Workshops: Greenland Summer 2018

Dates: 10-16 August 2018 (7 days, 6 nights)

Price: 3600 USD or € or DKK equivalent (all-inclusive in-country)

Availability: fully booked up!

Greenland is one of those iconic destinations for any world traveler, and is rapidly becoming well-known among photographers for it's out-of-this-world arctic summer light and giant icebergs. I'm pleased to kick off this year's photo workshop to West Greenland in summer 2018! If you want to photograph clear jewel-like ice chunks on black sand beaches that glitter like diamonds, travel by comfortable van, and photograph a variety of landscapes, then Iceland is for you, and I invite you to check out one of my Icelandic photography workshops. But if you want to be blown away by the sheer gigantic size of icebergs hundreds of feel tall, floating in the Arctic ocean and cast in warm pink arctic sunset light at midnight as we sail around them on small charter boats, and cruise between remote Inuit settlements, then Greenland is the place for you!

Ilulissat is the logical starting point for any West Greenlandic photography workshop, situated at the outlet of the iceberg-choked Kangia Icefjord, which deposits huge icebergs into Disko Bay where they drift around for years before melting. There is spectacular sunset and sunrise light that shines through the short summer nights, and to best capture this on the icebergs, we'll do a combination of shore-based traditional photography, and private chartered boats just for our group as we cruise around Disco Bay during the evening and sunset hours. Another highlight is photographing the humpback whales lingering in front of these massive icebergs as a backdrop! This workshop is so much more than just a base at Ilulissat, the largest town in the region. We'll also travel to three different outlying small village settlements and camps around the furthest parts of Disko Bay, for a comprehensive exploration of the large Disko Bay area, and an authentic view of Inuit culture and way of living in smaller Inuit villages. Small colorful slightly-forelorn-looking wooden houses are built on the barren rocky headlands next to the ocean, so are naturally very interesting photographically and great to see by foot with your camera in hand. We'll stay one night in Qasigiannguit at the marvelously situated Hotel Diskobay, and one night in another small town idyllically located on the opposing south side of the Kangia Icefjords named Ilimanaq, a picturesque tiny settlement that's a brand new destination for our ferry company. During this trip we will cruise 90km up to the northern reaches of Disko Bay, to photograph and explore Eqi glacier, which is famous for its regular occurrence of calving ice into the sea. We can relax while overlooking the glacier, and also hike up to it for a much closer view. After Eqi, we'll return once more to Ilulissat for a final evening and night photographing from land over the Kangia Icefjord UNESCO World Heritage Area.

These are ideal dates as we will still do late evening sunset cruises to the icebergs, yet still have the chance to see the first auroras of the new season during our short 4-hour nights. Midday light can be quite harsh, so we will utilize midday for travel between settlements, rest/sleep time at our hotels, and an occasional indoor editing session. Weather is usually clear and ideal during this time of year, so we will likely be out every sunset taking advantage of this fair weather, late into the midnight hours (or beyond if the aurora borealis makes a showing), and out again from 3-6am daily photographing the sunrise and morning hours.

Day 1 - Arrival to Ilulissat, West Greenland

10 August 2018

Fly into Ilulissat, Greenland from either Iceland or Denmark, then transfer to Hotel Icefiord, with panoramic views over Disko Bay and thousands of icebergs right from the hotel's deck, or perhaps your luxurious room! After a rest at the hotel, we will spend the evening exploring and photographing the large town of Ilulissat and have dinner at one of the town's few independent restaurants. We'll then walk across town to the boardwalk that leads us to the UNESCO World Heritage Area of the Kangia Icefjord, which is a massive fjord choked with gigantic icebergs as far as the eye can see.  And there we'll hike along the icefjord, and take telephoto and wide angle panoramas over the icebergs through the evening and sunset hours, with the icebergs bathed in pink arctic light. This is also an ideal time to fly a drone over the icebergs, for expansive aerial perspectives. Possible night/Aurora Borealis shooting over Kangia Icefjord. Overnight in Ilulissat at Hotel Icefiord.

