Costa Rica wildlife photography. My Top five tips to photograph wild Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a top destination for wildlife photography

There are many reasons why I enjoy Costa Rica for wildlife photography. It is a close and very fulfilling destination, I can reach Costa Rica in less time then it takes me to get to Alaska. I truly enjoy the tropical environment with beautiful beaches and wonderful seafood. The wildlife is prolific with many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, and amphibians. Its a great location to photograph with both telephoto lenses and macro lenses all in the same day. The food is amazing and the lodging and the guides are top quality. Just like any wildlife photographic destination, there are some specific things that a photographer can be prepared for that will enhance the over all quality of the adventure. Here are five pointers that I personally think can help a photographer to have great success in the amazing place.

Get In Shape

Wildlife Photography in Costa Rica does not normally require long hikes and steep climbing in high altitudes. Although some walking is required and it will definitely pay off to walk and exercise daily. Starting several weeks before your journey to this stunning location, participating in morning and evening walks will give you a head start on being in condition for hiking in the rainforests. Most photography trips will provide transportation and only a minimum amount of walking may be required. It is a good idea to ask your tour leader if steep mountain hikes will be part of your itinerary. The mountains in Costa Rica can very steep. A very important consideration about getting in shape for photographing wildlife in Costa Rica is exercising your upper body, back, neck, and arms. Most species that are photographed in Costa Rica are found high in the trees. Holding heavy cameras and lenses up and pointing them towards the wildlife for long periods of time can be a bit tiring. Working on your upper body core strength can help you to maintain these camera positions for a longer period of time. Remember to always consult your doctor about any exercise routines. Our tours in Costa Rica do not require much walking, however we do often encounter wildlife in the trees and often have to photograph them with the cameras pointing up. It is no fun missing an image because you are fatigued while trying to hold your camera in the correct position. It is also important to remember to breath properly when holding up your camera. Learning to breath continually and staying steady is a great skill to master.

Be Prepared for Rain

The areas where a photographer finds the majority of species to photograph is in the rainforest. Of course they call it the rainforest for a reason. September and October can be very wet. We do our Costa Rica photography tours and photographic workshops in late June. This time of year normally gets enough rain to add beautiful depth and saturation to the environment. The cloudy skies will also provide some relief to the bright spots of light that can appear through the tree canopies. However, we rarely have rain that lasts the entire day. Having good rain gear for your camera and lens will keep you from having to stay indoors and miss some photographic opportunities during the rainy times of the day. It is also a good idea to have quality rain gear for your self, including a rain hat and water proof closed toe shoes. I personally use the Think Tank camera hydro cover. They are amazing. https://www.thinktankphoto.com/pages/accessorieshttps://www.thinktankphoto.com/pages/accessorieshttps://www.thinktankphoto.com/pages/accessories I also bring several lint free cloths that I store in Zip Lock Bags for drying lenses, cameras, and eyeglasses. Another tip would be to bring a small portable umbrella.

Understand how your camera works

I often experience the frustration of a photographer with a new camera having difficulties with all the different settings. Today’s new cameras can be very complicated and learning how to use them is vital to enjoying and being successful with your photographic outings and tours. It can be expensive to go on exotic photography adventures. Such investments deserve a wonderful time and the ability to get amazing photographs. Study the owners manual, download it and bring it along on your photographic trips. It is vital to set up your camera with your top features of importance for easy access when you are doing your photography. Once your camera is set up the way you like it, stick with it and let those buttons become second nature to you. For me personally I have my camera set up for easy and quick access to my three most important and often used features. ISO, Camera Tracking feature, and Continuous focus. I want to be able to access these features quickly and not waste time looking for them. We all have different priorities and shooting styles, try to match yours with the set up of your camera. Learn it, and practice it at home.

