Category: Photo of the Month

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May 2025: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For May we chose an image from our Monument Valley Workshop. The image was taken by Joan Carroll in Mystery Valley. Joan is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Fort Worth. You can see her work featured on Fine Art America.

Congratulations to May 2025 ‘s featured photographer – Joan Carroll

Joan photographing texture in the sand dunes at the Totem

The Story… 


That was one place where everyone was all gathered. You pointed it out to us and said it was perfect for forced perspective.

A forced perspective landscape was something I had not done before or even knew about doing. I moved around to get what I thought was the best composition. When I started to develop it, I cropped off part of the bottom. In the Image Review someone else showed a similar photo with the bottom included. I was glad I had cropped mine.

True confessions: I eliminated a tree up on the right side to the right of the green tree. It was a dead tree. It was nice to have the green tree in the composition, but I did not want to have a dead tree in the scene. I used generative fill to remove it.

During the editing process, I had been working on some other photos and I was becoming overwhelmed with the color of the rocks. I decided to try black and white for this photo. I liked the effect right away. I used the Adobe Camera Raw profiles and chose the one with the most contrast. I wanted the edges of the ripples to stand out.

May 2025 Photo of the Month by Joan Carroll

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: 14-24 mm Nikkor at 15mm

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/800

ISO: 400

Aperture Priority

About Photographing in Monument Valley


We can’t talk about Monument Valley without talking about the ride up to Hunt’s Mesa. Despite my back issues and the cushion I brought along….I just love that kind of ride up a very rough road. I thought it was great.

I wouldn’t love it so much if I didn’t trust the driver so much. They have driven the road so many times. I assume they know what they are doing. They know how to get up the rocks, when to speed up, when to slow down. It was fun. I liked it.

I enjoyed Carl Phillips. I enjoyed his willingness to share his culture with us without having to be probed. He had great stories to share with us and added a lot of detail. I found the people that we dealt with in the hotel, in the stores, in the restaurant to be very friendly and hospitable. Much more so then what we see in other places in the United States. I found the hospitality to be quite nice.

The land is just spectacular. You cannot really say too much about how beautiful it is. The sunrise shots, the star shots, they were just spectacular.

It was great to get into Honeymoon Cave and see the ruin. It was cooler there and breezy. It was a very peaceful place. When we went up into the cave I had to carry my entire backpack with me. The (Moki) steps going up into the cave where spaced perfectly. After the first 4 steps it was easy.

We did so much on this workshop that I keep forgetting everything that we did.

Anasazi Ruin in Honeymoon Cave

Joan’ s Tips for Landscape Photography in Monument Valley

Tip 1

Stand next to Tom or Cree and see what they are photographing. Sometimes we need a little guidance.

Tip 2

Sometimes when I go places I don’t spend enough time looking for alternatives. I take a photograph and just stay there and photograph it over and over. This time I wanted to walk around and look for nearby places. At one point I found a curving pattern of white on a wall in in Mystery Valley. I was glad I had walked around to find it.

The Totem at sunrise

Tip 3

I hear people talking about not starting to photograph right away but to look at the scene and get a feel for what it is all about and how to approach it. Sometimes we get anxious and just run out and start shooting. I wanted to try this in Monument Valley.

Tip 4

Get the postcard shot but then look for other ways to photograph the landscape. Different angles, shoot with a filter. You can always do better. I need to consciously remind myself to do that.

On Joan’s Horizon:

Grand Teton National Park

Iceland in the summer

Greenland

Greece

Antarctica and South Georgia

Workshop Openings:

Join us in Monument Valley in 2027 Aug 30-Sept 3: Space Available More details

We have two last minute openings for our popular Ouray Fall Color Workshop Sept 28-Oct 2, 2025. Photograph dazzling yellow aspen leaves in the Colorado High Country. Read more

Happy Spring!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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April 2025: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For April we chose an image taken on our Texas Birds Workshop. The image was taken by Ed Miron at the Laguna Seca Ranch in Texas. Ed is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Fort Collins, Colorado.

Congratulations to April 2025 ‘s featured photographer – Ed Miron

Ed in the bird blinds at Laguna Seca Ranch

The Story… 


Well, the story was you told us we might see a Scissor tailed Flycatcher. I looked on the map and saw the very limited range where you could see these things. So I knew it was pretty special.

I was concentrating on photographing a cardinal that was out to the left. Cree pointed out a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on the right. It was just on a branch as I recall. I just wasn’t quick enough and then it flew away. But then it, it did a loop and came back and I had a second chance. And this time I was more prepared and I got the shot.


