PHOTOGRAPH HUMPBACK WHALES IN TONGA

Immerse yourself in the underwater world of the ocean’s gentle giants on this unique wildlife photography adventure

A DESTINATION EARTH PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

AUGUST 11 - 18, 2025 *** SOLD OUT ***

Being in the water alongside a humpback whale is no small thing. To look at a whale and see her looking back at you with knowing, intelligent eyes is an experience you will NEVER forget. It is a privilege that we are very pleased to be able to provide for you. Our trips are unique to Tonga in that they are all inclusive! We cover your housing, boat days, all meals and snacks as well as any drinks you might like to enjoy at the end of the day. Local transportation, internet access, etc are all included. Fly into Vava’u and we take care of everything! We arrange transportation to/from the airport to the Tongan Beach Resort, our exclusive and amazing home away from home. Our boats are modern and well maintained and we have never had a mechanical issue while out on the water. We hire the best crews possible and we understand the difference between a nice swim and a great encounter that will result in spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime images.

These trips include five full days on the water to ensure we have as many encounters with the whales as possible. Things like weather, ocean conditions, water clarity and whales are out of our control, but we’ve worked hard on the things we can control to maximize the possibilities and ensure everyone has a great experience. Expect mind blowingly close encounters with moms and curious calves, competition pods, singers and more. We will also visit some spectacular snorkeling locations that are very photogenic.

Whale swimming in Vava’u is carefully managed and regulated, with the Kingdom of Tonga only offering a select number the ability to legally and safely swim with the humpbacks. Our team respects and follows the guidelines set forth to accommodate the best interests of the whales and the sustainability of this industry for years to come. We are extremely fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to swim with the humpbacks, and as such we will ALWAYS respect the rules. While we should encounter whales every day (allowing us the opportunity to swim with them), some days will be more productive than others or have better conditions. This is why as many days as possible on the water is important, especially if you are a photographer, to allow us the most opportunities for a wide variety of encounters. All encounters are done via snorkeling and freediving, meaning SCUBA is not allowed. Most encounters are enjoyed at the surface, though there will be plenty of opportunities to dive down if you are comfortable and get a close look (which is truly spectacular when it happens).

On this 8 day Photography Workshop we will have 5 full days on a boat with whales. As stated we cover everything once you get off the plane. So bring that camera gear, water housing, and bathing suit and let the fun commence! All throughout you will be provided with expert instruction, while out of the water, on how best to capture all the action and interesting gestures and compositions while in the water. And our guides will do everything they can to manage the encounters and get you in the best positions. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune those photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life. Helping clients create a portfolio of images they are excited and proud of is priority number one on all of our workshops (along with having a good time).

This is not our typical land-based photography adventure. So please, if you have any questions at all feel free to contact us.

Tonga Whales Photography Workshop (August 11-18, 2025)
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INSTRUCTOR: LYLE KRANNICHFELD           

GROUP SIZE: 6 PARTICIPANTS

COST: $4900 (Double Occupancy Room) / Single Room Supplement $850

INCLUDED: All Transportation, Meals, Lodging, Dive Sessions

NOT INCLUDED: Airfare, camera gear & water housing, tips & gratuities

DEPOSIT: A 50% deposit is required to secure a spot, with the final balance due 120 days prior to the workshop

This workshop is currently SOLD OUT. Please click here to Join the Waitlist

2026 DATES AVAILABLE: August 3 - 10, 2026 and August 10 - 17, 2026

 

ITINERARY

The workshop begins on August 11, 2025 which is set aside for everyone’s arrival into Vava’u. We have arranged transportation into town for any incidentals, then we will continue on to our waterfront resort to settle in! We will have a group orientation and gear check, followed by dinner on the beach. We will then enjoy five full days on and in the water searching for humpacks and any other ocean wildlife we can find. A typical day will be breakfast at 6:30am, get on the boat right at the hotel and depart the dock at 7am, search and swim with whales and eat lunch on the boat, and be back at the house at 2pm. At the end of each day, we will return to the resort to relax and learn, edit photos and share stories from our day on the water. On our final full day, the plan is to relax and enjoy the beach the whole time. We can snorkel right in front of the resort or kayak to a nearby location, relax in the over water thatched roof bungalow, edit photos or whatever you’d like! The workshop will end on August 18 and participants should plan to fly back home on this date.

