At A Glance
November 11-12, 2008---------Wichita Mountains NWR, Lawton, Oklahoma (Fall Tour)
December 1-3, 2008--------Bosque del Apache NWR, Socorro, New Mexico
December 10-12, 2008--------Bird and Landscape Photography, South Padre Island, Texas (NEW)
December 15-16, 2008--------South Texas Ranches, McAllen, Texas
December 17, 2008--------Photoshop Workshop, Campos Viejos Ranch, Rio Grande City (NEW)
January 12-13, 2009--------Whooping Cranes, Rockport, Texas
January 15-16, 2009--------Whooping Cranes, Rockport, Texas
March 16-21, 2009--------El Cielo Biosphere Reserve & Los Ebanos Ranch, Tamaulipas, Mexico
April 4-9, 2009--------Prairie Chickens, Oklahoma
April 20-23--------Song Bird Migration, South Padre Island, Texas
May 4-6, 2009--------Landscapes, Songbirds & Owls, Caddo Lake, Texas
May 12-13, 2009-------- Wichita Mountains NWR, Lawton, Oklahoma (Spring Tour)
May 18-20, 2009--------Petersen Ranch Hill Country Tour, Fredericksburg, Texas
All tours are subject to change. Please check here and the Newsletter for the latest information.
Detailed information will be e-mailed to participants one month before each tour.
Deposits become non-refundable 7 days before each tour.
Click here for my contact information to inquire about registration
November 11-12, 2008
Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Lawton, Oklahoma
Bison, Longhorn Cattle, Deer, Landscapes...
Capacity: 6 Photographers (minimum 4 photographers)
This
one is fun and easy. We stay in or near Lawton, Oklahoma in
any
of several motels and drive out to the refuge for a morning and evening
shoot on two consecutive days. Bison and longhorns are
common,
while white-tailed deer, elk, Canada geese and other wildlife are seen
frequently. This refuge has beautiful tall grass prairie,
mountains with giant boulders, and miles of paved road and good walking
trails. There are lakes everywhere to support the geese.
Most of the
animals here are tame, so we will drive and shoot from vehicle and
on foot. I will shoot with you and provide instruction in
wildlife photography techniques and photography basics. The
mid-day hours will offer us a chance to review your photos and provide
some Photoshop tips.
In November all
the
mammals, birds and grasslands will look great. Elk and deer will have their hard
antlers.
Bring all your lenses for this one because we will shoot landscapes,
birds and mammals.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due October 27, 2008.
COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide
their own transportation, meals, and lodging. Lawton is a large town
and only about 10 miles away. It has most of
the major hotel chains and there are Bed & Breakfasts available
in
Medicine Park (just out side the refuge gate).
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
December 1-3, 2008
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico
Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese...
Capacity: 6 photographers (minimum 4 photographers)
This
refuge is the winter home for thousands of greater sandhill cranes,
snow geese and other waterfowl. During these tours, we
normally
get photos of coyotes, roadrunners, Gambel’s quail and pheasant plus
many opportunities to photograph the cranes and geese on lakes, in
fields, and in the air. Oh, yes, you will have many
opportunities
to practice your flight photography and, I will be shooting right
beside you to offer pointers and assistance. Bring all your
photo
equipment because there can be some really nice landscape
opportunities, too.
You have to be mentally prepared to see
thousands of birds landing or taking off right in front of you at
sunrise and/or sunset. Last year, I had to remind one
photographer that we were photographers. She was so caught up
in
the spectacle that she forgot to shoot.
This is always full, so register early.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 Due on registration. Balance due November 10, 2008.
COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide
their own transportation, meals, and lodging.
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Migrating birds, shore birds, seascapes......
You
will enjoy photographing 25 miles of South Padre Island beach and dunes
plus other productive photo locations on and near South Padre
Island. Well known nature and landscape photographers Larry
Ditto and Joe Zinn will photograph with you and offer valuable
instruction on nature photography techniques in the field. Common
wintering birds in the area include redheads and other duck species,
great blue heron, reddish egret, tricolored heron, sanderling, ruddy
turnstone, black-bellied plover, osprey, various gulls, terns, brown
pelicans and more. Bring all your lenses for this one. During the mid-day hours, Joe will take you through his Photoshop workflow and answer questions on how to effectively use various tools within Photoshop to enhance you nature images.
Motel and restaurant accommodations are plentiful on South Padre. We will carpool as much as possible; however, photographers are responsible for their own transportation, lodging and meals.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due December 1, 2008.
COST: $200/day
Minimum Photographers needed: 6 Maximum number: 10, so sign up quickly
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
December 15-16, 2008
South Texas Ranches, McAllen, Texas
Green Jays and more...
Capacity: 6 photographers (minimum 4 photographers)
You
can photograph the colorful and unusual south Texas birds like green
jay, pyrrhuloxia, scaled quail, tufted titmouse, black-throated
sparrow, and greater roadrunner plus more common species like northern
cardinal, bobwhite quail, common ground-dove. In December,
2007,
the Audubon’s orioles were regular visitors at the blinds.
