THE BEAUTY OF THE ALPS

WITH PHOTOGRAPHER HANS STRAND & FLORIAN WARNECKE

THE BEAUTY OF THE ALPS

WITH PHOTOGRAPHER HANS STRAND & FLORIAN WARNECKE

PHOTO TYPE: Landscape TRIP LENGHT: 7 days DATES: October 11-17, 2021 GROUP SIZE: 8-15 guests PRICE: USD 2 450

A few minutes after we leave ground, we look out over an astonishing landscape. We find ourselves in a helicopter over 3,000 meters up and look out over the mighty Mont Blanc massif. With the finger on the trigger, we will have the opportunity of taking landscape pictures that we never could have dreamt of.

Come along landscape photographer Hans Strand, on a photographic journey to both the Jura Mountains Regional Naturel Park west of Geneva and to Chamonix and the dramatic landscape at the foot of Europe’s highest mountain – Mont Blanc. The nature of Jura Park offers flowing waterways and many spectacular waterfalls, this beautiful place is incredible for photography. In Chamonix, in addition to a helicopter ride over the majestic Mont Blanc massif, we will also be able to capture everything from autumn-colored alpine valleys, turquoise blue streams and waterfalls, as well as fantastic panoramic views with some of the world’s most dramatic mountain peaks from the top of Aiguille du Midi. This is the trip for those who want to develop your landscape photography in enchanting surroundings and get personalised guidance from one of the world’s foremost landscape photographers. Also included in this trip is the well-known German landscape photographer Florian Warnecke. Florian lives in Germany, near the border of Austria and has this mighty mountain range as his absolute favorite motifs.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Helicopter ride over the Mont Blanc massif.
Spectacular surroundings around Chamonix.
The cable car to the top of the Aiguille du Midi.
The Italian Val Ferett Valley.
The Alps dressed in autumn colours.
Beautiful Jura Mountains Regional Naturel Park.
Enchanting waterfalls in Jura valley.
Constructive photo criticism.
Participation and personal tutoring by Hans Strand during the trip.
Post processing and lectures.
Participation by photographer Florian Warnecke.

Book Now

PHOTO TYPE: Landscape

TRIP LENGHT: 7 days

DATES: October 11-17, 2021

GROUP SIZE: 8-15 guests

PRICE: USD 2 450

A few minutes after we leave ground, we look out over an astonishing landscape. We find ourselves in a helicopter over 3,000 meters up and look out over the mighty Mont Blanc massif. With the finger on the trigger, we will have the opportunity of taking landscape pictures that we could not have dreamt of.

Come along landscape photographer Hans Strand, on a photographic journey to both the Jura Mountains Regional Naturel Park west of Geneva and to Chamonix and the dramatic landscape at the foot of Europe’s highest mountain – Mont Blanc. The nature of Jura Park offers flowing waterways and many spectacular waterfalls, this beautiful place is incredible for photography. In Chamonix, in addition to a helicopter ride over the majestic Mont Blanc massif, we will also be able to capture everything from autumn-colored alpine valleys, turquoise blue streams and waterfalls, as well as fantastic panoramic views with some of the world’s most dramatic mountain peaks from the top of Aiguille du Midi. This is the trip for those who want to develop your landscape photography in enchanting surroundings and get personalised guidance from one of the world’s foremost landscape photographers. Also included in this trip is the well-known German landscape photographer Florian Warnecke. Florian lives in Germany, near the border of Austria and has this mighty mountain range as his absolute favorite motifs.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Helicopter ride over the Mont Blanc massif.
Spectacular surroundings around Chamonix.
The cable car to the top of the Aiguille du Midi.
The Italian Val Ferett Valley.
The Alps dressed in autumn colours.
Beautiful Jura Mountains Regional Naturel Park.
Enchanting waterfalls in Jura valley.
Constructive photo criticism.
Participation and personal tutoring by Hans Strand during the trip.
Post processing and lectures.
Participation by photographer Florian Warnecke.