Prepared for me was changing the camera to pro capture mode. I also had to switch on the tele-converter. I increased the shutter speed to 1/4000th of a second. Someone who’s very skilled could do it very quickly but it probably took me a little longer.

The flycatcher looped around and came back a third time and that’s when I really nailed the shot. So I had a wonderful lens and I had a very cooperative flycatcher.

When I got the camera, I saw a YouTube video on the Pro-capture feature and it was interesting. I played with it just a little with our bird feeder like a year ago in our yard at home. After that, I never had a reason to use it. I knew before this trip I would use it. And I revisited and I saw that the Olympus has three different Pro captures, a dizzying array of settings. And then at the Texas Birds Workshop it was pro capture Boot Camp.

We spent half a day devoted to capturing birds in flight. I was so fortunate that the flycatcher came in the day after we had so much practice with Pro-capture. I felt like I was up to speed.

Pro-capture is a game changer for birds in flight.

April 2025 Photo of the Month by Ed Miron

EXIF Data:

Camera: OM System 1 Mark ii

Lens: 180-300mm with 1.2 built in teleconverter

Aperture: f5.6

Shutter: 1/4000

ISO: 4000

Manual Priority with Auto ISO

About Photographing from the Bird Blinds in Texas


The bird blinds were just unbelievable. I mean, the birds come to you and they come in a flurry. And it’s so well thought out. The placement of the bird blinds. The fact that you have some blinds just for morning use because the sun’s behind you. Then other bird blinds you just go to in the afternoon. The blinds are really thought out with photographers in mind.

I loved the fact that they have this wide area of a hundred yards of a cleared field behind the perches. You could get great bokeh. I think it took more skill designing the bird blinds and setting them up then to take good photos in them . I mean in a way, it’s a little bit like cheating because it just seems too easy.

Before the workshop I spent a morning photographing a Marsh Wren in Fort Collins. They’re hard to photograph. They like to stay hidden in bushes . They’re very skittish when they come out. It took a lot of time and I got one great photo. In the bird blinds you really get a lot of good photos quickly.


So I think a birder would be in heaven there. Somebody who’s not a birder would also really like the trip because they would get a lot of fantastic photos of birds that would emotionally resonate with anybody, even if you know nothing about birds.

I walked away knowing a lot more about birds.

Green Jay on a perch with Blue Plumbago

Ed’ s Tips for Photographing Birds

Tip 1

You really want to have the best longest lens you can get, even if you have to rent a lens. It was much more important to have a longer lens for birds then it was for bears.

Tip 2

Patience. Sometimes the blinds were insanely busy and some times they were slower. You don’t control the birds so flexibility and patience is important.

Northern Cardinal courtship behavior

Tip 3

Having a knowledgeable birder with you will help you get better photographs. Having you and Tom call out the names of birds when they entered the area kept us alert. We learned what behavior to look for like the mockingbirds attacking the raptors. And then, the cardinal behavior between the male and female giving it food. Also the puffing up of the Bronzed Cowbird.

Tip 4

When you are in a bird bling you are alert, you’re in the moment. You have to pay attention. It is exciting. You may just have seconds. Your adrenaline is really up. It is incredibly fun!

On Ed’s Horizon:

Ohio Warblers

Greenland

Nome, Alaska

Lofoten Islands in Norway

Where are Tom and Cree? We will be traveling to several locations for workshops in May: Louisiana, Ohio and Monument Valley. We will do our best to return your messages as soon as possible!

Workshop Openings?

Join us for the 2026 Iditarod! We have space available. Photograph the Last Great Race and fly into the remote Iditarod Checkpoint of Rainy Pass. We’ll photograph aurora at night if it is out! Read more

We have two last minute openings for our popular Ouray Fall Color Workshop Sept 28-Oct 2, 2025. Photograph dazzling yellow aspen leaves in the Colorado High Country. Read more

Happy Spring!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photographer of the Month – January 2025

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image taken on our Bosque and White Sands Workshop. The image was taken by Ellie Burns-Brookens while photographing the “Blast Off” at Bosque Del Apache NWR. Ellie is a landscape photographer from Oregon who is quickly becoming a wildlife photographer as well.

Congratulations to January 2025 ‘s featured photographer – Ellie Burns-Brookens

Ellie in White Sands National Park

The Story… 

I don’t shoot birds very well. We had a practice session where we were just learning about our equipment. I knew I needed help getting the right settings. Steve Glass helped me get the right Canon settings. Tom did a presentation that showed us what we were looking for with birds in flight. Tom’s hints included light coming through feathers, groups of birds and specific behavious. That helped me understand the goals.

