Costa Rica - Anyone been?

[copperband]

Not sure if this in the right place to ask but I can't see a travel area of the forum specifically.

I'm off there on the weekend for a fortnight, really excited as it will be a photographers paradise with so much to see.

Key things I'm looking forward to seeing and photographing are as follows:

Mangrove area with all the brightly coloured frogs and insects.

Volcano - Any tips on how to best photography this? I'm thinking a long exposure at night as it erupts could be good?

Birds - There should be an incredible array of brightly coloured birds to photograph, some I hope will sit and pose in a nearby tree but I'd love to take some in flight.I've never taken pics like this so again any tips well received like shutter speed,Apperture,etc I will use my 7D with 70-200 F4.

 

[cruso]

went their in December got back Xmas eve great place and the people where fantastic lots to see and do not enough time we loved the place and did not want to come home wish i was their now loads of birds and wildlife best tip is get out just before light i was out at 5 am and the place was just coming to life got my best shots of the howler monkeys

 

[cjay]

Not sure if this in the right place to ask but I can't see a travel area of the forum specifically.

I'm off there on the weekend for a fortnight, really excited as it will be a photographers paradise with so much to see.

Key things I'm looking forward to seeing and photographing are as follows:

Mangrove area with all the brightly coloured frogs and insects.

Volcano - Any tips on how to best photography this? I'm thinking a long exposure at night as it erupts could be good?

Birds - There should be an incredible array of brightly coloured birds to photograph, some I hope will sit and pose in a nearby tree but I'd love to take some in flight.I've never taken pics like this so again any tips well received like shutter speed,Apperture,etc I will use my 7D with 70-200 F4.

I went on a filming expedition about 4 years ago as the stills person. Good choice of body - you may want to consider 1 wide lens - even if it is just at kit 18-55.

Central area was remarkably cloudy with an unusual purple cast. Coast much more Caribbean with lovely blue sky as you imagine.

Went to Volcan Poas - it was mostly cloudy so don't expect to get ideal weather for shooting the caldera as the peak is definitely in the cloud forest - but it is stuffed with bird life. On the way back down popped into La Paz waterfall park. It has a hummingbird area where the birds have no fear of humans and frankly you could photograph them with a macro lens and they wouldn't be disturbed.

Costal area around Puerto Limon to Cauhita had some mangrove swamp areas. It's fairly safe.

Be careful driving the road through Braulio Carillo and parking on the roadside to take pictures - so many tales of people being robbed at gunpoint there it's almost silly.

Violent crime is quite rare, but don't put your camera down as you will probably find it gone (our van was broken into 4 times in as many days in San Jose but never when I was sat in it)

If you think a rope slide through the forest will let you see birds you normally wouldn't - don't believe it - you'd have to run smack into them to catch a view.

If you do end up in Cauhita/South Caribbean coast then try hiring a Bri-Bri guide - they are safe, trustworthy and know the area and animals. They can even take you deeper into the primordial forest around their tribal lands with reasonable security.

Above all - I wish I was going with you

Chris

 

[copperband]

Thanks Cruso & Chris, some great tips there.
Between my GF and me we will have 2 7D's and various lenses - 50mm F1.4, 70-200 F4, 100mm F2.8 Macro and a 24-105 F4.....I'm a bit worried now that I am going to miss those wide shots?

We have time on both Coasts so will be interesting to see how different they are - the people,the food,the animals,the weather even!

I'm a bit concerned about the crime issue, as I know its nothing compared to South American but as we have a rental car it will feel limiting not to stop and take photo's as we drive around :-/

 

[Rogdodge]

Lucky guy!

I've been quite a few times on business, not for photography or hols but done some of the nature treks etc. It's such a beautifully green country, but you may need to think about that re photography. Plenty of opportunity for white water rafting and long zip wire runs etc. Great fun but tricky to shoot! Lots of great flora/butterflys etc so definitely Macro kit.

Overall I think you'll find a very safe place - the folks are very friendly and have good English. 50 years ago they decided to abandon the army completely and put the money into education so lots of English taught. Truly a country of contrasts, a photographers paradise. Be ready for heat be ready for wet, very wet possibly! Weather can change very quickly. New road opened last year which allows you to get quickly from one side of the country to the other. Have a great time!

Few snaps that I took may give you an idea what are the opportunities/challenges.

 

[cjay]

Thanks Cruso & Chris, some great tips there.
Between my GF and me we will have 2 7D's and various lenses - 50mm F1.4, 70-200 F4, 100mm F2.8 Macro and a 24-105 F4.....I'm a bit worried now that I am going to miss those wide shots?

We have time on both Coasts so will be interesting to see how different they are - the people,the food,the animals,the weather even!

I'm a bit concerned about the crime issue, as I know its nothing compared to South American but as we have a rental car it will feel limiting not to stop and take photo's as we drive around :-/

I'd go for stopping as you drive around - the only real danger is on the Braulio Carillo road (as far as our driver said) as apparently it is far from help and an empty hire car says "Hi - expensive stuff carried by tourists near this spot". You will know where it is - it's the main one from San Jose to Puerto Limon.

Taste the street/soda (street cafe) food - I do have a tendency to catch all kinds of weird stomach bugs but was totally free of Delhi belly the whole time and I was scoffing food from empanada stalls and roadside 'sodas'.

I did use a wide frequently as the documentary had lots of indoors scenes and street life.

The remnants of the photos I took are here:

Flickr

My apologies as they are really unbelievably crap - I'd do much better now - but also they are the out-takes after the OU took the ones they wanted. I look forward to yours being much better.

 

[copperband]

Cheers for the additional pointers, I think security should be a question of a bit of common sense here, I have already been warned over the punctured tyre trick!

Packing all the gear now and hoping that the additional 32G of memory cards arrive in the morning post!