Brochure finland kingdom of silence

ENGLISH VERSION

FINLAND KINGDOM OF SILENCE

ESSENTIAL SEEING CREATIVE PHOTO RETREAT

29 January - 5 February 2022 th

© Copyright Essential Seeing - Meaningful Photography Learning

th

THE KINGDOM OF SILENCE - WWW.ESSENTIALSEEING.COM

“The love for nature and travelling has run in my blood for as long as I can remember. Even if all locations have their unique and special soul, after 20 years of travelling the world I have found some places where I stood in awe, feeling specially connected to the land and the light, touched and stirred by the power, beauty and mystery of nature. Come and discover these places with us; Let us share those emotions and express them through photography.“

FINLAND

HIGHLIGHTS

KINGDOM of SILENCE

• Photograph the sur­ realistic kingdom of si­ lence: the endless ex­ panse of boreal forest.

ESSENTIAL SEEING CREATIVE PHOTO RETREAT

In winter, the boreal forest of the Finnish Lapland becomes a surrea­ listic kingdom of silence, where trees turn into sculptures, the sun skims the horizon and the northern lights paint the skies. Nowhere else is winter as magical as here.

Our Creative Retreat will coincide with the peak of the auroral acti­vity.

During a whole week, we will photo­ graph the otherworldly trees of the boreal forest encrusted with ice and snow, rock canyons, frozen lakes and rivers­and northern lights in two of the most amazing national parks of the Finnish Lapland.

JOIN US !

This will be an all Inclusive Creative Retreat conducted personally by Rafael Rojas and his partner Anca Minican. During the entire week we will be based at our exclusive and comfortable log house, from where we will be able to easily reach all our chosen photographic areas and adapt ourselves to the different weather and light conditions.

It will be here too where we will be able to work our images in front of a convivial­ log fire and relax in our sauna after a magical day of winter photography.

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE DATES 29th January - 05th February 2022 RETREAT LEADERS Rafael Rojas and Anca Minican PHOTOGRAPHY LEVEL All photographic levels EXERTION LEVEL Medium PRICE 4,500 CHF (Swiss Francs) VAT incl.

• Photograph the eerie figures of the spruce trees, turned into a my­riad of surrealistic ice and frost sculptures, under a vary­ ing range of light condi­ tions and moods. This is surely something you will never have seen before.

• Get ready for the pos­ si­bility of photogra­phing the Northern Lights. The Fin­ nish Lapland is idea­ lly situated to witness and photograph this incre­dible phenome­ non, as the number of clear nights here is one of the highest in the whole of Scandinavia.

BOOKING DEPOSIT Deposit of 1,500 CHF NUMBER OF PEOPLE Group of 4 (min.) to 6 (max.)

• We will photograph two national parks in many different weather and light conditions. We will work with wide and inti­ mate landscapes, night scenes, simplicity and minimalism, details, etc.

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THE PHILOSOPHY

CREATIVE PHOTO RETREATS

Our Creative Retreats are designed to help you re-engage with photography as a way of exploring your inner creativity and cre­ ate meaningful photographs that show others how you see, feel, and understand the world around you. We will help you see with fresh eyes and encapsulate your essence and the essence of the subject in your photographs. We will focus more on the why, rather than merely the how of photography.

Our Creative Retreats propose you a very different and reward­ ing approach: to slow down and create personal work about an inspiring area for a whole week, covering all the steps of the pho­ tographic process, from the original message to the final print.

Indeed, light, visual design, composition, post-processing, print­ ing and presentation are not independent steps, but an exten­ sion of each other. For this reason, our Creative Retreats have been designed as holistic creative experiences that will com­ bine moments of total immersion in the field with work in the stu­ dio and with round table creative discussions among the group members.

Firstly, in the field, you will spend plenty of time exploring and im­ mersing yourself in inspiring environments, carefully chosen by us, having the chance to work with different subject matter and under different conditions. Unrushed, you will be able to slow down, connecting more with the place and allowing your inner landscape to blend with the outer one.

Then, in the comfort of our lodge, we will spend time critiquing the work we have made in the field, analysing the message and its coherence in our images, finding patterns and traits that re­ veal our personal vision and finding ways to make our images more expressive. Then, we will spend time post-processing our images and printing them, through and iterative process guided by intent. At the end of our Creative Retreat, we will edit a final selection of our prints and make a hand-made book that we will all take home with us. This will close the creative circle and provide meaning and purpose to a holistic and thorough photo­ graphic experience.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

During our Creative Retreats, you will benefit from one-to-one tuition from Rafael Rojas. However, rather than learning by pas­ sive observation, you will also learn by doing, taking the reins and tackling every single step of the photographic process, includ­ ing post-processing, printing, editing and bookmaking. Finally, you will also learn thanks to the enriching feedback from other members of the group. Our Creative Retreats create the perfect environment where to engage in enlightening round table dis­ cussions about our photographs, sharing and learning from each other how each of us see and photograph the world.

