ICELANDIC
PHOTO ADVENTURE!
EXPERIENCE ICELAND • SEPTEMBER 2019
EXPLORE, SHOOT AND LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST DRAMATIC LANDSCAPES
ICELANDIC
A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY THROUGH ICELAND WITH GARY BOGDON
SEPTEMBER 13-20, 2019
Very limited availability,
Please contact us if you have interest in exploring Iceland.
PRICE: $4,899/Person (based on double occupancy)
Single supplement: $1,999/person
Join us September 13-20, 2019 for a photographic journey through Iceland. We are partnering with Art in Voyage to put together a spectacular itinerary of dramatic waterfalls, geysers, mountains and expansive night skies for the ultimate adventure through one of the world’s most scenic destinations.
You'll shoot on location with personal instruction from award-winning photographer Gary Bogdon and art director Santa Bogdon. There will be editing and critique sessions, including instruction on how to edit your work and tell a story with pictures. Art in Voyage has crafted our custom itinerary across Iceland with carefully selected accommodations and points of interest —through their exceptional global travel knowledge and partnerships. You’ll focus on this once in a lifetime adventure, while we give personal instruction how to capture these stunning photogenic locations. Take this travel opportunity to raise your photography to a new level. Whether you shoot with high end gear, or simply want to improve your mobile phone images, we can help you bring home gorgeous photos to document the memories of this fabulous travel experience.
Meet Our Team
Gary Bogdon / Photographer / Director www.garybogdon.com
- Over 30 years of professional experience as a photographer, and now director (shooting both stills and video production).
- Gary’s professionalism, love of life and sense of humor is infectious and has earned a loyal and enthusiastic client base. Clients include Dick’s Sporting Goods, Disney, Nike, Rolex, MacGregor Golf, Feld Entertainment, Adidas, and Marriott.
- Gary has produced award winning photography for major sporting events including the Olympic Games, The Kentucky Derby, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, PGA, The World Series and NASCAR races.
Former staff photojournalist for major newspapers including The Orlando Sentinel (Chicago Tribune Company) and The Miami Herald.
Contributing Magazine Photographer for Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Islands Magazine, Garden & Gun Magazine, Southern Living, Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine, Florida Travel & Life, The New York Times, and Coastal Living.
Santa Bogdon / Creative Director / Photo Editor www.santabogdondesign.com
Independent creative director working for a wide range of clients for both print and digital projects including: Adventist Health, Properties in Paradise, St. Regis Residence Club, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Vistana Vacation Ownership, Walt Disney World, Lionel Trains, Morimoto Asia and Arthur's Catering.
Former Design Director of Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine, Art Director of Florida Magazine and Art Director at Hallmark Cards. Assigned and directed photographers, and edited their work for hundreds of magazine covers and travel stories.
Art directed shoots on location for both editorial and commercial clients throughout the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Frequently edits and retouches Gary's work with an eagle-eye, and still keeps the peace!
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Hotel Grimsborgir
Hotel Grimsborgir
Hotel Grimsborgir
Siglo Hotel
LOGISTICS
Getting there:
Private transportation will be provided from Reykjavik to our home base in the Golden Circle and through out our entire adventure.
Staying there:
OUR HOME BASES
HOTEL GRIMSBORGIR (4 NIghts)
Surrounded by stunning mountain vistas and located on the banks of the beautiful River Sog, Iceland’s largest freshwater river, Hotel Grimsborgir offers comfortable and stylish 4 star accommodation with an incredibly warm welcome. Sitting on the famous Golden Circle route, it makes a fantastic base from which to explore the highlights of Southern Iceland such as the waterfall Gullfoss, the hot water fountain Geysir and the historic site of Thingvellir National Park. Located in Grímsnes, about 45 minutes outside Reykjavik, the setting is both peaceful and beautiful; and due to it’s setting on the River Sog it is famous for fishing Arctic char, Atlantic salmon and brown trout.
Accommodation is in ten comfortable apartments dotted around the property, most with their own private hot tub overlooking the river, fields and mountains beyond. The owners, Kristin and Olafur, have taken great care in the décor which has a stylish home-from-home feel and the welcome here is as warm as the cozy firesides in each apartment. The charming Grimsborgir Restaurant offers traditional Icelandic meals as well as other delicious, home-cooked dishes, all prepared from fresh, local products.
Far from the bright lights of the city and surrounded by open countryside, Grimsborgir is a great place from which to try and see the Northern Lights during the winter months. In summer, guests can choose to fish in the river that runs adjacent to the hotel.
SIGLO HOTEL (3 nights)
The Siglo hotel is located on the fairly remote northern coast of Iceland. More specifically, it’s tucked into the harbor of former fishing town Siglufjörður, which was once proudly known as the ‘herring capital of the world’. Today the village has a cute, friendly air with a few charming distractions including a local brewery, a chocolate shop and a herring museum. The surrounding scenery is the main allure – a compelling mix of coastline, lava fields and mountains.
The hotel is a long and low two-story building with a yellow-colored, wood-clad exterior that’s in keeping with Iceland’s traditional cutesy housing aesthetic. The interiors are impressively stylish, with eye-catching purple sofas and chairs surrounding the fireplace in the lobby, and minimal but cheerful blue and white color themes in the lobby area and rooms. Family run, the service is correspondingly warm and friendly. The small reception area, open around the clock, is manned by young and efficient staff who are happy to help with all kinds of queries and offer recommendations on local activities and attractions, such as hiking in the nearby forest or skiing at Skardsdalur. There is a bar on site, and a charming lounge area with a fire and board games; the hotel also offers an outdoor spa with a hot tub (open all year round) and a sauna with stunning views of the mountains and sea.
gear to bring
Camera gear to bring:
- Bring your DSLR camera (Canon and Nikon are most popular) or your latest smartphone.
