This workshop is co-led by f-stop ambassador Dani Lefrancois! Enjoy editing sessions with two very different styles, techniques and perspectives.

There is something eerily beautiful about this place. Stillness is the first word that comes to mind. Moody, haunting and breathtaking are others. These silent swamps filled with bald cypress trees, which are some of the oldest trees in the world, can often be shrouded in a layer of mist rising from the water. Everything dead quiet until a great blue heron squawks to break the silence. This is a typical scene for a morning spent on the bayou. Either wandering along the shorelines, or floating in a kayak, the experience of being here in such an undisturbed place feels almost as if being in a church on the water. Each tree covered in a veil of Spanish moss, slowly turning a little more vibrant orange or red with each passing day. Nothing moves except for a fish here, or a bird over there.

The photography here is slow, patient, and absolutely wonderful. We will experience this truly one of a kind landscape by foot (a bit) and by kayak (the best way possible). On this 5 Day Photography Workshop on Caddo Lake, which straddles Texas and Louisiana, we will be surrounded by calming waters, remarkable biodiversity, and big cypress trees. We’ll move at a leisurely pace to appreciate and enjoy the experience of the landscape as much as we are there to photograph it’s unique beauty. With compositions and color in every direction you can expect to come away with images that are truly your own and not to be duplicated by anyone else. There are no iconic shots here, only a extraordinary blackwater ecosystem with ancient trees that surely have stories to tell. And capturing a glimpse of their long story through the lens of your camera is something pretty special.

This is certainly not a typical landscape photography workshop. More like a floating water adventure! The best images will be made while we are immersed in cypress trees out on the lakes and swamp waters. So we will be throwing the usual landscape photography techniques out of the canoe as far as settings are concerned. All useful tricks and techniques that I have picked up to photograph these scenes will be shared before we go out for our very first shoot. We will also have classroom time scheduled as well to demonstrate and practice post processing workflows to help bring your images to life!

The majority of this workshop will be by kayak, paddling into small coves surrounded by bald cypress trees, reaching areas that larger boats just cannot access. Having prior experience in a kayak is important to be comfortable and take one less worry away while handling camera gear over the waterways. If you have any questions of what this entails please contact us.

All lodging and meals are included in this workshop. Lodging will be at three beautiful luxury homes right on Caddo Lake in Uncertain, Texas. Each home is complete with fire pits, overwater gazebos, boat docks, a hot tub and a private bedroom and bathroom for each participant. Meals will be prepared by a local gourmet chef specializing in southern creole cuisine. Needless to say we have taken great care to ensure that your comfort and accommodations only enhance the experience that you’ll have in this unique place.

Being in the water alongside a humpback whale is no small thing. To look at a whale and see her looking back at you with knowing, intelligent eyes is an experience you will NEVER forget. It is a privilege that we are very pleased to be able to provide for you. Our trips are unique to Tonga in that they are all inclusive! We cover your housing, boat days and all meals. Local transportation, internet access, etc are all included. Fly into Vava’u and we take care of everything! We arrange transportation to/from the airport to the Tongan Beach Resort, our exclusive and amazing home away from home. Our boats are modern and well maintained and we have never had a mechanical issue while out on the water. We hire the best crews possible and we understand the difference between a nice swim and a great encounter that will result in spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime images.

These trips include five full days on the water to ensure we have as many encounters with the whales as possible. Things like weather, ocean conditions, water clarity and whales are out of our control, but we’ve worked hard on the things we can control to maximize the possibilities and ensure everyone has a great experience. Expect mind blowingly close encounters with moms and curious calves, competition pods, singers and more. We will also visit some spectacular snorkeling locations that are very photogenic.

Whale swimming in Vava’u is carefully managed and regulated, with the Kingdom of Tonga only offering a select number the ability to legally and safely swim with the humpbacks. Our team respects and follows the guidelines set forth to accommodate the best interests of the whales and the sustainability of this industry for years to come. We are extremely fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to swim with the humpbacks, and as such we will ALWAYS respect the rules. While we should encounter whales every day (allowing us the opportunity to swim with them), some days will be more productive than others or have better conditions. This is why as many days as possible on the water is important, especially if you are a photographer, to allow us the most opportunities for a wide variety of encounters. All encounters are done via snorkeling and freediving, meaning SCUBA is not allowed. Most encounters are enjoyed at the surface, though there will be plenty of opportunities to dive down if you are comfortable and get a close look (which is truly spectacular when it happens).

