Tag: Photography Workshops

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April 2026: Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For April we chose an image from our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop. The image was taken by Melissa Stanton at the Perica Sloth Garden on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Melissa is a wildlife and travel photographer from Chardon, Ohio.

Congratulations to April 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Melissa Stanton

Melissa using her macro lens to photograph a Poisonous Dart Frog

The Story… 

So we were at the Sloth Garden and we had been there for a little while seeing the different sloths. We thought there was a baby in there but had only seen the paw so far.

It started moving and I really hoped it would stick it’s face out. It did! He had his tongue sticking out and he gave us a big yawn. Then he just sat there staring art us.

I shot it at 20 frames a second because it was dark back there. I was hoping to get something in focus. The image I chose was one of the few that were in focus.

I was shooting at 1/60th second on a 600mm lens. I was at 6400 ISO and that was the highest I could get for shutter speed. I had capped my ISO at 6400. I tried to stay as still as I could. It was exciting because it was a cute little critter.

Tom was standing right next to me. I was saying, “Oh my gosh, there’s the paw, there’s the face. Oh, it’s yawning.” I have photographed a baby Two-Toed Sloth a total of one time.

April 2026 Photo of the Month

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 600mm

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/60th second

ISO: 6400

Aperture Mode, auto ISO

About Photographing on the Osa Peninsula

It is just so beautiful. There are animals everywhere. You can hear them from your room. You feel like you are in nature, becasue you are.

The guides are amazing. They can spot the tiniest birds 8 miles away in dense jungle. They tell us all about the behavious of the animals. They know all the calls they make. Sometimes the guides will imitate the Howler Monkeys call, which is a bit shocking at first. I am sure the Howler Monkeys appreciate that.

Squirrel Monkey mother and baby

Photographing in the rainforest had a learning curve for me. I think I got way better images on the second trip than on my first. I would absolutely encourage people to go back to Costa Rica a second time. I saw a lot of things on the second trip that I did not see on the first. With technology advancing and better cameras, it made it easier to get what I wanted.

I did not see the anteater on my first trip. I did not photograph a scorpion. On the first trip I did not get what I’d consider a usable photo of a Spider Monkey. Now I have the whole monkey collection.

My favorite outing of the trip is between the Sloth Garden and the Macro Day. They are both interesting experiences with very different wildlife. I would never encounter venomous animals on my own. It is nice to be able to photography them with someone who is experienced and do it safely. I am not about to photograph venomous snakes on my own. It is just not happening.

Eyelash Viper on a heliconia stem

Melissa’s Tips for Macro Photography with Reptiles and Amphibians

1) The macro lens was awesome for the tiny frogs. I could get closer to them and let their body fill the frame. I would not have wanted to be that close to the snakes.

2) I used the 100-400mm for the snakes. I recommend that you just keep shooting at 20 frames a second. They keep moving and flickering their tongues.

3) For the frog on the leaf you have to hunt therough the jungle and wait for the sun to come out at just the right angle…..ha ha.

The elusive frog on a leaf shot

On Melissa’s Horizon:

Alaska – Kenai Peninsula

South Africa

Antarctica

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Melissa and Brian at the Perica Sloth Garden

Upcoming Online Events:

Happy Hour – Spring Image Celebration: Join us to celebrate images created by our community of photographers. Send in 3 of your best images from this spring and see what others have created. Tuesday May 19, 2026 at 6 pm Denver time. Everyone welcome! Send a note for the link.

Workshop Openings:

Just 1 Space Left: Alaska Black Bears August 8-14, 2026 Photograph huge Black Bears in Alaska’s coastal rainforest near the town of Wrangell. Cruise the pristine waters in a small boat and photograph whales, sea otters, calving glaciers and flaming sunsets. Read more

Just 1 Space Left: Iceland Puffins and Waterfalls July 23-31, 2026 Walk right up to puffins on the cliffs of Iceland. Photograph some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Read more

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Costa Rica Rainforest 2026: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just returned from their Costa Rica Photo Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. We had terrific mammal sightings this year. We photographed two species of sloths, two species of Dolpins, a mother Northern Tamadua Anteater with a baby and 4 species of monkeys. This is a great location for animal lovers.

