While photos add credibility to bragging rights of amazing journeys, Patagonia Sur's Preserving Patagonia photography workshop, March 3 - 10, 2012, provides guests the added opportunity to elevate environmental awareness by capturing on film the ongoing need for conservation of the Chilean Patagonia.

 With the growth of social media, conservation travellers can make huge impacts when supporting causes with their own stories and images. Preserving Patagonia is one of a series of Seedlight Workshops, which connects photographers with a passion for the environment to urgent, compelling stories that environmental organizations need help telling. Participants learn to use advocacy photojournalism to elevate environmental awareness through the creation of powerful imagery, reminding the viewer of the importance of protecting the planet. Limited to 12 participants, the eight-day, seven-night workshop costs $5,800.00 USD per person (based on double occupancy, single rates available upon request). Reservations may be made by visiting www.patagoniasur.com or by emailing reservations@patagoniasur.com. Preserving Patagonia has been designed to teach amateur and professional photographers documentary and travel photography techniques that will create a portfolio of stunning imagery of Chilean Patagonia's pristine wilderness. Led by award-winning environmental documentarian, Bridget Besaw, the week-long workshop takes place amidst her six-month project of documenting the preservation and stewardship of Patagonia's AysĂŠn region, in conjunction with the Patagonia Sur Foundation. Patagonia Sur's Valle California and Melimoyu sites will serve as home base for participants. Valle California is framed by snow-capped mountains and encompasses more than 10 miles of the El Tigre River (a pristine tributary of the Palena River), crystalline mountain lakes and neighbors the 118,000-acre Lago Palena National Reserve.  Melimoyu lies at the nexus of the southern edge of the Valdivian temperate rain forest and the northern edge of the sub-Antarctic rainforest. This one-of-a-kind ecosystem is home to a combination of species not found anywhere else on Earth. Equally unparalleled is the area's marine life: blue whales congregate just off the coast to deliver their young, and plentiful dolphins, penguins, seals and sea lions complete Melimoyu's extraordinary ocean offerings.  Accommodation is provided by modern, beautifully appointed rooms in Melimoyu and yurts in Valle California, all with en-suite bathrooms and a light footprint.  Included in the workshop fee is return transportation between Purerto Montt, Chile and La Estrella; all food, beverages and overnight accommodation; daily excursions led by Patagonia Sur's expedition team; expert advice by Besa;, complimentary use of Leica equipment; and assistance of the Patagonia Sur's travel concierge to help book and organize trips.  As well, complimentary laundry services will be made available, so guests don't have to worry about getting dirty while searching for that perfect angle.And thanks to the added collaboration with Leica Camera, guests will have access to top-flight camera equipment, including their flagship M9 and M9-P digital rangefinder cameras and the entire portfolio of M lenses.   About Patagonia Sur: Patagonia Sur is a for-profit conservation venture that invests in, protects and enhances scenically remarkable and ecologically valuable properties in Chilean Patagonia. A leader in eco-tourism experiences, Patagonia Sur has developed sustainable lodging on two of its properties, Valle California and Melimoyu where guests may enjoy all the amazing outdoor activities Chilean Patagonia has to offer. As well, an innovative blend of conservation and capitalism, Patagonia Sur seeks to deliver competitive financial returns to investors by preserving pristine ecosystems and the traditional culture of Patagonia in perpetuity by developing and nurturing a diverse portfolio of self-sustaining and environmentally sensitive businesses. www.PatagoniaSur.com.About Bridget Besaw: Workshop leader Bridget Besaw's work is inspired primarily by her passion for environmental protection. Her projects have tackled issues, such as development threats to northern Maine's wilderness, loss of working farmland in New England and climate change research and prevention in South American and Indonesian forests. As a newspaper and magazine photographer, Ms. Besaw has won numerous national press awards for her work in publications such as Newsweek, Time, Forbes, Fortune, The New York Times, Business Week, Smithsonian, National Geographic Adventure and Nature Conservancy Magazine. She now produces imagery, multimedia, exhibits and books for environmental organizations and teaches photography workshops. She has also published two books, Wildness Within, Wildness Without and From the Land, in partnership with environmental organizations.-30-Media Contacts:  Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838 or deirdre@tartangroup.ca Bridget Besaw: 207-210-1200 or mail@bridgetbesaw.com