Welcome to South Africa.
- Date: From November 30th to December 5th
- Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
- Languages: english / spanish
- Places: 10
Photography and Editing Masterclass in South Africa.
The Trip
In this joint workshop, photography and editing combine to take your skills to the next level. During the five intensive days, you will have the opportunity to capture the majesty of African wildlife and landscapes under the expert guidance of Álvaro Cubero. He will teach you how to get the most out of your equipment in every shot, exploring angles, lighting, and compositions so that each photograph tells a unique story. Afterward, in the editing phase, José D. Riquelme, a master in the art of editing, will take you step-by-step through his workflow, teaching you advanced post-processing techniques. This is where images come to life: you will learn to highlight details, play with contrasts, and give each photo your personal touch. Editing not only enhances the images but also defines your style as a photographer, and this workshop is designed so that, by the end, you have the confidence and knowledge necessary to edit your photos at a professional level.
About the Tour
- Price: $5,550
- From November 30th to December 5th, 2026.
- Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
- Languages: english / spanish
- Places: 10
- Activity Level: All levels
- Airport Durban International Airport (DUR)
Highlights
- 6 Days Photography Workshop
- Small groups
- Learning with Experts
- Comfortable Travel and Unique Exploration
- Discover editing techniques from professionals
- Stay at a luxury resort
Description
Why this Workshop?
Unique experience: This workshop offers you an exclusive experience in a luxury setting in South Africa, where you will learn from professional photographers.
Significant improvement in your skills: After five days of intensive practice in photo editing, each participant will experience a significant improvement in their ability to edit photographs. The daily editing sessions, led by the renowned José D. Riquelme, are designed to enhance and perfect your post-processing techniques.
Expert instructors: Álvaro Cubero, a renowned wildlife photographer, will teach you how to capture the most impressive moments of African wildlife. José D. Riquelme, an expert in photo editing, will guide you step-by-step to master advanced editing techniques.
Personalized approach: The sessions will be practical and tailored to the level of each participant, providing a personalized educational experience.
Map
Planning
Departure from Durban, South Africa in the morning, with transportation taking us on a 3.5-hour journey to the beautiful KwaZulu-Natal, where the private Zimanga reserve is located. In the afternoon, we will have a photography session (Safari or Hide).
We will have photographic activities in the mornings, mixing Safari and Photographic Hides, allowing us to capture ground-level angles and always be close to the action. In the afternoons, we will have intensive photo editing lessons and practice sessions.
We will have our last photography session and present our best work to the group, where we will receive feedback and support from the instructors. After lunch, we will depart back to Durban, concluding this wonderful workshop filled with learning, editing, and abundant African wildlife.
Included
- 5 nights of accommodation (shared double room).
- All meals, drinks and alcoholic beverages.
- Transportation by private vehicle (including fuel), in transfers.
- Safaris every days.
- Editing workshops.
Not Included
- International flights.
- Visa.
- Travel insurance.
- Anything not listed as included.
Your guides
José D. Riquelme is an award-winning photographer born in Murcia, Spain, recognized internationally with various awards and accolades such as:
- "Open Nature Winner and Overall Winner" at the Epson Pano Awards 2023.
- "Photographer of the Year 2021" in the night category at the 35awards.
- Four consecutive gold medals at the Trierenberg Super Circuit in Vienna.
- Remarkable Art Work at the Siena International Photo Awards.
- Gold medal at the Pano Epson Awards.
- Finalist at the Xposure International Photography Festival.
- Consistently ranked among the top three landscape and night landscape photographers at the 35awards for three consecutive years, competing with an average of 120,000 participants.
- Special Prize “Amazing Clouds” at The International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2021.
- Winner of the Viewbug "Shooting the Blue Hour" photo contest.
- Winner of Viewbug's Monthly Pro Photo Contest Vol 45.
Álvaro Cubero is a Costa Rican photographer specializing in wildlife, who has been active in photography since 2010. He has been recognized for his skill and dedication to nature photography, becoming a finalist in major international competitions. One of his notable achievements was being a finalist in the Smithsonian Institute’s world photography contest in the “Natural World” category in 2015, where his photograph was selected from over 25,600 images from 93 countries.
