Ivan Kashinsky is a freelance photographer based in Quito, Ecuador. His work has been published in National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Fortune, Vanity Fair, and Geo Italy among others.

Ivan obtained a Masters in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Photojournalism at San Jose State University. For his thesis project he created a multimedia project documenting the indigenous fiestas of the Ecuadorian Andes. During his studies Ivan interned at three newspapers, including the Oregonian, where he had the opportunity to work with amazing photographers and editors. Kashinsky’s photography has been recognized in many contests and has been exhibited in New York.

Our photography tours with Ivan Kashinsky / Karla Gachet

“FIESTAS POPULARES IN ECUADOR WITH IVAN KASHINSKY / KARLA GACHET”

We offer a photography tour with Ivan Kashinsky or Karla Gachet each month according the date of a different “Fiesta Popular”

Calendar :

January: Los Diablos de Pillaro (4 days)
February: Carnival Guaranda  (5 days)
March: Fiesta del Ovo, Ambuquí, 10 de marzo (3 days)
March/April: Semana Santa:  Cucuruchos Quito (3 days)
April: Fiesta de la Chonta Fecha: 28 de Abril Archidona, Napo (3 days)
May: El Señor de la Buena Esperanza: Fiestas del Santo Patrón, bandas de pueblo, hogueras, fuegos artificiales, verbenas, 3 de mayo Checa Pichincha (3 days)
June: Inti Raymi (San Juan) in Otavalo (5 days)
July: Paseo del Chagra Desfile, toros y bandas de pueblo, comidas típicas, feria de artesanías y de agroindustria, 22 de julio Machachi Pichincha (3 days)
August: Fiestas de los Corazas: Danza, música, fuegos artificiales, desfiles y comparsas, 19 de agosto, Imbabura
September: Mama Negra small (3 days)
October: Rodeo Montubio Salitre (3 days)
November: Day of the Dead (3 days)
December: Navidad en Pujili (3 days)

Tour Includes:

• Professional photographer guide,
• Accommodation ,
• Private Transportation
• Meals as specified
• Entrance fees.
  

Tour does not include:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Personal photography equipment
• Itmes not specified
• Tips

Our Tours “Fiestas Populares with Ivan K. or Karla G. are according our traditional festivities all around the country. The Tours last between three and five days.
We include all this itineraries in any Tailor Made Tour you need.

ZUMBAHUA YEAR-ROUND TOUR WITH IVAN KASHINSKY OR KARLA GACHET

3 Day - Itinerary

Zumbahua is an indigenous pueblo high up in the Ecuadorian Andes.  Here time stands still and pre-Incan traditions still exist.  The culture is a mix between pre-Colombian and Spanish customs.   There is a lively indigenous market as well as a beautiful lake, which sits in the middle of a Volcano. 

Day 1 Indigenous Market

Visit an indigenous market, discover a traditional market in the Andean. Spend the day with people. Overnight in the hotel.  (-/-/D)

Day 2 Hike down to Quilotoa Lagoon

Quilotoa lagoon is a beautiful volcanic crater lake located at 12,400 feet between Zumbahua and Chugchilán. We will admire wonderful landscapes until get to the lagoon. Finally when we arrive to Quilotoa Lagoon you will se its emerald water. Local legend claims it is connected to the ocean and is therefore salty and sulfuric. You can descend until the crater and enjoy the landscapes . Overnight in the hotel.  (B/-/D)

Day 3 Hike up to an indigenous village and spend a day with the people

Spend the morning in an indigenous village with the community. Return to Quito. (B/-/-)

Prices 2009:

2 pax	4 pax	6 pax	8 pax
$ 1,649	$ 987	$ 688	$ 538

Tour Includes:

• Professional photographer guide,
• Accommodation ,
• Private Transportation
• Meals as specified
• Entrance fees.

Tour does not include:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Personal photography equipment
• Itmes not specified
• Tips

Note: This tour operates with minimum of 2 passenger and maximum 8. It is possible to operate the whole year.

 

Jonathan Green born in England and graduated Bachelor of Sciences, Geology with Geography from North London University, 1984. Traveled and lived in France and Spain for four years, before working as a Naturalist and dive master for the Galapagos National Park from 1988 to present day. Elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London, 1989. Has led expeditions to the Amazon, Antarctic, Costa Rica, Patagonia and Peru, trekking, climbing, diving, wildlife and photography workshop trips.  Elected Member International of the Explorer’s Club of New York in 2007. Widely published photographer both on land and underwater, author of: Galapagos: Ocean, Earth, Wind and Fire.

