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May 18-25, 2025 - Accepting Applications
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Let’s head out to photograph birds! Where? Ecuador, of course! To the Chocó Cloudforest!
Ecuador is slightly larger than Colorado – but about 1 out of every 5 bird species in the world lives or passes through this cauldron of biodiversity. It is the forth highest nation in the world for bird diversity, with over 1,500 species. And Ecuador has 25% of the world’s cloud forests!
"We are delighted with our photos, those birds are absolutely spectacular and you helped us come away with new ideas, many wonderful memories as well as outstanding images."
Dick and Sue R |
Check out some images from our past Ecuador Birds Photography Adventures here!
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2025 Rates
$6,400 Double Occupancy, each
$7,100 Single Occupancy
$1,000 with Application
$1,500 2nd Payment 1 Oct 24
Final Payment 15 Jan 25 |
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And, the hot spot is the Chocó Bioregion, especially in northwest Ecuador! Ask a birder… ask a conservationist – this region is so very special that it is on the must list for birders and the “oh, we have to save this” list for conservation! About 25% of the plants and animals in the Chocó are endemic – found no place else on earth!
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And the cool thing is that the infrastructure to take you to find birds has just reached the threshold where we can both take good care of you – and promise that you’ll come home with outstanding bird images!
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The key to accomplishing this is that small family farmers have been cooperating with conservation groups and small-scale tourism enterprises to set aside natural areas in a number of biological zones. When you show up to photograph birds, the funds go directly to protecting birds and habitat on these small farm operations! 
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We have done our own conspiring, with our friend and guide Pancho, to build an itinerary that weaves together visits to a variety of habitats, to produce opportunities to photograph some amazing species that previously were just fancy names on birders checklists! 
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You may recognize some of these names… Cock of the Rock, Golden Tanager, Golden Naped Tanager, Flame Faced Tanager, Black Chinned Mountain Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Moss-backed Tanager, Glistening Green Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Choco Toucan, Crimsom-rumped Toucanet, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Tiny Hawk, Rufous-crowned Antpitta, Giant Antpitta, Barred Puffbird, Umbrella Bird, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Oil Bird, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Blue-backed Conebill, Toucan Barbet, Turquoise Jay… the list just goes on and on.
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And, did we mention hummingbirds? There are more kinds and shapes of hummingbirds than you thought existed! Fun names, too, like Shining Sunbeam, Violet-tailed Sylph, Buff-tailed Coronet, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Brown Violetear, Collared Inca, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Purple-chested Hummingbird, White-necked Jacobin, and Booted Racket-tailed Hummingbird.
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While the focus is on birds, you can’t go to the cloud forest without photographing butterflies!
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There are also waterfalls. And, we’ll do some night walks to find nocturnal creatures like spiders and… |
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We have arranged a special session for photographing hummingbirds with multiple flashes. You don't need to bring any equipment to make this happen. We will set up the flashes and provide you with a trigger. The timing is up to you!
There is a lot to learn in a setup like this. We'll explain how each flash contributes to the image design - and the thoughts that go into its placement. We'll be bringing our own special backgrounds to make these images look different (and we think better) than many of the flash shots you see coming out of other workshops!
When you leave, you'll have both new skills and some great images to share! |
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You will come back with so many images of birds, butterflies, blossoms, and more! The challenge will be to figure out what their names are!
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May 18-25, 2025
Price includes all local transportation, lodging for 7 nights (close to the action), most meals, English-speaking local guide, photography guide/instructor, prep materials.
Flights to and from Quito, Ecuador (our base camp for this adventure) at your own expense. Extra nights at the beginning or end at your own expense. Alcoholic drinks at your own expense. Tipping is expected and your responsibility.
This will be a small group, 4-8 people.
While the adventure will not be terribly demanding, you will need to be able to manage your gear (including long lens and tripod) on short forest trails (Ecuador is not flat!).
