August 27th – September 6, 2017
AN 11-DAY EXPEDITION FROM SPITSBERGEN
TO NORTHEAST GREENLAND
ON THE EXPEDITION SHIP SEA ENDURANCE
Art Wolfe of Art Wolfe Photography and Kevin Raber of Luminous-Landscape join forces to host a workshop to the East Coast of Greenland August 27th – September 6, 2017. With us will be three other excellent instructors Gavriel Jecan, Ignacio Palacios and Steve Gosling. Our team will lead you on a dedicated trip to some of the most amazing places along the East Coast of Greenland.
Our goal is to make sure you have an unforgettable experience. We will be there to help you maximize your photographic potential. As instructors, we will make presentations during our cruising time and then be there next to you on Zodiac cruises and landings. We’ll help you see things differently and be there to answer any technical questions you may have. Since this a ship cruise we will be together the whole time. Learning and sharing never stops as we have time to share in the observation lounge and during meals. We will have numerous presentation not only on the region we are visiting but also on photo techniques that will surely inspire you.
As a photographic cruise, we will be working to make sure we visit locations at the best times for ideal light. Don’t be surprised if you are shooting from dawn to sunset.
Join us on an expedition cruise to Northeast Greenland – one of the last unspoiled wildernesses in the world. The grandiose landscape is dominated by glaciers and beautifully shaped icebergs. Most of the year this ice-choked coast is inaccessible and it is only in late summer, when the tundra is clad in autumn colours, that we have a chance to get here.
On this exciting Arctic expedition, we venture into one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in the Northern Hemisphere, where large areas are virtually untouched by man. Northeast Greenland National Park, covering an area over of over 972,000 square kilometres, is the world’s largest national park.
The expedition cruise starts in Spitsbergen, where we embark the small and comfortable ship Sea Endurance. During the first part of the expedition, we explore Spitsbergen’s fjord-indented coastline, framed by pointed mountains and magnificent glaciers fronts. We continue west towards Greenland and take turns searching for whales from the open decks. Our goal is to reach Greenland’s coastline as far north as the pack ice border and weather allows. We continue south along one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines, where the vast fjord systems are littered with icebergs. We have chances of visiting remains of ancient Inuit dwellings and the fascinating settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit. With our sturdy Zodiacs we cruise along impressive glacier fronts and amongst large icebergs. During refreshing hikes on the tundra we hope to meet some of the many musk ox that roam here. We then fly to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. This time of year offers wonderful red and pink skies at sunset, as well as a warm and soft light, perfect for anyone interested in photography.
Day 1: Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen
Arrive in Longyearbyen and embark the ship Sea Endurance.
Day 2: Northwest Spitsbergen
We visit some of the many magnificent fjords in western Spitsbergen, where vast glaciers tumble down into the sea. As we sail along the beautiful fjords we keep an eye out for the Arctic wildlife that inhabits the area.
Day 3 – 4: The Greenland Sea
We shape a south-westerly course and from the decks we keep a constant lookout for whales which may be encountered in these waters. Our knowledgeable guides entertain us with lectures on the Arctic flora, fauna, geology and history. During parts of the crossing we can expect to meet the pack ice boarder, which often embraces Greenland’s northern coast. Few things in life are as exciting as standing on board a ship cruising past large floes of pack ice!
Day 5 – 11: Northeast Greenland
We reach the shores of Greenland and are now in a part of the world that is completely ruled by ice and weather conditions. Our plan is to make Zodiac landings each day and the following are some of the places we may visit:
Clavering Island
Clavering Island is a hunter’s hut, which reveals a bit about the life of a hunter and trapper in these high latitudes. On the tundra we hope to see some of the many musk ox, which inhabit these shores. Northeast Greenland is one of very few places in the world where you have the chance to encounter these huge, woolly herbivores, weighing up to 400 kilos.
Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord and Kong Oscars Fjord
We hope to explore and make several landings in these beautiful fjord systems, which are framed by mountains shooting vertically out of the sea. This area is unspoiled and virtually uninhabited with a population of less than 40 people, consisting mainly of scientists and personnel from the Danish Sirius Patrol in Daneborg located further up north. Examples of places we may visit are Blomsterbugten and Ella ø. Blomsterbugten, “the bay of flowers”, is home to beautiful purple and gold coloured rocks and Ella ø is a hiker’s paradise surrounded by ice-choked waters, rugged cliffs and blue icebergs.