On this 8 day Photography Workshop we will have 5 full days on a boat with whales. As stated we cover everything once you get off the plane. So bring that camera gear, water housing, and bathing suit and let the fun commence! All throughout you will be provided with expert instruction, while out of the water, on how best to capture all the action and interesting gestures and compositions while in the water. And our guides will do everything they can to manage the encounters and get you in the best positions. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune those photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life. Helping clients create a portfolio of images they are excited and proud of is priority number one on all of our workshops (along with having a good time).

This trip is unique in that it is a wonderful opportunity to bring a spouse if they also love the whales! These workshops are always a mix of photographers at various skill levels and non-photographers who just want to experience the magic.

Ireland is a heavenly kingdom for landscape photography that has yet to be discovered by the masses. There is so much more to this beautiful country than forty shades of green and Guinness pints at the pub as you will see on this one of a kind photography adventure. Scenic coastlines, towering cliffs, sea stacks, arches, lighthouses, ancient castles, and dramatic weather are all part of the plan as we journey along the world famous Wild Atlantic Way. We will navigate the winding roads and quaint villages through the northern coastline in search of some of the most beautiful seascape locations in the world.

Unlike other European countries, Ireland has yet to go through a photography boom and is seldom visited by landscape photographers which makes it an ideal place for us to explore and create unique images. It is unlikely that you’ll see anyone else toting cameras and tripods besides our group which makes this workshop even more special. The locations are most certainly there, but it can be a tricky place to get around. Thankfully we have extensive local knowledge covered with Irish landscape photographer Bernard Geraghty who knows the country like nobody else.

On this 8 day / 7 night photography workshop we will be focusing on the most dramatic coastlines in the country located in the north. All lodging and transportation within Ireland will be included. During this tour we will immerse ourselves in the landscape, history and culture mixing in a few ancient castles and Game of Thrones locations, need I say more? All throughout you will be provided with expert instruction on how best to capture the light and interesting compositions. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune those photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life. Helping clients create a portfolio of images they are excited and proud of is priority number one on all of our workshops, along with having a good time!

Glacier National Park in Montana is known as the Crown of the Continent and offers ample and diverse photographic subjects to challenge every photographer's creativity. From glacier carved majestic mountain peaks and turquoise alpine lakes to wildfire ravaged forests with fresh wildflowers bringing new life, there are opportunities for unique compositions around every turn!

On this 5 day Summer Photography Workshop you will immerse yourself in some of the Rocky Mountains most scenic locations. With any luck we will also be able to photograph some of the the famous wildlife in Glacier National Park! You will be guided you to some of the most beautiful spots in the park including some off the beaten path, and provided with expert instruction on how best to capture the light and interesting compositions. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune your photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life. Helping clients create a portfolio of images they are excited and proud of is priority number one on all of our workshops, along with having a good time!

The Oregon Coast is a wild and untamed gem in the Pacific Northwest, one that can surely challenge a photographer’s creativity as fog and mist are more common than epic sunsets. From grand landscapes to intimate small scenes, this workshop will have it all. I am offering a small group workshop to explore this landscape with a flexible itinerary to chase the best conditions up and down the coast. The many sea stacks and raging surf in this location offers limitless compositional possibilities. We will have the ability to cover a lot of ground and photograph the best subject matter we can find, whether it be foggy redwood forests, the milky way above the Pacific Ocean, or a blazing sunset over towering sea stacks on the beach.

On this 6 day, 5 nights Photography Workshop you will be guided you to some of the best spots along the coast and also have the opportunity to explore some lesser known locations. Our loose plan will be to find a great sunrise location and then stay on the move along scenic Highway 101 for other interesting subject matter to photograph during the day - the goal is to find the best photography spots on the Oregon Coast! Weather will dictate where we move each day, but our three main hotel stops will be in the towns of Yachats, Bandon, and Brookings, all scenic locations in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. The group size will ensure plenty of individual attention and instruction for those that attend and helping clients create beautiful images will always be priority number one. Additionally, because of the weather, there can be difficult shooting conditions, but there will always be something to photograph. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune your photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life.  Helping clients create a portfolio of images they are excited and proud of is priority number one on all of our workshops, along with having a good time! 

On Open Plains | Serengeti

28 September 2027 - 6 October 2027

Photo Safari with Laura Dyer

The Serengeti is a wildlife ecosystem that supports an incredible variety of animals and has something for every wildlife lover. Even just the name ‘Serengeti’ gives me goosebumps. There is still a wildness here that grabs at your soul and drags you into an exhilarating adventure.

