My Saved Settings for Shooting Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a photographer’s playground. One day you are chasing birds in flight, the next you are setting up for a waterfall, and by nightfall you might be pointing your lens at the stars. Having a few go-to setups saved on your camera makes it easier to adapt to whatever the day brings.
Birds and Monkeys in Motion
For fast-moving wildlife, speed matters. I save a preset with shutter priority at 1/2000 of a second, a wide aperture to let in light, and auto ISO. This combination lets me freeze wings in motion or a monkey leaping between branches.
Waterfalls and Rivers
For landscapes and flowing water, I want more depth and slower motion. My waterfall setup is aperture priority at f/11, ISO 100, with a tripod ready. If I want silky water, I drop the shutter speed to around 1/10 or slower and use a neutral density filter when the light is too bright.
Golden Hour at the Finca
The light at sunrise and sunset is softer, but it changes quickly. I save a preset with aperture priority at f/5.6, ISO 200, and exposure compensation ready to adjust. This lets me capture warm tones in the sky and still hold detail in the foreground without missing the moment.
Rainforest Low Light
Under the canopy, light fades fast. My low-light setup is manual mode with the aperture wide open (f/2.8 or lower), a slower shutter around 1/60, and ISO raised as needed. This keeps me flexible for frogs, insects, or even a sloth tucked into the shadows.
Night Skies in the Mountains
When the sky clears in Costa Rica’s highlands, the stars are spectacular. My night setup is manual: a shutter speed around 20 seconds, aperture as wide as possible, and ISO 3200 or higher. A tripod is essential, and focusing on infinity makes the stars sharp.
Why Save Them
Switching between these setups with one turn of the dial means I spend less time fiddling with menus and more time shooting. In Costa Rica, where the light and wildlife never sit still, having these settings ready makes the difference between missing a shot and capturing something unforgettable.
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