To see photos of the Costa Rica Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here

What’s Next: Tom and Cree are headed to Louisiana and then South Texas next. We have one space available on our Texas Birds in Spring Workshop if you would like to join us on May 11-16, 2026. Great way to improve your bird photography skills.

FREE EVENT: Join us for our free online Spring Image Celebration: May 19 at 6 pm Denver time. Send in three of your best images from this spring and see what everyone else has been photographing. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.

Upcoming Workshops for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

Happy Spring!

Tom and Cree

Photos of Tom and Cree by Jon D’Alessio

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March 2026: Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For March we chose an image from our Iditarod Photo Workshop. The image was taken by Richard Epter at the official re- start of the Iditarod in WIllow, Alaska. Richard is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Augusta, Georgia.

Congratulations to March 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Richard Epter

Richard and Wendy mushing at the Dallas Seavey Kennel

The Story… 

There had already been a handful of mushers through the starting chute. Jessie Holmes was number 7. We had all talked about who would win this year. He won last year and was a likely candidate for this year as well. When I saw him coming around the curve and at me I started taking frame after frame.

I saw him lifting both of his hands into the air closer to the chute and banner. Then he started getting close to the crowd as he was coming down the hill. He touched one person’s hand and that was the frame I captured.

It was an emotional second. I was thinking, here he is at the beginning of a 1000 mile journey and he is making a connection with the crowd. The dogs were just raring to go. It was electric energy at the beginning of the race in Willow.

March 2026 Photo of the Month

Photographing the Iditarod was a life changer for me. Five years ago I did not even know what the Iditarod was. After we signed up for the workshop, I listened to a book on tape about the race with Wendy. It was all very intense: the challenging trail conditions, the worry for the dogs, possibly going over a cliff or running the dogs into open water. It really changed my idea of the race.

In Anchorage, it was a magical day with the snow. We used high shutter speeds to photograph the teams in falling snow. Taking photos in the snow with fast shutter speed. It was amazing being so close to the sleds in Anchorage. We were down very low to the ground to get eye level shots when they ran past us.

These dogs and mushers who do this race are like Olympians. They train for years. They breed the dogs and live with them. They are like family. Seeing that special bond was one of the coolest things ever.

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 100-400mm at 210 mm

Aperture: f5.6

Shutter: 1/3200

ISO: 1250

Manual Mode, auto ISO

About Photographing at the Rainy Pass Checkpoint

That was amazing. We took a bush plane into Rainy Pass. I did not know what to expect. I had never been to a remote checkpoint before.

As we were flying there, I was looking at Denali on my right. I was looking down and I could see the tiny teams below us. The sleds were surrounded by white snow and magnificent scenery. Everything looked so small within the context of the vast Alaskan Range in winter.

When we landed it was breath-taking. It was a large frozen lake with cabins and outhouses. The planes coming in and taking off were very photogenic as well. Getting to ride on a snow machine was very cool.

It was a tranquil environment. The teams were magnificent coming into the checkpoint. You can read about it, but you have to be there to really understand it.

When they check in they have to show they have all the mandatory gear. The dogs are checked to make sure they are healthy and don’t have snow on their paws. I was relieved to see how much care there was for the dogs at the checkpoints.

Dogs resting at the Rainy Pass Checkpoint

We had gone in front of the officials to get a bit ahead so we could lay down on the ground. There was a person in a blue jacket taking pictures of three teams coming in at once. I wondered if it was normal to see three teams at once. I was laying down a little bit off the trail.. I wanted to make sure I got all three in the frame. It was an unbelievable site. It was lucky to be were I was. I’ll never forget that photo.

Three teams arrive at once in Rainy Pass

Richard’s Tips for Photographing Dog Sledding

1) Shoot wide open with your aperture. Use a telephoto lens. You only have fractions of a second to capture the perfect moments. Shoot at 20 frames a second. You have to be ready with your finger on the shutter, even in cold temps.

2) Decide whether you want the focus to be on dogs in the front, the whole team or the musher.

3) When choosing the best images in post, look for images that are sharp and have great dog expressions. Look for paws that are in the air. The bacon tongues just crack me up.

