Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Northern Lights Photography Workshops in Canada

northern lights photo workshop in canada
Northern Lights over a lake in Northwest Territories

I have received a lot of emails lately regarding my upcoming northern lights photography workshops... 
In response to all those enquiries I created a page that lists out all my Aurora workshops I am doing in the next few years for everyone to see...
There are seven (7) trips listed on this page with a few still to be announced in the Yukon in 2018 and 2019...

Friday, September 15, 2017

Peace of mind travel, experienced workshop leader, best landscapes in Canada... the trifecta

There is something to be said travelling with a company that intimately knows the areas you want to visit on your next photography holiday. Wouldn't you agree?


Take the Yukon for example. I have been travelling there for many years, and researched the area both by scouting our locations, and have created a relationship with many local operators and Yukon Parks. Its only through this research and planning, long before you step foot in the Yukon, that assures you that the trip you are taking with me is thoroughly planned out. 
Most people don't know that in the Yukon, like other areas around the world require your guide and photo workshop leader to apply for multiple permits, and that your guide, that being me, is licensed, insured and has had the trip permits approved by the appropriate authorities.
In the Yukon for example there are a few permits that need to be considered when visiting any Yukon Parks. Two relate directly to you visiting the Yukon on a Photo Workshop... 
1. Commercial Recreation Park Permit  - This permit applies to, but is not limited to, commercial guided wilderness tourism activities such as hiking, horseback riding, dog mushing, canoeing, kayaking, sport fishing, mountain biking, skiing, snowmobiling, wildlife viewing, and photography, including aircraft landings within park boundaries. 
If you want to step off the roadway and truly explore the Yukon the way it should be... this permit needs to be applied for. But hey, if you want to go on a photo tour that just stays on the roads dodging transport trucks, you can always do that with another company... ;-)
2. Commercial Filming and Photography Park Permit  - This permit applies to all commercial film productions or commercial photography shoots including filming/photography for motion pictures, documentaries, advertisements, or other commercial products (e.g., calendars, books, postcards, posting photos on social media that you directly generate money from etc)
If you are a hobbyist that just likes to take photos for yourself, this wouldn't apply... but i would hate that you came with me and took a once in a lifetime photo that someone wanted to buy from you... but then you couldn't sell it because you weren't covered under this permit and legally not allowed to make a penny form your photo. Or lets say you enter the photo into a competition, and you win a prize for the photo... legally, that can be argued that, that is making money from an image... I bet you would have wished your photo workshop leader had that permit to ensure you were covered then... ;-)
17499069_1246846185431202_3282503100627131340_n.jpg
On top of the permits, there is the Wilderness Tourism License that a guide needs to have in the Yukon. Who needs a tourism license? Anyone who takes clients into the Yukon Wilderness in return for a fee or reward.  The Yukon Wilderness is identified as stepping off the highway right of way. As a result, highway bus tours don't need a license... but really, we are there for a photo workshop, not a drive by bus tour with a bunch of tourists more interested in taking selfies with a mountain behind them.
You come to the Yukon to experience the back country images that can only be taken by stepping off the highway, or getting off that plane that flies over the glacier... You want to get on that glacier, you want to ride on that dog sled in the wilderness, and you want to get off the highway and go to the other side of that gorgeous mountain the bus tours see from the road... and you want to be assured that your guide has done all the work before you get to your workshop. 
I encourage you to visit my page with more information on the Yukon, and see the list of all my Yukon workshops. You can view that page here,  www.kevinpepperphotography.com/photography-workshops-in-the-yukon
I lead photo workshops for wildlife, the stunning landscapes and the ethereal northern lights.
I would love to introduce you to one of my favourite locations in the world to photograph and enjoy. 
Kev