Grand Outback Photography Safari

Grand Outback Outback Australia Photography Tour 2019

0438 896 228 (03) 9314 8885 ewen@ewenbell.com www.ewenbell.com 21 Avoca St Yarraville Vic 3013

Come and experience an epic Australian journey through The Outback, travelling in style and comfort. Air Adventure's private jet traverses the entire continent, stopping on the way in the Flinders Ranges, Uluru, Arnhem Land and The Kimberley.

This is a genuinely unique photographic adventure designed by photographers, for photographers.

Maximum group size of 8.

Day 1 / Melbourne Hotel Lindrum MGallery by Sofitel Check into your luxury city hotel from 2pm today. Meet Ewen and your fellow travellers over dinner before retiring ready for the epic adventure ahead of you.

Days 2-3 / Flinders Ranges Prairie Hotel, Parachilna We have a private transfer to Essendon Airport from the hotel for you, and then all aboard the Air Adventure Outback Jet bound for the sunshine above the clouds. Our touch down in the spectacular Flinders Ranges in the mid morning will allow time for an introductory session on photography before we head out to begin the real work.

While on the ground in the Flinders Ranges you will be hosted by fourth generation pastoralist Ross Fargher. To say that Ross knows the region ‘like the back of his hand’ is an understatement.

You will photograph a wide range of perspectives on this spectacular rugged landscape, from the colourful high country to the red sands and salt of the desert to the west. We’ll even get out to explore Ross’s 200,000 acre cattle station.

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The Itinerary

Expect to see wedge tail eagles and emus, plus we’ll visit a colony of elusive and endangered Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby.

Air Adventure has a long standing relationship with Ross and the Prairie Hotel and they really enjoy showing our guests around their region.

Accommodation for two nights is at the stylish Prairie Hotel, Australia’s best outback hotel (Australian Geographic Magazine) – we would also say it is Australia’s most photogenic hotel.

Day 4-6 Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park Desert Gardens Hotel Following your morning photo shoot rejoin you private aircraft for a flight out across the gibber plains to the tiny outpost of William Creek, for a refreshment stop at this quaint outback town with a population of just 6. Continue across the vast desert to Ayers Rock Airport (Yulara). This evening will be your first sunset shoot at the iconic and spiritually colossal monolith.

The natural beauty of this National Park is spectacular from many angles. The flora within the park is also worth a special mention, especially when set against the vivid red sandy soil.

Ewen will have you taking some incredible macro images.

Another special opportunity is to venture into the park after hours to photograph the night sky against one of the worlds most recognisable silhouettes.

The Itinerary ++

Included in our schedule at Uluru is a “doors off” helicopter flight for the ultimate angle on Uluru. Ewen will advise on techniques in preparation for the flight to help you get the most out of the experience.

Day 7-8 / Purnululu National Park Bungle Bungle Savannah Lodge Leaving the Rock behind, your flight continues across the Tanami Desert, stopping in at Yuendumu to visit the Warlukurlangu Artists – the famed ‘dot paintings’ originated from this region. There is a chance to meet artists and also to purchase direct. Your next flight sector crosses some of the most remote country in Australia. Touch down direct at the Bungle Bungles dirt runway and transfer to your comfortable remote accommodation.

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Your accommodation at the Desert Gardens is beautifully appointed with everything you need to keep your batteries and brains charged. We have included ample time and space in the schedule to learn about image processing techniques, with Ewen’s help..

Formerly known as the Bungle Bungles, The Purnululu National Park is a World Heritage Listed region. Venture out on some spectacular, gentle walks to Echidna Chasm,

Helicopter time is included with this program. We want you to photograph the very best of this magnificent national park.

Days 11-13 / Mt Borradaile Max Davidson’s Mt Borradaile Camp Fly from Bullo River Station, across Kakadu and into Arnhem Land. Touch down at Mt Borradaile’s private airstrip and make your way into camp. Here, you are staying within a Registered Aboriginal Sacred Site of extreme significance. Borradaile is home to the worlds richest body of rock art, along with many fascinating artefacts.

Days 9-10 / Bullo River Station Bullo River Station Guest House Depart the Bungles after your morning shoot with a fuel stop in Kununurra before landing direct at Bullo River Station, literally 50m from the homestead. Bullo River was made famous by the novels of Sara Henderson. Bullo River is an authentic cattle station with all the trimmings including massive Boab trees, crocodiles, barramundi and prolific bird life.

Here you will see more Australian wildlife than you ever dreamed possible (crocodiles and prolific bird life - both large and small). Private cruises around the billabongs planned for sunrise and sunset will allow you to get close and sit and wait for that perfect shot. You will need a good telephoto lens to make the most of this part of the journey, and Ewen will be on hand to help you prepare for the wildlife shoots.