Blinds
are available to accommodate up to 4 photographers each, with several
blinds at each ranch (the Ramirez Ranch at Roma, Gwin Ranch at
Edinburg, and the Beto Gutierrez Ranch northwest of McAllen).
All
have
year round feeding and water at the photo blinds and a sizeable
clientele of native birds and mammals. Having guided photographers on
these ranches for years I know them well.
This photo tour is $125/photographer/day plus $125/photographer/day for access to the ranch. With 4 or more photographers, there is a reduced access fee available on some ranches.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due December 1, 2008.
COST: $125.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging plus $125/day ranch access fee.Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
From 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Paul Denman, a McAllen, Texas native and accomplished Photoshop teacher will take you through his recommended workflow. He will also cover the use of various tools and techniques to help you get the most from your nature images for personal use and printing. The workshop will be at Campos Viejos Ranch north of Rio Grande City, Texas. The meeting room is a spacious and comfortable lodge with lunch provided.
Minimum Participants: 4
COST: $200 (lunch included)
Deposit of $100 payable to Larry Ditto by November 15 and full payment due by
December 1. Because of the necessity of reserving the ranch accommodations, there can be no refunds after December 1.
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
January 12-13, 2009
Whooping Cranes at Rockport, Texas
Whoopers, shore birds, scenics...
Capacity: 4 photographers (minimum 3 photographers)
I’ve had to add a second Whooping Crane photo tour to meet the demand. It is almost full, so let me know immediately if you want to sign up.
We
stay in Rockport/Fulton and launch each morning at Goose Island State
Park about 5 miles away. The morning is spent photographing the
endangered whooping crane and other water birds. In the
afternoon, we work the Rockport Harbor and nearby bays for water birds
in the afternoons including pelicans, egrets, herons, gulls, ducks,
roseate spoonbills, long-billed curlews, godwits, etc. Of course,
there are some nice landscape opportunities at Goose Island’s Big Tree
(one of Texas’ largest live oaks) and around the harbor with fishing
boats.
Cost: $200/day plus boat and guide fee (normally about $50/day). Our guide has a wonderful flat-bottomed boat and knows the birds, bays and canals like the back of his hand. Photographers furnish their own meals, lodging, and transportation.
***Please call or e-mail for availability.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due January 1, 2009.COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging plus boat fee and tip.
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Whooping Cranes at Rockport, Texas
Whoopers, shore birds, scenics...
Capacity: 4 photographers (minimum 3 photographers)
We
will take a private charter boat with an experienced captain who knows
just what we are after and how to get us in close. From
Rockport,
we will travel to Goose Island State Park to meet our boat for the trip
into the Intercoastal Waterway and the Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge. It is there that we will photograph one of the
largest
and rarest birds in North America, the whooping crane. This
trip
often produces close-up views of American oystercatcher, long-billed
curlew, roseate spoonbill and many other shorebirds and wading birds,
as well.
In the afternoons, we return to the Rockport area and
photograph along the bay and near the marinas and docks. I
will
be photographing with you and offering many helpful tips on bird
photography. During our down time, I want to
critique a few
of your photos and offer some helpful Photoshop pointers, too.
This trip is $200/day for the tour plus your share of the boat
rental and park entry fee (usually an additional $50).
***Please call or e-mail for availability.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due January 1, 2009.
COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging plus boat fee and tip.Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
El Cielo Biosphere Reserve and the Los Ebanos Ranch, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Mexican birds and mammals...
Capacity: 8 photographers (minimum 6 photographers)
This
one is still being developed. We can do 4 days at either
location
or a week to include both. The birds are somewhat different
between the two, but there should be opportunity to photograph elegant
trogon, squirrel cuckoo, northern jacana, lineated woodpecker, green
kingfisher, ringed kingfisher, common black hawk, roadside hawk,
altamira oriole, and many other species of birds. Mammals we
may
encounter are coati mundi, armadillo, coyote. Ocelot and
jaguarundi inhabit this area but are seldom seen.
A bilingual
guide with a large van will provide transportation from
McAllen.
Cost will be posted soon. A passport is required.
You are
going to love the birds and the people.
In case you are
concerned about traveling in Mexico, I have made this trip many times
as has our guide. These locations (just a half day’s journey
south of the border) are often visited by American photographers.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due March 1, 2009.
COST: Details on itinerary and cost will be announced soon.Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Prairie Chickens, Oklahoma
Greater and Lesser Prairie Chickens...
Capacity: 4 photographers (minimum 4 photographers)
This
photo tour is still being developed. More information will be
available soon. This could be done as a trip to get both
species
on ranches at different locations or as a trip to do one or the other
species at a single ranch. In case of the latter, it would be
a 3
day photo tour.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due March 15, 2009.
COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging plus propery access fee.Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Song Bird Migration, South Padre Island, Texas
Colorful birds migrating through Texas will be stopping at South Padre Island in April…
Capacity: 12 photographers (minimum 6 photographers)
Dozens
of species will be stopping over on South Padre Island to eat, drink
and rest during their spring migration. April 20 is usually
the
date for peak numbers of birds crossing the Gulf of Mexico, so plan to
be there. It is not unusual to get tight photos of several
orioles, buntings, grosbeaks, tanagers and warblers plus a host of
other species. We will also spend one morning in Brownsville
photographing red-crowned parrots, green parakeets and black-bellied
whistling ducks.
My co-host is Joe Zinn, a renowned landscape
and wildlife photographer from Monte Vista, Colorado. Joe
will
lead a Photoshop software training session for two hours each day
during the photo tour. We will photograph with you and offer
helpful pointers in how to get the very best bird photographs in this
setting. You will also have an opportunity to have your
photos
critiqued by the leaders.
Harlingen, Texas is the nearest
airport. Vehicles can be rented there for the 40 minute drive
to
South Padre. Dozens of hotels/motels are available at South
Padre
and in Port Isabel. Just check the web for South Padre
Island,
Texas hotels.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due April 1, 2009.
COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging.
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Caddo Lake, Texas
Landscapes, Songbirds & Owls...
Capacity: 5 photographers (minimum 4 photographers)
Caddo,
the largest natural lake in Texas, is inhabited by an incredible plant
community of cypress trees, Spanish moss and water lilies. We
will photograph its landscapes and birds from a pontoon boat, captained
by an experienced boatman who will show us through the many
aquatic back roads. Along the way, we will find barred owl,
pileated woodpecker, northern parula (warbler), yellow-throated
warbler, prothonotary warbler, and diverse wading birds like great blue
and little blue heron. Along the way, we are likely to see a
real
steam-driven paddlewheel boat loaded with nature loving tourists
exploring the lake.
Bird activity will be at a peak this week,
so join us for some great bird and landscape photography.
This
photo tour is $200/day plus an additional $40-50/day for the boat and
captain. We will be on the lake early and late and spend the
mid-day on shore for lunch, downloading images, resting, critiquing
your photos and assisting you with Photoshop techniques and nature
photography pointers.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due on registration. Balance due April 15, 2009.
COST: $200.00/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging plus boat fee, and tip.Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
May 12-13, 2009
Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Lawton, Oklahoma
Prairie Dogs, Songbirds, Bison, Longhorn Cattle, Landscapes and more...
Capacity: 6 Photographers (minimum 4 photographers)I have found this refuge to be flush with abundant wildflowers during May. The songbirds like PAINTED BUNTING will be there, and the prairie dogs will be playing. The bison and longhorns are always close to the roads and wonderful photo subjects. The prairie grasses will be green and the granite hills will be beautiful. There is a resident Canada goose flock scattered among the many lakes that dot the refuge. Early and late in the day there is always an excellent chance we will see white-tailed deer among the wildflowers. With some luck, we could even see some of the wild elk that roam this part of the state.
As in the autumn, bring all your lenses as we will shoot landscapes and wildlife.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 due upon registration. Balance due by April 21.
COST: $200/day/photographer. Photographers provide their own transportation, meals and lodging. Lawton is a large town and only about 10 miles away. It has most of the major hotel chains and there are Bed & Breakfasts available in Medicine Park (just out side the refuge gate).
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Songbirds, raptors, landscapes...
This one is on a beautiful hill country ranch with a creek, lake and several first class photo blinds including a raptor blind. The Petersen ranch is located near Fredericksburg, Texas (www.thepetersenranch.com). We will be photographing landscapes and several species of colorful birds like painted bunting, indigo bunting, blue grosbeak, yellow-breasted chat, lesser goldfinch, black-chinned hummingbird and others. Last year, our host was able to catch and work a beautiful diamondback rattlesnake for us.Our mid-day hours will be spent at a pavilion near ranch headquarters which is also a large photo blind. It offers
wonderful shade, bird feeders, picnic tables and electricity under one
canopy. So, we can Photoshop, recharge, eat lunch and still be in
an active blind with lots of bird activity.Bring your landscape lenses, too, as the landscape is excellent and the cactus should be in bloom.
DEPOSIT: $200.00 deposit is due upon registration and full payment is due May 1.
COST: $200/day plus $125/day ranch access fee which includes lunch. Photographers furnish their own meals (except lunch), transportation and lodging. Ranch access fees can be made out to Bob Petersen. Send it to me with your payment and I will get it to Bob when we arrive at the ranch.
Please make payment to: Larry Ditto, 2809 Hawk Court, McAllen, Texas 78504.
Click here for my contact information to inquire about registration
Larry Ditto Nature Photography | Home | About | Gallery | Contact | Instructional Nature Photo Tours