Belview Images provides Premium Experiences by bringing you to exotic places, giving you access to hidden stories. We provide lights, models, transport, hotels, as well as a team of assistants and professional photo teachers who will be with you all the time—offering a fully, high-end experience. All you have to do is book, show up and shoot!"
“Shoot Fashion, Models and Animals on Location in the Western Cape”
PHOTOGRAPHER leading this tour: Sven Creutzmann
This is a once in a Life opportunity to work with big studio lights on location, guided by Sven and supported by his all professional crew. You will come home with unique photos!
LOCATIONS: Cape Town and the Western Cape Region
LENGTH: 9 days
PARTICIPANTS: max 6
ITINERARY:
Day 1
Early in the morning, we will arrive in Cape Town. After check-in in our hotel the rest of the day will be free-time to explore amazing Cape Town. In the evening, we will have the welcome-dinner together and meet the head of our local production agency. Overnight in Cape Town.
Day 2
We will meet some of our models and the rest of our production team, which will be the production manager, his assistant, the stylist, hair&make-up artist and the light assistant. Overnight in Cape Town.
DAY 3
Our first shooting day. We will work with 2 models in a beautiful Safari Lodge, some 40minutes away from Cape Town. Overnight in Cape Town.
DAY 4
We will shoot with 2 models in the Atlantis Dunes. Overnight in Cape Town.
DAY 5
Travel day. We will leave Cape Town and travel with our motorcade of Mini Buses, Motor Home, Panel van etc, to Knysna, in the Western Cape Region. Overnight in Knysna.
DAY 6
We will shoot with 2 models on a beautiful beach, with impressive rock formations. Overnight in Knysna.
DAY 7
In the morning we will shoot elephants, together with 2 models. The afternoon will be free time to relax. Overnight in Knysna
DAY 8
Travel day. We will leave Knysna and head for Bot Rivier. Our lunch stop will be in the famous village of Hermanus. Overnight in the gorgeous Hotel Arabella Golf Resort & Spain Bot River.
DAY 9
Today is Lion and Cheetah day! Our models know how to work with the animals so we can be sure to get great shots here too. Overnight in Bot Rivier.
DAY 10
We are heading back for Cape Town and there to the airport, for the ones that fly back. The workshop program ends here.
See our Behind The Scenes video from this production.
“A Trip On Memory Lane of the Cold War In Berlin”
PHOTOGRAPHER leading this tour: Sven Creutzmann
Sven was born in East Germany. He was 4 years old when his parents were imprisoned by the Stasi. Sven later would cover the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and also the reunification in 1990. So, this will not be just a normal tour through Berlin, it will be a tour with a very personal touch and history anecdotes from a very intense epoch.
A Black&White experience on the tracks of Berlin's impressive history between the German Empire, the Nazi Germany, East Germany and nowadays modern city.
LOCATION: Berlin, Germany
LENGTH: 7 days
ITINERARY:
DAY 1
Arrival and Meet & Greet, welcome dinner
DAY 2
Visit Hohenschönhausen, the former prison used by the Soviets and later by the fame Stasi. Talk to witnesses, people, who were imprisoned there once. This will be a very intense and emotional day.
DAY 3
Get to know Berlin, modern meets history. We will walk in the center, and photograph at the Alexanderplatz, Museumsinsel, parks, backyards, modern government buildings, Reichstag and Brandenburger Gate.
DAY 4
Mauerpark, Bernauerstrasse )famous street, for being the borderline), Sophien Friedhof, the cemetery, located exactly at the very border.
DAY 5
We will explore and shoot street life in the Prenzlauerberg neighbourhood. Once a backyard of East Berlin, now a melting pot and very In.
DAY 6
Fame Checkpoint Charlie, Memorial for the Jews murdered in Europe
DAY 7
Last day, we review our images and reflect on our experiences. Good-bye dinner.
End of program
“Live-in with a family “
PHOTOGRAPHER leading this tour: Otto von Münchow
Malawi is called the warm heart of Africa. Sounds like a cliché, but it’s an accurate depiction of the tiny country. What better way to experience the warmth of the people than stay with a family overnight.
