Costa Rica Creative Immersion Photo Workshop
January 7-15, 2025 with Rob Knight and Derrick StoryJanuary 7-15, 2025
Instructors: Rob Knight and Derrick Story
Tuition: $4,295 per person
Single Occupancy
Deposit: $1,000
Limit: 10 photographers
Register By: 9/30/2024
SOLD OUT
This event is sold out. Add your name to the list to be notified if there is a cancellation.
Highlights:
- TWO experienced professional photography instructors
- A unique exploration of travel, creativity, and photography
- “Off the beaten path” locations in three diverse regions of Costa Rica
- Edit your photos with the guidance of our experts during daily lab sessions
- World-class Accommodations
- Farm-to-table meals (vegetarian, gluten free, and vegan options available upon request)
- Knowledgable and friendly local guides
- Cultural exchange with local people
- Make friends and connect with like-minded travelers
Your Instructors
Rob Knight
Photographer and trip leader • Tenba Visual Artist • Adobe Certified expert
Derrick Story
Photographer and trip leader • Educator • Author • The Digital Story Podcast
Equipment Suggestions
A Mirrorless or DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses.
A versatile mid-range zoom lens (18-55mm, 24-105mm, etc) is recommended.
A telephoto lens (something 400mm or longer is best) for shooting wildlife.
A dedicated macro lens and a wide-angle zoom lens will also be handy.
Additional suggestions:
- Memory cards. We recommend 128GB of storage or more.
- Tripod.
- Hot-shoe flash
- Lens cleaning cloth or lens pen
- A good lightweight camera backpack like the Tenba AXIS 24L is recommended.
- Laptop computer or tablet with Adobe Lightroom CC.
Tropical birds call through the rain forest as you step into the warm morning. Walk to the dining room and grab a cup of coffee, then stroll through the grounds in search of monkeys and tropical birds. Spot scarlet macaws as you join your fellow travelers in the open-air restaurant. You’re immersed in the lush forest, and the morning light makes for beautiful photographs. You’ve already captured some great shots before your second cup of coffee. After a home-cooked breakfast you set out for adventure.
Our local guides and professional photography instructors will insure that you make the most of every once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity. Then it’s back to the hotel to review the day’s images, maybe grab a cocktail, and share your experience and photographs with your companions. After enjoying delicious local fare in the open-air dining room you will head back to your comfortable air conditioned room to recharge and prepare for a whole new experience tomorrow.
“It’s amazing what happens when we allow ourselves to slow down, be present, and enjoy our community and environment through photography, connection, and travel.”
Rob Knight and Derrick Story have designed the Costa Rica Creative Immersion photography workshop to provide the opportunity and the guidance to explore your personal style and vision with like-minded travelers in a unique environment. Sit back and enjoy the benefits of organized group travel, with the freedom to have your own experience.
Rob has been photographing and teaching in Costa Rica for more than 15 years. Derrick is a prolific educator with years of experience teaching photographers in the field. This dynamic duo will help you move beyond your tools, and focus on creating images that speak to you, while their experienced local guides connect you with Costa Rica in order to capture the essence of the wildlife, the landscape, the culture, and your unique experience. This workshop is limited to ten photographers, so reserve your spot today!
A creative journey…
Travel can be a transformative experience, and Photography can be the language we use to share our story. Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO are important to understand, but they are only a means to an end.
Use Costa Rica as a backdrop to engage your creative side while you explore your unique viewpoint. This tour is not just about philosophy. You will enjoy hands-on instruction, presentations, and demonstrations throughout the week. This is a workshop that you won’t want to miss. Reserve your spot today!
This photography workshop was a great experience that provided numerous opportunities to learn more about photography and the local culture. Both the instructors and local guides are very knowledgeable and pointed out things that I would never have noticed on my own.
What’s Included: $4,295 Per Person
(single occupancy)
Includes:
8 nights lodging
Most meals*
All transportation including airport transfers**
Daily photography and post-processing instruction
Daily excursions
All tours and/or park entry fees
Local naturalist guides
*There will be 2 days when we are in the field around mid-day, and you will be on your own for lunch.
