KEEPING NATURE TOURS

Focus on Ancestral Chocó
Oct 10 | 2025 | Cauca’s Valley

Capture the wild side of San Cipriano with your lens

Advanced photography workshop | San Cipriano – Valle del Cauca

Located in the biogeographical Chocó, San Cipriano hides incredible jewels of nature in the middle of its beautiful rivers and pristine trails. On this occasion we will have the opportunity to explore this beautiful natural reserve day and night with two of the best herpetologists and photographers of nature in Colombia, learning about techniques in close-up photography and lighting of poisonous amphibians, lizards and snakes.

This adventure begins through indigenous transport called “Brujitas”, which take advantage of the old Colombian railroad tracks to drive large platforms moved by motorcycles where we will transport ourselves to reach the entrance of the San Cipriano natural reserve to begin our photography workshop and have an immersive experience in nature.

In this photography workshop we will have the opportunity to delve into the world of macrophotography of species, where we will learn many of the techniques of macrophotography, artificial lighting, in situ photography to capture the essence of many of the species of herps that inhabit the area, previously identified thanks to the visual acuity of our biologist and herpetologist workshop leaders.

Would you like to learn how to take amazing snake photos? Then this workshop focused on herps in the biogeographic Chocó is for you, welcome to the adventure!

  • Learn advanced photography techniques in the biogeographical Chocó, one of the most diverse regions in the world.

 

  • Reduce your learning curve in photography with our theoretical-practical methodology in our photography workshops.

 

  • Delve into the use of flash and lighting for photography of amphibians and reptiles.

 

  • Learn about scientific photography of amphibians and reptiles through different media.

 

  • Live a night exploration experience in search of amphibians and reptiles.

 

  • Clarify all your doubts about technique and composition in nature photography with our professional photographers.
  • Online Masterclass: Online leveling prior to the trip taught by Jhonattan Vanegas.

 

  • Masterclass: Nature Macrophotography by Jhonattan Vanegas.

 

  • Masterclass: Composition in Macrophotography by Jhonattan Vanegas.

 

  • Masterclass: Management of artificial light by Jhonattan Vanegas.

 

  • Masterclass: Photography in black and white background by Jhonattan Vanegas.

 

  • Practical lessons on photography of amphibians and reptiles.
  • Night lessons with herps, macro photography practices with artificial light.

 

  • Group sessions in the field within the workshop with professionals in nature photography.
  • Boana picturata (Imbabura Treefrog).
  • Phyllobates niche (Poison Frog).
  • Sachatamia ilex (Ghost Glass Frog).
  • Hyloscirtus palmeri (Palmer’s Treefrog).
  • Espadarana prosoblepon (Nicaragua Giant Glass Frog).
  • Smilisca phaeota (New Granada Cross-banded Treefrog).
  • Dendropsophus microcephalus (Small-headed Treefrog).
  • Enyalioides heterolepis (Iguana enana).
  • Basiliscus galeritus (Lagarto cristo).
  • Boa constrictor (Red-tailed Boa).
  • Bothrops Punctatus (Chocoan Forest Pit Viper).
  • Bothrops asper (Terciopelo).
  • Brigde compact cameras: A versatile option for people who do not want to opt for heavy equipment, with this camera you can apply all the knowledge that you are going to learn in this photography workshop, with this camera you can do bird and herpet photography.
 
  • Macro or close-up lens: Macro lenses are an incredible tool when you want to take herpet photography. If you don’t want to buy a focused macro lens, look for an adjustable inverter ring for your kit lens so you can take macro photographs in this photography workshop.
 
  • Lumiquest Light Diffuser: One of the best light diffusers for portable flash, you can capture incredible details with the softness and quality of a photo studio.

 Jhonattan Vanegas

Biologist, Herpetologist and Nature Photographer

One of the best photographers of amphibians, reptiles and wildlife in Colombia. He leads workshops and photography tours. He is a biologist and macro photography expert, full-time nature photographer and leading Colombia tour guide.

He has published 14 scientific articles that contribute to the knowledge and conservation of different species in Colombia. His photographic work has taken him to explore all corners of the Colombian territory. His photographs have been published in magazines such as Enfoque Visual, RowZine, Catalog of Amphibians and Reptiles of Colombia among others. He has won the environmental complaint category in the Agenda del Mar photography contest (2022). He uses photography and biology as tools to promote conservation through different initiatives, which allow him to make a contribution to the understanding of the behaviors and interactions of species with ecosystems. These two passions have allowed him to take a different look at the unknown and hidden scenery that exists under the mysterious landscapes of the mountains and plains, in order to create a bridge between memory and nature.

Day 1 | October 10 | Cali (Valle del Cauca) | Start of the photography workshop

Our starting point will be the city of Cali, from where we will go to the San Cipriano Natural Reserve on a 3-hour tour. There we will arrive at the farmhouse to begin our tour on the “Brujitas”, a native transport to access the San Cipriano nature reserve, here, we will settle into our rooms, have lunch and then begin our exciting Photography Workshop. We will begin with a theoretical talk by Jhonattan Vanegas to introduce the workshop, followed by theoretical presentations on photographic composition and after this, the flash and artificial light management workshop.