Cruise on Lake Malawi
Feel like an explorer from another time on a cruise down the lake that has given the country its name. Beautiful landscapes. Life and activity when we call on ports along the shores.
Wildlife Photographing
Get close to animals such as elephants, crocodiles, hippos, baboons, impalas. Enjoy relaxed and pleasant evenings at the lodge while the sounds of the forest and its wildlife vibrate like an enigmatic song in the background.
Professional Guidance
Guided by Otto von Münchow and a crew of assistances you will be able to capture amazing photos. Every day. We’ll be photographing alongside you. It’s all very professional. We’ll help you edit your photos and give invaluable feedback.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrival Lilongwe, Meet&Greet and Welcome Dinner
Arriving in Lilongwe. Check-in at Sunbird Capital Hotel, the best in town, situated in the government district of the capital, not far from the airport. It has a lovely and peaceful garden, a retreat from the busy street life. Until the evening, each participant has time on his or her own to explore the city. Or rest after maybe a long couple of flights from faraway. We’ll have dinner at the restaurant of the hotel, sitting outside in the mild evening of tropical Africa. Overnight Lilongwe.
Day 2: Photographing and sightseeing, Lilongwe
The first half of the day we will spend together photographing downtown, or the Old Town as it is called. We will visit the market and walk around together. Lilongwe doesn’t have much of attractions as such, but the Old Town is perfect for photographing people and the African city life. We’ll have lunch at a restaurant downtown. The afternoon is free time. Transportation is provided if you want to go back to the hotel. We meet up again for dinner at the hotel and from drives to a restaurant downtown. Overnight Lilongwe.
Day 3: Flying to Likoma Island, then speedboat to Nkhata Bay. Lake Malawi
The adventure starts. An early rise, and after breakfast in the garden, we fly out to Likoma Island on Lake Malawi, not far away from the Tanzanian border. The island is something of an enigma. It’s not a paradise isle in the usual sense, although it does have excellent beaches. Instead it’s a sparse beauty, with old baobab trees and several fishing villages dotted around the coast. People here live a very traditional way of life. We will of course be photographing on the island. In the afternoon we go by speedboat across the lake to Nkhata Bay. We check-in at Njaya Lodge. Overnight Nkhata Bay.
Day 4: Photographing and sightseeing, Nkhata Bay, Lake Malawi
Nkhata bay is probably the most scenic of Malawi’s lake shore towns. Some describes it as Caribbean, but most of all the town has a strong Malawian feel. To get an idea of this feel we will visit a local church in the morning. Nothing compares to the lively services one can find all over in Africa. Singing, dancing and quite the spectacular. Guaranteed to create captivating images. After lunch we will explore and photograph the town and the shores along Lake Malawi. Overnight in Nkhata Bay.
Day 5, day 6: With MV Ilala, sailing south on Lake Malawi
The next couple of days we will cruise south on Lake Malawi with the passenger boat Ilala, for many visitors to Malawi the highlight of their visit. Life onboard is a study in itself, with three classes and feel of time gone by. The journey will take you crisscross down the lake, including a call to the Tanzanian town of Mbamba Bay. Regular port calls at small towns provide the spices for journey and give a glimpse into the life along the shore. We photograph as we sail south—and talk about photograph in the bar or on the deck. We travel on 1st class upper deck. Overnight on Ilala.
Day 7: Arriving Chipoka and then on to Senga Bay, Lake Malawi
At midday we will arrive at the town Chipoka (or more like a little later as the boat is often somewhat delayed). From there it’s a short drive to the shore town Senga Bay where we check-in at Sunbird Livingstonia Hotel, one of the classiest hotels in Malawi. Situated right at the beach, it’s a perfect place to relax and enjoy. We will do an afternoon stroll, photographing, along the beach and the town. Overnight in Senga Bay.
