Limited to 20 photographers, workshop attendees will spend two weeks In one of the most remote and beautiful parts of the world- the Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society Islands

The magical islands of the South Pacific that inspired great artists and writers to create with brush and pen will be eyed anew by the digital cameras of photographers attending the 10th Annual Digital Photo Workshop Cruise sailing from Tahiti, April 16, 2011.

The workshop will be conducted by Arthur Bleich, professional photographer and educator, along with Adrian Coakley, Illustrations Editor at National Geographic, and Tim McKenna, renowned outdoors photographer who has shot editorial and advertising images in French Polynesia for more than 15 years.

Twenty intermediate-to-advanced photographers will shoot thousands of travel, nature and documentary images on ten islands. The "base camp" for the project will be the 330-passenger luxury cruise ship Paul Gauguin, named for the French painter who is buried on Hiva 'Oa- one of the islands on the itinerary. The professionally-designed coffee table book will showcase each photographer's work and wide distribution is planned.

Attendees enrolled in previous workshop cruises have had their images published in magazines and books, on web sites and exhibited in shows. "Over the years we've developed some unique techniques to teach photographers to quickly grasp the key elements of 'seeing' which results in great pictures," explains Bleich. "Every image our attendees shoot is uniquely their own. By that, I mean this isn't a 'photo op' workshop where everyone ends up with virtually the same stuff."

At ports of call, the workshop photographers will shoot ashore during the day and view their images during evening sessions. "In the past, this has been the most enjoyable and valuable part of the workshop," says Bleich. "You'd be surprised at how quickly you can improve as a photographer when professionals give you instant feedback." During the four days the ship is at sea, there will be lectures and demonstrations on technical and esthetic subjects.

The workshop's professional instructors have impressive backgrounds. Bleich has photographed for major magazines worldwide, was the official photographer for an Antarctic expedition and is a contributing editor at Rangefinder, the leading U.S. professional photography magazine. Coakley's books at National Geographic have won international acclaim and he is known for his impeccable taste in images. McKenna, in addition to documenting the beauty and culture of French Polynesia has done surfing and extreme-sports assignments in more than 30 countries

Cost of the 14-day workshop begins at $6,573 and is less for non-attendee companions. Further information is available at: http://www.dpcorner.com/cruise or at 1-800-652-2267.

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