WILD NATURE PHOTO TRAVEL

"If you are reading this, you will probably be doing so because you are considering going on a workshop with Joshua Holko, and want to know what other photographers think. So let me tell you how it is.

Joshua Holko is out to mislead you. He calls his trips 'photography workshops', as so many in the industry do. Well, I can tell you, as someone who has been on eight of his 'workshops’ in 2023-25 and signed up for two more in 2026-27, that they are not ‘workshops', as the term ‘workshop' simply does not do what Joshua Holko delivers anywhere near justice. So don’t be fooled when he uses the term ‘workshop'!

If you sign up for a trip with Joshua Holko and Wild Nature Photo Travel, you get the ‘Big 5’ …

1. Practical support from the best polar photographer on the planet.

   From the time you sign up to the time you return, Josh deals with you personally. He will answer any question you put to him regarding any aspect of the trip whether you require clarity or advice, with impressive speed providing he’s not out of signal travelling. He will willingly pass on his experience based on his 20+ years of travelling to and photographing in some of the remotest places on Earth. He is a man of integrity who provides honest, objective and helpful support and advice. He’s also very passionate about what he does, and that comes through if you are one of his clients.

2. Detailed packing lists sent out well in advance so you have time to prepare properly.

   After all, most of his trips take you to some pretty isolated locations with extreme temperatures that few on the planet will ever get to see, so it is critical that you take the right equipment, be that clothing or gear, that will allow you to make the most of it. Imagine going on what might be for you the trip of a lifetime and forgetting a vital item of clothing or gear!

3. Excellent logistics.

   Let’s face it, travelling to some of the locations on his list is not for the feint-hearted and impossible to do on your own. It would be fool-hardy and dangerous to try. Joshua Holko's trip logistics are comprehensive and impressive at every level. He thinks of everything and releases you from this burden so you can focus on your photography and enjoying the experience. His trips attract a certain kind of person; generally people who are passionate about their photography, interesting to be around and good travelling companions. And that matters when you are with people in close quarter for many days or even weeks at a time. Many people who go on workshops with Josh have been on many workshops with Josh, and that speaks volumes in itself if you think about it.

4. Getting your bucket list shots by placing you in the right place at the right time, with your photography and your safety as his number one priority.

   Josh is quite incredible in this regard. He’s won’t be found talking to camera for a YouTube video that he needs to post whilst you are in the field photographing. He is not a YouTuber. Similarly, he won’t be standing over you interfering with your photography. But he will be leading you in the field to where you will get the best shots and assist with any settings if asked. He will be photographing on the floor alongside the group, not in a ‘directors chair from afar enjoying a coffee’! And this is probably what I like the most about travelling with Josh; he lets you realise your own creative abilities by inspiring you with his knowledge and experience of all matters photography, wildlife and nature.

5. And lastly an immersive ‘life and photographic experience’ that provides the opportunity for you to grow as a person and photographer. Indeed, I personally think ‘photographic life experience’ far better describes what you get when you travel with Joshua Holko. Never did I think that I would go to East Greenland on a 100 year old Dutch sail ship to take photographs of monumental icebergs that subsequently be published by the world’s leading on-line Fine Art magazine, or ride on a dog sled driven by an Inuit over pack ice to one of the remotest places on Earth to photograph polar wildlife and landscapes with an article that I subsequently wrote about the trip being published by BBC Travel, or spend nearly three weeks in the High Arctic photographing polar bears. But I did, and have come back with some amazing life long memories and award-winning photographs.

There is one more thing I would like to add, and that is that I have never met anyone who is more knowledgeable about wildlife, nature and photography than Joshua Holko. He truly is a master in his field. His post processing knowledge of Adobe is also incredible and he will willing sit alongside you during the trips to help you edit photos, again if you ask him, or sometimes will lead an impromptu class on editing if there is a desire by the group for him to do so.

So in summary, I have no hesitation in recommending Joshua Holko’s ‘life and photographic experiences’ to you. Your only question should be ‘which one?’ And if it is, why don’t you do what I did when I first looked at his website, and that is ‘ask Joshua Holko’? I guarantee you will be amazed with what comes back!

Note: This testimonial has been written by me. I offered to provide it; I was not asked by Joshua Holko, and Joshua Holko has had no involvement whatsoever in what I’ve said. These are my words and my thoughts alone. And if you would like to see some of his influences on my work, please check out my website and look at Galleries and Featured Location. https://kevinhallphotography.co.uk

With best wishes,

KEVIN HALL