Day 8: Visiting Stuart M. Grant Ltd and divers catching aquarium fish in Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi is a unique lake habitat with its richness in fish varieties. Colourful fishes that most aquarium enthusiasts keep in their tanks are abundant in the lake. In fact catching and exporting wild “aquarium” fish is big business at Lake Malawi. For real enthusiast it’s the only thing that counts. The company Stuart M. Grant dive for cichlids and other species. A crew of divers will live on a boat for two weeks while harvesting “aquarium fishes”. We will do a tour of the fish farm facilities where the fishes are kept before exported, before heading out to one of the diving crews. This will be a unique photo experience, capturing the lives of the divers and their extraordinary profession. Overnight in Senga Bay.
Day 9: To Liwonde National Park
Off to the south. We drive along the southern end of Lake Malawi and continue into the Upper Shire Valley. The destination is Liwonde National Park, the outmost wildlife sanctuary in Malawi. On the way we make stops in small towns such as Mua. It’s an old and large mission with a church, school and hospital. In addition you’ll find an art and craft market, full of paintings and wood sculptures crafted by local people who have been encouraged in their work by one of the priest at the mission. There is also a workshop nearby where you will be able to photograph the carvers in action. The drive from Senga Bay to Liwonde is about a three hour drive. At Liwonde National Park we check-in at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge, where you will be accommodated in large, luxury tents overlooking a waterhole where wildlife and birds are active. Overnight in Liwonde National Park.
Day 10 and day 11: Photographing wildlife in Liwonde National Park
Liwonde National Park doesn’t have the abundance and diversity of wildlife you’ll find in parks in East-Africa. However, Liwonde’s setting is unsurpassed. As long as you are not desperate to tick off the “big five” it would be hard not to enjoy it. The scenery is varied and beautiful, while the park is well managed and has an increasing number of animals. It has a healthy elephant population, and the Shire River seems to be overflowing with crocodiles and hippos. The next two days we will drive and walk around the park—and photograph. Especially morning walks, when the animals are most active, are magical.
Day 12: Flying back to Lilongwe. Stay overnight with a local family.
We head back to Lilongwe, flying directly out from the little airstrip at Liwonde National Park. In the afternoon it’s time for the highlight of the whole trip, stay overnight with a local family. This is when you really will discover the heart of Africa. Yes, for some this sounds a little scary, but it will be an amazing experience. It will be life changing. That’s the response from previous participants. We will first drive to the local organization Paradiso which operates as a HIV-support group run by women. There you will be met with a dance performance before escorted to the family you will stay with. You will be together two and two at each family. Overnight in Lilongwe.
Day 13: Last day and farewell dinner, Lilongwe
After having breakfast with the family you will be brought back to Sunbird Capital Hotel. The rest of the day is to your disposal. We round up and end the tour with a farewell dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Lilongwe.
Day 14: Flying out
You will be brought to the airport—if you don’t want to extend your stay in Malawi.
“On The Tracks Of Che Guevara”
PHOTOGRAPHERS leading this tour: Otto von Münchow and Sven Creutzmann
HIGHLIGHTS:
On the tracks of history, you will be able to take amazing pictures in La Higuera, where fame Cuban-Argentinian guerilla fighter Che Guevara spent his last night before he was shot dead, you will visit the Laundry in the Señor de Malta Hospital in Vallegrande , where the corpse of Che Guevara was presented to the world as proof that he was really dead. We will meet eye witnesses to those historical events and will visit the place where his body was buried for 30 years. But this trip is not only about the tracks of Che Guevara. You will visit amazing places in their own rights.
LOCATIONS: La Higuera, Vallegrande, Samaipata, Santa Cruz
LENGTH: 11 days
PARTICIPANTS: max 6
Professional Guidance
Guided by Otto von Münchow and Sven Creutzmann and a crew of assistances you will be able to capture amazing photos. Every day. We’ll be photographing alongside you on the highest professional level. We will also help you edit your photos and give invaluable feedback.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrival in Santa Cruz
Introduction and welcome dinner
Day 2: Departure to Samaipata
Our caravan of jeeps will leave Sana Cruz heading into the mountains for Samaipata. Beautiful landscape along the road.
