Join us on this adventure to a place unlike any other on earth, Lençóis Maranhenses, where you will be mesmerized by the snow white dunes and turquoise waterbodies that stretch for miles. Our adventure will also include special jaunts to photograph the birds of Lençóis which may include scarlet ibis, black skimmers, gray-hooded gulls, large-billed terns, Wilson's plovers, egrets, and more!
with Jackie Kramer & Anselmo Hoffman
At a Glance
Dates: Arrive in SLZ on June 21 and overnight at hotel on own near airport. Tour begins with pickup from hotel near SLZ at approx 10am on June 22. Welcome dinner this evening in Barreirinhas. We will return to SLZ on June 27th in mid-afternoon (plan departing flights after our retun).
Includes: All instruction in the field and classroom plus online Zoom orientation before & post-conference Zoom sessions.
Cost: $4300 double occupancy ($500 single supplement) $1000 deposit (balance due by December 15, 2025) Note: The pricing is based on today's prices (Augsut 2025) & may be subject to change (price is locked in on date you register). NOTE: If you are registered for the Atlantic Forest trip, the cost will be $3900 (DO); the savings will appear on your balance.
Location: Fly into São Luis Airport (SLZ) on or before June 21; Pick up for the tour will be at nearby hotel at approximately 10am on June 22. Depart from SLZ late afternoon or evening on June 27.
Transportation and Lodging: You will be picked up at the hotel near SLZ June 22 & dropped off at the SLZ airport on June 27. All ground transportation will be provided. All lodging from June 22 through June 27th is included (5 nights). We will be staying in Barreirinhas for one night and then in Santo Amaro for the remainder of our stay in Lençóis Maranhenses.
Meals: All breakfasts are included as well as a welcome dinner and closing dinner. Lunch and other dinners on own.
Not included: Airfare to Brazil, hotel in São Luis on June 21, small plane flights ($700 each), gratuity for lodge staff, drivers, & guides, visa fees, travel insurance, beverages, snacks, & other optional add-ons.
Group size: 5 min; 10 max
Physical Level: Easy. You will not need to walk long distances.
Weather: Temperatures can vary from comfortably warm to hot. Wind can range from roaring to still. Bring light jackets, rain gear just in case, sunglasses, sandals, bathing suit, long pants and shorts, if you like.
Image Gallery
Grand Vistas
Golden dunes roll into endless horizons, framed by blue lagoons and dramatic skies. Here, you don’t just see the landscape—you feel it. Part of you will want to pause in silence, simply grateful to be alive in such vast beauty. The photographer in you, though, won’t be able to resist—capturing it all from every angle possible. From the intimacy of your camera lens, to soaring perspectives on an optional small-plane flight, to sweeping views from your drone, and even quick snapshots on your phone—every moment here is unforgettable, and every image tells a story.
Jewels in the sand....
are arranged by nature in breathtaking shapes and sizes.
The abstract poetry of the Black River....
shimmers with deep, rich-colored hues—brilliant with tannins carried from the mangrove roots. Photograph the striking contrasts: raw patterns of nature only visible from the sky.
At Sunrise & Sunset....
the white sands glow as golden light spills across the dunes, shifting with every breeze, while the lagoons mirror the changing sky. It’s a fleeting spectacle which you feel deep in your soul—no two moments are ever the same.
Life quietly thrives....
beyond the vast sands and shining lagoons. Birds take wing over the dunes, their silhouettes etched against the sky. In the lagoons, small fish dart in the shallows, while an occasional flower blooms—fragile, fleeting, yet defiant.
Every detail tells a story, waiting to be seen, waiting to be photographed.
Gear you will need...
Camera: Participants are expected to know how to operate their equipment. If you have any new gear, it is important to become acquainted with it BEFOREHAND to get the most from the workshop. It is highly recommended that you bring 2 bodies to nimimize changeout of lenses.
Lenses: A telephoto zoom (100 - 500mm equivalent) in conjunction with a 24 - 20/100mm will allow you to compose a variety of scenes both from the ground and from the plane.
Drones: Drones are optional, but very helpful in getting above the dunes and photographing the unseen beauty of the abstracts shapes and shadows.
Tripods: A sturdy tripod will be helpful for long exposures.
Software: All post-processing will be done using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Jackie & Anselmo will share editing techniques ranging from basic image adjustments to more advanced Photoshop techniques with emphasis on removing distractions and cleaning up images. We will focus on obtaining a variety of compositions so that you have some images which incorporate the environment in a scenic manner.
Pre-workshop Zoom: An overview and orientation will be held online prior to the workshop.
Post-workshop: For those also registered for the Atlantic Forest Bird workshop, we will gather on June 28th at the Hampton Inn in São Paulo for an image review session.
model: Cristiane Comparin
Have a look behind the scenes at our 2025 tour including a few shots from my trusty iPhone:
Anselmo Hoffmann
Landscape & nature photographer, Brazil
Anselmo considers his photography a portal that connects him with nature and the world. His images convey emotion while simultaneously expressing his sense of care for and preservation of the natural beauty of our planet. Anselmo's work has received international acclaim from FIAP, IAAP, and the Photographic Society of America. He has been published in National Geographic and many other publications.
Anselmo not only knows how to navigate to and through Lençóis Maranhenses, he knows it from the perspective of a landscape photographer which is priceless.
Website: https://anselmohoffmann.com.br/
Jackie Kramer
Flower, bird, & nature photographer
Jackie lives in St. Augustine and has been photographing the natural world since high school in Sarasota, FL. She is known for her rich colors and for infusion of personality in her floral and wildlife images. Jackie has received international acclaim for her images and has been published in several noteworthy magazines. Jackie also maintains an active group, Phlorography - Artistic Floral Photography, with thousands of passionate floral photographers from around the world. Phlorography is a community in which everyone and their photographic expression is valued.
