COAST MOUNTAIN MAGIC 2024
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
British Columbia is home to a wilderness so vast that it's almost beyond comprehension. Join us as we travel off the beaten path and visit a place where few have stepped foot.
Mountain paradise awaits...
Over the last few years we've created a photography workshop like few others! We will begin our journey by meeting at our suites in Tatla Lake, a remote community of 120 people about 10 hours north of Vancouver.
After a good night's rest at the hotel, the excitement begins with a bucket list helicopter flight over some of BC's tallest mountains and most impressive glaciers! It's a place our pilots have decades of experience flying in, and they will likely have a lot of interesting things to say while we make our way into the mountains.
Before we know it, we will be unloading the helicopter right in our campsite, our home for the next 4 nights! We do not have a set itinerary once we are there - our shooting will be determined by weather and light. For the most part, shooting will take place in the 3-4 hours around both sunrise and sunset. This leaves our afternoons free for rest, relaxation or exploring the area! If you do this trip without at least one afternoon relaxing at the lake in the hot sun, you're missing out!
There are endless opportunities for hikes of all skill levels, and even our camp has great potential for amazing images. Most of the hikes are short walks over non-technical terrain, but walking will occur through stiff heather or up steep but short hills. If you have a drone, this will be the best place in the world you'll ever fly it!
We will end the trip with a night of relaxation and photo processing back at our comfortable suites in Tatla Lake!
Watch the video below for a small preview of the helicopter flight and scenery at our camp!
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
MEET THE TEAM
TRISTAN TODD
Tristan is a landscape photographer based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over the last ten years, landscape photography has become a core part of his identity, transforming the way he sees the world and becoming his deepest passion. He loves to teach others, helping them hone their craft and have that "aha!" moment where everything clicks. Tristan strongly believes in not simply showing compositions to students and calling it a day. His goal is to build your skills, teaching you how to find your own unique images and scenes, while breaking down why each element in the composition is so important and what it contributes to the final image.
MEET THE TEAM
BLAKE RANDALL
Blake is a full time landscape photographer based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has always held a passion for adventures in the great outdoors and over the last several years has become obsessed with sharing his love with nature through photography. Blake has won multiple awards in some of the most well regarded competitions, including Photographer of the Year for the Natural Landscape Photography Awards (NLPA) and Photograph of the Year for International Landscape Photographer of the Year (ILPOTY).
TESTIMONIALS
“Tristan and Blake's workshop was very well run and organized. The entire experience, from the helicopter ride to the off-trail hikes made for a unique and incredible experience. Blake and Tristan have a photographer's eye and do their research on the lighting conditions before tours so they positioned us to take the best photos with the given conditions. They were also a pleasure to be around and good-natured. I highly recommend their tours!"
LUCAS COMETTO
“I highly recommend the Coastal Mountains of B.C. workshop with Tristan and Blake. The location is stunning, I shot some of my favorite landscapes during the workshop I attended. Food was great, and the logistics and support were fabulous. Tristan and Blake always prioritized assistance and guidance for the workshop participants before their own photography. I give the workshop five stars!!"
LESLIE ROBINS
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“I did this trip to the coast mountains with Tristan and Blake in the summer and if you are looking for a truly unique wilderness adventure while learning and practicing photography, this is for you. We were helicoptered into the most outstanding glacier and highest peaks of British Columbia in the Mt Waddington area and dropped off at our remote campsite which was surrounded by mountains, meadows, and streams. It looked like nobody had been there… ever. No established hiking trails or port-a-potties so some bushwhacking was required to get to a number of viewpoints overlooking glaciers. We had the opportunity to learn everything from astrophotography, lighting, drone photography and some timing tricks and post-processing (to do at home). I thoroughly recommend this trip and hope to join these guys again."
ANDREA HEAL
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
ACTION SHOTS
A few phone photos from one of our past participants, Andrea Heal, plus a couple from Blake and I!
INSTRUCTOR PHOTO GALLERY
WHEN IS IT?
JULY 26 - AUGUST 1 *
With your hosts Tristan Todd and Blake Randall:
July 25: not part of the trip date but you need to arrive in Vancouver by this time!
July 26: 10 hour drive to Tatla Lake and sleep at our suites
July 27: meet our helicopters in the morning and fly into the mountains
July 28: on location
July 29: on location
July 30: on location
July 31: shoot sunrise, fly out, return to Tatla Lake suites for relaxation and photo editing
Aug 1: drive back to Vancouver
*We will meet in Vancouver at 8am on July 26 for the drive to our hotel in Tatla Lake. The helicopter flight into the mountains takes place the morning after.
If you want to skip the drive to/from Vancouver, you can also fly in/out of William's Lake. Please let us know what you plan is or consult with us if you're not sure which choice you'd like to make!
THE NITTY GRITTY
Booking is at the bottom. Please read the following information first!
It is important to note that we are not wilderness outfitters, we are photography instructors. This is an adventure style trip to learn mountain photography in one of the most beautiful locations in Canada. You MUST be self sufficient and responsible for your own safety, comfort and well-being. However, we will follow best practices to ensure the experience is as positive as possible for both students and the environment, such as:
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at least 2 satellite communication devices to communicate with loved ones, our pilot or in the event of emergency, SAR
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wilderness first aid certification for all photography instructors and first aid kits
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maintaining distance from wildlife
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avoiding the trampling of sensitive vegetation
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ensuring that drones are not flown near wildlife, or flown without license
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keeping food/scented items and cooking in a secure area away from the tents
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providing toilet facilities
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providing a gear checklist, plus gear supplements for things that cannot be flown with, such as bear spray or fuel
FAQS
There is a lot of important information in this section. Please be sure to read it all!
Q: Can I fly my drone?