Book Now

DESTINATION INFO

CHAMONIX WITH MONT BLANC

Chamonix is often called the “capital of the Alps.” Surrounded by steep cliffs and with enchanting nature, Chamonix is well embedded in the Alpine Massif. Right on its doorstep, Europe’s most powerful mountain massif reaches for the sky, with Mont Blanc and huge glaciers as its main focal points. This, combined with the valley offering some of the Alps’ best nature experiences, is a perfect starting point for landscape photographers.

JURA MOUNTAINS NATUREL PARK

Jura is a mountain range directly west from Geneva. A large part of this mountain range is the Jura Mountains Regional Naturel Park. The park offers a variety of beautiful scenery, from meadows and forests to lakes and streams. A very beautiful part of this park is the ravines and the flowing streams as well as its many spectacular waterfalls which make up a perfect place for photography.

VAL FERRET

After passing through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy you enter the Val Ferret valley. In October, the valley offers fantastic fall colors with golden brown larch trees and Mont Blanc as the backdrop. This combination offers amazing photo opportunities and a variety of potential motifs.

TOUR ITINERARY

TOUR ITINERARY • October 11 – 17, 2021

DAY 1 (Oct 11) – WELCOME TO JURA MOUNTAINS

We gather at Geneva Airport at lunchtime. Here you are met by Hans Strand, Florian Warnecke and a tour leader from Zoom Photo Tours. After loading the luggage in our minibuses, we drive towards the Jura mountains, about 60 km west of Geneva. When we start approaching the Jura Mountains it is time to pick up our cameras because we will make several stops as we pass over the mountain range. Late in the afternoon and with memory cards filled with images we arrive at our hotel where we will be staying for the upcoming two nights. Here you will have time to relax for a while before a welcome dinner is served. We round up the evening by listening to an inspiring lecture by Hans. (L, D)

DAY 2 (Oct 12) – ALL DAY IN JURA MOUNTAINS

This day is largely devoted to photographing the many ravines and waterfalls around the Jura Mountains. The waterfalls are especially beautiful with their many plateaus, which makes up beautiful steps of flowing water over rocks who’s been shaped by the water over time. During the day, Hans and Florian will be available for advice and tips on how to photograph waterfalls with both long and short shutter speeds. Before we have dinner, we will work with image editing. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 (Oct 13) – WE CONTINUE TO CHAMONIX

In the morning we will do our last photo session among the waterfalls and the narrow ravines. After checking out from out hotel we continue our journey towards Chamonix, which is about two hours away. Upon arrival we check in at Hotel Gustavia. After lunch at the hotel and a short briefing from Hans, we venture out into the equally beautiful and inspiring surroundings around the foot of the mighty Mont Blanc massif. Here we will get a taste of what awaits us in the coming days. Back at the hotel, Hans and Florian will show pictures from the areas we will explore in the next few days. Everyone will also be able to submit two pictures each to Hans and Florian for comments and constructive criticism so you can get some advice on how to develop your photography further. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 (Oct 14) – THE TOP OF AIGUILLE DU MIDI

After an early breakfast, we take the first cable car up to Aiguille du Midi. In 20 minutes we move from the heat of the village up to the glacier landscape, 3 842 meters above sea level. Here we are met by a breathtaking panorama with some of the world’s most dramatic mountain peaks. In the thin air, we photograph the surround mountains and glaciers and Hans and Florian is there to give personal guidance on how to get the most out of all the beautiful subjects we have in front of our cameras. Back down in the village, we eat lunch before we have the opportunity to photograph another part of this beautiful alpine landscape. The high mountains are replaced by beautiful forests and streams, where we experiment with different shutter speeds for powerful images. After tonight’s dinner, we work on image processing and Hans will show some tips and tricks on how to make the final touches on your pictures. (B, L, D)

DAY 5 (Oct 15) – HELICOPTER TOUR OVER THE MONT BLANC MASSIF

When we thought the photo opportunities couldn’t be better, it’s time for one of the absolute highlights of our trip. We take off from the helicopter base in Argentiere to do a fantastic flight over glaciers and around some of the mountain peaks of the Mont Blanc massif. This experience gives you a whole new perspective and make sure to pack extra memory cards, because here you will capture some absolutely incredible images. Back on the ground, we spend the afternoon photographing the surroundings around Chamonix. In the evening we will have a photo review together where Hans will give constructive image criticism of some of the pictures taken during our days in the Alps and give tips on everything from composition to how we can think about light. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 (Oct 16) – ALPINE VALLEY VAL FERRET