Use the correct camera mount at the correct time

Costa Rica can be very thick with ground cover as well as thick bushes and trees. Using a tripod will work in some cases, especially when doing river tours or photographing at eye level. However having three legs on a tripod can get caught up in the debris that often covers the forest floor. Another issue with a tripod is that often you are pointing your camera towards the tree tops and its vital to have a tripod that will extend to or slightly past eye level. It can be difficult to lean over and photograph upwards all at the same time. A monopod is a nice alternative to a tripod as it will help to relieve the fatigue that comes with shooting for long periods in upward positions. A gimbal style tripod head is very important as it will give you a fluid motion when photographing flying birds. I recommend the ProMediaGear Kevin Dooley Safari Gimbal. https://promediagear.com/collections/gimbal-heads/products/gkjr-katana-pro-green-gimbal-head-kevin-dooley-safari-edition Most likely you will encounter weight restrictions on your domestic flights. A top quality carbon fiber tripod is an investment that will come in handy in many photographic adventures. I use ProMediagear tripods and monopods. They are tuff, lightweight, and very reliable. https://promediagear.com/collections/carbon-fiber-tripods-42-series

Camera and Lens fogging can be an issue

Lens fogging can be a huge hindrance and should be addressed in environments with extreme tempertaure changes and high humidity. I have found that it really comes down to giving your gear time to acclimate to the conditions your are photographing in. The humid and wet climate of Costa Rica combined with air conditioned lodging and transportation can be a sure way to experience lens fogging. It is so nice and refreshing to enjoy a good nights sleep with air conditioning. However when going from your air conditioned room to the hot and humid outside air, it can be a problem for your lens. Make sure you have plenty of time for your lens to get acclimated to the outside conditions. When I leave for breakfast I leave my camera and bag outside in an area that I can keep an eye on it. I do not leave my camera and lens in the camera bag. My camera bag is very weather resistant and I want my lens to get acclimated to the same conditions I will be photographing in. I leave the zippers on my camera bag slightly open so they can get some circulation. Just be careful to make sure the zippers are secure when carrying the bag. When traveling in the transport to the areas where we photograph I try to keep my window partly open and the air circulating. I use a few different camera bags. One of my very favorites for this type of adventure is the Think Tank Backlight. https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/backpacks/products/backlight-26l . When traveling I do keep my camera and lens handy and ready. You never know when you will see something you might want to photograph.

What lenses do I bring

I take two lenses to Costa Rica. In most cases the domestic air travel will limit the over all weight you can travel with. I also prefer to keep things simple and spend my time photographing, Not trying to decide what lens to use. I am a huge fan of using top quality zoom lenses for travel photography. If I can get great images from one lens that will offer many different focal lengths I am all in. I much prefer to have the opportunity to compose and create my photograph in the camera. A good zoom lens will allow the photographer to create several different images at different focal lengths without having to move and possibly frighten the wildlife. My Sigma 60-600 is in my opinion the perfect wildlife photographers lens. It is everything I need in one package, from a wide environmental image to a close up portrait all with the same lens is a dream come true. I can go on a wildlife expedition and get everything I need from just one lens. It is supper sharp, very reliable, water resistant, and functions very quickly. The other lens that I take to Costa Rica is the Sigma 70mm Macro, although most of my images are done on the 60-600, its so much fun to go in supper close and discover the details in the smaller subjects. A link to the Sigma 60-600. https://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/60-600mm-f45-63-dg-os-hsm-s

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11.27.2022by kdooleyin Uncategorized

