Private Costa Rica Photo Workshop
DISCOVER COSTA RICA'S STUNNING BEACHES, MISTY CLOUD FORESTS, AND LUSH RAINFORESTS ON THIS ALL-INCLUSIVE PHOTOGRAPHY ADVENTURE - LED BY A LOCAL EXPERT AND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
This private, all-inclusive Costa Rica photography workshop explores the spectacular beaches of the Gold Coast, misty cloud forests of Monteverde, sensational waterfalls, dense jungle rivers, shimmering lakes, and lush rainforests. You will receive personalized, professional photography and post processing instruction, learn about Costa Rica from a professional nature guide, relax in 4- and 5-star hotels, savor gourmet cuisine, and travel in comfortable, private transportation.
WORKSHOP DATES, PRICES & REGISTRATION
Registration & Final Payment Deadline: November 15, 2025
Photo Tour Price: $5,475.00 (Online Payment) / $5,325.00 (Cashier's Check)
Photo tour price is based on double occupancy and includes professional photography and post processing instruction, professional nature guide, location expertise, all lodging and meals in Costa Rica during the tour, all ground transportation in Costa Rica during the tour including to and from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), snacks and water, and all park entrance fees. Photo tour price does NOT include airfare to and from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), airport departure tax (currently $29.00 and may be included in the price of your airfare), travel insurance, gratuities to instructor and guide, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service.
Single Supplement: $1,450.00 (Online Payment) / $1,400.00 (Cashier's Check)
Single supplement applies to tour participants that are traveling alone and prefer their own hotel rooms rather than sharing rooms with another guest or when sharing rooms is not available.
Deposit / Payments
$1,000.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration. Remaining balance is due on the Registration & Final Payment deadline listed above.
Availability - PRIVATE WORKSHOP
2 Person Minimum / 6 Person Maximum. After the registration deadline, if only one person has registered, that person can do the tour as a private workshop for an additional $2,500.00, reschedule to a different workshop within 365 days, or cancel the workshop with a full refund of payments, minus the deposit.
Cancellations & Refunds
Deposits are non-refundable. For refunds, we require that a cancellation request in writing be received before 11:59pm Pacific Time on the Registration & Final Payment date. If we receive your written cancellation request before the Registration & Final Payment deadline and can refill your space, we will refund all payments, minus any discounts given to refill your space. If we cannot refill your space, we will refund 50% of all payments. No refunds are given, nor cancellations allowed after the Registration & Final Payment Deadline date. No partial refunds are given for unused services. There is a $50.00 charge for all returned payments. Please see our complete Liability & Cancellation Policy.
ITINERARY
Day 1 - Arrive in Costa RicaA representative from ColorTexturePhotoTours will meet you at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia and transfer you to our first luxurious hotel in Playa Hermosa. Once you are settled, we will photograph sunset and have a delicious welcome dinner.
Day 2 - Llanos de Cortez / Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
After an early breakfast, we will travel by private transfer and photograph fantastic Llanos de Cortez, a premier waterfall that's on every list of best waterfalls in Costa Rica. For more information about Llanos de Cortez, read this blog post. After shooting (and swimming if you'd like), we will travel by private transfer to Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park and photograph Las Chorreras, a unique waterfall with two cascades flowing into a colorful pool below. Afterwards, we will have lunch and check into our next wonderful hotel before traveling to and photographing Oropendola, a powerful cascade that drops 80' into the lush canyon of Rio Blanco. We end the day at Rio Negro Hot Springs, where you can take a volcanic ash mud bath and wash off in the river before relaxing in several natural hot springs with different temperatures. After the hot springs we will get cleaned up and enjoy another fantastic dinner.
Days 3 & 4 - Monteverde / Santa Elena / Curi Cancha / Children's Eternal Rainforest / El Tigre
After breakfast, we will depart by private transfer to Monteverde and spend the next two days photographing a variety of mysterious cloud forests, breathtaking waterfalls, gorgeous jungle streams, and colorful, exotic wildlife. After shooting each day, we will return to our hotel and enjoy delicious gourmet dinners.
Day 5 - Lago Cote / Arenal Volcano National Park / Lake Arenal
After breakfast, we will depart by private transfer to Lago Cote, the largest natural lake in Costa Rica. After shooting, we will break for lunch, then continue to Catarata Danta, a powerful inverted wedge-shaped waterfall surrounded by lush foliage. Afterwards, we will travel to stunning Lake Arenal, photograph a few jungle streams, and a gorgeous tropical sunset before checking into our hotel and another tasty dinner. Check out this blog post for more information about La Fortuna.
Day 6 - Rio Agrio / Depart Costa Rica
After breakfast and editing images, we will travel by private transfer to Bajos del Toro, have lunch, then hike to and photograph fantastic Rio Agrio. Afterwards, we will travel to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), where you'll catch your flight home or continue to explore on your own.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned shooter, you’ll receive personalized, professional instruction to elevate your photography skills. The only requirement is a basic understanding of your DSLR or mirrorless camera. You'll dive into...
• Exposure Techniques
• Mastering Filters
• Creative Composition Techniques
• High Dynamic Range Processing (HDR)
• One-on-One Post Processing Sessions to Refine Your Workflow
• Image Reviews
Awesome Amenities
• Luxurious 5-Star Hotel
• Gourmet Cuisine
• Private Comfortable Transportation
• Small Group of Like-Minded Photography Enthusiasts
• Fun-Filled Creative Atmosphere
Fitness Level - Moderate
Participants should be able to walk unassisted for three miles (roundtrip) on uneven and potentially muddy trails with moderate inclines, and navigate a variety of terrains including pavement, gravel, dirt, and sand, with large rocks, tree roots, and stairs. Heat and humidity will be high in all locations, and daily excursions can be more challenging during inclement weather.
Locations
• Liberia, Llanos de Cortez, Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, Rio Negro, Monteverde, Lago Cote, Arenal Volcano National Park, Lake Arenal, La Fortuna, Bajos del Toro, Rio Agrio, San Jose
Expert Instructor and Nature Guide
Your instructor and guide bring unmatched local and photography experience. Together, they will immerse you in Costa Rica's rich biodiversity, ecosystems, flora and fauna, and fascinating history.
Scott Setterberg
• 35 Years of Nature Photography Experience
• Lived in Costa Rica for the Last 10 Years
• Knows Locations Extremely Well
• Professional Nature Guide
• Licensed with Costa Rica Institute of Tourism
• 18 Years of Experience
TESTIMONIAL
"I recently spent six days on a private landscape photography trip in Costa Rica with Scott and his local guide Jason. Frankly, I don't know why more photographers don't go to Costa Rica for landscape photography as it is a country with many different climatic zones and many different types of unspoiled forests, lakes, streams and waterfalls. In six days we barely scratched the surface. Scott's trips are in fact the only ones I know of that treat Costa Rica as a destination primarily for landscape rather than wildlife photography. Since Scott lives in Costa Rica six months out of the year and has many local contacts, he is very familiar with the areas and can get you to both well-known as well as off-the-beaten-track locations and he packs a lot of shooting into each day. Since I was working mostly in infrared, I spent a lot of time looking for scenes that would photograph well in IR and Scott and Jason were very patient and bent over backwards to make my days productive. They were also great traveling companions and we had a lot of fun traveling between locations. Some locations were a little physically demanding, so it does help to be in reasonably good shape but they were definitely worth the effort." ~ Jonathan S. | Massachusetts
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