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As many of you
already know, one of my primary passions in nature photography is
waterfalls. Each is unique in its visual character and can usually be
found in some of the most beautiful of settings. Coupled with a desire
of creating a workshop/trip around this theme, I have been scouting
locations for some time now that would provide a “target rich”
environment as well as photographic variety.
Dominica
located in the
Windward Islands
of the southern
Caribbean
may be the ideal spot to feed my passion and serve as a future workshop
location. As most of you know, I do not make a formal trip or workshop
offering until I have actually been to the location and have iron out as
many bugs as possible. This time I am making an exception and
would like to invite three to four participants along at a reduced fare.
While I already put in place all of the logistical arrangements, from a
photographic perspective this is still an exploration trip to not only
get some serious waterfall photography done but also to identify the
best locations for a formal workshop. If you have sense of adventure and
not too worried about structure this trip is for you.
All arriving
flights to
Dominica
land at the Melville Hall Airport (DOM).
Flights to and from the states entail an overnight stay in
San Juan
as incoming flights from the states do not arrive until between late
afternoon and late evening and the American Eagle flight to
Dominica
does not depart until around
1:30 pm
the next afternoon. I have already blocked rooms at a reasonably priced
hotel in
San Juan
but that expense is not covered in the trip cost.
OVERVIEW:
Dominica
(pronounced
DOM-IN-EE-KA,
and not to be confused with the
Dominican Republic),
is sparsely populated with around 70,000 people inhabiting its 289.5
square miles. A significant portion of the population lives in and
around the capital city and two smaller towns which leaves the remainder
of the island an arcadia of unspoiled nature. Preserved in the form of
three national parks and two forest reserves, tropical forest covers
almost
two thirds of the island.
Dominica
is also the location of the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the
eastern
Caribbean.
While the island is only 29 miles long and 16 miles wide, it contains
365 rivers and over 29 named waterfalls (and counting). It volcanic
origins still manifest themselves in the form of hot springs and pools,
hot and cold running rivers, and fumaroles that give rise to steam vents
and a boiling lake.
My primary focus of for the 2010 trip is to explore and photograph many of the
island’s waterfalls (not all of them) as well as its rainforests. Most
of the waterfalls (whether well known or “undiscovered”) are relatively
easy to access being near roads or moderate hikes of not more than an
hour in length (round trip). While some are well known and accessible to
the public many are on private land or hidden away from the typical
tourist. To help me locate these gems and to gain access to them, I have
hired a guide familiar with the island’s backcountry and local
residents. The 2011 workshop will be a full lecture-, field shoot-, and
critique based similar in format to the Oregon and Teton/Yellowstone
workshops.
By the way, a number of waterfalls have pools at their base in which you
can swim in (a few on the warm side), so you could get some serious
photography done and get in a soak all in the same excursion. In
addition to waterfalls, I want to do some work in the rainforest itself
as it is home to over 1200 species of plants, extensive bird life,
flowers, and reptiles (there are no poisonous snakes on the island).
 
Our base of operations is a lodge in the
Hibiscus
Valley
(see left image inset) on the east (wet) side of the island located not
far from the
Morne
Trois
Pitons
National Park.
As all work and no play make for dull and tired photographers our lodge
is located just a five minute drive from a secluded white sand beach
that I think we should take advantage of for a least part of a day. As
this is an exploration trip, I also want to set aside some time to take
in some of the local culture (the island still is home to the
pre-Columbian Carib Indians) as well as explore some of the island’s
many restaurants to sample the local cuisine.
RESERVATION INFORMATION:
ON-LINE
REGISTRATION
Workshop costs Include:
Lodging, breakfast and dinner. Ground
transportation service while in Dominica; applicable entrance fees; taxes
and service charges.
Not Include:
Activities not indicated on itinerary;
travel/baggage/accident/cancellation insurance; gratuities; personal use
items such as phone, laundry, etc.
Airfares:
Air fare costs for flights from participants home city to Dominica
are not included. Participant is responsible for making their own
arrangements for an arrival in Dominica for the start of the trip.
Currently, full payment
is
required at the time of registration.
Reservations:
As I am taking a very limited number of participants, making an early reservation is recommended. You can reserve a place by
either
registering on-line or by calling
Wildlight Photography at (612) 804-7377 during the weekday office hours of 9:00 am-4:30 pm CST.
We accept credit cards, or we will hold your
reservation for seven days, while awaiting your personal check or money
order. Make checks payable to "Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography".
Payments can be mailed to Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography, 4501 Oak Drive, Edina, Minnesota 55424.
For international residents: Please contact Wildlight
Nature Photography to discuss payment arrangements.
Cancellation Policy:
Per person charges for cancellations received 120 days or less from the
trip start date are as follows: 120-101 days - 35% of trip cost; 100-81
days - 50% of trip cost; 80-61 days - 65% of trip cost; 60 or fewer days
prior to departure - 100% of trip cost. We recommend that you purchase
cancellation insurance as this policy is strongly adhered to. Note: In
addition of cancellation fees, deposits required to guarantee hotel
rooms or local air transportation may be nonrefundable. The purchase of travel insurance
covering baggage, accident/life and trip cancellation is highly
recommended. Wildlight Nature Photography reserves the right to cancel
any group due to insufficient registration. In the even of such
cancellation, those with reservations shall be notified as soon as
possible and a full refund of trip payment will be given. Wildlight
Nature Photography is not responsible for additional expenses incurred
in preparation for a trip.
Payment represents an acceptance of the
following terms and conditions: Wildlight Nature Photography, its
affiliates and all cooperating airlines and agencies act only in the
capacity of agents in all matter of transportation and tour operation, and
their liability is limited to the terms of the airline tickets, boat, and land
accommodation contracts. They are not responsible for any delays,
inconveniences, accidents, expense or mishap of any kind whatsoever
resulting entirely, or in part, from the negligence of others or from
causes beyond their control. They can accept no responsibility for losses
or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services,
sickness, weather, strike, riot, war, quarantine or other causes. All such
losses or expenses must be born by the participants as program rates
provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved
to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make
any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes
in air schedules, weather or naturally occurring geological events.
Baggage is at owner's risk entirely. No refund can be made for unused
hotel rooms, meals, sightseeing trips or tours unless arrangements are
made at the time of booking. The right is reserved to decline to accept or
to retain any person as a program member for any reason which affects the
operation of the program or the rights, welfare, or enjoyment of the other
program members, and refund or the recoverable land program services is
the limit of the liability of Wildlight Nature Photography and its
affiliates.
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