I knew that I needed to just see those situations and shoot. With landscape photography I take my time and try different compositions. The pace is much faster with wildlife photography.

We shot for quite a while that morning. I started by taking close up photos of Snow Geese. I tried to capture bird behaviour and then started working on birds that were taking off and landing.

Tom often starts yelling random things. He said “Try to get them flying through the sun”. This made no sense to me in the beginning. I was wondering “What exposure should I use?” “How do i do this?” Then I just started looking for groups of geese flying through the sun. I kept tracking them and pushing the shutter.

January 2025 Photo of the Month by Ellie Burns-Brookens

In this photo, I loved the silhouettes, especially the one with the tattered wing. In order for me to be successful with this king of shooting, I needed a combination of knowing when to start shooting and knowing what to looking for. Normally, I would never have shot into the sun without Tom’s hint. A tiny bit of skill, Some luck. And the right suggestion at the right time.

Now I am in Hawaii shooting albatross in flight….very hard! I feel like I know what I am looking for. The camera is behaving. I feel like I have learned a lot. It will be a long time before I feel like I am really good at it.

I am using Photo Mechanic now to go through all my new bird images. This is the least edited photo I have ever done. It was all in the camera. I added a slight vignette and brought down the highlights.

Okay…..I guess you can shoot into the sun.

EXIF Data:

Camera: Canon R6

Lens: Canon RF 100-500 at 500mm

Aperture: f7.1

Shutter: 1/1250

ISO: 100

Mode: Manual, Auto ISO

Sunset with Sandhill Cranes at Bernardo Refuge

About Photographing in Bosque

I learned a lot more about wildlife photography. The last time I shot birds was in Patagonia and they were condors with 9 ft wing spans.

The colors in Bosque are stunning in the sky. You have beautiful light for the background to the wildlife.

We knew the geese and cranes would be coming to certain areas for roosting at night and take off in the morning. The ponds are managed for that. The wildlife is so abundant that you get a chance to practice a lot. There are so many behaviors to see. Combine that with incredible skies and it is just magical.

I didn’t realize the Sandhill Cranes were so colorful. They are quirky birds that make weird gestures. They move their necks in funny ways. They are very different from other birds that I have photographed.

I love the feeling and the noise when all the cranes come in at once. You can hear them coming from a long way off. It is very exciting. I didn’t think bird photography would be so exciting.

About Photographing in New Mexico

I loved photographing in White Sands. It felt a lot like photographing in the Palouse. I practiced looking for shape and light. This was different for me as a landscape photographer. I was looking forward to that.

I did a workshop in the Palouse and for the first few days I could not see it. I could not see the shapes and lines. This came back to me when we were in White Sands. I was always looking for beautiful opportunities with layers and V shapes. Intersecting lines and curves. The intersecting layers reached all the way to the mountains and it was so pretty.

The other thing that was available was finding a single standout subject, like the yucca, to contrast to the sea of shapes and color. I tried to keep it very simplistic. I used my telephoto and made sure I had just a few layers in the foreground. I put the yucca on the right on purpose to balance out the hills on the left.

Landscape in White Sands National Park

Ellie’s Tips for Photographing in New Mexico

Tip 1

Go with Tom and Cree. They know the locations and the bird behavior. It is the perfect workshop to learn to shoot birds in flight. I could never have done it on my own. I knew what to look for and had plenty of time to practice in the field.

Tip 2

I was amazed at the colors. I love lenticular clouds. I have never seen a bright orange lenticular cloud like that before. In White Sands, the sand reflects the beautiful color of the clouds. I don’t know of any other place where the light is like the light in New Mexico.

Tip 3

These are great locations for trying new creative techniques. Sometimes you get stuck in a photography rut and want to be more creative. These are great places to try thinking differently. Shoot flying things flying through the sun. Shooting shapes and simplicity in the dunes. This workshop got me jazzed up again. I am inspired to try more new things.

Sandhill Crane Behaviour in Bosque NWR

On Ellie’s Horizon:

Iceland

Botswana – first time to Africa

Ireland and Scotland

Orkney and Shetland Islands

Ellie photographing the Blast Off in Bosque NWR

What’s coming up?

