Fall Color Magic
October 6 - 10, 2019
As one travels north on I-75 through the state of Michigan, the landscape undergoes a remarkable shift around the vicinity of Saginaw Bay. This latitudinal swath has been defined as the botanical tension zone, where average soil temperatures drop enough to support northern boreal forests. North of Saginaw, an ever-increasing number of fir, spruce, tamarack, white cedar, and white birch appear along the roadside. By the time one reaches the tip of the Lower Peninsula, dense dark belts of conifers are a dominant feature.
Much of the Upper Peninsula, where the locals are known as “Yoopers”, is publicly owned state and federal lands, has incredible, accessible photographic opportunities. In the fall the forests are aflame with golden birch, lemony-yellow aspen, scarlet red maple, and orange sugar maple. Numerous seldom-used sand tracks provide frequent access to showy forests, with long sections where the woodland canopy arches over the roadway, forming fantastic tree tunnels ablaze with color. It’s here where our senses and sensors will delight in the finest autumn color anywhere.
Day 1 - Sunday
The photo tour begins in the city of Marquette with a group dinner and lively discussion about the week’s itinerary. We expect most participants will drive to Marquette but if you should decide to fly, Sawyer International Airport serves the area with regular flights. Overnight in Marquette.
Day 2 - Monday
Marquette is ideally situated where mighty Lake Superior meets the land with colorful tree-lined beaches. We start our day photographing sunrise from atop Sugarloaf Mountain followed by a very slow descent to take full advantage of numerous rocky vistas and macro highlights. Once at the bottom, we will drive a short distance to visit scenic beaches cobbled with colorful rocks and trees painted with autumn hues that dot the rocky shoreline. Our lenses will delight in the myriad of landscape and macro opportunities. With much more to see and photograph, our journey, with stops along the way, will take us to the picturesque lake town of Munising. Overnight in Munising.
Days 3 – Tuesday
A foray into the sprawling Hiawatha National Forest, just south of Munising, will be at the top of the agenda. Stunning bogs and glacial lakes dot the area, reflecting vibrant fall colors in their waters. We will visit numerous natural treasures like waterfalls (as many as time allows – Alger Falls, Wagner Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Munising Falls, Miners Falls, Chapel Falls) and we will drive miles of splashy tree tunnels on sand tracks that will envelope us with warm color. There is no shortage of photographic fodder and the opportunity to photograph individual leaves, mosses, reindeer lichens, and lots of other wee subjects will keep us busy. Overnight in Munising.
Day 4 – Wednesday
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore sports massive cliffs fronting Lake Superior, their rocks painted in subtle pastels of red, orange, and yellow. A visit to the eastern end of the park will bring us to a unique spectacle of some of the most amazing sand dunes on the Great Lakes, the epic Grand Sable Dunes. Massive in scope, the sand ridges tower 300 feet above Lake Superior and offer truly grand vistas of jack pine forest near the edges and autumnal vistas beyond. A visit to the White Birch Forest will have us delighting in the contrasting white papery bark against yellow leaves for iconic imagery like no other.
We slowly make our way east towards Whitefish Point, taking in many scenes including a visit to one of Michigan’s well-known treasures, Crisp Point Lighthouse. Overnight near Whitefish Point.
Day 5 - Thursday
Our morning starts out early with a sunrise along a rocky beachfront where you might find an elusive Lake Superior agate to call your own. On to the largest set of falls in Michigan, the nearly unpronounceable Tahquamenon Falls. Coffee-colored waters, stained by tannin from adjacent cedar swamps, courses over interesting shelfs, ledges, and cliffs. This area abounds with oodles of landscape and waterfall photo opportunities – and we will take advantage of as many as time allows before our adventure ends with a farewell group dinner. Dinner included. Overnight near Whitefish Point.
Day 6 – Friday
Depart for home at your leisure.
What’s included:
What’s not included:
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Transportation to and from the photo tour locations
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Transportation during the photo tour (car-pooling is highly recommended)
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Lodging (we will secure room discounts for our group). If you are interested in sharing a room/cost with another participant, we will put folks in touch with each other.
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Meals and snacks
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Alcohol at the farewell dinner
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Items of a personal nature
Photographic equipment
Complete gear list, packing suggestions, hotels (with details on how to get group rates) and other details about the photo tour will be sent upon registration.
Enrollment Information
Deposit and Full Payment
All prices are quoted in US dollars and all payments must be paid in US dollars. Deposits can be made using a Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card. Final payment for your trip is due 90 days prior to departure.
