Photographing the Ghost Outports of Newfoundland and Labrador
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19-25 June 2025 | Seven Days
Register Now, This Event Will Sell Out
Back by popular demand...
Be prepared to embark on a fascinating journey where the art of photography meets the excitement of adventure! Join us in Newfoundland and Labrador, a land of unique and seldom-visited coastal areas. Our comprehensive photo tour will take you to offshore abandoned outports, lighthouses, hidden coves, shipwrecks, and curious landscapes. Each location is a treasure trove of inspiration, promising wonderment and excitement at every turn!
Billed as a "photo tour," you do not need to be a photographer to attend. The location of a hidden site, the most beautiful angle of another, and the best time of the day to view it are equally valuable for seeing it with your own eyes as for photography. This is a tour is for everyone with a passion for historic places set against craggy coastlines! But if you are serious about your photography, this tour is also a 'field workshop' and is as much about finding and approaching different subjects as it is about camera settings. The ultimate goal is to give you a critical foothold in analyzing a scene and capturing its essence, fostering your personal growth and confidence in applying these skills in your photography. The benefits to your photography skills and personal development are invaluable, and the memories and experiences you'll gain are priceless!
Rendezvous: Baie Verte, NL.
The Itinerary (the skinny)
Our Itinerary is a journey through history, taking us through three UNESCO World Heritage Sites! Gros Morne National Park, L'Anse aux Meadows, and Red Bay. With travel to centuries-old outports, some dating to the 1700s, you'll soon fall in love with Newfoundland and Labrador.
Travelling east from the town of Baie Verte, we'll spend two days visiting several hidden locales and travel by boat to an abandoned outport that is quintessential "Newfoundland." After spending a full day in Gros Morne National Park, we'll travel along the Great Northern Peninsula, with our ultimate destination being Battle Harbour, Labrador.
Once in Labrador, we'll visit several communities, notably the site of a 16th-century Basque whaling station, where you'll have the opportunity to learn about the history of the whaling station and its significance in the region. Then it's off to Battle Harbour, a private island like no other! This historic 1770s-era port was once the economic and social center of the southeastern Labrador coast but fell into decline and was abandoned in the 1960s. Today, it is a testament to a bygone era, with its dramatic ocean vistas and craggy rock outcrops providing a stunning backdrop for the small wooden church and houses that dot the landscape. Travelling by boat, we'll spend three days at Battle Harbour exploring glimpses of a now-vanished way of life of coastal settlements that relied on the land, coast, and sea for their sustenance until the early 1990s.
These settlements, or outports, found across the province, were established in the early 20th century, some since the early 1700s. Upon joining Confederation (1949), hundreds of outports were isolated from each other and the rest of the province. During the Resettlement period of the 1960s-70s, people abandoned their homes, taking their belongings but leaving enough behind to provide us with rudimentary sketches of their lives. The houses, the schools, and the stores stand empty. With time, the elements of nature have created "art" for the inspired onlooker, which can be found nestled in the cracked and peeling paint, forming new wall tapestries and door patterns.
Let it be known. These abandoned buildings are more than just empty structures. They are living, breathing testaments to a Newfoundland culture and way of life that no longer exists. The fact that there has been no restoration perhaps explains why these outports are such potent symbols and, for many, such frightening ones—they have no successors. Factor in the desolation and ruggedness of the Labrador landscape—and seascape—that is overwhelming and, as such, inspires fear yet makes these places one of the most marvelous you'll ever see!
This is a unique opportunity to witness these structures in their raw, unaltered state, an experience that will inspire and challenge you. So where should you start, and what should you do? The fact that you're reading this right now is the key to making the results you've always hoped for. So congratulations. It's time to register.
------
Registration: A $500 deposit is required to reserve each per person spot.
Historical Interpreter: Gordon Slade is recognized as a Canadian leader for his innovative expertise in the sustainable economic development of some of the world's most unique and economically significant regions. In 2005, Gordon was awarded the Order of Canada and, later in 2020, the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in recognition of his achievements in spearheading the preservation of Newfoundland and Labrador's heritage.
Experience Level: All skill levels are welcome. Novice photographers are welcome, provided they have a basic understanding of their cameras and lenses. We ask the more advanced photographers to be understanding if this advice seems trivial.
Camera Gear: Whether using your smartphone or a DSLR, you'll gain the knowledge to enhance your photography skills.
Group Size: Eight people. The small group size ensures that every photographer will receive ample time for one-on-one instructional guidance and coaching.
Group Rate: If you have a group of four or more people who wish to register simultaneously, please ask the Organizer for a group rate.
Daily Routine: Soft adventure—walkabout. Our itinerary is subject to change depending on the weather. We'll start our days early to capture the morning's mood and continue throughout the day to observe the big picture and vignettes of landscapes and seascapes, viewing wildlife and when other opportunities present themselves.
Trip Details: Once registration and payment are complete, we'll send a detailed information packet will be sent by email. The packet includes a more precise itinerary, camera gear suggestions, and a clothing checklist.
