Overview Iceland has become one of the must-see destinations for photographers, and for good reason. This incredibly dramatic country is home to an astonishing array of stunning natural features – truly a photographer’s wonderland. Join noted Canadian photographers Paul Zizka and Dave Brosha– along with an eclectic mix of models and locations – as they spend seven intense, creative days focusing on compelling landscape photography and the art and craft of dramatic environmental portraiture amongst legendary backdrops. If you love adventure photography, the idea of the human element in a grand landscape/astro scene, or are looking for a vast, cinematic feel to your work, this is the workshop for you. We’ve put together the perfect blend of portrait and landscape photography over an entire week! Largely held in and around the icy realm of Vatnajökull National Park in southeastern Iceland – with two photographers noted for their work that creatively mixes people and place, and their unique approach to nature photography – this workshop will challenge you to think large (dare we say “epic”). This is not your usual “tourist” photography tour that goes to the same 10 spots at the same time – this is something we ensured is truly unique! Location: Iceland – Southeastern Area Dates: February 16 – 23, 2020 Tour Leaders: Dave Brosha & Paul Zizka Spousal Rate: $2,000. Let Erin know at erin@offbeatphoto.ca and she will build this into your payment plan. Itinerary (note: subject to change as we finalize all details) Sunday, February 16, 2020 6:00AM – 2:00 PM Shuttling from Reykjavik/check-in. Participants advised to book flights into Keflavik International Airport, arriving in the morning of Sunday, February 16th. We will pick you up at the airport between 10AM and noon and start the cross-country transfer to southeastern Iceland. 7:00PM – Official kick-off, welcome at Hof1 Hotel Monday, February 17, 2020 6:30AM Breakfast 8:00AM Departure for sunrise shoot at Diamond Beach 8:30AM-1:00PM Diamond Beach 1:00-3:00 PM Lunch break 3:00-6:00PM Sunset shoot at Svinafellsjokull 6:30PM Dinner. First opportunity for astrophotography (8:30 to 11:30PM if weather cooperates – Jokulsarlon/Diamond Beach) Tuesday, February 18, 2020 6:30AM – Breakfast 8:00AM – Departure for sunrise shoot at Glacier Lagoon 8:30AM-1:00PM – Glacier Lagoon 1:00-3:00PM – Lunch break 3:00-6:00PM – Sunset shoot at Vestrahorn 6:30PM – Dinner in Hofn. Second opportunity for astrophotography (8:30 to 11:30 if weather cooperates, back at Vestrahorn). Wednesday, February 19, 2020 6:30AM Breakfast 8:00AM Departure for sunrise shoot at Fjallsarlon 9:00-12:00PM Fjallsarlon 12:00-1:00PM Lunch break 1:00-3:00PM – Opportunity for classroom time 3:00-10:00PM Sunset locastion TBD/Third opportunity for astrophotography (10PM to midnight if weather cooperates, location TBD) Thursday, February 20, 2020 (Epic Portrait Day) 6:30AM Breakfast 8:00AM Departure for sunrise shoot at Diamond Beach 8:30AM-1:00PM Diamond Beach 1:00-3:00 PM Lunch break 3:00-6:00PM Ice cave photography 6:30PM Dinner Friday, February 21, 2020 Portrait Day 6:30AM – Breakfast 8:00AM – Departure for sunrise shoot at Glacier Lagoon 8:30AM-1:00PM – Glacier Lagoon 1:00-3:00PM – Lunch break 3:00-6:00PM – Sunset shoot at Vestrahorn 6:30PM – Dinner in Hofn Saturday, February 22, 2020 Portrait Day 8:00AM – Breakfast 10:00AM – Transportation back to Reykjanes with stops along the way for portrait photography. Exploration of the Gunnuhver area. 7:00PM – Group Finale Dinner Stay in Grindavik Sunday, February 23, 2020 7:00AM Final breakfast 8:30AM – Group trip + relaxation in the Blue Lagoon 12:00PM – Shuttle to Keflavik Airport The finer details: Included: One-on-one and group photography instruction from Paul Zizka and Dave Brosha (and possibly additional instructors) All transportation within Iceland during the workshop times (Note: we will be offering a single shuttle pick-up time to and from Keflavik Airport on the morning of February 16, 2020. Participants intending on arriving in Iceland before the workshop start date or extending beyond the workshop end date are responsible for their own transfer to and from the workshop). All accommodation within Iceland during the workshop dates. Note: workshop price is based on shared/double participant per room occupancy. A premium will be charged if a participant desires solo