THE ART OF BIODIVERSITY WITH GREG BASCO

Award-winning photographer Greg Basco will work with you on different techniques to capture artistic images of Costa Rica's biodiversity. With the use of feeder setups for photographing birds, two multiple-flash setups for hummingbirds, and a special opportunity for macro work with one of Greg's friend's herp collections, this trip is packed with a lot of bonuses! Greg will provide plenty of personalized instruction on techniques ranging from creative exposures, fill-flash, multiple-flash, landscape composition, and macro skills to ensure that you learn a ton and take home a portfolio full of fantastic images.

• When: Dec. 1-12, 2012
• Where: Costa Rica, Northern Zone
• Price: $3,102 -- pay the $500 reserve deposit before July 1, 2012 and get $150 off the tour price!

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Think outside the box

Greg will share ideas about how to produce great nature images that stand out from the crowd.

The Itinerary

Dec. 1, San José

Arrival to Costa Rica. Meet our representative at the Juan Santamaría International Airport and transfer to our hotel near the capital city of San José, where Foto Verde Tours' Greg Basco will be awaiting your arrival. Those who arrive early can take the afternoon to photograph the beautiful orchids and other tropical flowers in the hotel's expansive tropical gardens. The hotel has free wireless Internet throughout the grounds and in the rooms.

no meals included

Dec. 2, Atlantic Lowland Rainforest

After breakfast, we travel to the beautiful lowland rainforests of the Sarapiquí region and one of Greg's favorite lodges. Greg has worked with the lodge owners and management to install two feeders that offer great bird photography opportunities. A number of colorful birds including tanagers, aracaris, and toucans visit the feeders. This destination is also a fantastic place to photograph poison frogs, tree frogs, basilisk lizards, and lots of other wildlife. We arrive for lunch and then spend the afternoon looking for frogs, birds, and monkeys on the lodge grounds.

all meals included

Dec. 3, Atlantic Lowland Rainforest

We spend all day today on the grounds of our lodge, where we will work to capture great photos at the bird feeders and the surprise photo opportunities that always pop up at this magical place. In the evening, we photograph the famed red-eyed tree frog with flashlights for different and dramatic images of this iconic amphibian.

all meals included

Dec. 4, Atlantic Lowland Rainforest

Today we have more time at the bird feeders. With some images from the previous day under our belt, we will begin to work on some more advanced techniques such as off-camera fill-flash for birds at feeders. Throughout the day, we will concentrate our efforts on great portraits of the emerald basilik lizard and two species of poison dart frogs.

all meals included

Dec. 5, Atlantic Slope Cloud Forest

After an early breakfast, we travel to the higher cloud forests of the northern Central Volcanic Mountain Range and our next lodge, another of Greg's favorites. Our lodge is located in one of the most biodiverse areas of the country, nestled in a picturesque valley at approximately 4,500 feet above sea level between two large national parks. With its rushing mountain streams, cool air, and orchid and moss-festooned trees, the area is akin to a tropical Colorado. On the way, we visit a surprise secret destination – a nearby farm owned by a local family that is a great place for photographing both the Great Green and Scarlet Macaws. The macaws are free flying but stay close to the farm to roost and feed. Greg has recently put up a new feeder at the farm that offers great opportunities for beautiful portraits of the macaws. We enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal at the farm. We arrive to our lodge in the early evening with time for a relaxing dinner and then time to download images and recharge batteries for the next day's shooting.

all meals included

Dec. 6, Atlantic Slope Cloud Forest

After breakfast, we set in immediately to begin photographing hummingbirds at our multi-flash setups right on the lodge grounds. We will concentrate on the violet sabrewing (Costa Rica’s largest species), the purple-throated mountain gem, and the green-crowned brilliant. Greg will run the setups and provide attractive native flowers to ensure that you capture some fantastic hummingbirds. Greg's company, Foto Verde Tours, is the only company that has permission to do multi-flash hummingbird photography at this lodge. When not on the setups, you can relax and download images, keep shooting the guans and coatimundis, or explore the cloud forest trails for macro and landscape photography.

all meals included

Dec. 7, Atlantic Slope Cloud Forest

After breakfast today, we make a day trip to a nearby waterfall, which is 110 meters high and offers beautiful photographic opportunities of the waterfall itself and the surrounding cloud forest. In addition, we have secured permission to set up our multiple flashes near the feeders at the restaurant at the waterfall, which gives us a great chance to photograph some hummingbird species, such as the green hermit, black-bellied, green thorntail, coppery-headed emerald, and white-bellied mountain gem, that are less common at our lodge. And there are some spectacular tropical foliage shots here of palms and ferns on the cliffs surrounding the waterfall. We enjoy a delicious typical lunch at the waterfall and return to our lodge in the evening for a relaxing dinner and time to download our great hummingbird and landscape images.

all meals included

Dec. 8, Atlantic Slope Mid-elevation Forest

Around mid-morning, we travel to the Arenal Volcano area. Though currently experiencing a lull in activity, Arenal is normally the country's most active volcano, with continuous emissions of lava and incandescent pyroclastic flows since the beginning of the recent active cycle in 1968. On clear nights, the views of incandescent avalanches can be breathtaking. En route, we photograph wild green iguanas at eye level in the trees on a riverbank and stop for a bite to eat. We arrive to our lodge in mid-afternoon and, after check-in, photograph the sunset over Lake Arenal.

all meals included

Dec. 9, Atlantic Slope Mid-elevation Forest

This morning we roam the hotel grounds in search of wildlife to photograph, including crested guan and collared aracaris. We also will take time to photograph the numerous Montezuma oropendolas at the lodge feeders. Later this morning, we depart for a nearby spot run with an amazing collection of frogs, snakes, and lizards. This place is run by one of Greg's friends, and the staff there will help us to photograph these colorful animals on natural stages that we will set up on site. This is a great opportunity to photograph a number of species that are very difficult to find in the wild and also to continue our work on creative lighting for pleasing macro images. We will enjoy a delicious home-cooked lunch as well as refreshments and coffee throughout the day. We return to our lodge in late afternoon to photograph the sunset and the Arenal Volcano.

all meals included

Dec. 10, Atlantic Slope Mid-elevation Forest

After breakfast, we head to a nearby wildlife reserve to photograph boat-billed herons and possibly three-toed sloths, emerald basilisk lizards, and rufous-tailed jacamars. This little refuge boasts an amazing number of photographic opportunities in a small area. A highlight is the numerous species of honeycreepers that visit the feeders right by the entrance. We enjoy lunch at a nearby local restaurant and then continue our shooting at Danaus in the afternoon. We return again to our lodge in late afternoon to photograph the sunset and the Arenal Volcano.

all meals included

Dec. 11, Back to San Jose

After more morning photography around the lodge grounds and feeders, we pack up and leave for San José and our San Jose hotel. After a bite to eat en route, we have a bit of time to relax and photograph in the fantastic hotel gardens before enjoying a farewell dinner at the hotel.

all meals included

Dec. 12, Airport

Private transfer to the airport for your flight home.

breakfast included

END OF SERVICES

THIS ITINERARY INCLUDES

Lodging as specified

Meals as specified

Private transfers to and from hotels on first and last days

Private instruction 24/7

All equipment for multi-flash hummingbird photography on specified days

Professional driver/photo/nature guide and private transportation in spacious tour bus

Entrance fees for all described activities

Taxes on all services listed above

THE ITINERARY ABOVE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Airfare

Airport departure tax (US $28)

Alcoholic drinks

Gratuities

Non-meal time snacks

Non-meal time soft drinks and bottled water

Single room supplement = $539.50