While here you virtually have half a million acres to yourselves, there are a few hot spots for bird life and an opportunity to photograph some beautiful species from delicate finches to majestic eagles.

Day 14 / Darwin Departure Following a morning visit to ‘The Rainbow Serpent’ painting, one of the most potent forms of aboriginal spiritualism, it is time to depart back to Darwin. Expect to arrive in Darwin around midday so you can make plans for onward connections, or stay in Darwin for a few days, or plan an extension to visit Broome, the Kimberley Coast or the Tiwi Islands.

Picaninny Gorge and the Limestone Ridge. The striped, beehive shaped domes are what makes this region famous but the park is filled with some of the most picturesque flora and small bird life. Our highlights include getting the first light onto the domes from the ground, and last light over the terrain from the air.

The night sky at Bullo is famous for being clear and dry in the winter time, so we’ll venture out into the darkness to shoot stars and the Milky Way. Ewen will guide you through the finer details of capturing star trails, using the majestic Boab trees as inspiration for your compositions.

Tour Highlights TRAVERSE THE CONTINENT BY PRIVATE AIRCRAFT An epic adventure through The Outback that encompasses the Flinders Ranges, Red Centre, Uluru, The Kimberley and Arnhem Land into one seamless trip.

INCREDIBLE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES The most diverse photo tour imaginable from wetlands and wildlife, to unique portraits and iconic landmarks. We even schedule for shooting the night sky and learning star trail techniques. This itinerary has been carefully designed in conjunction with Ewen to ensure the best photographic opportunity.

EXPERT TUITION Ewen Bell has been commissioned and published in titles all over the globe. As a part of a select, small group you will get plenty of one-on-one time with Ewen. His sole focus is to get you taking the best images of your life.

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CAPTURE YOUR CREATIVITY Travel with award winning photographer, Ewen Bell as your private tutor with a small group of just 8.

NOTHING COMES CLOSE We have reason to believe this is one of the best photography tours in the world, at the conclusion you will have a very full and diverse bag of iconic Australian images you will be bursting to share. The feedback from our past passengers says it all.

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The Outback Jet Our luxury private plane for this adventure is the Outback Jet. It seats 10 people comfortably with room enough for modest luggage and additional weight of cameras and tripods. We’ve been using this incredible aircraft for many years now, taking full advantage of the high cruising speed and short runway

Is it a Jet? Yes the aircraft is a prop-jet, meaning it has a jet turbine on each wing that drives a propeller shaft.

The cabin is pressurised so we can cruise at altitudes around 29,000ft and still land on a dirt strip in the middle of the Outback.

How far can she fly?

If need be the Outback Jet can fly coast-to-coast from Wyndham to Whyalla, but for our tours we like to keep the airtime down to 2hrs at a hop. Depending on the weight we are carrying we may also land for extra fuel, or just stop en route to stretch our legs and order a coffee.

Where is my luggage?

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requirements.

Your pilot will be responsible on each leg of the journey to load luggage and tripods into the wings and nose of the aircraft. Your camera gear will ride in the cabin with you. It’s impractical to travel with a hard-case or wheely bag on such trips so we ask that our guests use a soft case or duffle bag instead of a conventional suitcase.

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Doors Off Getting around the outback in our private jet is great, but for the best photographic experience you need a helicopter with the doors off. We include two dedicated with technical advice to prepare for these events.

Our first heli-work sessions will take place at Uluru, to give you a remarkable perspective on the rock and a birds eye view of it’s incredible geology as it rises up from a flat desert landscape.

The second heli shoot will be at Purnululu National Park, where the local pilots use the R44 helicopters with doors off. Everyone gets a window seat and everyone gets to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the domes at last light.

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heli-shoots on this trip, and Ewen will be able to assist you

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For the duration of the tour your photographic instructor and escort will be Ewen Bell. His work is published all over the world in travel brochures, the travel media and photography magazines.

Ewen’s depth of experience with photography tours is impressive, with over 25 journeys completed in recent years across Asia, Australia and Antarctica.

“Few people are fortunate enough to see this much of Australia, let alone in the space of just 2 weeks. A spectacularly remarkable journey for anyone who loves photography and wants to immerse themselves in the wide open spaces of the Outback and beyond.”

It wouldn’t be a great photo tour without a great photographer. But don’t take our word for it, visit his websites and see for yourself. www.ewenbell.com www.photographyfortravellers.com

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Your Escort

PhotographicTuition photographer included too. Ewen Bell has been running these tours since 2005, working hard to make them even better with each year of experience.

Because the tours are limited to very small groups of just 8 people, Ewen has time to help you with one-on-one advice. For two weeks you have a personal expert to offer ideas and answer questions. Even better, you’re travelling in a group of like-minded people, resulting in a total photographic immersion.

