March - April 2025
Our locations are renowned for their numbers and diversity of hummingbirds. Workshop participants have seen and photographed over 20 species of these stunning birds. You'll gain a better understanding of how to use flash for all your photography, and we'll show you how to get exquisite images of colorful hummingbirds in flight and at flowers.
We supply advanced flash equipment for our hummingbird workshops. Simply bring your camera with one flash, lens, and tripod.
We stay at private ecological reserves dedicated to wildlife and habitat preservation. Accommodations and meals are first rate. Most of our photography is just outside our rooms, so the exertion level is easy. We go during the tropical dry season, with warm and pleasant weather the norm.
Special offer for bird and nature lovers: $2,000 discount for non-participant spouse or guest (only limited to not using our setups and multiple flash).
We provide hotel accommodations for your first and last nights, to make your travel arrangements easier. Our hotel is in a quiet area with beautiful gardens convenient to the airport.
Photographers of all experience levels are welcome. With only six photographers, you'll receive plenty of personal attention and can photograph and explore at your own pace. Ralph Paonessa will show you his techniques for producing award-winning images.
A great diversity of birds and wildlife visit the native plants and fruit
feeders these lodges maintain, for additional photo opportunities. You'll also find a wonderful variety of plants and insects for macro photography. And there are scenic landscape vistas as well.
This is an ideal trip for a spouse or companion (someone who is not photographing hummingbirds with our flash setups), who can join for
a substantial discount (save $1,500) for some of the best birding and nature
locations in Costa Rica. We can arrange optional activities including guided birding, horseback riding, volcano viewing, and day trips to various places of interest. Each lodge has miles of hiking trails you can explore on your own or with a guide.
Costa Rica is the natural jewel of the tropics, with volcanoes and mountains that soar to over twelve thousand feet in between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and hundreds of scenic rivers and waterfalls amidst tropical splendor. Some of our participants have returned again and again to sample everything these locations have to offer. Join us in Costa Rica for a great photography and learning experience!