Sunday, December 31, 2017

2019 Photography Workshops

2019 Photography Workshops at Kevin Pepper Photography

Click on the link below to be taken to a page of my photography workshops in 2019 that are available. 
You will find wildlife, aurora, landscape and cultural trips in Canada and around the world.
On the schedule are wildlife workshops in Canada and Africa, landscapes in Canada and Mongolia, and of course my annual Mongolian workshops.
Please browse through the workshops and see if your next Photographic Holiday is with me and my friends in 2019.
Don't forget to check back frequently. There are a few workshops that are still to be announced soon. 

Click Here to Learn More

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Clowns of the Sea - Puffins! Breaching Humpbacks! Stunning Icebergs!

Clowns of the Sea - Puffins! Breaching Humpbacks! Stunning Icebergs!


Newfoundland is an astonishingly wild and beautiful island in the North Atlantic. Newfoundland provides the nature and wildlife photographer a great trifecta of targets: birds, whales, and icebergs!
Newfoundland (new-fund-land) is a nature photographers dream. There are 35 million shorebirds (140 times the human population) and 22 species of whales including the largest population of Humpback Whales in the world to keep your camera clicking. The last of Newfoundlands photography trifecta is the icebergs. Newfoundland’s Iceberg Alley is the best place on earth to photograph the beautiful 10,000-year-old ice.
We invite you to join us on this exciting expedition on the eastern coast of Newfoundland for seven days as we photograph the natural wonders of the 16th largest island (150K square miles) in the world. During these seven days, we will photograph Newfoundland’s spectacular coastlines, lighthouses, icebergs, whales, puffins, gannets, and so much more.
You Will Be AMAZED!

Newfoundland Photography Workshop Highlights

  • 6 Nights and 7 Days
  • 3 Charter Boat Trips
  • Lodging and Local Transportation
  • Classroom and In-the-Field Instruction
  • Max Attendees: 6
  • 2 Veteran Pro Photographer Instructors
  • Max Attendees: 8
  • Tuition: $4295 for shared, $4595 for single room