- Your favorite lenses to shoot with (zoom lenses that cover both a wide and medium to telephoto range, and a macro lens for detail shots recommended).
- A lightweight portable tripod.
Computer/laptop: We work with Apple products.
Computer software: We work with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Bridge, and PhotoMechanic, so please be familiar with the basics of at least one or more of these programs and we will help you through the editing process.
Helpful links:
ready to book your ICELAND Adventure?
PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFO or CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO BOOK YOUR TRIP
garybogdon@mac.com / 407-595-6923 / bogdon.santa@gmail.com
PAST WORKSHOP: WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA October 2018
Photo by Gary Bogdon
Our Fall 2018 Williamsburg workshop kicked off with a visit from Alexander Hamilton himself, who gave a fascinating and historical introduction to the life and times of Colonial Williamsburg. He expressed his own strong opinions, and gave in-depth answers to questions from history majors in the group. He also generously agreed to be the subject of a lesson on portrait photography. Our group was super flexible and enthusiastic about our itinerary, which we adjusted as necessary due to a storm that would be arriving mid-workshop. We captured the Governor’s Mansion at dusk, set up for a brilliant sunrise at the historic Williamsburg Lodge, and rode out the storm at the Williamsburg winery where we photographed the barrel rooms, did a VIP wine tasting and enjoyed local oysters. We had ample time on Duke of Gloucester Street to capture everyday life in Colonial Williamsburg and the brilliant colors of fall. There was also an afternoon of gorgeous fall light for capturing the fife and drum corps, horse and carriages, and the amazing changing leaves.
There was one-on-one time with participants to work on editing and retouching their work — with everyone feeling they had learned lots of new tips about shooting and editing.. It was a great crew and so much fun, we’d do it all over again if we could!
TESTIMONIALS:
“Can’t wait for the next one. A class act through and through. Not a detail overlooked. Nimble and agile under ever changing weather conditions. From concept to content a well rounded workshop." —Victor D.
“I especially appreciated the camaraderie, beautiful locations, and laughter during our GB Photo Adventures trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Gary and Santa gave me confidence that I could try a new technique that I'd never imagined and end up with photos I was very proud of. I highly recommend GB Photo Adventures!” — TS, JR
“I joined the GB Photo Adventures trip as a beginner, having never studied photography. But Gary and Santa took me under their wings and taught me how to tell the story of a place through photos. I used my flat screen phone only and learned to look for light, better frame a subject, then edit the shot. It was great fun for me to begin a journey of improvement and already my friends and family are very appreciative. It's just fun hanging out in gorgeous places with Santa and Gary, who can quickly turn even a rainy day into a delicious (literally--the lunch at the vineyard was truly amazing) new adventure. I recommend a GB Photo Adventure not only for improving your skills, but for adding beauty, fun, and laughter to your trip! Hope to join them again soon!” — KS
PAST WORKSHOP: Portland, Maine September 2017
Our Fall 2017 Workshop in Portland, Maine was packed with great photo locations, awesome local food and a lot of laughs. There were photo ops at every turn, but we also were at the right place at the right time to photograph The Portland Head Light, (photo above by Gary Bogdon) the most photographed lighthouse in the world. We also spent time on Bailey Island in an authentic lobster village and captured the stunning rocky New England coast along the Giant Stairs Trail. Another day we arranged a private charter on a lobstering boat and captured the whole process. We made the most of our time together sampling the renowned culinary scene and basking in the quintessential charm of a New England coastal town. Evenings were for editing and reviewing the day's shoot, and for exploring some of Portland's best restaurants.
Hurricane Irma was bearing down on Orlando, with all flights in cancelled the day we were supposed to return home, so we decided to head north to Bar Harbor to explore Acadia National Park. And guess what? The whole workshop came with us for two more days! Sunset on Cadillac Mountain was one of the highlights of shooting in the park, which was full of dramatic coastline views and lush forrest. The park offered amazing shooting opportunities and the extra time together there was a gift.
TESTIMONIALS:
“Traveling with Gary, who’s work we have long admired, was inspirational, educational and most importantly FUN! We had the opportunity to photograph beautiful locations, receive helpful and constructive feedback and take our photography to the next level all while enjoying the company of great people. We highly recommend GBA." -Sean and Heather K.
"Our trip with Gary and Santa was so inspiring and is still relevant every time I pick up my camera. Gary makes sure to include everyone while he walks you through his process for scouting and executing his own shoots and shares his infectious enthusiasm for the art. We learned some key components of being a great photographer and we gained lifetime friends while exploring as a group- truly way more than I hoped from the trip! Would definitely do it again!" – Haley S.
Gary's passion for photography shines through in his energy and teachings. We hit the ground running from day one. The daily hands-on practice in the different settings and situations we explored really drove home a better understanding, and more confidence, shooting in manual mode. If you are a more seasoned photographer you'll enjoy the access to great locations and local insight, as well as memorable group dinners and outings. Overall, lots of useful tips and inspiration! Thank you for the experience! —C.S.
See some of the workshop participant photos in the gallery below.