Happy Hour: All About Aurora – Join Tom and Cree for a free online presentation on photographing the Aurora. February 11 at 6 pm MST Denver time. Click here to ask for the link

Where are Tom and Cree? We are headed to Finland for a Northern Lights Workshop and then on to Baja to photograph whales with a group. Both temperature extremes on these two workshops

Workshop Openings? Interested in photographing whales and iceburgs in Greenland? One space just opened in August. We also have openings for Costa Rica and Spring Warblers in 2025.

We are headed back to Bosque and White Sands in 2027. Just 2 spaces available.

We hope you are enjoying some winter photography where ever you are!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photo of the Month August 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For August we chose an image taken on our Katmai Bears Workshop. The image was taken by William Janssen while photographing brown bears in a remote part of Katmai National Park in Alaska. William is a wildlife photographer from Canada and has a strong fondness for bears.

Congratulations to July 2024 ‘s featured photographer – William Janssen

Photographer William Janssen

The Story… 

We were all watching the mother with her cubs fishing. She lifted up her head and noticed something in the water. I knew she saw something. I anticipated that she was going to go after a fish. I was on Nikon 3D auto focus mode and decided to stay with that.

Photo of the Month – August 2024

As she brought up her left paw I made the decision to follow her with animal detect mode turned on. She went into a full trot right towards us in the stream. I took 30 images of her going after the salmon. She ended up catching it and I also got a few frames with the sockeye in her mouth ( image below).

Brown Bear with Sockeye Salmon

We all had slightly different angles. Annette caught the bear in full pounce. We were all shooting at 20 frames a second but have different final results.

I chose this image from the series because the tail fin of the sockeye really shows up. I also liked the splashing in the water and the catch light in her eye. I found that in the images where she is diving into the water the amount of splash dominated the scene. In this image there was just enough splash and the fish stands out.

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon Z series 100-400 mm with 1.4 teleconverter

Aperture: f8

Shutter: 1/4000 second

ISO: 1250

Mode: Manual with Auto ISO

In the image below I really wanted to capture a bear from a lower angle. I had the camera’s collar turned around and the live view screen puled out and turned on. I could look down at the screen and hold the lens about six inches from water level. I was sitting in the water right next to the dead salmon. I was shooting with the auto focus mode in animal detection mode. Fortunately the image was really level. You can see the blood on its mouth, where it had just finished eating a fish.

About Photographing in Katmai National Park

This was exhilarating to be so close to the bears. We were very deliberate about our approach. We observed them and saw which way they were traveling and then the guide decided where we would position and sit down. This method helped us be around the bears without impacting their behaviour.

Brooks Camp felt awfully commercial with boardwalks and viewing platforms. It seemed more like a tourist attraction. When we were in remote Katmai National Park all of that was gone. You land on a lake and walk a few kilometers to a bluff.

On the way we saw ptarmigan and bears lying on the tundra. As Tom says, “Katmai is the land of the happy bears”. They do not see the people as a threat because of the way that the groups approach them. I would not be on the trip if I didn’t feel it was safe.

This was a very bear oriented trip. Some of my other bear photography trips involved many other species like marine mammals, Bald Eagles, sealions, harbor seals. We focused just on brown bears.

It far exceeded any expectations I had.

William’s Tips for Bear Photography

Tip 1

I am used to being in close proximity to animals. Trust your workshop leaders. Try to pick up as many tips as possible and try new techniques. On this workshop, I switched to manual mode from always shooting in aperture priorty. I practiced at home with red fox kits. Using manual mode gave me better control of the ISO

Tip 2

Use your exposure compensation button even when shooting in manual with auto ISO. I started using it more on the second day of the workshop and it helps with correct water exposure and backlighting.

Tip 3

Try to stay calm. I get excited every time. Maintain focus. Check your settings and review images even if you are excited.

Tip 4

I ended up with over 15 thousand images because I shot at a frame rate of 20 frames per second for the whole trip. Don’t be afraid to fill your cards.

On William’s Horizon:

Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in Canada

Gray Wolves on Vancouver Island

Alaska Black Bears

Great Bear Rainforest Komode Bear

Katmai Brown Bears – Rafting

William at Lake Iliamna, Alaska

Want to join us in Katmai National Park for Bear Photography in 2026? We will be rafting to where the bears are. August 28-Sept 2, 2026 Read more

Ready to join us before then? We have space on one of our most popular stretches of Route 66. Use speed lights to illuminate classic cars, sleep in a WigWam and join us “standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.”

Route 66: Albuquerque to Winslow, Arizona from Oct 23-27, 2024 Learn more

Happy Trails!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photo of the Month July 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For July we chose an image taken on our Pantanal Workshop for Strabo Tours. The image was taken by Melissa Stanton while photographing jaguars in the wetlands of Brazil. Melissa is a travel and wildlife photographer and has a strong fondness for felines.