Every detail of the craft is open to discussion. Ewen’s style is to emphasise the creative potential of photography without getting mired in the technical. He will push you to be in control of the camera, to make the images your own, but for the sake of creativity and expression.

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Not only are these tours designed to deliver exceptional photographic opportunities, but you get the professional

These tours are designed to help you learn to take better photos, and go home with some incredible experiences.

Ewen will be there every step of the way to offer support as you need it.

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Camera Gear We recommend the use of Digital SLR cameras for this journey, but you are not restricted from using any type of camera you may have, including conventional film SLRs, mirrorless or Medium Format. We will have access to power for recharging batteries on every evening of the trip, but it’s never a bad idea to have

You will want a quality wide-angle lens, a fast standard lens and a decent telephoto to make the most of this journey. We cover a wide range of photographic interests in one trip. If you want to join in for shooting the Milky Way and star trails, you will need a good quality tripod as well.

We encourage all participants to chat with Ewen over email to get precise advice on what they should carry for this trip.

Finally, we do encourage you bring a laptop. We’ll have lots of opportunity to share and review images

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a couple of spare batteries for your camera body.

during the journey, plus your laptop can serve as a valuable backup or storage device to make room for more photographs each day. Ewen will offer special sessions on processing throughout the journey and will share his professional insights into working with RAW files.

StarTrails Every year we make a dedicated effort to chase star trails on this tour. It’s a unique and special feature of this itinerary that takes advantage of the dry skies in the outback and the depth of photographic

You don’t have to spend your evenings chasing the stars to enjoy this tour, but if if this has been a life goal for you then you won’t find a better opportunity. Ewen can help you pack the right gear when you chat with him over email, but the main ingredients to a great star trail are a sturdy tripod, a cable release and a nice wide lens.

Have a read on Ewen’s advice website (Photography for Travellers) for a primer on how to shoot really lovely star trails and galaxy maps. www.photographyfortravellers.com/stars

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instruction offered by Ewen.

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Learn and Explore Skills and experience is not a prerequisite. Enthusiasm is essential. There is ample one on one time so that your questions can be answered, your photos can be reviewed and your expression can be encouraged. With such a small group size we can ensure everybody gets the encouragement and guidance they desire.

If you’re a confident photographer or already work at a professional level, then this journey will simply assist with getting great shots. We encourage everyone on tour to share ideas, to discuss their experiences and learn from each other as well.

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Partners are also welcome on these photo tours, but they may need to exercise a little patience with the desires of photographers to make the most of special moments. My photography tours put the photographers first :)

South-East Asia Photographiy Tour / Grasshopper Adventures / Ewen Bell

If you love your photography, you’ll love this tour.

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Art and Creativity The camera is like a paintbrush, and in the hands of different people it will

Ewen Bell specialises in teaching people about the creative potential of photography, to go beyond the technical issues of a camera and start taking creative control. Expression is at the heart of great photography, sharing your perspective, your view, your experience. Travelling with a photo tour like this one will offer lots of inspiration, but travelling with an instructor like Ewen will give you new ways to express your experience.

A few basic principles underpin the art of travel photography. Go Slow.

Get Closer. Look for the Light. Join Ewen for two weeks of photographic

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produce very different images.

adventure and find out for yourself how much inspiration can flow from three very simple ideas.

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8 is Great!

Ewen Bell restricts all of his photographic

“I never want to run a photography tour with more than 8 people, let alone 12 or 16. Smaller groups mean less drama, more fun and are infinitely more rewarding.

My first responsibility is to ensure every person on my tour gets plenty of my time and advice, plus to ensure we don’t ruin

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a lovely location by dragging a horde

of photographers about. Small isn’t just good, it’s great!”

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tours to just 8 people. With good reason.

Our photographic journeys appeal to both the young and old, the experienced and novice.

Most tours are made up of people aged 25 to 65, and occasionally older or younger still.

It doesn’t matter what your skills and interest in photography are, you will enjoy sharing a creative and immersive experience with like

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minded people.

You can read feedback from Ewen’s past

travellers on photography tours by visiting www.ewenbell.com

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WhoTravels With Us

WetlandsWildlife We hope to get photos of the Jabiru, White-Bellied Sea Eagles, Brahminy Kites, Rainbow Bee-Eaters, Whistling Kites, Magpie Geese, Spoonbills, Brolga, Jacana, Snake Birds, Fig Birds, Azure Kingfishers, Blue-winged Kookaburras, Crimson Finches, Salt-Water Crocodiles, Agile Wallabies, Short-Footed Rock Wallabies, Pandanus Frogs, Green Tree Frogs, Grasshoppers and Green Ants.

