Landscapes and Wildlife of Charleston SC in Spring Photo Tour (Mar. 21-24, 2026)

Register

 

PRICE: 

Early Registration: $ 1049 NANPA/ASMP Members, $ 1249 non-members by January 20, 2026

After January 20, 2026: $ 1149 NANPA/ASMP Members, $ 1349 non-members

Price includes private boat charter on the Kiawah River, and admission fees to gardens.

If you are not currently a member, you may want to consider joining NANPA to take advantage of member pricing on all regional events (1 year membership $100)

Maximum number of attendees: 10

Last date to register: February 20, 2026 

DATES:

• Saturday March 21, 2026 at 3 pm to Tuesday March 24, 2026 at noon.
• Tuesday March 3, 2026 7-8 pm (ET) Pre-event Preparatory Webinar for participants
• Saturday April 18, 2026 7-9 pm (ET) Post event Image Sharing and Feedback Webinar for participants

On-site event check-in and Meet & Greet
Saturday March 21, 2026 at 3 pm at the hotel boardroom meeting room.

Plan to have dinner on your own after the meet and greet.

EVENT OVERVIEW:

Spring is by far, the BEST time to visit Charleston, SC.  From the historic gardens with blooming azaleas and Live Oak trees draped Spanish moss, to swamps teaming with reptiles and baby egrets in the nests, to waterways that wind through the marshes to the horizon, to the boneyard beaches where skeletal trees are surrounded by water, Charleston offers everything that a landscape or wildlife photographer could hope for. Leading this event for NANPA is Kate Silvia, author of “The Nature Photographer’s Guide to Greater Charleston”. Between her environmental work all along the South Carolina coast, and 15 years of photographing the Charleston area, Kate knows how to find the best opportunities for her attendees, and how to have fun capturing the beauty of this historic landscape.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

This tour includes both landscape and wildlife (primarily birds) photo opportunities. The group will meet up Saturday evening, shoot all day Sunday and Monday, and depart on Tuesday after a sunrise and morning outing. We will start Sunday morning with a private, guided boat outing through the salt marsh and river system. The rest of Sunday and Monday schedules will be flexible, but the general plan would be to meet around 6-6:30 am, head out for sunrise, then to one of our morning locations like Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Cypress Gardens, or other location. We’ll have lunch (together or on your own) and head out for an afternoon shoot, dinner, then sunset location. The final day will be a sunrise and morning outing. We’ll officially be done by lunchtime and say our goodbyes.

Your Tour Leader:

Kate Silvia

Kate Silvia is a professional nature photographer, digital artist, and educator based in Charleston, South Carolina. Coming from a background in Marine Science, she has a natural appreciation for the environment, and her pursuit of photography was born out of a desire to share that appreciation with others. She’s never far from her roots and spends her free time handling sharks and alligators as a volunteer at the South Carolina Aquarium, hoping to inspire others to cherish the world we all share.

Kate is a natural teacher, and is often requested to speak at camera clubs and photo organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. She produces a few on-line classes covering all aspects of nature photography, has written several E-Books, and maintains a YouTube channel with photo editing and field technique tutorials. While working full time for the State of South Carolina, Kate loves the opportunity to lead field and classroom workshops throughout the year, and is available for on-line tutoring. For more information about Kate, visit her website: https://www.katesilviaphotography.com

 

 

NEAREST AIRPORT:

Charleston International Airport (CHS)

Drive time from the airport to the group hotel in West Ashley is about 15 minutes.

EVENT TRANSPORTATION:

Transportation to and from the airport and during the event is not included and is the attendees’ responsibility. Car rental is available at the airport, a regular car is sufficient, 4-wheel drive or extra clearance is not necessary.

Ride Sharing: We will depart daily from the hotel. Ride sharing is recommended to keep the total number of vehicles down to a manageable size for the locations we’d like to visit. You are welcome to either drive or ride with someone. This is a great way to meet and have fun with fellow photographers during the event. If you are a passenger in another participant’s car it is customary to offer the driver some gas money and chip in towards any vehicle parking fee as a courtesy.

Note that NANPA, and Kate Silvia, do not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assume no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel.

LODGING: 

We will be based in the West Ashley district of Charleston, SC during this photo tour.

Lodging is not included in the fee, but NANPA is holding a block of hotel rooms for event participants at a hotel in West Ashley at the following rates:

• $139 per night + 14% tax and fees

Check in time 3 pm, Check out time 11 am.

Hotel details and booking reservation procedure will be shared with registered participants.

The last day to reserve a room in the NANPA room block is February 20, 2026

MEALS:

All meals will be on your own with the exception of one group dinner on March 23^rd which is included.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS

Your leader is familiar with the areas that you’ll be visiting, and locations will be based on what’s most photogenic at the time, wildlife activity, weather conditions, etc.

Some of the locations that we will most likely photograph include:

• Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and Audubon Swamp
• Cypress Gardens
• Kiawah River by boat
• Folly Beach Sunrise or Sunset location
• Caw Caw Nature Center
• Middleton Place Gardens
• Botany Bay Boneyard Beach
• Shem Creek Park

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE:

Please note schedules are fluid due to weather conditions, recent wildlife sightings and other variables.

