| Hokkaido Workshop & Photography Tour, Japan : Jan 28 -- Feb 1, 2008
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A.K.A - The Winter Wildlife Wonderland Workshop!
Join me for five days in the majestic island of Hokkaido for the Nature and Wildlife Photography Workshop of a lifetime!
You WILL see (and have plenty of time to photograph)
Japanese Red-Crowned Cranes,
Steller Sea Eagles,
White Tailed Eagles,
Whooper Swans and
Ezo Deer, not to mention some breath-taking
Landscapes.
I will be on hand the whole time, giving advice and instruction, helping you to improve your
photography and make your time in this Winter Wonderland the as rewarding as possible.
To enable us to do as much as possible, within reason, some of the tuition will be given while travelling to prepare you for a specific
location. We will also have sessions at the hotel and hold review sessions to view each others images to find out what we did well,
and what didn't go so well, so that you can improve your shooting as the workshop progresses.
If you've ever wanted to shoot the beautiful nature of Japan but been worried about the language barrier, this is an opportunity not to be
missed. I am totally fluent in Japanese both written and spoken, and will help you as much, or as little as you need. You might even
be able to learn some Japanese while you're here!
Who is this Workshop for?
Anyone that can stand cold weather and loves wildlife, nature and photography
Anyone that wants to improve their photography while shooting the shots of a lifetime
Note that most of the tutoring will assume at least a basic understanding of photography and your equipment, but Photographers of all skill levels are very welcome
Even if you are an advanced or professional photographer you will benefit from this Workshop, and take away some new skills and certainly some great photos
Where will we visit and what will we see?
See the itinerary below for an outline of the plan. We will also pull in a few other spots between locations as time allows
For some examples of the sort of subjects you'll be able to shoot, click on the links in the first paragraph above, but a few of my favourites are thumbnailed below. Each link contains multiple images that you can browse by the buttons below the image
Note that I can not be held responsible for not being able to shoot due to weather conditions or forces of nature (details below)
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| Itinerary * |
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| Date | Dawn | AM | PM | Hotel |
| Mon, Jan 28 |
Fly from Haneda Airport (Tokyo) to Kushiro Airport (Hokkaido) |
Arrive at Akan International Crane Center mid-morning and start shooting Japanese Red-Crowned Cranes |
Continue shooting Cranes at the Crane Center, possibly go to Itoh Crane Sanctuary before sunset |
(TBD) Tsurui Village |
| Tue, Jan 29 |
Photograph cranes in river |
Photograph cranes in Tsurui Town and Itoh Crane Sanctuary |
Whooper Swans at Kussharo Lake |
(TBD) Kussharo Town |
| Wed, Jan 30 |
Sunrise from dawn at Bihoro Pass, Landscape work |
Drive to Rausu (long drive) |
Shoot Eagles and Ezo Deer, and sea ice floe (if there) before sundown. Shoot Blakiston’s Fish Owls at night if they show. |
(TBD) Rausu Town |
| Thu, Jan 31 |
Shoot Steller and White-Tailed Eagles (and possibly sunrise) from chartered boat |
Shoot ice floe if there, then drive to Utoro (about 3 hour drive) |
Shoot deer and sea ice floe (if there) and possibly shoot sunset over the Sea of Okhotsk |
(TBD) Utoro |
| Fri, Feb 1 |
Optional - Dawn Landscape and/or Ezo Deer shoot |
Drive to Memanbetsu Airport with some Landscape shooting as time allows |
Fly back to Haneda Airport (Tokyo) |
- - - |
| * The Itinerary and activities are subject to change during the workshop based on weather conditions (details below) |
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What Photography gear should I bring?
An SLR camera. Hi-end compact digitals might work if they are new and have virtually no shutter lag, but otherwise, an SLR
If possible, a second SLR body to allow standard or wide angle shooting at the same time as telephoto
Lenses:
- Telephoto lens; no shorter than 200mm, but 300mm or longer is advisable. If you have a 400, 500 or 600mm lens, BRING IT! 