Because the context is essential to set up an inspiring and crea­ tive environment, all our Creative Retreats take place in exclu­ sive, private and high-standing lodges that we book just for our group, with plenty of space to work and organize our creative discussions. These lodges are all ideally placed in magnetic lo­ cations surrounded by nature, from where we will have easy ac­ cess to our working areas. Rather than spending too much time on the road, we will take the most of our time creating out in the field. Because we cannot be creative when we are hungry and because we simply love eating well, we will make sure our Crea­ tive Retreats become culinary experiences in themselves. Get ready to a feast of great food and first-class attention to detail.

Our Creative Retreats are the perfect combination to our on­ line MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent”. In fact, during our Creative Retreats we will refer students back to many concepts discussed in the MasterCOURSE, and for this reason it is strongly recommended that you have enrolled in the MasterCOURSE be­ fore or right after the Creative Retreat. It will make your learning experience incredibly more effective and surely become a turn­ ing point in your photography.

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THE 4 PILLARS OF CREATIVE PHOTO RETREATS 1. PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE FIELD

3. PRINTING

We have realized the best way is to allow our participants to immerse themselves with plenty of time out in the field on their own, undisturbed unless they need any help. Rafael and Anca are always available for participants, anytime, anywhere, to discuss technical, compositional, artistic, or philosophic aspects while we work in the field. Participants will also have the possibility of seeing how Rafael works, how he visualizes, composes and creates his own photographs in the field. Rafael will use many of his photographs to explain many concepts in the field, and later on during the indoor sessions which will take place at our lodge.

During this Creative Retreat, you will have the chance to:

Printing our photographs cannot be understood as an isolated task, but as the continuation and final culmination of a complete photographic process. If a clear intent will guide us in a converging process during post-processing, in the very end, the same intent and visualized image should guide us through the prepara­ tion of the file for printing and the choice of paper and inks.

During our Creative Retreat, we will teach you:

- Photograph a wide array of different environments - Photograph a wide range of different subject matter - Be taken to the most magical areas, unknown to many people - Enjoy a slow-down approach that will provide you with plenty of time to create - Spend less time travelling, and more time creating - Enjoy a safe and perfectly organized logistics 2. POST-PROCESSING Post-processing should not be considered a separate step in photography but rather as the continuation, or culmination, of a whole photographic process that started the moment we had an idea in our mind that we wanted to capture in a photograph. During this In-Studio Workshop, we will study the most important and difficult task for the digital photographer today: knowing what is the intent and final vision we want for the image and what are the adjustments that need to be done in order to get there. All this is independent of the software we use, and will give us the most important foundations of knowledge in order to post-process our images using any kind of software or tools.

During this Creative Retreat, we will teach you how to: - Hone your post-processing skills in order to create coherent bodies of work - Use visual design to provide emotional connotations - Use post-processing to enhance the composition made in the field - Hone your post-processing skills in order to create coherent bodies of work - Analyze and plan the post-processing for a given image in terms of message, emotional connotations, visual design, composition and context - Master the use of global adjustments and local adjustments - Use post-processing in order to alter and enhance the feeling of balance, depth, rhythm, visual dynamics, visual relationships, harmony and dissonance - Use intuitively tools like Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop, without having to rely on trial and error or a process based on rudimentary “like-no like” decisions.

- How to obtain prints that are coherent with your vision and enhance the com­ position obtained in the field - What is color-management and how to use it when printing and post-processing - How to prepare your files for printing: tone and color, sharpening, resizing, etc - How to soft-proof: testing the suitability of different media and how to make the final adjustments of the files depending on the printing method chosen - How to evaluate your prints and reassess the post-processing in a cyclic iterative process 4. EDITING AND MAKING A PORFOLIO If we were to define the most important quality of a solid project or body of work, consistency would be the word. When we put images together to tell a story or convey a message, we want images that align in a similar register, that approach the subject in a consistent way, images that do not break the rhythm of the story and that resonate with each other. We want images in which the overall effect becomes much more than just the sum of the parts.

When working with projects, it is a good idea to consult with other people to see what they see. Even if personal photography remains personal, when it comes to editing a group of photographs that are to be displayed together as a coherent body of work, this exercise can cast an additional light that can help us realize even better what we wanted to say with our photographs.

During our Creative Retreats, Rafael Rojas will help you edit the final selection of images made during the Creative Retreat, in order to compose a body of work where every image resonates with each other.

Finally, once printed, you will learn how to bind the prints and make your own art­ ist book, the culmination of the whole photographic process and the reflection of your personal vision of the place we have photographed during the week.