accomodation. For those participating in the workshop that are not traveling with a friend, partner, or spouse, we will ensure all participants are partnered with a roommate of the same ***. Breakfast daily and finale celebratory dinner the night before the workshop ends. Entrance to the Blue Lagoon. Not Included: Flights to Iceland Any alcoholic beverages Lunch/Dinners with exception of group finale dinner Any weather-caused delays/extensions to stay. Price/Payment Schedule: Full Cost: CAD $4750 + Eventbrite Fee Payment options: Full payment or non-refundable deposit to secure a space with remaining three payments spread over the year. Non-Refundable Deposit: CAD $750 (due upon booking) Payment #1: CAD $800 – due August 15, 2018 Payment #2: CAD $800 – due November 15, 2018 Payment #3: CAD $800 – due March 15, 2019 Payment #4: CAD $800 – due August 15, 2019 Payment #5: CAD $800 – due November 15, 2019 Note: Failure to pay by due dates means forfeiting deposit and spot will be freed up and potentially sold to another interested participant (see more in cancellation policy below). If unforeseen circumstances arise, participants are welcome to transfer/sell their space to another interested participant. In such case, participants are responsible for handling payment for the transfer. Participants: 8 minimum 16 maximum We require a minimum of 8 participants in order to run this workshop. If the minimum numbers are not reached by September 1, 2019, the workshop may be cancelled and deposits will be refunded to participants. See our cancellation policy below for more details. Accommodations Note: workshop price is based on shared/double participant per room occupancy. A premium will be charged if a participant desires solo accommodation. For those participating in the workshop that are not traveling with a friend, partner, or spouse, we will ensure all participants are partnered with a roommate of the same ***. Meals For this work, daily breakfast and a finale celebratory dinner the night before the workshop ends are included in your workshop fee. There are several lunches and dinners not included to allow participants to order to taste and to experience various Icelandic cuisine of their own choosing. Transportation All transportation within Iceland during the workshop times is included. Note that we will be offering a single shuttle pick-up time to and from Keflavik Airport on the morning of February 16, 2020 and a shuttle back to the Keflavik Airport on the final morning of February 23, 2020 participants arriving in Iceland before the workshop start date or extending beyond the workshop end date are responsible for their own transfer to/from Keflavik airport. What to expectThe workshop will include several short 2-3 kilometre hikes over uneven terrain such as rocky terrain, hills, ice, and shorelines. There is nothing technical involved, but participants should be comfortable and prepared to walk and/or climb areas in cooler temperatures with a backpack for periods of up to an hour at a time. This workshop includes a portion held in the dramatic Iceland ice caves. Although we will be guided by experienced local Iceland guides, ice caves are inherently unpredictable and this is a higher risk activity. By signing up you acknowledge the risks associated with ice caves. Participants, of course, will have the option of sitting this portion of the workshop out LEAVE NO TRACE We encourage and live the ethics of «leave no trace» photography, which means that the utmost care is given, while hiking and photographing, to leaving zero impact on the natural environment. Participants are expected to approach this tour with the same ethics at all times. What to Bring As the tour is in February (winter in Iceland, which is generally pretty mild – average around -2 degrees Celsius), there is the possibility of some very diverse weather conditions, with potential for extreme wind, cold, and rain. Please come prepared for a variety of weather conditions as the more comfortable you are, the more enjoyable your experience will be. suitable and comfortable clothing, which you can layer. it can be cold during the day, but it can cool down considerably at night. (layers, including underclothes, fleeces, bellaclava, warm gloves, and toques) a fleece jacket/sweater a headlamp or flashlight your own camera equipment (preferably DSLR, which allows