Day 3: Photographing in Samaipata
Samaipata is a nice little village, a very good first stop to get acquainted with the rural landscape and its indigenous people
Day 4: Departure to Vallegrande
We will driven even deeper into the mountains.
Day 5: Photographing in Vallegrande
Vallegrande is the village, where the corps of Che Guevara was presented to the world as proof that he was really dead, in the laundry of the Señor de Malta hospital. We will meet eye witnesses to those historical events and will visit the place where his body was buried for 30 years.
Day 7: Departure for La Higuera
We are heading towards the highlight of this trip. La Higuera is a very small village with a population of some 110 people, living in 30 huts, mostly indigenous Guaraní people. We will be staying at the former telegraph office which was the headquarter of the Bolivian military as they were hunting down Che Guevara and his men. The Casa del Telegrafista is just 100 meters away from the rural school in which Che Guevara was shot and killed on October 9th, 1967.
Day 8: Photographing in La Higuera
We will shoot in La Higuera and its surroundings, like in the Quebrada. del Churro, wher Che was captured.
Day 9: Photographing in La Higuera
Day 10 : Departure for Santa Cruz and farewell dinner
Leaving the mountains, heading back for Santa Cruz. Farewell dinner.
Day 11: Flying home
“On The Tracks Of The Inca Spirits”
PHOTOGRAPHER leading this tour: Otto von Münchow
Visit the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a must for anyone going to Peru and the Andes. The old and well preserved ruins of the Inca city resting on a steep mountain top, takes the breath away. It will be an otherworldly experience.
Connecting spiritually at a sanctuary in the rainforest
Spend a couple of days with a shaman—or curandero, as they are called in Peru—in a sanctuary deep in the jungle of the Amazon. Find peace and inspiration and enjoy the extraordinary natural scene.
Exploring the Sacred Valley of the Incas
The valley of Urubamba is lined with small villages and towns, one after the other, with traits all over of both Inca and pre-Inca cultures. In the villages live the descendants of these cultures and in or around most of the villages are ruins of fortresses and sacred sites scattered like breadcrumbs.
Professional Guidance
Guided by Otto von Münchow and a crew of assistances you will be able to capture amazing photos. Every day. We’ll be photographing alongside you. It’s all very professional. We’ll help you edit your photos and give invaluable feedback.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrival Lima, Meet&Greet and Welcome Dinner
Arriving in Lima. Check-in at venerable Grand Hotel Bolívar Sunbird Capital Hotel, the oldest top-class hotel in town, situated in the old, colonial part of the capital, and a delightful place in which to wander. Until the evening, each participant has time on his or her own to explore the city. Or rest after maybe a long couple of flights from faraway. We’ll have dinner either at the restaurant of the hotel or at a top end restaurant nearby, for instance L’Eau Vive, only a couple of blocks away. Overnight Lima.
Day 2: Photographing and sightseeing, Lima.
The first half of the day we will spend together strolling and photographing the old colonial town. As much of the original colonial charm has been overwhelmed by recent population explosion and modern constructions, most of what is left is in walking distance of the hotel. We will of course have a pisco sour at some point. At lunch time we drive to Miraflores, a beachfront community south of downtown. This is the upscale and modern part of Lima and we will have lunch at one of the capital’s best restaurants. The afternoon is free time. We meet up again for dinner at the hotel and from there drives to a restaurant downtown. Overnight Lima.
Day 2: Daytrip, flying to Nazca.
The Nazca lines, about 450 kilometres south of Lima, are worldwide known. However, they are surrounded by enigmas, as nobody completely knows what they are. The huge geometric designs drawn in the desert, only visible from the air, have spurred one theory after the other, most famously maybe the one by Eric von Däniken who thought the lines were extraterrestrial landing sites. The lines were made by removing the darker, sun-burned stones from the surface of the desert and piling them up on either side of the lines. Some designs represent a variety of giant animals, such as a 180 metres long lizard or a 90 meter long monkey with an extravagantly curled tail. Others are simple but perfect geometric forms. It’s not known who made the lines, but the prevalent theory is that the came to be during Paracas and Nazca cultures from 900 BC to 600 AD. We fly from Lime in the early morning with a regular passenger airline and in Nazca board light aircrafts to fly over the Nazca Lines. Lunch in Nazca before returning to the capital. Overnight Lima.
