I hope 2014 is treating you well. We are very excited for the new year as we have more trips offered in 2014 than any previous year. And we are especially excited to launch our new website (see directly below)! I just finished leading my Ensenada/Tecate Photo Tour/Workshop - the first time in several years. It's full of photo ops, and so close to home. To see a gallery of my images from that trip click on the image above or go to www.jimcline.com/ensenadajan2014. Next I'll be heading down Baja again to lead my Baja Gray Whales trip, the first time in a few years for that tour, as well. Having just finished leading his Thailand, Laos & Cambodia trip, Karl is on the way to Myanmar for his Amazing Myanmar tour which starts next week. You can see his many blog posts with images from all of his tours at www.KarlGrobl.com/blog. Meanwhile Ralph has been traveling around the globe, and is looking forward to leading his Exploring Historical Central Europe trip in May. Many of our upcoming tours and workshops still have spaces available, so come and join us - adventure calls! Jim |
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New Year, New Website
Our new website is here!
For the past year and a half, we've been working hard to create a new, more streamlined and functional website experience for you. It's finally ready to go. (For those of you that take multiple trips with us, you now have the option to create an account that will store all of your pertinent information so you won't have to enter it every time you sign up for a trip.) Please take a look at JimClinePhotoTours.com and let us know what you think! |
Photo Tours and Workshops this year
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Amazing Myanmar
February 17 - March 4, 2014
with Karl Grobl
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Baja Gray Whales Photo Tour
To add your name to the
2015 Interest list,
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Vietnam Explorer
with Karl Grobl
Trip full - To add your name to the wait list for 2014 or interest list for 2015, click here.
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Holy Week in the Philippines
April 13-28, 2014 with Karl Grobl - only 2 spaces left!
Every year during April, Filipinos all over the country participate in massive, elaborate celebrations and fascinating rituals and acts of penitence, the most dramatic of which is crucifixion. Highlights we'll experience include: viewing the worship at Quiapo church in Manila, where mystic, animistic, and Christian rituals are blended together; walking alongside the throngs of pilgrims at Baclaran Church, and photographing the Sinulog candle dancers in Cebu. We'll also do some amazing street shooting around Manila at the largest meat and produce market in the country, a tiny boxing gym and more. Rounding off the trip is a chance to swim with whale sharks, cruising on a private boat, and a relaxing stay at one of the world's most beautiful beaches.
To view the itinerary and reserve a space, click here.
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Exploring Historic Central Europe:
Berlin, Prague, Budapest & Krakow
May 3-16, 2014 with Ralph Velasco - only 1 space left!
Join award-winning travel photographer, author and international tour guide, Ralph Velasco, as you discover five of Central Europe's most exciting and photogenic cities: Berlin, Prague, Krakow, Bratislava, and Budapest. Ralph's personal knowledge of these cities will surely make for some great photo opportunities.
To view the itinerary and reserve the final space, click here.
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Peru: Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley of the Incas
May 21-31, 2014 with Jim Cline
Trip full, wait list available
To add your name to the wait list for 2014 or interest list for 2015, click here.
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Angkor Photo Workshop
July 12-26, 2014 with Karl Grobl - only 1 space left!
The purpose of this hands-on instructional workshop is to push yourself to the limits of your ability and imagination, to have an outstanding and unusual cultural experience and to enjoy and learn from the company of others. The workshop includes a multitude of activities including lectures, one-on-one instruction, critiques, assignments, and exploration of all things photographic. During the course of the workshop you will learn new skills and techniques, then apply them in real-life situations. Your results will be reviewed and then you will go back out and improve your craft. If you're looking to improve your photography skills in a big way, this workshop is for you.
To view the itinerary and reserve the final space, click here.
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Exploring Historic Central Europe: Berlin, Prague, Budapest & Krakow
August 30 - September 12, 2014 with Ralph Velasco
Join award-winning travel photographer, author & international tour guide, Ralph Velasco, as you discover five of Central Europe's most exciting and photogenic cities: Berlin, Prague Krakow, Bratislava and Budapest. Ralph's personal knowledge of these cities will surely make for some great photo opportunities.
