From the Aegean Sea to the islands of the South Pacific, travel photographer Luis García is used to going the distance to get the shot. Virtuoso Life Magazine, recently hired him to capture imagery for a feature article showcasing the Patagonia region of Chile. With six years of collaborations with Virtuoso Life under his belt, the Nashville-based photographer was ready for a brand new adventure. He looked forward to continuing the established relationship with the luxury publication
For this assignment, Luis had the task of capturing the beauty of the remote Patagonian region, with a specific focus on Torres del Paine National Park and the surrounding area. His task was to showcase all of the activities that this destination has to offer. Beginning in Puerto Natales and Remota Lodge, Luis, and the team were to travel through Lake Sarmiento and Hotel Tierra Patagonia, Lago Azul, and Estancia Lazo before finishing up at Hotel Explora, Lake Pehoe, and Glacier Gray.
Before leaving for Chile, there were several phone calls and emails exchanged between Luis and the different people and places he would be shooting. The magazine oversaw the planning of all travel logistics, from air to land. Additionally, they managed the arrangements for various excursions at each location the team had to visit. Mary Risher, a Photo Researcher at the magazine highlighted the draft text for the story. Additionally, she informed Luis about some of the different places and activities she wanted him to cover. He had to shoot certain places for the story. Therefore, to maximize his limited time, he needed to plan his days accordingly with the appropriate individuals from their respective businesses.
Luis packed light and only brought what he needed since he was going to be traveling around quite a bit while he was there.
Photo gear was kept simple, two Canon 5Ds Mark III bodies, three lenses, one Fuji xpro2 body with two lenses, tripod, flexfill reflector, and that’s about it, I did not bring any lighting gear, I like to shoot this kind of assignments all with natural light.
When Luis and his team arrived in Chile, they hit the ground running. The shoot itself was fast-paced, each day was jam-packed, and he never stopped shooting from the moment he arrived.
The lighting and weather conditions in Patagonia can vary throughout the day. Luis embraced how the changing elements could yield different and unique images from the same location. And while there was one day of unsavory weather, Luis luckily spent the time shooting the interiors of one of the hotels he stayed at.
Luis covered a wide range of activities that included hiking, exploring Glacier Gray, and horseback riding along Lake Sarmiento. He also highlighted the luxurious accommodations dotting the Patagonia region. With so much adventure and beautiful scenery surrounding him, Luis left the 9-day shoot feeling like there was still so much more to capture! But this time around, he and the team walked away with plenty of stunning photos.
The scenic images came out great, and the client was pleased. Overall, it was a terrific experience, and Luis was grateful to have visited such an incredible part of the world. He loved being in touch with nature and learning about the people of Patagonia. Luis has been posting outtakes on his Instagram account, and people have been responding with lots of positive feedback. He hopes and plans to continue shooting more projects with Virtuoso Magazine in the future.
See more of Luis’ photography on his website.
Credits
Associate Art Director: Korena Bolding Sinnett
Design Director: Melanie Prasetyo Fowler
Further Reading
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