Digital photography in nature: capturing the best of Suriname
Learn to get the most out of your digital camera as you join a local naturalist guide to practice exposure, composition and wildlife and landscape technique in the wooden capital, the plantation rivers, the rainforest and the wetlands of Suriname.
.jpg?width=400)
The tangled orange bloom of a heliconia looks even more dramatic through a macro lens in the Suriname rainforest. Join a naturalist-photographer guide to capture brilliant images across the country's wooden capital, plantation rivers, coastal wetlands and untouched interior.
Field sessions and short evening talks help you build technique in exposure, composition and light, while excursions introduce you to Suriname's wildlife, landscapes and Maroon and colonial-era heritage along the way.
Best of all, you'll...
- Capture jaguar-country landscapes at Brownsberg, the golden-hour scarlet ibis flight-in at Bigi Pan, and macro portraits of dyeing poison dart frogs in Peperpot's undergrowth.
- Learn to manage exposure, composition and available light — from bright river reflections on the Commewijne to low-light rainforest macro work.
- Experiment with long exposure and polarizing filters at Brownsberg's waterfalls, then review and edit your best frames with Wirjo in an evening workshop.
- Duration9 days
- Begins / endsParamaribo
- Group typeSmall Group (max 8)
- Meals24 (8B, 8L, 8D)
- Activity levelKeep the Pace
How the nine days unfold
Wirjo, a former biology teacher, leads every session personally, adjusting timing daily around light and what's being seen.
1
Arrival in Paramaribo
Settle in, meet the group, and a welcome dinner followed by a camera settings orientation — exposure triangle, RAW workflow and what to expect from the light in the tropics.
2
Paramaribo old town
A street and architecture photography session through the UNESCO-listed wooden old town — working with hard tropical light, framing and colonial-era detail.
3
Commewijne river boat trip
A golden-hour boat session on the old plantation river, shooting reflections, herons and pink-bellied river dolphins from the water.
4–5
Peperpot Nature Park
Two days in a former coffee and cacao estate reclaimed by secondary forest — macro sessions on dyeing poison dart frogs and insects, plus sloths, capuchins and forest birds in dappled understorey light.
6–7
Brownsberg Nature Park
Long-exposure and polarizing-filter technique at Irene Falls, sunrise sessions over the Brokopondo reservoir, and wildlife spotting on the plateau's trails.
8
Bigi Pan wetlands
A pre-dawn start for the scarlet ibis flight-in over the lagoon — one of the best action and silhouette photography opportunities of the trip, alongside flamingoes and spoonbills.
9
Editing workshop & departure
A morning editing workshop to review and process your best frames, a farewell lunch, and transfer to the airport for your departure.
Subjects worth the trip
Nothing in the wild is guaranteed, but this route is built around Suriname's most photogenic wildlife and light.
.jpg?width=600)
A macro favourite in Peperpot's undergrowth — slow, patient and endlessly variable in colour and pattern.
Bold colour and shape make the toucan one of the most rewarding bird subjects in Suriname's forest canopy.
A test of timing and a fast shutter — regularly seen from the boat on the Commewijne river mouth.
The Bigi Pan evening and dawn flight-ins are the best action and silhouette photography of the trip.
A genuine highlight for any telephoto lens when a nest or roost happens to be active during the trip.
Brownsberg's forest holds jaguar sign year-round — a true bonus shot rather than a guarantee.
General notes & group size
Camera gear
Bring your own digital camera, ideally with interchangeable lenses, plus a tripod, spare batteries, chargers and memory cards.
Activity level
Keep the Pace — walking up to an hour a day over easy-to-moderate trails in warm, humid conditions.
Group size
Small Group, 8 participants maximum, kept intimate so Wirjo can give one-to-one guidance in the field.
Included
Guiding, in-country transport and river boats, accommodation, and all meals from arrival to departure.
Not included
International flights to Suriname, travel insurance, visa/tourist card and personal spending.
Weather notes
Pack rain covers for camera bodies and lenses — brief downpours are common even in the dry season.
Upcoming departures
$2,950 per person, land only, based on a small group of up to 8 photographers. Deposit $250 at enrollment.