manual control of shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings and a range of lenses, if you have). Our recommended lenses to bring would be one wide angle lens with a fast aperture (useful for night photography), and something in the strong portrait range (50MM-135MM). Other lenses are useful, of course, but those two lenses were our most frequented «go-to» lenses. a sturdy tripod a cable (or wireless) shutter release off-camera and/or studio equipment if that style of photography interests you sunglasses As well, we optionally recommend: small first aid kit blister bandages water bottle bandana (keep dust out of nose and mouth, protect eyes from sweat air blower for sand/dust around camera/electronics voltage adapters a laptop for editing (with editing software, preferably Adobe) Cancellation Policy Spots are non-refundable but are transferrable (i.e. if the participant is able to find someone else to take their spot and can sell/transfer the spot to a new participant, this is acceptable). Although extremely unlikely, OFFBEAT Photography Inc. reserves the right to cancel the tour at any time for a variety of reasons (i.e. if a minimum number of participants is not met or if unforeseen circumstances dramatically impacted cost of the tour or global conditions somehow warranted a cancellation). In the very unlikely event of a cancellation, all monies/deposits made to OFFBEAT Photography Inc. would be refunded to participants however no compensation would be made for participant flight cancellation fees or any other associated travel costs. Insurance It is required that participants have trip cancellation and interruption insurance, including medical insurance and emergency medical transport coverage (proof required within 4 months of departure). By purchasing a spot you are acknowledging that you accept these conditions. Travel Visa It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure they have a valid Travel Visa (if applicable/required) for the duration of the workshop. About Dave Brosha «Critically photos.» – The Globe and Mail Holding a passion for the world and an eye for the beauty it contains, northern commercial, personal, and landscape photographer Dave Brosha is on a continual journey to seek out and capture the beauty of this world – whether it’s the beauty of some of the most extreme and pristine environments in the world, or the beauty of some of a person’s most personal moments. In addition to living throughout northern Canada for much of his life, Dave – along with his wife and children – have also lived in Asia and have traveled extensively through both the many provinces and territories of their native country and numerous countries abroad. Dave’s personal affiliations and representations include the First Light agency, Aurora Images, Offset, Getty Images (stock), National Geographic (stock), and the Canadian Press, for which Dave is a freelance photographer. About Paul Zizka Specializing in photographing in difficult conditions and hard-to-reach places, Paul has a passion for shooting alpine sports and backcountry experiences, capturing the spirit of adventurers and finding unusual angles of common mountain subjects. As a landscape photographer, he particularly enjoys the challenge of capturing nature’s beauty at night and the unique features that come with a dark sky – stars, Northern Lights and dramatic silhouettes. Paul’s award-winning photos have been featured in a variety of publications, includingIMPACT, Alpinist, Canadian Geographic, Islands, PhotoLife, magazine. In addition to his work for a number of clients, over the past few years Paul has created a signature collection of images for Banff Lake Louise Tourism, which are used to promote Banff National Park throughout the world. In the Canadian Rockies, Paul has hiked extensively in the backcountry and photographed from the summits of countless peaks. His adventures abroad include a 1400-km unsupported double-crossing of Iceland on foot (2004), which is believed to be the first of its kind, and a 1488-km solo crossing of the South Island of New Zealand (2007). Recent travels have taken him backpacking in the Caribbean, exploring tiny insular nations of the Pacific, trekking in remote corners of Scandinavia and Nepal, and ski touring on Baffin Island. For any additional questions, please contact us at erin@offbeatphoto.ca