An amazing and diverse photographic experience in a magical winter wonderland setting, is the summation of the photographic workshop, enjoyed by all participants. From the city of Tromso to Mefjord Brigge and on to Lappaugen, then down to the Lofoten Islands with time at Svolvaer, Henningsvaer, Mortsund and Sakrisoy, and all the places in-between, it was a constant eye-popping journey of landscape and coastal delights. It snowed often, only adding to the experience and the absolute beauty of the Aurora borealis at night was the icing on the cake. This is one incredible journey and is highly recommended to any photographer who wants to experience something completely different. Ewen and myself will be running another Norway & Arctic circle workshop in February of 2018. Register your interest now… places are filling already! A big thank-you to all the participants, my buddy Ewen and especially also to Shellie, our food expert extraordinaire, who all made this trip so awesome.

I entered 8 images in this years AIPP Victorian Professional Photography Awards. Four in the Travel section and four in the Landscape section. I was extremely delighted to receive a total of seven Silver awards with two of them getting a silver distinction. I was also the 2016 Finalist for the Travel category.

My sincere thanks once again to Landon and Stuart at SMLXL Print Bureau in Prahran for the wonderful printing job on my images… You guys are the best!

The winter wonderland that is Iceland when it wants to be… is a place of superlatives. Now winter can be almost lethal for landscape photographers in a place like Iceland, but if you pick the exact dates and time it right…which is towards the end of the winter season but cold enough for good snow, then it really is magical. Ewen and Bell and myself have now run two very successful workshops here and we have been lucky enough to request and obtain the services of a wonderful guide and all round great guy. Dui Landmark is a professional video photographer and producer in his own right, but he also loves to guide specialized groups too. The first photo attached below is Dui running off the beach during wild weather, camera in hand. The light stayed with us most days and we had snowfalls at night and a couple of storms thrown in for interest. Jokulsarlon beach had icebergs but smaller than we have had in the past. the lagoon had less ice too which was simply wonderful for the star-trails and the Borealis. A highlight for this workshop was the chance to take our group up to an ice-cave is an isolated place on the edge of the Vatnajokull Glacier. The group photo is at the end of this post. Ewen and I plan to visit Iceland again soon for the winter wonderland of the Icelandic scenery.

Ewen and myself have started to get enquiries and bookings for the Nepal Workshop Adventure. We are offering a special photographic journey around the Katmandu Valley and high up into the Annapurnas. No Trekking: The whole workshop is designed around maximum time for photography and experiencing the culture and stunning scenery!

Email for more information:   ewen@ewenbell.com      ianrolfephotography@icloud.com

Download your own copy of the PDF here: Nepal-Photo-Tour-2016

I have this total fascination with water! Whether it be crashing waves, snow, iced over waterfalls, windswept beaches…whatever, it’s all part of my absolute passion to capture light and the subject with my camera. I don’t need to ever do selfies! All these images and heaps of others I have in my collection, are by my friends and the various participants in my workshops! I feel so lucky to see and experience the world and what nature offers me, without putting myself into too much danger…although some of these photographs would suggest otherwise!

Join me on these continuing journey’s of adventure… Ewen Bell and myself are running workshops throughout the coming months and right through into 2016 and 2017 and beyond. As of this post… we still have 2 spots left on our Iceland Winter sojourn in February due to a cancellation.

Ewen Bell and Myself have just designed a magnificent Antarctica Expedition, which is especially designed for photographers. This trip will run from October 30th through to November 20th 2016 in the newly refitted Hebredian Sky. Freshly returning to service after a major re-fit, the Hebredian Sky features state of the art stabilisation, new communications facilities and redecorated suites. Internet access is available throughout the ship via WiFi and you will have excellent meals for the journey with a dedicated team of professionals in the galley. There’s even an outdoor jacuzzi and space to take a walk around the decks while at sea. The ship carries no more than 100 passengers, which means you are guaranteed access to every single zodiac outing. The team of experts and expedition crew is superb, making this a journey of discovery as well as photography. This expedition cruise is ideal for photography, with multiple zodiac trips every day when not sailing between shores. Sometimes this means you’re cruising through ice bergs, sometimes chasing whales, and usually it means getting o the water and stepping on shore with the penguins. The heaviest gear required for staying warm and dry during this trip is provided on board. You must ensure you pack warm layers and waterproof pants, but even an Antarctic grade weather jacket is supplied.

