I participated in a twelve-day photo workshop led by Greg Basco and Paolo Valerio from Foto Verde Tours with a focus on multi-flash hummingbird photography in Costa Rica from 6 to 12 February, 2026.

During the workshop, we visited four different habitats: the Atlantic rainforest and the wetlands of Caño Negro, both bordering Nicaragua, as well as the cloud forest in the Central Volcanic Mountain Range and the Elfin forest of the Talamanca Mountains.

Atlantic Rainforest

Our first stop was at the Laguna del Lagarto Eco-Lodge where we stayed three nights. At the lodge they had set up a very nice perch and supplied it constantly with tropical fruits that attracted many birds, such as toucans, oropendolas and curassows.

In the evening we already had the first highlight of the workshop, multi-flash bat photography.

At a friend’s house nearby, we had our first opportunity to photograph hummingbirds while they were visiting flowers. Greg and Paolo set up multiple flashes to freeze wing beats and illuminate the hummingbirds perfectly.

A second photo session at the same location was for macro photography of insects, snakes and frogs, including the iconic Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas). Unfortunately, two of the insect species took off before we could capture them on the image sensor.

Before moving on to the next location, we all went to take photos of King (Sarcoramphus papa) and Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) from permanently installed blinds. Unfortunately, the vultures didn’t seem too hungry and took their time to fly down from the nearby trees to the carcasses in front of us.

Caño Negro Wetlands

The Caño Negro wetlands are pretty remote and the road leading to them was in rather bad shape, so getting there was a bit rough, but certainly worth it. On the way, our group of keen photographers stopped at a bird sanctuary to photograph free-flying Great Green (Ara ambiguus) and Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao).

The Cano Negro Natural Lodge is surrounded by the biodiverse Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge where we explored the lagoons and canals on a private boat twice. Thanks to the knowledge of the local guide and the expert boat captain who knew how to position the boat optimally and keep it steady, we got to photograph four of Costa Rica’s five kingfisher species. Luckily for us, the birds didn’t seem to be as shy as normal, so we could get rather close.

The whole refuge is abundant with wildlife. Besides the usual Neotropic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) and Anhingas (Anhinga anhinga), we photographed other birds such as the funny-looking Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius chochlearius) and even a Common Squirrel Cockoo (Piaya cayana) in the open. We also took photos of bats and reptiles such as caimans, crocodiles, turtles and iguanas.

Handholding the Nikkor Z 600mm ƒ/4 TC VR S lens on the boat was not a problem and the extra reach of the integrated teleconverter proved to be very useful. The super light Nikkor Z 400mm ƒ/4 for flight shots came in handy too.

Cloud Forest

To reach the central volcanic mountain range we had to drive for several hours. We shortened the time by taking a lunch break at a roadside restaurant which also happened to be a good place to photograph iguanas. The Lodge Bosque de Paz was small and turned out to be my favorite. It was situated on a clearing in the forest next to a stream and we had it to ourselves. As at the previous locations, there was enough spare time to explore and enough wildlife to take pictures of around the lodge.

On both days and right at the lodge, Paolo and Greg provided multi-flash setups with attractive native flowers. Especially the flower of the Kitti Cat Heliconia (Heliconia vellerigera) was an absolute eye-catcher.

The flower of the Indian Head Ginger (Costus spicatus) proved to be especially good for action since the birds had only one flower to feed on.

We also made an excursion to a nearby valley with a restaurant that offered stunning vistas of the cloud forest and the adjacent waterfall.

The place had some paths through the forest where it was a challenge to take photos due to the darkness. I got lucky and saw two Tayras (Eira barbara) crossing the path. Unfortunately, the encounter was too short to take pictures. Instead, I photographed a Nightingale-Trush (Catharus fuscater) singing the signature song of Costa Rica’s cloud forest.

The restaurant’s garden offered great opportunities to take backlit photos of hummingbirds sitting in the surrounding bushes.

Our two leaders from Foto Verde Tours had the permission to put up flashes for hummingbird photography there. Unfortunately, the available space was a bit limited and I couldn’t move back far enough to use the Nikkor Z 400mm. Instead, I had to use the Nikkor Z 70-200mm, which was a little short for a nice bokeh on some of the setups.

Elfin Forest

Our last destination was the lodge Paraiso del Quetzal to photograph the holy grail of Central America birding, the Quetzal. It took us several hours of waiting on three cold mornings, during which I wore everything I had brought on the trip, including a hat and gloves. Once, when we changed location in hope for more luck, a male visited one of the perches for a few seconds before flying off.

The lodge consisted of several bungalows strewn about the steep slope of a mountain valley with spectacular views. At dinner time, the restaurant always had a fire going, providing a cozy atmosphere.

We also traveled to a nearby valley where we ate lunch at our guide’s favorite restaurant. I ended the meal with my first Costa Rican espresso (locals normally drink just black coffee). Then we moved to a garden with a feeder area run by friends of Greg and Paul, which we could use exclusively that day.

As on the other days, Greg and Paolo kindly set up the flowers for the hummingbird photography, but this time without the flashes, since there was enough daylight.

At one time, the rain started to pour, creating the opportunity to take some unusual photos of wet colibris with rain drops.

Final Words

All the lodges we stayed at, were carefully selected and had nice local food options. The bus we traveled with had ample space and the driver made me feel like I was in very good hands. Greg and Paulo always provided some historical and cultural context of the country. All additional guides were local as well, and people were always friendly and welcoming.

Rainforest photography is a challenge. First you have to find the subject in the dense foliage, then there is almost always something obstructing the line of sight, such as a branch or leaf. The light is either too dark or too bright, mostly both at the same time, with a harsh light spot on or near the subject. Furthermore, the foliage is generally glossy, creating glare on the image. The heat and humidity when taking photos is not to be underestimated. Plus, you always have to keep an eye out for potentially deadly snakes or stinging insects.

But it is also immensely rewarding. When you find the one hole in the foliage and get a clear shot.

Flash photography can solve or mitigate some of these problems. If you are interested in learning about it, I can recommend both of Greg’s e-books Flash for the Nature Photographer and The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography.

Note: All photos on this page were only edited with Adobe Lightroom, no elements were added or removed from the images, some have Denoise applied.

More Wildlife Photography

After this workshop, I spent two more weeks in Costa Rica to take many more photos. For this second part of the trip I was joined by my wife and we traveled from San José down to the Osa Pennisula and back up. During that time, we had a night tour in Drake Bay, a private mangrove tour on the Sierpe River, and a wildlife tour in the Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge.

I’m currently in the process of reducing the number of photos I’ve taken on the trip and I will be adding them to my photo database on this website in the following weeks. Stay tuned.