Iceland client quotes

A Client Quote sampling follows, all from international clients on my Icelandic photo tours, from around the world.  As of spring 2014, I have enjoyed photographing and working with 104 photography tour clients from 14 countries (Canada, USA, Mexico, Sweden, Norway, England, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Russia, Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, Thailand), over the course of 18 photo tours spanning 4 years beginning in 2011.

  • "Hi Johnathan,Thank you once again for an enjoyable trip with lots of good photo-ops. It was amazing seeing the Lights for real last night/ this morning. They are really stunning & I can see why you are hooked. A particular thank you for driving us back to Reykjavic after the Hofn flight was cancelled. It was a pretty epic road trip in those conditions - so many thanks for getting us back safely. You also did some pretty nifty driving on the way out, too through those white out conditions. I will write more at the weekend once I have recovered & have started to sort out all the photos - & will email you some pics. Take care & many thanks again, Julie" [from United Kingdom][winter 2014 classic south coast trip]
  • "I recently returned from a photo workshop in Iceland and it was an incredible experience, though somewhat exhausting. The weather was unusually clear, so we were out shooting day and night for a week. I brought back about 2100 images after culling in the field and here is just a small sampling of what we photographed.  I am sending these because you expressed an interest in photographing Iceland. It is truly a beautiful place and I can not recommend a winter visit more strongly. I've include an image of Johnathan Esper our workshop leader.  He is knowledgable, energetic, entertaining, and an excellent photographer more than willing to help his participants." Email from Gary from the USA to his camera club, about classic south coast trip winter 2014]
  • "So..i was standing in the dunes at Vestrahorn.. there comes a jumping running waving and shouting photographer towards me.. [Another group member] saw him too and thought that something bad had happened and that she would need to apply first aid.. I was looking at him like..what the hell.. as he came closer I heard him shout "come over here! there is great light and reflections, we are behind the dunes! Come quick! ..And so I did.. and shot this photo.. with special thanks to Johnathan Ampersand Esper!" [Mariska from Netherlands; winter 2014 classic glacial + aurora trip]
  • "To all my camera club Friends: Johnathan Ampersand Esper is the photographer I've been bragging about. You can also find him on Wildernesscapes Photography LLC, enjoy.  He's a great person to go shooting with in NY or Iceland"  [Rita from USA, winter 2014 classic glacial+aurora trip]
  • "Dear Jonathan, Thank you very much for organizing such a wonderful winter photo tour of Iceland. It was great to be back touring with you again. I thoroughly enjoyed myself on the trip. I think that the itinerary that you planned and executed was very well thought out. The New Year's Eve dinner was amazing and the fireworks were like nothing I have every seen before. Based on the first pass through my photos -- the second ice cave and the aurora on the Snaefellsnes peninsula are clearly highlights, but many of the winter scenes shot at the side of the road also worked well. Rob and I wish you all the best for 2014. We hope to see you again -- perhaps closer to home next time! : )"  [Michelle from Toronto, Canada, winter 2014 classic glacial+aurora trip, and earlier summer circumnavigation 2011 tours]
  • "Hello Johnathan.  How are? I am sitting at computer all the time -  I must process my photos! I love them so much! [sic]...I must say again that the trip with you was excellent!!! I hope we will repeat it...If you are somewhere close to Czech Rep. let me know, I would like to meet you again."  [Ondrej, Czech Repbublic, Summer 2013 Westfjords+Highlands Tour]