1 and 3 day workshops- full payment, Registration Form and Release of Liability and Assumption of all Risks form are required to reserve your spot.
4 days+ tours – your deposit, Registration Form and Release of Liability and Assumption of all Risks form are required to hold your spot. The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. If you sign up for a tour within 90 days of departure, the entire amount is due when you register.
Cancellations and Refunds
We understand that unforeseen events may come up and prevent you from attending the workshop/tour. If you need to cancel, we must receive written notification. Refunds will be processed according to these schedules:
One and three-day workshops (full payment paid in advance)
- 30 days or more prior to the first day of the event - we will provide a refund of the registration fee for the workshop (less 6% of the total for administration and credit card fees).
- 29 days or less prior to the first day of the event – we will issue you a refund of the registration fee for the workshop (less 6% of the total for administration and credit card fees) if your vacancy is filled.
- 29 days or less prior to the first day of the event – if we cannot fill your vacancy, we will issue you a 50% refund (less 6% of the total for administration and credit card fees).
If for some reason an event is cancelled, you will receive a full refund of the registration fee. However, we cannot be responsible for any non-refundable travel expenses you may have incurred.
Tours longer than three-days (deposit paid in advance and final payment paid 120 days prior):
- 121+ days prior to departure – refunded less 6% for administration and fees
- 120 to 90 days prior to departure – refunded 50%
- 90 days or less prior to departure – NO REFUND
No partial refunds for unused services, lodging, meals, etc. Trips are sold as a package only.
Travel Insurance
Travel protection insurance is recommended to protect your investment. Travelguard.com and allianztravelinsurance.com are 2 options that provide various types of coverage options.
In the unlikely event that the trip is canceled due to insufficient enrollment, your money will be refunded in full, with the exception of expenses you personally incurred while preparing for the trip.
Health Considerations
Most of our trips will involve elements of physical activity easily accomplished by the average person in good health. While some of our locations are near a road or parking lot, some are not. PLEASE be sure you are comfortable walking over uneven rocky terrain with your gear for 30 – 45 minutes at a time. We may shoot at all hours of the day and night (we try to take advantage of the best weather and light conditions), which may not be typical for some participants. Specific considerations are included in the description of each workshop/tour.
Medical circumstances or emergencies do not constitute grounds for exception to the cancellation policy. Therefore, trip cancellation and interruption insurance is recommended.
Smoking is not permitted in group vehicles, during meals, and at other times when secondhand smoke can affect the health and comfort of others.
Costs
Information about what is included/not included are summarized in the individual descriptions of each workshop/tour.
Trips that include overnight accommodations will be double occupancy. You will be charged the single supplement fee if you request a single room.
Because of deposits forwarded and liabilities incurred by Debbie DiCarlo Photography and Jim McCormac with hotels, local guides, transportation, etc. no partial refunds will be given for unused rooms, meals, transportation, etc.
Weather policy
We are at the mercy of Mother Nature. Locations have been scouted and options are in place in case of uncooperative weather. Without putting participants at risk, the workshop will commence rain or shine, cold or warm, clear skies or cloudy. Refunds will not be issued because of the weather.
Responsibility
Debbie DiCarlo Photography and Jim McCormac Photography act only as agents for the client in regard to travel including, but not limited to, sightseeing, meals, lodging, transportation, and all other services whether by railroad, motorcar, motor coach, boat, ship or aircraft and they assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the trip.
Debbie DiCarlo Photography and Jim McCormac Photography can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, volcanic eruption, terrorist acts, political unrest, quarantine or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger, as trip fees provide for arrangements only for the times and locations stated. Baggage is at the owner's risk entirely.
The right is reserved to 1) substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary or transport where deemed necessary, or caused by changes in air schedules or equipment substitution; 2) cancel any trip prior to departure, in which case full refund of the paid trip funds will be given, but Debbie DiCarlo Photography and Jim McCormac are not responsible for any other trip preparation expenses such as penalized or non-refundable air tickets, visa fees and medical related expenses; 3) substitute trip leader(s) for the leader(s) originally specified, in which case the substitution is not a basis for participant cancellation or refund other than provided by our normal cancellation policy.
Trip prices are based on tariffs and exchange rates in effect at the time of publication and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein.
The Registration Form and the Release of Liability and Assumption of all Risks forms must be signed by each participant prior to the commencement of the trip. Participation by any trip member will be declined in the absence of the signed Registration Form and the Release of Liability and Assumption of all Risks, with no trip fee refund. No modification of the Release of Liability and Assumption of all Risks form will be accepted.