Day 2 - Full day in Ilulissat with sunset iceberg cruise

11 August 2018

A full day spent in Ilulissat, first with an early morning sunrise shoot again over the Kangia Icefjord, from land. Often there are huge icebergs that drift close to town and you can photograph right there from the shoreline with the town behind you, or perhaps we'll return to the nearby overlook over the Kangia Icefjord. Then we'll have a large chunk of time off throughout late morning and through midday for you to rest and sleep up in the luxurious Hotel Icefiord, or explore the town of Ilulissat more on your own, and photograph more icebergs floating past our hotel right from the the hotel's deck! Then in the evening, after dinner, we'll have a charter boat for several hours to sail around and among the giant floating ice castles around the outlet of the Kangia Icefjord as it enters Disko Bay. This will give us amazing opportunities to photograph alpenglow on the lit-up icebergs, with a very high chance of photographing humpback whales in front of the icebergs! After sunset in the twilight hours we'll return to Ilulissat. Again, we are always on alert of any aurora activity, every night.

Day 3 - Eqi Glacier charter boat day trip, with overnights in Ilulissat

12 August 2018

After sunrise photography of shoreline icebergs, the morning and midday is spent in Ilulissat with plenty of time to rest and catch up on sleep at Hotel Icefiord, or go on one of the many beautiful hikes in the area for those that are feeling adventurous. Then later in the day, from usually from 6pm - 12am, we'll embark on a voyage via a chartered boat to the famous calving Eqi Glacier, in time to capture it during the sunset hour. Seeing Eqi Glacier is a once in a lifetime experience. Situated around 80 kilometers north of Ilulissat. We will take a private charter boat north from the city through the beautiful Ataa fjord. We will have the chance to photograph the picturesque snow covered mountaintops that stand tall along the fjord. Shortly after the magnificent Eqi Glacier appears which stretches over 4 kilometers. This is truly a breathtaking sight that displays the grandeur of Greenlandic nature. Eqi is one of the few places where the conditions allow us to get so close to a calving glacier. You can hear the cracking noises from the bubbles of air inside the ice, that eventually create an explosion which will launch a new iceberg. The trip from the city to Eqi takes about 2 hours, during this time you might catch a glimpse of a whale or two. Then we have a couple hours around the glacier to cruise around and explore different perspectives, waiting and watching for it's famous calving terminus displaying the power of nature, before sailing back to Ilulissat late that night in the twilight hours.

Greenland summer photography travel tours
Greenland photography workshop July 2017

Day 4 - Travel to Iliminaq on Disko Bay

13 August 2018

After a long night the previous night, and after morning photography possibilities on the shores of Disko Bay or nearby Kangia Icefjord, we have rest/free time in the morning till check-out at Hotel Icefiord. Then we'll board a small ferry boat to Iliminaq, which is situated on the opposite, southern entrance to the Kangia Icefjord, cruising past all the giant icebergs on the way.

Ilimanaq is a traditional Greenlandic village where the main industries are still hunting and fishing. Ilimanaq is one of the smallest settlements in the entire Disko Bay region of Greenland with only about 50 residents, but the village is rich in history with the hunting culture still a big part of the rural Greenlandic way of life. We may get a chance to photograph a hunter with his catch of fish or a seal. Also, some local inhabitants might invite tourists into their own homes for Kaffemik, a traditional Greenlandic get-together with coffee and cake, and should this opportunity come, don't hesitate to accept, and talk to them about their way of life. 

Evening and sunset will be spent in the village surroundings, or depending on where the icebergs have floated to, perhaps even photographed from the deck of the idyllically located Ilimanaq Lodge.

Day 5 - Travel to Qeqertarsuaq

14 August 2018

On day 5, after a sunrise photo op around Iliminaq, we'll catch a morning small ferry boat to Qeqertarsuaq, a quaint Inuit village. Our base for the next night is the historic, charming, and the only hotel in this tiny settlement. We will go for some short hikes along the shoreline to spot for humbback whales, and viewpoints out over the bay and icebergs. It's also nice to capture the late afternoon light and walk among the colorful houses on the hills around town, as this settlement is more scenic and typical of rural Inuit communities. The houses' details typically look a little dilapidated and worn, but their brightly painted plywood sides and small size make the overall scene look quite cozy and representative of Greenland. Dinner will be enjoyed at the hotel, and after that we will walk down to the shoreline to photograph the sunset, or wherever the icebergs have floated to this season. 

