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South
Texas Birds & Wildlife Photo Adventure
3.5 Days All Inclusive Photo Shoot at the Santa Clara Ranch
- May 31st thru June 3rd, 2012
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Harris
Hawk @ the Raptor Blind
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Rio Grande Valley is becoming one of the premier hotspots
for nature photographers in the country. It has been a world
class destination for birds (with over 500 species in the
area) for many years. The "Valley", as we locals
call it, is also known for its variety in reptiles (over 150
species documented) and mammals (150+ species live here).
Santa
Clara Ranch is a 300 acre wildlife sanctuary that is comprised
entirely of virgin brush land. The ranch is a real gem in
its diversity of wildlife because of the nature of the property,
brush land that has never seen a plow blade and wildlife
that will never be hunted. 6 blinds that hold up to 4-6
photographers each are strategically placed throughout the
property. 2 morning sunken blinds, 3 afternoon sunken blinds
and 1 afternoon elevated blind for raptors make up the permanent
blinds here at the ranch. All blinds have birds feeders
and all blinds have waterholes to attract birds, mammals
and reptiles.
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Golden
Fronted Woodpecker at Afternoon Blind
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Cost
of Photo Tour - $770.00 per photographer (double occupancy)
Includes:
- Lodging at the new Santa Clara
Ranch Guesthouse for 3 days and 3 nights.
- All meals (catered) and non-alcoholic beverages during your
stay.
- Professional Photographer Guides / Instructors to help you
maximize your stay.
- All applicable taxes.
Does not include:
- Transportation to and from the ranch.
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Gratuities |
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Greater
Roadrunner
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Nine-banded
Armadillo
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We
are limiting the number of photographers to 6 so you can
get our full attention and have unlimited exclusive access
to the blinds during your stay.
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Planned
Itinerary
Wednesday
May 30th
- Arrive at the Santa Clara Ranch
- Welcome reception at 6:00pm (light dinner served)
- Introduction by workshop leader Hector D. Astorga
Thursday
May 31st
- 6:00am - Continental Breakfast
- 7:00am thru 10:00am- Photograph at the sunken morning
blinds
- Lunch at 12:00
- 2:00pm - Participant Image sharing and critique and Photoshop
CS5 Workflow demonstration.
- 4:00pm thru 8:00pm - Photograph at the sunken afternoon
blinds and raptor blind.
- 8:30pm Dinner
Friday
June 1st
- 6:00am - Continental Breakfast
- 7:00am thru 10:00am- Photograph at the sunken morning
blinds
- Lunch at 12:00
- 2:00pm - Participant Image sharing and critique and How
to attract wildlife in the South Texas brush.
- 4:00pm thru 8:00pm - Photograph at the sunken afternoon
blinds and raptor blind.
- 8:30pm Dinner
Saturday
June 2nd
- 6:00am - Continental Breakfast
- 7:00am thru 10:00am- Photograph at the sunken morning
blinds
- Lunch at 12:00
- 2:00pm - Participant Image sharing and critique and building
set-ups for photography.
- 4:00pm thru 8:00pm - Photograph at the sunken afternoon
blinds and raptor blind.
- 8:30pm Farewell Dinner (South Texas BBQ).
Sunday June 3rd (Optional)
- 6:00am - Continental Breakfast
- 7:00am thru 10:00am - Photograph at sunken morning blinds
at leisure.
- 11:00am - Workshop Ends.
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Great
Horned Owl @ Blind #3
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Your
Photographer Guides / Instructors and Hosts:
Hector D. Astorga - local
Rio Grande Valley Award Winning Nature Photographer, Hector
has won the First Grand Prize in the Valley Land Fund Wildlife
Photo Contest multiple times (2008 - Small Tract Divison and
2010 Pro Division). He was recently declared the 3rd Grand
Prize Winner at the Texas Coastal Bend Wildlife Photography
contest held in the Corpus Christi area. He has also won top
honors in the National Wildlife Federation annual photo contest.
Hector is a freelance nature photographer based here in South
Texas and he is the Ranch Manager here at the Santa Clara
Ranch. To learn more about Hector and to see his work visit
his website at http://www.hectorastorga.com.
Dr.
Beto Gutierrez - Santa Clara Ranch's owner. An
award winning photographer with over 30 years experience in
photographing nature. Nobody knows Santa Clara Ranch better
than Dr. Beto. Born and raised in Rio Grande City, TX, Dr.
Beto knowledge of the South Texas brush land is immeasurable.
A competitor in almost all the Valley Land fund photo contests,
he won 3rd Grand Prize in 2008 in the Texas Shootout. |
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Trip
deposit $385.00 USD per photographer. Balance due upon arrival
at ranch.
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Deposit
can be paid via paypal (plus 3% fees) by clicking here.
or mail a U.S. Check or Money order (payable to Santa
Clara Ranch) to:
Dr. Beto Gutierrez
6020 E Wisconsin Road
Edinburg, TX 78542
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Deposits
& Cancellation Policy:
- A
$385 deposit is required at the time of enrollment with
full payment due at arrival at ranch.
- Deposit
is non-refundable. If the photo tour/workshop is cancelled
due to low enrollment, your deposit will be refunded in
full.
- If
the photo tour/workshop is full and someone from the waiting
list can take your spot, your tuition is fully refundable
minus a 15% cancellation fee.
- We
are not responsible for cancellations due to medical or
other reasons.
- Should
cancellation be required due to severe weather, an alternate
date will be scheduled at no additional charges.
- No
fees will be refunded if you withdraw after the photo
tour/workshop begins.
- We
are not responsible for any fees associated with non-refundable
air travel, we highly recommend the purchase of travel
insurance.
For more information or questions please contact Hector
Astorga:
Email: hector@hectorastorga.com
Phone: (956) 821-0701.
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