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2024
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Private
Mara River Crossing
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We're off to witness the great migration as it encounters the Mara River. The migration follows the noses of wildebeest which tell them where rains are falling. When they encounter the Mara, they are terrified of the crossing. Crocodiles lurk in the waters. Some wildebeest and zebras fall and get trampled. This is a holy grail of wildlife photography! |
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Journey with us into the wilds of Ethiopia to visit a number of ethnic groups that have clung to the old ways. We'll learn how each group sees the world differently - and how it shapes their personal actions and looks. We'll make amazing artful images of the peoples, their worlds, and the natural world around them. This is a wild adventure - we'll be journeying to where few people go - and tourism infrastructue is available. Check out the itinerary here. |
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Taking Control in the Mirrorless Era
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Three days of classroom and field time with migrating waterfowl, bald eagles, and macro opportunities. You'll learn how to take control of your mirrorless camera - and take advantage of new developments in the digital darkroom - to yield images that closely match your intentions in the field! Embrace manual - it's easier that the auto modes - and easier than ever in the mirrorless era!. |
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2025 |
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Three days of classroom and field time with migrating waterfowl, bald eagles, and macro opportunities. You'll learn how to take control of your mirrorless camera - and take advantage of new developments in the digital darkroom - to yield images that closely match your intentions in the field! Embrace manual - it's easier that the auto modes - and easier than ever in the mirrorless era. |
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Timed to meet the great migration in the Serengeti, our safari takes you to some of the great parks and protected areas in northern Tanzania in search of lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetah, hyenas... Of all our itineraries, anywhere in the world, this one has the best reviews - and is a real life-changing experience! If you'll only be making one photography foray into sub-Saharan Africa in your life - this is the trip! |
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Lions and leopards and cheetahs! Oh my! This two week safari is dedicated to putting us in great positions to photograph cats in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. And, our design lets us "hang out" with the cats until something interesting happens! Timed for when the grasses in the Serengeti are turning green and the game is fat - when cats are in their prime. Read the description and secure your space before its gone. We'll come home with great images and many memories and stories! |
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So many birds! Such good photography opportunities. So little physical effort required. Forty percent of the planet's hummingbirds are found in Ecuador. Thirty-seven percent of the tanagers (which don't show up in the Old World at all). Conservation has teamed up with landowners to protect natural cloudforest habitats - and the result is birds sitting on branches predictably in a way you can photograph them. Did we mention Cock-of-the-rock? Or mountain tourcan? Small group so secure your space before it is gone! |
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Borneo! Rainforests. Orangutans. Gibbons. Pygmy elephants. Proboscis monkeys. 420 species of birds, including amazing hornbills and kingfishers, brightly colored little birds. Carnivorous plants. Sun bears. The list goes on and on. We've built an itinerary that takes you into the canopy, on trails by foot, on rivers by boat, and out on night safari. This is not an adventure you want to miss! |
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Our Drones Photography Group is at it again! Back to Iceland to visit a number of unique sites, looking for great places, away from people, to position our drone cameras to capture unique angles. This time we'll find some great "interior" locations, some thermal features, some wild coastlines, and some exciting rivers. Waterfalls are always part of the game in Iceland - you'll be able to position your drone where no person has ever put a camera before. Bring your drone and come create great art with us! |
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Join us in Brazil's Pantanal for a wild adventure that features both jaguars and an amazing array of birds, reptiles, and mammals. The Pantanal is the only place in the world where one can reliably find and photograph jaguars - as they are nocturnal hunters everywhere else. The birds here are fantastic - this is one of our favorite places to photograph flying birds (we can help you build your skills). Add in close-up encounters with giant river otters and so much more. Join us for this wild adventure! |
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Turkey sits at a geographical crossroads, which means that, over history, many cultures have passed through Turkey, each leaving a distinct imprint on the culture and the archaeological record. Let's explore some of the great archaeological wonders - while putting ourselves in great positions make exciting art with cameras. Mosques, Fairy Chimneys, Ephasus, Istanbul, Aphrodisia, Pergamum, Assos and so much more. |
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2026 |
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To sit quietly in a bamboo thicket with a gorilla family, interacting with eye contact, observing, and making compelling images is truly a life changing experience. Venture out into the wilds of Rwanda with a small group to experience photographic encounters with wild gorillas, chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, and much, much more. Fitness level is necessary to accomplish this adventure. Dates are tentative until we secure permits. |
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Timed to meet the great migration in the Serengeti, our safari takes you to some of the great parks and protected areas in northern Tanzania in search of lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetah, hyenas... Of all our itineraries, anywhere in the world, this one has the best reviews - and is a real life-changing experience! If you'll only be making one photography foray into sub-Saharan Africa in your life - this is the trip! |
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Join us in 2026 as we'll explore favorite haunts and add new landings and vistas. Giant tortoises, flightless frigates, 3 kinds of boobies, land and marine iguanas, sea lions and fur seals, flamingos, and the northernmost penguin in the world. The list goes on and on! Exciting landscapes. So much to learn about geology, biology, and evolution.Truly an inspiring experience - ties the Serengeti in client feedback as the "most life-changing" experience of their lives. |
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