CLIENT LETTERS

I receive feedback from clients all the time, which occasionally is based purely upon the website prior to taking a trip!

However, there follows some feedback from a new client in February of 2010 who took my Yellowstone and Tetons winter photo tour. I'll not say any more but let Max Warlond of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia do his own talking . . .

John,

These are just a few thoughts I have had about this trip. Please feel free to use the comments however you wish. I mean what I say and I am happy to help promote your business in any way possible. I have had a great time with you all, and I thank you very much for allowing me to spend the time with you.

Cheers, Max

John's photography tour, February, 2010. Yellowstone and Tetons:  “The BIG 5”

1. What did I learn on this trip?
The first thing I learnt was the importance and indeed the value of having a guide who knows the area as well as John does. He can take us to places where we will get the best photos for that particular time of day, the best angle and for those who need it even down to the camera settings and lens to use. How does he know this? Because he has been here before and he has done it himself and he knows the results. How does that benefit us? Think of how much time it saves us – going directly to the spot, and being ready to just hop out of the van and get the shot. Also knowing if we just walk down there to the bend in the road and look back we have a great view of the waterfall or the river, etc. This type of guidance is invaluable, and only comes with years of photographic experience! Thanks John.

2. Image visualization
Again, I have had the point of looking at the scene before you start shooting re-enforced. I think this is a very important lesson. You can seldom (if ever) convey the complete scene in the one photo so you need to look at the scene in its entirety and decide which part of that scene appeals to you. Plan out the scope of your photo – what is it you are trying to show. Before you leave, quickly check your shots and decide if you achieved what you set out to do.

With wildlife, is it a close-up of the animal you want, the animal in its environment you want, a particular feature such as the horns, the eye, etc., or most likely all three aspects, and did you get them? Also, are you happy just to have the static shot of the animal, or do you want it in motion as well – it may take a little longer to get all these, but you should have a mental check list of what you want and tick them off as you get the shot.

On this trip we have had plenty of time to get everything we desired.

3. Look outside the square!
Far too often I tend to classify myself as a 'wildlife' photographer rather than a 'photographer' whose specialty is wildlife. There is so much more to photography than just one aspect. This trip in particular emphasizes this point. There was so much to explore from fascinating scenery through to tiny aspects of individual stick of grass with hoar frost on one side of it. The difference of steam rising off a river as the sun rays appear is another aspect. We were given the opportunity to discover all these different aspects. We were encouraged to look at all the different possibilities that were available just by changing the angles low to high, or varying the compositions left to right, framing, different focal points and different camera setting, use of filters, etc. – That’s good, but try this, or what about if you were to try from over there, or down lower?

In the end it was always your choice but you were given some great options to choose from, and great examples to look at.

4. Every aspect of this trip was done with the client in mind.
The amount of consideration for the client on this trip was amazing. Most trips will try to accommodate you where possible but this one is actually built around the client’s needs. From the hotels we stayed in, to meals, when and where we ate, the bathroom stops and how long we stayed at each photo stop was all done to benefit the customer. If someone needed something along the way John would work out a way of getting it that would not impact on what we were doing. This is a skill and he has it down to a fine art. It was often done at his own expense but he never complained.

The provisions such as water and snacks that were always available during the trip was fantastic. Likewise, the extra coats, gloves, ongoing camera repairs, etc., was all there for us from day 1. Our comfort was paramount to John and Laurie and this made a big difference as to how we felt and our level of enjoyment. Well done guys!

5. Communication – from start to beyond the finish.
Finally and possibly the most important thing on a trip such as this is the communication aspect. When one lives on the other side of the world it is important to know what is on offer. The Travel Images web site is great. It explains what the trip is all about and most importantly from my point of view it 'shows' me by way of great photos just what is available in the park at this time of the year. My theory is, if it is there I have an opportunity to get something similar. The photos give you hope, build an expectation without going ‘over the top’ with photos we look at and say "Yeah – but we can’t possibly get that shot because it was taken etc., etc., etc." like so many other web sites do. The information John emailed to us before we started packing about what to bring, both by way of clothes and camera gear, etc. was very valuable and the information he has provided during the trip has also been of great assistance to us. He has taken some great photos of us [the clients] along the way and I am sure we will get copies of these sent to us in a few weeks time. I think the communication has been great – the jokes – well every now and again there was a good one.

