...Years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. —Mark Twain

Dear Fellow Photo Traveler:

No question about it, the world as we’ve known it is changing—and it may remain in flux for some time. Yet, polar bears still hunt on the pack ice, millions of birds are now in migration to northern climes, wildebeests soon will flood across the Mara River and, in spite of everything, the sun rises and sets each day on beautiful landscapes throughout the world.

If you’re like me, it is unimaginable to consider life without the rewards of travel, photography and the joy of being out in nature. I simply can’t suppress that restless urge to see the world. I had been at home for several months, and was beginning to feel the weight of the discouraging news on television. Then, at the beginning of June, the travel bug got the best of me and I bought airline tickets to head north. Up in Canada’s boreal forest, away from it all, my stress level dropped. It was easy to see that, for me, nature and outdoor photography is still as uplifting and invigorating as ever.

Travel is good for your psyche, too! For the past three decades, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris has made it easy for you to escape the daily grind to explore the world with your camera. Our commitment to that goal is unwavering. We have a stellar track record of supplying remarkable, hassle-free and stimulating photo tours throughout the world. Our knowledgeable, helpful office staff and the team of photo trip leaders are second to none. We’re a solid company that offers unsurpassed photography opportunities, great meals, comfortable lodging and, above all, a lot of fun!

A wonderful world still beckons and I, like Mark Twain, want to experience as much of it as possible before the "last ship sails." Now, more than ever, take time to immerse yourself in the rejuvenating pursuit of nature and photography. Travel with us as kindred spirits. Explore our beautiful planet and return with a renewed sense of optimism for the future.

Joe Van Os, Director

FEATURED TOURS

While I don’t want to make “change” a theme throughout this newsletter (that’s better left to presidential candidates), there are two trips I strongly recommend that you do soon—before current circumstances change and the potential is lost to experience these wonderful photography locations.

Midway Atoll Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii

Midway opened to tourism in 1997. The ability to visit the atoll during the bird breeding season was available through 2001. It closed in 2002 due to the former concessionaire’s financial troubles. Now, the tourism program is reopening under new management and will provide trips for a total of 400 people over an 8-week period in the spring of 2009. Personally, I think the program will be difficult to maintain in the long term and the prospect of visiting Midway may be lost once more. We are planning two trips in 2009 to accommodate those who want to photograph the wildlife of this fantastic and extremely remote archipelago before time runs out again!

On Midway Atoll birds have remained a constant and amazing presence. Sixteen different seabird species that number over two million birds nest each year, and of that number almost half a million are Laysan albatrosses. Considering the size of the tiny islands, this is a truly enormous population of breeding birds.

Other photogenic island nesters include black-footed albatrosses (the world’s second largest colony), red-tailed and white-tailed tropicbirds, white and sooty terns, black and brown noddies, red-footed and masked boobies, and great frigatebirds. In addition, the clear waters in Midway’s lagoon are home to Hawaiian spinner dolphins, green sea turtles and endangered Hawaiian monk seals are frequently seen basking on the beaches. Two trip dates are pending final arrangements for Spring 2009. Please let us know of your interest by telephone or email as soon as possible.

Washington’s Palouse Country—June 13–19 and August 1–7, 2009

We will also offer two trips in 2009 in the famous farm country of southeastern Washington State. The Palouse has been a perennial favorite trip of our clients and leaders. Spectacular crop patterns on the rolling loess hills and dramatic weathered barns comprise what is probably the most photogenic farmland in America. But the Palouse’s old and weathered barns are rapidly disappearing—collapsing under the weight of time and neglect—bulldozed, then replaced by new metal prefab structures. Over the years we have the gathered the GPS coordinates for the best of the best barns the Palouse has to offer—and timing to be there at optimum light. Yet every time we return one or two of them is gone. Sure, a few barns have been spared and refurbished as heritage sites, but the vast bulk will be gone in the next few years. Now is the time to visit if you want to maximize the photogenic potential of those amazing barns that still stand. We’ll offer both a "Spring" green shoot and a "Harvest" gold trip.

