Tom and Cree just returned from Botswana and are sharing the highlights with you. We were very excited to have had terrific opportunities to photograph hippos on the Chobe and lions at the Okavango Delta. The early rains this year gave us the chance to photograph animals splashing and leaping though water for the first time in Botswana.
To see photos of the Botswana Photo Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Tom and I have been out photographing aurora in Arctic Alaska for the last week. This week we are photographing a few local events in Alaska and then hope to make it to the Kenai Penninsula before Christmas. On Christmas Day we fly to the tip of South America to start our 21 day Antarctica & South Georgia Photo Tour
FREE EVENT: Join us for our free Bol Holiday Gift Guide: October 10 at 6 pm Denver time. For this annual event we share our top gift ideas for photographers. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.
Tom and Cree just returned from the Greece Photo Tour with Strabo Photo Tours and are sharing the highlights with you. We were very excited to have had two portrait shoots while on the tour. We also really enjoyed the authenticity and hospitality of the people in this more remote part of Greece.
To see photos of the Strabo Greece Photo Tour, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Tom and I will be heading to Botswana for our annual Africa Workshop. If we are lucky we will photograph Mr. Special – our favorite resident male cheetah at Splash Camp. For the month of December we will be enjoying a break in Alaska while we photograph aurora and spend some time in our favorite spot for Eagle Photography – Haines, Alaska.
Tom and Cree just finished their Oaxaca Mexico Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to Oaxaca de Juarez in the mountains of Mexico to photograph the colorful people, places and food of the area. They loved the photo opportunities there so much that they decided to return for another workshop in Oaxaca in January 2025. We hope you will consider joining us.
To see photos from our 2024 Oaxaca Mexico Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
Note about covid on this workshop:
On the fourth day of the workshop Cree tested positive for covid. We want to share this experience to help you understand what that looks like on a workshop. As soon as Cree felt a sore throat she used a rapid test and it was positive. She immediately isolated from the group and spent the next 3 days in her room watching Netflix and learning online Spanish. Because she isolated so quickly, no one else on the group came down with covid. Tom tested negative and was able to continue teaching. He decided to wear a mask for the remainder of the workshop to protect others.
A few take aways from this experience:
Realize that covid is still going around and as a traveler you could catch it. If you have any syptoms that could be covid, notify the trip leaders immediately.
Always travel with several rapid tests, masks and extra medication in case you need to stay longer. We recommend talking to your doctor about bringing covid medications.
Realize that if you test positive you cannot travel with the group and will need to isolate yourself. You will need to pay for any extra rooms, meals or transportation required for your isolation. We strongly recommend travel insurance for all of our workshops for that reason.
Fortunately, the recent strains have been fairly mild and most people recover quickly. Preparation and early detection are key to keep the group protected. Keeping everyone healthy is a top priority at TBPW.
What’s next:
Tom and Cree will be heading to the jungles of Borneo and the volcanos of Java for the Indonesia Workshop. Then it is off to Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod. Very different packing for those two workshops!
Tom and Cree just finished their Route 66 East Photo Workshop and want to share the highlights with you. They traveled with their group from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Amarillo, Texas photographing people and places from a time gone by. Speedlights, strobe lights and neon lights were all part of the trip instruction. Expect to see this trip again in 2026.
To see photos from our 2023 Route 66 East Workshop, check out our trip report, click here
What’s New:
Tom published another new article for Nikon called Tips for Photographing Fall Color: Click here to read the article. You will see photos from several past workshops like Ouray and Acadia.
Interested in joining us in Alaska to photograph northern lights? Three spaces on our Northern Lights and Iditarod Workshop in March 2024 just opened. This workshop will take you to three different Alaskan towns to photograph aurora as well as to the heart of the Iditarod. We even fly out to one of the Iditarod checkpoints to get closer to the action. Learn more
We will be in Haines,Alaska for the next two weeks to photograph eagles on the Chilkat River. If you are interested in travel and wildlife photography, we have just one space open up for our Orangutan and Volcanos in Indonesia Photo Tour. Learn more
Tom and Cree are just back from their East Coast workshop in the hardwood forest of Northern Georgia. They broke out speed lights, strobes and models to make the most of the collection of old cars at Old Car City. The budding dogwoods and red buds were a much appreciated welcome to spring….
To learn more about our Old Car City Workshop, check out our trip report, click here
At Tom Bol Photo Workshops, we celebrate great images created on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image from our Easter Island Workshop created by Keith Eisele. Keith is a fan of using artificial lights and jumped right in with a speed light when he saw our Rapa Nui dancers. We hope you enjoy Keith’s images as much as we do!
Congratulations to January 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Keith Eisele
Keith using his Z9 in Easter Island
The Story…
The light was rapidly decreasing as the sun was going down. To me that meant it was the perfect time to use a speed light.
There was just enough ambient light to pick up the statues in the background. With a native dancer in traditional attire, I really wanted to show the Moai statues in the background.
I took a couple of test shots to make sure the light wasn’t too hot. I was pleased that the shadows from the feathers on his hand showed up on his body.
I wanted to make sure the horizon line did not cross any major parts of the body like his head or hands. This would create too much of a distraction. I ended up down on the ground sitting on my derriere to get the horizon line where I wanted it.
January 2023 Photo of the Month
It was tough to get separation between the dancer and the statues. He moved a lot while posing and then would freeze for just a few seconds. The feathers often merged with the statue and I really wanted to get clean separation in the image.
I really liked this image because of the lean of his body. His leg creates a strong leading line in the image.
It felt to me that the dancers really knew what they were doing. I noticed that they never touched, even though they had very good rapport. The male was very patient and willing to look at us. There were not at all self-conscious. It made them very easy to photograph.
EXIF Data:
Nikon Z9 with a 24-70mm lens
ISO 200 1/60sec f5.6
Manual Mode
Shot at 27mm
About Photographing on Easter Island
I really enjoyed it.
I also found it somewhat challenging. Because of all the clouds moving around, the light changed very quickly. I had to be on top of my settings all of the time.
Overall, I really enjoyed the trip. Of course you expect to shoot statues on Easter Island. I also really enjoyed the hike through the quarry where the Moai statues were excavated.
Keith’s Tips for Photographing Portraits
Tip 1: I’m still learning
When I’m shooting someone, even if it is someone I already know, I have to establish a new rapport. They may be nervous about the lights or they haven’t worked with me as a photographer before.
I set the camera down and walk over to them. I explain what I have in mind for the shot and ask them “What would you like?”
Tip 2: You can tell people where you want them to stand and how you want them to pose. I prefer to show them and demonstrate what I want.
Tip 3: After I have taken a few frames, I show them an example of what I’m getting. Sometimes I even shoot tethered. Then they can see the results as soon as I can.
On Keith’s Horizon:
Lofoten Islands in Norway – returning for Northern Lights
Faroe Islands
Svalbard
Ouray, Coroado
Oaxaca, Mexico
Paris, France
Keith and John – always together on a shoot
Just 5 openings left on domestic trips in2023:
Old Car City Workshop, March 30-April 2 – 2 spaces available . Use speed lights on classic cars and models. Click here
Bears at Lake Clark, June 18-23 – 1 space available. Photograph grizzly bears with cubs in Alaska Click here
Route 66 East from Oct 25-29 – 2 spaces available . Learn about speed lights for creative effect. Click here
Where are Tom and Cree?
Next stop: Lofoten islands in Norway. We hope to find crystal clear nights with green Northern Lights reflecting of water and snowy surfaces. Bring on the cold!
We hope you are enjoying the winter photography in your area of the world. Thanks for reading our posts!