Known for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra that follow the rains in search of lush food all the way from the southern parts of the park where they calve (and upwards of 300,000 wildebeest are born), to the north - making the famous Mara River and Grumeti River crossings - the Serengeti is also arguably the best place in Africa to see cheetahs in good numbers. These magnificent predators have the space and freedom to roam in this vast landscape and seeing them reach top speeds on open plains in pursuit of prey is a sight that will never be forgotten. 

These plains are also the best places to see an photograph the elusive serval cat. Elegant in design with slim bodies and long legs these beautiful cats make the grasslands of the Serengeti their home where the vast landscape provides protection for raising cubs and an abundant supply of food.

Massive male lions and incredible prides that look like they are straight out of Disney’s The Lion King in their fixation with spending time on rocky kopjes (little outcrops) add to the unique attraction that is The Serengeti.

Tour Date Notes

September/October: This is my personal favourite time of year - particularly in the central section of the park as everyone else is up north still with the migration and you have access to vast swathes of open plains and rocky outcrops that are just perfect for cheetahs, servals and lion prides without having to fight for space with other vehicles. This gives us the freedom to photograph in some of the most famous Serengeti locations in near solitude - especially in the early mornings and late afternoons/evenings - when other vehicles need to leave to return to their camps far from these prime locations. The front end of the migration is also beginning to arrive in the area ahead of the trailing tourists.

Our Focus

Whilst here our focus will definitely be on looking for cheetah and serval on these incredible open plains. The Serengeti is arguably the best place in Africa to see and photograph these cats. Heading out early when the park opens will give us great opportunities to find and photograph cheetahs as they wake for the day - often climbing termite mounds at dawn to scan the surrounding plains for both danger and prey. The camp is located in a quiet area with only a handful of other camps in the wider vicinity meaning that we have a few hours in the mornings before tourist vehicles from the busier central area arrive where we can maximise our chances of finding cheetahs and serval all to ourselves, and in the best light.

Serval have very long legs, almost super-model like compared with the other cats. As a result they stand taller than you might suspect, but their super-model legs are inversely proportionate to their shorter tails - as if only so much length was available and so the tail lost out. There is, however, an evolutionary reason for this. Cheetahs, lions and leopards often put in higher-speed chases, catching their prey over longer distances (particularly cheetahs), and their long tails help them to maintain balance and change direction quickly during the chase. You have just to watch a cheetah hunt to see how much of an anchor and directional assist the tail provides. Serval however, hunt via pouncing on their quarry, or jumping to grab it in the air as it makes its escape. The long tail is therefore not necessary, and in fact could easily get tangled up in the undergrowth through which they hunt. Instead, the shorter tail helps them land a perfect 10 on their feet after these acrobatics. The grasses covering these vast plains provide cover for ambush as well as a safe place to hide from larger predators, and the many termite mounds found over the plains provide safe and readily accessible den sites for moms and their kittens making this area fantastic to see and photograph these elusive cats.

Of course, the area is also teaming with big prides of lions and impressive males who enjoy spending time on the rocky outcrops (koppies) that dot the landscape here and we will definitely put in time looking for these opportunities.

We will do a morning and afternoon drive with an optional image review and editing session in between where I will be on hand to provide personal assistance and help you learn to edit your photos, or discuss new skills or techniques learnt or practiced during the morning.

Photo Safari with Laura Dyer

Tour dates: 28 June 2027 - 5 July 2027

Covering the incredible Chobe River and the stunningly beautiful northern Okavango Delta, this photo safari is a fantastic opportunity to see two of Botswana’s top wildlife and photographic destinations in one.

From amazing water-based photography on the Chobe from the customised Pangolin photographic boats to to land-based (and aerial) photography in the heart of the flooded Okavango Delta, this photographic safari promises wildlife photography experiences like few others.

The safari takes in 3 nights at the award-winning Pangolin Chobe Hotel in Kasane along the Chobe River and 4 nights at Kerr & Downey’s Shinde Footsteps camp in a private concession in the Northern Okavango Delta.

Tour Date Notes

June/July: Temperatures are cooler and in the mornings and evenings extra layers are definitely needed, particularly when cruising on the Chobe River.  This is peak season in Botswana. The Chobe will be drying out with the river level falling allowing nesting kingfishers and skimmers to begin breeding. It also means elephants will be coming for water regularly as the river becomes the only source.