Congratulations to July 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Melissa Stanton

Photographer Melissa Stanton

The Story… 

We came around the corner and the jaguar was walking down a log. Tom was yelling and dancing around. He is always so excited about cats. I figured I better get ready to take a photo.

It looked like the cat was thinking about jumping into the water. I turned up the shutter speed a bit so I could get it in focus, Then the cat jumped.

It was fun to watch him swim. Cats do not normally like water. To see cats swimming was really kind of cool. Everyone was so impressed with watching the jaguar jump. The jaguar was pretty close to us when it happened. It was definitely cool to see.

I didn’t know that I had such a good picture until I got home and looked at in on the bigger screen.

Photo of the Month – July 2024

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon Z series 600 mm PF

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/5000 second

ISO: 1600

Mode: Manual with Auto ISO

About Photographing in the Pantanal

It was great. It was relaxing to be in the boats, riding around on little rivers. Everywhere you looked there were capybaras or caimans or something else.

The drivers were very good at getting us close to the wildlife. We were close but we did not disrupt them.

We were ridiculously close to some of the birds and they did not seem to care. They knew they could just fly away. They also knew that we were not going to bother them so they just went about their business.

The birds were easy to capture. Many of them were perched right near the river. There was a lot of variety between the huge storks and the tiny kingfishers.

I was going through my photos and landed on the Road-side Hawk. I thought he looked so cute. He’s on one foot and is looking right at the camera. This created a connection which I really liked.

Roadside Hawk

The Capybaras looked so chill. They sit around on the banks. Lucas, our guide, said they are stressed because of the jaguars but to us they seemed like the Chill Dudes of the river. The caiman would lie right next to them without a worry. They just look like fun animals.

It was a great trip, fun leaders and companions. I was glad I was able to do it!

Melissa’s Tips for Wildlife Photography

Tip 1

Try to be aware of everything. There were so many birds and animals that I needed to watch my shutter speed. I didn’t want to miss the shutter speed and end up with soft photos.

Tip 2

Shoot in manual with auto ISO. The light conditions changed all the time and using these settings made it easier for me to get it right.

Tip 3

The Nikon 600mm pf lens was amazing. It was very sharp and very light. For 70% of the shots on this trip it was the perfect focal length. A few times I was a little too tight and ended up focusing on just a part. of the animal

On Melissa’s Horizon:

Route 66

Greenland

Moving to Spain in 2025

Antarctica

Melissa photographing hummingbirds in Ecuador

Join us on a workshop this fall! Spaces Open in 2024:

Route 66: Albuquerque to Winslow, Arizona from Oct 23-27, 2024 Learn more

Route 66: Oklahoma City to Amarillo from Oct 18-22, 2024 Learn more

Bosque and White Sands National Park Workshop from Dec 8-12, 2024 Learn more

Enjoy the Olympics!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photo of the Month – May 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For May we chose an image taken on our Badlands Workshop. The image was taken by Jim Seward while photographing bison in Badlands National Park. Jim is a travel and landscape photographer from the Chicago area.

Congratulations to May 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Jim Seward

Photographer Jim Seward

The Story… 

I do not have a lot of experience shooting wildlife. First I got some of the iconic shoots of bison but I wanted to get something different as well.

We were on the long road with a fence line. I didn’t like the fence line in the background. On the left side of the road there were a pair of bison standing up but they were not doing much. I saw a little head pop up in the yellow flowers. He was lying down with just his head up. I got down low and shot at eye level.

It was all the things I have learned from taking pictures over the years. I wanted my mid ground to be sharp with interesting bokeh in both the foreground and background. I shot through the flowers to get the effect.

If somebody puts me in the right spot and I have decent equipment, I can take a decent picture.

Photo of the Month – May 2024

EXIF Data:

Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Lens: Sigma 150-600 mm with 1.4 extender

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/400 second

ISO: 500

Mode: Manual

About Photographing in the Badlands

I was completely surprised at how much color variation there was. This was especially in the rocks. The yellows and the reds blew me away. Before the trip I had looked at several sites to see what we would be shooting. None of those images did justice to what we actually shot in the park.

It was like shooting sunsets in Patagonia. The colors are so good right out of the camera that you barely need to do anything in post. I just let the colors speak for themselves.

The timing for the green grass in Spring was important. The green grass, yellow rocks and blue sky were tremendous. It is the right time to go to the Badlands if you like color.