Bacon tongues on Jessie Holmes’ dogs in Anchorage

On Richard’s Horizon:

Katmai National Park in Alaska

Kenya

Northern Lights in Alaska

Iceland

Richard and Cathy Ahles at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod in Anchorage

Upcoming Online Events:

Happy Hour – Spring Image Celebration: Join us to celebrate images created by our community of photographers. Send in 3 of your best images from this spring and see what others have created. Tuesday May 19, 2026 at 6 pm Denver time. Everyone welcome! Send a note for the link.

Workshop Openings:

Just 1 Space Left: Alaska Black Bears August 8-14, 2026 Photograph huge Black Bears in Alaska’s coastal rainforest near the town of Wrangell. Cruise the pristine waters in a small boat and photograph whales, sea otters, calving glaciers and flaming sunsets. Read more

Northern Lights in Alaska – February 23-28, 2027. Join Tom and Cree at the Chena Hot Springs Resort for aurora photography at the top of a mountain dome. Read more

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Iditarod Photo Workshop: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just returned from their Iditarod Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. We were delighted to have clear weather for our flight into the Rainy Pass Checkpoint this year. We had a glorious scenic flight into the Alaska Range and terrific access to the dog teams when we landed.

To see photos of the Iditarod Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here

What’s Next: Tom and Cree will be at home in Alaska for a few weeks. It looks like there will be a strong aurora event around March 21, and they may head to the arctic for it. After that they are trading in their snow boots for sun hats as they head south to their annual Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop.

FREE EVENT: Join us for our free online presentation on Aurora Photography: March 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Tom and Cree will share our favorite tips for shooting and editing aurora images with the TBPW community. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.

Upcoming Workshops for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

Happy Spring from Alaska!

Tom and Cree

Talkeetna, AK. Mushing
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February 2026: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For February we chose an image from our Arctic Lights Photo Workshop. The image was taken by Laura DeSimone in the town of Wiseman, Alaska. Laura is from Fernley, Nevada and is known for her photos of flowers and rodeos. You can see her work here.

Congratulations to February 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Laura DeSimone

Laura on the Middle Fork of the Koyokuk in Alaska

The Story… 

Tom was outside and he told us through What’sAp that the sky was blowing up with aurora. We grabbed our gear and ran outside.

It was amazing. The full moon was so cool because it just shown through the aurora. It illuminated the foreground and everything around us.

We set up our tripods next to the rest of the group. We were waiting for the evening aurora tour. We were on the road in front of the lodge. Off to the side there were all sorts of trucks. I shot to the north to avoid the trucks. The remove tool and auto were my friends in editing. I also added a little bit of texture to the entire image.

When we see aurora in Nevada it is faint, like a cloud. You really can’t see it without a cell phone. In Alaska you could see the shapes of it with the naked eye. I could see the shapes in the sky.

My glasses frosted up. So I just put them in my pocket and I was shooting blind.

I really appreciate Tom letting me use his jacket. That really saved me. I had my good down parka with me but it would not have kept me warm at -40. Tom loaned me his big yellow Feathered Friends jacket. I had 2 down parkas on, a fleece jacket, two long underwear tops and a t-shirt. With all that on I felt like the Michelin Man. I stayed warm the whole time.

February 2026 Photo of the Month

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z8

Lens: Nikon 14-24mm at 14 mm

Aperture: f2.8

Shutter: 5 seconds

ISO: 640

Manual Mode

Texture in new snow on the Dalton Highway

About Photographing in Arctic Alaska

It was so much fun! The snow, the shapes of the frozen trees. The textures in the snow. I have never experienced cold like that, but I didn’t feel cold.

It was a great adventure. We were in an extreme environment. I had boots on that felt like Frankenstein boots. They worked.

I totally got into the frozen forest. The shapes were interesting. I wondered how the trees live when they are covered with so much snow and in such extreme temperatures. I loved the textures in the snow and how the wind created lines on the snow. The blue sky and the white of the trees made me in awe. I already want to go back

Historic cabins under the aurora in Wiseman, Alaska

Laura’s’ s Tips for Aurora Photography

1) Point and shoot. It is like shooting the Milky Way. You’ll be shooting long exposures. WIth aurora you want to try to stop the activity in the display by using just enough shutter speed but not too much.

