Millions of years ago, this rough and semi arid ecosystem witnessed a drastic change with the sudden extinction of the dinosaurs. Paleontological digs are very common in Patagonia. They tell the story of earth’s ancient inhabitants, where giant dinosaurs roamed the land of what we now call the American continent. A testament of this can be found at the museum of Carmen Funes, in the province of Neuquén where,  the largest specimen of the dinosaur ever recorded (the Argentinosaurus), is on display.

People from all over the world travel to Patagonia due to its beauty and unique topography. This is in part due to its magnificent peaks which create the longest continental mountain range best known as the Andes. The mountains extend for over 4,300 miles and journey from the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego all the way into western Venezuela.

Patagonia’s weather is defined by the Andes elevation. It functions as a barrier to the wet Westerlies winds that blow relentlessly from the South Pacific ocean. Tales about the ferocity of the Patagonian winds abound and are not to be taken lightly. Its wind gusts has been known to bend car doors as well as light posts.
The Andes mountains also delimit the border between the countries of Argentina and Chile, which share the Patagonia region, as well as some of very photogenic and unique national parks.

Perito Moreno Glacier:

The Perito Moreno glacier is by far one of the most exciting destinations in Patagonia.

Loved by all Patagonia photography enthusiast, the glacier is located near El Calafate, in the Argentinean province of Santa Cruz.
Contrary to many glaciers around the world, the scientific community has recorded the expansion of the Perito Moreno glacier in recent decades, despite global warming.

Ice breakups are a spectacle not to be missed and they usually occur during the summer months.

Glacier’s observation deck is close to the waters of Lago Argentino. This scenic spot faces the lake and allows for a direct view of the ice giant just steps from land.
The glacier can also be accessed by foot and water.

Many reputable companies organize boat expeditions around Lago Argentino. This is a perfect way of exploring the area for photographers.  The park has many precious spots that can only be reached by water.

Whilst both the deck and water excursions are well worth the journey to this location alone, the activity that in my opinion tops everything else, has to be the trek on top of the ice mass. It’s not everyday you have the chance to walk into a glacier!
The surface and some of its ice formation can be reached on ice walking treks which provide for fantastic photos. This is an absolute incredible adventure.

Tip: Leave the tripod at the hotel, It might be difficult to carry a lot of equipment on the icy adventure.

Patagonia Photography Tip:

Clothing is important! bring shoes and clothing appropriate for ice walking. During summer, the abundance of water due to the higher temperatures might create very slippery paths.

I hope you’re planning a trip to South America. We organize a Patagonia photo tour which not only visits the Perito Moreno glacier but the other Patagonia locations perfect for more Patagonia photography.

Please consider joining us in our upcoming photo tour. We are local to South American and to Patagonia. All our staff is bilingual and are very passionate about their own photography. If you are planning a photography trip to South America, contact us.

Millions of years ago, this rough and semi arid ecosystem witnessed a drastic change with the sudden extinction of the dinosaurs. Paleontological digs are very common in Patagonia. They tell the story of earth’s ancient inhabitants, where giant dinosaurs roamed the land of what we now call the American continent. A testament of this can be found at the museum of Carmen Funes, in the province of Neuquén where,  the largest specimen of the dinosaur ever recorded (the Argentinosaurus), is on display.

People from all over the world travel to Patagonia due to its beauty and unique topography. This is in part due to its magnificent peaks which create the longest continental mountain range best known as the Andes. The mountains extend for over 4,300 miles and journey from the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego all the way into western Venezuela.

Patagonia’s weather is very much defined by the Andes elevation, which functions as a barrier to the wet Westerlies winds that blow relentlessly from the South Pacific ocean. Tales about the ferocity of the Patagonian winds abound and are not to be taken lightly. Its wind gusts has been known to bend car doors as well as light posts.
The Andes mountains also delimit the border between the countries of Argentina and Chile, which share the Patagonia region, as well as some of very photogenic and unique national parks.