Birds, Whales, & Icebergs Workshop Details

Newfoundland Workshop Dates

2018
Arrive in St. Johns July 29, 2018
Depart from St. Johns August 4, 2018

Newfoundland Workshop Daily Schedule

Day One
Arrive in St. Johns, Newfoundland and meet everyone at the hotel in St. Johns. Your arrival should be before 5pm. We will meet for a group dinner and discuss the itinerary for the week.
Day Two
This morning we’ll be up early to head south for a sunrise photo shoot at Cape Spear Lighthouse. Stark white Cape Spear Lighthouse pierces a sky swirling with seabirds atop a craggy headland. It overlooks a vast expanse of indigo ocean where glittering processions of icebergs glide by, Humpback whales breach and pods of porpoises send misty spouts into the Atlantic air. On North America’s easternmost point of land, historic Cape Spear Lighthouse, the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador, offers a glimpse into the lives of 19th-century lighthouse keepers and their families.
In the afternoon we will head one of the largest Northern Gannet colony in North America. The reserve we will be visiting by boat contains 260,000 pairs of the province’s official bird nest here during the late spring and summer. Notably, the area also hosts the second-largest Leach’s Storm Petrel colony in the world-more than 620,000 pairs come here to nest. Also, black-legged Kittiwakes and Common Murres appear in the thousands.
Day Three
This morning we will head once again to Cape St. Marys for Canada’s largest colony of Northern Gannets. Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve is a wonderland for bird photographers and explorers alike. The sheer spectacle of the 25,000 gannets, 500,000 puffins, and 7 million storm-petrels, just to name a few is mind boggling. We suggest that you bring plenty of memory cards! This captivating area is one of seven seabird ecological reserves protected by provincial legislation. Its natural beauty makes it perfect for nature walks and family adventures.
Cape St. Mary’s is the most accessible seabird rookery in North America. Bird Rock is the third largest nesting site and the southernmost colony of Northern Gannets in North America. Cape St. Mary’s is also the southernmost breeding area for Thick-billed Murres in the world and the southernmost major breeding site for Common Murres in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. This site is overflowing with perching, diving, and scrambling birds from edge to edge—melding together into an awe inspiring moving, breathing spectacle of color and sound.
Day Four
Today is about the icebergs, the Bald Eagles, and the awe inspiring Humpback Whales. Whale watching is one of the most exciting activities you may ever experience but beware—you may get ‘hooked’ for life! You will be amazed by these “gentle giants” as we watch them feed, play, and migrate through our study area around the Bonavista Peninsula (the historical Heritage sites of Trinity and Bonavista are in the area). Jeff and Kevin are dedicated to showing you the best whales that our area has to offer including fin, humpback, sperm, minke, and pilot whales and, although rare, orcas too.
You may expect to see various species of dolphins and porpoises, eagles, and pelagic sea birds including puffins and northern gannets. It is our hope that you will walk off the boat feeling educated and enlightened by the experience with memory cards full.
Today we will have a private boat tour that starts at 5:30 and we will be on the water for 3 hours.
In the afternoon we will head to Elliston to see the home to the Atlantic Puffin and has one of the closest land views of puffins in North America. The Atlantic Puffin is one of four species of puffins and is the only one that lives in the North Atlantic Ocean. Elliston has approximately 300 nesting pairs at Elliston Point and about 1,000 pairs on Bird Island.
Day Five
In the morning we will head out again on another private boat tour to photograph whales and icebergs in the same locations as we did the day prior.
From there we will head to another puffin colony in Elliston. Here you will sit on the edge of cliffs and photograph over 1,200 mating pairs of puffins.
Day Six
It’s a sunrise photo shoot at Cape Bonavista to photograph the lighthouses and rugged shorelines. The lighthouse at Cape Bonavista was built in 1843 and is one of the few in the world where you can still climb the stone tower and see the same seal oil fueled catoptric light apparatus from the 1800’s. Experience a light keeper’s day in 1870—a 24/7 job of polishing glass, filling oil lamps, recording weather patterns, and watching the waves from one of the most rugged points in Newfoundland.
In the afternoon we visit Skerwink Trail. The Skerwink Trail loop skirts the north and south coasts of Skerwink Head, a rocky peninsula that separates Trinity’s harbor from Port Rexton’s. The coastal area is formed of sedimentary rock (much of it sandstone), its exposed stone profile has been shaped by the pounding it takes from the Atlantic. Notable photo opportunities are the sea stacks and extremely rugged shoreline with pounding surf. Late in the day, we head to Elliston to photograph the nesting puffins once again before we head to Trinity for one last private whale and iceberg tour to finish our day.
Day Seven
After a hearty breakfast and an early departure we will stop for one final photo session to photograph the largest Puffin colony in North America. From there we are headed 2 hours south to St. Johns to have you at the airport in St. Johns by 3:00 pm.

Birds, Whales, & Icebergs Workshop Inclusions

Included in the Workshop
Shared occupancy lodging throughout
All transportation including airport transfers
Photographic guiding and instruction from two pros
Image reviews, critiques and post-processing instruction
Fun, inspiration and a fantastic time!
Not Included in the Workshop
Transportation to/from St. Johns, Newfoundland
Items of a personal nature
All meals and Alcoholic beverages
Anything not specifically listed as included

Birds, Whales, & Icebergs Equipment and Gear

Expect lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s during our stay. You should be prepared for rain, sun, fog and everything else. The weather changes are frequent and unpredictable, so be ready for it all.
You will need a variety of lenses including a wide angle, a zoom of at least 300mm, tripod, remote release, big glass is OK, but not required. A lens such as the 100-400 (Canon) or 80-400 (Nikon) that you can hand hold for the whale photography will be helpful.

Ready to Join the Newfoundland Photography Workshop?

Dramatic coastlines, sweeping barrens, thick boreal forests, ancient rock formations, teeming seabird colonies, tiny alpine blossoms, and rich marine life are all part of the diverse natural heritage of Newfoundland! A true paradise for photographers, You Will Be Amazed!
So don’t delay register today, click here and you’re on your way!