PLEASE REFER TO EVENTBRITE for complete event details.
Get Tickets
Register Now, This Event Will Sell Out
Back by popular demand...
Be prepared to embark on a fascinating journey where the art of photography meets the excitement of adventure! Join us in Newfoundland and Labrador, a land of unique and seldom-visited coastal areas. Our comprehensive photo tour will take you to offshore abandoned outports, lighthouses, hidden coves, shipwrecks, and curious landscapes. Each location is a treasure trove of inspiration, promising wonderment and excitement at every turn!
Billed as a "photo tour," you do not need to be a photographer to attend. The location of a hidden site, the most beautiful angle of another, and the best time of the day to view it are equally valuable for seeing it with your own eyes as for photography. This is a tour is for everyone with a passion for historic places set against craggy coastlines! But if you are serious about your photography, this tour is also a 'field workshop' and is as much about finding and approaching different subjects as it is about camera settings. The ultimate goal is to give you a critical foothold in analyzing a scene and capturing its essence, fostering your personal growth and confidence in applying these skills in your photography. The benefits to your photography skills and personal development are invaluable, and the memories and experiences you'll gain are priceless!
Rendezvous: Baie Verte, NL.
The Itinerary (the skinny)
Our Itinerary is a journey through history, taking us through three UNESCO World Heritage Sites! Gros Morne National Park, L'Anse aux Meadows, and Red Bay. With travel to centuries-old outports, some dating to the 1700s, you'll soon fall in love with Newfoundland and Labrador.
Travelling east from the town of Baie Verte, we'll spend two days visiting several hidden locales and travel by boat to an abandoned outport that is quintessential "Newfoundland." After spending a full day in Gros Morne National Park, we'll travel along the Great Northern Peninsula, with our ultimate destination being Battle Harbour, Labrador.
Once in Labrador, we'll visit several communities, notably the site of a 16th-century Basque whaling station, where you'll have the opportunity to learn about the history of the whaling station and its significance in the region. Then it's off to Battle Harbour, a private island like no other! This historic 1770s-era port was once the economic and social center of the southeastern Labrador coast but fell into decline and was abandoned in the 1960s. Today, it is a testament to a bygone era, with its dramatic ocean vistas and craggy rock outcrops providing a stunning backdrop for the small wooden church and houses that dot the landscape. Travelling by boat, we'll spend three days at Battle Harbour exploring glimpses of a now-vanished way of life of coastal settlements that relied on the land, coast, and sea for their sustenance until the early 1990s.
These settlements, or outports, found across the province, were established in the early 20th century, some since the early 1700s. Upon joining Confederation (1949), hundreds of outports were isolated from each other and the rest of the province. During the Resettlement period of the 1960s-70s, people abandoned their homes, taking their belongings but leaving enough behind to provide us with rudimentary sketches of their lives. The houses, the schools, and the stores stand empty. With time, the elements of nature have created "art" for the inspired onlooker, which can be found nestled in the cracked and peeling paint, forming new wall tapestries and door patterns.
Let it be known. These abandoned buildings are more than just empty structures. They are living, breathing testaments to a Newfoundland culture and way of life that no longer exists. The fact that there has been no restoration perhaps explains why these outports are such potent symbols and, for many, such frightening ones—they have no successors. Factor in the desolation and ruggedness of the Labrador landscape—and seascape—that is overwhelming and, as such, inspires fear yet makes these places one of the most marvelous you'll ever see!
This is a unique opportunity to witness these structures in their raw, unaltered state, an experience that will inspire and challenge you. So where should you start, and what should you do? The fact that you're reading this right now is the key to making the results you've always hoped for. So congratulations. It's time to register.
------
Registration: A $500 deposit is required to reserve each per person spot.
Historical Interpreter: Gordon Slade is recognized as a Canadian leader for his innovative expertise in the sustainable economic development of some of the world's most unique and economically significant regions. In 2005, Gordon was awarded the Order of Canada and, later in 2020, the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in recognition of his achievements in spearheading the preservation of Newfoundland and Labrador's heritage.
Experience Level: All skill levels are welcome. Novice photographers are welcome, provided they have a basic understanding of their cameras and lenses. We ask the more advanced photographers to be understanding if this advice seems trivial.
Camera Gear: Whether using your smartphone or a DSLR, you'll gain the knowledge to enhance your photography skills.
Group Size: Eight people. The small group size ensures that every photographer will receive ample time for one-on-one instructional guidance and coaching.
Group Rate: If you have a group of four or more people who wish to register simultaneously, please ask the Organizer for a group rate.
Daily Routine: Soft adventure—walkabout. Our itinerary is subject to change depending on the weather. We'll start our days early to capture the morning's mood and continue throughout the day to observe the big picture and vignettes of landscapes and seascapes, viewing wildlife and when other opportunities present themselves.
Trip Details: Once registration and payment are complete, we'll send a detailed information packet will be sent by email. The packet includes a more precise itinerary, camera gear suggestions, and a clothing checklist.
PLEASE REFER TO EVENTBRITE for complete event details.
Get Tickets
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