More detailed info will be sent closer to the workshop date and by request.

USEFUL INFO / PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY

Physical difficulty of this workshop is typically moderate, though it will depend on the ocean conditions and how each day unfolds. It is important for participants to be in good physical health and comfortable snorkeling long distances in open ocean. We will be onboard the boat for seven hours a day, entering and exiting the boats numerous times. Most of our time is spent sitting while we are underway, searching for willing whales to swim with.

Whale encounters can last up to 90 minutes and often involve swimming hundreds of yards. Every encounter is optional and if you are worn out or conditions seem to be too much for you, there is nothing wrong with sitting it out. Our Tongan crews are experienced, capable, government trained, lifelong watermen and we are always monitoring conditions as well.

The climate is tropical, but mild. Expect temperatures in the high 70’s to low 80’s, with water temps hovering around 77 degrees. Sunrise is right around 7am, with sunsets around 6:30pm..

AIRPORT / ACCOMODATIONS / FOOD

Participants should arrive in Vava’u (airport VAV) on August 11 where we will transfer to the resort. We will transport you back to the airport on August 18 for flights home.

Our accommodations are truly special, and certainly among the very best offered in the country. Unless otherwise requested you will be double occupancy in a beachfront room, with ceiling fans and a natural breeze. Each room has its own covered balcony with deck, table and chairs. You will enjoy a bathroom with hot and cold showers, tea and coffee in room, fridge, and complimentary bathroom toiletries. Daily housekeeping is included. Single occupancy lodging available for additional cost.

All meals are included for the duration of your time with us. This includes daily breakfast at the resort, lunch on the boat and dinners both at the resort and in town for some local flavor. They are all accommodating of dietary needs, and you are welcome to pick up anything else you may want during your stay when we stop in town.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

We choose to run tours in Vava’u because of the generally calm conditions this time of year and wide variety of wildlife and islands available to us. We swim with the whales in all but the worst conditions, and can cover a wide area in a single day. It varies from calm, sheltered bays and waterways to open seas with the accompanying swells. We are after clear water and cooperative whales first and foremost, so we do not always choose the calmest seas. Please keep in mind that this is an ADVENTURE, and one geared towards getting truly epic images of a lifetime. This will not always be a gentle cruise over glassy water on a beautiful day (though those days are amazing). It is important to be prepared for a variety of conditions from sun, to wind, to rain, to cold water. It can be a very short day if you are comfortable and having amazing swims, but it can also be very, very long if you are miserable and we are usually too far away to return you to the harbor early unless its an emergency.

The water is typically a few degrees cooler than Hawaii, so we suggest either a neoprene vest (with or without neoprene shorts) or shorty spring suit to keep you comfortable. More importantly, a warm sweatshirt or jacket (that dries quickly) and sometimes a rain jacket to put on when you get out of the water is your key to happiness. There are some more specific suggestions in the ‘Gear’ section.

FIELD & CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WILL INCLUDE:

  • Creating compelling wildlife portraits underwater

  • Understanding underwater equipment, how to assemble, maintain and ensure proper sealing

  • Controlling your camera in a housing and what modes to use for best results

  • Understanding and using the Histogram and in-camera metering to preserve detail and protect highlights

  • Best settings and techniques to photograph whales underwater

  • Techniques for interacting with whales, including safety and best practices to extend the swims as long as possible

  • Understanding light and color underwater and how to use natural light to your advantage

  • Body position in water for maximum camera stability and freedom of movement

  • Lightroom - importing, organizing and development tools

  • Cleaning up images – Water cleanup, white balance correction, how to pull out maximum detail in the subject

  • Using Photoshop for more advanced editing techniques, separating subject and water for local editing

  • Dodging and burning

  • Using layers and masks

  • Mindful sharpening (depending on the output)

  • Image Critiques and sharing

RECOMMENDED CAMERA GEAR, ETC

  • Beginner camera – GoPro, phone housing or Olympus tg6

  • Intermediate camera – Sony RX100VII or similar

  • Advanced camera – DSLR or mirrorless camera with 16-35mm lens or similar

  • Underwater housing with spare o-rings

  • Multiple memory cards

  • Multiple batteries

  • Lens cloth, rocket blower, etc

  • Computer with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop

  • Camera manual

  • Notebook

 REQUIRED DIVE & BOAT GEAR, ETC.