For more information or to reserve your spot, click here.
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Amazing Myanmar
September 6-20, 2014 with Karl Grobl
Join us as we explore what is perhaps the least discovered country in Southeast Asia and is truly one of the few "authentic" destinations there. Our itinerary includes Yangon's Schwedagon Pagoda; the ancient city of Bagan, where the landscape is dotted with more than one thousand temples; and Inle Lake, wherein life seemingly unchanged for centuries. Each location affords a wide variety of photographic opportunities including street photography, landscape photography, environmental portraiture and still life.
To view the itinerary and reserve a space, click here.
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Ensenada/Tecate 3 Day Photo Tour/Workshop
October 11-13, 2014 with Jim Cline
There are a great variety of photographic subjects on this trip for just 3 days - the colorful fish market, sea-lions, mariachis, seascapes, vendors and their products, local people, the beautiful Riviera Cultural Center (formerly a casino owned by boxer Jack Dempsey), a boat trip in the morning light in the working harbor, wineries with wine-tasting, a very rustic pottery factory, and finally the tranquil town of Tecate with its typical Mexican plaza. Also during the trip, Jim will give slide show lectures on creating more dynamic photographs and on maximizing your results with digital cameras.
To view Jim's images from our January trip, click here. To take a look at some of the testimonials we received about the trip, click here.
For the tour itinerary or to reserve a space, click here.
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 Bhutan-Nepal Photo Expedition October 12 - 24, 2014 with Ralph Velasco
Bhutan provides the intrepid photographer with a unique and fascinating variety of photographic and cultural experiences and remains perhaps one of the last places on earth where can experience true Himalayan culture, seemingly unchanged for centuries. Throughout the tour, you'll find the people of Bhutan exude calm, openness, warmth and happiness. In Nepal we'll visit and photograph many of the most important and photogenic areas, including Swayambunath, the monkey temple, Kathmandu's Durbar Square, Bhaktapur,"The City of Devotees", Bouddhanth, a colossal ancient Stupa and Pashupatinath, the temple of Lord Shiva and many more intriguing spots.
For more information, or to reserve your space, click here.
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India: Pushkar & Rajasthan
Oct 23 - Nov 6, 2014
with Karl Grobl
Trip full - wait list available
To add your name to the wait list for 2014 or the Interest list for 2015, click here.
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Day of the Dead in Oaxaca
October 27 - November 5, 2014 with Jim Cline -only 4 spaces left!
Visiting Oaxaca, Mexico during Day of the Dead is an experience like no other. Full of color, celebration, tradition and ritual - Day of the Dead offers a rich assortment of subjects and environments to photograph.
To view the itinerary and reserve a space, click here.
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Guatemala: The Living Maya
November 14-24, 2014 with Jim Cline - only 3 spaces left!
From the Spanish Colonial town of Antigua, to volcano-ringed Lake Atitlán, to the many wonderful little villages and their energetic markets filled with indigenous locals in colorful dress, you'll find plenty of subjects to explore with your camera in Guatemala. The Mayan traditions are alive and well in this sometimes mysterious, and always captivating country.
To view the itinerary and reserve a space,
click here.
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Thailand, Laos & Cambodia
January 17 - February 1, 2015 with Karl Grobl
This adventurous tri-country tour begins in Bangkok, Thailand's bustling capitol city, where we will explore the Grand Palace, cruise the canals, photograph vendors in the floating markets, and much more! Then it's off to northern Thailand, where we get to know and photograph hill tribes. A two-day boat journey is next, traversing and photographing largely unexplored areas down the mysterious Mekong River, while en route to Luang Prabang, Laos. Once there, we'll photograph its green hills and gold temples, and see hundreds of Buddhist monks take their morning alms walk through town. A flight to Cambodia will position our group in the bustling fascinating capitol city of Phnom Penh. Then it's onto Siem Reap, Cambodia to explore and photograph Angkor, a stunning ancient collection of over 100 temples set against the dramatic backdrop of lush jungle greenery and verdant fields.
To view the itinerary and reserve a space,
click here.
