Summary

Emil is one of the speakers at this year's (2023) Photographic Society of South Africa's annual national congress which is being held near the foothills of the the incredible Drakensberg Mountains. As a warm-up to the congress Nature's Light are hosting a pre workshop at Royal Natal. Read on for details below...
WHEN
14-17 September 2023
PRICE
R9 200 P/P
FOCUS
LEARN AND HAVE FUN
GROUP SIZE
MINIMUM 2, MAX 4
INSTRUCTOR GUEST RATIO
1:4
DURATION
3 Nights
ACCOMMODATION TYPE
Chalets
NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS
1

In Detail

Introduction to landscape photography
We visit one of the finest portions of the Drakensberg Mountains, which themselves are part of a UNESCO World heritage site that stretches into the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho. This workshop is suitable for photographers of all levels, and even for partners that'd like to join, but are not that interested in photography themselves. It really is a 4 day excursion which revolves mostly around learning about landscape photography. There will also be opportunities to practice astro-photography, as well as getting to grips with using filters to improve your landscape photography.
key highlights
           Photograph:
  • The Amphitheatre - one of South Africa’s most iconic mountain faces. 
  • The Tunnel and its exquisite sandstone curves.
  • Capture one of the most iconic views of the Drakensberg, seemingly only ‘discovered’ by experienced photographers. 
  • The beautiful and numerous waterfalls and forests that hug the Tugela Valley.
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           Enjoy:
  • Probably the world’s best instructor to participant ratio, maximizing your learning while on tour.
  • Having highly experienced tutors watching over your shoulders and helping you on the spot as you craft your images of the amazing Drakensberg and its beautiful valleys and peaks. 
  • Spending time with like minded people in one of South Africa’s most spectacular places.

           Learn about:
  • Creative Composition: The basics and beyond, such as The Element Approach, Balancing Composition etc. 
  • Basics to advanced techniques in digital landscape photography. With two instructors (depending on group size) all levels of ability can be catered for. 
  • Workflow & digital asset management. 
  • How to create awe-inspiring Astrophotography and star trail images. 
  • How to create panoramic images. 
  • Post-production using Lightroom and Photo Shop
itinerary
Day 1
The first day, which includes travel from Durban ends at the Royal Natal National Park where we stay at Thendele Hutted Camp with it’s phenomenal outlook of the famous Amphitheatre massif. This curved escarpment wall rises to over 3000m above sea level and is the home to the Tugela Falls. These falls, dropping 947m, which is now finally officially recognised as the world’s tallest waterfall (actually beating Angel Falls in Venezuela by 50m)!

Day 2
We start the day with a dawn shoot of the famous Amphitheatre massif from the Tugela River itself. This is a classic view of the mountain and one of the favourite locations of a number of mountain photographers.

After breakfast we head out to one of the small glens topped by a beautiful waterfall. We return for lunch and an afternoon of guided editing.

Day 3
Depending on energy levels among the group there are various longer walks all ending in spectacular views that can be attempted from our location. There are also shorter walks available with flower and mountain imagery possible. Not to pre-empt the actual PSSA conference, but an option depending on the group is to visit the Retiefklip at the the top of Oliviershoek Pass, finishing off with a lunch at Phatt Chef Restaurant. We finish the day with a crit session of images shot during the workshop.

Day 4
A last dawn shoot from the cliffs above the broad Tugela Valley before packing and leaving for the ATKV resort where the PSSA congress is being held this year.

what to expect
​The Drakensberg is one of South Africa’s most beautiful landscape features and possesses some of the world’s top trekking routes (the Giant’s Castle Cup Trail is ranked in the top 50 trails of the world and is considered equal to the Fish River Canyon, Otter and Atlas Mountain Trails). Because the Drakensberg is mountainous (an average escarpment height of 3000m above sea level) it experiences extreme weather throughout the year. This can mean that rain or snow can put a damper on activities. From a photographic point of view though, extreme weather also means for the most interesting images. During winter it does snow, so be prepared for cold weather (I have experienced a snow storm on the escarpment on New Year’s Day – the middle of summer).

Water in the streams is drinkable away from the actual lodges and there are no water-borne bacteria in the streams in the escarpment proper as well as in the foothills. The foothills all have decent walking paths and see day visitors walking comfortably in all manner of ill-equipment. The escarpment is another matter. The route we are taking onto the escarpment is popular and well trodden, unlike most of the rest of the escarpment, so trainers or even running shoes are adequate.
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Some wildlife can be viewed in the foothills, while birds of prey such as the endangered Bearded Vulture are likely to be seen on the escarpment. The escarpment view itself is unparalleled and there have been accounts of people seeing the Indian Ocean on a clear day (technically possible as the escarpment view is roughly a vertical kilometre above the base of the escarpment). What most people seek from the Drakensberg are the amazing mountains themselves, unique in that they form a solid basalt wall that stretches for almost 200km from south to north. In effect the Drakensberg is really the eastern face of the huge Maluti Mountain Range which forms the country of Lesotho. ​
dates
15-18 September 2023
price
R9 200 per person

Guided Tour Includes:
  • All Lodging (based upon sharing)
  • Dinner day 1, breakfast, lunch, dinner day 2-3, breakfast day 4 - including some drinks 
  • Local tips for guides and for restaurants
  • Photography guidance by a professional photographer
  • All tuition including teaching material and hand-outs
  • All entrance fees and photography permits

Guided Tour Excludes:
  • Airfares to and from Durban International Airport
  • Single room supplement (R900)
  • Non-meal time snacks if purchased on route
  • Possible extra excursions/activities and/or additional days
  • Travel insurances (mandatory!)
  • Photographic gear rental (if required)
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The Nature's Light Terms and Conditions apply to your booking with us. For more information see: 
Nature's Light Terms and Condition