Part One, Unknown Patagonia:
April 11 – April 19, 2008
          trip cost $3,750
  
Part Two, Torres del Paine:
April 19 – April 26, 2008
          trip cost $4,050

For years my neighbor and fellow landscape photographer Linde Waidhofer has been sharing photos and stories of her adventures in Patagonia. Foremost among such adventures were Linde's annual Photo Safaris to this wildly beautiful part of the world. This year, while Linde and her husband Lito are completing the construction of their Patagonia house, she asked me to lead these two back-to-back autumn Photo Safaris to Patagonia. (southern-hemisphere autumn, that is). And of course, I accepted with enthusiasm.

Our Photo Safari begins in central Patagonia, an almost unknown region of temperate turquoise lakes, tumbling crystal rivers, and magnificent forests of native beech trees under glacial peaks. A region often called "Unknown Patagonia" because this central zone of Chilean Patagonia bears little resemblance to the harsh Patagonian landscape of desolate wind-swept pampas punctuated by a handful of ice-shrouded spires that has come to represent the far south in many international publications.

Then, for part two of this autumn Photo Safari, we fly further south to Punta Arenas, to visit the spectacular and world famous mountainscapes of the Torres del Paine National Park.

Photographers can participate in either part, or, hopefully, in both.

Although Patagonia is wild, pristine and dramatic, we won't be roughing it. Wonderful local food and Chilean wine, the best local accommodations, and transportation by comfortable van, are all included. But there's more. These photo safaris are limited to a maximum of six photographer-participants. And we will be guided, looked after, and, so-to-speak, pampered by an amazing team:

Cado Avenali & his Chilean wife Ruth Cohen, the owners of Salvaje Corazon our guide/outfitters, the Patagonian Guide Service, have handled the logistics for this Photo Safari for five years. They know Patagonia, its secrets, its moods, and light better than any other guides. with their in-depth knowledge of the local floral , fauna, weather, topography and people, Cado and Ruth are the consumate Patagonia insiders — totally dedicated to making these photo safaris as enjoyable and memorable as possible. From daily gourmet picnic lunches to reservations at the very best lodges, to getting to the right places at the right time of day....

All this backup, two skilled guides, plus a full tiime driver, frees me to concentrate on the photographc side of our trip. This adds up to an unusual client-to-staff ratio (6 photographers and a staff of 5) unheard of in the travel-photography business. And our driver will take us places in a compact but comfortable van that larger photo groups can't even hope to visit.

This trip demands a certain commitment, spending over two weeks photographing is always intense, and flying to the ends of the earth makes it even a bigger commitment. But Patagonia is one of the most exciting destinations on the planet for landscape photography. Not to be missed.

You'll find the full itinerary, and many more details about this Photo Safari on a separate page, by clicking the following link

>click here<

You can also email or phone me for more information.

Bill Ellzey's Teaching Background:
Bill Ellzey has been helping photographers come along the path of making better pictures since about the time he became a full-time working pro more than 30 years ago.

From the most basic nuts & bolts of f-stops and shutter speeds, and now the exciting world of digital imaging, to examining what makes for strong compositions and truly meaningful images, to the delights of being in nature and sharing its beauty with others through photography, Ellzey’s down-home style, and experience, both as photographer and instructor, make him a highly valued workshop leader.

Beginning as far back as the ‘70s Ellzey was invited to present programs for professional photographers’ conventions around the nation.  A year after moving to stunningly scenic Telluride, Colorado he was handed the controls of The Autumn Eye photography workshop which, through Kodak grants, he developed into a large program under the name of Western Photo Workshops.  As director of WPW for eleven years Ellzey hired instructors in widely varied specialty areas and often filled instructor’s shoes himself.  These workshops, as well as instructorships at Winona International School of Photography, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, have provided Ellzey the satisfying opportunity to share his passion for photography.

Ellzey dropped out of the teaching scene for four years to build a rustic, southwest-style straw-bale house for himself in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.  Now Bill is back on the teaching/lecturing circuit.