During June, the vibrant yellows of blooming canola (rape seed) fields are contrasted by the rolling chartreuse hills of wheat, and orange lentils that saturate the fields with explosive color. Wildflowers are abundant at this time of year. August is harvest time which is rich in color and texture. Undulating hills of golden wheat contrasted against cobalt skies and striking red barns create eye-popping imagery. During this time working farm machinery as part of the landscape enhances our shooting even more!

Alaska Overland—September 5–15, 2009

This third featured trip is one we offered with great success many years ago. The itinerary has been changed to include new shooting locations and streamline the program to maximize its photography potential in September.

Ask virtually any Alaskan and they will tell you that autumn is the best time to visit "The Last Frontier." Fall colors carpet the landscape in a living tapestry of red and gold as bearberry and cranberry of the tundra, and birch and willow of the taiga, prepare for the promise of winter soon to come. Moose rut in the wetlands as flocks of honking Canada geese and trumpeting sandhill cranes fill the skies. Northern Lights start to become visible on many clear nights. Blue-sky days, cold nights and heavy morning frosts herald descending mountain snowlines. Quaking aspen and balsam poplar provide a "sea" of flowing foreground color and texture in counterpoint to the serrate, unyielding snowcapped peaks.

Alaska Overland is a classic photography road trip planned to provide a comprehensive cross section of the heart of Alaska’s interior and dynamic coast. We explore the vast Alaska Range, sail the rich coastal waters of Prince William Sound, and feel the thundering roar of the calving Columbia Glacier. We have time to poke around and take our time as we "cruise" the wilderness roadways in search of the "real Alaska" and, of course, great images. No Alaska experience is complete without a visit to Denali National Park and our trip includes a day-long concessionaire’s tour to get up close to superlative Mt. McKinley.

Join us on this incredible journey as we experience a world of rushing, glacier-fed rivers, vibrant foliage of secluded wilderness valleys and mountain peaks in such sheer numbers you’ll quickly quell your urge to learn their names! You will come away with a new understanding of the immense forces which shaped this land, great photos, and appreciation for some of the amazing history of those who came to eke out a living at the end of the road.

NEW PHOTO SAFARIS FOR 2009

Leaders and staff have planned an outstanding list of new photo safaris, both close to home and across the world. Look for brief descriptions in the schedule at the end of this newsletter and call soon to talk to the trip planners!

• Florida Birds: The Best of the West March 7–13, 2009
• Fairbanks, Alaska: The Aurora Borealis March 9–16, 2009
  Early registration is critical to secure the most desirable hot springs lodge for this trip!!
• Callaway Gardens, Georgia April 4–11, 2009
• Finland’s Wildlife April 14–27, 2009
• The Best of the Greek Isles May 13–25, 2009
• Exploring Lake Powell October 4–10, 2009
• India: Rajasthan & Pushkar Fair October 23–November 3, 2009

UPDATES ON SOME OF OUR MOST POPULAR TOURS

We have already opened 2009 bookings for many of our most popular tours. Though space is filling quickly, there is still room!

Japan’s Winter Wildlife—February 12–27, 2009

Every year I lead this trip I can’t imagine it could be better—and every year it is! Our photography starts on the northern island of Hokkaido where we divide our time between Japanese (red-crowned) cranes, whooper swans and Steller’s and white-tailed sea eagles. Shooting all of these species is absolutely fantastic and, depending which former trip participant you talk with, each species and photo location is better than the next. For 2009 we’ve added an extra day to our itinerary to spend more time with cranes with time to photograph songbirds at bird feeders at one of our wonderful guest houses.

Just when you’d think the trip couldn’t be better, we fly to Tokyo and head into the Japanese Alps, driving across the scenic Japanese countryside to shoot the famous hot tubbing snow monkeys at Jigokudani. Here we are welcomed by our warm and friendly hosts during our stay at 2 fantastic traditional ryokans, and we spend the following days watching and photographing the antics of the charismatic snow monkeys.

