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Everglades National Park is a wonderful place for birding. With over 300 species of birds throughout the year, it is the only Park that was established for its biological and ecological considerations rather than it geological features.
For photographers, many areas can be accessed via vehicle for shooting landscapes and wildlife. However, most of the 1.5 million acres in the Park are flooded and essentially out of reach for the photographer. Everglades Area Tours can you take you and your equipment to areas seldom reach by photographers.
The area and your photo opportunities change with the seasons, therefore so do our tours. Many times we will run deep into the Park's interior to reach a shoot location.
Lighting considerations can influence a shoot and many photographers wish to shoot early in the mornings or late in the evenings. However, tidal considerations are even more important, especially for shooting wading birds as they need shallow water to feed. Many photographers enjoy shooting while standing in the water or on a remote sand beach. All photography tours are customized based on your desires, the season, the wildlife and the weather.
The use of a power boat typically provides the most flexibility for photographers. A flat-decked boat is used as your shooting platform. There is room for one tripod and two guests (three if smaller framed). An electric trolling motor is used to maneuver the boat into position for your shots and to silently approach the wildlife. Normally, you would be with a wildlife photographer who is also naturalists and licensed Coast Guard captain. This tour is $387.00 and typically lasts about 2 and ½ hours.
The second tour uses very stable, tandem kayaks or canoes as the photo platform. The photographer would be in the front and the guide would be in the back handling the paddling and positioning of the boat. This allows us to penetrate the mangrove tunnels and tidal creeks ... areas that you simply cannot get to with a traditional boat. In addition to alligators, otters and wading birds, you would potentially be able to shoot orchids, bromeliads and other flora, as well as, the numerous "critters" that call the mangroves home. For the best experience, we prefer to limit the tour to two guests in addition to one photographer and have the guest share a tandem craft. Too many boats can interfere with the shoot and scare off the wildlife. This tour is $297 for one to three persons. Your guide is naturalist on this tour, as well.
Tours of longer duration, specific destinations and craft that can accommodate up six adults and three tripods are available. Please give us a call with your ideas.
A few shots from recent birding/photography trips ...
Wild Life Photographer, Capt. Bruce Hitchcock
Italian photojournalist Vittorio Sciosia
Photographer David Ornstein
Photographer Constance Mier
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