Today we drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel in to the Italian part of the Mont Blanc massif, where we visit the beautiful Alpine valley Val Ferret. The valley’s many larch trees have been colored golden yellow with the season and with Mont Blanc as the backdrop, this is a photo opportunity not to be missed. Back in Chamonix after a full day of fantastic photo opportunities, we enjoy a great final dinner together at a nice restaurant. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 (Oct 17) – POST PROCESSING, JOURNEY HOME

After breakfast we have some time for more image editing and the possibility to get some last advice and guidance from Hans and Florian. We round up the trip with Hans and Florian picking out the “photo of the trip” from the photos that the group have submitted. After this we have lunch before it’s time to leave the Alps behind us for this time. Transport back home on your own. (B, L)

TOUR ITINERARY • October 11 – 17, 2021

DAY 1 (Oct 11) – WELCOME TO JURA MOUNTAINS

We gather at Geneva Airport at lunchtime. Here you are met by Hans Strand, Florian Warnecke and a tour leader from Zoom Photo Tours. After loading the luggage in our minibuses, we drive towards the Jura mountains, about 60 km west of Geneva. When we start approaching the Jura Mountains it is time to pick up our cameras because we will make several stops as we pass over the mountain range. Late in the afternoon and with memory cards filled with images we arrive at our hotel where we will be staying for the upcoming two nights. Here you will have time to relax for a while before a welcome dinner is served. We round up the evening by listening to an inspiring lecture by Hans. (L, D)

DAY 3 (Oct 12) – ALL DAY IN JURA MOUNTAINS

This day is largely devoted to photographing the many ravines and waterfalls around the Jura Mountains. The waterfalls are especially beautiful with their many plateaus, which makes up beautiful steps of flowing water over rocks who’s been shaped by the water over time. During the day, Hans and Florian will be available for advice and tips on how to photograph waterfalls with both long and short shutter speeds. Before we have dinner, we will work with image editing. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 (Oct 13) – WE CONTINUE TO CHAMONIX

In the morning we will do our last photo session among the waterfalls and the narrow ravines. After checking out from out hotel we continue our journey towards Chamonix, which is about two hours away. Upon arrival we check in at Hotel Gustavia. After lunch at the hotel and a short briefing from Hans, we venture out into the equally beautiful and inspiring surroundings around the foot of the mighty Mont Blanc massif. Here we will get a taste of what awaits us in the coming days. Back at the hotel, Hans and Florian will show pictures from the areas we will explore in the next few days. Everyone will also be able to submit two pictures each to Hans and Florian for comments and constructive criticism so you can get some advice on how to develop your photography further. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 (Oct 14) – THE TOP OF AIGUILLE DU MIDI

After an early breakfast, we take the first cable car up to Aiguille du Midi. In 20 minutes we move from the heat of the village up to the glacier landscape, 3 842 meters above sea level. Here we are met by a breathtaking panorama with some of the world’s most dramatic mountain peaks. In the thin air, we photograph the surround mountains and glaciers and Hans and Florian is there to give personal guidance on how to get the most out of all the beautiful subjects we have in front of our cameras. Back down in the village, we eat lunch before we have the opportunity to photograph another part of this beautiful alpine landscape. The high mountains are replaced by beautiful forests and streams, where we experiment with different shutter speeds for powerful images. After tonight’s dinner, we work on image processing and Hans will show some tips and tricks on how to make the final touches on your pictures. (B, L, D)

DAY 5 (Oct 15) – HELICOPTER TOUR OVER THE MONT BLANC MASSIF

When we thought the photo opportunities couldn’t be better, it’s time for one of the absolute highlights of our trip. We take off from the helicopter base in Argentiere to do a fantastic flight over glaciers and around some of the mountain peaks of the Mont Blanc massif. This experience gives you a whole new perspective and make sure to pack extra memory cards, because here you will capture some absolutely incredible images. Back on the ground, we spend the afternoon photographing the surroundings around Chamonix. In the evening we will have a photo review together where Hans will give constructive image criticism of some of the pictures taken during our days in the Alps and give tips on everything from composition to how we can think about light. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 (Oct 16) – ALPINE VALLEY VAL FERRET