Perito Moreno Glacier:

The Perito Moreno glacier is by far one of the most exciting destinations in Patagonia. It’s located very close to the city of El Calafate in the Argentinean province of Santa Cruz. Contrary to many glaciers around the world, the scientific community has recorded the expansion of the Perito Moreno glacier in recent decades, despite global warming.
Ice breakups are a spectacle not to be missed and they usually occur during the summer months.

The glacier has an observation deck close to the waters of Lago Argentino. This scenic spot faces the lake and allows for a direct view of the ice giant just steps from land.
The glacier can also be accessed by foot and water. There are many reputable companies that organize boat expeditions around Lago Argentino. This is a perfect activity for a photography tour, since the park has many precious spots that can only be accessed by water.

Whilst both the deck and water excursions are well worth the journey to this location alone, the activity that in my opinion tops everything else, has to be the trek on top of the ice mass. It’s not everyday you have the chance to walk into a glacier!
The surface and some of its ice formation can be reached on ice walking treks which provide for fantastic photos. This is an absolute incredible adventure.
Tip: Leave the tripod at the hotel, It might be difficult to carry a lot of equipment on the icy adventure.

Patagonia Photo Tour Tip:

Clothing is important! bring shoes and clothing appropriate for ice walking. During summer, the abundance of water due to the higher temperatures might create very slippery paths.

I hope you’re planning a trip to South America. We organize Photography tours Patagonia which not only visits the Perito Moreno glacier but the Torres del Paine and Monte Leon national Parks.

Please consider joining us in our upcoming photo tour. We are local to South American and to Patagonia. All our staff is bilingual and are very passionate about their own photography. If you are planning a photography trip to South America, contact us.

It’s no secret that models and light need direction and sculpting. Both require knowledge thus is important you assume the director role while on location. A great travel photography portraits can sometimes be a more effective connection with the audience, than a landscape or candid photo.

Here’s the original post reproduced here:

Guaranteed results with careful planning

Travel photography is often frustrating because you can’t always be in the right place at the right time with the right lighting. What usually happens, though, is you breeze in and out of a village or town relying on serendipity to get good shots.  This is not the way to do it.

I learned a long time ago that it takes forethought and planning to guarantee great pictures of people in other cultures.  Sure, serendipity does happen sometimes where everything comes together as a pleasant surprise.  We all know, however, that this doesn’t happen often.

Therefore, when I travel to a place like Africa, I make a list of the types of images I want to take in tribal environments.  For example, my preconceived idea list when I took a photo tour group to Namibia looked like this:

•  Silhouette of Bushman archer in tall grass
• Bushmen hunting party
• Silhouette of Bushmen against large sun
• Himba family in sunset lighting walking toward the camera
• Himba girls dancing

To get these kinds of shots, I have to wear a director’s hat and set these images up.  I use my local guide to arrange the time of day (usually sunrise or sunset), the location (which I have scouted), and I always select the models to make sure they are the kind of people I want to photograph. The fee is negotiated before the actual shoot, of course.

At the appointed time, through a tribal interpreter, I direct the action.  For example, I’ll tell a mother with children to walk to the camera from a particular place.  I instruct them to forget about the cameras and to pretend we are not there.  Or I will tell a group of Bushmen exactly how to stand, look, crouch, or aim a bow.  In this way, I get perfect pictures for my photo tour group and me.

Here are some 5 ideas to have in mind while you prepare for any travel photography:

Travel Photography Smart Gear Checklist:

1. When on the go, it’s very important to have comfortable access to your equipment. That can be anything from camera bodies, lenses, filters, batteries, etc. Long are gone the days of the classic photographer camera bags!
   There are many new alternatives such as the photography back-packs, messenger bags – and my all time favorite – sling photo bags. I like them best since they force me to pack light. The added advantage is the extra support for changing lenses and filters. Beware, always make absolutely sure you close those zippers tightly.  I had lenses drop and damaged because of unzipped pockets.

