New Zealand - South Island 6 - 20 March 2019 - 2 spots left

New Zealand - South Island

6 - 20 March 2019 - 2 spots left.

New Zealand - Land of the Long White Cloud Hi Everyone, There is still time to climb on board and join me as we explore New Zealand's magnificent South Island for a jam packed photographic adventure with our spacious and luxurious Mercedes mini-bus. Whether you're a beginner looking to improve your photography in an amazing location or a long time shooter wanting to enjoy the company of like minded people in stunning surroundings, this is for you. This really is the ''Best of New Zealand" south island photography tour. Check out some of the details below or go straight to the website for all the information -> HERE We start in Christchurch for our first get together and then we head west for a day of landscape photography with a little wildlife thrown in for good measure. We will travel through the picturesque Castle Hill rocks and up over Arthur's Pass to our accommodation in Greymouth. Along the way we will conduct a waterfall session explaining the techniques required to obtain amazing cascade and waterfall images. We also pass through a known habitat for the gorgeous Kea so you will need your bird lenses at the ready for our first wildlife session. The Devils Punch Bowl and Waimakariri River will provide more spectacular landscape opportunities. A terrific New Zealand welcome is in store for us at Greymouth as Trekabout regulars, Dayaram and Joanne, kindly host a welcome BBQ. Next we'll head south stopping at Lake Mahinapua to demonstrate the use of 'Big Stopper' neutral density filters to good effect, to remove ripples from the water to create a mirror-lake surface. The Whataroa River fed by blue glacier water will captivate you. Along the way you'll have the opportunity to take an optional helicopter flight south over the glaciers. As well as Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers you'll see many others that are to all intents and purposes, inaccessible other than by air. A stop at Okarito lagoon and a bird walk and then onto our accommodation at Franz Joseph Glacier. You'll take an easy hike through other worldly terrain to the base of Franz Joseph Glacier and Fox Glacier. The grandeur and scale of these massive flows of ice will astound you. Heading further south, we have a day of waterfalls and streams in store. Hidden gems just begging for your tripod and camera await along our route. We'll shoot Jimmy's Falls, Haast Falls, Fantail Falls and others. Then the famous Wanaka Tree. Sunset will be a special treat as we photograph the famous icon. For those who are keen we'll re-shoot the tree after dinner with the Milky Way as our backdrop. On our way to Queenstown you'll visit St Bathans to photograph the Blue lakes. We'll lunch at a wonderful old hotel in Omakau where there will ample time to photograph the old buildings and farm machinery. A day of rest (maybe) in Queenstown jet boating, chair lift or just relaxing. You will visit Arrowtown where you can wander and explore the Old Chinese Settlement. We'll take you out towards Glenorchy to access the many lookouts along the way. Scenic landscapes across the water abound and there are a few waterfalls along the way. Near Tea Gardens we'll stop for a bird session where Tui, tomtit and fantail can be found along the creek. You're in for a treat at Milford Sound for an amazing day on the water. The Mitre Peak boat will get up close and personal to seals along the way and if you’re game you can sit up front while the skipper noses in under one of the huge waterfalls. We'll mind your camera gear while you take your refreshing waterfall shower. An early start for a full day out to photograph Doubtful Sound. We are taken by boat across Lake Manapouri where we are met by a bus and taken to our cruise boat to explore Doubtful Sound. After Doubtful Sound we head south to overnight in Invercargill. Then there's The Catlins. This area abounds in magnificent scenery and yet more waterfalls. The Otago peninsula Albatross colony is a must see. You'll have the opportunity to photograph these magnificent birds as they soar on the coastal updrafts. We'll visit a colony where you'll have access to see some of the albatross nesting. As we head north we'll visit the Orokonui Ecosanctuary (great bird opportunities) before making our way to Moeraki. The Moeraki Boulders will be a landscape highlight of your New Zealand adventure. A sunset shoot will see these incredible structures at their best. A sunrise shoot at the Moeraki Boulders will be followed by a visit to photograph Yellow-eyed Penguins and seals. Next we'll head off to Lake Tekapo. You'll get the afternoon off to relax for some well earned R&R and then, after dinner, we'll head over to the Church of the Lost Shepherd. Here you can try your hand at some light painting with the stars as your back drop of this magnificent stone church. Please get in quick and book your spot today. For all the details and booking information click HERE to go to Trekabout website.