Four times finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Bronze medalist at Hasselblad World Circuit 2000. Photos published in Time, Time Life, Time for Kids, GEO, BBC Natural History and Royal Geographical Magazines. Photography exhibited at the Natural History Museum of London, Olympia Stadium, London and assorted venues around the world.

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Galapagos offers a unique opportunity to photograph wildlife in a natural environment without the use of blinds or extremely long lenses. For over twenty years Jonathan has been studying and photographing the islands with their flora and fauna, both on land and underwater, using his intimate knowledge of the animals, their behavior and particular light conditions to teach a variety of photographic techniques. Daily nature walks focusing on key areas will give participants experience in macro, animals in movement, behavior portrayal, fast tracking, landscapes, close up wide angle and light management. Field techniques will include composition, shooting angles, background usage, amongst others. Site lectures and professional lectures, related to local wildlife and conditions. For those interested, snorkeling and underwater photography is also offered and dive trips with dedicated underwater workshops on request.

Critique sessions on board will include:

• Workshop presentations to explain field techniques used.
• Examples of behavioral representation.
• Interactive Q & A sessions using images taken each day.
• Critique of participants work, both previous and current.
• Digital photography techniques, camera setting, program use, manual or     priority, histograms, white balance etc.
• Photoshop discussion and Photoshop workflow presentation. (Photographers must bring their own laptops in order to participate in this activity).

8 Day – Itinerary

Day 1	AM	Baltra Island – Arrival
	PM	Plaza Island
Day 2	AM	Charles Darwin Station- Santa cruz Island
	PM	Highlands - santa Cruz Island
Day 3	AM	Gardner Bay - Española Island
	PM	Punta Suárez- Española Island
Day 4	AM	Punta Cormorant - Floreana Island
	PM	Post Officce Bay- Floreana Island
Day 5	AM	Punta Moreno- Isabela Island
	PM	Elizabeth Bay - Isabela Island
Day 6	AM	Urbina Bay - Isabela Island
	PM	Punta Espinoza - Fernandina Island
Day 7	AM	Puerto Egas- Santiago Island
	PM	Bartolome island
Day 8	AM	Black Turtle Cove- Santa Cruz Island
	PM	Baltra Island- Return

 Prices 2009:

8 pax	10 pax	12 pax
$ 5.819	$ 4.655	$ 3.879&

Tour Includes

• Accommodation in the cruise during the day tours
• All meals
• Transfers in the islands
• All shore excursions with an English speaking naturalist guide
• Professional  photographer guide
• Purified water free for drink, coffee or tea

Tour does not Includes

• US$100 Galapagos National Park entrance fee
• US$10 Transit Control Card
• Fuel Surcharge
• Airfare from mainland Ecuador
• Bottled beverages
• Medical insurance
• Personal photography equipment

Note: Air tickets and National Park Prices can be subject to change without prior notice.

Itineraries are subject to National Park regulations and can be modified without previous notice.
This tour operates in a private cruise in the Galapagos Island, only for the group.

Murray Cooper, born in South Africa, has been living in the Ecuadorian cloud-forest since 1991. Murray is a wildlife photographer who specializes in birds and macro subjects. He also works in conservation of the Choco rainforest for l0 years, where he is one of the co-founders of the 21 000 acre Los Cedros Reserve.
His work is represented by International Photo Agencies and has been published on all continents; he has published four wildlife books, and is recently working on “The Birds of the Tropical Andes” with international publishers. He recently received a highly commended in the Royal Geographic Society photo competition.