These is also a great variety of wildlife. I got a couple shots of the Burrowing Owls. I had never seen them before in my life. I was amazed by their habitat. Just to see it was terrific.

Goin to the abandoned town was as fun as anything in the park. I have used ND filters before in New Zealand, Utah and in North Dakota. The sky was perfect for Cottonwood. With an ND filter I like spending a little more time. It is a more relaxed pace.

With the silo I kept repeating the process over and over to get the right sky. I wanted the clouds moving over my head. I like it when the clouds are moving into the background.

Abandoned Silo in Cottonwood

Jim’s Tips for Landscape Photography

Tip 1

When you are in the field and you think you might be done, wait another five or ten minutes. You might be surprised with a piece of light that breaks through or a change of color. Things can change just when you think it is time to leave.

Tip 2

Don’t be afraid of unusual light situations. On the last morning we had fog roll in. We thought the fog would obliterate everything. However, as the fog moved through the scene it created some interesting photos.

On Jim’s Horizon:

Namibia

Greenland

Oregon Coast and Redwoods

Harris and Skye in the Hebrides

Jim photographing Big Horn Sheep

Interested in joining us in a national park this year? We have space on our Bosque and White Sands National Park Workshop from Dec 8-12, 2024 Learn more

Happy Summer!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photo of the Month: April 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For April we chose an image taken on our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop. The image was taken by Jason Fox during our macro photo shoot near Corcovado National Park. Jason is a wildlife and travel photographer from Ontario, Canada.

Congratulations to April 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Jason Fox

Photographer Jason Fox

The Story… 

I was looking for an angle with the right light. I remember Cree was right next to me. I was also looking for just the right angle for the background. The frog wasn’t going anywhere. So I was looking for the right expression as well.

I chose the Nikon Plena lens because I don’t really have a macro lens. I do not photograph macro that often. The minimum focus distance is quite short on the Plena. I figured this lens would give me good separation form the background. It also has legendary bokeh. Everyone goes on and on about the bokeh with this lens. I’m not quite sure why it is so unique, but it seems to do quite well.

My daughter absolutely loves frogs. This one of the reasons I chose to go to Costa Rica. I took the photo for her. I want to make a print of this one for her wall. This frog is a bit on the plain side. I thought it worked well with the muted background.

The editing for this image was pretty light. I wanted to leave some of the natural gunk on the plant because I didn’t want it to look too staged. I wanted the image to look natural. I did very little to the frog because it was so sharp, right out of the camera. I increased the vibrance on the frog just a bit and desaturated the background about 10%.

Photo of the Month – Gladiator Tree Frog

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon Plena 135 mm

Aperture: f2

Shutter: 1/160th seconds

ISO: 180

Exposure Comp +.7

About Photographing in Costa Rica

The critters and the locations are fantastic. I have shot in a lot of jungles. I was just in Borneo with Tom and Cree the month before. I found the lighting in Costa Rica to be challenging. The light seemed to change more frequently then in other places I’ve photographed. It was an exposure compensation workout.

I really enjoyed the macro subjects.. The Yellow Eyelash Viper was really striking. The anteater was also very cool. It is a rare critter and I felt very fortunate to be able to photograph it. I was next to Tom in the right place at the right time.

I have been to Costa Rica a few times before. This particular part (the Osa Penninsula) feels more wild and less developed. It was wilder than I would have expected for Costa Rica.

The sloth shoot was pretty phenomenal. I love sloths. We were much closer than I expected. In the past they always seemed to be way up a tree and hard to photograph. Usually they are just furry lumps in trees. But not on this shoot.

Three-toed Sloth in Costa Rica

Jason’s Tips for Wildlife Photography

Tip 1

Patience. It all comes down to finding different angles than everyone else. For the sloth image above, everyone was trying to get the clear shot from straight on. I looked at the direction that it was headed and moved over to the side. I like that he is partly covered by the leaves. This is a critter that is designed to hide and the image shows that.

Tip 2

Generally I like slower shutter speeds. Digital cameras are almost too sharp. I like to shoot slow and have the image be a little softer in the background or in the foreground.

Baby sloth in Costa Rica

On Jason’s Horizon:

Everywhere is on my bucket list

Canary Islands

South Africa and Madagascar

Bhutan

Antarctica

Indonesia

Jason getting to know his macro subject

Interested in joining us in Costa Rica next year? We have space from March 22-29, 2025 Learn more

Happy Spring!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photo of the Month: February 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For February we chose an image taken on our Indonesia Workshop. The image was taken by Richard Epter during a photo shoot in a rice paddy near Malang on East Java. Richard is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Augusta, Georgia.

