Dear Øyvind!
Thank you very much for an amazing photo-trip! It was gorgeous to get the chance of observing all those animals in their natural environment from really up-close during the two weeks! With you as a team leader one can easily feel secure and well cared of in the wild forests when one travels far away! Going through all those beautiful pictures I made during this trip, make me really proud! This is something I can absolutely recommend for my photo interested friends! Good luck and best wishes with your future journeys!
Best regards
Flora
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"Just want to say thank you after very nice tour days in Panama!
Anne and I really liked the first part of the tour at Gamboa in natural surroundings close to the Panama canal. From there we took several daytrips to various locations in the rainforest. Later we went further west to Penonome and we took daytrips to visit waterfalls and vast landscapes.
The last week did we spend in a lodge in the highlands at 2500 meter. We experienced fantastic days with a lot of learning about various types of photography, and the most exciting was the «hunt» for the Resplendent Quetzal. Time passed very quickly, but we have a lot of photographs we can edit and refresh our good memories from a fantastic trip.
We are hoping we can come back soon on another trip!
Best regards
Anne & Jan-Arne"
-------------------------------------------------
"I just can’t have enough of Panama.
When Øyvind Martinsen and Zizza Gordon organize the tours, there is a high probability of success. That is my experience.
The best experiences on the tour were close-up photos of toucan and crocodiles, and in addition the unique nature from the rainforests, via the white sandy beaches, and to the cooler highlands.
The boat safaris on Lago Gatun and Rio Chagres must be mentioned also. We saw over 30 crocodiles, various lizards, monkeys, and a lot of birds.
I can recommend the photo tours arranged by Øyvind and Zizza if you wish to experience Panamas nature at its best.
Ole Bjørn Engen, Norway.
(Ole Bjørn has been with us on four tours)
-----------------------------------------------
There are countless opportunities to concretize your desire to travel, but it is often the uncertainty that makes you not make the decision, and people just continue to dream away instead of going. I did not have that problem regarding the Panama photo trip with Øyvind Martinsen. The reason was that I had been twice before with him to experience the Norwegian nature, and all the advance information I received about Panama matched very well with what I experienced there. The Panama trip has been and remains in my mind as a majestic experience with the rainforest with its wonderful trees, animals of many kinds, the nice weather (I was there in the rainy season), and not least the famous Panama Canal, where a skilled captain, who Øyvind has worked with for many years, drove us to places on adventures in the rainforest. Sunrises became part of our favorites as it also gave us an opportunity to experience wildlife coming to life. Accommodation and food were of a good standard. I can only say; Don't hesitate... travel... experience and don't forget... It is sad to leave Panama. There is much unseen to think about. Good trip! A lot of exciting things await. Thanks to Øyvind Martinsen for sharing with us his rich knowledge of a country where he has lived for many years.
Claude Saint-Sollieux, Norway
---------------------------------------------------
”I have been on the most extraordinary photosafari of my life!
The operator, Panama Photo Explorations, with the the owners Øyvind Martinsen and
Zizza Gordon, have taken me on a trip around Panama that I had
not thought possible! They are both professional photographers,
and are very willing to share their knowledge with me, a professional
amateur. The tour, starting in Panama, has been really well planned
and organized. The hotels/lodges have all been top quality. The trip is basically a photographers dream, Panama being such an exotic location for most tourists.
I have been shown most of the country, in particular the canal-region
and the rainforests. Everything has been arranged without hitches,
and the tour itself has been a pleasure every day. Excurtions into rain-
forests, deserts and mangrove-forests have been very informative and
a joy to participate.
I can highly recommend the trip to anyone interested in ecology and fauna.
In addition, the possibility of learning more about the art of photography
is an extra bonus!
With the help and guidance the two guides gave me, I can say that I have NEVER taken better pictures. If you look up their website www.panamaphotoexplorations.com ,
you will see some of the sights I have seen!
Best regards
Reidar Rindal”
(Reidar has been with us on two tours)
----------------------------------------------
I have participated on two of Øyvinds workshops, first at Dovre and then in Romsdalen, both places in Norway. Thoroughness and experience and respect for the nature and the participants were some of Øyvinds qualities. He was very well prepared speaking of locations, wildlife, and light conditions. Even more important was Øyvinds ability to guide and teach out in the field and indoors. Øyvind has contributed and given me a deeper understanding of landscape photography, which I never have experienced on other workshops or courses. I highly recommend Øyvinds and Zizzas workshops and I will guaranteed come back on other workshops.