The Okavango is probably at its most beautiful during this time as the grass has died down a bit since the rains of December to April and the animals enjoy the bounty that the annual flood brings. With such abundance, wildlife is flourishing and everything from mokoro journeys to boating, and helicopter flights is at its aesthetic apex. Photographically, the landscape is incredible and the light is lingering and golden through these winter months.

Chobe/ Pangolin - Our Focus

Whilst here we will focus on the Chobe River and photography from the boat as there will be plenty of game drives at the next camp. On the river, you will usually see plenty of elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, water birds, fish eagles, plenty of plains game and on occasion a big cat sneaking down to the river to slake its thirst! Big cats are more regularly seen in the Delta – our next destination – but we have had some incredible sightings of lions and leopards from the photo boats too, which is very special. Kingfishers are very prolific along this stretch of river with many of the Southern African species being found daily. Skimmers and white-fronted bee-eaters should also be nesting along the banks making it an inspirational area for bird photography,

Our group will have a boat to ourselves which means there will be plenty of space, as each boat has capacity for 8 guests so we will be able to move around freely with our gear. The boats are custom-designed for photography and come rigged out with support for your kit and are weighted to ensure maximum stability on the water.

We will do one morning and one afternoon activity with an optional image review and editing session in between where Laura will be on hand to provide personal assistance and help you learn to edit your photos, or discuss new skills or techniques learnt or practiced during the morning activity.

Shinde Footsteps - Our Focus

The concession is an excellent environment for big cats such as lions and leopards and occasionally, a pack of wild dogs will spend time in the area, as well. There are also lots of plains game like wildebeest, red lechwe and giraffes, as well as several hundred bird species that call The Okavango Delta home.

Being on a private concession means we are able to off-road at special sightings allowing us to manoeuvre into the best positions for photography. The Shinde guides are well-versed in photography and understand the needs of photographers on the vehicle.

There is also opportunity for a 30 minute helicopter flight in the morning on one day of your stay where two guests at a time will be able to get up in the air for some incredible aerial photographic opportunities.

South Georgia is one of the places on Earth where superlatives are born. The Pinnacle, the Culmination of Creation.

A distant, isolated world, living by its own laws and rules. You won't find anything like that anywhere else. South Georgia is the best place on Earth for wildlife photographers. Landscape lovers also won't have problems composing the frame. A group of penguins or elephant seals will give a scale to the powerful background of snow-capped peaks and glaciers.

The archipelago is the home to hundreds of thousands of king penguins, which makes South Georgia the best location to photograph penguins. We'll bear witness to the daily lives of those incredibly interesting creatures, who, unexpectedly, are very similar to humans. We'll visit South Georgia at a time when the snow still on the ground and thousands of king penguins peacefully wobble along the shore — the sight of teeming bird colonies against the backdrop of sharp mountain peaks is truly breathtaking.

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Details:

Tour Start: March 10th 2026, Hotel in Funchal, Madeira

Tour End: March 15th, 2026, Hotel in Funchal, Madeira

Difficulty: Moderate

Max 6 people

Accommodation included: Single occupancy in Turim Hotel Santa Maria

Discover Madeira: A Photographer's Paradise

Madeira, Portugal's hidden gem, offers a breathtaking blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and vibrant life. With its lush, subtropical landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and dramatic volcanic formations, Madeira is a photographer's dream.

A Photographic Journey:

Our workshop is designed to immerse you in Madeira's stunning scenery. We'll start each day early to capture the magical morning light, whether it's the sun rising over the ocean, mist-shrouded mountains, or vibrant flower fields. After a leisurely breakfast, we'll have ample time for relaxation, image review, and post-processing. As the afternoon unfolds, we'll explore the island's diverse landscapes, capturing the warm evening light and the enchanting blue hour.

Learn and Explore:

I will share my expertise in composition, shutter speed, aperture, and filter usage. You'll learn to harness the power of light and shadow to create stunning images. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned photographer, you'll find inspiration and guidance to elevate your skills.

Highlights:

Dramatic Coastlines: Capture the rugged beauty of Madeira's cliffs and sea stacks.

Lush Forests: Explore the enchanting Laurisilva Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vibrant Flowers: Photograph the island's colourful flora, including exotic orchids and hydrangeas.

Cascading Waterfalls: Witness the power of nature as water cascades down the cliffs.

Charming Villages: Discover picturesque villages with traditional architecture.

Included in the workshop

All transportation to and from photography locations

On location tutoring on composition and camera settings by professional photographer Paulo Silva

Return airport transfers

Accommodation in single / twin or double room including breakfast.

Not Included

Flights

All other meals

Beverages

Insurance