Day 3: Flying to Cuzco. Photographing City and Sacsayhuamán.
In the morning we take off, heading for Cuzco in the heart of the Andes. After check-in at Palacio del Inka, an old mansion with a lovely courtyard turned luxury hotel, we take to the streets of the city. Cuzco is the archaeological capital of the Americas. Massive Inca-built stone walls line most of the city’s central streets and form the foundations of colonial and more modern buildings. The streets are often stepped, narrow and thronged with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas. In the afternoon we drive up to the ancient ruins of Sacsayhuamán in time for the sunset. One of the essential areas of this massive ruin is the three-tiered zigzag walls of the main fortification. A group of local indigenous in traditional costumes will accompany us and be available for photographing against the ruins and the city of Cuzco below. For those willing, we walk the steep, old Inca road between Sacsayhuamán and Cuzco. For the res,t transportation will take you down to the city. Remember we are at more than 3300 metres above sea level and it takes some time to adjust to the height. Overnight in Cuzco.
Day 4: Train to Aguas Calientes.
After an early breakfast we will board the train to the little town of Aguas Calientes, the hub for all visits to Machu Picchu. The train ride takes about four hours. On the way we will pass through a gorgeous mountain landscape, being able to see Nevado Veronica (at 5750 metres) to one side and the wild Río Urubamba on the other side. The train descends down a narrow gorge with superb view of the white-water of the river. We travel first class. Aguas Calientes isn’t much of place in and of itself but it has the feel of any travel hub in the world. Lots of restaurants, hotels, travel agents and so on. Nevertheless, with a nice and relaxing atmosphere. We check-in at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. It’s like an intimate Andean village in its own right, with terraced hills, waterfalls, stone pathways and 83 whitewashed adobe casitas tucked away in the cloud forest. The property has 12 acres of natural beauty, where 214 bird species and the world’s largest native orchid collection have been registered. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Day 5: Visiting Machu Picchu. On to Ollantaytambo
Early rise in order to catch the sunrise over the famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The site needs no introduction. It’s South America’s best known and most spectacular archaeological site. Despite the huge tourist influx, the site manages to retain its air of grandeur and mystery. The old sacred city rests on a mountain top, 8 kilometres up a winding road from Aguas Calientes. Arriving before sunrise makes sure we will be ahead of the crowd. Once again a group of local indigenous in traditional costumes will accompany us and be available for photo sessions. For the adventurous (and well fit), it’s possible to climb the peak Huayna Picchu for an overlook of the ruin city. After a late lunch in town, we board the train returning to Cuzco, but jump off at the little village Ollantaytambo. We check-in at Hotel Pakaritampu. Overnight in Ollantaytambo.
Day 6: Through the Sacred Valley. Visiting Ollantaytambo and Pisac. To Cusco.
Ollantaytambo lies in the beautiful valley of Urubamba, also called the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here the condors fly, and the climate is pleasant because of the elevation—600 meter lower than Cuzco. There is much to do, visit Inca ruins, bargain Indian markets and stroll through Andean villages. We start right away after breakfast, visiting the Ollantaytambo ruins, a major Inca site. It’s a massive fortress, one of the few places where the Spanish lost a major battle during their conquest. We continue through the valley, making stops at the various villages. At Pisac we will visit another fortress. The Inca ruins here are extraordinary, partly because the walk is so spectacular, and partly because the site is less visited than others on the tourist circuit. After the visit, we continue to Cuzco and once again check-in at Palacio del Inka. Overnight in Cuzco.
Day 7: Photographing and sightseeing Cusco.
