Day 2: After a hearty breakfast we are off to the first destination of our Patagonia photo tour, Chile’s mind blowing Torres del Paine National Park, a world of mountains, glaciers and turquoise lakes, as rough, rugged and dramatic as they come! When you enter Torres del Paine you are immersed in wilderness – weather that changes from rain to snow to sublime light within a matter of minutes, still, calm turquoise lakes suddenly transforming into roaring seas, towering  granite massifs dipping in and out of churning clouds, as condors sweep above, seemingly free from it all.

We check in to our luxurious, beautifully located hotel with stunning views of the Cuernos del Paine and Cerro Paine Grande. Once we have settled in and had some rest, we depart to our first sunset location, determined to capture images which convey the character of this exceptional world. After our sunset shoot, and your first taste of the beauty of Torres del Paine, we return to the comfort of our hotel for a well deserved dinner and rest in preparation for the next few days of adventure and photography here.

Days 3 – 6: We spend the next 4 days taking full advantage of the magnificent photography opportunities that Torres del Paine National Park has to offer. I have photographed this area over several years, and I will take you the right locations at the right time, in weather conditions which promise the best light and atmosphere.

We have a choice of several lakes and shorelines, waterfalls, rivers, lenga forests and grass plains from which we can capture the awe inspiring mountain formations and cloud formations of this area.

For example, we will capture the majestic Cuernos del Paine and Cerro Paine Grande, reflecting in still lakes, or set against the wild waters of turquoise lago Pehoe, as they are illuminated in glorious light, or emerge mysteriously from clearing clouds. We will take a boat ride on Lago Grey to visit Glacier Grey and marvel up close at it’s beautiful blue ice, set against an awe inspiring mountain landscape. There will also be opportunities for us to capture laguna Amarga, laguna Sarmiento and of course the breathtaking granite towers, the Torres del Paine, after which this amazing natural park is named!

There are many different compositional opportunities, ranging from wide angle images of lakes, shore lines and waterfalls to telephoto abstracts of the light and clouds interacting with the granite spires, and we will be sure to take advantage of them! Weather permitting we will also capture this magnificent scenery against the starry sky!

Patagonia is not only landscape, there is wonderful wildlife to admire and photograph, such as wild guanacos (similar to llamas), flamingos, the rhea (an ostrich like bird), Patagonian foxes, beautiful geese, and the Andean condor, with an incredible wingspan of 3.3 m, soaring above it all!  A highlight of our stay in Torres del Paine will be a full day of puma tracking with professional, highly experienced trackers to find the magnificent puma and to capture it in its majestic environment!

Day 7: Our last morning in Torres del Paine, and after our photography session and, of course, breakfast, we have to say good bye all too soon. But there is so much more for us to see, and it is time to get to know Argentina! Our private bus picks us up outside our hotel and we are on our way to El Calafate, Argentina.  Upon arrival we check in to our comfortable, luxurious hotel and after a delicious Argentinian dinner it is time to rest in preparation for a very exciting day ahead!

Day 8: After an early breakfast we are off to the awe inspiring Perito Moreno glacier, one of the few glaciers in the world that is not receding. The world class viewing platforms are spectacularly located right in front of the glacier’s face, a towering wall of ice. This will be one of many highlights of our Patagonia photography tour!

Watch in awe as giant blocks of ice calve off and thunder into the waters of Lago Argentino, a testament to the unstoppable push of the gigantic Patagonian ice field which is at the heart of, and defines, the entire region. Wander into the nearby forests and frame beautiful lenga and nire trees in peak autumn colors against the magnificent glacier in the background. We will take a boat ride along the face of the Perito Moreno glacier, giving you unique opportunities to capture this magnificent world of ice up close! After an unforgettable outing, we take a private transfer to El Chalten, the trekking capital of Argentina, which will be our home for the next three nights. El Chalten is the home of some of the world’s most spectacular and dramatically shaped mountains, such as the serrated dark wonder, Cerro Torre, and the cathedral shaped Mount Fitz Roy, all of it against a sea of stunning autumn colors! After having settled in to our beautiful hotel , we  look back on an eventful day as we sample the multifaceted, tasty cuisine that El Chalten is known for.

