2024 Awesome Chatham Islands Photography Retreat

If you only want to join one photography tour in 2024, come join us as we explore this beautifully ruggedly raw, windswept location.  Even if you’ve joined one of our Chatham Island photography retreats previously come back and join us as again, as we have more stunning new photographic locations.

Come join Lesley as she leads a group of no more than 10 women exploring the amazing windswept Chatham Island over three full days

This photography tour is fully inclusive of return airfares (valued at $1,300) to Chatham Islands (departing Auckland and returning to Christchurch), breakfast, lunch and dinner (wines own cost), transport around the island and concession fees to all places we visit.

Staying at the Chatham Island Hotel’s we have both share twin rooms and single rooms available.

You will get to photograph some amazing scenery:

• Chatham Island sunrise at Waitangi under the bridge over over the Nairn River
• Waitangi West for windswept white sand beaches with amazing rock formations, tussock grasses and views back to Maunganui Bluff
• Visit Admiral Gardens to capture images of the beautiful wildflowers – macro photographers delight.  We maybe fortunate enough to capture images of the Red Admiral Butterfly – a different species to mainland
• Capture images of the dramatic windswept Chatham Island trees
• Photographing some of the oldest and farm shed and houses.

There will be photography review with Lightroom and Photoshop after dinner on return to our accommodation – a laptop is a must for these sessions or a tablet with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop pre-loaded.

This tour is suitable for beginners as long as you know how to change your camera’s settings – Lesley will coach you on the settings to capture gorgeous photos with pre-set group sessions at each location.

You will need to bring:

• Of course all your camera gear with a variety of lenses, including telephoto if you have one
• Camera backpack
• Tripod
• ND Variable fader filters – for long exposure sunrises and seascape images.
• Pack for four seasons, including a light thermal layer, including sun hat, beanie and fingerless gloves – Lesley recommends these gloves from Kathmandu.
• Waterproof walking shoes are recommended.

What’s included:

• Five nights twin-share accommodation, single rooms available at additional cost
• Air Chatham flight from Auckland and returning to Christchurch ($1,300 value). Flight departs from Auckland is 1.30pm, meeting time is 10.00am for pre-tour photography workshop. Return flight lands in Christchurch around 10.00am.
• Cooked buffet breakfast daily, continental on day of departure
• Coffee & tea station available all day
• Two course dinner each night
• Packed lunch daily (Friday – Sunday)
• Entry to Admiral Gardens plus other privately owned and accessible locations
• Landowner and DoC concession fees valued at $300 per person
• Chatham Island visitor levy valued at $25 per person
• Photography review sessions
• Printing two of your images on A3+ professional photographic paper to take home plus with cardboard tube & acid free photo paper to protect your images)
• A5 Photo Diary to take with you each day
• Lots of photography mentoring
• An awesome amount of fun!

Choose your accommodation type:

What’s Not Included:

• Travel to departure point Auckland and home from Christchurch
• Purchases or spending of a personal nature
• Wines with dinner and barista coffee.

All prices quoted are NZD

Limited to a maximum of 10 a $500 deposit secures your place.

Book now by paying your deposit – balance payable by credit card on receipt of invoice 6 weeks prior to departure.

NOTE: 

On this photography retreat, the walking is easy over uneven ground with periods of 30 minutes including climbing over stiles, many locations only 20-50 paces away from the coach.

NOTE: Chatham Islands weather can occasionally cause flight delays, we recommend you take travel insurance and book fully flexible Air New Zealand airfares for your flights to Auckland and home from Christchurch.  Women in Photography will not be held responsible for additional costs relating to flight changes should your Air Chatham flights be changed.

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS APPLICABLE

• If you choose to cancel your booking, your deposit is non-refundable unless we can fill your place – we strongly recommend you take out travel insurance should you need to cancel due to illness or accident
• If we have to cancel we will give you a full refund or you can have your deposit transferred to any of our other events
• Full payment is due 45 days before the commencement date and is thereafter non-refundable in the event of your choosing to cancel, unless we are able to re-fill your place.