Mastering Birds-In-Flight
Photography Workshop
Highlights
-
In depth instruction with Tamron Ambassador Alyce Bender and OM Systems Ambassador Lee Hoy to learn one of the most rewarding forms of wildlife photography - Birds in flight!
-
Regardless of camera system, Lee's 7-step system to birds-in-flight, as well as Bender's complimentary photography tactics and artistic suggestions, will provide photographers of all levels new tips and tricks for better bird images.
-
Enjoy the beautiful and historic Monterey Bay as the backdrop to this workshop with its diverse marine ecosystem.
-
Timing of workshop coincides with Spring Migration along the Pacific Flyway and the start of breeding season for those bird species that call Monterey Bay home.
-
Beyond Birds-in-Flight, there will be opportunities for photographing other species as well, including endangered southern sea otters, seals, sea lions and even a few humpback whales.
Surrounded by world class golf courses and made famous by John Steinbeck’s writing, Monterey, California, once an industrial sardine packing town, now hosts a bustling abundance of marine life due to concentrated conservation efforts. With its position along the Pacific Flyway, this workshop is timed with the seasonal migrations of over 20,000 birds that use this area for stopover feeding and resting during their journey. Potential species include the endangered western snowy plover, killdeer, sanderlings, marbled godwits, long-billed curlews, black-bellied plovers, black oystercatchers, brown pelicans, willets, Brandt’s and double crested cormorants, various gulls and tern species too.
Join Alyce Bender and Lee Hoy as they guide you step-by-step in order to improve your bird-in-flight images, both in composition and keeper rate! As a workshop, we will have an opening presentation and be available for image review throughout the event.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive in Monterey, CA
We will meet in Monterey, CA at the predetermined address. There we will have a meet and greet dinner where we will discuss what to expect, photography strategies, logistics, and coastal photography protocol and ethical wildlife photography practices. Lee will present his 7-step system for photographing birds-in-flight before we head into the field for hands-on practice.
Day 2/3 – Monterey, CA and surrounding area
Both Day 2 & 3 we will start early morning at one of several beaches, getting sandy, and photographing the multitude of shorebirds that utilize this area of the Pacific Flyway. Brown pelicans, various species of gulls will be good target species to start practicing your skills as we get more and more challenging as we move to smaller, faster birds such as terns and plovers.
On one of the days, we will take a cruise looking for common murres, shearwaters, pigeon guillemots, and other marine life including humpback whales. We will have about three to four hours out on the Bay.
Midday we will stop for lunch and have time for participants to download and review their images before heading back out for an evening session along the coastline. These check-ins are important to make sure we can pinpoint any trouble areas within your skill growth.
Day 4 - Depart Monterey, CA
With one last early morning session, we wrap up the in-person portion of this workshop by about 9am to ensure those checking-out have time to change (if need be) and pack out.
Post-Workshop Zoom Image Critique
We will have the group image critique session one week after the workshop ends on May 24th, 2026.
I
Inclusions
-
In-field Photography Instruction w/2 Pro Instructors
-
Opening Presentation to Introduce Lee's 7-Step system
-
One 2-4hr boat session
-
Pre-workshop Q&A Meeting
-
Post-workshop Zoom Image Critique Session
-
All Entrance Fees & Permits
E
Exclusions
-
All Transportation not listed
-
Lodging
-
Meals, Snacks, and Beverages
-
Personal Purchases
-
Instructor Gratuities
Meet Your Instructors