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Iceland Photography Workshop


Join me in Iceland, with a small group of 8 guests, as we take you on the hunt for the perfect light and amazing landscapes at this most beautiful arctic paradise. Led by Kevin Pepper and Skarpi Práinsson, explore the surreal landscapes, seascapes, fjords, waterfalls, mountains, lakes, rivers, northern lights, and stars that are the beauty of Iceland. Over 9 days and 8 nights we’ll cover a tremendous amount of this country—expect to be amongst a group of like-minded photographers who will work hard to learn new techniques and get amazing imagery. You’ll be up early and up late, shooting sunrise, sunset, and northern lights. This workshop is all-inclusive and will feature plenty of instruction in the field and in the digital darkroom.
From your home, fly to Reykjavik, Iceland to arrive on or before March 14, 2018. Our workshop begins the morning of March 15, 2018, when we’ll board our private winter-equipped Mercedes Sprinter and head out immediately. For the next 8 nights, we’ll guide you around Iceland to the best shooting venues, each beautiful in their own unique way. Accommodations will be double occupancy with en-suite facilities (single rooming is available). We arrive back in Reykjavik late in the day on March 23, 2018 and you can schedule flights home or elsewhere anytime on March 24, 2018.

Dates: March 14, 2018 to March 24, 2018
Instructor: Kevin Pepper and Skarpi Práinsson
This itinerary is flexible—we may adjust it based on weather and light conditions or other factors.  
March 14, 2018: Fly from your home to arrive in Reykjavik (KEF) anytime this day. You’ll likely relax today, but there’s also plenty to do in Iceland’s capital city, and we will provide plenty of information to you. Group dinner this evening, with introductions and a run-through of the itinerary and what you can expect.
March 15–17, 2018: After breakfast and checkout, we will board our private, winter-ready Mercedes Sprinter and begin our journey. We’ll head out to Iceland´s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, where dormant volcanoes and glaciers reside side by side on this narrow westward peninsula, full of coastline and mountains. Here at Snæfellsnes are some of Iceland’s oldest volcanoes, inactive for thousands of years, but their vast lava flows are still visible in the landscape. The dramatic backdrop of a beautiful mountain range keeps us perfectly positioned between them and the sea, where the coastline varies between cliffs, beaches, marsh, and farmland. Volcanic craters and Snaefellsjökull glacier are some of our highlights on this day, and we stop at the small fishing village Grundafjörður for lunch. We photograph the famous Kirkjufell (Church mountain), a series of volcanic cliffs and rock islets constantly being crashed by waves.
March 17–18, 2018: We will leave Snæfellsnes, and make our way to to Gauksmýri. Along the way, we can expect to see and photograph some of Iceland’s most beautiful landscapes. In and around Gauksmýri, our photo ops will include friendly Icelandic Horses, and the great mountains Baula and Skessuhorn—but the main feature of this area is Hvítserkur, the great sea stack off the northwest coast of Iceland. We will photograph Hvítserkur Rock at sunset and sunrise, and, if lucky, with the Northern Lights!
March 18–22, 2018: After sunrise, breakfast and checkout, we will travel clockwise around Iceland, passing through beautiful countryside, seaside and more. We can stop at Húsavík, a lovely small port-town in the North of Iceland. Our destination will be Mývatn, in Iceland’s North. We will base for four nights in Mývatn, so we are well-positioned to see and photograph some of Iceland’s best winter landscapes. Our photography menu here includes: Dimmuborgir, the lake area near Kálfaströnd; Hverir and Hverfjall; waterfalls Godafoss, Aldeyjarfoss, Geitafoss, Dettifoss, and Selfoss; Husavik harbor, sea stack Bakkastakkur, geothermal areas Viti (Hell), and Leirhnjúkur. We will have no shortage of things to choose from, sunrise, daytime, sunset, and with luck, Northern Lights at night!
March 22–23, 2018: We return to Gauksmýri, and again photograph the wonders of this area, but for sure another chance (or two!) at Hvítserkur Rock.
March 23, 2018: After photographing sunrise, we have breakfast and checkout. We'll make our way back to Reykjavik, arriving sometime in the late afternoon. We will have our last dinner together this evening. Workshop concludes.
March 24, 2018: Flights home anytime this day from Reykjavik (KEF).

