FOTO VERDE'S FAQ SECTION

I shoot film. Can I find film in Costa Rica?

We recommend strongly that you bring all of the film you think you'll need on your trip and then add another 30%. Only two stores in the capital are reliable sources of pro slide film for nature such as Kodak VS and Fuji Velvia, and you'll pay around $10 per roll!

Do you recommend film or digital for my trip to Costa Rica?

Because of the lack of light in Costa Rica's cloud and rain forests, the extra stops of light afforded by 400 and even 800 ISO on digital SLRs are a huge boon to photographers. 400 speed slide films or slower films pushed to higher ISOs simply cannot compete with the clean files produced by digital SLRs at higher ISOs in our opinion. Further, the ability to change ISO from shot to shot is an enormous advantage over being stuck with a whole roll of high speed film. Additionally, the challenging light conditions found in most of Costa Rica's habitats make the use of flash -- and many times multiple flashes! -- a necessity. Getting the right lighting is tricky, and being able to check the histogram and LCD screen on your digital camera is a huge help in ensuring successful photos.

Will I be able to charge my digital camera batteries?

Yes, electricity is available at all of the lodges we use. Current in Costa Rica is the same as in the United States. If you are traveling to Costa Rica from Europe or other areas, you will likely need to bring along a voltage converter, which can be found at many hardware and electronics stores. All hotels on your Foto Verde trip have 110 volt AC outlets in each room, allowing you to recharge your camera and other rechargeable batteries. You may wish to bring along a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter plug as one sometimes encounters older outlets with only 2 slots, which can cause problems with many modern computer, electrical, and photo devices that use a 3-pronged grounding plug.

How should I store my images if I bring a digital camera to Costa Rica?

You have 3 options. First, a device that allows you to burn CDs or even DVDs directly from your flash card or micro drive without a computer, such as the Delkin DVD Burnaway, is fairly lightweight and easy to carry. A second option, and by far the easiest to pack and carry is a portable hard drive such as the Image Tank or the excellent Epson viewers which allow you to download your images directly from your compact flash card. A laptop computer, your third option, is attractive because you can review and work with your images and connect to the Internet in certain areas to e-mail family and friends. But a laptop is somewhat unwieldy and adds another piece of luggage to your kit. The choice is yours.

What camera equipment should I bring?

This depends on your principal photo subjects. If birds are your photographic prey, bring a 500 mm lens, your biggest flash, flash extender, and tripod. If birds are not your principal subject, try a 300 mm f2.8 lens with teleconverters to save some weight. If macro is your objective, then bring your full macro gear. We recommend a macro lens no longer than 100 mm. Because most macro work will be full-flash, a 180 mm macro lens places the flash too far from the subject, resulting in unflattering lighting. If macro is of secondary concern, bring along an extension tube or high-quality diopter to go with a mid-range zoom. With an off-camera cord for your flash and a small reflector, you can achieve interesting lighting for full-flash macro images. A wide-angle zoom, a mid-range telephoto zoom, and a prime telephoto will make for a nice, lightweight kit. Be sure to bring a tripod, cable release, and polarizing filter to deal with the low light and wet leaves for forest interior shots. Graduated filters will help to even out lighting differences between foreground and sky for landscape photographs. Plastic ponchos, ziploc bags, and insect repellant are important accessories.

My itinerary includes a boat tour for photography. What equipment should I use?

Greg finds that the best combination for photographing wildlife from a boat in Costa Rica is a fast telephoto lens with image stabilization (IS for Canon) or vibration reduction (VR for Nikon) mounted on a monopod, which allows for much more flexibility than a tripod and more stability than handholding your lens. Nevertheless, if you don't have a monopod, do take your tripod along. You can use it with the legs folded up or, space permitting, even set up normally and shoot right off the tripod. Any advantage you can give yourself in terms of stability will pay off in sharper images. Some boats are covered while others are not. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Covered boats obviously help to keep your gear dry but limit your ability to obtain images of subjects slightly overhead. As with your general gear, it's best to include rain cover accessories for your photo work from a boat.

I'm considering renting a car and doing a self-guided tour of Costa Rica. Why do I need Foto Verde?

Driving yourself around Costa Rica for your photo trip is an understandably attractive option. Nonetheless, a high level of Spanish is a very useful skill to have, as Costa Rican road signs leave a lot to be desired. Getting lost at least once is an absolute certainty, and outside of tourist hotels, the vast majority of people do not speak English. Further, having a driver and/or guide will leave your trip logistics in professional hands, allowing you to concentrate on photography. Nonetheless, if you prefer to go it alone, Foto Verde can help you to craft your itinerary, arrange a rental car, and book your lodging for you. You can always book a Foto Verde guide and/or driver for certain portions of your trip should you wish. Or consider a Foto Verde workshop for a portion of your stay.

