Tag: Tom Bol Photo Workshops

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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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Trip Report: Costa Rica Rainforest

Tom and Cree just finished their Costa Rica Rainforest Photo Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their groups to the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica to photograph the animals, flowers and birds in the lowland rainforest. Our groups were delighted with the baby monkeys and abundance of Scarlet Macaws this year.

To see photos from our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here

What’s next:

Tom and Cree are headed to the Bayous of Louisiana for their next workshop. They will be gliding through the bayous on pontoon boats in search of alligators and birds and then visiting a rookery with nesting Great Egrets and Roseate Spoonbills.

Any upcoming openings?

Nome: Arctic Birds and Musk Ox: June 17-22, 2024 – 1 space available

Badlands National Park Workshop May 22-26, 2024 – 1 space available

Thank you for reading our trip reports!

Tom and Cree

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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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Iditarod and Aurora: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Iditarod and Northern Lights Photo Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to Alaska to photograph the action and pageantry of the Iditarod and then on to Fairbanks for Northern Lights. Our group was surprised how caught up they became in the ongoing race standings. It was also a great year for aurora, with the lights showing up 4 times on the workshop.

To see photos from our Iditarod and Northern Lights Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here

What’s next:

Tom and Cree are headed to Central America for their Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop. We will be photographing tree frogs, macaws and 4 species of monkeys in Osa Peninsula.

What’s New:

It’s official! Tom and Cree just bought a house in Palmer, Alaska and will be moving in June. They will continue to offer workshops in the Lower 48 and abroad, just from a different home base. New address coming soon.

Want to join us in Alaska this summer? We have a few openings:

Nome: Arctic Birds and Musk Ox: June 17-22, 2024 – 2 spaces available Click here

Brown Bear Safari: August 13-19, 2024 – 2 spaces available Click here

Thank you for reading our trip reports!

Tom and Cree

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Indonesia Workshop: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Indonesia Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to Borneo and East Java in Indonesia to photograph the colorful people, places and animals of the area. Our group enjoyed the interactions among orangutans and were astonished at how human-like they were.

To see photos from our 2024 Indonesia: Orangutans and Volcanos, check out our trip report by clicking here

What’s next:

Tom and Cree are headed to Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod. We will be photographing the “Last Great Race” in three different locations and then searching for aurora in Talkeetna, Healy and Fairbanks, Alaska. As part of our route, we drive right by the entrance to Denali National Park.

Thank you for reading our trip reports!

Tom and Cree

Indonesia Workshop
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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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Oaxaca Mexico: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Oaxaca Mexico Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to Oaxaca de Juarez in the mountains of Mexico to photograph the colorful people, places and food of the area. They loved the photo opportunities there so much that they decided to return for another workshop in Oaxaca in January 2025. We hope you will consider joining us.

To see photos from our 2024 Oaxaca Mexico Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here

Note about covid on this workshop:

On the fourth day of the workshop Cree tested positive for covid. We want to share this experience to help you understand what that looks like on a workshop. As soon as Cree felt a sore throat she used a rapid test and it was positive. She immediately isolated from the group and spent the next 3 days in her room watching Netflix and learning online Spanish. Because she isolated so quickly, no one else on the group came down with covid. Tom tested negative and was able to continue teaching. He decided to wear a mask for the remainder of the workshop to protect others.

A few take aways from this experience:

Realize that covid is still going around and as a traveler you could catch it. If you have any syptoms that could be covid, notify the trip leaders immediately.

Always travel with several rapid tests, masks and extra medication in case you need to stay longer. We recommend talking to your doctor about bringing covid medications.

Realize that if you test positive you cannot travel with the group and will need to isolate yourself. You will need to pay for any extra rooms, meals or transportation required for your isolation. We strongly recommend travel insurance for all of our workshops for that reason.

Fortunately, the recent strains have been fairly mild and most people recover quickly. Preparation and early detection are key to keep the group protected. Keeping everyone healthy is a top priority at TBPW.

What’s next:

Tom and Cree will be heading to the jungles of Borneo and the volcanos of Java for the Indonesia Workshop. Then it is off to Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod. Very different packing for those two workshops!

Thank you for reading our trip reports!

Tom and Cree

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What’s up at Tom Bol Photo Workshops

We hope your 2024 is off to a great start!

We are in the middle of teaching our two online classes this week. The topic of Artificial Intelligence has been getting plenty of attention. We want to invite you to attend our next free, online Happy Hour Chat on AI. We will be discussing AI in photography and looking at images modified and or created with AI. The session goes from 5-6 pm Denver MDT on Thursday, January 18. If you are an AI user, you are welcome to submit an image to share for the chat. Send an image or request the Zoom link at creetbp@gmail.com.

Sand not snow!

New Workshops for 2026

We have just started adding new workshops for 2026, including our Louisiana Birds and Bayous. Our Antarctica Workshop is already full with 20 people heading to South Georgia, the Falklands and Antarctica with us. We will be adding more workshops throughout the next few months and encourage you to check back frequently. We hope to post our 2026 Chilkat Eagle Workshop next.

Openings for 2024

Our Upcoming Openings button makes it easier to see which workshops have openings in the short term. We have a few openings in both 2024 and 2025. We look forward to seeing you in the field!

Today is the last day for us to take sign ups for our 2024 Northern Lights and Iditarod Workshop. We have a few open spaces if anyone would like to take advantage of peak northern lights season from February 29- March 8, 2024. Aurora, Alaska and some of the best sled dog photography in the world!

Speaking of Alaska, some of you have heard that Tom and I plan to move back to Palmer, Alaska in the next year. The timing is good for us and we look forward to returning to spectacular wildlife and landscape photography year round. Rest assured that we will be continuing all of our usual domestic and international workshops and perhaps adding a few new ones in Alaska.

We always love hearing from you! creetbp@gmail.com  

Cree and Tom

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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

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Bosque & White Sands Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Bosque and White Sands Workshop and want to share the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to two locations in New Mexico to photograph thousands of birds in flight and capture dazzling pink skies on white gypsum sand dunes. The photos were so good this year, we decided to add another workshop there in 2024..

To see photos from our 2023 Bosque and White Sands Workshop, check out our trip report, click here

What’s New:

This year is the peak of the 11 year cycle for Northern Lights Photography. That means the displays promise to be dazzling for night photographers. Three spaces available on our Northern Lights and Iditarod Workshop in March 2024. Learn more

What’s next:

Tom and Cree will be taking a break for a few days in the jungles of Mexico. They will be at home for the holidays and then working on a few Online Classes for January.

Happiest of Holidays to you and your loved ones!

Tom and Cree