Days 9-10: There is much to explore and we have a choice of several waterfalls, river valleys, wind-twisted lenga forests, in peak autumn colors, deep canyons and lakes, and all of it against the magnificent backdrop of Mount Fitzroy and Cerro Torre! We have no set itinerary, but rather we will visit those locations which, given the time of day and weather conditions, promise to be graced by the best light and atmosphere.

Day 11: Our adventure in this wild and beautiful part of the world unfortunately has to come to end.  After our last morning photography session, those of us who do not join us on our optional hiking extensions return to El Calafate, the town where it all began. In the evening we enjoy a last farewell dinner together in the company of newly found friends, and we look back at our adventure which is over much to soon. (Those participants who go on the hiking and camping extension, do not return to El Calafate and in fact depart around noon for their first hike to Mount Cerro Torre!)

Day 12: We meet for our last breakfast and unfortunately the time has come to bid farewell to our newly found friends. You will be brought to the airport in order to catch your flight back home, or perhaps to another travel destination! All good things have to come to an end!

Hiking Extensions – April 10 – April 12 and April 12 – 16: I am excited to offer two optional hiking extensions, one to the base of Mount Cerro Torre, one of the world’s most spectacularly shaped mountains, and the other to the base of breathtaking Mount Fitz Roy as well as nearby lakes and several stunning waterfalls.  We will stay in fully catered campsites on private campgrounds, far from the crowded public campgrounds. Please feel free to find out more about the extension at this link.

My goal is for you to complete our Patagonia photography tour with a portfolio of great images which portray the beauty and unique nature of this incredible part of the world. I will take you to all the locations I have identified as the most promising for rewarding photography and we will visit these only when the quality of light is most conducive for compelling images. Our small group size means that, as you photograph I will be able to give you dedicated in the field instruction on all aspects of photography, ranging from the technical to the creative.  Although we will be spending as much time as possible photographing, it is important to balance this with presentations, review sessions, and processing sessions so that, as our tour progresses, you have the opportunity to appraise the photographic progress you are making, and identify those areas which need more work. I will be putting much emphasis on the creative aspects of photography such as composition and developing a vision. Another area we will be focusing on is processing and developing a workflow, which forms a very important part of photography.

Topics to be covered:

Getting the technicals right to capture the full beauty of light interacting with the landscape:

1. Exposure and exposure bracketing
2. Focus, depth of field and sharpness
3. Use of filters, especially the polarizer

Previsualisation and composition

Developing an artistic vision

The digital darkroom: Highly effective postprocessing skills

Our Patagonia photography tour offers you all of this and more while you have the opportunity to photograph in this vast and majestic wilderness of towering mountains, giant glaciers, turquoise colored lakes and endless lenga forests in peak autumn colors!

Your unforgettable adventure in this awe inspiring mountain wilderness includes:

• Accommodation in premium hotels strategically located for the best photography opportunities:

Torres del Paine, Chile: Rio Serrano Hotel and Spa

El Calafate, Argentina: Hotel Posada Los Alamos

El Chalten, Argentina: Chalten Suites

• Boat tour to beautifully situated Glacier Grey in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, and along the world famous Perito Moreno glacier, in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park.
• Puma tracking in Torres del Paine, Chile.
• Hands on, dedicated, one on one photography instruction with excellent client to instructor ratios. I don’t wait for you to come ask me questions, instead I continuously engage with you, to make sure you achieve the best possible photographs.
• Program of review sessions, lectures and processing sessions so that you have the opportunity to appraise the photographic progress you are making, and identify those areas which need more work.
• Highly qualified and fully licensed Chilean and Argentinian nature guides to accompany us and keep us safe throughout our tour.
• Entrance fees and photography permits.
• All transport, in spacious, comfortable vans and buses, with plenty of room and window seats for everyone. Airport transfers included.
• An optional six day hiking and catered camping extension, which allows you to capture the most magnificent views of Mount Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park. Includes private, catered camp sites, all set up for you,  all camping gear and all meals.

What is not included:

• Flights to and from El Calafate, Argentina.
• Lunch, dinner and beverages.
• Optional excursions.

