June sees the Tyrol’s alpine meadows in their full glory, with a spectacular show of wild flowers and an array of butterflies and other insects – in short, the perfect time for macro photography.
We explore the many and varied meadows to discover gems such as the delicate burnt orchid hidden amongst the grasses, and along the way encounter many exciting and beautiful insects that flourish on the alpine slopes. In the locations we visit there is a good chance of finding the iconic Apollo butterfly. Moving higher up the slopes, the colourful meadows give way to swathes of vibrant alpenrose and high alpine species such as dwarf snowbell and trumpet gentian. A friendly, family-run hotel provides the perfect base for our week of photography and fresh mountain air.
The tour has been designed to maximise the opportunities for macro photography. Wildlife photographers Alex Hyde and Nick Garbutt, plus naturalist Matt Clarke, and a renowned local guide, will take you through everything you need to know to find and photograph the region’s fascinating plants and wildlife. Alex and Matt lead our 2027 departure, and Alex and Nick lead our 2028 tour.
Alex Hyde has established himself as an expert in macro photography, and has taught at the University of Nottingham and at London’s Wild Photos photography festival. By understanding the behaviour of his subjects, he is able to capture intimate portraits of spiders, insects and other invertebrates in their natural habitats.
An award-winning photographer and author with a background in zoology, Nick Garbutt has photographed wildlife all around the world and has led tours for the past two decades.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Fly to Innsbruck, transfer to Fisser Höfe, Western Tyrol
Our transfer to Fisser Höfe will take around one to two hours. After checking in, there will be a welcome presentation from the tutors and an introduction to the week’s itinerary.
Accommodation: Weisenheimer Familien Hotel, 7-nights
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Days 2-7
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Exploring and photographing in the Western Tyrol
The day-to-day schedule and activities remain flexible to take account of changeable local conditions. The following examples give you a flavour of what might be on offer at various times throughout the week:
In the early morning, you may find yourself using the gorgeous early morning light to photograph sunrise over the mountain tops, or meadow flowers and butterflies when they are often covered in dewdrops.
Later in the day, when the sun is high, you may find yourself visiting the Urgtal valley to photograph alpine plants such as alpenrose in a dramatic mountain landscape; using a cable car to gain access to alpine plants that grow at high altitudes, such as alpine snowbell (Soldanella pursilla) and mountain houseleek (Sempervivum montanum), that are specially adapted to life on the mountain tops; learning how to photograph orchids such as the burnt orchid (Neotinea ustulata); developing your macro work in the pine forests; or learning field studio techniques to produce white background images of flowers and insects.
The afternoon or evening are perfect for activities such as seeking out resting butterflies in the alpine meadows; photographing flower meadows in dramatic evening light; or trapping moths in order to photograph them.
Photographic highlights include: alpine meadows in full bloom; orchids and other plants including sundews; a huge array of butterflies and other insects; marmots beside their burrows; dramatic mountain landscapes.
Typical techniques covered during the week include: the basics of macro photography; optimising natural light with reflectors and diffusers; working with off-camera flash; creating creative macro compositions; creating white background images with a mobile field studio; digital workflow for macro photography with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
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Day 8:
Transfer to Innsbruck & fly back to the UK
