Japan Winter Wildlife Photo Expedition 2102 & 2013

10D9N Japan Winter Wildlife Photo Expedition

We engage local Japanese driver & English-Japanese translator/guide with us on the expedition to ensure your safety on the road and help you better appreciate the unique Japanese culture!

International Award-winning photographers, C.S.Ling and Ethan Lim bring you on an exciting journey to experience the winter wildlife in Japan in Feb 2012! Photograph endangered species which are only found in this part of the world; Experience the local Japanese culture in local homestay and savour the culinary spread of authentic Japanese home-cooked cuisine!

So kick back and relax as we travel in a small cozy group of 6 participants with 2 of us instructors. You can be sure that you get our undivided attention to help you maximize the use of your camera gears as we impart our photography techniques to you. We've got you covered so all you have to do is to fully utilize your time and effort in photographing the breathe-taking wildlife and landscapes that Japan has to offer!

The Highlights

Whooper SwansSee hundreds of Whooper swans landing and taking off from from the largest frozen crater lake in Japan! Ever heard of the ugly duckling story? You will also get to see the young swans (a.k.a Cygnets) in their grey plumage as they learn how to fly and land on the slippery ice!

Steller's Sea EaglesWith a wing span of more than 2 meters, the Steller's Sea Eagles are the kings of the frozen sea ice. You are bound to witness quarrels, fights & feathers flying in the air as the Steller's Sea Eagle and White-tailed Sea Eagle take on each other to show who's the king.

Snow MonkeysPhotograph the very intelligent Snow Monkeys as they make a splash into the natural volcanic hot spring to stay warm during the harsh winter. Watch out as the fun-loving young monkeys chase each other in the snow and make snowballs with their hands to attack each other!

The Itinerary

DAY 1 (16 Feb) Dinner included
We meet up with all the participants at Tokyo Haneda airport in the morning. And take a domestic flight to Kushiro, Hokkaido! Once we touched down, we stay at a Ryokan for next 2 nights. The owner is a ornithologist (one who studies zoology specialising in birds) so we will be out in the woods early next morning for bird photography! 2 hr Photography INDOOR workshop at night after dinner

DAY 2 (17 Feb) Breakfast included
Spend a full day exploring the area and a chance to photograph small birds such as Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker & Goldcrest. We will have lunch in a glass-lake-house restaurant right next to a frozen lake where we may see raptors such as black kites and eagles fighting for food while you enjoy a warm delicious lunch indoor. 1 hr photo review session at night after dinner

DAY 3 (18 Feb) Breakfast & Dinner included
Have a lovely breakfast of toast and home-made jams and then we set off again further up North to explore; with a chance to photograph Red Fox and Sika Deers in the winter wonderland! We stay in a Pension house for the next 2 nights. Everyone have a good night sleep as we will be waking up at 4AM for a cruise out into the frozen sea for eagles!

DAY 4 (19 Feb) Breakfast & Dinner included
We go onboard the "Eagle Boat" at 5AM to photograph the endangered & majestic Steller's Sea Eagles, White-tailed Sea Eagles and Japanese Golden Eagles out on frozen sea ice*! Be greeted by different species of gulls flying in all directions. Definitely the best chance to put your photography skill to the test! After the 3hr of shooting on the boat, we head back on land to explore the area for the rest of the day. We return to Pension house early as we will be going on "Eagle Boat" again tommorrow morning! (*depends on condition of sea ice)

DAY 5 (20 Feb) Breakfast & Dinner included
We are back on the "Eagle Boat"* at 5AM! After that, we will head back to Pension house for breakfast before checking out. We will then drive a few hrs to reach the largest frozen crater lake in Japan to photograph the Whooper Swans! Watch hundreds of Whooper Swans take off & land on the ice like air planes! We will spend the rest of the day with the swans and then stay for 1 night in the comfort of a warm and cozy guesthouse. (*depends on condition of sea ice) 1 hr photo review session at night after dinner

DAY 6 (21 Feb) Dinner included
We spend early morning with the Whooper Swans again before checking out of the guesthouse and head off to the village of the endangered Red-crowned cranes, the second rarest cranes in the world. Witness the pairs of Red-crowned cranes doing the courtship dancing ritual in the snowing background. We will be staying in a nearby hotel for the night. 1 hr photo review session at night after dinner

DAY 7 (22 Feb) Breakfast included
We head out before the sun rise to a bridge whereby we can observe the Red-crowned cranes roosting in the mist as the sun warms up the cold river surface. A magical scene to witness before we check out and set off to Kushiro airport for our flight back to Haneda Tokyo airport. We will stay in a traditional Ryokan (japanese guest house/inn) in Nagano for next 2 nights. 1 hr photo review session at night after dinner

DAY 8 (23 Feb) Breakfast included
Spend a full day photographing the Snow Monkeys bathing in hot spring! You can also enjoy the natural hot spring in the small town area near our accomodation in the evening if you want ( not incuded in the workshop cost ^_^ ). 1 hr photo review session at night after dinner

DAY 9 (24 Feb) Breakfast included
We check out of the Ryokan after a hearty breakfast and head to photograph the Snow Monkey for half a day before heading back to Tokyo. We will check in to hotel before heading out for a good dinner in the city of Tokyo on this last night to celebrate our Japan Winter Wildlife expedition. 1 hr photo review session at night after dinner

DAY 10 (25 Feb) No meals included
We have one final photo review session in the morning before preparing for our respective flights back home!

