Photographic Holidays/Courses

trishw78

I was wonder had anyone here been on a holiday course type thing. I've always seen them advertised in the back pages of practical photography and the other mags and I always suspected they were a scam. But I'm thinking of doing one next year during my holidays. I've seen a few on the next for burma and the Antartic and they include a half day in studio course and then an out an about early morning starts and sunset sessions.

Has anyone else considered doing something like this for a change from the norm holiday.

5uspect

I dunno, I'd just head to somewhere like Barcelona and read a photography book on the plane...

trishw78

That's what normally happens... But I was thinking of doing something a bit different get a bit of C&C from like minded people an all.

bigeoino

Check out fellow boardsie - leinsterman -
who's just set off round Africa!

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leinsterman/africa_2007_08/tpod.html

I did a two day course nearly a year ago in London and I was very happy with it - www.wordsandpix.co.uk [website currently unavailable].

I mean it was too short and didn't deal with any image processing at all but for what it did do it did very well.

It was a great way to just concentrate on taking photos and then to critique them in a reasonably relaxed manner afterwards. Probably like a Boards day out ... (which I have never been on...)

The "Level" ranged from keen amateur to very proficient but was small enough that that didn't seem to matter.

snellers

Definately not a scam as I have been on one....but I guess the old saying is 'you pays your money you takes your choice' ....if a trip is in your eyes 'too cheap' then it probably consists of a poorly designed trip with little outside of what you would do yourself had you arrived at the airport with a photography book and a b&b guide.
Whilst their are no guarantees in this world I would definately rule out trips from any of those crappy 'Microsoft Frontpage create in an hour' photo holiday website offerings with really poor photographs (sic), hard to read fonts , bad layout and colours you see a lot of the time. If the trip organisers have gone to the time and expense of designing a clean, professional site its a good start and worth delving in deeper.

Secondly common sense prevails....Is there an itinary to look over? What do you want to get from the holiday? (you wouldnt expect to learn to Scuba Dive included in your normal holiday package unless you check the tour operator offers that option - if there is a particular aspect of photography you want to work on then ensure the trip caters for it. Don't load the questions if you have to ask - e.g 'what particular photography aspects and levels of expertise is this course aimed at' is better than ' I want to improve ...(Landscape composition and lighting techniques for example).

Digital only or film as well? What is included? What isn't included? etc..etc...etc...treat it in exactly the same way you would booking a beach holiday.

If you aren't going with an intention to learn from the instructor and simply just for the location then I would say it' s most probably cheaper to 'do it yourself'. I chose to go on a trip as my wife isnt interested in photography and I thought would be more fun as a group - I enjoyed it. Would I do it again? Maybe....mountain gorillas, antarctic...etc would be great (but the wife will probably want to go to those places lol !

Best of luck whatever you decide!

nilhg

You can do one closer to home too.

I've never been on one but would imagine that there must be a benefit in having somebody who knows the local area as a guide. You might not get the most original shots but you will be able to concentrate on the photography and let him worry about the mundane details.

trishw78

I've been checking out a few of the websites some are more impressive then others some of them don't fit in with my holidays for next year. the Trip to Antartic and Finland sounds amazing. More reaseach is needed

leinsterman

As this is my first night on the trip and I have not met the truck yet I can't say anything yet about how good or bad the phtography aspects of the expedition are going to be...

I'm travelling with a company called Africa In Focus (you'll get it via google or I think there is a link from my website) ... they specialise in photography overlanding and their truck looks more luxurious than others with whom I have travelled ... for starters they fit in a maximum of 16 passengers where the likes of Kumuka and Dragoman have 22-24 ...

It is a small speciaist South African company the tour leader is a photographer and he conducts regular workshops along the way I understand ...

PM me or subscribe to my blog and you will get an update on everything as I go ...

trishw78

just checked out the website it looks amazing. I'm interested in something like this. What's the weather like this time of year.

Roen

Have fun in Lusaka, it's a blast!

leinsterman

trishw78 wrote: »

just checked out the website it looks amazing. I'm interested in something like this. What's the weather like this time of year.

A complex question but in short.-
It is the wet season ..summer.. So very hot and wet in the evening with thunder storms .. Thats here other areas are just really hot like the desert