Sunrise is at approximately 7:20 am

Sunset is at approximately 7:35 pm

Saturday, March 21, 2026

• “Meet and Greet” at 3 pm at the hotel boardroom meeting room.
• Dinner on your own

Sunday, March 22, 2026

• Morning Boat Trip Kiawah River
• Late morning at Caw Caw Nature Center (birds and wildlife)
• Lunch break
• Afternoon at Middleton Place Gardens or Cypress Gardens (depends on the time)
• Dinner on your own

Monday, March 23, 2026

• Sunrise photo shoot Botany Bay Boneyard Beach
• Mid-morning at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens / Audubon Swamp
• Lunch on your own at the Gardens
• Afternoon at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens / Audubon Swamp
• Group dinner (included in the fee)
• Sunset at Shem Creek Park

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

• Sunrise at the Morris Island Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Reserve (eat prior to leaving or bring snacks)
• Morning birding at Lighthouse Inlet (no restrooms)
• Event concludes after morning photo shoot.
• Hotel check out

In the event of extended periods of rain, we could meet to process photos and have some Q&A time. Kate has plenty of Photoshop, Lightroom and Nik software experience to share if we have poor weather and need to spend time indoors

 

HEALTH AND FITNESS

There is no stressful hiking anticipated. Many shooting locations will be located very close to where we park. Some locations will require a walk up to ¾ mile. Some locations require walking throughout a location in order to explore its possibilities (e.g. Magnolia Plantation), but you may do as much or as little as you like. Only one location is lacking in public restrooms, but we will only spend a couple hours at this location.

WEATHER

Mild temperatures. Lows usually in the 50s at night and 70s during the day. Rain is possible any time of year.

CLOTHING

• Rain jacket, rain pants in case of rain.
• Hiking boots are not necessary.
• Shoes that can get wet (beach shoes) are handy, but not required

CAMERA GEAR

• Camera – DSLR or mirrorless, full frame or cropped sensor. Also, bring the camera manual should we need to consult it. Cellphone camera as backup is better than no camera and good for snaps of your group.
• Lenses – There will likely be photo opportunities for your full range of lenses, from extreme wide angle to telephoto and macro. We will use lenses from 24 – 500 mm.
• Tripod – Sunrise, sunset, twilight and nighttime light levels are too low to photograph properly without a sturdy tripod. A lightweight carbon fiber tripod with a ball head is recommended.
• Lots of Memory Card Storage 64GB or larger cards are good for stills and video
• Camera Battery Charger and Extra charged batteries
• Non-abrasive Lens Cleaning Cloth and Wipes
• Polarizing filter(s) to fit each of your lenses
• Neutral Density Filter, Graduated Neutral Density Filters
• Shutter release – you can use a locking cable release, a wireless remote or the camera’s self-timer
• Sensor Cleaning Tools (optional)
• Waterproof rain cover – For camera and lens protection.
• Laptop Computer – for downloading and viewing your images.
• Image Processing Software – Good choices include Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Elements
• Back-up device – Such as an external hard drive.
• USB Flash Drive – For sharing images
• Camera bag
• Sturdy strap/harness system

 ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

• Flashlight and/or headlamp – preferably with a red light for navigating in low light conditions
• Sunscreen
• Water bottle
• Energy bars or other snacks
• Umbrella
• Cell phone & charger
• Bug spray (sand gnat season here in March!)

GENERAL:

We will be based in Charleston, SC during this photo tour.

This event is designed for nature photographers at all levels of experience. This tour is open for 10 participants to give each plenty of time with the leader and to retain flexibility based on weather and the best opportunities. For the best experience, please know your camera before you arrive, and bring your manual in case we need to look up something.

Assistance will be available in the field for those who wish to improve their photographic skills. If you already have plenty of photography experience, Kate will ensure you get to the best locations at the best times to capture those perfect shots.

Please keep in mind this NANPA Event is designed to be a photo tour, not a photo workshop. In other words, there are no formal instruction sessions planned, there are no assignments, you will not be receiving any handouts or the like. That being said, Kate has extensive experience as a photography teacher and workshop leader and will be available to answer questions and give you guidance.

If need help, please advocate for yourself and speak up and ask Kate for help. Be aware that many of your fellow participants may also be accomplished photographers and may be able to help you too.  Part of the NANPA photo tour experience is the camaraderie that comes from sharing experiences and lessons learned among participants. If you notice someone with the same or similar camera, perhaps they can help you with an issue you’ve been wondering about, and maybe you can return the favor.

Attendance and participation at NANPA Photo Tours is limited to registered attendees only.  Anyone wishing to participate in any portion of, or travel with a registered attendee during the group event must contact the NANPA office and pay the full registration fee.

RESOURCES:

During this photo tour our emphasis will be on nature photography. For those wishing to extend your stay, you may be interested in photographing some of Charleston’s city locations such as

• Rainbow row – a series of 13 brightly-colored houses along East Bay Street on the Charleston Harbor
• Arthur Ravenel Bridge – spanning the Cooper River between Charleston and Mount Pleasant
• Pineapple Fountain – Waterfront Park
• French Quarter District

 

NANPA Photo Tour Cancellation and No Refund Policy:  

NANPA will not offer any refunds for registrations for this event regardless of when the cancellation is made or the reason for the cancellation. NANPA reserves the right to cancel any event or activity due to insufficient registration or any unforeseen circumstances. NANPA will offer refunds if NANPA has to cancel the event. It also has the right to substitute presenters if those originally scheduled cannot attend. Registrants may purchase event insurance as part of the registration process through NANPA’s partner, Allianz. More information on this option will be shown during the checkout process for the event registration.

NOTE:  If you do not purchase event insurance at the time that you pay for your registration, you will NOT be able to go back and purchase it with Allianz later.

If you choose to purchase travel insurance separately, you can do so with your own insurance carrier, or NANPA members can receive a special travel insurance rate through USI Affinity/Travel Insurance Services