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THE LOCATION

FINLAND, KINGDOM of SILENCE WINTER WONDERLAND

In winter, the boreal forest of the Finnish Lapland be­ comes truly a kingdom of silence where trees turn into sculptures, the sun skims the horizon and the northern lights paint the skies. Nowhere else is winter as magi­ cal as here.

On the verge of the Arctic Circle, the Taiga turns the landscape into a ruffled sea of snow-laden spruces, pines and birches stretching towards infinity, broken only by frozen lakes scattered across the valleys and isolated hills rising like islands. Atop the hills, the forest thins out and isolated trees remain isolated, covered­in snow and frost and transformed into su­rrealistic sculp­ tures of sleeping creatures patiently awaiting the ar­ rival of spring.

At the end of the evening, a low winter sun skims the horizon, casting a golden light over the summits, paint­ ing the snow with tones of yellow, orange and red.

As the sun disappears, the sky fills with a profusion of pink and violet pastel colours over a landscape which seems to have been taken from a Dali painting. The silence is intense, only broken by the wind and the sound of our heartbeats.

A bit later, we move into a tiny hut surrounded by the

snow-laden trees in the depths of this pristine wilder­ ness. Inside, we make a fire, sit down and prepare a hot tea to warm up. Then, through the window, a green light starts to dance above the tree tops. We go outside and our hearts beat faster: It is the auro­ ra borealis. What started as a faint light becomes a power­ful display of green light, swirling and dancing over the snowy landscape. Minutes later, the auro­ ra disappears, but the show is far from being over.

Around us, dwellers of a world of ice and cold wait in silence. Nothing moves, nothing seems to be alive, and nothing is felt besides the crisp freezing air. Across the glinting snow, elongated shadows creep without unveiling their provenance. Maybe we are not alone, after all ?

Under a starry sky, we go down the hill, feeling the snow crumble under our snowshoes. We head home along icy roads. The forest never abandons us. In a few minutes, we reach our place, a traditional and cosy big log house, just for us. We sit down around the fireplace and wonder whether the whole day was real, or just a dream. Our incredible photographs tell us the answer...

Along the border between Finland and Russia, an­ other surprise awaits us. There, the Oulanka River runs through one of the most interesting national parks of Finland. This is a pristine landscape of untouched and unlogged boreal forest, in which a unique river eco­ system flourishes along a valley flanked by steep can­ yons of rock and filled with rapids and waterfalls. In winter, the place becomes particularly amazing when ice clings from the rocky cliffs, waterfalls freeze and pieces of ice are carried by the black waters through the forest. Here and there, tiny wooden cabins invite us to rest and swinging bridges allow us to photograph over the raging waters.

But the mystery of the north is all around us. Here and there, large frozen lakes become blank canvases where only the animal tracks in the snow and the tree line in the distance break the emptiness of the white expanse. We experience the pleasure of photogra­ phing the void and the minimal lands­cape which co­ vers it all.

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The magical colors of the North...

PROGRAMME

FINLAND, KINGDOM OF SILENCE CREATIVE PHOTO RETREAT DAY 1 - 29TH JANUARY 2022 - ARRIVAL IN KUUSAMO We will pick you up at the Kuusamo airport on the first day and transfer you to our cosy log house which will serve as our base. We will have dinner together, get ac足 quainted and possibly photograph the northern lights if the sky is clear.

DAYS 2 TO 6 During 6 full days we will explore and photograph the most magical areas of the whole Finnish Lapland, conveniently loca足 ted close to our home base.

7 NIGHTS

Our daily schedule will vary depen足ding on the locations we will visit, but a typi足 cal day will be split between time spent in the field photographing and then time spent at the lodge, learning how to process and print a selection of images made in the previous day.

At the end of the week, we will make a final edit and teach you how to make an artist handmade book with your final selection of prints.

DAY 7 - 05TH FEBRUARY 2022 - END OF CREATIVE PHOTO RETREAT We will have breakfast together and officially end the creative photo retreat. We will arrange the transfers to Kuusamo airport, so that participants can easily catch their connecting flights back home.

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INCLUDED EXCLUDED

& INCLUDED

ALL INCLUSIVE

EXCLUDED

Tour led by Rafael Rojas and Anca Minican

Photographic and clothing equipment

‘ In the field’ photography advice, daily briefings,

International and domestic flights

Image critique sessions

Any meals other than those stated in

Post-processing sessions

Printing sessions

Personal expenses: telephone, gifts,...

Editing and Bookbinding session

Alcoholic beverages

Epson printer A3+ - Inks - Paper - Bookbinding material

the detailed itinerary

Medical, Accident and Repatriation

Accommodation in traditional log house

Insurances (compul­sory for all partici­

pants)

Single occupancy for all participants All meals and all non alcoholic drinks

Travel Cancellation insurance

(strongly advised)

Snowshoes and sticks

(they can be rented in Finland, but it is

recommended that you bring yours)

Transport during the whole stay Transfers from and to the airport of Kuusamo

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How does silence sound ?

