Details
Overview
Join me for the ultimate Newfoundland photography adventure! Over 10 days and 9 nights we'll work our way across the island during peak iceberg season, photographing icebergs, dramatic coastal landscapes, lighthouses, fishing stages, and weathered outport villages — along with some of the best seabird photography in North America: puffins at Elliston, the massive gannet and murre colony at Cape St. Mary's, and humpback whales feeding and breaching with diving gannets from a long pebble beach.
Lodging is included: all 9 nights in a private room with your own bathroom, booked for you at every location.
Why tour Newfoundland with me? I've been going to Newfoundland for over 10 years and know the best spots for icebergs, birds, and amazing landscapes, and the best places to get snow crab or fish & chips!
Obviously I can't guarantee there will be icebergs, but June is usually peak iceberg season. However it is the winds and pack ice that decide where the icebergs end up!
I also can't guarantee whale sightings or diving gannets, that depends on whether the fish (capelin) they feed on are near the beach, but this trip is timed when that will hopefully happen.
Bring camera gear for everything from super wide angle to long telephoto lenses, and clothing appropriate for weather from freezing to 80F.
Tuition is $7990 and covers photography instruction, guiding, and lodging — it does not include meals or transportation.
What We'll Photograph
June is peak iceberg season in Newfoundland, and the seabird colonies are in full swing. Here's what we'll focus on — click any photo to view it large.
Icebergs
Icebergs calve off glaciers in Greenland and take about two years to drift down Iceberg Alley to the northern coast of Newfoundland. When they arrive they often have stunning shapes of pinnacles, towers, and arches. Twillingate and Bonavista are both hot spots for viewing icebergs near land.
Twillingate
Rugged headlands, towering cliffs and sea stacks, coves, and fishing villages, plus prime iceberg viewing. We'll do some short hikes to amazing coastal views.
Bonavista — Puffins
Puffins, icebergs, lighthouse, dramatic ocean cliffs and sea stacks. The highlight is the large puffin colony at Elliston, where a short hike brings you to a viewing area just 100 feet from their nesting island — and the puffins frequently land on the viewing area itself, allowing close up shots. No boat required! We'll also visit the stunning Cape Bonavista Lighthouse, and make a short hike out to some stunning sea stacks.
Cape St. Mary's — Seabird Colony
Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve is one of North America's most accessible seabird colonies. It is home to tens of thousands of seabirds, including Northern gannets, black-legged kittiwakes, common murres, thick-billed murres, razorbills, black guillemots, cormorants, and Northern fulmars, nesting on sea stacks just a few yards from the viewing spot. An easy hike of 0.9 miles each way is required to reach the colony.
Southern Avalon — Whales & Diving Gannets
We'll visit an amazing cobblestone/pebble beach where the drop off into the ocean is so sudden that you can watch humpback whales feeding right in front of you, sometimes just 100 feet away, while northern gannets dive-bomb the water around them — all photographed from the beach, no boat required. This spot requires a lot of walking along the very large pebble beach, we may need to walk a couple miles as we follow the whales. Plus landscapes and lighthouses along the southern Avalon Peninsula.
Schedule
- Twillingate — 4pm meet & greet (location TBD), dinner
- Evening & sunset photography
- Twillingate area photography — icebergs, cliffs, and fishing villages
- Sunrise and sunset shoots, with daytime exploring and location scouting
- Sunrise photos, drive to Bonavista (about 4 hours)
- Evening photography: Puffins, icebergs, cliffs, lighthouse
- Bonavista area photography — puffins at Elliston, the Bonavista lighthouse, icebergs, sea stacks
- Sunrise photos, drive to Cape St. Mary's (about 4 hours)
- Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve — northern gannets, common murres, and other seabirds
- Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve — northern gannets, common murres, and other seabirds
- We will also photograph giant sea cliffs, headlands, and other landscapes.
- Morning photos, drive to lodging in the Southern Avalon Peninsula (about 2 hours)
- Evening whale & diving gannet photography from the beach
- Whales & diving gannets from the beach
- Landscapes and lighthouses along the southern Avalon
- Sunrise shoot, workshop ends
Included
- ✓ Photography instruction
- ✓ Guiding to locations
- ✓ Lodging: all 9 nights in a private room with your own bathroom
- ✓ Possible editing sessions (depends on schedule)
- ✓ Lots of fun!
Not Included
- ✕ Transportation (including rental cars)
- ✕ Meals
- ✕ Camera gear
Physical Difficulty
Moderate hiking on rugged coastal trails with steep sections, hills, and loose rock beaches.
We may do a bit of hiking during some days, possibly 2-3 miles round trip depending on the schedule. This is on rugged coastal trails with exposed roots, rocks, and small hills. Other days there will be little or no hiking.
Please advise me of any mobility issues.
Getting There
You might want to consider driving to Newfoundland, it will allow you to bring all your camera gear. You will take the ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia and arrive in Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Marine Atlantic is the ferry operator. The ferry ride is about 6.5 or so hours depending on conditions. You need to arrive at the ferry terminal 2 hours prior to departure. The ferry sells out so I recommend booking soon, especially if you want a cabin.
Major airports in Newfoundland, with driving times to Twillingate where the workshop starts:
- Gander (YQX) — 90 minute drive
- St. John's (YYT) — 5 hour drive
- Deer Lake (YDF) — 4 hour drive
The workshop ends on the southern Avalon Peninsula, about a 2 hour drive from St. John's (YYT).
You will want to book your rental car ASAP, they sell out during iceberg season.
Lodging
Lodging is included — all 9 nights are booked for you. At every location you'll have private lodging: your own room with your own bathroom. Lodging details are provided upon application.
- Twillingate · 3 nights · June 8–11
- Bonavista · 2 nights · June 11–13
- Cape St. Mary's · 2 nights · June 13–15
- Southern Avalon · 2 nights · June 15–17
Want to book your own lodging or bring your RV? Contact me for pricing.
Important to Know
Tuition
Tuition is $7990 per person, including all 9 nights of private lodging. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to book your spot, and the balance of $7490 is due January 15, 2028.
If you'd rather book your own lodging or bring your RV, please contact me for pricing.
Meals and transportation (including ferries and rental cars) are your responsibility and are not included.
Cancellation Policy & FAQ
Registration
Please fill out the form below to request your spot in the workshop. I'll check your equipment list to see if it will work for the workshop and I'll e-mail you back with information on how to pay the tuition online.
You must be 18 years of age or older. By filling out this form you acknowledge that you understand the weather and cancellation policies.