Designing your own "assisted" photographic tour

[pete_dickson1]

Has anyone worked with a non-photographic tour/adventure guide service

to arrange a "custom" tour for the purpose of photography? Why not a

photographic tour? Because, from what I see offered, they tend to

concentrate on well known "hot spots" (probably a requirement to stay

in business). I enjoy more of a sense of discovery when I wander far

from the tripod holes. I�m am interested in getting into some

moderately remote (4WD accessible) places, but I�m not experienced

enough nor foolish enough to attempt it on my own. I�d be interested

to know if anyone has done this and, if so, how it worked out. Pete

Dickson

[hans___]

Pete, I do this kind of thing often. All the adventure/ecotourism guide services I've run into easily understand the concept of nature photography. In fact once they take a look at fancy camera gear & huge telephoto lenses they'll make a special effort to show you some of the more interesting things in to see...their "favorate spots" say. You should make it known from the start (when you contact them) that your interested in a photo shoot and that you'll be needing to spend lots of time at specific unpredictable locations. Wilderness guides are very outdoorsy and curious types and get with the program pretty quick.

 

Hunting/fishing guides generally have a harder time dealing with "...you just want to take pictures???", however - something to look out for. Hans

[marcus_erne]

Hi Pete,

 

I always try to "design" my travels according to my personal needs. I do a lot of photography myself, but usually it is not the main purpose of the trip. It is rather a medium to record what I have experienced during the trip (as much as this is possible to realize).

 

So, before I go, I try to collect as much information about the locations I intend to visit as possible. The research I do includes libraries, magazines, travel books, the www., other people etc.....

 

I do not pay too much attention towards taking pictures, unless I expect to visit something real spectacular which might require exact timing (time of the day, season or so.

 

I did once a 3 week "custom-made" photo-tour through central Spain with a friend of mine where the main purpose of the trip was photography. There was one National Park we wanted to visit, a lot of specific historical sites and lots of great landscape.

I spent at least 6 month to collect all available information on this specific region to prepare the trip. This particular region does not see too much foreign tourism, therefore it took me so long. I even contacted local travel offices and the Spanish Tourism officials to get going. On location, we received additional good advices, too; good thing if you know to speak the language....!

What can I say, the tour was a blast. My friend and I, we shot some 1600 slides of which about 600 made it into our slide show.

Everybody who has seen this show loved it. May be I make an article out of it one day..... ;-)

 

May the LIGHT be with you.....