Today we drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel in to the Italian part of the Mont Blanc massif, where we visit the beautiful Alpine valley Val Ferret. The valley’s many larch trees have been colored golden yellow with the season and with Mont Blanc as the backdrop, this is a photo opportunity not to be missed. Back in Chamonix after a full day of fantastic photo opportunities, we enjoy a great final dinner together at a nice restaurant. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 (Oct 17) – POST PROCESSING, JOURNEY HOME

After breakfast we have some time for more image editing and the possibility to get some last advice and guidance from Hans and Florian. We round up the trip with Hans and Florian picking out the “photo of the trip” from the photos that the group have submitted. After this we have lunch before it’s time to leave the Alps behind us for this time. Transport back home on your own. (B, L)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

HANS STRAND • Landscape Photographer

Hans Strand is Sweden’s most internationally famous and successful landscape photographer. Over the years he has won many prizes and earned many awards, such as Hasselblad Master Award and BBC Photographer of the Year Award. His characteristic photographs, showing razor sharp, peacefully well-composed landscape sceneries and more narrow concentrated cutouts, reveals his personal and elaborate ways of describing both the beauty and complexity of nature. He explains what photographing means to him with these words: ”I’m never as much alive as when I’m photographing.” Among other things Hans has published two books about Iceland: ”Iceland Above & Below” 2014 and the magnificent volume ”Island” 2018.

PORTFOLIO: hansstrand.se

FLORIAN WARNECKE • Assistant Photographer

Florian Warnecke is a very talented wildlife and landscape photographer based in Bavaria, on the border with Austria. His love for nature began as a small child and he now shares this passion with his pictures. Florian’s aim with his photography has therefore been to show the beauty and unspoilt nature the environment around us can offer. At the same time, he wants to make people aware of the environmental challenges we face so that future generations can experience all the beauty that nature offers.

PORTFOLIO: part-of-nature.com

ACCOMODATION

CHAMONIX: HOTEL GUSTAVIA***+

JURA: HOTEL LE BOIS DORMANT***+

PRICES AND FACTS

PRICE

Price per person: USD 2 450

Included:

All ground transfers according to the itinerary.
Accommodation in a shared twin room.
Meals according to itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
All activities according to the program.
Helicopter ride around Monte Blanc.
Entrance fees to parks and to the cable car.
Participation and workshops by Hans Strand during the trip.
Participation by Florian Warnecke.
English speaking tour leader from Zoom.
All taxes and other local fees.
Travel documents and other travel information.

Excluded:

Transport to Geneve.
Single room supplement USD 480
All expenses of personal nature like drinks, laundry etc.
Travel insurance. For details, see our website.
Any other item not mentioned as included.

CALCULATED RATE

Euro 10,55.

FLIGHTS

Transport to Geneve is not included in the price. You should arrive at Geneva airport around 12:00 October 11 and not plan you flight earlier than 17:00 October 17. If you wish, we are more than happy to help you arrange your flights. Just send an email to info@zoomphototours.com, and we will respond with flight suggestions and prices.

GROUP SIZE

In order to for you to get personal photo guidance and the best experience with our photographer our groups are always small. On this tour the minimum and maximum number of guests are 8 / 15.

PHOTO GEAR

A DSLR camera.
Telephoto zoom lenses up to a 200 mm.
Wide angle lenses, at least 24 mm.
Sturdy tripod.
A laptop computer with any of the Photoshop or Lightroom software.

TOUR LEADER

Apart from an award winning photographer, our tours are always accompanied by a tour leader from Zoom with good photo knowledge. Our tour leader will handle all logistics and general matters and make sure your having the best possible experience during your trip.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

For more information about Terms & Conditions click here.

Photo: Hans Strand, Florian Warnecke