This is one of my top 5 favorite trips in the world, and I look forward to sharing it with you next February. Participation is limited on this special trip. Please call our office today to reserve your space.

White Horses of France’s Camargue—March 28–April 5, 2009

After an absence of several years we are returning to "The South of France" for a spectacular shoot of the famous white horses as they thunder—manes flashing, foam flying—across the shallow marshlands. Four days of electrifying photography as powerful "wild" horses hurtle directly toward our cameras or stallions engage in battle for herd dominance.

Our amazing photo shoot will concentrate on photographing the horses during the best light of day, with the goal of creating images depicting as much of their untamed life as possible. Our Photo Safari takes place on private ranchland adjacent to the Parc Régional de Camargue—a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Participants from our previous Camargue shoots have won numerous awards and accolades for the stunning images they were able to create. Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to photograph the dream-like white horses of the Camargue for yourself!

Galápagos—April 10–19, 2009

Join us in the Galápagos Islands, a wonderland for wildlife photographers, where subjects sit serenely for portraits, displaying their bright vermilion throat pouches, striking plumage or azure feet—and where midday is spent snorkeling with beautiful spotted eagle rays, sea lions and the tiny and delightful Galápagos penguins!

These enchanted islands off the coast of Ecuador are home to seabirds famous for their remarkably unwary demeanor. Unlike most cruises to the Galápagos, we’ll go ashore before breakfast in many cases, save the midday hours for snorkeling, and go ashore again in the beautiful late afternoon light. We’ll have time for extensive photography as well as time to relax and enjoy this fantastic tropical setting.

Three of our senior leaders, Wayne Lynch, Joe Van Os and Aubrey Lang, will host a group of 26 people aboard the M/V Evolution, an elegant yacht with lower berths and private baths in every comfortable cabin. Several decks and cabin categories offer a variety of pricing options. Call early to make your selection!

Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve, Kenya—September 4–18, 2009

For me, the Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve in Kenya is one of the top wildlife destinations in the world—and one of my top 5 favorite trips! We have again reserved the entire Mara Intrepids Club during prime mid-September dates in the choicest area of the superlative Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve—at the predicted height of the legendary zebra and wildebeest migration! Photo opportunities on this shoot are simply incredible!

We have more than 10 shooting days to cover the area thoroughly, and each safari vehicle has just 3 photographers to allow easy movement from side to side and provide easy access to gear. Five world-class leaders—John Shaw, Wayne Lynch, Darrell Gulin, Jeff Vanuga and Joe Van Os—will be on hand for lectures and digital critiques during the trip. Join us for this extraordinary wildlife photo shoot. The trip is filling so please do not delay in calling 206-463-5383!

Botswana Wildlife—September 20–October 3, 2009

Botswana is one of the great wildlife countries in Africa that offers spectacular photography opportunities in three dramatic habitats—the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park and the Kalahari Desert. For wildlife tourism, Botswana has made the decision to limit the number of travelers in the country by setting high prices for daily entrance fees in the national parks and reserves throughout the country. This, coupled with the necessity to fly in small planes between locations, and the upscale nature of their boutique lodges, makes shooting in Botswana expensive!

Currently, we have reserved space at 3 wonderful "camps" which cover the best habitats in the country—and to have them for our exclusive use. We’ll bring in enough vehicles to have only 3 photographers per vehicle (which is remarkably small vehicle occupancy for most Botswana trips). We’ve reserved enough airplanes to fly our trip participants with extra weight allowances for luggage and photo gear.

Highlights of this trip will be a troop of habituated meerkats to shoot at close range, wild dogs, a wonderful variety of big cats, and a host of gazelles and birds found primarily in southern Africa. We’ll also have a day to spend with the famous Kalahari Bushmen.

The fee for this trip will be in the range of $16,000. If you are interested in joining us on this fantastic Botswana shoot, please contact us immediately as we can only maintain our camp exclusivity request for a limited time.

Horses & Icons of the Wild West in Autumn—September 27–October 3, 2009

In 2009 we’re offering our fantastic annual horses shoot at the magnificent Flitner Ranch in Wyoming during autumn. Like many of our Photo Safaris the images created on this trip are so good there are simply no comparisons that can be made to any other "cowboy shoot" offered anywhere in the world!

