ALL ABOUT Wildlife Photography - Part I

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FAQS About Wildlife Photography in the Amazon – Part I

When planning a trip to the Amazon rainforest for wildlife photography, it might seem somewhat facile to point out the importance of doing one’s research; however, this very simple step is often overlooked, and thus bears repeating.

Howler monkey

Howler monkey (Alouatta villosa) posing for the photograph – Tambopata Research Center, Peru

 

Some questions worth asking before setting off might include:

1. What is the weather this time of the year?

Dry and rainy seasons have become increasingly unpredictable in today’s global climate, and it’s worth checking the local conditions before booking and departing.

These will depend on what you would like to photograph.

2. Will I be comfortable?

This is an especially important question and one which is often neglected, often with repercussions. Bring a hoodie for unexpected chilly weather (early morning boat rides!). For instance, Waterproof socks can be good for walking across boardwalks and keeping feet dry when boots become flooded. An easily accessible compact umbrella attached via carabiner or even a contact sheet for lying on the ground and/or providing additional cover for one’s bag. Quick-dry clothing and extra microfiber cloths to clean optics. Individual zip lock bags for both clothing and photography equipment (with silica or dehumidifier pack)

 

If you are starting as a wildlife photographer or are doing this just for fun, you might be able to have the best of both worlds.

 

While many places offer high probabilities of sighting fauna and basic accommodation, you will also find those with luxury accommodation and wildlife fauna. Your choice will depend on the purpose of your trip. However, with Rainforest Expeditions I have seen that you could have the opportunity to combine both because their lodges are very well located with the national reserve behind or even within the same reserve and have more than comfortable rooms between comfort, suites, and even deluxe suites.

 

3. Do I have enough flexibility in my booking to account for emergencies or change the duration of my stay?

During the rainy season, airlines will often cancel flights which may lead to lost connections and complications. Alternatively, if you wish to book a longer stay but have arrived in the peak season, there might not be any additional room.

 

4. Will I find the wildlife that I’m looking to photograph?

This often depends on a variety of factors including the amount of experience, amount of time, the rarity of the subject, equipment on hand, season, etc… However, one can look at communal databases like a bird and iNaturalist, and concentrate one’s efforts in high probability zones, request specific guides, ask resident researchers or your travel specialist, etc…

 

5. Do I have the right photo equipment?

This is deeply personal and largely depends on the kind of trip you are preparing; however, I will outline in the next section my basic tools which might serve as a reference.

 

6. Are there any restrictions in the area to do my activities (wildlife photography)? Eg. Research, Sampling, Drone flight, exclusion zones, etc…

Researchers, volunteers, and those with a special mandate will undoubtedly have undergone special preparations for the occasion; however, it’s worth noting that many countries, national parks, and other areas are becoming increasingly restrictive in their drone policies. Camera trapping can also present some challenges, and thus it’s always worthwhile double-checking. In Peru, for research or commercial uses, you require a permit for the National reserve of Tambopata and consider a fee for the number of days you will be filming/photographing inside the national reserve.

 

For nature photography as an amateur and without commercial use intentions, there is no need to request special permits for the National Reserve of Tambopata.

 

7. Will I be able to repair/replace my equipment while in the field?

As a general rule, I never assume that I’ll find a specialized part or cable while traveling. Where possible I carry a redundancy, otherwise, I carry a small repair kit equipped with glue, silicone, tape, specialized screws and camera plates and a variety of electrical cables which I can manually tie together without the need for solder (there are few things worse than being unable to use one’s equipment on account of a dead charger!). Consider a jeweler’s screwdriver and a multi-tool as well.

 

These questions can serve as a kind of checklist, and help avoid pratfalls, especially when scaling up the size of the project or the amount of equipment.