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MAIN DETAILS

PHOTO RETREAT DETAILS PHOTOGRAPHY LEVEL All photographic levels, from beginners to advanced photographers, are welcome. Our Creative Retreats are the perfect combination to our online Master­ COURSE “Photography with Intent”, and could un­ derstood as a hands-on application of everything we discuss in this complete online program. During our Creative Retreats we will make frequent references to many concepts tackled in the MasterCOURSE. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you have enrolled in the MasterCOURSE before or at least right after the Creative Retreat takes place. By doing so, your learning experience will become incredibly more effective.

EXERTION LEVEL You should be fairly used to working in cold condi­ tions with lengthy periods spent in exposed locations.

You should also be reasonably fit as, although most walks are fairly short, the snow can be deep and a walk of around 1.5km is necessary to access some hills, with max. denivelation of 200 m. Some paths are cleared and in any case we will use snowshoes, but you should nevertheless be of good basic fitness.

PRICE 4,500 CHF (Swiss Francs) VAT incl.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE Groups are limited from 4 (minimum) to 6 (maximum)

SINGLE OCCUPANCY Single Occupancy accommodation is included on this creative retreat for all participants. Couples will be able to share the same room (twin beds, which may be put together).

LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION Transportation will be in a van seating 9 people. Ac­ commodation is in our own cosy log house that of­ fers a large living room with fire place, 7 bedrooms, a sauna and 3 bathrooms. Breakfasts will be served at the house, we will take packed lunches with us for greater flexibility and we will enjoy dinner at the res­ taurant every evening.

PAYMENT DETAILS Deposit of 1,500 CHF at the time of booking. Full pay­ ment of the Photo Trip due 120 days (4 months) prior to the departure date.

CANCELLATION FEES Should you need to cancel this Photo Trip, the follo­ wing fees apply: - 90 days or more before the departure date: Your deposit fee - 89 to 61 days before the departure date: 50% cancellation fee - 60 days or less before the departure date: 100% cancellation fee It is compulsory to acquire travel cance­llation insu­ rance, for your own good!

NON-PHOTOGRAPHING SPOUSES / PARTNERS Non-photographing spouses and partners are ­welcome on this creative retreat. Same rates apply.

LANGUAGES The official language for this photographic experi­ ence will be ­English. However, bear in mind that per­ sonal explanations to each participant can be done also in French or Spanish, as we are bilingual in these other languages. A certain international composition of the group should be expected, with all the fun and wonderful implications that brings!

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The Taiga, the infinite forest...

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LEADERS FINLAND

CREATIVE RETREAT

Learn with Rafael Rojas Master Hasselblad photographer and former University lecturer...

RAFAEL ROJAS Rafael Rojas (Master Hasselblad 2014, MA Photography, ARPS), is a Swiss and Spanish full-time artist photographer, lecturer, author, and creativity mentor.

Rafael has been involved in teaching since he was in his teens, and well before he took a camera for the first time. First helping out young students, then teaching undergrads and later on as a University lecturer.

Nowadays, his teaching activities focus on helping photographers see the world with different eyes and use photography as a tool of personal and creative expression.

This is mainly done by means of his MasterCOURSE “Photography with In­ tent”, a coherent, structured and comprehensive online mentoring program for expressive photographers, and through Creative Retreats.

Rafael is also co-founder of “Platinum Press Editions”, an independent finer art photography publishing company devoted to the creation of photogra­ phy books of the highest quality.

LEARN FROM AN EXPERT • Solid photographic expertise, with more than 40 international awards, in­ cluding the prestigious Master Hasselblad award in 2014.

• Recognised professional activity, as an Associate of the Royal Photo­ graphic Society (ARPS).

• Large teaching experience, with more than 10 years of experience organ­ ising workshops all over the world.

• Strong pedagogical background, based on many years of experience as a University lecturer.

• Deep academic background, provided by a MA in Photography from Fal­ mouth University (UK).

• Extensive writing experience, as a regular columnist and contributor to sev­ eral international photographic magazines.

• Creator of the online MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent”

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LEADERS LEADERS FINLAND FINLAND CREATIVE RETREAT CREATIVE RETREAT

ANCA MINICAN Anca Minican, the partner of Rafael Rojas, provides a very special touch to all our photographic trips and creative re­ treats. Trained as an architect and inte­ rior designer, she is a true lover of nature and the wilderness and always accom­ panies Rafael on his photographic expe­ ditions all over the planet.