**Your Costa Rica photo workshop fee does not include airfare to San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO).
Comprehensive travel insurance is REQUIRED to participate in this photography workshop. We have used Trawick International Insurance for years, and can highly recommend it. Questions?
Please note our cancellation policy.
Itinerary
Please note: The itinerary below should give you an idea about what to expect during this workshop, but excursions and events may change throughout the week due to weather and other considerations.
Tuesday, January 7
Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica. Take the airport shuttle to the Doubletree Cariari upon arrival and meet the group at the hotel.
Wednesday, January 8
We will board our private motorcoach and travel to Tarcoles, Costa Rica on the Central Pacific coast. Villa Lapas will be our home base for the next 3 days.
We will explore the lush rainforest surrounding our new home in search of wildlife and other photographic opportunities.
In the afternoon, we will travel to the famous surf beaches at Playa Hermosa. We will photograph the talented surfers and stay for the breathtaking sunset.
Thursday, January 9
We will spend the morning exploring Carera National Park with our experienced naturalist guide. Subjects we have photographed in this park include myriad tropical birds, monkeys, sloths, bats, and pumas.
The afternoon will be our first lab session where you will begin processing your images.
Friday, January 10
We will visit the nearby fishing village of Tarcoles to photograph the local fishermen mending nets and preparing their boats to head out in search of fish. This vibrant community is an integral part of the local economy.
We will board a private pontoon boat with comfortable covered seating to explore the Tarcoles River with a naturalist guide. In addition to photographing countless birds, you will surely discover why the Tarcoles is known as the “crocodile river!”
Saturday, January 11
And now for something completely different… We will board our private motorcoach and travel to San Ramon, in Costa Rica’s central valley, for street photography and urban exploration. San Ramon is a bustling city with a beautiful Catholic cathedral, vibrant farmers’ market, and much more.
We will check in to our new home in the afternoon. Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Reserve is nestled in the hills of the central valley, and offers a fascinating change in temperature, flora, and fauna.
Sunday, January 12
Coffee is king in Costa Rica. We will visit a family-owned coffee plantation to photograph and learn how this Costa Rican staple is produced. This farm uses a wide variety of innovative methods of reusing and recycling their resources.
The afternoon will be for lab time with the instructors, and exploring the property at Villa Blanca.
Monday, January 13
No trip to Costa Rica is complete without at least one volcano! We will travel to La Fortuna at the foot of the famous Arenal Volcano. We will spend the morning exploring the rain forest with a local naturalist guide in search of sloths, tree frogs, and more.
We will explore the beautiful town square in La Fortuna before exploring a different Tico tradition. After lunch, we will be treated to a relaxing soak in one of Arenal’s famous geothermal hot springs.
Tuesday, January 14
We are in the home stratch! Spend the morning exploring the cloud forest around Villa Blanca before getting to work on finishing your images for the final presentations. Share your favorite shots and enjoy your companions’ photos on the big screen in Villa Blanca’s movie theater.
Wednesday, January 15
Check out of the hotel and travel to the airport in San Jose. Travel time to the airport is around 1.5 hours.
Physical considerations: This workshop is designed to be an easy trip for most photographers, but there are some things to keep in mind. Costa Rica tends to be hot and humid. We usually experience temperatures in the mid to high eighties and humidity above 90%. We do not do any strenuous hiking during the workshop, but there is some walking involved on well-maintained trails.
There were so many wonderful experiences it is hard to say which was my favorite. The expertise of our instructors was really made it. Nice to be able to ask questions while working instead of a traditional classroom setting.
* Transportation from the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) will be provided by airport shuttle. Details will be sent after registration. Some guests prefer to fly to Costa Rica a day or two early to explore on their own and avoid any travel delays. Many people extend their stay in Costa Rica after the workshop. Airport transportation on June 7 and June 15 is included with the workshop tuition. Additional transportation for longer stays will be the responsbility of the guest. Cancellation Policy.