Nine Day Java - Volcanos and Ancient Kingdoms - June 2019

Nine Day Java - Volcanos and Ancient Kingdoms  Photography Tour and Workshop presented by David Metcalf and Mark Rayner 18th to 26th June 2019 Take advantage of the stronger AUD and book now to secure your spot on this amazing photography workshop and tour.  Hi Everyone, Dayak Dave (David Metcalf) and Buffalo Master (myself) are pleased to announce our amazing adventure photography workshop and tour in Java is on again for 2019. The workshop is planned to show you the real culture and landscapes on the Island of volcanos. This workshop is designed to challenge you as a photographer, teach you new skills and techniques under the watchful guidance of Mark and Dave, capture some amazing Images and give you a great insight into culture of the mountain people of Java. Click HERE to jump straight to full details. This is a workshop not to be missed. Java is truly extraordinary. It is described as the most habitable and the most hospitable place in all of Asia, a veritable tropical paradise with stunning landscapes, soaring volcanoes featuring balding cones on top, forests in the middle and rice terraces below. Truly luxurious accommodation  We'll fly you to the historic town of Malang in East Java, one of Java’s hidden treasures, a large town of around one million people and a great base for exploring the area. Malang is a very well planned city with many parks, tree lined streets and old Dutch architecture. You'll be staying at the beautiful historic Tugu Hotel. We will start our photography adventure in the nearby bird and flower market and mix with the local friendly Javanese. We will catch the late afternoon light and do some street photography around the canals and small kampongs of this wonderful city. The Tugu is one of the most beautiful historic hotels in Indonesia and a photography project in its own right. Volcanos and Wild Horsemen Travelling in modified four wheel drives we'll visit Mt Bromo where you can catch a horse ride ( or walk ) to the top of the crater and photograph a live active Volcano. You'll see the Tengger horseman as they gallop across the sand sea, like a scene out of Lawrence of Arabia. We'll take you to visit the charming Tengger Villages in the area. The tengger are hobbit like and the last remaining group of Hindu’s in Muslim dominated Java. Very friendly they will invite us into their homes and we can get some charming portraits. . Temples from the Past Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, is a spectacular sight and we will be there to photograph the star trails over this amazing monument, then the sunrise as the first light hits the many stupas. To the north and east, a majestic procession of Volcanoes soars to heights of more than 3000 meters, making for an unforgettable sight. David Metcalf, now living in Indonesia, has travelled extensively in Bali and Indonesia for the last thirteen years. In his younger days Dave and his wife Stephanie travelled 20,000 kms by bicycle through 12 different countries. Dayak Dave as he is known in Indonesia, due to his love and interest of the Dayak tribe of Kalimantan, has a great interest and passion for everything Indonesian and Bali in particular. Keep an eye out for Dave's book, Looking for Borneo, about his travels throughout Indonesia. Have a look here and order on line and help assist the children of Indonesia as 100% of all profits go to charity. For all the details click -> HERE We'd love to have you along. Cheers, Mark

