Costa Rica
(Morris) This trip started out badly. Air Canada lost Irene's luggage. 5 days later Air Canada still does not even know where it is. You'd think that either it is still in Toronto, in which case they should know about it, or that they put out on a plane, again, in which case they should know about it. No such luck. We have sort of given up on even getting it back. Irene has been a trouper, putting up with the inconvenience with grace. We bought a few things, and she is managing. Fortunately, none of the photographic equipment was in the luggage.
Then the rain forest lived up to its name. I think it has rained for about as many hours as not. Things are very wet here. This led to the next near calamity. My computer stopped working. I thought it was a hard drive crash. The computer switched on, but the screen remained blank. It was probably just the humidity, which was severe, and condensation,. Fortunately it dried out by sunday evening as we are in a drier environment, band has been working since. Hence out usual blog is late.
(Irene) Out first night was in a beautiful hotel in San Jose. Beautiful gardens. Then we moved to a lodge called Salva Verde in an area of the rainforest called SARAPIQUI. I finally understand what rainforest really means. It is supposed to be the beginning of the dry season but as weather is not really predictable the wet season persists. What does this mean for the unsuspecting tourist you may well ask. Well one sweats a lot which means frequent changes of clothing. Therein lies the trick! If perchance you come with a limited wardrobe or better still if the airline loses your luggage and cannot find a single trace of it it becomes even trickier. Ah, wash your clothes. Only one problem- it's the rainforest and it even rains indoors. Well maybe not but it feels like it. Just can't get away from the dampness. Two days later and your clothes are still wet, smelly even, from the dampness and need to be rewashed.
In spite of the rain and dampness, we are still having a great time. Our travel companions from India and Ontario are all very nice and gracious. They (the guys) spend a good amount of time talking about and comparing notes on photography and photographic equipment, pros and cons and the next must have toy.
It seems that we are all learning about photography from our tour guide David Hemmings. The range is quite wide. One of the men has won a good number of awards and had his photos printed in various places. We saw a few samples of his work and he deservedly won his awards. He has a lot of practice-55 days a year devoted to photography. However, he has a natural artistic talent which sets him apart.
I, of course, am the very bottom of the photographing totem pole. The good news is that I have learned a lot and am trying to remember to apply the theories to the picture taking. I am also the slowest one to set up. By the time I figure it all out they have already shot and compared pictures. Of course, they also have way better equipment than I do and some of it is easier to set up. The bottom line though is that they are all better than I am so it gives me more time with our teacher and that is good for me!
The birds we have seen are spectacular- the colours are so beautiful. We have seen many species and Morris happily adds new species to his list on a daily basis. One of the places we went to take pictures was a National Geographic accredited site for bird watching. They had a great set up and our hosts there were most accommodating.
On a completely different note, I am the only female in a group of six, seven if you count the driver, who is always late but very clever. He buys us little chocolates so we cannot stay annoyed with him for more than 30 seconds. Would you complain if someone brought you chocolates!
So here is one of the differences between the guys and moi- we go out for a walk and our shoes get muddy. At the entrance to the communal building, dining room, bar.... They walk in with only one thought and that is where to get their well deserved beer. It's hard work carrying a heavy backpack with lenses weighing more than a bowling ball. I, on the other hand carefully remove as much mud as possible from my shoes, feeling sorry for the cleaners who have just only washed the floors!
We are now in another location- rancho naturalista. All I can say is WOW! We most definitely have a room with a view- overlooking a valley with a mountain range on the other side. The front wall of the room has 5 glass doors. There are two hummingbird feeders within 10-15 feet in either direction with more hummingbirds than you can count. We are each having a 45 minute lesson on the art of photographing these gorgeous creatures.
(Morris) To make up for all the inconvenience the birding and the photography has been wonderful. I learned a great deal about how to get better pictures, how to use flash properly, etc. This afternoon out guide set up to show us how to photograph hummingbirds in flight and to stop wing motion. For the photographer it is simple, but the set up is time consuming. It requires strobe flash, multiple flashes and a background to ensure a clean shot. I have some marvellous shots. Irene too.
Our group is small, 5 people,the guide and the driver. One member is from Welland, the other two are from India. Vikram is young, about 40, and spends about 55 days a year travelling to take photos. He has great equipment, he knows how to use it, and he has a good sense of composition. As a result his photos are terrific. I wish I was that good. My best shots are full of drama, vivid colours, beautiful birds, etc. He has that, but he also has the ability to make a beautiful shot out of soft colours and less contrasty, less dramatic material. He is travelling with a close friend. both of them have very expensive equipment. One has a 500 mm lens (about $8,000) the other has a 600 mm lens, (about $10,000), They both have top of the line cameras. In fact, everyone has better cameras than I do. (Do I sound envious?) One big lesson that I am learning is that the tripod and head are very important. Mine are inferior for big heavy lenses and for rapid movement, I think I am going to have to upgrade.
Our second stop was at a place called Rancho Naturalista, and a no, it is not a nudist colony. It is a beautifully done up small lodge with feeders, very pleasant. That's where we did the hummingbird photography. They have about 5 hummingbird feeders up and boy is it ever busy there. It's hummingbird Grand Central Station. There must have been between 30-50 at the really busy times.
Currently we are at the next destination, called Sevegre Lodge, again in a beautiful setting. Here is where we look for the most sought after bird in Cost Rica (and elsewhere), the resplendent Quetzel. We'll let you know if we get them.
Here are some pictures
