[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.25.3″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(0,0,0,0.76)” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(0,0,0,0.52)” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”https://jimhamelphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Celtic-Pathway-web-version.jpg” min_height=”582px” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”100px||” z_index_tablet=”500″ box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” locked=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.0.9″ text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_2_text_color=”#ffffff”]
Ireland 2021
Nothing less than the trip of a lifetime.
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Answers to Your Questions
Here is a list of questions and answers about the Ireland trip. If you have additional questions, just use the contact form to send it to me, or email me at jim@jimhamelphotography.com, or call my cell phone at 817-879-5739.
Is this for beginner or expert photographers? Both. I will help put expert photographers in position to capture outstanding subjects or scenes, in the best light possible, and then turn them loose to do their thing, offering advice when requested, but always available to talk photography, which we all like to do. I specialize in helping beginner photographers get rolling in this sport. I’ve written a book and countless tutorials designed to help beginners get started. I will also spend the months leading up to the tour helping you improve your photography skills.
What photography gear do I need? You need a camera and a lens, which should be suitable for the type of pictures you want to capture. For the camera, this means a DSLR or mirrorless camera. It does not need to be brand new or top of the line. It just needs to allow you to control the exposure yourself, and I will work with you to make that happen. The lens needs to be suited for what you want to do. For landscapes, most people like wide-angle lenses, and for wildlife most people like telephoto lenses. Street shooters typically like a moderate zoom. Another piece of recommended gear is a sturdy tripod, but I can often find you an extra one if you don’t have one at present. I will get with you about other recommended items as well, prior to the trip.
Do I need to be in good physical shape? No. There will not be any extreme physical activities. The hardest thing we will ever do is walk a few miles, but even then we’ll have alternate activities if that sounds like no fun.
Can I peel off on my own? Sure. You can stay with the group or go off on your own as much or as little as you want. If you want to have any meals on your own, I will credit you as well.
Can my spouse or significant other come too? Definitely. This trip is designed for you to be able to do so. In fact, I plan for my wife to join us on the trip. Sometimes, photographers and non-photographers are going to want to do the same thing. For example, everyone (photographers and non-photographers alike) will want to go to Skellig Michael or Inis Mor. Other times, we will have alternative activities for the non-photographers. For example, the non-photographers won’t want to be standing out next to a tripod awaiting a sunset, so we will have different things going on there. Other times they will just be able to get more sleep!
What is the rooming situation? If you are a couple, we will have you in a double room in the hotels we are staying in. If you are a single, you can pay the single supplement and we will have you in your own room.
Will You Transport Me Around the Wild Atlantic Way on this Tour? Yes. I will have a large van or a small bus (more on that below). The reality is that the Wild Atlantic Way is tough for some people to get around. There is no public transportation to speak of. That means you are renting a car and driving on the wrong side of the road on small, windy roads. If that doesn’t sound good to you, then come with us and we’ll get you to all the best places with no hassle. You can travel in comfort, read a book, or just enjoy the scenery.
Can I rent my own car? Sure. If you want to control your own movement and get your own car, that’s totally fine. In fact, I like when others drive too so that I can rent a smaller van (that costs less and is also easier to drive). Therefore, if you get your own rental and make the journey that way, I will actually credit your trip by $350 for each person in your car!
Is it difficult to drive in Ireland? No. People obviously do it all the time. Keep in mind that if you drive on our tour, you will usually simply be following others, and that makes things much, much easier. We will be out on the Wild Atlantic Way, so it isn’t like you will be dealing with a lot of traffic. You will get the hang of driving on the left very quickly. Irish roads are small, but as long as you don’t try to go too fast there are no problems.