Unparalleled opportunities to photograph horses thundering through clouds of dust and sagebrush, splashing through shallow river beds, and silhouetted against the setting sun are just a fraction of the exceptional photographic potential in our 5-day photo shoot. We will have outstanding chances to photograph all aspects of cowboy life including modelreleased cowboys working herds of horses and cattle, during hard-charging action, with backdrops of dramatic red cliffs and golden autumn aspen—and even cowboy portrait sessions!

Denali National Park in Autumn—September 5–12, 2009

In Alaska’s Denali National Park in autumn, the tundra flashes spectacularly with vibrant red and gold while snow dusts the high ridgelines. During any season, the park offers some of the most striking vistas found in Alaska, but at no time is the vast tundra more colorful than in early fall.

A spectacular drive across the park into the backcountry places us within easy photo access of the great mountain itself—Mt. McKinley or Denali. In autumn the mountain tends to be less frequently eclipsed by clouds, and stunning images can be made featuring it in sweeping fall-colored landscapes or reflected in lakes and tundra ponds. Join us for spectacular fall photography in a season most visitors miss! This is a great opportunity for concentrated photography in this superlative national park.

Ultimate Antarctica—November 14–December 11, 2009

For photographers, no other Southern Ocean cruise compares to our extraordinary Ultimate Antarctica voyage. Our outstanding 28-day itinerary will provide an extensive amount of shore time photographing in the Falkland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula and, especially, South Georgia! Like our other voyages of years past, this cruise will be totally dedicated to photography. Now is the time to do this trip because the current fleet of small ships will not be cost effective to operate in the not-so-distant future—and larger ships with much higher passenger capacities will become the cruising norm in Antarctic waters!

November is a great time to be in the Antarctic. There are many fewer ships in the area allowing us longer times on shore at many locations than later in the season when as many as 60 ships compete for the best landing sites. Chicks are just starting to hatch in many colonies so the birds are much cleaner in your images. Snow is still a photogenic possibility and there are generally more picturesque icebergs around South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula than later. This is the favorite time of many of our trip leaders and one of my top 5 favorite trips in the world!

Currently the 2009 voyage is 60% booked! For the greatest choice of cabin categories, don’t delay! Visit our website for more details and call today to reserve your space!

2009 JOSEPH VAN OS PHOTO SAFARIS SCHEDULE

Ultimate Wolves—Models Shoot—January 10–15 and January 15–20
A wolf photography shoot in snowy landscapes. We place the wolves in packs as well as solitary situations to create the definitive winter wolf portfolio. Additional bonus species added between wolf shoots.
Perry Conway

Ultimate Yellowstone—January 24–31
The very best of Yellowstone’s snowy interior, wildlife and landscapes guided by an exceptional photographer who knows the park intimately. Travel in large snow coaches makes this trip very comfortable. Michael Francis

Japan’s Winter Wildlife—February 12–27
Incredible photographic access to snow monkeys, Japanese cranes, whooper swans, white-tailed and Steller’s sea eagles. Trip lengthened in 2009 for an additional day’s photography on Hokkaido. One of Earth’s finest—yet leastknown— winter wildlife shoots.
Joe Van Os

Florida Birds: The Best of the West—March 7–13—NEW TOUR
The best of Western Florida’s extraordinary bird habitats at "high season" and a wonderful escape from winter. Shoot habituated shorebirds, gulls, terns, skimmers, pelicans and a variety of herons. One day we photograph roseate spoonbills and herons in Tampa Bay by small boats. Visit the Venice heronry.
Jeff Vanuga

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii—Two Spring Tour Dates—RETURNING TOUR
"Shoot" amazing wildlife on this remote and newly re-opened wildlife refuge during the nesting season. Close encounters with Laysan albatross, tropicbirds, boobies and great frigatebirds—plus Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles.
Joe Van Os—Tour 1, Perry Conway—Tour 2