Just to name a few. This part of Arnhem Land is truly wild with creatures.

A 400mm lens will get you close enough to enjoy the larger creatures, and an extension tube will allow you to adapt your telephoto to shoot macro as well.

Ewen can tell you more about what to pack when you book for the trip.

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Our time in the wilds of Arnhem Land will give us time to focus not only on the rock art, but to chase the bird life and other creatures in the billabongs that surround Mt Borradaile.

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Outback Australia has always been on our plans for a photography tour; the option to add the Kimberley region and some instruction from a professional photographer like Ewen Bell, was the absolute deciding factor. What an opportunity! So Glenda and I signed up and waited for the date to roll over in the calendar. Our travel companions were a great mix of people, it was fantastic to have such a terrific crew to spend a week with in the Outback.

Our “Outback Jet” was simply amazing, capable of taking off and landing almost anywhere. This aircraft travels at almost blistering speeds of around 550 kmph at anywhere up to 35,000 feet. No sitting around in the air like a flying “Kombi Wagon” - this is state of the art, get up and go jet prop at its very best!

The real benefit of having Ewen as your host goes far beyond photography itself. Ewen’s relationships with the people that you engage with at every stop is absolutely amazing. The quality of the outback characters, the staff who host your stays, the folk who attend the tables and look after your culinary delights, find you a coffee in a tin shed or indeed a decent wine in a desert setting - this really is an experience with a level of service that went way beyond our expectation.

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“

PreviousTravellers

I will not give away too much detail as this trip had so many wonderful “surprises” that you really have to experience for yourself. All we can add is that we enjoyed the whole experience, especially the people that we

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met along the way. Our photography has really gone to another level. Thanks to all the people who made this trip possible, our fellow travelers, Ewen and his incredible entourage of outback people.

Ian & Glenda Wilks / 2017 Outback Photography Tour

Simply Amazing... I signed up for this trip with Ewen to Outback Australia to reignite my passion for photography, which it achieved. But it did so much more. I made new friends, increased my photography skills, and got the chance to see some parts of this magnificent country from a new perspective.

Ewen not only helps you with your technical skills, he curates an experience where you are overwhelmed with opportunities to take amazing pictures. The number of shoots and experiences that Ewen packed into one week was breathtaking. We could opt in for as little or as much as we liked, and as I opted in for everything I ended up a little sleep deprived, but it was worth it. Beyond all this, Ewen encouraged me with his ability to see the world from a unique perspective. He inspires you to chase the light in new and bold ways.

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If you have a interest in photography, want to see this magnificent country in a unique and amazing way, and need an adventure - sign up for the next Outback Photo Safari. Highly recommended!

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PreviousTravellers

Paul Steele / 2017 Outback Photography Tour

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“Ewen Bell; a great photographer, tutor and mentor. On a recent photographic tour Ewen demonstrated an extensive knowledge of the photographic medium; particularly as an art form.

He provided excellent tutoring to all group members keeping the technical to a simple, understandable level whilst encouraging everyone to maximise their capabilities to take great, artistic photos. We certainly finished the trip with hundreds of great shots, wonderful memories and a plethora of newly acquired photographic skills and techniques which we have subsequently put to good use.

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We thank Ewen for a wonderful photographic experience, his mentoring and friendship and would highly recommend anyone interested in touring with Ewen to; Go For It!”

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PreviousTravellers

Michael Walker / 2015 Outback Photography Tour

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The Fine Print

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Dates 2019: June 20 - July 3 Price AU$16,787 Group Size Maximum of 8 people Northbound Starts in Melbourne and finishes in Darwin

Accommodation A mix of luxury hotels, tented camps and remote lodges. All accommodation is on a twin-share basis unless you select to pay a single supplement.

Difficulty Rating Airtime is by private plane with short hops of 2 hours or less. Some days require two hops to reach the destination. There are no demanding treks on this tour, anyone in good health can travel with us.

Not included • Gratituities and items of personal nature • Beverages, Laundry, Phone and Internet Charges • Your Camera!

Inclusions The instructing photographer and tour guide, plus local guides and transfers, are included for this journey. All meals are included, along with wine with dinner and bottled water along the journey.

Helicopter shoots and sightseeing activities are all included in the price. No more to pay.

The itinerary information may vary slightly for your specific departure, as we continuously research and develop each trip. Inclement weather or other factors outside our control may also necessitate minor alterations.

MakeYour Booking

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Please contact

Kristene Fitzgerald Frontiers International Travel 600 Warrendale Rd. Gibsonia PA 15044-6037 P: 1-800-245-1950 P: 1-724-935-1577 E: kfitzgerald@frontierstravel.com W: www.frontiersej.com

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