Costa Rica Photo Safari with Wayde Carroll

Pick-up at the airport for those arriving today, or at a San Jose area hotel for those who arrived early. Transfer by comfortable vehicle to Villa Blanca Resort, http://villablanca-costarica.com/, about an hour and a half from San Jose. The 75-acre property, surrounded by Los Angeles Nature Reserve, features walking trails and gardens, and rooming in 35 private casitas. Enjoy this remarkable setting with photographer Wayde Carroll and the JOURNEYS naturalist-guide who will be accompanying you throughout your Costa Rica exploration. After a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant, Wayde will give the first of his daily presentations. Tonight's will be in Villa Blanca's theater, focusing on composition. Bring your cameras and manuals to enable Wayde to familiarize himself with your equipment and your goals for the week.

Early risers can enjoy a dawn photography and nature walk before breakfast at the hotel. Later in the morning, enjoy an in-depth session with Wayde in the hummingbird garden where you may photograph as many as seven different species. On photography tours for the super-serious, this situation might call for multiple flashes, but Wayde will demonstarte how to capture hummingbirds in flight successfully with your own camera and a single flash. In the afternoon, take an optional walk on the trails in the cloud forest to capture the forest patterns in the waning light.

Change locales with a 90-minute to two-hour drive through coffee country and mountains to Arenal Observatory Lodge http://www.arenalobservatorylodge.com/index.php in Arenal National Park. Arenal is a volcano that was active until recently, and the interesting terrain in the rain forest here makes for unique landscape shots as well a good wildlife spotting. The geothermal activity in the area has created hot springs with delightful water temperatures for soaking and relaxing. Enjoy an optional visit to Ecotermales -- which has several soaking pools and a waterfall for natural massage -- today or tomorrow

Today explore the lush, dramatic, wildlife-rich area around Arenal. The highlight will be the "Hanging Bridges," a two-mile network of trails and suspension bridges winding through the forest and above the jungle canopy. This will be an opportunity to photograph many varieties of tropical birds and butterflies, as well as the beautiful red flowering ginger. The photography challenge today will be to capture the depth and textures of the green-on-green forest and the interplay of light and cloud around the volcano.

Travel by road and water to Tortuguero National Park for two incredible days of exploration. The park borders the Caribbean and contains a network of canals and waterways which can be taken inland through the jungle. Your lovely accommodation is under the forest canopy, near the water's edge, and you'll wake to the calls of the howler monkeys. Search the trails and waterways for manatees, caiman, monkeys, sloths, river otters, and poison dart frogs. Tortuguero also has some 300 species of birds, including the roseate spoonbill, American fin foot, great green macaw, trogon, oropendula, and the frigate bird. Dawn and dusk on the waterways create an ethereal mood for photography. Wayde offers great help in capturing the monkeys cavorting in the treetops.

Quietly cruise the waterways in a small private boat in the early morning and late afternoon to maximize wildlife viewing opportunities. Also today, visit Tortuguero town, where the people and village color present wonderful photo opportunities. As the trip draws to a close, Wayde will review participants' photographs and offer mentoring in digital photo editing.

Transfer to Tortuguero's airport for a short return flight to San Jose. Connect to your homebound international flight, or extend in Costa Rica. Photo sharing and critiquing will extend well beyond the trip. Wayde enjoys collecting group photos and continuing his mentorship.

A NOTE FROM WAYDE:

Have you ever found yourself saying something along the lines of "Well, these photos don't really convey how beautiful it was but you get the idea ..." Would you rather bring home a collection of images worthy of printing and hanging on your wall, images that give your viewers a real sense of the wonder you felt at the time? That's precisely my goal as a photographer and teacher. This flexible workshop is geared toward beginning and intermediate photographers, but has incredible opportunities for the advanced shooter as well. I go at your pace and am available through the entirety of each day. I am excited about photography, and I enjoy meeting and sharing ideas with the wonderful people who take these safaris. Consider joining me for a world-class trip that will make you a better image maker as well. Thank you for your time and consideration! -- Wayde