Early-bird Price!$7500 SGD/ $6100 USD

Sign up for 10D9N Japan Winter Wildlife Photo Expedition

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By clicking on the 'Register' button above, you agree to the following terms & conditions:

Fees must be paid in full by bank transfer or cheque, 8 weeks before the start of the expedition.
Life List Chase, C.S.Ling, Ethan Lim, their guides, and any cooperating agent will assume no liability for injury, illness, or loss of personal property or expenses thereof associated with workshop participation.
We reserve the right to change our arrangements should conditions necessitate, or to cancel any aspect of the workshop due to exceptional circumstances.
In the event that we deem it necessary to cancel the expedition we will provide a full refund which the participant acknowledges as full and final settlement.

PHOTO SLIDESHOW

DATES AVAILABLE

16 -25 Feb 2013

PRICE PER PAX (Twin-sharing, Couples)

Early-bird! * $7500SGD / $6100 USD

Ends 5 Nov 2012

Original * $7700 SGD / $6260 USD

Include: Accommodation, Breakfast & Dinner on some days (refer to itinerary)*, private transport to shooting locations (van & boat), guide and park entrance fees only. Exclude: International & domestic flights, travel insurance, visas, tips for guides, etc. Participants will be responsible for booking and purchasing their own flight tickets and travel insurance. Some meals are not included in trip price (refer to itinerary)*. * Japanese cuisine is awesome but may be expensive for photographers with a tight budget. As such, we strive to cater to photographers with a variety of budget by letting photographers have the flexibility and liberty to decide their preference of meal types at their own expense, e.g. restaurant or packed meals from convenience store.

YOUR INSTRUCTORS

C.S.Lingcslingphotography.com She breathes inspirations & creativity into Life List Chase. She's is a Nikon Singapore Professional Photographer, SanDisk Extreme Team member, Gitzo Ambassador (Singapore) and celebrated as Singapore Women's Weekly Great Women of our Times 2011 (Arts & Media).
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Ethan Limethanlimphotos.com He brings passion for the great outdoors & technical excellence into Life List Chase. He is a Gitzo Ambassador (Singapore) whose photos were exhibited in Singapore & France. His image of the Endangered Orangutan won him the Prix Mammifère sauvages in the AFPAN 15th International Photo Competition in 2011.
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WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE & LEARN

Watch Eagles, Swans & Cranes in flight and learn how to capture these graceful flyers on camera;
Photographing in different environments - snowy mountains, frozen lakes, frozen sea ice, etc...
Setting the right exposure to effectively capture the magic of winter landscape;
Protecting your camera and yourself from the harsh winter elements
Post-processing to enhance the aesthetic as well as retain the colors and details of the photo;
Experience Japanese hospitality staying at Ryokans & taste of scrumptious homecook Japanese meals.

KEY WILDLIFE SPECIES

Whooper Swans
Red-Crowned Cranes
Steller's Sea Eagle
White-tailed Sea Eagle
Japanese Golden Eagle
Japanese Macaques (Snow Monkeys)
Sika Deers

PHOTO GEARS & PACKING LIST

A DSLR camera body
1. You may want to bring a second DSLR body so that you can shoot with a standard/wide-angle lens at the same time as with a telephoto lens. It's a challenge to switch lens out in the cold and you may miss the action as it unfolds.
A range of lens that covers wide angle to tele
1. Telephoto Prime or Zoom lens no shorter than 300mm. A 1.4x or 1.7x teleconverter is optional.
2. Standard Zoom lens in any range of 24mm - 200mm
3. Wide-Angle Prime or Zoom lens in any range of 14mm - 24mm
4. Optional: Macro lens, Fish-eye lens, Polarizing filter, ND filters etc...
5. TIP: If you want to go light and basic, you should definitely go with combination of a) + c)
A sturdy tripod; bean bag (optional)
1. Make sure the tripod is slightly higher than your eye-level when fully extended at the legs (it may sink slightly in snow). Insulate your tripod legs with foam tubings or tripod leg coat to protect your fingers. You can DIY a bean bag filled with rice or green beans. It's great for mounting your lens for support on any surface. e.g : windows.

FAQs

When do I need to pay?
1. We require a 60% deposit to book your participation. The remaining balance is due 8 weeks before your expedition start date. In the event the expedition is unable to depart due to minimum numbers, a full refund will be returned to the customer.
What is your pre-departure briefing about?
1. Our pre-departure briefing is held 3-4 weeks prior to departure. Get to meet the other participants and we will answer any questions you may have. All confirmed participants will also recieve a e-book containing essential reading about the expedition, packing list and more. For those who can't attend the briefing in Singapore, feel free to email or skype us with any questions.
How is your rooming list decided? Can I opt to stay alone in a single room? (Single Supplement)
1. Our expedition is based on a twin-sharing basis. We will decide the rooming list based on gender, followed by age group. For participants who have registered with their friends or spouses, they can request to stay together in the same room. If you wish to enjoy more privacy and have a single room to yourself for the duration of the tour, a single supplement charge will apply. Subjected to availability.
Why are flight fares excluded?
1. Our expeditions are marketed globally and we expect photographers from various countries/cities joining each expedition. As such, we do not include flight fare in the expedition price. We are not a travel/tour agency, but professional photographers who endeavor to bring photographers with us on expeditions. Both international and domestic flight schedule and price range will be made known to participants for the convenience and liberty of booking your preferred flight.