In the remote and beautiful Ethiopia. I create photography for…

Although these days I am known mostly for my wildlife photography, there is certainly another love that rests deep within my heart. In fact, I have had a wedding and portrait studio for just north of forty years. Other than three years in the US Navy, I have made my living as a professional photographer my entire adult life. It actually goes beyond that, my teenage years were spent with a camera in hand and photographs on the mind. In my teen years, one of my first jobs was developing and printing black and white images in my father’s portrait studio. With over seven thousand weddings, countless business portraits, and more family portraits than I can shake a stick at, photographing people has been and continues to have a major influence on my love of photography. My style and approach in my work has been to combine my technical and emotional development in both portrait and wildlife photography. In every image that I create, I try to dive deep into the world of that which is flowing through my lens and into my own interpretations and experiences of life. In other words when I photograph a lion in the wilds of Africa, I look for a lot of the same emotions, expressions, and feelings that I search for when I am photographing a human deep in the valley’s of remote Ethiopia. When I photograph people I find myself searching for the depths of hidden thoughts and hard to reach messages that are often found in wildlife. I try to bring out the expressions and messages that rest deep inside the human mind. Through the very creation and development of my own interpretation of life, I look for ways to bring the depths of another living creature to the eyes that view and interpret the photograph that I have created. For me, this journey has been and continues to be incredible. I truly believe that all living things are filled with deep thought and important messages. Messages through expressions, colors, tones, and textures, that can enhance our own life experiences in so many ways. In my journey to narrow the scope of my imagery to emotional impact and the viewers connection to the photograph, I use the technical assistance of a very shallow depth of field and the compression of telephoto lenses. This technique leaves little distraction in my images, allowing the viewer to quickly reach my intended connection to the depths of the subjects thoughts, feelings, and the very story of the photograph.

Canon R3. Sigma 60-600. 1/250, F6.3, 267mm

I have led many journeys to the remote and wild parts of beautiful Ethiopia. Both wildlife and tribal photography have drawn me to this visually stunning and culturally fascinating destination. With so many journeys under my belt, one would think that my selection of camera gear would be a breeze. However, I am embarrassed to admit that I am still highly challenged in this department. I suppose when it comes to selecting what lens to take I start out with them all. Once I realize that my camera bag is so heavy that I would have to travel with a crew of sherpas, I begin the dreadful process of narrowing it down.

The destinations subject matter and the mode of transport are of course, huge considerations when it comes to making my final lens choices. Another important factor that I have to consider is where I will be traveling to before and after a specific location. I will often go from one country to another with very different goals for each location. Often I will be traveling from a wildlife location to a tribal portrait location with no time to head home and trade out my lens for different types of photography. In my situation, it’s important for me to select lenses that offer a variety of uses.

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 105 Prime. 1/40, F2.8, 105mm

Canon R3. Sigma 60-600. 1/200, F6.3, 222mm

If I had to narrow down my gear to just one lens, it would be the Sigma 60-600. I have been using this lens as my main go to lens since it was released in 2018. I have used this lens for just about every type of photography I do. In fact I have even used this lens on weddings. I teach several workshops a year in locations where we use bush planes and are restricted to under fifty pounds of weight including clothing and personal items. The first lens I go for when packing my camera bag is my Sigma 60-600. It is by far the best all around lens I have ever used. It is a bit heavy at just under six pounds, however that six pounds is pure usable focal lengths and very sharp. My Sigma 60-600 has been the best all around lens I have owned and used in my 40 plus years as a professional photographer.

Canon R3. Sigma 60-600. 1/400, F5, 139mm

I truly enjoy using my 60-600 for portrait photography. Having the various focal lengths allows me to both be interactive with my subjects when I am looking for a specific pose and expression. On the other hand when I am photographing with a more candid approach I can easily maintain a distance and still reach out and get nice close images. I love how the compression of the telephoto lens builds a very soft, creamy background. In most cases, unless I am using a wide angle lens and telling a story, I personally like to keep my images simple and clean, often using the wide open side of my aperture choices. The easier it is for a viewer to look at at a photograph the faster the photograph will grab and hold the viewers attention.

