Hello Everyone!
It was great seeing so many people at the Large Format Conference in Louisville. Hope to be in Fort Collins next year; looks like great conference there.

I'm organizing a trip to explore a little of the "Wild Wall", the 'non-tourist' parts of the wall from October 15=27 (12 nights). We'll be based in Beijing, from where we'll have 3 separate trips to different parts of the wall, staying at the wall for 2 or 3 nights each time. We'll stay in luxury hotels in Beijing, and in farmer's lodging or guest houses at the wall. Depending on the weather, we may spend one night at the wall.

We'll get a chance to see the Beijing sights including the Forbidden Palace, Tianananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, etc. The main subject will be the Great Wall. We'll have portfolio reviews from digital files, I'll talk a little about my technique and possible have a printing demonstration at a local gallery if anyone's interested and we can get the space.

It should be a good time for color or black and white work. There may be leaf color at that time; I have seen a dusting of snow in late October.

The cost will be $3250 excluding airfare, which is running about $1300 from the east coast as i write. This will cover everything but a couple of meals, tips and souvenirs (and the tips are only for our guides; there's not much tipping in China). It will be a great experience. Eating real Chinese food, haggling at the antique market, seeing Beijing but also seeing glimpses of China from the Ming Dynasty all the way to the 'Kaching$Kaching$' dynasty China finds itself in today.

There will be no more than 6 photographers on the trip. There will be strenuous hiking up steep paths, and the wall itself is a vigorous climb. You need to be able to carry your gear up the equivalent of several flights of steps to enjoy this trip, although we may be able to arrange a porter in some places. You'll need to get a passport now and use the expedited service in order to be ready to go. I can lead you through the process; it's not hard, and a visa is a simple matter. I'll also have suggestions regarding packing and logistics.

Access to these areas is becoming more limited. I've made more than a dozen trips to the wall, and look forward to sharing my experience with you.

For more information, email me at
billzorn@billzorn.com

Thanks everybody!

Bill