 

Did you find these questions useful? in my next post, you will find details of the equipment that I personally use for each type of shot including macro lenses, landscape among others

Tiny frog by Paul Bertner

by Paul Bertner

  • What our guest say

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Such a wonderful experience deep in a part of the Amazon, Tambopata NP. They really involve you with what is happening at the research centre with evening lectures. The meals are outstanding and the rooms are comfortable and I had the best sleep. Dino our guide was outstanding. The river trip to see the Macaw claylicks was a beautiful outing. We saw Capybaras along the river and it was very scenic. The staff are friendly and very engaging. As a tour operator who sends clients to AFRICA for safari, I was hugely satisfied. Thank you, gracious. Food & drinks: Good was simply delicious Read all

An amazing experience in the Peruvian jungle. the information about the centre was very accurate so I knew what to expect but was blown away by the experience and competence of my guide for the four nights, Juan Carlos Yatto. JC was looking for birds for me from the moment he collected me at the airport, so we saw birds on the drive and on the boat ride as well as on the excursions themselves. I was in Peru three weeks and JC was my best guide by far. Don't miss the clay licks for sure, and the tower is also well worth the climb. Food and people are wonderful and the research very interesting. Read all

Das Tambopata Research Center ist eine wunderbare Lodge im Nationalpark Tambopata. Die charmanten, miteinander verbundenen Aufenthaltsräume und Zimmer befinden sich auf hölzernen Stelzen. Bei den offenen Gemeinschaftsräumen gibt es gemütliche Sitzecken, eine wunderbare Hängemattenrelaxzone und einen herrlichen Restaurantbereich, wo zu jeder Zeit Tee, Kaffee und Wasser zur Verfügung stehen. Die stilvollen Zimmer verfügen über bequeme Betten mit Moskitonetz und moderne, saubere Duschbereiche. Die Research Center Lodge mit den Forschungseinrichtungen liegt inmitten des Regenwaldes umgeben von der reinen Natur mit der fantastischen Flora und Fauna, welche dort auch weiterhin erforscht und geschützt wird. Jeden Abend gibt es dazu sehr interessante Vorträge. Die Mitarbeiter sind sehr freundlich, offen und zuvorkommend. Die Buffets waren sehr köstlich und reichhaltig mit Gerichten aus der Region. Es wird großer Wert auf ökologische und nachhaltig umweltschonende Bewirtschaftung gelegt. Von der Lodge aus ist es möglich, mit ausgebildeten Guides in Gruppen von maximal 6 Personen verschiedene Exkursionen zu machen. Speziell Timo war ausgesprochen freundlich, auf unsere Sicherheit bedacht, ging auf die individuellen Interessen der einzelnen Personen ein und vermittelte uns in seiner kompetenten Art umfangreiches Wissen über die Pflanzen- und Tierwelt. Er hatte dabei die wunderbare Fähigkeit, versteckte Wildtiere zu entdecken, und verschaffte uns wunderschöne Momente, auch durch das mitgetragene Teleskop, wodurch wir der Tierwelt näher sein konnten. So sahen wir u.a. Brüllaffen, Kapuzineraffen und Spideraffen mit ihren Kindern, viele Vögel insbesondere Papageien wie z.B. Scharlach- und Gelbbauch-Aras sowie Wasserschweine und verschiedene Insekten. Wir können diese wunderbare Lodge absolut weiterempfehlen. Die herrliche Tier- und Pflanzenwelt in dem wunderbar erhaltenen und geschützten Regenwald des Amazonas war auf unserer Peru-Reise ein wirklich fantastisches Erlebnis! Read all

Rainforest Expeditions is a wonderful company and the Posadas Amazonas lodge is a beautiful location to spend your time in the Amazon. The staff are all incredibly kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. The tours were very fun and we saw lots of animals including River otters, monkeys, birds, and capybaras. We loved our guide Luis and all the people we met. The food was delicious and locally grown and there was never a dull moment. Would highly recommend! Read all

I went to Posada as part of a wider group trip, so did not pay for it directly. The lodge feels very far from anywhere and yet it feels incredibly safe. The rooms are open to nature, but nothing was ever damaged (use the safe boxes as advised, especially for food - not that you'll need any - the catering is excellent, with plenty of vegetarian options, and snacks are also provided between meals). There are flushing toilets, incredible shower facilities and the beds are very comfortable with mosquito nets placed at night by the staff. Drinking water vats are strategicvally placed throughout the lodge but you may have a long-ish walk to the common areas through corridors. Some parts of the corridors are open to the elements, but umbrellas are provided everywhere in case of rain. There is obviously no air conditioning, but this helps you acclimatise. The lodge is run by a family and others from the Infierno community, which gives the place a homely feel, with resident tour guides and a local geologist for citizen science projects. Massage services are available and there is a local shop for souvenirs and essentials like bug spray, clothing and torches. Tons of activities can be arranged, but it's also nice to relax in the hammocks and common areas and listen to the sounds of nature. While this hotel is not going to be for everyone, I had the most incredible time! Read all