Her broad experience in the corporate world, her professionalism and her methodical and serious approach make her a valuable asset for the organization, on-site logistics and the support to customers during our photographic trips and crea­ tive retreats. She also plays a key role in the team building and knows how to create an amicable environment with a personal touch as all our clients can testify!

She is co-editor of the whole range of Rafael Rojas Photography books, ensures the representation of our Limited Edition Fine Art prints and manages the photographic library of Rafael Rojas Photography.

Anca is also co-founder of “Platinum Press Edi­ tions”, an independent finer art photography pub­ lishing company devoted to the creation of pho­ tography books of the highest quality.

She speaks Spanish, English, French, Italian and Romanian.

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Never ending forests under the magical light of winter...

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FAQ

FINLAND CREATIVE RETREAT IS THIS CREATIVE PHOTO RETREAT AVAILABLE FOR ALL PHOTO­ GRAPHIC LEVELS?

CAN I BRING MY NON-PHOTOGRAPHING SPOUSE OR COMPA­ NION?

Yes. That being said, our Creative Retreats are the perfect combination to our online MasterCOURSE “Photography with Intent”, and could be very well understood as a hands-on application of everything we discuss in this complete online program. During our Creative Retreats we will make frequent references to many concepts tackled in the MasterCOURSE. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you have enrolled in the MasterCOURSE before or at least right after the Creative Retreat takes place. By doing so, your learning experience will become incredibly more effective.

Non-photographing spouses and partners are w ­ elcome on this creative retreat. Even though the dinner c ­ onversations will cer­ tainly revolve around photo­graphy, all locations visited will al­ low non-photographing partners and spouses to discover and fully enjoy the beauty of the Finnish Lapland. They can also stay at our lovely log house during our early morning­or e ­ vening photographic forays. Same rates apply.

WHAT IS THE FITNESS LEVEL FOR THIS CREATIVE PHOTO RETREAT? You should be used to working in cold conditions with lengthy periods spent in exposed locations. You should also be reaso­ nably fit as although most walks are fairly short, the snow can be deep and a walk of around 1.5km is necessary to access some hills, with max. denivelation of around 200 m. Some paths are cleared and in any case we will use snowshoes, but you should nevertheless be of good basic fitness. Bear in mind however that any person in average physical shape with the good clothing and equipment we recommend should not have any problem.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you are not sure about the diffi­ culty level of this creative retreat!

WHICH PHOTO EQUIPMENT SHOULD I BRING? In terms of photographic equipment, the choice depends very much on your experience, your budget and your style of photo­ graphy. There are a few general points though which should be mentioned. Most photographers tend to bring too much equip­ ment, leading to extremely heavy bags which then become a burden more than a useful tool to experience and photograph the places we visit. Never bring pieces of equipment you are not familiar with to a creative retreat, and limit your equipment to what you will need in the majority of cases. Typically, any came­ ra you use normally and a couple of zooms like a 24-70 and a telephoto 70-200 are more than enough for the vast majority of situations. For our Finland creative retreat, it might be useful to bring a fast lens, particularly wide, which gives good performance wide open (f1.8, f1.4 or at least a good f2.8) for the photography of the Northern Lights. Please refer to the Checklist document where we mention photographic and non photographic equip­ ment necessary for this trip.

Is Rudolf the Reindeer coming with us?

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WE WILL BE CLOSE TO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE... WILL I FREEZE TO DEATH? There is an old adage which says “There is no such thing as cold weather, only inappropriate clothing!”, and this could not be truer for the Finnish winter. Abso­ lutely everybody can comfortably hike, photograph and enjoy the Finnish win­ ter wonderland, provided he/she is well prepared in terms of clothing. Normal tourists visit the Finnish Lapland every year without any experience or special skills and fully enjoy the wonderful experience. However, it is essential to bring the right clothing and equipment. As part of the learning experience of this trip, we will assist you and explain how to dress and react in the cold so that you can fully enjoy the magical environment and photograph this winter wonder­ land. Temperatures in winter can vary greatly, ranging from -10 to -40 degrees on some rare occasions. The weather is very dry however, and as soon as we are properly clothed the feeling of cold disappears. The truth is there is nothing as invigorating as breathing the crisp cold winter air in the boreal forest!

WHAT CLOTHING SHOULD I BRING? Good clothing and equipment is essential for this photographic trip. If you fol­ low our recommendations you will be able to fully enjoy and photograph the magic of the Northern winter. It is very important that you bring a layered sys­ tem of clothing. Here below we list the different necessary elements: - Comfortable winter boots/shoes for trekking, with a well gripping sole that can be used with snow-shoes. These boots should be especially suitable for winter.

It is very important that they are not too tight, since that will accentuate the loss of heat. We recommend boots specially designed for cold temperatures such as Baffin, Kamik or Sorel. Otherwise, you can also use winter boots inter­ nally lined with lambs’ wool or other insulating materials (such as Meindl winter boots), and add some thermal packs inside to keep your feet warm.

