Join us on an adventure of a lifetime to capture the 2020 total solar eclipse in Chile!
During a solar eclipse, you'll witness the world around you becoming darker in what can only be described as a mesmerising and awe-inspiring moment. The Moon will pass between the Sun and the Earth, obscuring the light. As this occurs, the Moon's shadow is cast onto Earth, shrouding parts of it in darkness.
When a solar eclipse is viewed from most locations on our planet, the Sun will seem to be only partially covered by the Moon. A total eclipse is when the Moon completely obscures the Sun, leaving a faint ring of light in the sky known as a solar corona. This type of eclipse is rare and can only be witnessed in a narrow area within certain parts of the world.
In the current year, there will only be 2 solar eclipses, only one of which will occur in totality on the 14th December, 2020. It will be best seen from Chile and what makes this photography workshop unique is that you'll be perfectly placed to capture this rare natural phenomenon in all of its mindboggling beauty.
Although the focus of this photography workshop will be the solar eclipse itself, you'll also have the opportunity to experience the diverse and sprawling wild landscapes that exist in this remote region of Chile. From ancient araucaria forests to active volcanoes, deserts and salt plains, this mountainous area is bursting with photographic opportunities that will leave you breathless. Due to its location, there is very little light pollution at night and the dark skies make for the perfect recipe to observe the constellation of Orion rising over the Andes, as well as to spot the Magellanic Clouds – two irregular dwarf galaxies – which are able to be sighted on Earth only from the southern hemisphere.
For the duration of this tour, you'll be guided by three world-renowned photographers who are experts in planning and capturing solar eclipse phenomena. They'll make sure that you'll be in the best location at just the right time to make the most of this extraordinary event. Not only will they share their wealth of knowledge with you but they'll help you to capture photographs of the solar eclipse that you've only been dreaming of until now.
Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to photograph the total solar eclipse in Chile 2020! Check availability by choosing a date.
This evening, you'll have a delicious dinner consisting of local traditional cuisine. It will be a great time to get to know your fellow travellers and to ask your guides any questions that you may have. After dinner, you'll take a lovely stroll as a group to a nearby viewpoint, where you'll be treated to an expansive view of the Llaima volcano, one of the largest and most active in all of Chile. If the conditions are favourable, then we'll capture the stars rising over the volcano in the glorious night sky.
Our first shoot for the day will be at the Trufultruful waterfall, one of the most marvellous attractions within the area. This waterfall makes for an astonishing sight, surrounded by lush green vegetation and beautiful mountains. We'll take our time capturing long exposures of this dreamlike scene before making our way to the next destination – the Arcoiris lake that appears to take on a myriad of colours just like a rainbow.
As the sun begins to near the horizon, we'll weave our way through the ancient araucaria forests that line the sides of the road, arriving at Lake Conguillio for a sunset session. If we are lucky, then we may spot a native fox or a giant woodpecker in the vicinity.
We'll then return to the hotel in the evening for dinner.
Upon arrival in Pucón, we'll check in to our hotel and have lunch before heading back out with our cameras in hand. Our goal for the afternoon will be to capture the dreamlike quality of a number of waterfalls within the local area.
This evening, if the conditions are favourable, we'll head out for a night photography session beneath the stars. Our subject will be the Villarica volcano, which makes for a spectacular sight when the stars rise over its snowcapped peak. This permanently active volcano holds an active lava lake within its crater and often erupts with pyroclasts and lava flows, making for truly sensational images!
When the time is right, you'll head to a nearby location for the best view of the sky. Though this will depend largely upon the weather, your guides have some wonderful locations up their sleeves to make the most of what the conditions may bring.
Witnessing a total solar eclipse is one of the most unforgettable experiences on this planet. As the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, you'll have only a couple of minutes to capture this rare cosmic occurrence. It will be an exhilarating moment as you work quickly to make the most of your shots so don't forget to enjoy it as it happens!
Once the total solar eclipse is over, we'll enjoy a lovely picnic at the site, accompanied by fine Chilean wine. There may even be the opportunity for a spot of astrophotography at night if the skies remain clear.
The highlight of the day will be capturing the unspoilt beauty of the Andean lakes as we cross through mountain passes, admiring the views all around. Fingers crossed that we'll spot the national bird of Chile, the Andean Condors – one of the largest flying land birds in the world.
Thereafter, we'll check in to our hotel and have a rest, before heading back out in the afternoon for a sunset session back at the lake. If conditions are favourable, then we'll also try to capture the stars over Osorno volcano later in the night.
Later in the day, we'll head downstream to the Todos los Santos lake, where we'll be able to revel in its tranquility as we photograph the gorgeous glacial water from the shore.
From there, we'll board the bus to El Tepual International Airport of Puerto Mont, where you'll be able to catch your flight home or onwards to your next destination. We hope you'll have had a wonderful time in Chile and no doubt you'll have some stunning photos of the solar eclipse to show for it!
We highly recommend that you get a travel and medical insurance. Your own domestic medical insurance and private health scheme will not cover you whilst you are overseas. The tour is always dependent on weather, as the weather can indeed be highly unpredictable. Likewise, wildlife sightings are dependent on favourable conditions and there is no guarantee that they will appear on a given day.
After graduating from art school he studied at Moscow’s institute of Physics and Technology, which pointed him toward a career as an optics physicist. During his studies he developed expertise not only in physics, but in mountain climbing and hiking.
He regularly led tourist groups during the holidays through the Russian mountains. Right after graduation he became a guide of photo workshops and chief editor of Continent Expedition magazine, a publication about travel and adventures all over the world.
Daniel has received several awards in photography: Golden Turtle’ 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 and 2014 finalist, Best of Russia ’13 and ’14 winner, Best Photographer ’13 finalist, among others. He currently spends most of his time in Norway, scouring the Lofoten islands and in Tuscany, guiding groups of keen photographers.
Born in Moldova, Iurie developed an interest in photography from an early age after his uncle converted the family bathroom into a darkroom.
Iurie moved to Iceland in 2006. Drawn in by the incredible light and landscapes, he began traveling the country, with the camera in hand, in search of inspiration and honing his skills. Continually winning awards in international photography competitions, his images have been published and put on display in a number of leading publications and exhibitions.
In 2012 Iurie founded Iceland Photo Tours, with the ambition of sharing the many wonders Iceland has to offer with passionate photographers from around the world.
Yuri is an active contributor to NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), having more than 50 featured images on the NASA website. When not at the observatory, you can find him traveling around the world and sharing his passion for astrophotography and nightscape photography through lectures, private lessons, and workshops.
As a space science undergraduate student at York University in Toronto she was a volunteer at the observatory where she aided in tours, observing sessions and research. Over the course of more than 15 years, she dabbled in astrophotography but it wasn't until the beginning of 2007 that she started to make big strides in the hobby.
She worked hard to improve her post-processing skills while dealing with light pollution and equipment shortfalls. Her work has ended up winning awards and has been featured in science textbooks, astronomy-related calendars, magazines and online publications such as Sky & Telescope, Sky News and NASA APOD. She shares her knowledge by doing speaking engagements and workshops for star parties, astronomy and camera clubs, plus the general public.
While enjoying this intensive hobby, Kerry-Ann lives in the Niagara region of Ontario Canada with her family. She works for The Weather Network (a Canadian National TV station) as a senior meteorologist and in her spare time flies small aeroplanes and travels around the world to capture unique nightscapes.
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