TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO -  HUMMINGBIRD PARADISE

Explore tropical garden trails to photograph species such as 

Barred Anstrike, Blue-Crowned Mot Mot. Capture the majestic Red Billed Tropic Bird in flight with its angelic tail flowing behind with background settings of high cliffs, tropical hillsides and blue ocean backdrops.

Dates April 01-April 09.2018 - 4 Spots Final Payment Due: Jan.01 

Price: $4,495.00 USD Single Supplement: $500  Deposit $2,000 Physical Activity Level:  Basic  Included: Tour and Photographic Instruction. 7 nights 8 days Accommodation (Hotel/Guest House: Private room per person).
Airport Pickup from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (POS-Piarco Intl.).

Photo instruction, transportation during workshop, inlcudes flight to Tobago, meals. Reserve and sanctuary entry fees.
Not included: Travel to workshop destination. Alcoholic beverages. 

Watch another Trinidad Tobago Video full of bird photos: 

 

 WORKSHOP OVERVIEW - ITINERARY

Flight Arrival to (POS) Trinidad Piarco Airport Trinidad March 31. 2017.

Overnight Holiday Inn Express: Airport Shuttle incl.  (N1)

April 01.2017. - Yerette Hummingbird Gardens Maracas Valley and Caroni Swamp for the Scarlett Ibis. Holiday Inn Exp.

We visit Yerette Gardens for Hummingbird Photography. We will have the opportunity to photograph as much as 13 of the 17 species of hummingbirds in the Trinidad Tobago area amongst beautiful flowering gardens. With over 200 hummingbird flying around 20 different feeders you are sure to enjoy this spectacular flurry of hummingbird colors zipping around you. We also will enjoy local Trinidadian lunch.

At 3:30pm we visit Caroni Swamp to watch 50,000 of the national bird, the Scarlett Ibis return to the swamp for the evening.   Watch the landscape light up with these amazing red birds. Overnight Holiday Inn Express (N2)

 

April 02:  Travel to Tobago Island –Speyside. Blue Waters

Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express . Morning Flight to Tobago Island. Approximately 20 minutes. From the Crown Pt. Int. Airport we drive and enjoy the views as we travel to the north eastern coast of Speyside, Tobago, stopping along the way taking wonderful landscape photographs. We will get settled in at the oceanfront hotel called Blue Waters Inn and enjoy lunch. Enjoy bird watching and photographing the hummingbirds and other shore birds around the lodge and tropical gardens.  In the afternoon we take a day trip over to a hummingbird garden in which you will be introduced to multi-flash hummingbird photography.  Overnight Blue Waters Inn.  (N3)

 

April 03: Day Trip to Little Tobago Island: Red Billed Tropic Birds

After breakfast we go back to the hummingbird garden. In the afternoon we take a boat ride over to Little Tobago Island home of the amazing red-billed tropic birds and other unique birds to this region. Overnight Blue Waters Inn.  (N4) 

 

April 04: After breakfast drive along the coast to the Black Rock/ Speyside area. Arrive at Eco Villa for Hummingbirds and Tropical Birds.   

 

April 05– Eco Adventure Villa Hummingbirds and Tropical Birds

 Eco Adventure Villa and enjoy more multi-flash hummingbird photography. Blue Crowned Motmots, Rufous Tailed Jacamars right on the property. We will also see and shoot Barred Antshrikes. Hummingbird species include, Ruby Topaz, White Necked Jacobin, Rufous Breasted Hermit and Black Throated Mangos and enjoy some freshly made fruit smoothies and some local cusine. 

 

April 06. Fly back to Trinidad – ASA Wright Centre  Northern Range –Arima Valley (3 nights)

After breakfast we check out and take a morning flight back to Trinidad, where we will then drive 2.5 hours into the norther part of Trinidad to the Asa Wright Centre. Located at 1200 feet, the Asa Wright Centre has a large back veranda on the main building where we can see and photograph quite a few different species. The deck overlooks the Arima Valley and a line of fruit and nectar feeders set up by the lodge. Species we will most definitely see and photograph here include Ruddy Ground Dove, Blue-crowned Motmot, White-lined Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Green Honeycreeper and Purple Honeycreeper.  Squirrel Cuckoos, Toucans, and parrots fly past the gallery, while Tufted Coquettes and half a dozen other species of hummingbirds feed on the vervain bushes by the reception area. Lunch will be served outside on a covered deck with spectacular mountain views. After lunch and a review of what we captured that morning we will head out again to look for and shoot species such as the Cocoa Thrush, Green and Purple Honeycreepers, Palm Tanagers and others. Dinner will once again be enjoyed on the outdoor deck or the beautiful and spacious dining room.  In the evenings take advantage of the night creatures of spiders, snakes, tree frogs and more and enjoy some great macro and evening photography. Overnight Asa Wright Centre

April 08 /  April 09 Asa Wright Centre

 

April. 10 – Fly home. Early morning drive back to Trinidad POS Airport in the morning for your departure after 1pm. 

 

Species Include:Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango Hummingbird, Copper-rumped Hummingbird, Rufous-breasted Hermit Antbird, Jacamar, Flycatcher, Mot Mot, Manakin,Scarlett Ibis, Bearded Bell Bird and more. Butterflies, Mammals:  Agouti, Paca, Armadillo,Opossum, Deer, Wild Pig, Fruit Bats

 

Key Learning Objectives:

Multi-flash Hummingbird Photography: Learn techniques to use 4-6 flashes to achieve otherwise impossible flight photographs of these flying jewels. What makes this workshop special is that David will be sharing his techniques for taking multi-flash images that actually look natural (unlike most others out there). Please note that we will be using Canon flashes.  If you shoot with a camera system other than Canon we will have cameras for you to use during this portion of the workshop.

Flight Photography: Learn to photograph birds in flight from one of the World's top photographers. We will focus on photographing the elegant Red-billed Tropicbird as they soar around us.

Using flash effectively as a source of fill light: Because tropical regions are often cloudy - it is extremely important to learn how to use flash - either as fill or as a main source of light. Participants will also learn how to do set-ups for birds using more than one flash. These skills can easily be taken home and applied in your very own backyard!

Capture stunning portraits of perched songbirds.Attracting birds to a perch setup: Participants will learn strategies to attract birds to a given perch and how to achieve images that have attractive light, an outstanding perch and a smooth background.

 

Strategies for successful tropical photography. Proper exposure settings for challenging tropical lighting conditions

Digital Workshops:  During the evenings for those who wish to participate, we will have image review sessions and talk about techniques and what we can expect to see the next day.  In these post processing workshops participants will have ample opportunities to improve skills in Adobe Photoshop.  Participants can learn how to take their images from straight out-of-the-camera RAW images to stunning final works of art (ready for printing or websites). Learn basic Photoshop skills or improve those that you already posses.

How to "set up" a nature photograph and get pleasing images.Discuss the use flash at a feeder setup and set up your own backyard for bird photography.

Recommended Equipment:
 A digital SLR and a lens of 300mm or greater.
A tripod is recommended
A wide angle lens
A flash

Please read our Refund Policy. Do not book your flight until we confirm.