- Thermal underwear. Merino wool is recommended, such as Icebreaker 260 shirts.

- Polar fleece.

- Down inner jacket, ideally with bonnet.

- Outer down parka with bonnet. We recommend parkas filled with natural goose down of 800 or 900. For example, the Batura Summit of RAB or similar.

- Balaclava.

- Chemical thermal packs for hands and feet.

- Two or three layers of gloves. We recommend inner silk gloves, intermediate soft shell gloves and external warm mittens. You can also bring with you some thermal packs to slip between the glove layers if needed.

- This layered system should also be used for your lower clothing: Merino wool leggings, down trousers and some heavy duty ski over-trousers which serve to protect you from the wind and snow.

- A pair of thick wool socks allowing some free space between the feet and the boots.

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In addition to this, you might bring with you snowshoes and sticks, since we will need them for our explorations of the hills. I you do not want to buy them, you can rent them once in Finland (but it is recommended that you bring them).

Bear in mind we will assist registered participants to gear up during this trip. In fact, knowing how to prepare and photograph in the cold is part of the learn­ ing experience of this photo-immersion trip!

IS FINLAND SAFE? Yes. In terms of safety, there is almost nowhere that can beat Finland. The finnish lapland, even if remote, isolated and at the verge of the Arctic Circle, has very good transport, health and social infras­tructures. Kuusamo, at only 40 minutes from where we will be based, caters for any needs you may have, even in the case of serious health problems. Also, the areas we will visit do not encompass any natural dangers, if you are properly dressed for the cold temperatures.

Therefore, bears are still sleeping !

WHICH LANGUAGE/S WILL BE USED DURING THIS CREATIVE RETREAT? The official language for this creative retreat will be ­English. However, bear in mind that personal explanations to each participant can be done also in French or Spanish, as we are bilingual in these other languages.

A certain international composition of the group should be expected, with all the fun and wonderful implications that brings. We are used to dealing with international groups in our workshops and photo trips and it is normal to have four or five nationalities represented in the group. Trust us, that is one of the strong points of our trips and a highly enriching experience.

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EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST DON’T FORGET PHOTOGRAPHIC GEAR

NON PHOTOGRAPHIC GEAR:

Camera (DSRL strongly recommended, but all cameras are welcome)

P assport

Lenses (wide angle, standard, telephoto)

Visa if required

Tripod and cable release (compulsory!!)

Winter boots, snowshoes and sticks. We will advice and help you to gear up!

Warm clothing based on layers: thermal underwear, fleece and down jackets,

Memory cards or film, batteries (minimum 2, ideally 3) and charger

Filters (if available): Polarizer, Neutral Density, Graduated Neutral Density

down parka. Gloves, balaclava and good shocks. Please see FAQ section Snowshoes if you want to bring your own (recommended). Otherwise, Snow

Portable Storage Device or any other redundant way of backing up your

images (laptop, other cards, portable hard disk like a Hyperdrive Color­

shoes could be rented on site.

space or similar

Chemical heaters for hands and feet

Laptop and mouse, compulsory, with Lightroom or Capture One software

Solar cream

installed for processing your digital photographs for the indoor creative

Sunglasses

sessions (trial versions available for free for both software packages)

Head torch

Thermos for hot tea - very important for this trip!

For the eventual northern lights, it might be useful to have a fast lens

which can be used at apertures of f1.4, f1.8 or at least f2.8

Personal and hygiene items (no towels needed)

E lectric plug adaptor, in case you need one

Medical, Accident, Repatriation and Travel Cancellation insurances docs

(http://www.hobbyprojects.com/electricity-power-standards/type-celectric-power-plug-socket.html)

Please bear in mind the volume limitation for your travel bags! We will be travelling in a van of 9 seats, which should be able to accommodate all our bags.

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WEATHER AND CLIMATE

The weather in Finnish Lapland is decidedly continental, with long cold winters and relatively warm summers. Well inland and far away from the influence of the Atlantic, the weather tends to be quite dry, and in fact this is one of the areas in Scandinavia where the sun shines the most on average throughout the year.

We will visit the area in mid winter, when the whole landscape becomes a true winter wonder­ land. All lakes are frozen and snow covers the landscape and clings to the trees, redu­cing the clutter to a minimum. This makes the northern winter the perfect occasion for the photographer who wants to create greatly simplified images­ full of emotional content, with a strongly marked Zen and minimalist aspect. Another of the gifts of winter here for the photographer is the freezing fog which rises from the lower valleys, and the wind which blows on the hill summits, encrusting spruce trees with ice and snow (Tykky, as Finnish people call it) and turning them into surrealistic white sculptures begging to be photographed.

