Saturday (08-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 13: Estancia Lazo to Hosteria Lago Grey.

We stopped for a few minutes at the entrance to Torres del Paines National Park while our guide paid the entrance fee. There were a number of Guanaco (South American Camels) milling around. All of a sudden two males started chasing each other. I caught this one as it ran right through our group.

Guanaco Running at the Entrance to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Guanaco Running at the Entrance to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)

Friday (07-January-2011) — Argentina/Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 12: Calafate, Argentina to Estancia Lazo, Chile.

A long day on the road as we traveled from Argentina to Chile. On the way we stopped at a sheep ranch (Estancia). After going through customs/immigration at the Chilean border we traveled to Lazo Estancia right next to Paine National Park.

Bienvenidos (Welcome) Wagon Wheel Along a Wood and Barbed Wire Fence at an Estancia in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bienvenidos (Welcome) Wagon Wheel Along a Wood and Barbed Wire Fence at an Estancia in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fido Waiting to Chase Sheep in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fido Waiting to Chase Sheep in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sheep shearing demonstration at an Estancia in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/2, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sheep shearing demonstration at an Estancia in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/2, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Photographer Working the Windmill at Lazo Estancia in Patagonia. Near Paine National Park and Lago Verde. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 28 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec).120 (David J Mathre)
Photographer Working the Windmill at Lazo Estancia in Patagonia. Near Paine National Park and Lago Verde. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 28 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec).120 (David J Mathre)
Red Hot Poker Flower (Kniphofia uvaria) at Mirador del Payne Hosteria in Estancia Lazo. This is right next to Torres del Paine National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 24-120 mm f/4 lens (ISO 800, 38 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). It is hard to believe it is so light out at 11 PM. (David J Mathre)
Red Hot Poker Flower (Kniphofia uvaria) at Mirador del Payne Hosteria in Estancia Lazo. This is right next to Torres del Paine National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 24-120 mm f/4 lens (ISO 800, 38 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). It is hard to believe it is so light out at 11 PM. (David J Mathre)

Thursday (06-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 11: Depart Los Notros, Travel to Calafate.

Today we traveled back to Calafate. We had the afternoon and evening off to visit the city and find a local restaurant for dinner. I used most of the time to catch up on images. This was the first place I had reasonable internet access, so used the time to start filling in the missing days in this Photoblog. Tomorrow we leave Argentina and travel to Chile. We will be spending the rest of the trip in Paine National Park (Lago Verde, Torre Mountains, Paine massif, Lago Grey) before returning from Punta Arenas (on the shores of the Strait of Magellan).

Checking in at the Kau Yatun hotel in Calafate. (David J Mathre)
Checking in at the Kau Yatun hotel in Calafate. (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (05-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 10: Los Notros Resort, Boat ride and Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier.

This morning we took a boat across to the Perito Moreno Glacier. There after some history of the glacier by the local guides we hiked to the glacier where we were fitted with ice crampons. These were a relatively old style crampon that fit any boots. The guide then took us for an 1.5 hour hike on the glacier. This was a great photo opportunity to see the deep blue ice and all of the features on the glacier up close. At the end of the hike, we had a drink with glacial ice. Even though I only took one DLSR and one lens, I got many great images on this hike. During the afternoon, I started working on some images from the early part of the trip.

Glacier Calving. Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 f/1.4 mm lens (ISO 200, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Glacier Calving. Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 f/1.4 mm lens (ISO 200, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Thom Hogan climbing Perito Moreno Glacier without any ropes. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/7, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Thom Hogan climbing Perito Moreno Glacier without any ropes. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 50 mm, f/7, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Tuesday (04-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 9: Depart Hosteria El Pilar, Travel to Calafate, Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno Glacier, and the Los Notros Resort.

This was a travel day. But first, one last chance to view Fitzroy at dawn. Unfortunately, it was hidden behind some spectacular orange clouds. Also, on more image of lupine wildflowers. After checking out and loading the bus, we drove to Calafate. The group stopped for lunch (big hamburgers with eggs and ham, French fries with eggs), and Thom found a dentist to repair a crown.

We then drove along Lago Argentino on the Magallanes Peninsula back into Glaciers National park to the high-end Los Notros resort. Every one of our rooms had a large bay window looking across to the Perito Moreno Glacier. After checking in, our first stop was to the boardwalk overlooking the Perito Moreno Glacier and the Canal de los Tempanos (iceberg channel). The Perito Moreno Glacier is in relative equilibrium. Periodically, the iceberg closes the channel which results in the lake on the south side increasing in height until it breaks through again. Right now there is a narrow open channel through an ice bridge. The ice bridge looks like it is ready to collapse soon. Indeed we heard and saw several ice calving events while on the boardwalk. Once back in the hotel, I set my camera up on a tripod to do time-lapsed images of the glacier and night sky.

Patagonia Dawn Panorama from Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Composite of 5 image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/4) using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Patagonia Dawn Panorama from Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina. Composite of 5 image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/4) using Kolor AutoPano Giga Pro. Unfortunately Fitzroy is hidden in the orange clouds. (David J Mathre)
Lupines at Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina - Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lupines at Hosteria El Pilar in El Chalten, Argentina – Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 400, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, f/22, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 200, f/22, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Los Notros, Glacier (David J Mathre)
Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/11, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)