Bjørn Gjervan, Trondheim, Norway
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you very much for an amazing photo-trip! It was gorgeous to get the chance of observing all those animals in their natural environment from really up-close during the two weeks! With you as a team leader one can easily feel secure and well cared of in the wild forests when one travels far away! Going through all those beautiful pictures I made during this trip, make me really proud! This is something I can absolutely recommend for my photo interested friends! Good luck and best wishes with your future journeys!
Best regards
Flora
--------------------------------------------------
"Just want to say thank you after very nice tour days in Panama!
Anne and I really liked the first part of the tour at Gamboa in natural surroundings close to the Panama canal. From there we took several daytrips to various locations in the rainforest. Later we went further west to Penonome and we took daytrips to visit waterfalls and vast landscapes.
The last week did we spend in a lodge in the highlands at 2500 meter. We experienced fantastic days with a lot of learning about various types of photography, and the most exciting was the «hunt» for the Resplendent Quetzal. Time passed very quickly, but we have a lot of photographs we can edit and refresh our good memories from a fantastic trip.
We are hoping we can come back soon on another trip!
Best regards
Anne & Jan-Arne"
-------------------------------------------------
"I just can’t have enough of Panama.
When Øyvind Martinsen and Zizza Gordon organize the tours, there is a high probability of success. That is my experience.
The best experiences on the tour were close-up photos of toucan and crocodiles, and in addition the unique nature from the rainforests, via the white sandy beaches, and to the cooler highlands.
The boat safaris on Lago Gatun and Rio Chagres must be mentioned also. We saw over 30 crocodiles, various lizards, monkeys, and a lot of birds.
I can recommend the photo tours arranged by Øyvind and Zizza if you wish to experience Panamas nature at its best.
Ole Bjørn Engen, Norway.
(Ole Bjørn has been with us on four tours)
-----------------------------------------------
There are countless opportunities to concretize your desire to travel, but it is often the uncertainty that makes you not make the decision, and people just continue to dream away instead of going. I did not have that problem regarding the Panama photo trip with Øyvind Martinsen. The reason was that I had been twice before with him to experience the Norwegian nature, and all the advance information I received about Panama matched very well with what I experienced there. The Panama trip has been and remains in my mind as a majestic experience with the rainforest with its wonderful trees, animals of many kinds, the nice weather (I was there in the rainy season), and not least the famous Panama Canal, where a skilled captain, who Øyvind has worked with for many years, drove us to places on adventures in the rainforest. Sunrises became part of our favorites as it also gave us an opportunity to experience wildlife coming to life. Accommodation and food were of a good standard. I can only say; Don't hesitate... travel... experience and don't forget... It is sad to leave Panama. There is much unseen to think about. Good trip! A lot of exciting things await. Thanks to Øyvind Martinsen for sharing with us his rich knowledge of a country where he has lived for many years.
Claude Saint-Sollieux, Norway
---------------------------------------------------
”I have been on the most extraordinary photosafari of my life!
The operator, Panama Photo Explorations, with the the owners Øyvind Martinsen and
Zizza Gordon, have taken me on a trip around Panama that I had
not thought possible! They are both professional photographers,
and are very willing to share their knowledge with me, a professional
amateur. The tour, starting in Panama, has been really well planned
and organized. The hotels/lodges have all been top quality. The trip is basically a photographers dream, Panama being such an exotic location for most tourists.
I have been shown most of the country, in particular the canal-region
and the rainforests. Everything has been arranged without hitches,
and the tour itself has been a pleasure every day. Excurtions into rain-
forests, deserts and mangrove-forests have been very informative and
a joy to participate.
I can highly recommend the trip to anyone interested in ecology and fauna.
In addition, the possibility of learning more about the art of photography
is an extra bonus!
With the help and guidance the two guides gave me, I can say that I have NEVER taken better pictures. If you look up their website www.panamaphotoexplorations.com ,
you will see some of the sights I have seen!
Best regards
Reidar Rindal”
(Reidar has been with us on two tours)
----------------------------------------------
I have participated on two of Øyvinds workshops, first at Dovre and then in Romsdalen, both places in Norway. Thoroughness and experience and respect for the nature and the participants were some of Øyvinds qualities. He was very well prepared speaking of locations, wildlife, and light conditions. Even more important was Øyvinds ability to guide and teach out in the field and indoors. Øyvind has contributed and given me a deeper understanding of landscape photography, which I never have experienced on other workshops or courses. I highly recommend Øyvinds and Zizzas workshops and I will guaranteed come back on other workshops.
Bjørn Gjervan, Trondheim, Norway
------------------------------------------------------------------------