- Standard lenses; a 70-200mm is perfect for both landscapes and close wildlife. Standard zooms like a 24-105 will be useful too
- Wide angle lens; prime or zoom for Landscape work
- We may have some uses for a macro lens, but if weight doesn't allow, leave it out
Sturdy Tripod - If possible taller than your eye level when standing up straight, as the legs will sink in the snow
Monopod, if possible, but not critical (can use tripod with legs together)
Polarizer filter to fit at least your wide and standard focal length lenses
Lots of spare batteries - battery life is greatly diminished in sub-zero temperatures. If you shoot digital, at least four batteries, more if possible
If you shoot film, bring enough for about three weeks shooting! Really, there'll be a lot of photography, and you can't buy film easily
If you shoot digital, make sure you have plenty of memory, or a laptop or portable storage to backup your shots to so that you can format your cards and fill them again
The Hokkaido winter is not for the faint-hearted, with temperatures ranging from 0°C (32°F)
to as low as -30°C (-22°F) for early morning shoots. It is important to protect yourself and your equipment from
these conditions. For this, you will also need:
For your Equipment:
Large plastic bags to fit your entire camera bag in and clips or ties to keep it airtight, to stop condensation forming on your gear when moving into warm building from the cold
Medium sized plastic bags to fit your camera in A) to stop condensation and B) to protect it while shooting in snow if it's not weatherproof
and Large, strong rubber bands to keep the plastic bags in place on your lens
If available, thermal camera covers with pockets for charcoal burners to keep your equipment warm
Some kind of taping or foam padding on at least one of your tripod legs, to stop your hands from sticking to it in extreme cold
To Protect Yourself:
Good thermal underwear, long-johns and thermal shirt, preferably long sleeved
Padded trousers, like the one's used for skiing
Waterproof, preferably Gore-Tex® or similar, trousers and down jacket
Thermal Boots with a sole good for walking on snow and ice, and thick warm socks
Warm hat
Thin pair of thermal gloves, with rubber grip on the fingers and palm so that you can operate your camera with them on
Larger pair of over-gloves, that can be worn over your first pair for additional warmth
Polar Fleeces, two or three if possible
Hand Warmers and Foot Warmers (that go inside your boots)
If you cannot get any of the above items, let me know in advance, and I'll see if I can stock these things for you.
Note that if you use charcoal burning hand-warmers do not bring your charcoal on the plane, even in checked luggage.
It will be confiscated. You will need to send it to the hotel on the first day or ask Martin to get it for you and
send it on.
How much does it cost?
US$1,850 or ¥210,000, all inclusive (see below for details).
I will continue to take bookings until all places are filled. I'll state so on this page once all places are filled, but I urge you to book early to avoid dissapointment
How do I pay/book my place on the workshop?
Buttons to make payment and book your place are below after some clarification on what is, and what is not
included in the price. By booking your slot you signify agreement to the details in this page and in the disclaimer below.
What is included in the Package?
Flight from Haneda airport in Tokyo to Hokkaido
All accommodation and meals while in Hokkaido
A chartered bus with professional driver to transport us all over Eastern Hokkaido
Tuition fees and support materials, and other administration fees
Admission fees to planned facilities and excursions
What is NOT included in the Package?
Your flight or travel fees to Haneda airport, Tokyo, Japan
Travel Insurance. I am not able to take out travel insurance in Japan for people traveling in from outside of Japan, so you need to fully cover yourself for the entire length of the trip in advance of departure
Insurance for your equipment and belongings if not included in your travel insurance - You are responsible for covering your equipment against theft and damage, and for basic travel insurance
Beverages or additional items ordered during meals etc.
Admission fees to facilities that we decide to visit ad-hoc, on agreement from all attendees
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What should I do next?
First read the DISCLAIMER below and if you agree to the terms, select one of the payment buttons below to book
your place on the workshop by credit card or use a PayPal account if you have one. Select the button for the currency most convenient for you
If you want to book for more than one person you can change the number in the next step
If you'd prefer to wire the funds directly, contact Martin for details.
DISCLAIMER: By booking your place on the Workshop you agree that Martin Bailey shall not be held responsible for parts of the Itinerary that
cannot be realized due to severe weather or other circumstances out of reasonable control. You also agree that you will take out the necessary
travel insurance and insurance for your equipment and belongings while on the tour, or bear the full risk yourself. Also, in many respects
this is an extreme adventure holiday. Although advice and help will be given, Martin Bailey will not be held responsible
for injury or harm you might incur during attendance.
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Please check back soon for 2009 prices
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If you are interested in coming along but want more information, first listen to Podcast Episode# 103
in which I give full details. You can also contact me with this form
or mail me using the mail address I mention in Podcast #103.
Please double check your mail address if you use the contact form, because if it's not valid, I won't be able to get back to you. You should
receive a copy of your mail though, so if you don't see this, or you don't hear back from me in 48 hours, please mail again.
I look forward to seeing you in Hokkaido. This really is going to be the photography workshop of a lifetime!
-- Martin Bailey
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