Counts Point, West McDonnell Ranges

LOCATION:      West McDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory

DATES:       Friday 22nd June to Tuesday 26th June 2012

YOUR LEADERS:    Tom Putt & Ian Wallace

TIMES:     This workshop begins at 11am on the Friday morning (meeting at the Alice Springs airport or we can collect you from your hotel accommodation) and concludes after lunch at 2pm on the Tuesday afternoon (arriving back at the airport by 6pm).

MEETING POINT:      Alice Springs.

GETTING THERE:      Fly to Alice Springs.  We offer a complimentary pick up service from the airport or hotel accommodation to the workshop, leaving at the airport at 11am and collecting you from your hotel accommodation soon after.

TRANSPORT:     A private mini bus collects you from the airport or your hotel accommodation then travels to our base - Geln Helen Resort - in the West McDonnell Ranges. Alternatively you can hire a car from Alice Springs airport and meet us at Glen Helen.

PREREQUISTE:       A basic understanding of your camera and photography is helpful (although we can show you a thing or two about this!!!)

Ormiston Gorge sunset, West McDonnell Ranges

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:     

The West McDonnell Ranges are a jewel of the Red Centre. Often overlooked because of some rock further to the south, the Ranges stretch for over 150kms to the west of Alice Springs, featuring some of the most spectacular gorges that Australia has to offer. Red orche cliffs, white-trunked ghost gums, reflections in waterholes of the harsh interior, panoramic views along parallel ridges that seemingly go on forever, helicopter rides - these are just some of the photographic opportunities on this workshop.

Here's what the Glen Helen Resort website has to say about the area:

"Situated at the Western end of the spectacular West MacDonnell Ranges, Glen Helen Resort is the climax to an adventurous and colourful drive, a little over an hour from Alice Springs. 

Glen Helen is surrounded by the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, and is a destination in its own right, with easy day trip access to the whole West MacDonnell National Park, including Palm Valley, Hermannsburg, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Mt Sonder.

Glen Helen takes its charm from its traditional bush welcome and atmosphere. The view of stunning cliffs and riverbed is dominating and impressive as guests relax outdoors on the back verandah, or sit in more comfort in the lounge area.

Our specialty is good old fashioned Australian hospitality, and you can look forward to a warm welcome. The Glen Helen Homestead captures the authentic Outback style. This restored and enlarged Station Homestead has a charming atmosphere, with photos of the surrounding natural features and memorabilia of the early years of the business

Enjoy a cold beer at the bar before dining in the renowned Namatjira Restaurant and Gallery, or cook a barbeque outdoors while enjoying the sunset. In winter relax in front of a cosy open fireplace, and in summer laze by the swimming pool or the Glen Helen Gorge waterhole. Hike through the ranges on the Larapinta Trail, swim through Glen Helen Gorge, take a lilo up Redbank Gorge or really get a birds eye view from a Scenic Helicopter Flight.

For most of the year you can enjoy quality entertainment five nights a week in the Homestead, with a variety of resident musicians bringing even more Australian flavour to your stay."

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Glen Helen Gorge, which is right on our doorstep.
• The spectacular Ormiston Gorge with it's red cliffs and ghost gums
• Redbank Gorge
• Palm Valley
• Stanley Chasm
• Simpson's Gap
• Ellery Creek Waterhole
• Serpentine Gorge
• Alice Springs Desert Park

_____________________________________________________________________

SUITABLE FOR:     This workshop is ideal for photographers wanting to spend most of the workshop photographing the Red Centre and all it has to offer. We'll be maximising the time available to be out shooting as much as possible. Being winter time, the light will be soft, even during the middle of the day, so we can be out all day photographing. Where possible we will look conduct two critique sessions, however this will depend on the time available.

WHAT TO EXPECT:    A typical day starts with an early start for sunrise to capture the gorgeous warm light, followed by breakfast back at our accommodation. Then taking a packed lunch, we'll head out for the day to photograph, finishing off with a killer sunset shoot (i always make sure I ordered the perfect sunsets for the workshop!).  Dinner follows then a critiques with wine in hand (YIPPIE!!!).  

A basic itinerary may go like this:

DAY 1 - Leaving Alice Springs we stop at the Alice Springs Desert Park for lunch and the opportunity to photograph some of the Red Centre's unique wildlife up close. This includes Thorny Devils, raptors, flora of the desert. From the park we visit both Simpson's Gap and Stanley Chasm in the late afternoon before making Geln Helen Resort for dinner.

DAY 2 - A early start sees us capturing the glorious morning light on the cliffs of Glen Helen Gorge, only a short walk from our accommodation. After breakfast, we'll head down the road to Serpentine Gorge, climbing the lookout offering spectacular views. After lunch we'll venture onto Ellery Creek waterhole for shots of red ochre cliffs, reflections and large river gums.

DAY 3 - Today we'll visit one of the most photogenic landscapes in the West McDonnell Ranges, Ormiston Gorge. We'll get here well before sunrise to hike to a favourite lookout of mine where the sun shines directly into the gorge, setting the landscape on fire. From here we'll walk down onto the valley floor and hike into the gorge, following the Finke River as the red cliffs close in and tower above us. 

DAY 4 - Perhaps the longest day of the workshop, we'll rise early for breakfast and head off to Palm Valley in the Finke Gorge National Park. This land is part of an ancient rainforest ecosystem, with some 3,000 Red Cabbage palms located here. There are spectacular rock formations in the amphitheatre here and we'll spend the whole day exploring this magnificent landscape.

DAY 5 - A sleep in is usually demanded by the participants on the final day (given that they've got all the good shots the previous 4 days!), so a late breakfast will be in order followed by a critique of everyone's images. After lunch by the water at Glen Helen gorge, we'll head home for Alice.

WHAT TO BRING:    Camera, tripod, gadgets (because all photographers love their gadgets!), Compact Flash Cards, Camera Bag, your laptop computer, Power cable for laptop, Card reader, Hat, sunscreen, Walking boots, Clothes (inc warm ones), Rain Jacket, small fold up umbrella, Toiletries, Head torch, anything else that is vitally important that is not on this list…        

PHYSICAL EXERTION:    Moderate (some walking involved, up to three hours over the course of a full day at a leisurely, photographic pace).     

_____________________________________________________________________

ACCOMMODATION:      We stay at the Glen Helen Resort. Accommodation is very basic, motel-style rooms. Nothing flash at all but we don't spend much time in the rooms!

MEALS:      All meals are provided. All you need is to get yourself to Alice Springs airport!

WORKSHOP INVESTMENT:    $3495 includes expert tuition, handouts, accommodation (twin share), meals, transport from Alice Springs, national park fees and permits. Single share is available - add $495.

• Small group sizes (8-10 participants) for expert one-on-one tuition
• All inclusive workshop from the nearest major airport
• Private transfers to each workshop location
• Luxury accommodation, with single share available
• All meals, with gluten free available
• National Park fees
• $100 Gift Voucher towards your print of choice from Brilliant Prints
• FREE yearly subscription to Better Photography Magazine
• Unlimited email support following the workshop

PARTNER PACKAGE:  $1295 includes accommodation (twin share), meals, transport, national park fees and permits.