BIRD WATCHING AND PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR IN MINDO VALLEY WITH MURRAY COOPER

4 Day - Itinerary

Mindo Valley

During the tour we do a mix between birds and hummingbirds, some macro of plants and insects, incredible landscapes and all of the most important Birds of the area.
Mindo valley is one of the best known birding localities in Ecuador, with an impressive bird list of 558 species in less then ten square km.
Highlights include andean cock-of-the rock, club-winged manakin, sunbittern, long watteled umbrellabird, Toucan Barbet, pale-mandibled aracari, glistening-green tanager, violet-tailed sylph, Wattled guan, Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan,  Scaled Fruiteater, Nariño Tapaculo, Golden-headed Quetzal, and more than 51 species of tanagers and 49 species of hummingbirds, among others.
Mindo has become one of the most famous places for bird watching for several reasons. Primarily, its citizens have been dedicated to conserving their forest and developing tourism for more than two decades. In addition, Mindo is part of the bioregion “Chocó,” which is one of the world´s richest biogeographic areas. This area supports the largest number of restricted-range birds: over 50 endemic species, 22 northern migrants,  18 critically endangered and 8 threatened species.
Mindo Valley is surrounded by mountains which are drained by several rivers that flow into the basin.  The valley lies at elevations between 1000 and 2000 meters, which is the range of elevation that is scientifically shown to contain the highest ornithological diversity in Ecuador.  A variety of ecological niches exist here, in a compact area of only 10 km². 
Our agency is focused on supporting the conservation process by working with local people to encourage them to keep conserving the forests and to save the habitat of the birds.  Our program´s specialty is to photograph and highlight the birds while also observing the other birds which share its habitat.
Our guide for the area of Mindo beside the photographer is one of the first guides of Mindo and one of the pioneers of the conservation process and the development of tourism in the area.
Day 1 Mindo

Arrive in the afternoon to Mindo Valley, we will walk looking for the beautiful Long-wattled Umbrellabird and other species such as Giant and Scaled Antpitta, Choco Toucan, Scaled Fruiteater, Tanager-Finch and Club-winged Manakin. Target birds here include Wattled and Sickle-winged Guan, Bronze-winged Parrot, Sparkling Violet-ear, Andean Emerald, Booted Racket-tail and Long-tailed Sylph. We will also investigate hummingbird feeders, which attract many of the resident hummingbirds of the Mindo region, including the rare Choco endemics Empress Brilliant and Velvet-Purple Coronet. Overnight at the Lodge.

Day 2 Mindo

After breakfast we head for the entrance road, where we expect to see toucan barbet, squirrel cuckoo, Masked Trogon, scale-crested pygmy tyrant.
Along the way to Mindo, we will be keeping an eye out for many species that we may observe from roadside flocks.  Scaled Antpitta, Spillman`s Tapaculo, Little Woodstar,  Tanager-finch, Black-crowned Tityra, Golden-Bellied Warbler.
After lunch, continue exploring this beautiful forest where highlights are likely to include Toucan Barbet, Sunbitern, and Cloud-forest Pygmy-owl before returning to the lodge. Overnight at the Lodge.

Day 3 Mindo

After breakfast we will walk through the different trails of Mindo-Nambillo reserve looking for more bird species such as Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, Crested Quetzal, Choco Toucan, and Powerful Woodpecker. Other colorful birds we may see here include Blue-winged Mountain-tanager, Green and Black Fruiteater, and Moss-backed Tanager. Overnight at the Lodge. (B/-/D)

Day 4 Mindo

We will have the opportunity to visit the Andean Cock-of-the Rock lek, a truly amazing experience.  The males produce a special sound and fly and dance like acrobats waiting for the female to choose one of them to mate with. This is truly one of the most stunning sights in the neotropics. After lunch we will continue our trip back to Quito.

NOTE: Need: long lens – minimum 300m, and Macro lens

Prices 2009:

2 pax	4 pax	6 pax             8 pax
$ 2.402	$ 1.508	$ 1.169       $ 999

Tour Includes

• Accommodation  in the Lodge
• Breakfast
• Private transportation
• English speaking naturalist guide
• Professional  photographer guide

Tour does not Includes

• Binoculars
• Personal photography equipment
• Lunch and Dinner
• Tips
• Items not specified

Jorge Juan Anhalzer (born in Quito, 1959). Anhalzer has combined his interest in nature, geography and customs with his work as a guide to adventure, chronicler graph of Ecuador and camera operator. He has also directed and collaborated on several documentaries. Anhalzer is author of the following photographic books:

Por los Andes del Ecuador (1982)
Ecuador Tierras Altas (1982)
Parques Nacionales del Ecuador. (1986)
100 Imágenes del Ecuador (1990)
Ecuador desde el aire (1994)
Galápagos (1995)
Andes (1996)
Quito (1997)
Amazonía (1997)
Llanganati (1998)
Ecuador a ojo de pájaro (1999)