Workshop Prep Guide
Everything you need for your wildlife photography workshop preparation: what to pack, what a day in the field looks like, and how to get the most out of your time with award-winning photojournalist Ronen Tivony. This guide applies to every location and format, from a half-day in the Everglades to a private multi-day tour.
Overview
On a Wildlife With Ronen workshop, you can join a small group of fellow photography enthusiasts or book a private one-on-one experience, at locations ranging from the Florida Everglades and Wakodahatchee Wetlands to Fort De Soto Park, Orlando Wetlands, and beyond. Whether you’re a beginner with a new camera or an experienced photographer refining your skills, the approach is hands-on and tailored to where you’re starting from.
This page is the reference guide behind every workshop we run: how the day is structured, what to pack, what the weather is likely to do, the etiquette we follow around wildlife, and the answers to the questions we hear most before someone’s first session. Read it once before you book, and again the night before you go.
Choose Your Format
Choosing the right format is the first real step in wildlife photography workshop preparation, and the choice comes down to how you like to learn.
Booking & Policies
Spots are limited, so reserving early is encouraged, especially during peak season. A non-refundable deposit secures your spot, with the remaining balance due before the workshop date. Exact pricing, group size, and duration vary by location and format; each workshop’s own page has the full details.
Who It’s For
Learn the fundamentals of exposure, focus, and composition in a forgiving, wildlife-rich environment where mistakes are part of the process.
Refine your technique for fast-moving subjects, unpredictable behavior, and the challenging light that comes with early mornings and golden hour.
Push toward editorial-quality storytelling, behavior anticipation, and creative composition, with feedback pitched to where you already are.
What to Expect
Every workshop’s exact itinerary varies by season, location, and wildlife activity, but the overall rhythm of the day stays consistent.
What to Pack
Check items off as you pack, or use the button below to print a clean copy of this list.
Physical Requirements
Most of the Florida locations we shoot are flat and boardwalk-accessible, with little to no strenuous hiking, though you should expect to be on your feet and walking for extended stretches across a multi-hour session. Surfaces vary by location, paved, boardwalk, or natural trail, so if you have mobility considerations, let us know when you book and we’ll help you choose the best-suited location and pace. Thinking through mobility needs ahead of time is a small but important part of wildlife photography workshop preparation.
Weather & Conditions
Florida’s subtropical climate means heat, humidity, and the chance of an afternoon shower are part of shooting here for much of the year, especially in summer. Workshops proceed in light rain, since wildlife is often more active during and right after a shower. For genuinely severe weather, lightning or a tropical system, we reschedule or adjust the itinerary rather than shoot through it. Mornings are typically cooler and less humid than afternoons, which is one more reason sessions start before sunrise. Checking the forecast the night before is a simple habit worth building into your wildlife photography workshop preparation.
Field Ethics
As a Certified Florida Master Naturalist, Ronen builds every workshop around a simple principle: the photograph never comes before the animal’s welfare.
Learn more from Leave No Trace’s seven principles.
Your Guide
Ronen Tivony is an award-winning wildlife photojournalist whose work has been published by major outlets worldwide, including The New York Times, National Geographic, The Guardian, CNN, and BBC. He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and a Certified Florida Master Naturalist with decades of field experience. Every workshop is built around the same locations, timing, and field ethics Ronen uses in his own published work.
FAQ
Workshops proceed in light rain, since wildlife is often more active during and after a shower. For severe weather, we reschedule or adjust the itinerary rather than shoot through it.
No. A telephoto lens of 300mm or longer helps, but instruction is tailored to whatever gear you bring, including your first DSLR or mirrorless kit lens.
We don’t provide gear directly, but if you don’t already own a telephoto lens, it’s worth contacting a local camera rental shop before your trip to arrange one.
Not at all. These workshops are beginner-friendly by design, with fundamentals of exposure, focus, and composition covered as part of the session.
Spots are limited, especially in peak season, so booking 1-3 months ahead is recommended to get your preferred date.
Let us know when you book. Surfaces vary by location, from paved and boardwalk to natural trail, and we can help you choose the location and pace that fits.
This varies by workshop and location. Check the specific workshop page you’re interested in for exact details.
The deposit is non-refundable. It secures your spot, with the remaining balance due one week before the workshop date.
Private gives you undivided attention and a fully custom pace. Group keeps things social and more affordable while still keeping numbers small enough for real, individual coaching.
Browse workshops across the Everglades, Fort De Soto, Orlando Wetlands, and more, then reserve your spot with Ronen Tivony.