• I am writing to express to you my sincere gratitude for your excellent leadership in organizing and executing the Patagonia trip. I was very impressed by your professionalism and by your attention to the most minute details to make the trip a total success . In looking back I must say that on many occasions you did above and beyond what a leader of an adult group had to do….As you know, not being a youngster, I had some doubts about the hiking portion of the trip but with your encouragement and explanation it worked out beyond my expectations and I consider this trip to be one of the highlights of my travel experience. Samuel Lewinshtein 

• Whilst now it has been, surprisingly, more than 2 months since accompanying you on the April 2019 “Patagonia – Wilderness Untamed” workshop, whilst life goes on I find I am constantly drawn to daydreaming about the wonderful tour you hosted and the incredible vistas we captured.I wanted to record my thanks for your obvious passion and dedication to ensuring the tour went as smoothly as it did. From the day-to-day itinerary right down to the workshop sessions during the quieter points I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect where there was almost nothing for me to have to worry about (other then remember to bring my beanie or which best-lens to pack that day – just bring them all!). The accommodation was first-class which also surprised me as this was deepest, darkest Patagonia and I was “delighted” to find I actually put on weight on a tour of this sort, no doubt “un-assisted” mainly from my bad habit in savouring from the variety of local craft beers that were on offer each day.This was my first-ever photography trip. It certainly whetted my appetite for more and I very much hope to join you again in coming times to visit some of the other exotic locations you have on offer. Phil Cuthbert 

• Christoph, I want to thank you, more than you can imagine, for leading us on this remarkable Patagonia workshop. It was a flawless experience heightened by your enthusiasm, your dedication to our improving our photographic skills, and your taking us to breathtaking locations that superseded any expectation I could possibly have imagined.Thank you for organizing and leading this wonderful Patagonia adventure. Your talent and enthusiasm are both inspiring and infectious. Jeffrey Bleaman

• Christoph, how can I ever thank you for this trip of a lifetime? Patagonia has been a dream of mine for over ten years, and your photo tour brought that dream to life in extraordinary ways. The magic of this seventeen day excursion lies not only in the awesome vistas, but in your familiarity with the many possible photo-ops. Your preparation and professionalism made the logistics of travel seamless and enjoyable, while your good nature and guidance got us to the right places at the right times to capture the best light on the landscape. I am so thankful that I took the camping extension which not only brought me deep into the mountains, but also gave me added opportunity to hone the skills and techniques that you had taught us. I learned a tremendous amount, honed my photographic skills, and captured many awe-inspiring images–more so than in all five of my previous photo workshops combined. Mark Howenstein

• The 11 days I spent with you and the group was a once in a lifetime memorable experience which included great photography, challenging adventure, breathtaking landscape and most importantly the camaraderie with you and the group. This is coming from someone who has extensively travelled the globe.I was the oldest person in the group and all of you went out of your way to physically assist me, for which I will be eternally grateful. Your guidance in the photography aspect was invaluable and I could capture some spectacular images which have been greatly admired by my friends.Thank you my dear friend.  Ashfaque Azad 

• Traveling through Patagonia with Christoph, our tireless and enthusiastic guide, was an experience to remember for a lifetime. We were guided to stunning vistas of jagged peaks reflected in pristine mountain lakes, at times with the Alpenglow setting “fire” to the scene. From both boats and walkways we enjoyed Perito Moreno, a huge active glacier, and experienced the calving of spectacular blue icebergs.  Wildlife and birds were plentiful. And as if all this scenery and wildlife was not enough, the days ended with good food in some interesting restaurant settings fulfilling the cultural experience. I highly recommend the camping add-on for a great hike through fall colours to Cerro Torres – simply amazing! Mike Perkins 

• This workshop was AWESOME and a great experience. The photographic opportunities were unbelievable and I was thrilled to have participated. Everything was well organized from logistics, accommodations and food. Christoph is a very passionate photographer, who can spot opportunities in the most adverse of conditions. Simon Dadouche 

• This was my first photography workshop, and I was very happy with the experience. We were usually the first crew out the door every morning, and the first to set up in some of the best spots in Patagonia. It was challenging at times with the weather conditions, but I learned lots, had a great time, and got some fantastic shots. Thanks, Christoph! Gary German

Thank you so much for your interest in our Patagonia photography tour! To register, or for more information, please contact me at this link or send me an E-mail at [email protected]

• In order to reserve your spot, a 2000 US Dollars deposit is kindly requested. Full payment of the remaining balance is due by 120 days before tour begin.
• Cancellation more than 180 days before tour begin: Full refund.
• Cancellation less than 180 but more than 120 days before tour begin: No deposit refund, unless someone  fills your spot.
• Cancellation less than 120 days before tour begin: No refund of deposit and final payment, unless someone fills your spot.