How do I keep my equipment safe from theft while in Costa Rica?

As photographers, we accept the need to be careful with our equipment as a fact of life. The best rule is never to let your equipment out of your sight. Nonetheless, this is not possible at absolutely all times. Despite the fact that Foto Verde chooses reputable lodges and hotels, care, as with travel anywhere in the world, must be taken. To this end, the exomesh system marketed by www.pac-safe.com is an interesting option for securing your photo gear that has been recommended highly by well-known travel photographer Bob Krist in his Outdoor Photographer column. Please see the US Department of State's Costa Rica travel section for general safety info. And please inquire about photo equipment insurance through your homeowners' policy. NANPA, the North American Nature Photographers Association, offers very reasonable gear insurance with worldwide coverage for its members. Visit www.nanpa.org for more information.

How do I keep my equipment safe from humidity while in Costa Rica?

The lush cloud forests and rain forests for which Costa Rica is famous means that your camera gear will be exposed to high humidity. We've never had problems with our gear here in Costa Rica, and neither have our clients, so humidity is nothing to be obsessed about. And it is certainly not a deterrent to visiting and photographing the rainforest. Nonetheless, a three-pronged strategy will help avoid damage to your gear and allow you to concentrate on your photography. First, pack your gear well in water repellant camera bags and backpacks and sprinkle these liberally with silica gel packages. Whenever possible, pack each item in ziploc bags to avoid condensation upon exiting an air-conditioned vehicle or when traveling from the cool highlands to the warm lowlands. Second, try to avoid actually getting your gear wet. We try to send our photo clients to lodges with covered shooting areas but these are not always available. A good rain cover for your camera and/or a small umbrella that clips onto your tripod can be very useful. And rain showers can come down suddenly when you are out with your camera. That same small umbrella is an easy way to cover up as are garbage bags stored in handy places in your camera bag. Camera bags with built-in rain covers are particularly useful. Third, at night you may want to dry your equipment with a compact hair dryer that you bring along for this purpose (most lodges do not have hair dryers in the bathroom). Rob Sheppard of Outdoor Photographer magazine has written a nice article (inspired by a few rainy days photographing with Greg Basco in Costa Rica!) for the March 2007 issue of that magazine. Read Rob's article here.

Are there any tropical diseases of which I should be aware?

Though not a frequent disease in our country, some areas, notably the central Caribbean coast near the main port city of Limon, have been reported to have a couple of thousand cases of malaria every season (Costa Rica's total population is approximately 4.5 million). To prevent any possible infections, we strongly recommend that you consult your physician and inquire about prescription medication for this specific disease. Other tropical maladies such as dengue fever, leishmaniasis, and botfly infections do occur infrequently in Costa Rica. Covering up and employing plenty of your favorite insect repellant is always a safe strategy. Remember that DEET, a major ingredient in many insect repellants, melts plastic. To avoid fusing your shutter button to your camera body, we suggest repellants made from botanical ingredients or other non-DEET products. For more information on health issues in Costa Rica and Central America, visit the Center for Disease Control and the Pan-American Health Organization.

Will I have access to the Internet while in Costa Rica?

Some of the hotels that we use do offer Internet access, either as wireless or via a hotel computer, to guests. In fact, we try to use hotels in San Jose for your arrival and departure days that do offer Internet so that you may e-mail family and friends. Our customized travel form has a question about Internet access, and if we see that you require frequent access, we will take this into consideration when designing your itinerary.

What emergency contact numbers should I give to friends and family?

The best numbers for emergency contacts (within Costa Rica, dial only the last 7 digits) are as follows:

Greg Basco's cell phone: 011-506-878-0184

Paulo Valerio’s cell phone: 011-506-830-4094

Paulo Valerio at the Foto Verde office: 011-506-253-1611

Greg Basco home office phone: 011-506-463-0053

Paulo Valerio's pager: (24 hour bilingual service) 011-506-207-9555, Pager code 153681 under the name of B-A-T

Will someone be there to meet me when I arrive in Costa Rica?

Certainly. Whenever possible, Greg Basco or Paulo Valerio will meet you personally. When this is not possible, another Foto Verde guide and/or driver will be waiting for you as soon as you exit the airport after going through immigration, claiming your baggage, and clearing customs. Non-airport staff are not allowed inside the terminal, so please look for one of our representatives holding up a Foto Verde Tours sign as soon as you step outside.

What expenses does my Foto Verde itinerary cover?

Your Foto Verde itinerary will detail exactly which meals are included in your package price. Nonetheless, our itineraries generally include all meals, transportation, guiding, entrance fees, and special tours. As a matter of course, your package price will include everything except tips, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks at non-meal times, the airport departure tax of $26 US, phone calls, Internet use, and souvenirs. For this reason, you may want to change a small amount of money into the local currency, colones.