Scoresby Sound
Scoresby Sund – the world’s largest fjord system – offers some of the most spectacular scenery Greenland has to offer: jagged peaks as tall as 2000 meters coming straight out of the sea and rare glimpses of the Greenland ice cap, the largest ice cap in the northern hemisphere. As we reach Scoresby Sound we enjoy the breathtaking view of this immense fjord. Here we have chances of seeing remnants from the Thule people, who arrived to Greenland in the 12th century. In the small village of Ittoqqortoormiit, with only 500 inhabitants, we learn more about life in this isolated place 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
Day 11: Constable Point – Reykjavik
In the morning we disembark Sea Endurance, which has been our home for the past 10 nights. We leave the wilderness of Greenland behind as we board the chartered flight that will take us to Iceland and Reykjavik.
Please note: Our exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions and the wildlife we encounter. The places mentioned above are just examples of some of the many sites this expedition has to offer. We always strive to maximise your experience, but remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
Pricing and Registration
Prices are shown in USD and priced per berth. To reserve your spot a 25% deposit is required. This will be payable to Polar Quest. Please read the Terms & Conditions on the back side of the registration form. Polar Quest will handle all the bookings and related questions and information. Luminous-Landscape, Art Wolfe Inc. nd Rockhopper workshops will handle all workshop related questions and details. As we get closer to the trip a private web page will be available on the Luminous-Landscape site. This page will help you prepare for the trip as far as clothing, gear, and other information. Please feel free to contact Kevin Raber at kwr@luminous-landscape for any questions regarding this workshop. Airfare is not included and it will be your responsibility to arrive in Longyearbyen and to arrange departure flights from Reykjavik.
To register please CLICK HERE to be taken to the Polar Quest site. Fill in their registration request form and then they will send you everything you need to complete your registration
You can also view information on this workshop at Rockhopper Workshops the exclusive provider of workshops for Luminous-Landscape.
Rate includes: 10 nights on board Sea Endurance, all meals on board, an experienced Expedition Leader and knowledgeable guides, guiding ashore and talks on board, photo workshops, all excursions and activities, chartered flight between Constable Point and Keflavik.
Not included: Flight to Longyearbyen and flight from Reykjavik, travel and cancellation insurance, the customary gratuity to the ship’s crew, personal expenses such as bar and shop charges.
THE EXPEDITION SHIP SEA ENDURANCE (FORMER M/S QUEST)
A COMFORTABLE SHIP WITH A WONDERFUL CREW
The ship was built in Denmark in 1992 to serve as a ferry on Greenland’s west coast. In 2004/2005
she was completely refurbished and now has a career as a small and comfortable expedition ship. Sea Endurance takes 53 passengers and all 26 cabins are outside cabins with private facilities. The triple cabins have upper and lower berths. All other cabins have two lower berths or a double bed. In your cabin you find a desk with a chair and a cupboard for storage. The superior cabins are spacious and have armchairs and TV/ DVD. The Owner’s cabin has a double bed, two large picture windows, a separate seating area and TV/DVD. In the dining room you are treated to delicious meals in between landings and in the panorama lounge you can enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
Here you can listen to entertaining talks on the area’s flora, fauna and history. In the lounge you also find a bar and a small library. The ship has spacious observation decks, where you can enjoy the beautiful vistas. Passengers are welcome on the bridge around the clock and there is always something to see or search for. There is an international crew on board the Sea Endurance and the atmosphere is relaxed and very friendly.
Instructors
Kevin Raber
I see the world through the lens and a frame. Photography for me is an extension of who I am. I have gone through many stages in my career. At one time I was a portrait photographer with many prestigious clients. Over time I grew restless for something else in the field. I truly enjoy my current work as a fine art landscape photographer. There is something special about examining and photographing everything from grand scenes in nature that are there for a moment and then gone to industrial landscapes and focusing on the incredibly minute details of peeling paint and rust. I am most fortunate to be able to travel to many wonderful places.
I have fond memories of nights and weekends spent in the darkroom creating prints. The stereo blasting. It could be fun and it could be tedious. You didn’t always know what you were going to get and, at times, it required extensive hands-on darkroom manipulation. I can still smell the chemicals. I was taught by masters of the darkroom.
Today, that has all changed thanks to the advent of computers, digital cameras and Photoshop. The darkroom is the computer. Some things are still unpredictable, but the tools to achieve the final result allow you to see them immediately on the screen in real time and right in front of you. Digital allows you to capture a range of tonalities and exposures that were impossible with film. Variables such as emulsion, temperature, chemistry and exposure are taken out of the equation. What you see on your computer monitor is what you will get when printed. One thing that hasn’t changed is the music. It goes along with creating and working on images. Thank God for iTunes.