The place to go if you want to see Macaws in the Peruvian rainforest. We stayed at the Tambopata Reaearch Centre (TRC) for three days and had Juan Carlos Yatto as our guide for the duration of our stay. We loved the mission of the TRC ie Macaw conservation and the link between Macaw nest site availability and the overall health of the rainforest. Juan Carlos Yatto (there is another JC at the research centre) was a fantastic guide and really made a difference to our experience at the TRC. His knowledge of the different species of wildlife and plants was amazing, his ability to spot things in the day or at night was phenomenal and he really made things accessible for our group. His English is excellent (including great humour when appropriate) and is a super guy. I really do recommend the TRC abd Juan Carlos Yatto as a guide. We saw an abundance of wildlife of all descriptions thanks to him and learned a huge amount without being overloaded. Read all

Two planes, a bus and a boat…that’s how we made it to TRC, and every minute was worth it. Tambopata is a jewel, from the moment you are greeted by the guide assigned to you (Juan Carlos Gonzales for us) to the last boat ride back to civilization. Juan Carlos was amazing…on just one hike he found five of the seven species of monkeys in the area! He is truly an expert..can hear, see and even SMELL animals, birds and insects to point out to us. We upgraded to a deluxe suite and it was decadent! An elegant outdoor tub and shower on a private balcony was soo nice’ Although we went in the rainy season, it never rained while on a hike or excursion. It rained for a few minutes on our late afternoon cruise , but not enough to dampen our enthusiasm, or prevent us from seeing a capybara in the mid! (And despite the warning of a lot of mosquitoes, I have been bitten more in my own back yard!) The bar is great, there’s PLENTY of food…we are going home feeling so lucky to have had such a great connection to the beauty of the Amazon. Read all

We had a fantastic time for our 3N/4D stay at Tambopata Research Center. The whole experience was marvellous. Rooms and facilities were great and meals superb. The Staff, ably led by Tanya the manager, were all friendly and helpful. This is the only lodge actually inside the Tambopata National Park, and we enjoyed being so "remote". I like that you have one guide who coordinates and takes you on all your activities; Jair our guide was amazing. One morning our planned activity was rained out, and I liked that they have alternative "wet weather" activities planned. There are lectures each night by researchers, which were very interesting. Also citizen science projects that you can participate in. All up, it was a fantastic way to experience the Peruvian Amazon. Read all

Posada Amazonas by Rainforest Expeditions is an extraordinary place. From your arrival at the airport in Puerto Maldonado all the staff is always attentive to your needs. You travel by boat to the hotel Posada Amazonas and it is a unique experience. It really is a total disconnection and a recollection with Mother Nature 🌎 The buffet lunch is delicious (already included in the price). You have a guide who speaks Spanish and English at all times and accompanies you to explore the jungle, the river and other activities. The price is worth it. Outside my room I caught a glimpse of monkeys :) The night sky is starry and very spectacular ✨️ 5 star service. I will definitely come back. Read all

I stayed with my parents at Refugio Amazonas for 3 days. We really enjoyed our stay and had a wonderful time here. The staff were extremely kind and well informed. The lodge manager- Arturo in particular was very helpful. To highlight their culture: They prepared special vegetarian meals for my parents, always ensured we felt comfortable and all our needs were met. A stay here is a must do to get a real feel of the Amazon rainforest on your trip to Peru! Noteworthy details: There are a lot of activities for kids and families to do, but my personal favourites are: Macaw Claylick, OxBow river ride, sunset cruise and the canopy tower. Read all

An incredible and unparalleled experience I felt fortunate Read all

I can't express how amazing our guides were. Incredibly knowledgeable and able to spot birds, frogs, spiders, animals, etc. with an almost unbelievable ability. The research and contributions to the jungle they are making at the Center are to be commended. The facilities were nice and kept clean and the staff was great, but between the walls in the rooms being open to the jungle, the heat, the bugs, underpowered fans, having to completely cover up for hikes due to bugs and then getting overheated, etc. it made for a tough stay. The food was good but after a couple days became repetitive. I would recommend this for serious birders who are willing to endure a bit for an incredible adventure. Read all

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