Patagonia Photo Workshop Adventure
Come join us on this incredible Patagonia photography workshop adventure down in this wild and beautiful region of South America. Set in the heart of the Andean mountain range in southern Chile & Argentina during fall colors, you will get to experience first hand the geologic wonder of both Torres del Paine National Park and Los Glaciares National Park. It is here you will photograph incredible locations such as Lago Pahoe at the base of the Cuernos del Paine, the dream-like reflections of Laguna Amarga, the calving ice of the Perito Moreno Glacier, the spires of Cerro Torre and the crown of Argentina, Mt. Fitz Roy…to name a few. We have been running tours down here in Patagonia for close to a decade, giving our leaders substantially more experience on the ground than nearly any other workshops in the region. This is the bucket list of all bucket list locations for landscape and outdoor adventure photographers.
Trip Dates
April 13th – 22nd, 2027
Tuition Costs
$6250
Group Size
10
Difficulty Level
Easy to Moderate Hiking
Patagonia Photography Workshop Adventure
Patagonia is one of the most sought after destinations for outdoor and landscape photographers worldwide. Its breathtaking vistas, incredible mountains, glacier feed lakes and unique wildlife help make it so special. On this trip of a lifetime, we will spend time in both the Chilean and Argentinian regions of Patagonia. Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares National Parks will become our new temporary homes throughout the course of this workshop. Because we will be jumping across the border between Chile and Argentina, you will need to make sure you secure visas before you arrive, if a visa is required based on the passport you currently carry.
In addition to staying in comfortable hotels with breathtaking views, this adventure focused photography tour will take you beyond what most photographers offer in Patagonia. Instead of simply driving you from distant view-point to distant viewpoint, we will offer optional sunrise hikes around some of the most incredibly scenic areas in the world, focusing our efforts around Mt. Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in Argentina. For more info about the hikes, check out the F.A.Q. section at the bottom of this page. This will provide you with a solid mix of photographic opportunities throughout our time in Patagonia. When the weather is less forgiving, we will spend time focusing on post-processing and image editing using a variety of different applications. The bottom line is that we will help you get to the best locations at the best time of day with the best light possible.
Sony Sponsored Workshop
What is Included?
- All Ground Transportation
- All Hotel Accommodations
- All Necessary Permits
- All Photo Education
What is Not Included?
- All Flights
- Meals & Snacks
- Travel Insurance
- Visa Fees
Patagonia Photography Workshop Adventure
With two photo instructors present for the duration of the workshop, you will have plenty of opportunity for one on one instruction to further the skills that you feel you need to work on. If the workshop is full and you wanted to be added to the waiting list, click HERE.
* please read the workshop F.A.Q. section on this page to learn more about visiting Patagonia.
All Workshop Deposits Are Transferable to
Other Workshops if Something Comes Up...
*See our Cancellation Policy for more info...
Areas to Explore
Patagonia Photography Workshop Adventure
- Torres del Paine National Park
- Lago Pehoe
- Salto Grande Waterfall
- Laguna Amarga
- Perito Moreno Glacier
- Town of El Chalten
- Cerro Torre & Lago Torre
- Mt. Fitz Roy
- Laguna Capri
- and much more...
Join the Workshop Waitlist to learn more about any upcoming adventures...
Join the Workshop Waitlist to learn more about any upcoming adventures...
Sony Sponsored Workshop Details
F.A.Q
Absolutely! Although I might be a bit biased 😉 While there are a number of photography workshops offered in places like Patagonia, none offer a similar experience. Not only have I been working as a photo workshop instructor for 22 years, including time leading trips for National Geographic, but I have also spent over 16 years exploring the Southern Patagonian region of South America. My team works hard to ensure we meet each of my clients at their level, providing ample 1-on-1 time while we are out in the field. This helps ensure you get the most out of this workshop experience!
This workshop starts on April 13th, 2027, at 8 a.m. in Punta Arenas (PUQ airport code). You most likely will want to arrive a day early to help you deal with any jet lag from your travels. On April 22nd, 2027, the workshop ends at 3 pm in El Calafate, Argentina (FTE airport code).
You will fly into and out of different airports in Chile & Argentina for this workshop.
** Before you purchase any flights, please double-check with us to ensure the flight times align with our schedule.
Depending on which country you are from, you might need VISAS to enter either Chile or Argentina or both. While we start in one country, we will cross over into the other via a land border, so please make sure you have your VISAS sorted out well in advance of the workshop!
We may offer an extension to both Bolivia and Easter Island before and after the workshop. To learn more about costs and ask questions about these workshops, please send us an EMAIL.
With a focus on landscape photography, you will want a lens with an equivalent focal length of 16-200mm. This can include a 16-35 for wide-angle landscapes, a 24-70 (or 24-105) as a walk-around lens, and a 70-200 to allow you to zoom in on distant mountains for some more intimate scenes. If you are also interested in wildlife photography, you might want to bring a 100-400 or 200-600 lens to help you fill much more of your frame with your subject.