Congratulations to February 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Richard Epter

Richard Epter in Indonesia

The Story… 

I remember that we got to sleep in. We left at 4am which was later than the days before. I had no idea what we were going to see because I had never been to a rice paddy before.

When we got there, we walked through some fields and then the view opened up. It was twilight and we were just starting to see light. In the distance I could see terracing. I could’t see much beyond that because it was cloudy and too dark.

There was a short wall made of mud on our right. The walls were a foot think. I thought it was gorgeous to see that. Terracing has always been fascinating to me. Earlier on the trip we saw terraces on the sides of mountains and I was amazed at how steep they were.

During the shoot, I learned how the local men in the rice paddies make the walls. They dig up mud, push it to the edge of the paddy and manually build up the the walls, layer by layer. It all happened right before us.

In my photo there are tiny rice plant shoots in the foreground. Rice is one of the few aquatic crops other than taro. The image shows a lot of water with the rice plants just starting to grow. As they grow they don’t need as much water.

I found it very interesting that on the downhill edge of each paddy, there was a small 6 inch gap that drained the terraces. This allowed the entire field to drain slowly throughout the day.

As the sun rose I could see a huge mountain in the background. I was so surprised to hear that it was Mt Semeru. Semeru is the the same mountain we had photographed days early with volcanic gases escaping. We were on the opposite site of the volcanic massif. It was not just a coincidence. That was fantastic to see and photograph both sides.

When we were walking back from the shoot, I was looking for an angle that really accentuated the lines of the terraces and the reflection of Semeru. I used a low perspective to get the entire mountain in the reflection.

It wasn’t until I got on the computer that I realized what I had. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was,

Photo of the Month – Malang Rice Paddy with Mt Semeru by Richard Epter

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 24-120

Aperture: f11

Shutter: 1/13 sec

ISO: 64

Mode: Manual

About Photographing in Indonesia

This was my first time to Indonesia. It has so much natural beauty. The people were so nice everywhere we went.

The only volcano I had ever seen was Haleakala in Hawaii a long time ago. All of my pictures were blown out then. I did a much better job this time around.

Our sunrise shoot at Semeru was very impactful for me. It was interesting to be so close to an active volcano. You never know what it is going to do. That is exciting in and of itself.

This was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. The gases were spewing perfectly to catch the colors of sunrise in the clouds. The sun started strolling down the sides of the volcanos and brought out all of the volcanic ridges.

Every day in Indonesia was exciting. We never knew what we were going to see.

The monkeys and orangutans in the wild made it feel like we were on the set of Tarzan. The skills of the guides were terrific. They could see and hear things that none of the rest of us could. They were fantastic. They would point out a kingfisher on a limb and I couldn’t even see the limb! It helped me learn to train my eye.

This was one of the most adventurous trips I’ve ever taken.

Mt Semeru at sunrise

Richard’s Tips for Travel Photography

Tip 1

Take an extra minute or so to access the angle of view. Try moving up and down to change your perspective. A foot to the left or right can also make a hug difference. When I squatted down, I was able to get the entire reflection of Mt Semeru in the photo.

Tip 3

Don’t worry about taking too many frames. Shoot at a high frame rate, especially if you are on a moving boat. I tend to shoot wildlife at 20 frames per second. This really helps capture more images where the animal is looking right at you. This makes a more engaging shot.

Tip 4

Use the lowest ISO that you can. I learned this from Tom in Indonesia. Now I try to use ISO 64 when I can to keep the noise low. Noise reduction software can make a big difference, but it’s even better to start with a low ISO.

Proboscis Monkey (left) Orangutan Juvenile (right)

On Richard’s Horizon:

Africa: Botswana, South Africa

Alaska Bears in Katmai

Iceland and Scandinavia

Ireland

Richard and Wendy Epter enjoying Borneo

Interested in joining us for a photo adventure in the rainforest? We have space available on our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop in 2025 Learn more

Happy trails!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Photo of the Month – January 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image taken on our Oaxaca Mexico Workshop. The image was taken by Monica Whitt during our Dia de los Muertos photo shoot. Monica is a commercial and portrait photographer from Anchorage, Alaska. Check out her work at Monica Whitt Photography

Congratulations to January 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Monica Whitt

Monica in agave fields of Oaxaca

The Story… 

The way the lights were set up was amazing. The Clam Shell format is pretty cool. It really highlights the face.

The background light was also convenient. The wall was already red. The background light with the red gel cap accentuated the color and added mood.