Canon R3. Sigma 60-600. 1/640, F6.3, 204mm

I never travel with just one lens, I am a firm believer in having a back up system. I use the Sigma 150-600 C as my back up lens. It is very light, very sharp and although it’s missing that 60-150 focal range, it is the perfect back up lens. Gear can be dropped or broken and a back up is vital when investing in a destination type photographic journey. That being said, when traveling to Ethiopia for Tribal Photography, in addition to my 60-600 lens, I prefer to pack and use two other lenses. My Sigma 16-24 and my Sigma 105 Prime.

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 105 Prime. 1/125, F1.4, 105mm

Back in the days when I was doing a lot of wedding photography I used an 85mm 1.2 prime lens. I loved the slight telephoto look combined with the minimal depth of field. The wide aperture also allowed me the ability to photograph in low light situations without having to introduce an artificial light source. I wanted to maintain that ability, yet with just a slight bit more compression in the background. So I decided to with from the 85mm to the 105mm. It is a dream lens for sure. I love using it.

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 105 Prime. 1/40, F2.5, 105mm

Early in the morning when the beautiful people of Ethiopia are starting their day, I love to spend time with them photographing and learning about their culture. This is a time when I will often use my Sigma 14-24mm 2.8 Art Lens. I will normally take a low camera angle and photograph the mornings activities with a natural and candid approach. Often these days start very early, normally just as the sun is making its appearance for the day. I find myself photographing in very low light conditions and using the lenses 2.8 aperture quite often. As the light improves I may also use an aperture setting that allows me a bit more depth of field . However, I truly enjoy using the wide lens with a minimal depth of field.

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 14-24 Lens. 1/320, f2.8, 14mm

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 14-24 Lens. 1/640, f4, 14mm

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 14-24 Lens. 1/150, f2.8, 17mm

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 14-24 Lens. 1/30, f2.8, 14mm

In conclusion, I am a huge admirer of the line up of Sigma Lenses. I do have my favorites and the three lens that I use when photographing the tribes in wild and remote Ethiopia are right at the top of favorites list. I try to select my lenses to match my style of photography and these lenses meet those needs. I use gear that is an extension and a pathway of expressing my personality. My gear is a tool and a connection to the expressions of how I view and share the world through my photography. I am very specific to select the gear that fits into my style and my technique. These Sigma lenses are the very windows that allow me to enjoy, feel, create, and share my love of photography.

Canon 1dxmk3. Sigma 105 Lens. 1/5000, f7.1, 105mm

I am excited to head back to the remote parts of wild Ethiopia where we find and photograph tribes that still live and practice their traditional cultures. We have spent years establishing relationships with these wonderful people and the experienced guides and interpreters that accompany us on these life changing journeys. I love sharing this amazing adventure and teaching the techniques of people photography in such an inspiring and interesting location.

Canon R3. Sigma 60-600 Lens. 1/640, f5, 79mm

08.24.2022by kdooleyin Pantanal, Uncategorized

Sigma The Jaguar

All Wildlife Images made on a Canon R3 with a Sigma 60-600 Lens

The sunrise over the Cuiaba river was the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of rich Brazilian coffee. I glanced to the southwest and felt a twinge of excitement running through my body. Another beautiful day in the wild Pantanal is about to begin. My safari group has had a wonderful start to our jaguar safari. With two days of some of the very best jaguar sightings I have experienced, we have already photographed several beautiful jaguars . Today we will travel several miles up the Cuiaba river and connect to one of my favorite areas of the wild Pantanal. The narrow and winding upper Caxiri Channel. An area that is normally full of wildlife. The large caiman hug the shorelines in search of fish and the many birds offer such wonderful photographic opportunities. The capybaras sit upon the river banks and occasionally swim and feed along the waters edge. All this activity keeps our cameras busy, however, it also provides both food and the perfect habitat for the jaguar. Today we will explore and enjoy the wild and beautiful Pantanal.