Lightroom and Photoshop Post Processing Bootcamp - Melbourne

Lightroom and Photoshop Post Processing Bootcamp  - Melbourne

Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May 2019

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Post Processing and Workflow Bootcamp - Lightroom and Photoshop NEW DATE - 4-5 May 2019 Hi Everyone, I'm pleased to announce new dates for my next Post Processing Bootcamp in Victoria. It will be held on the 4th and 5th May at the Balla Balla Community Centre in Cranboune. It's a great facility with plenty of space for all our laptops and gear. This workshop is designed for the beginner to fast track entry into the world of Lightroom and Photoshop, but still caters for the more experienced user wanting to hone their skills and learn new tips and tricks. Some comments from past participants: Chris Holland wrote: This was such a useful weekend... I'm still in mental overload, but excited about putting into practice so many of the ideas that I absorbed. Thanks to Mark and the rest of the group for making it all so worthwhile. There wasn't one unanswered question!! Anne Reid wrote: Was a great weekend, yes it was a great venue. Easy parking, close to shops and beach for the lunch time breather. Must mention the great teacher and the surprises we all received with some of the things we learnt. Heather Streatfield wrote: Am feeling especially inspired after my photography Bootcamp this weekend. Alarm set for 3.45am, it's time to drag this butt out of bed for a summer sunrise! Here is a rundown of what to expect over the weekend. Phototrek - 8:30am Saturday We will all be photographing together in the Australian Botanic Gardens which is just down the road. This shoot will provide most of the imagery for the weekend's processing tuition. You will be working from scratch on images from your own camera, far preferable than working on supplied images which may have totally different characteristics than your own. Morning Tea Session 1 This session covers the basics of Adobe Bridge/Lightroom Library and Camera Raw/Lightroom Develop and de-mystifying the connections of both with Photoshop. Mark will show you how best to transfer your images to your computer and some convenient protocols for folder naming and storage. We will look at the benefits of utilising Lightroom CC (Classic) exclusively for this process. 1:00pm Lunch (BYO or purchase nearby) will split session 1 Session 2 This session will cover image adjustment and enhancement in Camera Raw / LR CC and look at a number of techniques to speed up the post-processing workflow. We will look at the various adjustment modules and tools which will become the backbone of your image processing. Session 3 - 8:30am Sunday We will start to get into some of the new user friendly aspects of Photoshop and really begin to make a difference to our RAW files to produce images with that "Wow" factor. We'll look at the best way to set up your tool panels and optimise your workspace to suit your style and needs. You will explore the different tools available in Photoshop and how and when to use them. 10:30am Morning Tea Session 4 To help speed up the workflow process we will begin to incorporate plug-ins, presets, actions and scripts. As well as providing you with many ready to use presets, Mark will guide you through the process of creating your own actions to speed up processes that you find yourself doing more often. You'll learn how to create stunning, unique and interesting backgrounds for your "studio" portraits and much more. 1:00pm Lunch (BYO or purchase nearby) will split session 4 Session 5 By this session you will have a new understanding of presets, actions, scripts, plug-ins, batch processing, curves, layers, masks, resolution, filters and many more terms.This session will put your new found knowledge and skills to work and consolidate what you have learned into a smooth and efficient workflow. We will also look at the basics of some of the hot topics of digital photography such as HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama stitching and more. If you have any special or problem files you wish to work on please bring them along (time permitting). All the details can be found on the website here -> Post Processing Bootcamp Hope you can make it along. Cheers, Mark Questions? Please give me a call on 0459 221678 or shoot me an email.