I embraced digital early on. It continues to evolve and provide flexibility to all who embrace it. The digital age is still young and has completely transformed our industry. Never before has a switch from analog to digital been so prevalent as in photography. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next ten years takes us.
My career in photography has evolved since 1972 when I first began making a living with photography. Today I am also CEO of the Luminous-Landscape.com, one of the most visited and prestigious websites for the photographers on the internet, with over 1.5 million visitors a month. I lead photography workshops to edge of the planet locations as well provide instructional videos to photographers on how to improve their craft.
There doesn’t seem to be anything that can dampen my passion and enthusiasm for photography. It has opened doors to the world for me and I am most grateful I can share my experiences with others.
https://luminous-landscape.com
Art Wolfe
Art Wolfe needs no presentation. He is an American photographer and conservationist, best known for color images of wildlife, landscapes and native cultures. His photographs document scenes from every continent and hundreds of locations, and have been noted by environmental advocacy groups for their “stunning” visual impact. Wolfe’s career has been described as “multi-faceted”, involving wildlife advocacy, art, journalism, and education. According to William Conway, former president of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Wolfe is a “prolific and sensitive recorder of a rapidly vanishing natural world.” In the last 30 years, the public has viewed Wolfe’s work in more than sixty published books, including Vanishing Act, The High Himalaya, Water: Worlds between Heaven & Earth, Tribes, Rainforests of the World, and The Art of Photographing Nature.
Gavriel Jecan
Gavriel Jecan started photographing at the age of 12 when his father gave him his first SLR camera. His appreciation of photography grew while photographing black-and-white on family hiking trips in the mountains. His love of nature, rock climbing and traveling inspired him to become a professional photographer.
In 1994 Gavriel Jecan joined Art Wolfe and he has been on a majority of the major trips that Art has made worldwide. He is a member of the Travels to the Edge TV field crew and teaches photography around the world on his own photo tours and Art Wolfe Inc. The quality and scope of Jecan’s shooting has gained him representation by the world’s largest stock photography agencies (Getty, Corbis, Danita Delimont, OnAsia, and Okapia).
Jecan’s images appear regularly in calendars and magazines worldwide, including International Wildlife, Backpacker, Audubon, National Geographic, Midwest Express, Nature Foto, German Geo, Asian Geo, Outside, Sinra, Terre Sauvage etc. He has published five children’s books: C for Coyote, Wild Colors, Alaska Animal Babies, Hide and Seek, and South West Colors.
Gavriel teaches an average of six international workshops a year in some of his favorite locations. When Gavriel is not on the road photographing or teaching photography, he is home in Thailand with his family.
Ignacio Palacios
Ignacio Palacios is a Spanish photographer based in Sydney who is best known internationally for his travel and altered / fine art nature photography work. Ignacio has travel around the world since 1998, gathering an extensive collection of images of people, places, wildlife and landscapes across more than seventy countries in five different continents. He is one of the world’s few full-time professional photo guides.
In the last four years Ignacio has been focusing on photographing Australia’s landscapes. He has received Australian and International awards and has been finalist in some prestigious competitions such as the NSW AIPP Epson Awards, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer, National Geographic Travel Contest, Australian Geographic Photographer of the Year, Eyes on Asia, Head On and the International Loupe awards. Ignacio’s work is published internationally in photographic magazines and Lonely Planet books. He has recently being awarded with a LUX Gold in Spain (the most prestigious professional photography award in his country) and finalist and highly commended in the Travel Photographer of the Year competition.
Steve Gosling
I am a professional photographer who specializes in producing creative & contemporary landscape images (my ‘signature’ style is moody, atmospheric and minimalist black & white photographs).
My images have been published internationally as posters & greetings cards and have appeared in advertisements, books, magazines, newspapers & calendars across the world. Prints of my work have been exhibited in venues throughout the UK and have appeared on sets for both theatre and film productions. My work has also won awards in both national and international competitions.
I particularly enjoy writing & teaching about photography. As well as being a contributor to many of the major photography magazines in the UK and abroad I regularly give talks to photographic societies and other groups. I have run a successful workshop program for several years encouraging and inspiring photographers of all levels from across the world.
Kevin Raber
August 2016
Author
Elevate Your Vision
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