Max Worland, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Yellowstone and Tetons winter, February 2010

. . . when potential new clients ask present clients a question . . .

  The Question

Hi David,

I do apologize for the intrusion but John Baker [of Travel Images] gave me your name. We are thinking of taking John's tour to England next May and I wonder if you would share with us your thoughts on the tour you took? Was it what you expected? Best and worst parts of it? Anything you wish had been different?

I shoot with a D70 Nikon SLR digital camera. I'd be interested to know what people generally were shooting with. I'm already wondering what storage to use.

We haven't traveled out of the country and are pretty jazzed at the thought of this tour. I hope you don't mind letting us pick your brain. John says to tell you "Hi"!

Best wishes,

Judy Giberson, Hemet, CA
England

  The Answer

Hi Judy, happy to help.

Bottom line is that I will seriously consider doing other trip(s) with John.

He got us to the right places at the right time and with the right light (albeit he could not control the last critical factor).

John was extremely well organized.  On his maps he had used a magic marker to highlight the spots where he intended to visit and he was sophisticated enough to know whether morning or evening light was best for any particular valley.

One thing that took some getting used to was John's wit.  He was a bon mot a minute.  He was never without a funny (or really corny) comment.  At first I found it a bit tiresome (remembering the similar style of my father who used to wear me out), but as the trip progressed, I grew to like his running commentary.  In a way his style forced to overall attitude of the participants to remain light and carefree and focused solely on picture taking. The last thing I want on such a trip is a focus group on politics or religion or whatever. I was there to enjoy the sights, the experience and the photography.  And I did!

Unlike your experience I have traveled overseas considerably.  My records show that I had been to Great Britain more than 50 times - though almost exclusively in the London area (and on business for most of the visits). This was my first time to the English countryside and it was a delightful experience.

Turning to the shooting styles.  I am currently a "hybrid" shooter.  I use a Canon EOS-1V and shoot slide film.  After the review and culling on the light box I then use a dedicated film scanner to scan my best images.  I then do my own printing on an Epson 2200 printer.

Other members of the group covered the entire spectrum of photography styles.  One person shot slides exclusively - He told me that he had exposed 64 rolls of 36 shot Fuji Velvia.  Another person (who was more of a painter than a photographer) shot print film.  Finally, one member shot with a digital Canon 10D.  John tended to use a Canon 10D also.  However, he was equally adept at film and digital.

Allow me to circle back to your initial questions.

The trip was everything that I had hoped for.  (I must say that we were extremely fortunate with the weather.)  I have commented above on the photography.  John was ready to go out early ( don't forget that the sun rises mighty early at such latitudes in May) We would go out (those who wanted to get up) to shoot on mornings when the light was decent and would shoot for, say, 1 1/2 hours before returning for breakfast at 8.  Many evenings we would be out until 8:30 as the sun was setting.  Photography was the focus.

Despite the photography focus I was extremely happy with the Bed & Breakfast accommodations.  The rooms were all pleasantly clean and cheerful.  Though since for most of the places the rooms for the B&Bs were carved out of more grand houses from earlier eras, the rooms tended to be on the small scale.  Suited me just fine, but attitudes do vary. The landlords were fabulous.  I really enjoyed the breakfast routines as the innkeepers did a great job.  They served a great spread for breakfast and were considerable fun.

Though I had been to England many times, the real surprise for me was the quality of pub food.  John would see a pub or a tea room and we would stop for lunch and dinner.  It was really a very pleasant experience for me.  Really informal and we were eating at many times in little villages with all of the locals.

The only challenge on the trip was communications.  None of the B&B's have phones in the rooms and you have no access to a phone (except in an emergency).  It is necessary to search out a nearby phone booth.  This normally worked, but prepaid phone cards tended to be a bit problematic.  This certainly does not bode well for someone who needs to be in constant touch via email.  We did hit  a couple of larger cities where a Wi-Fi connection at Starbucks was possible - but it certainly was not easy.  I would suggest have a GSM cell phone with you if this issue is important.  I was able to get in touch with my wife every couple of days via the phone booths and this was adequate for my needs.

I had a great time on a well conceived and well implemented trip.

David Mathies, Norwalk, CT
England, 2004

Thanks go to both Judy and David for permitting me to quote their correspondence here.