva

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How Do You Like To Learn?

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Everyone has different ways of learning. For some,

to do is ask. Importantly, you will never be made

it is sitting back and watching an expert at work,

to feel silly because you asked a basic question -

noting how he or she positions and uses the

chances are others in the group don’t know the

camera, reacts to the light and the weather, or

answer either!

interacts with people to achieve the best posing and expression.

Peter will be shooting as well. He is just as passionate as you are about photography. He also

Others like to be given suggestions, to understand

feels it is important to practice what he preaches

what the experts are seeing and thinking, and

and to show participants what he has captured as

then left to experiment and discover on their own.

the tour/workshop progresses.

They are looking for guidance, but not too much.

However, he is very aware that his primary role And yet other photographers like to be shown

is to act as your instructor and guide. And he

how to find the photograph, how to compose

wants you to return on other workshops and trips,

the image and what camera settings are required.

which you will only do if you are happy. (A high

They want help with their camera controls

percentage of photo tour participants are repeat

and detailed instructions on how to frame and

customers, so he must be doing something right!)

compose.

So, please don’t be shy to ask for help at any time Different photographers at different stages require

and it will be cheerfully provided with a smile!

different levels of assistance and that’s fine! Peter provides all three levels of interaction, all you have

Lots of colour in Samarkand Madrassa, Registan Square

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How Physical Is It?

Bring Your Partner

You don’t need to be super fit to enjoy this

Non-photography partners are most welcome

photography tour. If you can walk along well

to come along, but they will be expected to

maintained tracks, you will have no trouble on the

participate on most of the activities. Sometimes

Silk Road.

we may leave early to take photographs, and then continue on to our next destination, so everyone

However, there will be some walking involved

has to come along.

when we leave the hotels or the vehicles to get to the best photographic locations.

However, there will be other mornings when we will return to the hotel, so if your partner wanted

Sometimes we will only be walking a few hundred

to sleep in, that would certainly be okay!

metres. Most of the time it is no more than a kilometre or so.

What we find is that non-partners really appreciate our itinerary. Rather than being centred around

The weather will also determine what walks

meal times, it’s based on experiencing the

are possible, but at this time of year, we’re not

countryside and what it has to offer. It’s a varied

expecting there to be any major difficulties!

and exciting program, and whether you’re using a camera or not, the experiences will last a lifetime for both of you.

Baker, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent

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Peter Eastway GM Photog., MNZIPP, Hon FAIPP, HFNZIPP, FAIPP

photography competitions, both as a judge and as an active participant. He judges and speaks

Sydney-based photographer Peter Eastway

internationally on a regular basis.

is a Grand Master of Photography and a two time winner of the AIPP Australian Professional

Peter’s work has been published internationally

Photographer of the Year. Known best for his

in photography and travel magazines, and he

landscape and travel photography, he has worked

was also the author of the Lonely Planet’s Guide

in most areas of the profession and also loves

to Landscape Photography. His photography has

sport, studio still life, portraiture and wildlife.

featured on the cover of the Lonely Planet’s guide to Australia, an Australian postage stamp, in

Peter is the editor and publisher of Better

articles in the Qantas inflight magazine, and in an

Photography magazine and website, a position

Apple television commercial. And he has worked

that has given him special access to many of

with Phase One researching and promoting its

the world’s leading photographers over the past

Capture One raw processing software, and with

30 years. His ability to communicate both the

Adobe on its Lightroom software.

technical and aesthetic sides of photography makes him a sought after speaker on the

In 2015 he featured in the National Geographic

international circuit.

Channel’s Tales By Light six-part photography series produced in partnership with Canon.

Peter was the chairman of the Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards for

He is familiar with Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and

many years and is still involved in all aspects of

Phase One camera systems.

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Camera Equipment For The Expedition

Checklist Here’s an incomplete list of some of the things you may need.