Temperatures in winter can vary greatly. Although the average temperature in February is around -15°C, temperatures can range between -2°C and -38°C during the coldest periods. Very often, thermal inversion situations occur, leading to lower temperatures in the lower parts of the valley, while on the summits of the hills the temperatures show higher values. It is important to mention that humidity is low, and the feeling is that of a dry cold. This makes it possible to support the cli­ mate fairly easily provided one is suitably dressed. There is an old adage which says “There is no such thing as cold weather, only inappropriate clothing!”, and this could not be truer for the Finn­ ish winter. Absolutely everybody can comfortably hike, photograph and enjoy the Finnish winter wonderland, provided he/she is well prepared in terms of clothing. Normal tourists visit the Finnish Lapland every year without any experience or special skills, and can fully enjoy the wonderful ex­ perience. However, it is essential to bring the right clothing and equipment. As part of the learn­ ing experience of this trip, we will assist you and explain how to dress and react in the cold so that you can fully enjoy the magical environment and photograph the winter wonderland. It is very important that you bring a layered system of clothing. Please consult our FAQ to see the details of the recommended clothing you need to bring with you for this trip. Bear also in mind that we will assist registered participants to gear up during this trip. In fact, knowing how to prepare and photograph in the cold is part of the learning experience of this photo-immersion trip!

In terms of light, the Finnish Lapland is truly a gift for the landscape photographer as the area lies on the verge of the Arctic Circle and natural light becomes really special and different to what we are used to in other latitudes. During our visit, the sun will rise at 8:15 am and set at around 4:15 pm, giving us 8 hours of warm light due to a sun which remains low above the horizon for the whole day. It will also provide decent waking hours for dawn and also the possibility of photo­ graphing night scenes with auroras without having to stay up for too long.

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“I wonder if the snow loves the trees

and fields, that it kisses them so gently?”

Lewis Carroll

(1832 - 1898)

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VISAS/PASSPORTS: Please ensure:

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

1) That you have pre-arranged your entry visa if required 2) That your passport is valid to visit Finland, and that it does not expire in a critical date HEALTH: No vaccinations are mandatory.

It is a condition of booking that you disclose any medical conditions you might have in­ cluding allergies or special nutritional require­ ments. This is essential as it may affect both your own and other people’s enjoyment of the trip and will allow us to understand the implications in relation to the particular trip.

LUGGAGE: Please bear in mind the volume limitation for your photo-bag!

Even though we will be 8 people travelling in a van seating 9, we should be able to accom­ modate all the bags in the van that we nor­ mally take for our photographic sessions.

INSURANCES: All participants must be in possession of Health, Accident and Repatriation Insurances.

Additionally, it is compulsory that you con­ clude a Travel Cancellation Insurance.

If you need any help with this, let us know and we will suggest some leading compa­ nies with which we normally work.

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TESTIMONIALS “ The photo immersion trip “Finland, Kingdom of Silence” was an exceptional experience.

Due to the very small group size everyone receives a very personal attention to develop his photographic skills, not only on the field but also the critique sessions and post processing where very helpful. Not only the professionalism of Rafael, but also the other aspects of the trip such as the choice of diversity in shooting locations (taiga, canyons, rapids, woods, lakes), the excellent lodging facilities and food, the personal attention of Anca for the “non- photographic” needs of everyone of us, the humor and group dynamism with which Rafael and Anca fuel everyone’s enthusiasm are the extra assets that made this trip unforgettable. Believe me, these people are 200% engaged and passionate in what they do ! I am really looking forward to go on another trip with them.

J. Van Marcke, Belgium “ Rafael and Anca are jovial, methodical, multilingual and determined organizers, with ­enor­mous attention to detail and always striving for perfection, radiating a positive atmosphere.

Rafael’s­photographic eye and qualities as a patient teacher have deeply contributed to the improvement­of my photographic work, not only in the field, but also at post-processing.

A total success! ” Yves Curchod, Switzerland

“ Breathtaking landscapes, unbelievable lodges in the middle of the desert, a dream camp­ ing under the acacia trees and the milky way, a perfect organization... Rafael and Anca have ­offered us a magical photo-trip, out of this time, which remains with you long after it is finished...

Sharing a couple of weeks with a group of strangers is always a tricky thing... but not a problem at all with Rafael and Anca, who knew how to create a great ambiance in the group and foster the complicity of all its members. In terms of photography, the sheer variety of the places chosen

by Rafael, his permanent implication and his effective photographic tuition elevated the quality of this experience to a higher level. ”

Bernard Dupas, Switzerland “ Namibia is without doubt a dream destination for every landscape photographer. The itinerary, the places and the timing chosen by Rafael and Anca for this photo-trip made it border on the sublime. Rafael and Anca’s attention to detail turned this trip into an unforgettable experience.