2) Shoot a ton. You want to have a choice of foregrounds and displays.

3) Good luck if you have glasses on. They are kind of useless when covered with frost. I would bring contacts next time.

On Laura’s Horizon:

Iceland

Svalbard

Death Valley – Superbloom & Milky Way

Laura shooting from the dog sled

Free Event: Aurora Photography: an online presentation with Tom and Cree. Learn everything you need to know to photograph and edit the aurora on Zoom. Wednesday, March 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Send us a note to get the link.

Workshop Openings:

Tom Bol Photo Workshops is headed back to Antarctica in 2028. We will be navigating below the Antarctica Circle with Polar Latitudes – a place where few boats go. Penguins, whales and stunning icy landscapes. Just a few spaces left!

Explore Alaska this summer with Tom and Cree. Daily boat rides keep the walking to a minimum. July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. Learn more about our Alaska Kenai Explorer Workshop

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Trip Report: Arctic Lights

Tom and Cree just returned from Arctic Alaska on their Arctic Lights Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. We were delighted to have aurora for three nights of the workshop. In addition to the Northern Lights, our group photographed the Enchanted Forest, landscapes in the Brooks Range, reindeer, dog mushing and ice sculptures.

To see photos of the Arctic Lights Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here

What’s Next: Tom and Cree will be at home in Alaska looking for aurora and photographing the Last Great Race for our Iditarod Workshop at the beginning of March.

FREE EVENT: Join us for our free online presentation on Aurora Photography: March 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Tom and Cree will share our favorite tips for shooting and editing aurora images with the TBPW community. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.

Upcoming Workshops for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

Openings on a photo expedition on the opposite side of the world. We have a special Antarctica Workshop that will travel below the Antarctica Circle, a place so remote that few boats go there. When: December 2027.

Want to visit Alaska in the summer when all the animals are out and the flowers are blooming? Alaska Kenai Explorer. Whales, Sea Otters, wildflowers, calving glaciers and beautiful mountain scenery. July 7-12, 2026

Happy Early Spring!

Tom and Cree

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January 2026: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image from our Antarctica and South Georgia Workshop. The image was taken by Teri Manchen on a zodiac excursion to a Macaroni Penguin colony. Teri is a wildlife photographer who splits her time between Ohio and Florida.

Congratulations to January 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Teri Manchen

Teri and Chris Manchen on South Georgia Island

The Story… 

We were in Hercules Bay on South Georgia Island and we went around the corner to a small cove. None of the other zodiacs came over to that location. Both boats in our photography group made it over. It was towards the end of the photo session and we had not found many Macaroni Penguins to photograph yet. I really wanted to see them.

There were fur seals in the cove and Macaroni Penguins were everywhere we looked.

There was a whole group of them. The boat was rocking. I zeroed in on a group of penguins that were all clean and all walking in the same direction. I liked that the lichen on the rocks matched the crest on the penguins. This is the only photo I got where all of the penguins were looking up and facing the camera.

January 2026 Photo of the Month

When I was editing the photo I had to work on the eyeballs a bit. They have bright red eyes and they were originally pretty shaded.

My ISO was pretty high because it was dark and overcast in the cove. I used the denoise function in Lightroom to take care of that.

The Macaroni Penguins were pretty cute. I like the bright yellow color of their crest.

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 600mm 6.3

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/2000

ISO: 5000

Exposure Compensation: +1.0

Chinstrap Penguins in Antarctica

About Photographing in South Georgia and Antarctica

I love Antarctica. It is so pristine. It was amazing to be there. I probably missed a lot of the iceberg photos. We had just been in Greenland and saw a lot of icebergs. I felt like I had that piece and focused on the penguins instead.

South Georgia was quite amazing. Every turn you would take there was a new aspect. It was super fun because the penguins would create a mile long trail to the colony. I wondered if it was worth walking a mile. Then I walked to the end and said it was the most amazing thing I’ve seen in my life.

I wish I had taken more videos to show how it was. When we were on the water in South Georgia and we were seeing penguins all over, there was always a beautiful landscape right behind the penguins. If I was shooting penguins with my 600mm I missed the landscape.

Seeing so many Humpback Whales was crazy. The lunge feeding was incredible. I have also never seen so many flukes before.