Our boat captain was a very quiet man. Often protecting his face with a bandana and his eyes with dark sunglasses. Due to my lack of speaking his native language and his inability to speak mine, we became experts in the art of hand gestures. However, there was one word that we both shared with full excitement. “Jaguar”. I have always had a fairly good knack for spotting wildlife but, compared to our boat captain, my ability of spotting Jaguars in the thick jungle was not even close to the his abilities. He was also an expert in navigating our boat through the river channels of the wild Pantanal, often having to avoid fallen trees and masses of floating vegetation.

Enjoying our journey up the Cuiaba river, stopping to photograph monkeys, birds, and caiman, along the way, we eventually reached the mouth of the Caxiri channel. A narrow and sandy opening led us into the channel and we began our adventure down the winding and narrow waterway that would eventually empty back out into the main river. A few years back I had seen two jaguar brothers in this area and I was hoping to find at least one of them again. I was curious to see how the young jaguars had grown and flourished. Just shortly after stopping to photograph a family of capybaras I glanced to the river bank in front of us. We were entering a very sharp turn and the river bank was tall and steep. As I scanned the thick vegetation upon the tall river bank, I spotted a jaguar looking straight at us. Before I could get a word out our boat captain beat me to it. “Jaguar, Jaguar”, he said.

I had my Canon R3 with my favorite Sigma lens, the Sigma 60-600, resting on my lap and ready for action. I quickly brought the camera to my eye and managed to get a few images before the jaguar moved into some thick bushes. I immediately realized that this must be a shy jaguar and possibly a jaguar that has not been spotted or photographed previously. We slowly worked our way around the river bend and continued to look for the jaguar. With no visual, we decided to wait a few minutes and see if she reappeared. I saw an area on the riverbank that looked to be a trail through an opening that came to a stop at the rivers edge. I asked the caption to slowly back the boat up so that I could see down the trail. In doing this we spotted the jaguar laying down on the trail just far enough back that we could not see her from our previous position. Again I began to photograph her and at this moment our other boat arrived. The guide and I came to the conclusion that this was a new jaguar to the area. She was shy and did not stay around for too long. We felt she was a jaguar that had not been seen or photographed before.

That evening we touched base with the wildlife biologist and compared the images to the jaguars that have been discovered in the area. There is a complete list of photographs of the various jaguars along with their given names that help the biologists keep track of the jaguar population in the Pantanal. After confirming this was a new jaguar to the area, I was allowed to submit the photographs and present a name for the new jaguar.

Why would we name a wild animal? The Pantanal holds the largest concentration of wild jaguars in the world. The importance of studying and maintaining a healthy population of jaguars is vital to the continuation of this rare and beautiful species. Each jaguar is unique in appearance, having specific and identifiable markings and patterns helps the researchers and biologists to keep track of the well being of each individual jaguar. Such important details such as age, reproduction, habitat, diets, and interactions with each other as well as other species can be studied. The jaguar population within the Pantanal is a very important indicator to the over all health of the jaguar species. Therefore it is much easer to keep records and study information on a specific jaguar when it has a given name.

Why would I name a jaguar “Sigma”? I tried to share my reasons in writing this little piece of how I feel about my Sigma 60-600 lens. My travel companion and friend, indeed I am so grateful to you. The joy I have had, the happiness I have felt, the accomplishments you have given to me. So trustworthy and solid. In all that you have shown to me, close and clear, wide and fulfilling, bright and crisp. With approximately a million images, three cameras, over eleven country’s, and several years of being my main lens, I do believe you deserve this special award. So in your honor I have named this amazing wild and beautiful jaguar “Sigma”.

Being blessed with the honor of naming a wild jaguar with the purpose of helping their population flourish goes beyond my wildest dreams. To explore such amazing places as the wild Pantanal, is an adventure beyond words! As our week in the Pantanal continued, we would end up having photographic opportunities that were incredible. With every outing both morning and afternoon we found and photographed many different Jaguars. If this journey is an example of how the Pantanal gets better and better each and every year, I can not wait to see what next year brings in the wilds of Brazil. A true wildlife photographers dream place.