It was great to have the strobe trigger and be able to direct the model. I tried to get as many expressions in the face as possible. I asked her to turn around and to tilt her face a bit.

I also shot in portrait and landscape. I zoomed in and out. I was using my Canon 28-70 2.0 lens. This worked well for zooming. I just kept experimenting to see what worked best.

The villa was amazing. The arches, the color, the flooring. The whole place helped the mood and the vibe. It was comfortable and not at all hot. So colonial. I loved it!

Photo of the Month – Sofia - Day of Dead

EXIF Data:

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Lens: 28-70 2.0

Aperture: f8

Shutter: 1/100 sec

ISO: 100

Mode: Manual

About Photographing in Oaxaca

It was my first time in Oaxaca. Photographing people was a highlight of the week. This is why I signed up for the workshop.

I was also fascinated by the murals all over town. Then adding the couple (of models), this made it so much better.

I frequently had to decide what angle to photograph. Literally in a 360′ view, there would be 1000 photos right there. The people were just wonderful.

Chef Alejandro Ruiz at the market

Monica’s Tips for Travel Portraits

Tip 1

I recommend environmental portraits in Oaxaca. They showcase where the person works and the area.

Tip 2

Shooting in shade makes for even lighting. If there is no shade, try putting the sun behind the person.

Tip 3

Depending on their comfort level – tell the models to do whatever they want. They feel free and really show more natural expressions and genuine smiles.

Tip 4

I try to get a variety of expressions. When I work with high school seniors I ask them funny questions like, “Are you the smart one in the family?” They laugh and I get great expressions.

Working the agave fields

On Monica’s Horizon:

Patagonia

Germany – to visit family

Portraits of Native Alaskans

Interested in joining us in Oaxaca in January 2025? Learn more

Tom and Cree are headed to Borneo with a workshop this weekend. They will be photographing an area with the largest population of Orangutans in the world. After that they join a group in Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod.

Happy trails!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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December 2023 – Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For December we chose an image taken on our Bosque and White Sands Workshop. The image was taken by Tim Crull during a stunning sunset at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. Tim is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Indiana and he loves grizzly bears!

Congratulations to December 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Tim Crull

Tim Crull at White Sands National Park

The Story… 

When we arrived at the Roosting Pond, there were only a few ducks there. We could hear cranes from a distance and we started to see them flying towards us.

We needed the right sky color. Then we needed the cranes to fly right in front of it.

I began tracking multiple groups of cranes. Sometimes the cranes were not close enough. Othertimes they overlapped and did not look as good. I just kept trying until I got what I wanted. Just keep shooting.

Everything has to come together to get the right shot. I waited until I got an odd number of cranes with just the right separation between them.

Photo of the Month – Trio of Sandhill Cranes by Tim Crull

EXIF Data:

Camera: Canon EOS R5

Lens: 600 mm

Aperture: f4

Shutter: 1/1000 sec

ISO: 500

Mode: Manual, auto ISO

About Photographing in White Sands

I had never been there before. I’ve been to other sand dunes like in Death Valley. The white sand makes it really amazing.

I went two days before the workshop but could not get in early. Going with a workshop means you can get in before sunrise. This makes all the difference in the world.

It’s all about the light there. The sand reflects the different colors in the sky like no where else.

Sunset at White Sands National Park

Tim’s Tips for Photographing at Bosque

Tip 1

You need the right weather. Keep going back until you get it. A sunset with red or orange is what you want.

Tip 2

Shoot a lot. You won’t know the position of the birds and groupings until later.

Tip 3

Practice tracking birds with your camera and lens before you go.

Tip 4

The first day the 600mm felt like it was too much. But that was really all I used for the rest of the trip. The 100-500mm Canon lens was what I used in White Sands, in addition to the 24-105mm

Tip 5

Experiment. Try some slow shutter speeds. I shot the Snow Geese at 1/30th of a second and that was new for me.

Snow Geese at 1/30th second

On Tim’s Horizon:

Bears in Katmai National Park in Alaska

Iceland

Chilkat, Alaska for Bald Eagles

Denali National Park

Northern Lights

Tim at Bosque with his Canon 600mm

Tom and Cree just returned from a family vacation in the jungles and beaches of Mexico. Great to relax and enjoy sunsets with Spotted Eagle Rays swimming by us.

We are finishing up a very successful 2023 year. Thank you to all of you who joined us on trips this year. We hope to see you again in 2024: 2024 Schedule and 2025

Enjoy your holidays with friends and family!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com