Travel is from Argentina down to the Falkland Islands, on to South Georgia and then cruising in the Antarctic Peninsular.  Download the PDF  and read for yourself just how wonderful this expedition will be for any adventurous photographer!

This workshop is  now listed in the drop-down menu on this blog under workshops…

Alternatively…simply click here to just read or download your own copy of the brochure:     Antarctica2016

LINK:  https://ianrolfephotography.net/2015/11/08/announcing-the-antarctica-expedition-especially-designed-for-photographers-october-november-2016/

I was contacted a couple of months ago to supply some images of wild places in Tasmania for an upcoming article in the French Geo magazine. The picture editor decided on using one of the images supplied to them of the wonderful Cape Wickham location on King Island. At least this magazine pays extremely well, which is more than can be said of some magazines. It’s nice to have your work valued and I find that real appreciation from those using your photography in commercial sales, is in what they are willing to pay for your image to be used. All too often editors ask for favours and freebies.

What a fantastic three and a half week adventure I had with a small group of participants on my workshop as we worked our way up through the coastline of California, Oregon and Washington states in the USA. The weather was so kind to us and every day we fully expected it to change, but it didn’t. The Autumn colours glowed, the redwood forests were cool and wonderful and the coastline scenery was simply stunning. Among the places and locations we visited were, Bixby Bridge, Cabrillo highway Scenic Byway, Golden gate, Marin County, Hopland, Ukiah, Humbolt Redwoods reserve, La-Purisima Spanish Mission, Leggett scenic reserve, McWay Falls, Monterey, Montgomery State reserve, Morro Bay, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Piedras Blancas Marine Park, Point Lobos state park, Santa Barbara, Seal rock reserve, Multnomah falls, Mount Hood, Gold Beach, Mary D shipwreck, Lattourell falls, Jedediah  Redwood State forest, Heceta Head Lighthouse, Hartman Pond, Harris Beach State Park, Smith river Elk crossing, Ecola State coastal park, Del Norte Coastal reserve, Crater Lake National Park, Columbia gorge state park, Cape Kiwanda, Cannon Beach, Benson Lake, Battle Rock, Port Orford, Bandon coastal reserve, Crescent Lake, Elwha valley, Enumclaw, Green Canyon, Green-water, Hurricane Ridge, Mt Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, Quinault Lake, Seattle city, Silver Lake, South Prairie creek, Upper Hoh Road and Scenic byway, Portland and various other locations for Autumn and coastal shoots.

The images presented here below, are just a very small selection of the photographs I have had time to finish since I returned home. It was a really beautiful trip and all participants were so wonderful and supportive. My sincere thanks to all of them for being such a great bunch!

As professional photographers, we are allowed to enter four images in the annual AIPP APPA awards held every October. We can choose to enter into one or more categories and I chose to enter my four selected images into the Landscape section. I was thrilled to receive a Silver distinction for two of my prints which I have attached here below and the other two prints scored high enough to be of professional standard.

Just returned from an absolutely wonderful photographic workshop that I conducted alongside my good friend Ewen Bell, in the springtime of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. We had with us a lovely bunch of folk who just loved the guidance and tuition, the dawn flights, the starry skies and Milky way at night, the wildflowers, the colours of dawn and dusk, the historic shearing sheds, the magnificent scenery, the sand-dunes, the river-beds, the gums, the rare yellow-footed wallabies, the stunning food, the comfortable lodgings and each other! As Ewen has so eloquently put it “Hard to believe that all these images were taken over the space of four days. I’ve been shooting the Flinders Ranges for many years, and some of the locals have been at me to run a photo tour here all that time. So finally I did. With the help of Ian Rolfe we gathered a group of eager photographers and put together one of the best photography workshops ever. Nothing fancy, just stunning sunsets, sunrises and magnificent scenery. Big thanks to the folks in Parachilna for making this trip so wonderful”. To see some of Ewen’s beautiful imagery and observations, just follow this link: http://photographyfortravellers.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4de2ad4c9802553aa23e939d3&id=d36670c4ef&e=490262018d

