PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR OVERVIEW: Travel Images' European Alps photography tour takes in the Berchtesgaden region of Germany, Grossglockner Pass, Heiligenblut, the classic St. Magdalena in northern Italy, Vals, Zermatt and the Matterhorn, Liechtenstein, plus the Innsbruck and Interlaken regions. All of this will be interwoven with spectacular mountain passes, wildflowers, Ludwig’s castles, and rustic German, Austrian, Italian and Swiss communities that nestle beneath the magnificence of the towering Alps. It’s all very photogenic indeed.
Europe is a place to be savored, touched, and of course, photographed. Take the opportunity offered by this Travel Images’ European Alps trip to photograph the same maze of cobbled streets that musicians, poets, artists and thousands of talented folk trod down the centuries. You’ll also be encouraged to lower your camera, and make new friends amid the mosaic of quaint communities of the log-cabin spectacle that nestle amid the foothills of the many spectacular mountain ranges.
During this 15 night/16 day trip we’ll move from Germany, to Austria, spend a night in northern Italy, on to Switzerland and back to Germany via more of Austria. We’ll traverse many alpine passes shooting as we go, while seeking out the local village fête and faire for more unique and colorful images. You’ll also have the opportunity to chat with the locals in broken French, German or Italian, and the facial grins you capture with your camera, plus those placed on your heart, will live on and on within you. Europe is that charming and intoxicating.
INCREASING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS: There isn’t a straightforward way to describe everything you will learn on one of our photography tours in just a few words, but I'll give it a try . . . I instruct, encourage, nurture, coach, nudge, help and guide clients etcetera, all day and every day. This includes one-on-ones and 'collective instruction', i.e. advice given to the whole group at each photo stop. Subjects and techniques discussed and demonstrated are composition strength, shutter speeds, exposure compensation, how aperture choice influences depth of field, lens choice, filter use, long exposure effects, deliberate blur, macro and so on. I also encourage you to 'see' an image when the opportunity presents itself, i.e. to be on the lookout for those less obvious shots that are no less stunning. Lastly, I conduct image critiques both on location - digital camera screens are ideal for this - and via the use of laptops. PhotoShop sessions are also included as time permits. For more details regarding what you'll learn go here.
TRAVEL TO THE GATEWAY AIRPORT
o It is recommended that clients arrive a day early to be fresh for the trip, and to also counteract possible flight delays.
o Early arrival also enables you to explore the gateway city should you wish to do so.
o When booking flights, add a day for overnight travel or two days if also crossing the Pacific Ocean/International Dateline.
o The last day of the trip is the date you should arrange your flight home unless you plan to stay on. Thank you!
DAYS 1 and 2 | To BERCHTESGADEN, Germany
I’ll meet your midday arrival into Munich, and once we have taken lunch together we will move toward Germany’s southeast corner. We’ll pause for several very European scenes as church spires dominate rooftops on the steep landscape, then onto the far reaches of Germany for our two-night stay in Berchtesgaden National Park.
On Day 2 we’ll be on the spot at dawn for the first light on the Watzmann massif and surrounding peaks. Breakfast back at our ‘Gasthof’, followed by a boat ride down Königssee [lake] for classic compositions of St. Bartholoma Church complete with it’s spectacular alpine backdrop. The classic church scenes of Ramsau and Maria Gern, plus Berchtesgaden's old village are also scheduled during our stay.
Near BERCHTESGADEN, Germany, 2 nights
DAY 3 | To GROSSGLOCKNER PASS, Austria
On day 3 we'll head west then south via Ramsau, the Salzburger Kalkalpen and Dientener Berge mountain ranges, and on to the spectacular Grossglockner alpine pass. We'll reach Grossglockner pass just as the light is improving, and you'll revel in the light and shade cast upon the many peaks still laden with snow. Wild flowers, Marmots, waterfalls, curved road abstracts, and motion blur shots of motor cyclists are all part of the Grossglockner experience.
Near HEILIGENBLUT, Austria, 1 night
DAY 4 | To the ITALIAN DOLOMITES, Italy
Day 4 will commence at dawn with first light on the peaks that surround Grossglockner pass, and we'll explore the pass the other side of breakfast too. We'll then descend from the mountain to the classic Heiligenblut scene of church steeple and a towering mountain backdrop. Get used to it, as there will be more of these! Stops are planned before heading on southwest into northern Italy. Among the stops that afternoon will be Heinfels with it's covered bridge and castle, plus a dramatic route directly through the Dolomite mountain range. Our evening light shot will be the classic St. Magdalena church set against the backdrop of the Dolomites.
ST. MAGDALENA, Italy, 1 night
DAYS 5 and 6 | To OBSTEIG, Austria
First light photography of the St. Magdalena church and Dolomite peaks, then following breakfast back at our scenically situated inn we’ll head back to Austria via a few more scenics in the Villnoss valley. Then north via the fast track to the ancient city of Hall, ye olde word for salt. It is a cobblestone city with a myriad of photo ops, and was once a major player in the salt-mining industry. On to Innsbruck where the ‘Golden Roof’ dominates. The city is nestled in the Tirol mountain range, and was the site for the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Winter Games. The city name derives from the Inn River on which it sits, and the German word for bridge, i.e. 'brücke'. Then west for our two night stay in the Mieming region.