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Yucatan: The Mayan World
January - February, 2015 with Jim Cline
The Yucatan peninsula is an area of natural wonders and a fascinating history, being the initial home of the great Mayan civilization. This photo tour offers the chance to photograph the Mayan ruins / archeological sites of Chichen Itza, (declared one of the New 7 Wonders of the World) Uxmal, and Tulum. The beautiful capital city of Merida, with its bustling plazas and colonial buildings and churches is also a noteworthy stop. We'll relax on the white, pristine beaches on the shores of the turquoise Caribbean Sea, and explore underground cave systems filled with stalactites and crystalline fresh water. This trip offers a wide variety of photography opportunities both on ancient lands, and the sea.
To add your name to the interest list,
click here.
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Southern India
February - March, 2015 with Karl Grobl
Join us as we visit two of India's southern states: Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Tamil Nadu boasts some of the most remarkable temple architecture in India and has a rich living tradition of music and dance. You'll have a chance to photograph beautiful, green paddy fields, coconut groves and banana plantations, ancient temple towns and spice plantations in the Eastern Ghats. The lush and serene state of Kerala has a wonderfully slow and relaxed pace. We'll cruise on the backwaters, with much to photograph amid a lush blanket of palm trees and verdant hills. We'll also visit the ancient city of Cochin with its bustling spice bazaars, and more.
To add your name to the interest list,
click here.
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Tours in the works ~ interest lists forming
If any of the tours below are of interest to you, send us an email and you'll be notified when more information becomes available.
2015
Chiapas: The Mayan World
with Jim Cline in February
Baja Whales
with Jim Cline in February
Turkey
with Ralph Velasco in April
Philippines
with Karl Grobl in May - June
2016
Colonial Mexico: Land of the Aztecs: Highlights of Mexico City, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende
with Jim Cline
The Wonders of Baja: Cabo San Lucas, La Paz,
Loreto and Mulege
with Jim Cline
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Jim Cline Photo Tours LLC
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Who we are:
Where to find us:
info at jimcline dot com
11387 Ocean Ridge Way
San Diego, California 92130
(858) 350-1314
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"Journey Down Baja" 2014 Calendar
Jim Cline and Jim Hendricks (a/k/a) Baja Jims) have produced another Baja Calendar for 2014. All the photographs and text are by Jim Cline. Each month features an 11 x 14 sized image and a smaller, related image alongside of Jim's text.
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Testimonials!
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We are very proud of
the testimonials we've received.
I hope you'll take a look at
what some of our participants
have had to say about
our tours. Click here to read or take a look below.
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Past Newsletters
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(click on month to view)
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Karl's Blog
In spite of his busy schedule, Karl does a great job of keeping his blog up to date. You can follow him on his journeys at his blog address:
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We're in Rough Guides!
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We are already listed in Moon Handbooks and Frommer's guidebooks. Now we have been written up in Rough Guides, as well! |
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"Thank you for a marvelous trip, it was fantastic! The photo opportunities were excellent and varied; I got some shots that I'm very happy with and my photography improved. Jim did a great job of attending to people's needs both photographic and logistic. The local guides that Jim works with provided a great deal of information and both were congenial and really seemed to be involved in the group's activities. If someone wants a vital experience with another culture, solid instruction photographing people and places in that milieu and an out-and-out good time, this is the trip to take."
- Louis Sasso, Peru tour participant
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"Karl, you are an experienced leader and run a great trip. I see why you have a loyal following. i appreciate the help and photo advice. All I had to do was listen and remember when to show up. I think taking people pictures will be easier for me now."
-Chuck Thompson, Vietnam tour participant |
"It was a great trip, Jim was wonderful. He was well prepared, patient and has a
good sense of humor. He was very easy to travel with; I feel like I'm traveling with a friend. The individual attention is so valuable...I learned several things ... that helped me to get better photos. I really liked the opportunity to interact with and photograph the locals. Jim's many relationships with locals is what makes the trips special and will keep me coming back again and again. Jim did a great job."
-Terri Huizinga, Guatemala tour participant
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"There are many choices for photo tours to India, but I felt this [tour] was well-priced. The locations were ideal for northern India and Karl's photographic expertise and personality made this THE only choice for me."