A: To fly a drone that weighs 250g or more in Canada, you must be licensed by Transport Canada. Non-Canadians cannot receive a Canadian license, and no other forms of licenses or certificates are accepted. If your drone is 249g or less, you can fly it without a Transport Canada accepted certification. So if you're coming from outside of Canada, feel free to bring your drone if it weighs 249g or less. For more information, please visit Transport Canada:
https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/flying-your-drone-safely-legally
Q: What happens if the weather is bad?
A: Bad weather is a reality and inherent risk of adventures in the mountains, even in summer. We cannot control the weather, and refunds will not be given because it rained. It is highly recommended to bring a book or something to keep yourself occupied during any potential downtime. When we were here in 2021, it was blazing hot and sunny for the entire trip, often too hot for hiking, so we often covered our tents with our sleeping bags to stay cool, or sat in the lake. When we were there in 2022, the weather was a bit more mixed with a little bit of rain and fog that delayed our pick-up helicopters by 6 hours. We do not recommend booking any return flights on the same day that we return to Vancouver or catch our helicopter out. We communicate with our pilots via satellite text messages when necessary for updates regarding flying conditions and flight times.
Q: What about forest fires?
A: The mountains we fly to are usually spared the worst of the forest fire smoke. In the event that our pilots are going to be too busy fighting fires to bring us in and this is known ahead of time, credit will be given to use for a future workshop. However, this scenario is highly unlikely as our pilot normally flies us before or after he is done firefighting for the day. Each year there is typically a day or two where light smoke is present on the mountain, but it has never posed a problem for photos - in fact it often helps before it blows away!
In the unlikely event that we arrive at the heliport and they cannot fly us that day, we will return to our accommodations in Tatla Lake and attempt for the following day, if recommended by our pilot. If this is not possible and they cannot fly us at all we have a plan B in place, as British Columbia doesn't exactly have a shortage of beautiful places for photography! The final day of photo editing at our suites also serves as a flex day so that we don't lose time on the mountain in the event of delays.
Q: What clothes and gear should I bring?
A: We have a gear checklist that will be sent to every participant. Daily temperature range is typically 5c (40f) to 25c (77f).
Q: Are the bugs bad?
A: The bugs can be bad at times, but mostly during mornings and evenings. Bring a bug net and hat for your face, or even a light pair of gloves to protect your hands when shooting during periods of high bug activity.
Q: Do I need travel or medical insurance?
A: If you are relying on flights to get you to Vancouver or Canada, please be sure to have travel insurance in the event you need to cancel or change your plans. If you're not a resident of British Columbia, please ensure you have medical coverage as well.
Q: How will we get to Tatla Lake?
A: All participants are responsible for getting themselves to Tatla Lake. However, we will happily facilitate carpooling arrangements among participants! If you intend on driving, or would like to be a driver, please let us know. The drive will take anywhere from 10-12 hours depending on traffic, stops and potential road closures/detours.
Q: Will we get to see the Northern Lights?
Probably not, but the possibility is there, especially with solar activity coming to a peak! During last year's workshop we saw it along with STEVE. We will be in contact with an Aurora chaser via satellite to give us the heads up on any significant solar activity. For lovers of the night sky the Milky Way is also visible on clear nights, and it lines up directly above some incredible mountains!
Q: How much stuff can I bring?
The helicopters we use can fit a lot but we still need to be cognizant about weight and baggage size. Absolutely no hard sided bags as take up valuable space and can be difficult to load/unload from the helicopter. No duffel bags. Please pack your gear in backpacks.
Q: What's the helicopter flight like and what safety precautions are required?
It's a ton of fun and we will be flying over some seriously beautiful terrain! However there are some items of importance to note. Before we board the helicopter, our pilot will give us a thorough safety briefing. When it comes to helicopters, both pilot and passengers have responsibility to keep things safe for everyone. This means wearing your seatbelt; not storing loose items in the outside basket or putting bear spray inside the helicopter; never going behind the helicopter towards the tail rotor (even when the helicopter is off); staying right next to the helicopter upon unloading and more.
The helicopter will not power off when unloading us. It will be loud. After unloading it's common for people to have the urge to run away from the helicopter out of instinct or because they want to take videos. DO NOT DO THIS! We will be landing on uneven terrain. Helicopter rotors are extremely dangerous and deceptively difficult to see. Stay next to the helicopter until it flies away. If you are required to go to the other side of the helicopter after unloading, you must carefully walk in front of the nose of the helicopter within arms reach of the machine.
Q: What if I have motion sickness?
If you suffer from motion sickness please let us know so that we can be sure the pilot knows! Typically the front seat is best for people with motion sickness. You may want to consider taking motion sickness medication and you should bring a puke bag, just in case. The pilots are very experienced and will do their best to fly the machine in a way that makes the ride more comfortable for those with motion sickness. The weather is generally quite good and in all of the flights we've done in this area we've never experienced issues with turbulence.
PAYMENT, CANCELLATIONS, REFUNDS, COVID-19
Full payment must be made by May 15, 2024. We accept all major credit cards, and if you have a Canadian bank, we can also accept etransfers. For any cancellations before May 15, a full refund minus a cancellation fee of $200 will be given. For cancellations after May 15, a refund minus deposit will be given.
In the event that the trip cannot continue forward due to natural disaster, such as severe forest fires, our preference is to rebook you for the 2025 trip. We have a plan B in place in the event that forest fires prevent the helicopter in Tatla Lake from flying us.
In the event you cannot make the trip for reasons directly related to COVID-19 (positive test, travel restrictions, flight cancellations), the refund conditions above apply or we can automatically rebook you for the 2025 trip.
You must follow any potential COVID safety protocols set in place by the hotel and helicopter companies. Once we are in the mountains, risk of transmission is low because we will be outside. Hands must be washed or sanitized before meal times.