Tatamá Macro Photography Workshop
Session A: August 22 – 30, 2025
Session B: September 1 – 9, 2025
Instructors: Nick Kanakis and Joel Such
# of participants: 6
Experience level: Beginner to advanced.
Cost per person (double occupancy): $4,000 USD
Single supplement: $750 USD (only 1 space available for this option due to limited rooms)
Deposit per person: $1,000 USD
Included: Ground transportation, guide, lodging, meals, snacks, and water.
Not included: Airfare, travel insurance, alcohol, laundry service, and tips.
Pickup and drop-off: Matecaña International Airport, Pereira, Colombia.
Location: Montezuma Rainforest Ecolodge, Tatamá National Park, Colombia.
Recommended gear: We will send a list upon booking, but feel free to reach out for recommendations or questions.
Workshop Description: This in situ (no handling subjects) macro photography workshop will be based out of Montezuma Rainforest Ecolodge on the edge of Tatamá National Natural Park, a world-premiere location for macro photography. For eight nights, we will be immersed in one of the world’s most diverse regions, the cloud forest of Colombia’s Western Andes. We will fully experience this special ecosystem and create a breathtaking portfolio of insects, reptiles, amphibians, orchids, and even hummingbirds. Much of the biodiversity we will be photographing is endemic to Colombia or the Chocó Bioregion. Though our focus will be in-the-field photography sessions and instruction, we will also have introductory presentations to aid in your learning and partake in group photo review sessions. During this workshop, we will cover subjects such as ethical macro photography, lighting (natural, flash, and continuous light), composition, knowing your subjects, post-processing, and photography as a tool for conservation.
In Situ Macro Photography: “In situ” is a Latin term meaning “in the natural place.” In the context of macro photography, it refers to photographing subjects in their natural environment without disturbing or handling them. The main goal of in situ macro photography is to show the subject in its natural habitat, with the environment as a key part of the image. It allows us to convey a sense of the subject’s behavior, interactions with its surroundings, and the broader ecological context. This approach not only helps us capture the natural world authentically but also encourages ethical photography practices by minimizing disruptions to wildlife and plants. During this workshop, we have a no handling policy. Though we will have plenty of opportunities to take stunning photographs with this ethical approach, we cannot guarantee that every creature we encounter cooperates for photos.
Photos by Nick Kanakis
Note: We will be staying in a beautiful three-room cabin on the grounds of Montezuma Rainforest Reserve and Ecolodge. Rooms are spacious and have two double beds and a private bathroom. Due to our limitation to these three rooms, only one single supplement ($750 USD) can be granted. The single supplement will be granted to the first person to request one.
Meet the Instructors
Nick Kanakis
Nick Kanakis is an Austin, Texas based wildlife photographer and ecologist. Nick began a lifelong passion (although most would say obsession) for smaller animals at a very young age with countless hours spent observing backyard wildlife from jumping spiders to green anoles.
Nick’s love for the ‘small critters,’ only fuels his work; he believes that we care about what we understand. His work aims to ignite this same passion for a wide audience by bringing them into the lives of wildlife: birds, insects, and reptiles, through ethical photography. Having worked in conservation he has seen worthy efforts fall short and research go unrecognized without community appreciation for wildlife. Photography changes this by engaging the public and creating a climate that values protecting wildlife and its habitat. Nick knows that powerful images can inspire admiration from those who once feared often misunderstood animals and give people a new respect for more familiar feathered inhabitants.
Nick’s work has been featured in a number of books and magazines and awarded in competitions, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and BigPicture Competition. See more of Nick’s work here.
Joel Such
Joel Such grew up in the ponderosa clad foothills above Lyons, CO where his intense passion for the avian world was sparked at a young age. Ever since, Joel has pursued birds with unwavering devotion and has dedicated his life to studying, protecting, and photographing the natural world. With both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in conservation biology, Joel’s commitment to conservation extends to community-based, multicultural projects aimed at garnering support for wildlife and their habitats.
For the past seven years, Joel has predominantly lived in Tatamá National Natural Park in Colombia’s Western Andes where he is currently engaged in protecting and reforesting critical cloud forest habitat, documenting the region’s cryptic wildlife with his camera, and leading nature tours that support on-the-ground conservation projects.
Joel’s photographs have been featured in numerous publications and he is the recipient of North America Nature Photography Association’s 2025 Outstanding Young Nature Photographer of the Year award. To see examples of Joel’s work, click here.