Recommended Camera Stuff

Peter is not an equipment snob! Yes, he uses

•

DSLR or CSC camera recommended

professional equipment, but that’s his full time

•

Back-up camera, just in case

job.

•

Standard zoom - cover everything

•

Wide-angles - as wide as you have

•

Telephoto - 300mm is not too long, but a 70-

So, whether you turn up with the latest DSLR or

200mm is pretty good too!

an older camera you’ve loved for many years, it really doesn’t matter. However, there are some

•

1.4X or 2.0X Converter

lenses and accessories that will certainly help you

•

Spare camera battery & battery charger

capture a wider range of photographs.

•

Backpack style camera bag

•

Tripod (with a quick release plate)

We do recommend you bring everything you

•

Plenty of storage cards for your camera

think you might need, but not so much you

•

Polarising filter

can’t carry it with you. You will be able to leave

•

Neutral density filters (0.9x, 4.0x optional)

equipment behind in the hotel or in the bus/cars

•

Card reader and cable if necessary

- so bring that extra lens and pack it in some extra

•

Laptop computer (Mac or PC)

socks to keep it safe!

•

External back-up drives

•

Photoshop, Lightroom or Capture One

•

Mouse or stylus/tablet

•

Hat, sunscreen

Old City Walls, Khiva

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS 20

These terms and conditions relate to the photography tours and workshops organised by Pt 78 Pty Ltd [Pt78], ABN 75 003 152 136, trading as Better Photography, and run

by Peter Eastway, the workshop leader, in association with Mehmet Ozbalci of Turfantastik Tours, Turkey.

RESERVATIONS Bookings can be made on the Better Photography website at www.betterphotography.com in the online shop, or you can email Kim Valenti at kim@betterphotography.com, or call her on +612 4388 6851.

The workshops are limited to a maximum of 10 participants (plus the workshop leaders). A mininum of 6 participants is required for the workshop to run. Workshop places will be confirmed in order of receipt, payment or deposit.

PRICE The Exotic Silk Road Photo Tour 2 - 10 days 3 - 12 October 2021 US $ 5,995 Single Room Supplement: US $ 600 Deposit to secure place US $ 500 Discount for both tours US $ 1,000 The price includes photographic counsel and all transport ex-Tashkent

PRICE INCLUDES/EXLUDES: • Accommodation in double/twin rooms in the kind of hotels as described in the itinerary.

• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners as per itinerary.

• Water, tea or regular coffee, soft drinks (like Coke, Fanta, mineral water, fruit juice in the can) at lunches and dinners.

• All admission fees to the museums and places to visit in the itinerary.

• English speaking photo guide and local guides.

• Comfortable A/C van, driver, gas, parking etc..

• Bottled water in the vehicle.

• Private arrangements for photo shooting as in the itinerary.

• 4WD vehicles as per itinerary • Fast train from Tashkent to Samarkand.

• Domestic flight from Urgench or Nukus back to Tashkent • Arrival and departure airport transfers only on the official start and departure days of the tour (3 and 12 October 2021).

The order of the visits and sites to photograph, as well as the itinerary, can be changed depending on the circumstances like weather, light, crowd, availability, closing / opening hours, domestic flight schedule etc…

The price does not include: international airfare to Tashkent, tips to the bell boys at hotels, gratuities to the local guide and the driver, travel insurance.

NB If you are coming on both tours, the prices does not include the international

flight or transportation from Bishkek to Tashkent on 3 October (although the $1000 discount will help!). We recommend you book this flight at the same time you book your flights to Almaty and from Tashkent.

DEPOSIT & PAYMENT Payment details are as follows: 1. A deposit upon booking to reserve your place of US $500 (or equivalent in AUS$).

2. Final payment by 20 June 2021.

CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS Should you wish to cancel your booking, you must advise us in writing (email is fine). We try to have a fair refund policy that works for both you and us: • Deposits are refundable, up to 90 days prior to the event. If you don’t request a refund of your deposit 90 days out or longer, we will assume you wish to come and the full balance is payable.