Fairbanks, Alaska: The Aurora Borealis—March 9–16—NEW TOUR
Capture the amazing spectacle of the nighttime Aurora Borealis, the ice sculptures of the World Ice Art Championships, plus the "Limited" Sled Dog Racing Championships at Fairbanks. Relax at famous Chena Hot Springs Lodge.
Terry and Julie Eggers

Monument Valley & Slot Canyons—March 14–20
A photographic exploration of the incomparable slickrock landforms found in the heart of Navajo country. Our group explores the "Valley" with expert local Navajo guides.
Cliff Zenor

White Horses of France’s Camargue—March 28–April 5—RETURNING TOUR
Dreamlike white horses thundering—manes flashing, foam flying—across the shallow marshlands and ocean beaches of France’s famous Camargue.
John Shaw and Patrice Aguilar

Springtime in Callaway Gardens, Georgia—April 4–11
The peak of the colorful azalea bloom at this world-renowned garden wonderland. Photograph thousands of exotic butterflies in a tropical conservatory in a specially-arranged session prior to opening hours.
Julie Eggers

Galápagos—April 10–19
Darwin’s enchanted islands during the 200th anniversary year of his birth. Photograph albatrosses, penguins, boobies, tortoises and iguanas at their best. Travel aboard a luxurious boat with great midday snorkeling opportunities!
Wayne Lynch, Aubrey Lang and Joe Van Os

Finland Wildlife—April 14–27—NEW TOUR
Snow-covered landscapes and frozen lakes with arctic wildlife, including eider and reindeer. Special hides are used to capture lekking capercailies. The best place to photograph European brown bears in old growth forest near the Russian border.
Jari Peltomaki and David Tipling

Patagonia’s Mountain Landscapes—Torres del Paine, Fitzroy & Cerro Torre—April 16–May 1
The astonishing and incomparable rugged mountain landscapes of the southern Andes plus a photographic wealth of wildlife, glaciers and vibrant fall colors.
James Martin and Alejandro Ronchetti

Eclectic Holland—April 17–27
The best of Holland at the height of "tulip time." Trip visits the famous Keukenhof garden park and the northern bulb fields. Create fantastic images at Apenheul primate zoo and the Kinderdijk Windmills World Heritage Site.
Rinie van Meurs and Darrell Gulin

Great Smoky Mountains—April 18–24
Photograph a rich diversity of plants, animals and beautiful habitats at the height of wildflower season. Learn techniques for shooting wildflowers as close-ups and in landscapes.
Len Rue, Jr.

The Grand Canyon at Havasu Falls—April 18–24
Photograph Arizona’s most idyllic landscape. Camp amidst this land of fiery red rock, towering white waterfalls, turquoise plunge pools, and soft greens of spring cottonwoods.
Todd Pierce and Adam Jones

Mexico’s Colonial Heartland—April 19–26
Photograph the most beautiful colonial cities of Mexico’s central highlands—San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. Exquisite architecture, mild climate, colonial romance and great photography combine on this highly productive tour.
John Shaw and Terry Eggers

Brazil’s Pantanal—May 1–15—RETURNING TOUR
The world’s premier wetland with photo access to stunning birds and mammals, plus the incomparable Iguassu Falls— recently featured in the new Indiana Jones movie.
Wayne Lynch and Paulo Boute

Turkey: Continental Crossroads—May 8–23
Turkey: Continental Crossroads—May 8–23 Spectacular Cappadocia landscapes, extraordinary architecture, incredible Greek and Roman ruins, a wonderful cuisine and friendly people combine to create this a Photo Safari of superlatives.
Mehmet Ozbalci

Ultimate Dolphins—May 9–16
An incomparable "wildlife models" shoot focusing on bottlenose dolphins in open water settings. Photo sessions also include parrots, macaws and a host of tropical birds, plus monkeys and other Neotropical wildlife.
Stuart Westmorland

Tuscany—May 13–23
The classic Italian landscapes of cypress-lined roads, medieval hill towns, ancient Etruscan sites, and charming people combined with marvelous regional food, served "Under the Tuscan Sun."
Terry Eggers and Adam Jones

