LAGUNA SECA RANCH South Texas Bird Photography
Why a Guide?
Q: What is a guide's role?
A: The guide will allow you access to the ranch and help you become familiarized with the ranch. They will share their knowledge while you photograph side-by-side.
Q: How can a guide be helpful?
A: Guides can assist photographers during photography sessions in the field. Photographers will learn more about nature and south Texas animal behavior and how to use it to improve their photography. Photographers will learn how to take advantage of light, how to shoot fill flash, how to select and position perches for birds, and how to improve photographs by shooting from the best angles and perspectives to get interesting photographs. The guide can also help you with your equipment and even offer advice in selecting additional equipment to improve and diversify your nature photography.
Q: What is the advantage to having a guide at Laguna Seca Ranch?
A: Most photographers will be somewhat unaccustomed to the weather, plants, and animals on the ranch. The guide will get you to the blind quickly so you don’t lose valuable time locating your blind. He or she can help you place photogenic perches and show you the best locations to place them. There are tricks even to using various baits for luring maximum types and numbers of wildlife. He or she will help you spot and identify the various species you encounter and can assist you in anticipating various animal behaviors to help you be prepared for the best shots. If you need something you forgot to bring, it is likely the guide will have it. If you want to work certain species like lizards, snakes, tortoises, etc., a guide can be very helpful. A guide, of course, is always helpful with non-photography information. There is no substitute for shooting with a local professional when you are shooting in strange country.
Q: What can I expect at the ranch?
Ranch Guides
Janice McConaha
The President of Deep South Texas Master Gardeners, docent at the Museum of South Texas History, and an avid birder. Janice can help you identify and combine Texas native plants in your photo setup. As a guide, she will help you capture and experience the attitude and beauty of the Ranch. She can also help you plan a day-trip or multi-day packages for nature, birding, butterfly, or photography throughout South Texas. Janice knows the current South Texas birding and photography hot-spots that will ensure you get shots just like the local professionals.
417-459-5113
Paul Denman
(Website HERE)
Paul's experience as a professional photographer was the driving force in developing the ranch to be photography-ready; in fact, he is more familiar with the ranch than any other guide.
You and Paul will photograph side-by-side, and he will show you how to select and properly position perches to improve your photographs. You will learn how to shoot from the best angles and perspectives to achieve more interesting shots. He can also show you tricks about how to use baits for luring the maximum number and types of wildlife. Paul is an expert in image optimization techniques and can spend a portion of your visit reviewing and offering hands-on instruction.
You will undoubtedly find that there is no substitute to shooting with an experienced photographer. Paul helped Alan Murphy prepare for his initial workshop at the ranch.
956-686-6372
Ruth Hoyt
(Website HERE)
Ranch Contact
Janice McConaha
As the main contact for Laguna Seca, Janice can give you access to the ranch and show you to your blind. If you have any questions, like where to find a good hotel or restaurant, she can help.
417-459-5113