  • Snorkeling mask and snorkel

  • Closed foot snorkeling fins

  • Shorty 3mm wetsuit

  • Sunscreen

  • Reusable water bottle 

RECOMMENDED GEAR - CLOTHING, ETC.

  • Appropriate clothing for a warm, tropical climate

  • Quick drying lightweight jacket or other layer

  • Rain jacket

  • Small packable padded cushion

  • Bug Spray

  • Sunglasses

  • Insulated bottle for warm drinks for the boat

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:

  • Camera Equipment

  • Water Housing

  • Dive & Boat Gear (see above, this cannot be rented in Tonga)

  • Airfare

  • Hotels before or after the workshop

  • Tips & Gratuities

TOTAL COST $4900

1ST DEPOSIT OF $2450 IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE A SPACE

FINAL PAYMENT OF $2450 IS DUE 120 DAYS BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT AVAILABLE FOR $850

Tonga Whales Photography Workshop (August 11-18, 2025)
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MEET YOUR GUIDE

LYLE KRANNICHFELD

The most incredible moments in Lyle's life have revolved around the beauty of the natural, wild parts of our world and a connection with the animals we share it with. He is very fortunate to live on Maui with his wife and daughter, which is obviously the best place ever.

As a full-time working landscape, wildlife and underwater photographer for over a decade, he has thrived on taking these moments and distilling them down into simple, compelling fine art images. To that end, he has sold more than a million dollars of his art to clients all over the world out of Pueo Gallery, which he owns and occasionally operates. He has been proudly published by Ocean Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Kiteworld, Standup Paddle Magazine and more, most recently including work for Patagonia and an upcoming scientific paper on never-before-seen Humpback Whale behavior. Lyle is also an f-stop gear ambassador.

As of late, this relationship with the outdoors has blossomed to include a genuine love of sharing it with others, leading small group workshops to some of his favorite locations around the world. That moment when a guest experiences something or some place for the first time is everything. Before joining Destination Earth Photo Tours, he operated his own trips taking guests to swim with Humpback Whales in Tonga as well as cage diving in Mexico with the Great Whites. With an emphasis on providing life changing wildlife encounters, he focused on teaching photography and post processing in equal measure, along with responsible stewardship of our oceans, respectful wildlife interactions and conservation.

He specializes in large prints to 8’ wide or more but is proficient teaching everyone in an approachable and easy to understand way, from the rote beginner to the seasoned vet.

INTERNATIONAL CANCELLATION POLICY & TRAVEL INSURANCE

We reserve the right to cancel the workshop if minimum participants are not met or in the event of an emergency. In the event that a specific guide cannot personally attend, then a replacement guide will be the first option. If a cancellation does occur, participants may either use the fee towards a future workshop or receive a full refund. We are not responsible for travel expenses incurred and therefore strongly recommend getting travel insurance to cover such costs. Two companies that we recommend are Ripcord and Squaremouth.

A $200 change fee will be charged for changes or cancellations. Participants who cancel prior to 120 days before the workshop will receive either a full refund or credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Any cancellations within 120 days of the workshop cannot be refunded under any circumstances. Only if we are able to fill the vacancy, will the participant will receive a credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Workshop credits are good for one calendar year from the date of the missed workshop. If a desired replacement workshop is sold out, we will work with you on the credit.

Any cancellations within 30 days of the workshop (for any reason) will forfeit their entire registration fee as it is extremely difficult to fill the space on that short of notice. If a true emergency arises last minute we will do our best to work with you granting a partial credit towards a future workshop, but this is not guaranteed. Again travel insurance is strongly recommended.