The Best of the Greek Isles—May 13–25—NEW TOUR
The iconic whitewashed villages, blue–domed churches, historic windmills and picturesque harbors provide the inspiration for this exciting springtime photo shoot. Trip visits three quintessential Greek Isles—Crete, Mykonos, Santorini.
Darrell Gulin and Joe Van Os

Washington’s Palouse Country in Spring—June 13–19
The world’s most intriguing tapestry of photogenic "rolling" farm country and beautiful barns—blue skies, yellow canola, chartreuse lentils and emerald wheat.
Darrell Gulin and Joe Van Os

Predatory Animals of North America, Spring—Models Shoot—June 14–19
A wonderful assortment of North American animals as "wildlife models" with babies placed in exceptionally beautiful habitats.
Len Rue, Jr.

Brown Bears of Katmai National Park in Summer—July 7–12
The classic bear/salmon conflict at Brooks River Falls. No other location or season offers this classic shot of falls-jumping salmon and the hungry bears awaiting them.
Len Rue, Jr.

Olympic National Park, Washington—July 18–24
Mountain scenery, luxuriant wildflowers, rugged coastline, tide pools and verdant, moss-draped rain forest combine in this quintessential Northwest shoot.
Terry Eggers

Washington’s Palouse Country in Autumn—August 1–7
The Palouse in its "gold season." Waving wheat and dazzling auburn lentils are the substrate for photogenic barns and spectacular crop patterns during the harvest.
John Shaw and Terry Eggers

Humpback Whales of Alaska’s Glacier Bay and Inside Passage—August 1–8
Breaching and bubble net feeding humpback whales, orcas and bald eagles amid awesome Alaskan scenery surrounding one of America’s most picturesque waterways and famous national parks.
Stuart Westmorland

The Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve, Kenya—September 4–18
More than 10 full shooting days at one of Africa’s (if not the world’s) most extraordinary wildlife safari locations, at our exclusive camp, with 3 photographers per vehicle.
John Shaw, Darrell Gulin, Wayne Lynch, Jeff Vanuga and Joe Van Os

Denali National Park in Autumn—September 5–12
The mountain, landscapes and wildlife of one of Alaska’s most spectacular parks at the predicted height of fall color. The best time of year for the potential of clear skies to shoot Mt. McKinley.
Len Rue, Jr.

Alaska Overland—September 5–14—RETURNING TOUR
A classic Alaska road trip at the peak of fall color. Enjoy photography of spectacular snow-clad peaks, rushing rivers, calving glaciers and a boat trip on Prince William Sound. Includes day trips to Denali and Wrangel-St. Elias National Parks.
Terry and Julie Eggers

Essential China—September 7–22
Photograph the nature and culture that parallel the centuries old traditions of Chinese art. Visit the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, and the Li River at Guilin, Mount Huangshan, Xi’an and more.
Adam Jones

Brown Bears of Katmai National Park in Autumn—September 12–18
Bears in thick winter pelage with fiery red salmon in oxbow lakes and feeder streams. Trip can be combined with Denali National Park in Autumn for 2 weeks of exciting photography.
Len Rue, Jr

Madagascar—September 13–30
Photograph the strangest assemblage of wild animals and habitats in the world—lemurs, chameleons, tenrecs, spiny forest, baobabs and also visit a fantastic native species game farm.
James Martin

Yellowstone and Grand Tetons in Autumn—September 20–26—RETURNING TOUR
Two of America’s most scenically-spectacular wildlife parks during the exciting elk rut—at the peak of fall aspen color.
Len Rue, Jr.