The weather in the Drake was perfect for us. I was nervous and brought a bunch of different medications but did not need it. I have seen other people posting about the Drake Passage and was very happy that we had the weather that we did. There was no sea sickness on the trip.

It is definitely a bucket list trip. It was unbelievable.

King Penguins walking in the snow on South Georgia

Teri’ s Tips for Photographing Penguins

1) So happy I brought the 600mm lens. I used it 70% of the time. It focuses well and at 6.3 you can still create good bokeh.

2) Make sure there is a good background behind the penguins. I like blurry backgrounds or something that shows a mountain scene.

3) I shoot mostly in wide area large focus mode. The camera does the work and catches the eye for you.

4) I used the side lean to get low. We were not able to sit, squat or lie on the ground because of animal safety. I just leaned to the side and got as low as I could.

5) Shooting in the colonies was more difficult. I was always looking for good interaction between birds or for chicks.

Humpback Whale fluke in Charlotte Bay in Antarctica

On Teri’s Horizon:

Black Bears in Alaska

Patagonia in Spring

Bears of Lake Clark

Banff in Canada

Africa and Asia

Teri in a Chinstrap colony in Antarctica

Thank you for reading our Photo of the Month posts! We’d love to know what you think about them. Send us a note.

Workshop Openings:

Tom Bol Photo Workshops is headed back to Antarctica in 2028. We will be navigating below the Antarctica Circle with Polar Latitudes. Join the Interest List here.

Want to photograph wildlife from a boat in Alaska this summer? We have space available on our Kenai Fjords National Park Workshop July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. Learn more

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Trip Report: Antarctica and South Georgia

Tom and Cree just returned from Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands and are sharing the highlights with you. We were delighted to have calm seas and weather for this workshop. Our group photographed penguins, whales, seals and icy landscapes over a period of 17 days at sea. We will be returning to Antarctica again in 2028 (more below)!

To see photos of the Antarctica and South Georgia Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here

What’s Next: Tom and I will be at home in Alaska looking for aurora and winter wildlife for the next 5 weeks. We will be heading out for our Arctic Lights Workshop and the Iditarod Workshop at the end of February.

FREE EVENT: Join us for our free Winter Image Celebration: February 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Submit 3 of your best photographs from this winter to share with the TBPW community. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.

Upcoming Workshops for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

We hope 2026 is off to a great start for you!

Tom and Cree

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Trip Report: Botswana Photo Workshop

Tom and Cree just returned from Botswana and are sharing the highlights with you. We were very excited to have had terrific opportunities to photograph hippos on the Chobe and lions at the Okavango Delta. The early rains this year gave us the chance to photograph animals splashing and leaping though water for the first time in Botswana.

To see photos of the Botswana Photo Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here

What’s Next: Tom and I have been out photographing aurora in Arctic Alaska for the last week. This week we are photographing a few local events in Alaska and then hope to make it to the Kenai Penninsula before Christmas. On Christmas Day we fly to the tip of South America to start our 21 day Antarctica & South Georgia Photo Tour

FREE EVENT: Join us for our free Bol Holiday Gift Guide: October 10 at 6 pm Denver time. For this annual event we share our top gift ideas for photographers. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.

Upcoming Workshops for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

Wishing all of you the Happiest of Holidays!

Tom and Cree

Just how close do the lions get in Botswana?
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Trip Report: Greece Photo Tour for Strabo Photo Tours

Tom and Cree just returned from the Greece Photo Tour with Strabo Photo Tours and are sharing the highlights with you. We were very excited to have had two portrait shoots while on the tour. We also really enjoyed the authenticity and hospitality of the people in this more remote part of Greece.

To see photos of the Strabo Greece Photo Tour, check out the trip report by clicking here

What’s Next: Tom and I will be heading to Botswana for our annual Africa Workshop. If we are lucky we will photograph Mr. Special – our favorite resident male cheetah at Splash Camp. For the month of December we will be enjoying a break in Alaska while we photograph aurora and spend some time in our favorite spot for Eagle Photography – Haines, Alaska.

Upcoming Workshops for Strabo Photo Tours

Upcoming Workshops for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

Happy Trails!

Tom and Cree

Checking out the museum at Olimpia, Greece