Shorewoods Photography-Boarding Group 2 Travel Blog

We are settling into an adventurous and welcome routine here in Costa Rica. We wake early at 5 AM and walk to the dining area where we have breakfast, keeping company with our fellow travelers in the group. We then head back to our room and pack our gear for the day. The last thing we do before we step out the door is use a hair dryer to warm our lenses and cameras after being in air conditioning; if we did not do this, our cameras and lenses would fog as soon as we step out into the humid, hot air. Condensation inside the cameras or lenses would not be good! We then head out to our meeting place, review our plans for the day, and load gear and ourselves into the vehicles.

Today we drive into the mountainous rainforests. We will be photographing wildlife that presents itself to us along the way, with our first destination being La Tarde, where we will have the opportunity to photograph frogs, lizards and snakes in their natural environments, practicing some macrophotography. The views from the road as we climb higher are stunning.

As we drive along, a Fiery Billed Acari is spotted in the trees, and we capture a few photos of this beauty.

We arrive to La Tarde, a tranquil location on the side of a mountain, surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife. As we begin photographing using our macro lens, we learn of the habitats and lives of the wildlife around us.

Not only do we make photos of the frogs and snakes, there are also hummingbirds, moths, and birds enjoying the flower gardens surrounding an expansive porch overlooking a richly forested valley.

While we were making photos, the skies opened up and we waited out a rainstorm under one of the awnings. The rain created a soft quality to the atmosphere and the light in the photos.

We said our goodbyes and thanks to everyone who are stewards for the wildlife that posed for us today, and headed back onto the mountain road. We spotted another Acari, and captured a few more photos.

We arrive for lunch a Danta Corcovado Lodge. The lodge is nestled in the rain forest, and just as we gather under the magnificent bamboo framed roof, the skies opened with another downpour like none we had yet experienced!

Our meal was absolutely delicious, and we were serenaded by the Howler Monkeys and rainforest birds while we ate. The rains subsided, and we’re soon back on our way exploring the roads and trees for photo ops. We came across some spider monkeys jumping between trees. I was able to create a composite of one flying mid-air. You can see them peeking out from within the tree before they launched themselves into a superman inspired flight.

As we drove back towards Botanica, we stopped at an overlook that provided sweeping views of the coast, and the hint of a rainbow. We also captured some photos of a macaw and toucan.

Back at our room, we unpacked our camera gear and got ready to meet our group for dinner. Art and I were still basking in the experience of lunch in the rainforest, during a rain storm. The rain was an accompaniment to our meal: the sound a background chorus to the monkeys and birds; and the smell of the rain like a good wine to the food, enhancing its taste. Today, along with all the wildlife foraging for food, we too, experienced lunch in the rain forest.