Ocean City Wading Birds: 2026 Photography Workshop

Price: $499

Join Matt for a morning photographing wading birds at the bustling rookery just outside of Ocean City, NJ. During this workshop, we’ll focus on capturing stunning images of birds such as Egrets, Herons, and Ibis as they fly in and out of the colony at eye level. Our goal is quality over quantity, with a focus on shot composition and storytelling. We’ll cover how to capture fast action, how to isolate subjects both compositionally, and logistically as dozens of birds fly in and out of the colony at a given time.

Available: May 5 - July 15th

Workshop Includes: 4-hours in the field instruction

This workshop runs rain or shine (unless it’s an absolute deluge).

What we may see:

White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron

What you’ll need:

Interchangeable lens DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with a 300mm lens or longer
Plenty of memory cards + batteries
Rain gear (for you and your gear)
Long pants and sturdy footwear. I recommend boots or water shoes.
Insect repellent or bug net. Small flies and greenheads are common depending on the wind.

- Close encounters with shorebirds as they fly and interact with each other and young. The birds are within a protected colony, so a longer lens is ideal. We’ll need as much magnification as possible!
- The colony is roped off and in two sections. Where exactly we must go depends on where the birds are most active and photogenic.
- Some birds may come in close, others won’t. I will do everything in my power to put us in the right spot for a particular species, but the birds well-being is priority.
- This workshop is held on an elevated parking area overlooking an isolated rookery. Birds will be moving in an out of the trees at eye level from many angles, so keep your head on a swivel!
As well as the above species, I’ll list some of the other birds way may see on our outing.
- Osprey
- Least Tern
- Common Yellowthroat
- Song Sparrow
- Scarlet Tanager
- Double Crested Cormorant
- Green Heron
- Boat-tailed Grackle
- Fish Crow
Camera Gear
- Interchangeable lens DSLR or mirrorless camera with a 300mm lens or longer (The longer the better!)
- Plenty of memory cards and batteries
- Tripod or monopod if needed. Handheld is ideal as we’ll be moving around in some cases.
- Rain sleeve
Non-camera gear
- Sturdy footwear. Water shoes or boots recommended
- Long pants (tucked into socks for maximum insect shielding)
- Insect repellent (I treat my clothes with permethrin, but use what works best for you)
- Rain jacket (If needed)