What’s Included

  • Double occupancy lodging (Single available, just ask)
  • All transportation during the workshop in Iceland
  • All meals during the workshop
  • Photographic guiding and instruction from two pros
  • Image reviews, post-processing instruction
  • Inspiration, fun and a great time!

What’s Not Included?

Airfare from your home to and from Iceland. Travel and trip insurance (recommended). Alcoholic beverages. Tips for our guides. Anything else not specifically listed above in the “what's included” section.
Contact me by clicking on this link and i will give you more details. http://www.kevinpepperphotography.com/2018-iceland-workshop-in-march

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Northern Lights Photography Workshops


Northern Lights Photography Workshops


On my photography workshops in Yellowknife and the Yukon over the last six years I have always added a component of northern lights photography when we are in a location to photograph them. 

Below is a list of photography workshops that have a component of Aurora Photography. Some focus on the aurora, some have a smaller component.

The most jaw dropping and memorable thing you will ever photograph in nature is the aurora. The ribbons of green, magenta, and sometimes white and red curl in the skies above in such an ethereal manner that it will leave you speechless… but will fill your memory cards with images that you will be proud to share with friends and family at home.

I hope that one of these photography workshops appeals to you and you decide to join me on your next photography vacation. 

Why You should travel with Kevin Pepper Photography

I have been running these workshops for many years. I know where we need to be, and at what time of day we need to be there to maximize the light and get you the shots that you expect from these locations.

I am also a registered guide in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. My trips itineraries are sent in for proper Government approvals prior to our trip, and i will make sure we have secured all necessary permits and commercial photography rights needed so that you can have peace of mind that you can legally take the photos you take, and you have full rights to do whatever it is you want with the photos you take once you get home. :-) 

I also will make sure you are prepared with the right equipment before you leave home. My pre workshop briefings will ensure that you have packed the right clothes, you've got the gear you need and you know where we are going to be photographing during each day of your photography vacation with me. 

All the logistics will be handled, all you have to do is show up, shoot and have fun on vacation. 

What are people saying about my workshops?

"He knows where to take us to get the most from the location."
I have travelled twice with Kevin now and have another trip lined up for next year.  Kevin's depth of knowledge about the locations he travels to and his professional approach means that whatever the weather delivers, he knows where to take us to get the most from the location and ensure that everyone on the trip comes away with shots they are happy with.  On top of that I consider Kevin to be a friend, and what is better than travelling to amazing locations with friends?" -Clare T, - Yukon 2016 and Newfoundland 2017

“A Big Thank You.”
Big THANK YOU to Kevin Pepper, for all his guidance, planning, driving us all over, digging me out of a snow bank and for everything else he managed to do while we were in his care in the Yukon! No one knows the Yukon and where best to go for great photography than Kevin. - Chris G, 2017

“Best Trip Ever!”
Kevin, this was the best trip ever, I had a blast!!! You are awesome at your job!!!! Wish I had your job. Seriously Kevin, the trip last month was more than I could have wished for. You were so accommodating with the itinerary all based on weather! Saw tons of wildlife and had a amazing time with all of you! New friends and a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you so much! - Anita K, 2017

“New Friendships Created.”
We registered without knowing anything about Kevin, but the trip sounded so wonderful. Now we are glad we did. Lots of shooting time, some good quality one on one editing time and new friendships created. - Allison B, 2016

“Thank You so much for all you do!”

Lots of great memories of a beautiful place, wonderful new friends made, and cards full of images. Plenty of variety: grand landscapes, auroras, and of course the dogs and horses and wildlife! Shooting the pro mushers with their teams was one of the coolest things I’ve ever shot :). Once again, Marc & Andy & Kevin went above and beyond to make sure everyone had a great experience. You guys have hearts of gold. Thank you so much for all you do. - Chellie H, 2016