• if you are cancelling more than 90 days from the workshop date, we will refund your deposit in full; • if the workshop is not full and, after your cancellation, we still have the minimum number of bookings to run, we will refund your deposit in full; • if the workshop is full, and we have turned away other customers, and you are cancelling within 90 days of the workshop date, we won’t refund you unless your place is filled by someone else;

The Exotic Silk Road 2021

• if after you cancel your booking the workshop numbers fall below the minimum number required to run, and you are cancelling within 90 days, we won’t refund you.

No part refunds are made for unused portions or services of a workshop.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS The workshop is designed to be suitable for people of all ages in good health and moderate fitness. While activities are not strenuous, on some workshops we may be taking hikes for several kilometres on tracks in National Park and wilderness areas, which may involve short steep descents and climbs.

We will comply with the National Parks’ safety requirements, but these are wilderness areas and you need to be careful when you are in them.

It will be necessary to carry your own camera equipment and water for these activities.

Should you have any concerns about your own capabilities and/or fitness, please contact your doctor to discuss before booking your place.

You are required to disclose any medical or physical condition that you have which could create a risk for you or any other participants. We assume no responsibility for medical care nor guarantee to meet any special dietary requirements.

INSURANCE: We have public liability insurance, but we have no insurance for par ticipants, their health, their equipment

or personal belongings. We strongly advise you to obtain your own insurances suitable for your needs.

LIMITED LIABILITY As we are a small company, we are not in a position to insure your travel arrangements with Turfantastik Tours. If Turfantastik Tours were unable to provide the services for which you have contracted and paid, Pt78 will not be liable to you for any loss you incur. We strongly suggest you take out travel insurance.

In such an unlikely event, we would naturally refund the tuition component of the course. We are not opting out of our responsiblities to you, only those over which we have no control. We are asking you to take the same risk you would were you to book your travel directly with Turfantastik Tours.

RESPONSIBILITY The responsibility of Pt78 is strictly limited. As a tour/workshop operator, Pt78 may organise, promote, and sell programs consisting of services that it purchases from various suppliers. Pt78 does not own or operate any of these suppliers and as such is not responsible for any negligent or wilful act or failure or omission of any supplier. By taking part in the tour/workshop, you agree that Pt78 shall not be liable for the above failings.

Pt78 cannot accept responsibility for losses or extra expenses caused by, but not limited to, delay or changes in any transportation services, weather, illness, injury, strike, quarantine or other causes.

All such losses or expenses will be the sole responsibility of the participant.

Pt78 reserves the right to cancel any workshop prior to commencement, whereupon paid funds will be refunded in full, but is not liable for any other trip preparation expenses such as, but not limited to, air ticket penalties, visa fees and medical treatments.

Pt78 reserves the right to substitute accommodations (if any) of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary or transport where deemed necessary. Where weather conditions or forces of nature restrict or prohibit workshop activities, it reserves the right to alter the trip program and substitute alternative activities.

Prior to commencement of any workshop, an Acceptance of Risk Release form is a term of sale.

The Acceptance of Risk release must be agreed to by each participant prior to the commencement of the workshop.

No alterations to the Acceptance of Risk Release will be accepted.

If a participant attends a workshop without signing an Acceptance of Risk Release, their attendance confirms their acceptance of all parts of these Terms and Conditions, and the Acceptance of Risk Release.

These Terms and Conditions, and the Acceptance of Risk release, shall be governed in all respects by and interpreted in accordance with the law within New South Wales, Australia.

That’s it! Any special requests, please let us know beforehand!

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PHOTOGRAPHY INVESTIGATION

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The Exotic Silk Road Photo Tour 2 UZBEKISTAN

3 - 12 OCTOBER 2021 10 DAYS/9 NIGHTS

For more information and bookings, contact Peter Eastway at eastway@betterphotography.com or his assistant Kim Valenti - kim@betterphotography.com