Botswana Wildlife—September 20–October 4—RETURNING TOUR
Shoot Botswana’s abundant wildlife from three of the country’s premier bush camps in delta and desert habitats. Added photo highlights may include wild dogs and a troop of photogenic, habituated meerkats!
Joe Van Os

Colorado Fall Colors—September 24–30
Colorful aspen forests punctuate photography of mountain topography—jagged, pointed summits and deep breathtaking valleys straight out of an artist’s imagination.
Todd Pierce

Predatory Animals of North America, Autumn—Models Shoot—September 26–October 1
North American animals as wildlife models with dazzling Minnesota fall color backgrounds.
Perry Conway

Horses & Icons of the Wild West in Autumn—September 27–October 3
Capture the boundless beauty of horses and the essence of the American cowboy in this exclusive photo shoot. Photograph herds of horses against mountain and red-rock backgrounds at our spectacular Wyoming ranch location.
Darrell Gulin and Jeff Vanuga

Mongolia: The Golden Eagle Festival—September 27–October 11
Photograph impressive Kazakh falconers with their hunting eagles, the legendary Gobi Desert and Flaming Cliffs dinosaur fields, plus the monasteries and landscapes near Ulaanbaatar.
TBA

Exploring Lake Powell Utah—October 4–10—NEW TOUR
Photograph towering buttes and panoramic Colorado Plateau landscapes reflected in tranquil blue-green waters. Travel by boat to explore the lake’s "hidden gems" including numerous remote side canyons and untrodden rosecolored beaches. Shoot the dramatic autumn western skies and glowing red-rock monoliths at sunset. Trip includes one morning at Rainbow Bridge National Monument.
Cliff Zenor and local guides

The World’s Best Raptor Shoot—Models Shoot—October 10–15
Vivid fall colors accentuate the piercing fierce eyes of this incredible selection of North American hawks and owls on this one-of-a-kind shoot in Colorado.
Perry Conway

Nova Scotia: Photo Tour for Women—October 10–16
Rugged, rocky headlands, lighthouses carved into granite ledges, quiet harbors on foggy mornings, tide pools and crashing waves, and hillsides of fall-colored maples—all of these exciting photographic possibilities describe our Nova Scotia tour—for women only—in October.
Julie Eggers

India: Rajasthan & Pushkar Fair—October 23–November 3—NEW TOUR
Photograph the vast and vibrant camel market and the colorful traditionally-dressed ethnic groups near Pushkar. Experience the best of Rajasthan—including the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal of Agra and the jewel-like “Pink City” of Jaipur.
Adam Jones

Laos & Vietnam—November 3–23—RETURNING TOUR
through Laos and Vietnam along the Mekong River to its delta and the sea.
James Martin

Ultimate Antarctica—November 14–December 11
The world’s most comprehensive photo cruise offered to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica. Shoot 6 full days in South Georgia. A peak experience in the life of a nature photographer!
Joe Van Os, John Shaw, Wayne Lynch, Darrell Gulin, Chris Edwards, Joe McDonald, Mary Ann McDonald, Anna Sutcliffe and Ellie Van Os

Bald Eagles of the Chilkat River, Alaska—November 15–21
Bald Eagles of the Chilkat River, Alaska—November 15–21 The world’s largest gathering of bald eagles amidst a snowy mountain backdrop. Photograph these majestic birds in a wide variety of inspiring winter settings.
Perry Conway

Bosque del Apache—December 5–11—RETURNING TOUR
Photograph blizzards of snow geese and sandhill cranes plus eagles, ducks and a host of other wildlife, as well as the undulating gypsum dunes of White Sands National Monument.
Len Rue, Jr.

JOHN SHAW NATURE AND DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY SEMINARS

John Shaw is one of the most renowned and respected nature photographers in America. For more than 30 years he has been making a name for himself with exceptional wildlife and landscape photography. He is also considered by many to be one of the foremost educators in both nature and digital photography.

Now you can learn directly from John when you attend one of our 2009 Master Photographers Weekend Seminars in Dallas, Raleigh-Durham, Phoenix and Boston.

Each two-part seminar will take place over a weekend with one full day devoted to nature photography and the second day covering the digital darkroom. The two seminar days can be purchased as a package or separately by day.

From the moment you arrive on Saturday morning until the time you leave Sunday afternoon, you’ll be learning tips, techniques and tricks that will move your photography into overdrive. Check our website in late July for dates and prices!