Álvaro also won the ULACIT photography contest: “Water as a Source of Life” and has established himself as a freelance photographer, working in various national parks and private reserves to capture biodiversity. Additionally, Álvaro offers lectures, post-processing classes, and leads international photographic expeditions, sharing his passion and knowledge with other photographers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Dates 2025
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$5,550
About the trip
To make the most of this workshop, it is important to bring the following photography equipment:
- DSLR or Mirrorless Camera: Make sure your camera allows manual adjustments to control exposure and focus.
- Lenses: – Telephoto (70-200mm and 200-600mm or similar). – Wide-angle (14-24mm) for landscapes and astrophotography (optional). – Standard zoom (24-70mm) for versatility in different situations.
- Tripod: Stable and sturdy.
During the editing sessions, we will work with the following programs:
– Adobe Photoshop and Camera Raw (similar to Lightroom): The main software for post-processing and advanced image editing. – DXO PureRAW: To optimize photo quality, reduce noise, and improve sharpness before editing.
– Nik Collection (Plug-in): A set of essential tools for applying effects, enhancing details, and creating unique styles.
– Adobe Lightroom (Optional): Ideal for organizing your photos and making basic adjustments before editing in Photoshop. It is important that you have these programs installed on your computer to make the most of the photo editing sessions. If you have any questions about the recommended equipment or software, feel free to contact us.
The Luxury Resort
Zimanga Private Game Reserve.
Zimanga Private Game Reserve is the first resort in Africa specifically designed to meet the needs of both safari lovers and wildlife photographers. Located in the KwaZulu-Natal region, it spans 70 square kilometers of pristine wilderness, offering varied landscapes, rivers, forests, and hills. The area is home to a diverse range of animals, including the “Big Five” (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopard) and over 400 bird species. The resort offers luxury accommodations, such as the Main Lodge, which features double suites and single rooms, ensuring an exclusive experience in the heart of nature. Additionally, Zimanga has unique photographic hides designed to capture images of wildlife from close and different perspectives. The resort’s focus is to provide unique and innovative wildlife photography experiences, making it the perfect location for the photography workshop in South Africa.
FAQs
The workshop will take place in South Africa.
José D. Riquelme and Álvaro Cubero
The workshop is designed for photographers of all levels, from beginners to professionals. Sessions will be adapted to meet the needs of all participants.
yes, it is mandatory
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$5,550
- From November 30th to December 5th, 2026.
- Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
- Languages: english / spanish
- Places: 10
- Activity Level: All levels
"*" señala los campos obligatorios
Legal terms for all tours ICEMONKEY
The reservation will be confirmed once a payment of 1,000 US dollars has been made.
No spots will be reserved without the deposit.
Final Payment: The final amount must be paid 60 days before the start of the trip.
We understand that attending our workshops requires prior commitment, and also that life events can occur that may force you to cancel a trip. Depending on the cancellation date, the following conditions will apply:
- More than 150 days before the start date of the workshop: full refund of payments made.
- Between 150 and 91 days before the start of the workshop: 50% of the reservation will be refunded.
- 90-61 days before the start of the workshop: 35% of the reservation will be refunded.
- Within 60 days prior to the start of the workshop: No refund will be made.
Accidents:
- IceMonkey is not responsible for accidents involving participants during the workshop and will not cover medical expenses if necessary. During the workshop, each participant is responsible for their own safety and physical integrity.
- IceMonkey is not responsible for accidents or losses of photographic equipment during the workshop. Each participant is responsible for their own photographic equipment.
- Travel insurance is mandatory.
Punctuality:
- Each day of the expedition, all participants must be punctual at the established time. All participants must be at the starting point of the expedition for its commencement. In case of delays due to inconveniences, the participant must communicate with someone from the IceMonkey staff as soon as possible.
Respect:
- Participants may have different levels of knowledge about the subject, which requires patience when explaining topics that are already familiar to them. Each participant’s photographic area must be respected. Disrespect towards a participant or a staff member will not be tolerated. This is a discrimination-free space. We will not tolerate racism, sexism, discrimination based on sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Weather:
- The tour and its itinerary depend on the weather and can change at any time. We will always be attentive to the best weather conditions to determine where to go and optimize photography.