1. Camera holsters are amazing helpers for traveling photography excursions. I only recent came accustomed to use them and they have made my traveling photography much more enjoyable. I use the black window camera holster. It allows me to ‘snap’ my camera to the holster, which is attached to my belt. This provides an extra level of independence, without putting pressure on your neck, releasing your neck and extremities from the extra weight. Say goodbye to the regular camera straps !
2. Memory readers and an extra sets of cables are a must for traveling photography. No matter if you’re in a remote location or in the middle of a urban area, proper back-up of your content should be a serious endeavor you devote yourself once you finish with your photography traveling. I pack an extra set of cables and camera readers just in case of failure. A precious moment perhaps cannot be reproduced on a later date (weather, people, conditions, etc) it’s important to always be prepared for safeguarding your photography
3. Are you planning to take your equipment in extreme weather ? Plan to protect it with a rain or dust coat. Sometimes the inclement of the weather can play adversely to your plans. It’s smart to have options and protect your gear investment
4. Batteries and memory cards. I cannot stress this enough. Redundancy is everything. Pack enough batteries and memory to last you for the entire day. Nowadays, both memory and batteries are affordable enough. Make sure you pack enough juice and room to last you for your planned photography traveling and also consider how accessible these are while on location. You don’t want to miss a shot due to a dead battery!

The Quebrada de Humahuaca is part of our photography tour at the northwest part of Argentina and was introduced as a UNESCO world heritage site list back in 2003.

The ravine is defined by an extensive mountainous valley with an asymmetric profile that extends from North to South for over 34 miles. It can be found at the northwest of Argentina at the province of Jujuy.
Its cultural heritage dates back 10,000 years and it’s very significant. It follows the major cultural route, the Camino Inca, for the movement and transaction of goods for all the Andean region.

The valley shows abundant and confirmed evidence of its use as a major trade route over the past 10,000 years.
It features visible traces of prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities, of the Inca Empire (15th to 16th centuries) and of the fight for independence in the 19th and 20th centuries.

La Quebrada de Humahuaca is a highly representative example of the south Andean valleys, due to its exceptional system of communication routes and economic, social and cultural exchanges.
This is the most important physical linkage between the high Andean lands and the extensive temperate plains in south-eastern South America.

La Quebrada de Humahuaca impressive natural environment is kept almost intact, with hundreds of archaeological and architectural sites that bear witness to its long and rich history.

Humahuaca City

Humahuaca is part of the Magical Argentina photography tour coming up in December of 2017.

The city of Humahuaca is the historical capital of Humahuaca’s ravine. There you can still find the very picturesque cobbled streets and iron forged street lamps from colonial times.

Its church, was completed in 1641 and has been declared a national historic monument by the Argentina’s congress. Churche’s clock tower holds the image of San Francisco Solano who every 12 hours comes out to bless its people.

Photography Tour Advantage

Humahuaca is a very photogenic site, surrounded by history and a beautiful landscape for photo tours. Please join us in our upcoming dates for an amazing photographic experience with cultural exchange and immersion. Another advantage of Photo Tours South America

We believe that the discovery has an equal effect with the task at hand, say a photography tour or a new perspective on things.
It provides a fresh new set of eyes for the old problem and a more relaxed approach to the technical aspect related to the craft.

Sure, after traveling so many miles, it would be a shame to lose the perfect shot, that’s true, but it’s more likely that due to the distance and the fresh look on things there will be more than one, but many other ‘perfect’ or idyllic shots to enhance what you’re doing.

The shared experiences is also a valued plus, since you don’t have to translate what you’re saying. Many people have gladly exchanged social media users after a favorable trip, and wanted to keep in touch with others, which in part, have also contributed to the harmony of the journey.

Either locally or in a far away land, the important thing is that you keep inspired and productive. A photographic tour is an excellent strategy to comply with both, while at the same time, meeting fellow photographers and establishing links around your 50 mile local radius.

We hope you can join us at any of our Photo Tour South America