  • I did attend the Focus on Nature [different company] tour back in 2011. They have been in business for several years and are extremely well run. They also sport some highly recognized photographic educators which will be a valuable asset in enhancing your experience. Our group ranged from rank beginners to working professionals and the instructor was able to accommodate everybody. This particular company provided in class as well as field instruction including some critique sessions. Everything was pretty much looked after from the time we arrived until departure.. This past summer I attended 2 back-to-back workshops in Iceland with another operator Johnathan Esper of Wildernesscapes Photography (http://www.wildernessphotographs.com/) for a total of about 24 days. He does run summer tours in July and August although I believe one of his summer 2013 tours is already filled. His tours are also cost inclusive but will be about $2000 cheaper than focusonnature and will be about 13 days long instead of Focus' 1 week tour.  Johnathan also provides individual instruction on his workshops tailored to the individuals skill level and need. His group size is generally limited to 5 participants so he is able to provide more one on one time than was possible with focus on nature. If you contact me directly, I can provide you with a link to a gallery of images taken during the 1 month spent on his 2 tours.   Both are excellent tours and I can easily say that you won't go wrong with either. Overall, I did find that we experienced more opportunities on Johnathan's tour due to the longer workshop period but this also meant more time sitting in a vehicle traveling around from place to place.Hope this helps!" [Anil from Canada, two 2-week summer tours around Iceland 2012]
  • "It was a real privilege to shoot with you and Orvar so a very big thank you. I look forward to the day we can shoot together again.  Enjoy your short break and good luck with the upcoming tours. Best wishes"   [Dominic from South Africa; Iceland summer circumnavigation photo tour 2012]
  • "Right now I'm skiing in the French Alpes and I would like to have the warm temperature of Iceland! Thanks all for the great week in Iceland and for saving my equipment [from falling in the ocean], it still works!!" [Sibylle from Germany, winter 2013 tour]
  • "Hi Johnathan. Thanks again for a great workshop. I have to tell you that yours was among the best workshops I've ever attended. Although we joked about the pace, I loved it and would hope for all workshops to be as productive as this one. I'm still working on my photos but came back with a lot of images I like. Here are a few photos with you in the frame." [Micheal from USA, winter 2013 classic glaciers and auroras tour]
  • "Hi Johnathan, Just wanted to write and say a big thank you for all your hard work and dedication on our trip. I've only just begun to edit all my photos, but it was a fantastic holiday and I'm already thinking about coming back again! I'll post at regular intervals to the flickr group so you can see my results and I might even write a short blog somewhen. In the meantime thanks again - for all the insights, driving, photographic advice, being a good sport when called upon and generally making sure we all got stacks out of a unique experience." Tony from the United Kingdom, summer 2012 Iceland circumnavigation photo tour
  • "I won with one of the Iceland photographs... made on your photo tour... the 3rd prize of a photo competition in the Scandinavic magazine NORR ;-) "  – Iceland summer 2011 workshop client, from Germany
  • “I was so lucky to find this tour on the Internet. I was glad to be part of it. And yes I would do it again and I would do exactly the same again guys. Thanks a lot for the trip, your help and everything else.” – Iceland summer 2011 workshop client, from Germany   
  • “Great all around tour of Iceland with many hidden gems. Both leaders very professional and always in positive attitude. Hands-on tips on the locations big plus. And I couldn't imagine a better group for such an intense photo tour. I'd just like to say thanks for great experience. This was definitely the best long photo tour we took part in. Makes me want to visit Iceland again in the winter. Keep it up, guys ;) “ – Iceland summer 2011 workshop client, from Canada
  • "I had an amazing trip. Overall, I am very satisfied and would recommend this tour to everybody. We went out to photograph a lot and that is what we came to do. I expected to learn a bit more, but however I am very very satisfied with my photos. So I guess the most important things I needed to learn, I did learn. My photography has improved so my expectations are met. And I had a great time! The [22.5 hour long] day when we started with a sunrise, photographed throughout the day, had a beautiful sunset at Vestrahorn with Aurora as dessert.. was the best day ever! Also loved the ice caves. I think the whole trip was one big highlight. [survey response from winter 2014 classic photo tour in cooperation with Iurie Belegurschi]
  • "It was a pleasure man! You push, you are very straight forward, but you are a good teacher!"  [Pepe from Mexico City, winter 2014 tour]