In Colby’s gear bag, you will find the following…
Sony a7R VI(2)
Sony 14mm f/1.8 (For Astro)
Sony 16-35 f/2.8 GM (For Landscapes)
Sony 24-105 f/4 (All-Around)
Sony 100-400 f/4.5 GM or 200-600 f/5.6-6.3 G (For Wildlife)
Please make sure that you bring a sturdy tripod! Please don’t bring the Peak Design tripod, as they tend to fail in environments like this more than any other tripod we see at our workshops.
While this trip is mostly focused on landscape photography, we should have a wide variety of wildlife photographic opportunities that could include; Guanaco, Patagonian Fox, Andean Condor, Caracara, Rhea, and possibly Puma (specifically in Torres del Paine National Park.
Patagonia is known to have some of the most fierce weather in the world. It is not uncommon to experience 80-100 mph winds on a trip to this region of the world. In addition, Patagonia is home to a massive number of glaciers, which help create their own weather systems. While this combination can make for some challenging situations, it is also why this region of the world is so popular with photographers. Dramatic weather means dramatic light which can provide incredible photographic opportunities along the way.
In Torres del Paine, the hikes we go on are very easy with gentle grades. In Argentina, once we get to El Chalten, the hikes do get a little more challenging. Every morning (weather permitting) we will do optional sunrise hikes up to the best viewing points for either Mt. Fitz Roy or Cerro Torre. These can vary in length from 5k to 9k each way, with some elevation gain. We leave early in the morning, giving our group plenty of time to not be in a rush up the trails. We work together as a group, making sure everyone makes it up to the best possible views. While these hikes are not easy, they are not overly difficult either. Being optional, you are free to partake in each morning’s hike, just 1 or anything in between.
For more information about the hikes, check out the following links…
Los Glaciares National Park
Laguna Capri (Views of Mt. Fitz Roy)
Mirador de Cerro Torre (First views of Cerro Torre)
Laguna Torre (Best Views of Cerro Torre)
Torres del Paine National Park
Condor Lookout (Easy day hike near our hotel)
Cuernos Lookout (Closer views of the Paine Massif)
The workshop tuition listed above is based on double occupancy (shared rooms). If there is availability for a single room at the workshop, the cost is an additional USD 1,500. This is on a first-come, first-served basis and is based on room availability at our hotels in both Chile & Argentina.
Meet Your Instructors & Guides
Mario Valkenborg
Photographer/Photo Instructor
Mario is a landscape photographer based in Belgium. He is fluent in English & Dutch. Started as a general nature photographer with a lot of wildlife, bird, macro and travel photography but specialized in landscapes. Travels the world in search of the most epic landscapes, but also appreciates the local scenery. Yet he prefers regions with mountains, rivers and waterfalls and also has a soft spot for woodlands. Outside photography there is also the passion to teach. A great satisfaction to transfer knowledge in an understandable way. In Belgium he also gives photo workshops and gives extensive courses on finding and refining compositions. His work has also been published several times.
Pedro Kin
Workshop Manager/Photo Instructor
Pedro is a Portuguese landscape photographer based in Slovakia but you’ll often find him in the most scenic mountains, forests, and fjords of Europe. He is fluent in English & Portuguese as well as conversational in Spanish. He has held the title of Workshop Manager and photo instructor with Colby Brown Photography for the past 6 years. Favoring the cold landscapes and the unspoiled nature of northern Europe, the higher latitudes do not stop him from going after the perfect shot. When not traveling the world with his camera, you can find him back home teaching workshops, testing new gear, and experimenting with photography.
Testimonials
Well, I've been back home for nearly a month now and I can't get Patagonia out of my mind. The rugged beauty of Torres del Paine and its infamous weather makes for a storybook photography workshop in my opinion. And while I don't want to spoil the surprise(...)
This was a trip originally booked for April 2020 visiting Patagonia from both Chile and Argentina. Due to ongoing difficulties in crossing the border the trip was reoriented around Chile and the Torres del Paine National Park. This gave us the opportunity to(...)
The 2018 Patagonia workshop was the first with Colby, and I did not go home disappointed. I have taken many workshops before, but this was the most educational and fun ever. I just wish the PUMA that Colby has ordered showed up 🙂
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Cancellation & Refund Policy
No one wants to miss out on a trip of a life time…but things do happen. In those situations, the following applies…
The first thing to note is that deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable. In addition, all cancellations are subject to a minimum of a $150 service charge to cover PayPal transaction fees. In most situations, we ask for the remaining balance of a workshop is to be paid 120 days from the start of the workshop in question. If you wish to cancel within 120 days from the start of a workshop and we find someone to fill your spot, you would be entitled to receive a refund (minus your deposit and the $150 processing fee) or transfer to another workshop with no penalties or fees.
If we don’t find someone to fill your spot, what does your refund window actually look like?
120 Days or More...
Your deposit will be transferable to another Colby Brown Photography Workshop without issue.
90 to 120 Days
You will receive a refund of 50% of the full tuition fees minus the non-refundable deposit.
Less Than 90 Days...
If you wish to cancel within 90 days of your workshop starting, you are not entitled to a refund.