Day 6 - Qeqertarsuaq to Ilulissat

15 August 2018

We will spend the morning enjoying the quieter way of life here in Qeqertarsuaq. After sunrise photography in the early hours, we'll head out for another hike to a nearby secluded and peaceful bay, into which a few icebergs always drift in to stay for the season. This hike may be about 1.5 hours one-way, but we'll take our time and enjoy hiking in the Greenland wilderness. There are no polar bears in the region so it's safe to hike about, even on your own. Then you can return back to the hotel, or continue onward and climb a mountain for spectacular panoramic views over the immense Disko Bay region, where you can see tiny white dots (which are actually building-sized icebergs) out as far as the eye can see, giving an unparalleled sense of scale to Greenland. On a clear day you can see as far east as the Kangia Icefjord, and inland towards the Greenlandic ice cap. We'll hike back to town in time to catch a ferry back to Ilullisat for our final night. After getting settled into our Hotel Arctic in Ilulissat, we'll again go our for yet another one last sunset and evening boat cruise among the gigantic icebergs of Disko Bay. The icebergs don't move that much day-to-day, but there's always more angles to shoot, more icebergs to sail around, and more whales to search for and attempt to line up with with icebergs in the background of your shots. We may actually cruise to a little hidden bay on this evening which none of the other boat cruises visit, which traps many icebergs and which last year featured three icebergs with massive ice-arches that I flew my drone through!

Aerial view of Ilulissat Icefjord shot with a drone

Day 7 - Fly out of Ilulissat

16 August 2018

The morning time will be up to you, to rest or for those hardcore photographers that just can't get enough, to walk down once more to the shoreline to catch some last shots of spectacular icebergs. Then, the hotel will provide shuttle service for us to the airport, and we will depart Ilulissat.  Your times of departure may vary, based on whether you're flying to Iceland, Copenhagen, or other parts of Greenland for continued adventures.

General Trip Information

Group Size: Maximum size of 6

Start/End: The tour starts on 10 August 2018 with transfer to Hotel Icefiord in Ilulissat. You'll provide us your incoming flight information ahead of time. Our workshop ends on 16 August, with your departure flight out of Ilulissat to either Reykjavik, Copenhagen, or other towns in Greenland.  Plan to budget about $1,000 for your flight from Europe to Greenland. So while here, consider staying longer in Greenland and exploring another Greenlandic town such as Kulusuk, Kangerlusuag, or others.

Included: 

  • A dedicated, highly experienced photography guide with you the entire time, ensuring logistics go smoothly and offering photography instruction and in the field coaching.
  • Accommodation for 6 nights in the best hotels and cabins remote Greenland has to offer, including Hotel Icefiord while in Ilulissat, as well as other idyllically located settlement lodges and hotels.  Cost is based on double occupancy per room (twin rooms). No single supplement is available - all rooms must be shared by two people.  All rooms have in-room bathrooms, but bathroom standards may vary. 
  • All boat transfers between all 3 settlement locations around the far reaches of Disko Bay.
  • All transfers between harbours and ports and airports, to our places of accommodation. 
  • All 3 meals per day and food featuring a variety of western-standard foods as well as locally caught meats and sea products (breakfasts provided by our hotels; prepacked bagged lunches or picked up from the local grocery store, and 2 course dinners at hotel or village restaurants. 
  • 3 evening and sunset sailing trips among the giant icebergs, with possible mix between small group tour boats and privately chartered boats. May substitute one boat trip for ATV trip up to glacial icecap at Ilimanaq.
  • Eqi Glacier boat excursion 80km to the north to witness mightly calving glaciers in evening light

Not Included: 

  • Flights to and from Ilulissat, Greenland (budget $1,200 RT).
  • Any extra time you spend in Greenland before/after the trip.
  • Trip insurance.
  • Extra optional boat trips, helicopter sightseeing flights, etc.
  • All drinks at sit-down meals, alcoholic and non- , except that water will always be provided
  • Room service or extra amenities.
  • Extra optional taxi services when walking through town is a reasonable option. 
  • No single room upgrade is possible - all rooms are twin share.
  • Anything else not listed as being included.

Experience and fitness level of trip participants:

  • This tour is open to digital photographers of all skill levels from beginner to expert.
  • Everyone must come with a good, positive travel attitude and enthusiasm for getting serious about photography and putting some tiring hours in.
  • At least a basic decent level of physical ability and fitness is required, for all trip participants. However, to get the most out of the trip, a very good physical condition is recommended. This is so that everyone can enjoy and take part in all of the walking around town and hiking we plan to do. This is not a vehicle-based tour, we are boat- and foot-based. However, all serious hikes are optional, and you may opt to stay in your hotel and rest, or stay closer around town and not go on difficult hikes or around-town excursions. 
  • A trip packing list will be provided to help you maximize your photo opportunities and comfortable in the cool weather.  Everyone should pack smart enough to be able to handle their own luggage into and out of boats and similar scenarios.
  • If you have additional questions, the trip leader will be happy to answer them over the phone or by email.

