ABOUT THE TOURS

My photo tours have grown as a labor of love. Starting when I was young I would travel alone to faraway places with my backpack and my camera. I was motivated to take pictures to try and share these experiences with my less-adventurous friends and family. For this reason, travel and photography have always been intertwined for me. My love of travel actually came before my love of photography, and I think that is why I am successful as a travel photographer and a photo tour leader.

I travel and photograph in the places I love, and I try to bring a deeper understanding of the local culture to my participants. On my tours I try to maintain a pace that allows some time to understand the local customs and to meet the local people. I believe that this results in getting the best images possible. We don't travel as fast as typical tours, rushing from place to place, taking snapshots. We stay in a place a little longer to get to know it, and to meet the local people. This will result in capturing the kind of images we strive for. Also I keep my group sizes very small, to allow for more interaction between the participants and the local people.

The small group size is also important for other reasons. As a participant, you will have more elbow room to take your pictures, and I am able to spend more time with each person, helping you to improve and refine you photography skills.

I've tried to keep my trips affordable, so as to be inclusive for all photographers. All of my tours are to places I've already been and scouted out, in most cases on many occasions. I then custom design my trips so we'll be in the prime locations at the optimum times to take advantage of the best photo opportunities possible. And of course we never forget to experience the exhilaration and simple joys of travel along the way.

photo by Karl Grobl

When I travel I've found that my photography enhances the travel experience, and the two go hand in hand. Often times my camera opens up doors with people that otherwise would remain closed if not for my desire to take their photo. One of the great things about my tours is traveling with a group of like-minded individuals who share my passions for travel and photography. This camaraderie inevitably results in lively and interesting discussions and exchange of ideas throughout the trip.

My goal for each of my participants is that you come away from one of my tours with an increased understanding and appreciation of the area and culture we've visited, and that you have created images that go beyond typical travel photos and truly capture the feel of a place. And hopefully, you will come away from one of my trips with great memories and new friends in faraway places.

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights: it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." Miriam Beard, American writer

What past participants said about my tours:

"Jim, I wanted to tell you thanks for a truly amazing trip last month. Your trip gave me an opportunity to relax, enjoy the adventure and concentrate on my photography. It was obvious you had spent a lot of time traveling in Mexico and specifically in Baja. You made this trip an awesome adventure. Thank you! . I will certainly be joining you again on another trip in the very near future!" Dan Megna, Ramona, CA