After breakfast, we will stroll the streets of Cuzco, photographing daily life and visiting more of the special, colonial places and Inca ruins. We will eat lunch in one of Cuzco’s best restaurants. In the afternoon we will head up to the ruins of Tambo Machay. It’s a small ruin but consists of a beautiful wrought ceremonial bath. Colourfully dressed locals with their llama herds often wait nearby, hoping to be photographed. Overnight in Cuzco.
Day 8: Flying to Iquitos.
The first half of the day will be free time. After lunch we fly in to Iquitos, in the heart of the jungle and situated at mouth of the Amazon River. We check-in at Hotel Dorado. Overnight in Iquitos.
Day 9 and 10: To Arkana Spiritual Center
We will round up the trip with a visit to a shamanistic centre, or a centre for curanderos, as shamans are traditionally called in Peru. The curanderos connects the sacred past with the present and are healers or medicine men, who use traditional wisdom, combined with herbs or hallucinogenic plants, magic, and spiritualism to treat illness and induce visions. In the morning we will take a boat to Arkana Spiritual Center. Over the next days we will enjoy the peace and inspiration from the curanderos, feel connected with the sacred past and learn about ourselves. We will also explore the jungle and do boat trips down the river. Trying out the traditional herb ayahuasca is optional. Overnight Amazonas.
Day 11: Returning to Iquitos and on to Lima. Farewell dinner
It’s time to round up the trip and get back to normal life again. First a boat trip back to Iquitos and from there we fly back to the starting point of the whole trip, Lima. Once again we check-in at Grand Hotel Bolívar Sunbird Capital Hotel. The rest of the day is to your disposal. We end the tour with a farewell dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Lima.
Day 12: Flying out
You will be brought to the airport—if you don’t want to extend your stay in Peru.
The photographer
Otto has about 40 years of experience as a professional photographer, working for publications worldwide. He attended the documentary and photojournalistic program at the International Center of Photography in New York. Otto loves to teach. 15 years ago he founded Blue Hour Photo Workshops with his friend and colleague Sven Creutzmann, through witch he has taught workshops in Europe, Latin-America and Africa.
Otto has travelled and photographed extensively in Latin-America, having visited countries like Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Brazil, and not the least Peru. As photographer he seeks to expand his vision, both visually and technically. He often works with social-related themes.
The production crew
Along the whole trip and in addition to Otto, we will have an editor as well as a video photographer coming along with us. The editor will edit your photos every day and pick the best. She will also assist you when needed. The video photographer will film the whole trip and put together a video that you will cherish the rest of your life. In addition, we will put together a book of each participant’s best photos as another precious memory from the trip.
The crew knows Peru. We will make sure you will only have to focus on getting the most out of the experience. All arrangements and daily details we take care you. You enjoy and photograph, and we do the rest.
That sounds very interesting, please send me more in information.
“Blue Zone Nicoya”
PHOTOGRAPHER leading this tour: Sven Creutzmann
There are only 5 Blue Zones in the world: Regions, where extraordinarily many people over 100 years live. We meet them, they tell us their secrets, how to become more than 100 years old.
LOCATIONS: Costa Rica, Nicoya
LENGTH: 7 days
That sounds very interesting, please send me more information.
“Music Across The Ocean”
PHOTOGRAPHER leading this tour: Eliana Aponte or Sven Creutzmann
Witness and photograph youth in Colombia that receive music instruments donated by a Swiss foundation, visit the orchestra, instrument repair shops and enjoy the music along with Colombians.
LOCATION: Cartagena de India, Valledupar, Colombia
Length: 7 days
Music Across The Ocean is a project founded and run by Swiss musician and journalist Cornelia Diethelm. In the 90ies, Cornelia lived for 2 years in Dominican Republic and couldn´t help the need for instruments among youth, not only to play music but also as a social tool to keep young people off the streets. In 2007 she organized a first donation of instruments and brought it to a little village in the Dominican Republic, changing the lives of many youth.
Thanks to her initiative, 36 orchestra and music schools were founded, over 650 instruments donated. But the initiative does not stop there, it is being extended now to Colombia too, which is where our tour goes to.