Congratulations and thanks so much to both of you. ” Yvonne and René Hick, Belgium

“ Not only is Rafael a very talented photographer, but he also knows how to coach and foster his participants’ photographic work. His enthusiastic passion for photography is highly contagious! A top-notch photographic trip! Thanks so much to both of you! I am looking forward to seeing you again. ” Jean Cognard, France

“ Mind-boggling landscapes, an unforgettable group of people, lots of laughs, a perfect organization of the trip and magical souvenirs which made this photo-trip unforgettable! A huge thank you to Rafael and Anca for all these magical moments ! ” Justine Epars, Switzerland “ I recently spent 14 incredible days on a photo trip to Namibia with Rafael Rojas an Anca ­Minican. The entire trip was perfectly orchestrated from start to finish. Whether a novice or s­ erious photo­grapher, Rafael and Anca masterfully meet each participants needs. I am c ­ ontinually ­inspired by Rafael’s passion for his craft and his unique ability and desire to share his considerable­ ­knowledge. It is a gift. Rafael and Anca are the consummate hosts. I left enriched, fulfilled, made some fantastic photographs, and now have memories that will last a lifetime. ” Aubra Franklin, USA

“ Having never been on a photo-trip before I did not know what to expect and was somewhat apprehensive of the anticipated trip...but to my delight and amazement, it was outstanding. ­Rafael and Anca were the perfect hosts and had made sure that every little detail was provided which resulted in a photo-trip of a lifetime that will never be forgotten. And, I would not hesitate to sign up again for another incredible experience! ” Luke Classen, USA For me it was an unforgettable trip, largely exceeding my expectations. As a photographic experience it helped me to reflect and look for a more personal, intimate and emotional kind of photography and, as Rafael said so often, look for the photographs inside of my photographs...

Thanks my friends.

Paco Conesa, Spain

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TESTIMONIALS “ Unforgettable photo-trip, not only for the places chosen by Rafael but for his top-notch orga­ nization ! Incredible accommodation in lodges ideally placed to maximize the photographic ­opportunities. Rafael knew how to pass on to us his passion for photography and his detailed know­ledge about all places we photographed. The photographic tuition was perfectly integra­ ted into the different photographic sessions in a very practical way, without it becoming too ­academic or theoretical ! ” Marie-Eve Glasson, Switzerland “

“ Excellent photographic workshops! Personalized and passionate tuition, gorgeous ambiance, field instruction mixed with feedback and critique of the photographs taken...After many workshops made with them, I never stop learning and it is always a great pleasure to come back with Rafael and Anca! All the teaching is tailored to each of the participants and of great quality, and the good sense of humor never abandons Rafael and Anca. The workshops are planned with a lot of thought, and we are always in the right place at the right time. The only problem is...all workshops and trips are quickly sold out!”

S.Schild, Switzerland

“ This was a extremely well planned and scouted trip. Rafael knew where to take us and when, as he read the weather continually. I would say that was one of the things that was of best value for me on this trip. Also, he was very open and available for help if I needed it.

The photo-trip was a real success, with lots of unforgettable moments, both photographing and with the rest of the group. Rafael and Anca are a dream team for this kind of photographic trips. They are always surpassing your needs and expectations, with top-notch photographic coaching and a wonderful kindness.

I have been to many photo trips and this one was definitely one of the best, specially in terms of the possibilities for outstanding photography. Rafael really does take you to spectacular settings. The rest is really up to us and our abilities, but he does help us to “see” more possibilities than just the obvious. As I reflect back on my week with Rafael, I truly think he has helped me train my eyes to see more simply. I feel I am more demanding and selective in what I choose to photograph. I really enjoyed myself tremendously, it was fantastic, and I did not want it to end. I hope to travel with him again! ” Lorraine Thomas, USA

“ Anca and Rafael are one of the two friendliest people I know and their good sense of humour makes the trips with them very pleasant. Going out on a trip with Rafael is one of the most rewarding photographic experiences because he readily shares his ample knowledge and experience which will almost certainly make you a better photographer. “ Jochim Thies, Germany

J.S. Jacquet, France

I have attended to many workshops with Rafael and Anca in the last couple of years. In all of them, the choice of the places, the organization, the instruction and the great ambiance created by Rafael and Anca have made a difference, turning these events into very special and enlightening experiences. To be consumed without any moderation and with a lot of pleasure!

B. Dupas, Switzerland

Rafael has made me feel his passion about photography in a way that no other photographer has never done! He really spurred on me the will to learn, always giving away without limitation!

Bravo and thanks so much!

C. Bongard, Switzerland

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FINLAND KINGDOM OF SILENCE

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FINLAND

KINGDOM OF SILENCE

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