Lightroom and Photoshop Post Processing Bootcamp - Queensland - March 2019

Lightroom and Photoshop Post Processing Bootcamp  - Queensland

Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3 March 2019

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Post Processing and Workflow Bootcamp - Lightroom and Photoshop NEW DATE - 2-3 March 2019 Hi Everyone, I'm pleased to announce new dates for my next Post Processing Bootcamp in Queensland. It will be held on the 2nd and 3rd March at the Caboolture HUB. It's a great facility with plenty of space for all our laptops and gear. This workshop is designed for the beginner to fast track entry into the world of Lightroom and Photoshop, but still caters for the more experienced user wanting to hone their skills and learn new tips and tricks. Some comments from past participants: Chris Holland wrote: This was such a useful weekend... I'm still in mental overload, but excited about putting into practice so many of the ideas that I absorbed. Thanks to Mark and the rest of the group for making it all so worthwhile. There wasn't one unanswered question!! Anne Reid wrote: Was a great weekend, yes it was a great venue. Easy parking, close to shops and beach for the lunch time breather. Must mention the great teacher and the surprises we all received with some of the things we learnt. Heather Streatfield wrote: Am feeling especially inspired after my photography Bootcamp this weekend. Alarm set for 3.45am, it's time to drag this butt out of bed for a summer sunrise! Here is a rundown of what to expect over the weekend. Phototrek - 8:30am Saturday We will all be photographing together in the surrounding area and this shoot will provide most of the imagery for the weekend's processing tuition. You will be working from scratch on images from your own camera, far preferable than working on supplied images which may have totally different characteristics than your own. Morning Tea Session 1 This session covers the basics of Adobe Bridge/Lightroom Library and Camera Raw/Lightroom Develop and de-mystifying the connections of both with Photoshop. Mark will show you how best to transfer your images to your computer and some convenient protocols for folder naming and storage. We will look at the benefits of utilising Lightroom CC (Classic) exclusively for this process. 1:00pm Lunch (BYO or purchase nearby) will split session 1 Session 2 This session will cover image adjustment and enhancement in Camera Raw / LR CC and look at a number of techniques to speed up the post-processing workflow. We will look at the various adjustment modules and tools which will become the backbone of your image processing. Session 3 - 8:30am Sunday We will start to get into some of the new user friendly aspects of Photoshop and really begin to make a difference to our RAW files to produce images with that "Wow" factor. We'll look at the best way to set up your tool panels and optimise your workspace to suit your style and needs. You will explore the different tools available in Photoshop and how and when to use them. 10:30am Morning Tea Session 4 To help speed up the workflow process we will begin to incorporate plug-ins, presets, actions and scripts. As well as providing you with many ready to use presets, Mark will guide you through the process of creating your own actions to speed up processes that you find yourself doing more often. You'll learn how to create stunning, unique and interesting backgrounds for your "studio" portraits and much more. 1:00pm Lunch (BYO or purchase nearby) will split session 4 Session 5 By this session you will have a new understanding of presets, actions, scripts, plug-ins, batch processing, curves, layers, masks, resolution, filters and many more terms.This session will put your new found knowledge and skills to work and consolidate what you have learned into a smooth and efficient workflow. We will also look at the basics of some of the hot topics of digital photography such as HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama stitching and more. If you have any special or problem files you wish to work on please bring them along (time permitting). All the details can be found on the website here -> Post Processing Bootcamp Hope you can make it along. Cheers, Mark Questions? Please give me a call on 0459 221678 or shoot me an email.

Western Australia Wildflowers, Birds and Bush 2019

West Australia Wildflowers, Birds and Bush 

29 August to 6th September 2019

Come and join Pamela Jennings and Mark Rayner for an amazing 9 day Photographic Journey through the wildflower hotspots of Western Australia.

Join us as we travel north from Perth into Western Australia’s Wildflower Country.  Dotted with small country towns we travel to hot wildflower destinations like Moora, Mingenew and Mullewa.  Be prepared to photograph landscapes of Everlastings and clumps delicate Spider Orchids, Candy Orchids and if we are lucky the Ruby Spider Orchid.   

During our tour there will be hundreds of different species of wildflowers to photograph and getting to our nightly destination can be a challenge as we stop for this wildflower or that shrub. Over the nine days we will search out the best  flowering locations and adapt our itinerary to suit. 

It’s not all wildflowers and birds though, we will  visit Yarra Yarra Lakes that is part of a large freshwater system and makes it’s way eventually to the coast, do an Astro Shoot and photograph the Pinnacles in the day and at night.  We visit Australia’s only monastic town at New Norcia and see kilometres of golden Canola paddocks.

 We spend a couple of nights in Perth to ensure we have covered your WA wildflower needs by visiting several national parks, reserves and wetlands to photograph as many species as we can including the Kangaroo Paw, Cat Paw and more varieties of Orchids.

For all the information click -> here

Costa Rica 2019

Costa Rica Bird and Nature Workshop and Tour

20 November to 1 December 2019

It's on again!!

Please join me as we explore the incredible diverse birdlife and wildlife of Costa Rica.

This will be my third tour to Costa Rica and I should say that for the sheer variety and quantity of bird and wildlife photo opportunities this place is right up there with Africa. You will be amazed by hummingbirds, iguanas, sloths, tanagers, quetzal, trogans, frogs, woodpeckers and many, many more.

 

You'll explore rainforest, eco-conservation areas, river deltas on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean sides of Costa Rica, cloud-forests and much more.

 

Spaces are limited so please get in quickly. For all the details check out the website -> here

or give me a call on 0459 221678 anytime.