FLORIDA: Mastering Bird in Flight Photography

Length of Tour

8-Days/7-Nights

Brief Itinerary

Day 1 – Flights to Orlando (Stay the Night in Titusville)/ OM System Exposure Tips & Techniques

Day 2 – AM Photography at Sebastian Inlet/ PM Bird in Flight Photography Classroom Instruction (Night in Vero Beach)

Day 3 – AM Photographing nesting Ospreys from boat / PM Photographing at rookery from boat

Day 4 – AM Photographing nesting Ospreys from boat / PM OM System Menu Walkthrough

Day 5 – AM Photographing nesting Ospreys from boat / PM Photographing at Orlando Wetlands Park

Day 6 – AM Photographing Snail Kites from a boat / PM Photographing at Orlando Wetlands Park

Day 7 – AM Photographing Snail Kites from a boat / PM Post Processing & Image Critique

Day 8 – AM Flights Home

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Flights to Orlando, participants need to plan to arrive by 2:00 pm so we can drive to Titusville, FL for our first night’s lodging intro to OM System exposure tips and modes.

Day 2 – In the morning, we will photograph at Sebastian Inlet and will begin to establish some of the basics of the bird in flight system. In the evening, we will have classroom time covering the Mastering Bird in Flight System comprised of seven systems.

Day 3 – 7 – Mornings will be spent photographing from a boat for nesting Ospreys and Snail Kites as well as many other species of birds. The first three mornings will be spent on a lake heavily populated with nesting Ospreys. One afternoon we will photograph from the boat at a nearby rookery. The other two mornings will be spent photographing Snail Kites as the hunt for Apple Snails. The afternoons will include OM System menu walkthroughs and photographing at the Orlando Wetlands Park. Our final evening will be spent learning post-processing and having an image critique.

Day 8 – AM Flights Home

Cost

Cost is $6,950 per person, based upon double occupancy, from Orlando, FL (Airport code MCO.
This trip ends in same as arrival city (Airport code ).

The tour cost does not include meals, transportation to Orlando, tips, laundry, and other items of a personal nature. *Due to spring break, hotels in Florida are a bit more than typical times of year.

Single Supplement

If a single hotel room is preferred, or we are unable to find a suitable roommate for you, a single supplement fee of $1,200 will be assessed.

NOTE: For boat-based tours, see pricing options for single cabins. Single cabin cost includes the single hotel cost above.

Minimum Number

If fewer than the minimum number of required participants are registered, we may still be able to run the trip by adding a small-group supplement fee, per person, determined by the number of participants registered.

Deposit Requirements

A $1,500 deposit per person is required to hold each space on this tour. Deposit may be made online by clicking the "Book Your Trip Now" button and using any credit card. If you prefer, you may call us at 888-875-9453 to pay by phone. You may also mail us a check, however, remember that all space is held on a first come-first served basis as deposits are received.

How to Book

In order to hold your space, click the "Book Your Trip Now" button above and complete the deposit process, including payment of the deposit through our Paypal portal using ANY CREDIT CARD. Upon completion of deposit, please visit our secure, online CLIENT INFORMATION FORM to complete your registration.

Final Payment

For all land-based tours: full payment by check is due 120 days prior to the departure date.

For all boat-based adventure cruises of 7-days or longer: full payment by check is required 180 days prior to departure.

NOTE: If you prefer to use credit card for final payment, a 3% fee may be added to cover the credit card merchant fees we incur.

This trip includes Holiday Inn Express hotels.

Activity Level Rating: 1 (Note: 1 is easy and 5 is difficult)

This will involve photographing from a boat, from beaches, and near the vehicle in Florida. We will walk some trails at the Orlando Wetlands Park on two afternoons and temps might be cool or slightly warm. It is Florida, you might have to gain 3′ or 4′ of elevation at some point. But doable.

Camera & Lens Equipment

• OM-1 Mark II, OM-1, E-M1x, or E-M1 Mark III Camera Body(ies) – I highly recommend having a backup body on every workshop.
• At least one of the following lenses: M.Zuiko 150mm – 400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO, M.Zuiko 150-600mm F5.6 – 6.3, M.Zuiko 300mm F4.0 IS PRO, M.Zuiko 100mm – 400mm F5.0 – F6.3 IS, M.Zuiko 40mm – 150mm F2.8 PRO (with the TC14 or TC20), the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm- 300mm F4.8 – 6.7 II could be used but is a bit slow
• Depending upon which lens you have: M.Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter (MC-14) or M.Zuiko Digital 2.0x Teleconverter (MC-20)

Accessories

• Multiple Batteries and Memory Cards
• Highly Recommend a laptop for downloading images and working on post-processing images
• Lens cleaning kit
• Tripod or Monopod (the boat has built-in Gimbals) for long stretches of shooting and learning on beaches, inlets, etc.
• Camera Strap (My preferred strap is a Black Rapid brand).

Non-Camera Gear

• Rain Gear
• Long-brimmed hat, long-sleeves to keep sun off the skin
• Insect Repellent (may or may not be needed)
• Good shoes for beach and boat

The tour cost does not include meals.

Purchasing Flights

Do not purchase your flights until the trip has been confirmed to go.

Detailed Trip Information

Upon notification that final payment is due (120 days prior to departure for land based tours / 180 days for boat based tours), you will receive a trip package of detailed information for your tour.

Any additional information about the trip, including lodgings, contacts, participants, meeting locations, etc., will sent about 2 weeks prior to the trip departure, or after final payment is received for late registrants.

Travel Insurance

As with all tours, we recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to help cover your investment, for covered reasons. Please see our section on Travel Insurance.

Passport & Visa

US Citizens may require a visa to enter certain foreign countries. See above for any required visa information.

Participants arriving to the USA from a foreign country may need to get a travel visa to enter the United States. Be sure to check the requirements for your country of origin.

Itinerary Changes

The trip itinerary is developed many months ahead of time. Occasionally, despite our best planning, changes may occur during the trip, or we may be forced to alter our plans. Changes may occur because of weather, road conditions, safety concerns or other circumstances. In these situations, it is the leader(s) responsibility to carefully consider and implement appropriate alternatives. Any additional costs incurred because of changes will be the responsibility of each individual participant. Refunds will not be issued as a result of itinerary changes.