Workshop content
 

• Theoretical introduction to bird of prey photography, wildlife photography - fine-tuning autofocus, camera settings, tracking camera

• Body language of birds of prey and its interpretation for photography (extremely important, this usually puts you one step ahead photographically)

• 2 different hides and places to choose from, thus different perspectives possible on these 3 days

• Image analysis in the evening and discussion of possible improvements for the next day

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Programme schedule

Travelling by plane from Vienna, Munich or Salzburg

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Day 1:
Meeting point at the airport very early in the morning, depending on flight time, followed by a flight of approx. 2 hours to Sofia.
Here we change to a hire car and drive to the hotel - approx. 3 hours by car.


After arriving in the late afternoon, we have a cosy dinner in the hotel restaurant. Afterwards, each participant receives a script and the most important topics such as camera settings, focus and behaviour of birds of prey and wild animals are discussed in order to be best prepared for the first day in the hide.
 

Day2-4:
 

On these 3 days we have to get up very early, we have to be in our hide before sunrise and we don't get out of the hide before sunset. Our local ranger takes us directly to the hides by vehicle.

Warm clothing, if possible in many different layers, is recommended, in winter it can be very cold (so-called onion look is recommended) to be able to take something off in the hide. The hides are heated, but on very cold days it can still be chilly.

The golden eagle is often the first bird of prey to show itself at sunrise, when there is usually still little light. The griffon vultures are not normally here at this time and the golden eagle takes advantage of this and enjoys the peace and quiet.

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But it doesn't take very long for the first griffon vultures to arrive. At first you see one or two circling in the sky. But then they quickly increase in number and within a short time there are often 20-40 of them settling on the site.
It is also very impressive to see this number circling in the sky and how they then land one after the other.
These places are used for feeding with natural fallen game - i.e. deer, very often cows etc. that have died naturally are offered to the griffon vultures for utilisation. The griffon vulture was reintroduced here years ago and now breeds successfully in the mountains of Bulgaria.
It can be seen regularly in this hide and, above all, lives in the wild in its most natural form. There are always wild fights here, because the scavengers know very well that game the size of a deer is often completely processed after 3-4 hours and only bones and fur remain. That's why the motto is to be among the first and the place is accordingly lively.
 

Every now and then, black vultures appear; they have also been introduced here in recent years and breed in the mountains. With a wingspan of almost three metres, it is the largest bird of prey in Europe.
 

Attracted by the sounds of the griffon vultures, jackals can also be seen from time to time, which naturally want to dust off some of the delicious food. This can also often lead to fights. However, the jackal is too small to be a serious threat to the vultures, even in a group. But it also has its demands on the daily menu.

 

If all the birds of prey suddenly fly up and flee, then either a person is coming or it's a wolf. That's exactly what happened to me when I was there in February this year. I wondered what the cause could be.A few seconds later I knew - the wolf was looking over the cairn at me.

Then, of course, I knew why everyone was fleeing, because the wolf is a potential danger to all vultures and so not one stayed put and took up the challenge. I had him about 10 minutes before the hide, but he was visibly nervous and tense. The wind was in my favour. I had a crosswind, but he felt my presence.

I was alone in the hide and so the chances of getting him in front of the lens were much higher, because you don't normally talk to yourself 😄 It's much more difficult with a group and it requires a lot of discipline.
 

Everything here is absolutely wildlife and so there is never a guarantee of what will happen in front of the hide. But in three days there's always a lot going on and you'll get lots of photos of all kinds of birds of prey and wild animals. But you never know which animals will turn up.

Every day after sunset we are picked up by the ranger and we drive to our accommodation. The approach and descent is really adventurous and can only be done with the heaviest off-road equipment. Very steep, knee-deep holes ...... If you've never done anything like this before, it's an additional adventure. But our ranger has it fully under control.

 

There is an extra room in the Hide, with a toilet, for small needs 😉 It is not possible to go out during the day.

 

In the evening we have a perfect dinner with starter, main course and dessert and the landlady really spoils us and we enjoy delicious Bulgarian beer. Afterwards, we discuss the pictures and get tips and tricks for the next day. There's not much time left, we have to get up early again.
 

Day 5:
 

We don't need to get up quite as early as the days before and can have a normal breakfast.
After breakfast together, we leave for the airport in Sofia and arrive in Munich or Vienna in the late afternoon or at night (depending on the flight time). From here we return home.    

 

Requirements and recommended equipment 

 

• Good basic knowledge of photography, especially of birds in flight 

• Own SLR camera or system camera

• Telephoto lens from 300-500mm with full-frame camera, telephoto lens 150-300mm with MFT camera and telephoto lens 200-400mm with APSC camera, if available 1.4 teleconverter

• If possible, a second lens with a different focal length - ideally a lens for short distances 200-300mm and up to 500 or 600mm for long distances

• Enough memory cards and full batteries, spare batteries

• Laptop and external hard drive to save the pictures and empty the memory cards for the next day

• At least one gimbal

• Tripod for mounting the gimbal

• Card reader with cable for reading your pictures

• Good and above all warm and waterproof footwear and clothing (in several layers - so-called onion look)

• Torch (preferably a headlamp)

• Gloves (especially in the winter months)

• Passion for wildlife and bird of prey photography 😊
   

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Included in the price
 

• Transfer from Sofia airport to the hotel and back to the airport on the last day  

• 3 Tage spannende Wildtierfotografie in beheizten Ansitzhütten

• Snacks und Kaffee, Tee für den Tag

• Täglicher Transport vom Hotel zum Hide und retour

• Technische Unterstützung von Manfred Hesch, wissenswertes über die Wildtiere. Organisation während der Reise und vor Ort.

• Objektive und Bodys von Nikon können getestet werden

• Wimberley Gimbal oder Gitzo Gimbal können getestet werden
   

Nicht inkludiert in Teilnahmegebühr ist

 

• Anreise zum Flughafen in Wien oder München (Fahrgemeinschaft möglich) 

• Flüge von Wien oder München nach Sofia und retour (ich arbeite hier mit einem Reisebüro zusammen und jeder bucht seinen Flug über diese Firma) Kosten des Fluges ca. € 300,00 - auch hier gilt je früher umso günstiger!!

• Hotelübernächtigung inklusive Frühstück, Lunchpaket für die Tage im Hide und Abendessen für 4 Tage
  Hier habe ich eine sehr schöne Pension ausgesucht, welche gepflegte Zimmer und hervorragendes Essen bietet - Kostenpunkt für 4 Tage/Person ca. € 350,00
  Verpflegung: Frühstückskaffe und Lunchpaket für den Tag, Abendessen mit Vorspeise, Hauptspeise und Dessert - für 4 Tage, Getränke