A huge thank-you to our lovely hosts Ross and Jane Fargher at the Prairie Hotel in Parachilna. A taste of the Outback and an unforgettabel experience.  The feedback and testimonials of our lovely group only reinforces our view that this is a unique and wonderful opportunity for all photographers. Ewen and myself are running another Flinders Ranges workshop in September 2017 and three people have already booked! email Ewen or myself to register your interest. PDF available soon to download. Here are some of the observations and comments by those who have just returned with us from the remarkable workshop.

“What a fantastic week I had with Ian and Ewen observing and learning from such great photographers. When you become so relaxed with these notable and reputable guys and they feel like your friends, it means that they are doing a superb job. Their knowledge, enthusiasm and energy is infectious and if you don’t come away a better photographer after spending time with them you never will. I can still hear Ian’s whoooooooo… echoing from the other side of a gully or hill when the light and views come together and can’t help but smile. Ewen’s grabbing me on a creek bed for a unique one on one session to share his special photography recipe will stay with me forever. These guys have a wealth of talent and their love of the craft and super organization of their workshops will leave you inspired to want more of what they have to offer. My bucket lists have just grown…..thank you so much for the experience and will be back for more!” Thanks again Ian and we’ll catch up soon I’m sure! Kindest regards,  Bruce 

Hi Ian,  I would like to thank you for organizing such a great trip to the Flinders Ranges last week. It was well up to the high standard of the other trips I was lucky to be on. You must have spent a lot of time organizing the top accommodation, which was really a surprise at Parachilna, absolutely miles from anywhere. The early morning starts gave us some superb photos including the flight over Wilpena Pound which was pure magic. The trips to the Sheep station and the Cattle station must have taken time to organize and would not be available to other tourists. The breakfast out in the Gorge and the super Dinner at the Wool Shed were fantastic. I am certainly going to have a great time processing my photos and the proudly showing them off to my friends. Without your expert help in composition, exposure etc. they would not be as good. I will also be telling my friends at the Photographic club to check your Website and go on your future tours. Regards,  Geoff 

Hi Ian, just a short note of thanks to both you and Ewen, having just done your photography master class in the Flinders Ranges again I found this workshop to be what I have come to expect from you the level of tuition given, the sites chosen for photography, the accommodation and food supplied were superb. Both you and Ewen should be proud of the outcome the time and effort you both must have put into this workshop to me showed your dedication in providing a quality product at a realistic price I have no hesitation in recommending your workshops to other novices and club members and I look forward to my future workshops with you   Kindest regards,  Graeme 

Congratulations: Ian and Ewen, on a very successful workshop of the Flinders Ranges. I learned a lot from both of you and know I will be busy over the next few days recalling what I have learnt and trying to put it into practice. I have developed a repertoire of new approaches and reinforcement of some I knew but had almost forgotten. The Photography – Locations – Both places were superb; I’ll never forget flying over Wilpena Pound, wandering along that path that lead to the homestead, being astounded by the green and red colours of the southern ranges. The northern ranges were just what I expected re white tree trunks, red gorges and distant mountains. BUT seeing them bathed in the dawn and dusk light was something altogether beyond what I imagined. At home I am reluctant to go wandering by myself at these times of day so to be shooting at these magical times (with lots of advice and encouragement) made it even more special, if that is possible. The Accommodation:  Wilpena Pound: Good to have almost two bedrooms of a sort, worked very well for us and it was good that I could go out by myself given I couldn’t keep up with the group and I just loved being situated right in the middle of the national park. The dawn flight was superb and I admit to not taking as many photos as I should have, but sometimes I love seeing things without a view-finder in front of me. Heresy to some but that’s my choice and it was respected. Parachilna: What a treasure….LOVED everything about it; our hotel, our hosts, the food, the picnic breakfast at sunrise after chasing yellow footed rock wallabies, the gorges, the trees, EVERYTHING. I had the most wonderful time and I haven’t stopped raving since I came home. Thank you so very much for creating such a superb experience. Cheers, Diane