We'll start Day 6 in an open expanse near our accommodations, with light falling on peaks and church spires. After breakfast we’ll explore local mountain communities via less traveled roads for subjects including villages, hillside communities, cows, wild horses, wild flowers, tiny churches, and drying hay on hand-made stakes with the appearance of 'old men'.
MIEMING region, Austria, 2 nights
DAY 7 | To VALS, Switzerland
Dawn photography amid a 'cathedral' of mountain peaks, breakfast, and then a travel day of images as we take our time over the westwards trip toward Vals. Through lush valleys we shall go with the occasional pause for church steeples reaching for the heavens from clusters of alpine cabins perched on ledges of green grass and wildflowers. Castles too, which dot the European landscape occupying every available outcrop of rock. Over Fluella-pass and past 3,085 meter high Wisshorn peak to the impressive Haupstrasse [road] with it's granite peaks and photogenic churches. On to Vals for an overnight stay.
VALS, Switzerland, 1 night
DAYS 8 and 9 | To ZERMATT, Switzerland
Early light at the waters edge of St. Moritz Lake, and photography around the Ober Engadin foothills prior to moving on to Zermatt. Our route will take us over Julier, Oberalp and Furke Passes, along the Rhone River, and on the last leg of the days' journey we'll follow the Matter Vispa River, jump aboard a train and make our way home to Zermatt for two nights.
At first light on Day 9 you'll be stunned by the magnificence of the Matterhorn which rises to 4,478 meters [14,693 feet] to the southwest. The mountain will, weather permitting, pretty much dominate your images and day! You'll have ample time explore the contrasts of old and new in the village, plus take a train ride and downhill trails for superb shots of wild flowers and a Matterhorn lake reflection etcetera.
ZERMATT, Switzerland, 2 nights
DAYS 10, 11 and 12 | To LAUTERBRUNNEN, Switzerland
Early light photography with the Matterhorn dominant once more, then following breakfast we’ll board the train back to Tasch, and start another slow photo-exploration as we head north. The 'Neu Brucke' and tiny church is particularly striking. Then we'll take a ‘short-cut’ via train, van and all, to the north side of Berner Alps range. We’ll emerge at Kanderstag, and continue our photography at Spiez on the Thunersee [lake] where the 15th/16th castle dominates. More lake scenes as we continue on to our three-night home sandwiched between two walls of granite.
Days 11 and 12 will see us exploring the Grindewald and Lauterbrunnen valleys with adjustments for weather conditions. A major highlight will be the gondola ride up to Gimmewald and Murren from where we’ll amble about shooting wildflowers, rustic cabins, the peaks of Eiger and Jungfrau [both around 4,000 meters high], orchestrated by the sound of cowbells. It really is photographic heaven and music for the soul and mind. Also, a train ride to Kleine Sheidegg will place you below the face of the Eiger, and while walking downhill back to Wengen you'll shoot the mountain's many moods. This is some of Europe’s most notable mountain photography, and you’ll fill memory cards at a rate you didn’t expect.
LAUTERBRUNNEN, Switzerland, 3 nights
DAY 13 | To SARGANS, Switzerland
We’ll have cameras pointing at more magnificent walls of granite when the first rays of light hit on this morning, then it will be time to bid farewell to the heart of Switzerland. Going west there will be the church at Meiringen, plus the passes of Susten and Klausen . . . both are laden with the spectacular flavor of quaint Swiss communities, and mountain ranges that touch the sky. Sargans, our next overnight home, sits on the eastern edge of Switzerland, and on the doorstep of the tiny nation of Liechtenstein.
SARGANS, Switzerland, 1 night
DAY 14 | To FUSSEN, Germany via Liechtenstein
We’ll start Day 14 at Sargans’ picturesque church and fort near our hotel. Set against Gonzen peak with side lighting they just ‘pop’! Liechtenstein is just 62 square miles in size, has a population of under 34,000, and our after-breakfast stop will be for Gutenberg House which sits on it’s own crag above the village of Balzar, and is another classic. On eastwards via Flexen Pass for stops to shoot Holzgau and Elmen and more. Fussen in Germany to the north has it’s timeless Hauptstrasse [Main Street], then it’ll be time to point our cameras at King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle in the late light which no doubt inspired Disney!
SCHWANGAU, Germany, 1 night
DAY 15 | To the gateway airport near Munich, Germany
Our photography will not be done just yet as we’ll be out early to photograph Neuschwanstein Castle once more. We’ll spend as much as half a day in the area where Hohenschwangau castle is also worthy of a few frames. Then our European Alps photographic odyssey will be just about over as we head off in the direction of the Munich airport, but stopping for picturesque landscapes as we go.
Near MUNICH airport, Germany, 1 night
DAY 16 | Flights home
Departing flights can be arranged for any time this morning. USA residents will arrive home on the same calendar day. Free transport is available to the next scheduled photography tour.
Indicates that we have sufficient enrollments and will run the trip
Indicates that the trip will run pending one or more enrollments