Afterwards, we will enjoy a typical meal of the Afro-Colombian culture, we will give way to the night tour in search of Herps, we will take photography in situ, then we will return to rest and recharge our batteries.

Day 2 | October 11 | San Cipriano | Scientific photography workshop and field outings

On the second day of our photography workshop we will start with breakfast at 8:00 in the morning so that you can rest and sleep a little more at night, after breakfast we will begin our theoretical photographic workshop of scientific photography, where we will learn about how to take photographs of herps on black and white backgrounds and then we will go in search of species to practice this photography.

 At noon we will return to the lodge for lunch where we will rest a little to continue our search for herps until the end of the afternoon. At night, after a typical dinner, we will begin our night tour where we will find other types of species not seen during the day, then we will proceed to rest and prepare for our third day of adventure and photography.

Día 3 | Octubre 12 | San Cipriano | Herping tour between trails

We will start our day with an energizing breakfast that will give us the impetus for a day full of herping and photography, on this occasion we will have a full field day, where it will be the perfect opportunity for a more extensive search for species, having the opportunity to have incredible photographs, it is the ideal time for you to clarify all your technical doubts with the workshop leaders and thus take your photography to the next level, then at noon we will return to the hostel where we will have a typical lunch while we rest a little and share the experiences of the morning.

After a short break, we’ll begin our afternoon hike along the pristine trails of San Cipriano, focusing on venomous species for the remainder of the day. In the evening, we’ll start our final night walk through San Cipriano, aiming to cover the area’s most distinctive species so that you can capture the greatest variety of species photography during your herpetology workshop.

Day 4 | October 13 | San Cipriano | End of the photography workshop

We will begin our last day in San Cipriano with an excellent breakfast and a photographic discussion while we share the photographic experience of the previous day. After clarifying some doubts as a group, we will begin our last tour in the morning to spot species and after lunch we will make our way bakc to the city of Cali, here we will end our photographic experience in the middle of one of the best preserved natural reserves in Colombia and say goodbye until our next adventure.

OUR WORKSHOP INCLUDES:

  • Accommodation 3 nights 4 days (multiple accommodation).
  • Complete meals (4 breakfasts – 4 lunches – 4 dinners).
  • Transfer Cali – San Cipriano – Cali.
  • Snacks and Hydration.
  • Day and night tours along the different trails.
  • Photography of the activities carried out in the workshop.
  • Guidance and photography advice by the Keeping Nature Tours team.
  • Thematic souvenirs for those attending the photography workshop.
  • Medical assistance card.

OUR WORKSHOP DOES NOT INCLUDE:

  • Transportation from the city of origin to Cali.
  • Expenses not previously stipulated.
  • Alcoholic drinks within the tour.
  • Tips for local guides and staff during the stay.

RECOMMENDATIONS DURING THE WORKSHOP:

We will begin an immersive photographic adventure in nature where you will discover and tell your version of your story through your photographs. We have some recommendations that will be very useful when choosing your equipment depending on the approach you want to explore. We want to travel comfortably and protect our equipment. We’ll give you some tips on what to keep in mind.

  • Follow instructions: Above all others, the most important rule to live by while exploring is to observe and follow all instructions given by the tour leader or staff.
  • Protect yourself from the sun at all times: During explorations we will be exposed to high and low temperatures or humid tropical climates. It is recommended to bring all the elements that protect from the sun such as caps or hats, collars, sunscreen and long-sleeved t-shirts.
  • Review the Basic Concepts: You must know and handle the basic concepts of manual photography (aperture, speeds, ISO, focal length). If you do not understand these concepts, we recommend taking our basic photography course, in which you will receive an Introduction to Photography before the photography tour.
  • Protect your equipment from humidity: Reduce the impact of changes in temperature. Try to keep the battery out of the camera, this can reduce electronic damage and prolong its charge. Carry dry bags that allow you to keep your equipment isolated from weather conditions. It is always advisable to carry silica gel, this element absorbs moisture. After work days you can put your equipment in the dry bag and add enough silica gel to absorb the moisture retained by your camera.
  • Take care of your belongings: All of our favorite destinations are safe for travel. You should always be vigilant and take care of your valuable items whenever you are in busy bus stations, city streets or markets.

INCLUDED SERVICES

WORKSHOP DATE AND DETAILS

  • Location: San Cipriano (Cauca´s Valley)
  • Date: 10 al 13 | Octubre | 2025
  • Duration: 4 days | 3 nights
  • Starting point: Cali (Cauca´s Valley)
  • End point: Cali (Cauca´s Valley)
  • Starting time: 06:00 h
  • End time: 17:00 h
  • Level of Physical Demand: 4 (Moderate)
  • Minimum capacity: 9 People
  • How to get there: To get to Cali you can do it by plane or by land from any city in Colombia.

VALUE OF YOUR NEXT JOURNEY

CHOOSE YOUR CURRENCY ON THE RIGHT

$ 580

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