Where should I change money in Costa Rica?

There is a money exchange stall in the airport, but we suggest that you change money at your hotel or at a local bank. You will get better exchange rates and be able to make your transaction in a more comfortable setting. Nonetheless, your Foto Verde itinerary will include most expenses, meaning you will not have need to change large amounts of money. In addition, major credit cards and US dollars are widely accepted at many stores. Nevertheless, having a bit of local money for snacks and bottled water is never a bad idea.

Do we tip waiters at restaurants? How much is an appropriate tip for drivers, hotel staff, guides, etc.?

Tips are accepted graciously in both dollars and colones. In general, tips are included on all meal charges as an automatic 10% service charge (standard practice in all restaurants throughout the country). If service is outstanding, an additional tip of 5% or so is always appreciated. As for other tips, the following should serve as loose guidelines; the exact amount is of course up to you and according to the level of service any one of these people might have provided during your stay.

• Bellhops often receive about $1 per bag.
• Cleaning staff at your hotels and lodges can receive $1 per night.
• A $1 tip for a bartender at the hotel is fine when you order drinks.
• Hotels and lodges often have a tip box that goes to a general pot that is divided among the staff. If leaving a tip in the box, you can calculate what to leave by who has helped you and your length of stay.
• Drivers transferring you to or from the airport appreciate a tip of $3-5.
• If you have a full-time driver during your trip, a tip of $5 per day per person is appropriate for groups of 5 people or more. For smaller groups, you can add a little bit to this per day suggestion.
• If you have a full-time photo/naturalist guide, a tip of about $10 per day per person is appropriate, with perhaps a bit more for smaller groups.
  

How do I make international calls from Costa Rica?

Many international phone cards will work in Costa Rica. A locally available option, the 199 card, is one of the easiest and cheapest. You will be able to make a phone call of approximately 15 minutes to the US with one $6 card. The cards are available at most hotels and tourist-related establishments. Your Foto Verde guide, driver, or local hotel staff will be happy to help you purchase and use a 199 phone card.

What kind of clothes should I bring?

In general, your best choices are lightweight garments that breathe and dry quickly, and you'll want a mix of long sleeves and short sleeves. A light polartec and a good rain jacket are also good to have. For meals, it's informal here at the lodges and in the country in general. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a clean shirt are just fine for dinner. Lightweight hiking boots are fine for your photography out in the field, and if you're visiting a beach area, you will want sandals or aqua shoes as well. Many of the lodges we use offer laundry service for a cost of approximately $1 per garment with next day service. Of course a good hat and sunscreen are important. At 8 to 10 degrees north of the equator the sun is strong, even on cloudy days.

Can I drink the water?

This is probably the question that our clients ask us the most. And it's the one for which we have the least definitive answer. Water in and around the capital area is treated with chlorine and generally can be consumed with no worries. The lodges that we use for our photo travel often have their own well water, which is tested regularly by the Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, upset stomachs do occur as a result of change in diet or simply bacteria different from those to which Northern stomachs are accustomed. Serious disorders such as Giardia or amoebic dysentery are virtually undheard of. Bottled water is very widely available in Costa Rica, and a conservative strategy would be to use it as often as possible when outside the capital. As with travel to any foreign country, immodium pills are good to have along, and some of our clients also bring along Cipro or other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Some go so far as to begin taking antibiotics before arriving in Costa Rica. For antibiotic use, we suggest you consult with your physician.

Can Foto Verde arrange my air travel? Does Foto Verde Tours offer traveler/traveler health insurance?

Because we are based in Costa Rica, we have two disadvantages in regard to these questions. Regarding air travel, tickets from the US or Europe to Costa Rica that are purchased in Costa Rica tend to be very expensive. We recommend that you purchase air travel through your regular travel agent or indepedently through one of the many available online services. Similarly, we are unable to offer competitively priced traveler's insurance because of the state monopoly on insurance provision in Costa Rica. You may be able to obtain travelers', travelers' health, and photo equipment insurance through your homeowners' policy or through your credit card. In addition, there are a number of online companies that offer travelers' insurance for reasonable fees. In case of medical emergency, Foto Verde will do everything in our power to help you obtain necessary treatment. Please refer to the Health section of our Foto Verde pre-trip information and Section 1, Points 8 & 9 of our liability, payment, and cancellations documents for more information.

Can Foto Verde confirm my return flights for me?

Unfortunately, we cannot do this for you. Because of airline privacy and security restrictions only the ticketed passenger is usually allowed to confirm flights. You can do so online or via phone at the front desks of any of your lodges or hotels. Be sure to have your ticket number and social security number handy as you may be asked by your airline to provide these when confirming your return flight.

Is Foto Verde Tours the best photo tour option in Costa Rica?

Indeed. Surveys show that 9 out of 10 dentists recommend Foto Verde Tours.