Why do this trip as a tour? Photographers don’t usually travel in packs, so you may have never done a group tour before, but frankly this is the best way to see Ireland. Since there is no public transportation, most people travel in groups or tours. In addition to the travel logistics mentioned above, there are a lot of other benefits. With this tour, you will maximize your trip, as opposed to researching and ultimately guessing which places are most worth your time. Believe me that for every place on one of my tours, I’ve been to six other places that weren’t as great. Take advantage of this experience to maximize your adventure. In addition, your photos will benefit more than you think. You’ll have me as a resource, of course. You’ll also have other tour members. Most will be photographers (some won’t though), and you’ll have their experience to benefit you. Plus, you will be shocked at how much your photography improves from being immersed in photography for this length of time. Ultimately, you’ll find the group tour is a benefit. Common interests and common experience tend to create friendship among everyone. It will be more fun than seeing it on your own.
How will you handle transportation? I will be driving a van. The size of the vehicle will depend on the number of people going on the tour, and also on how many want to go in the van as opposed to in their own rental cars. I will rent a larger vehicle than we need to make sure there is plenty of room to carry our stuff and spread out. For example, on our last tour we rented 9-passenger vans and put 6 people each in them. If there are multiple vehicles, we will travel together. We will make sure everyone has navigation as well, so there are no worries about getting lost.
If the tour sells out and no one wants to drive on their own, rather than getting one really big vehicle – which would be unwieldy on Irish roads – I will get additional passenger vans. That also helps on occasions where the group wants to split up (such as when photographers head out for a sunset shoot) so everyone has wheels. We could have up to 3 vans, which would either be driven by my wife Susan or another professional photographer friend of mine. If we don’t sell out and/or a lot of participants arrange for their own vehicles, then we’ll get less vans.
Is this tour all photography? This tour is for photographers and non-photographers. We are going to maximize photography opportunities, so photographers need not worry that they will be off doing other things they don’t want to do, but everything we do will also be fun and interesting for non-photographers as well. The reason we do that is because most people want to travel with their spouse, significant others, or friends, and we definitely want to accommodate this.
Let me try to explain how this works a bit. Let’s start with the proposition that we will be traveling in some of the most scenic places on the planet. Photographers will have a field day, all the time. We will be in wild landscapes, scenic headlands, and incredible ruins. What’s not to like there? But these are the same sort of places that non-photographers want to visit as well. They just pull out their phones and grab a quick snap. Everyone enjoys them, and most of the tour will be stuff like that. Photographers and non-photographers will want to visit the same places.
There will be some times when photographers and non-photographers want to do different things. A good example of that is sunrise shoots. This is a key component of putting photographers in the best position to capture amazing pictures. Of course, most non-photographers don’t relish the idea of getting up so early. They can simply sleep in and we’ll all meet up at breakfast, then get on with our day together. We’ll be staying in luxury accommodations and in quaint villages, so there will be plenty for everyone to see and do.
I also want to be clear that this trip is, at is core, about experiencing Ireland. It would be a shame if you stood behind a tripod every night and never experienced music in an Irish pub. Or never got to relax a bit. Or never stopped for a good meal. We are going to do all of that. And what’s the point in staying in really nice places if you don’t get to enjoy them? So this will not be photography 24-7. We’ll maximize our photographic opportunities though so that you will come home with amazing pictures.
Will you (Jim) be shooting or teaching? Primarily teaching. My first priority is making sure that everyone is comfortable, having fun, and doing what they want. Some people like lots of instruction and tips, and I’m happy to spend time working with them. Others just want to be left alone unless they have specific questions, so I am always trying to feel everyone out. Once everyone is merrily doing their thing, however, I will usually get a few shots of my own.
How do I sign up? Email or call me and pay your $500 deposit (per person) and you are in.
How do I pay? Virtually however you want, which is one of the beautiful parts of this trip. I am scheduling it far in the future to give you an opportunity to pay it out. You just need to pay the $500 deposit up front, then have half the cost paid by the end of this year, and be paid in full 90 days prior to the trip. Within that time frame, you can make monthly payments, which I will set up for you, or just pay when you have excess cash (such as a tax refund or bonus at work). I am set up to take credit cards, checks, Paypal, or Venmo. If there is another form of payment you’d like to use, contact me and we’ll figure it out. You will find no more flexible payment terms anywhere.
Are you ready to sign up?
Just email me at jim@jimhamelphotography.com, or call my cell phone at 817-879-5739 and I will get you squared away.
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