-Barbara Colbert - India tour participant |
"[The] Day of the Dead festival was truly amazing. I am definitely traveling with you again. The tour was perfect and Jim was great; really easy going, organized, attentive and generous. I enjoyed everything being centered around photography and travelling with other photographers. Jim would let us be if we wanted ,and if we wanted more instruction, he was there to help. I learned a lot (technique and equipment-wise) and got shots that I was really happy with. I had a great time ... and would definitely recommend this trip to my friends."
-Chantal Levesque, Oaxaca-Day of the Dead participant |
"My overall feedback: Outstanding! Extraordinary value and highly recommended. I have never been on a photo workshop that offered so many different photographic opportunities in such a short period without feeling rushed: coastal scenery, colorful fish markets, harbor scenes, and markets; underground winery bottle and barrel storage; night photography overlooking a harbor and later of neon signs against setting sun; pottery factory lit by rays of light through eerily dusty interior; urban and rural landscapes; colorfully attired cultural events; and wildlife in seals and birds on a dawn harbor cruise. The trip was paced well, offered a good selection of food and accommodation; clean, comfortable van and driver used. Excellent knowledge of the area was shared by trip leader Jim, who has personal relationships with many of the locals we encountered. I will go with this trip leader again."
-Dale Thompson, Ensenada/Tecate tour participant
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"This is my second time traveling with you [Jim], and as before, I had a marvelous time. Your planning and execution of the itinerary is excellent. Your knowledge of the area and the personal relationships with the people there truly make your trips exceptional. It all adds up to a truly enjoyable travel and photographic experience. Thus, I always highly recommend you to anyone with interest in the areas that you visit. I'll look forward to traveling with you again at some point in time. Thank you!"
-Rita Florea, Chiapas tour participant
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"There is no way that this trip would have been so wonderful if it wasn't for all Karl's efforts on all of our behalf; his taking the time to teach, and his ability to be even handed at all times. He opened our eyes to photography in such a way and in such a short time. We feel that we got way more than we expected from the tour and Karl. We were deeply indebted to all the work done to make that trip (and every other trip) as satisfying as possible."
-George & Joan Saba, India Pushkar participants
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...One of the things I love about trips through Jim Cline is the standard of food and accommodation. After a day in the mud or dust of the streets of Asia or bumping over rough rails or roads, it is such a pleasure to retreat to a private and comfortable space!
I don't think you can do better than with a trip with Karl and Jim Cline photo tours."
-Ursula Wall, multi-trip participant |
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"I loved the trip and it was packed full of fun places to see with excellent photography instruction. The trip was not too long either which sometimes is really nice. Short, sweet and jam-packed full of learning! I liked the selection of places visited where the photo opportunities were terrific: the fish market, the evening view of Ensenada, the harbor cruise, the blow hole and markets, the winery, pottery factory, roadside tamale shops and the Tecate sign.
Jim was so helpful both in his presentation and while we were shooting. I liked learning new camera techniques and the opportunity to use a tripod. I got some great shots and learned so many techniques. The visit to the art gallery where Jim's photos were displayed was excellent. Talking about how each picture was captured was extremely valuable.
Again, it was a short trip so not everything can be accomplished and I thought Jim did a remarkable job packing in so much. Jim was terrific and made such an effort to be sure EVERYONE was happy. He wanted everyone to enjoy the trip and to learn new things about photography and he took every effort to make this happen. He has a great sense of humor and was flexible but kept the program on time.
I thought the entire trip was great -- definitely a TEN [highest]! Absolutely I feel the tour is good value for the money and would absolutely suggest it to others. Jim Cline provides high quality tours [4x tour participant] with loads of photography instruction, individual help, wonderful places to see, and Jim succeed to get our group to these places at the right time of day for the best pictures. Thank you." -Bonnie Stewart, Ensenada/Tecate tour participant
"I would rate the trip as an 11 (out of 10)! Karl could not have been better guide, and the local guide was great. I definitely improved my photography skills. I really enjoyed the cultural experience, seeing the sites, smelling the smells, being in the mix as much a big American could be in Myanmar. I had a great time and received good value for the money." -Kit Smith, tour participant
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