Photography Instruction:

This photo workshop is all about in-the-field field photography and situational instruction, working alongside your trip leader, there will be no formally scheduled classroom workshops or presentations, although on trips we usually do an indoor session or two covering photography concepts, editing skills, and image critiquing, weather and time allowing. Our main emphasis is evening and sunset photography every day, on land and on sea, capturing the special arctic light as it hits the enormous icebergs. Our main photographic subjects are icebergs, and more icebergs! We also will photograph whales (with icebergs!), Inuit village culture and townscapes, and more shoreline seascapes (with icebergs in the background). We will always being prepared to go out to photograph the Aurora Borealis should it occur in the middle of the night. Aurora Borealis viewing depends on 2 main factors: solar activity and clear weather. The chances of us photographing this phenomenon are very high, given that we're out for so many nights in remote locations.

Photographic topics that will be covered while shooting include night and aurora borealis photography, classic landscape photography composition and technique, HDR (High Dynamic Range) imagery, panoramic photography, adventure and travel photography, wildlife photography, and drone photography. Our 7 days and 6 nights of photography potential, allow us to comprehensively really get to intimately know this region of western Greenland, leading to stronger images and enabling each participant to get the most out this once-in-a-lifetime trip. August days can sometimes be long and tiring, and our sleep schedule will have to fit around our photography schedule. A maximum group size of 6 photographers balances the cost-savings of a group while ensuring you will receive ample personal photographic coaching in the field from a full time working pro, maximizing the group's flexibility and ability to shoot more places, more spontaneously based on light and weather, and provide an intimate small group adventure experience.

Johnathan Esper of Wildernesscapes Photography LLC, based in the USA, will be leading the trip. Johnathan is a full time photographer and experienced international photo trip leader, having guided nearly one hundred photography tours and workshops around the world since 2011. Johnathan combines his passion for photography, travel, and the outdoors to give every group he guides the best combination of comprehensive itineraries that thoroughly explore an area all at a simply unbeatable value and price. Johnathan has a unique background from having spent years traveling the world for personal travel's sake, and is enjoying all the new photo destinations opening up in Greenland. Wildernesscapes Photography offers adventurous small group photo tour experiences in the Adirondack Mountains (USA), Iceland, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Cuba, and Norway. Johnathan's Iceland/Greenland photography workshop website is IcelandPhotography.com, and his personal general business website is WildernessPhotographs.com, which features his Adirondack Park portfolio. In addition to leading photography workshops, Johnathan Esper sells hundreds of large-format prints yearly around the United States, works with Aurora Photos stock agency, and owns a vacation rental log home in the Adirondacks.

Trip Terms:

Deposit: A $1,000 deposit is due at the time of registration, and the remaining balance is due 4 weeks prior to trip start. Until payment is sent, your place is not guaranteed. You may conveniently pay your deposit here (near the bottom of the page) securely with your credit card, processed by PayPal payment processor. The deposit portion may also be paid via personal or bank check for USA and Canadian clients. Please contact me if you need any assistance in signing up!

Final Payment: The final payment for the balance due on the trip (after your paid deposit), is due 30 days prior to the trip start. Payment options include bank transfer to my Icelandic bank account (details on request), cash in person at the trip start (with prior arrangement), personal or bank checks (preferred for USA and Canada clients), and credit cards (a 3% credit card fee will be added for final payments with card).

Cancellation Policy: In the unfortunate event you need to cancel, the cancellation policy is: deposit payments are refundable as 75% future scheduled trip credit up to 120 days before trip start, 50% future scheduled trip credit if cancellation is 120-60 days before trip start, and non-refundable less than 60 days before start. Final payments for the full trip balance are 100% refundable as cash until the trip start, and non-refundable after the trip start. If I am able to fill your empty spot on the trip, half of what you'd lose will additionally be returned to you, for all the above situations. If I cancel the trip for some major reason, such as overwhelming volcanic activity, trip leader health crisis, 3rd party service provider failure, etc, then I fully refund everything in cash or PayPal, or a pro-rated amount if the trip must end early for the same reasons. I am not responsible for reimbursing you for travel or other ancillary expenses you incur in prep for the trip. This is why travel insurance, and travel medical insurance, is required for all participants.

No refunds or credits are given for included group activities, excursions, or boat trips, that are opted out of. 

For more information, contact:

Johnathan A. Esper
Wildernesscapes Photography LLC
PO Box 326, Long Lake, NY
United States
johnathanesper@gmail.com
phone: 001 518 241 3363 (USA) or +354 626 0292 (Iceland)
www.IcelandPhotography.com

$1,000.00