Out of Merritt Island 2027
Bird Photography Conference
March 15th-19th, 2027
Image by Isaac Grant
Join us on Florida’s Space Coast for five unforgettable days of bird photography, field instruction, and creative growth alongside an incredible team of pros.
March brings Florida’s Space Coast to life, making it one of the best times of year to photograph the birds of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding area. Resident species are active, migrants are moving north along the Atlantic Flyway, and the region’s wetlands, beaches, rookeries, and coastal habitats offer a remarkable variety of photographic opportunities. Whether you want to discover classic Florida birds, push your creativity, or refine your technical approach in the field, this year’s Explore, Creative, and Advanced tracks will help you create stronger, more personal bird images.
INSTRUCTORS
Learn from and photograph alongside an inspiring team of professional bird photographers
Our instructor team is the heart of this event. We’ve brought together an exceptional group of bird and wildlife photographers, each with their own style, specialty, and way of seeing. In the field and classroom, you’ll learn directly from instructors who can help you with everything from bird behavior and ethical approach to composition, light, camera settings, and creative choices. With thoughtfully designed tracks and carefully paired leaders, you’ll gain multiple perspectives, photograph side by side with the pros, and discover the approaches that help you create your strongest bird images.
More instructors still to be announced!
Ray Hennessy
Lisa Langell
Isaac Grant
Jennifer King
Karen Waller
Harry Collins
Matt Shannon
Ron Bielefeld
Steve Gettle
Michael Frye
David Akoubian
Alyce Bender
John K. Putnam
Jackie Schletter
Chris Beasley
Emilie Talpin
This was one of the best conferences that I have ever attended. Where else can you learn and photograph with so many of the best photographers in the country? I have been following many of them on Instagram for many years and it was great to meet them in person. Everyone was so knowledgeable and I know I'm a much better photographer after attending Out of Merritt Island.
– Shelley, Out of Merritt Island 2026
Choose Your Field Experience
For Out of Merritt Island, we’re offering three distinct field session tracks so you can choose the bird photography experience that best matches your interests, goals, and preferred way of learning in the field.
This format allows us to create smaller, more focused field session groups, avoids having multiple groups in the same location, and gives each group a full day with each pair of instructors in their track. Instead of rotating quickly through many different leaders or crowding the same shooting areas, you’ll have more time and space to learn from each instructor pair, work through ideas in the field, ask questions, and build on what you’re practicing throughout the day.
Each track is built around photographing Florida’s incredible bird life, but each one offers a different approach to your time in the field.
When you register for the conference, you’ll choose your preferred track: Explore, Creative, or Advanced. Your track will determine the instructors you work with during your field sessions and the overall emphasis of your time in the field, but it does not limit the rest of your conference experience. You will have opportunities to learn from all of the instructors through presentations, breakout sessions, image reviews, online classes, recordings, meals, and informal conversations throughout the event.
This format gives you the best of both worlds: smaller, more focused field groups with meaningful time alongside each instructor pair, more space to photograph in the field, and the chance to learn from all of the instructors and perspectives throughout the conference.
Field Session Focus
Explore
Ray Hennessy
Matt Shannon
Chris Beasley
Emilie Talpin
The Explore Track is for photographers who want to dive fully into Florida bird photography and experience as much as possible during the conference. This track is all about variety, discovery, and putting yourself in position for great bird photography opportunities across the Merritt Island area.
You’ll visit a wide variety of locations, photograph a wide range of bird species, and experience many of the things that make Florida such a special destination for bird photographers. From spoonbills, egrets, herons, pelicans, ibises, and other iconic Florida birds to changing light, habitats, behaviors, and field conditions, this track gives you the broadest possible experience of the region.
Instruction will cover a little bit of everything, including field technique, composition, light, bird behavior, ethical approach, camera settings, creative ideas, and more advanced techniques for creating stronger bird images. If you want to see as much as possible, photograph a wide variety of birds, and experience everything Florida bird photography has to offer, the Explore Track is for you.
Field Session Focus
Creative
Lisa Langell
Karen Waller
Michael Frye
Jackie Schletter
David Akoubian
John K. Putnam
The Creative Track is for photographers who want to experiment, try new camera techniques, and create bird images that feel more expressive, personal, and unexpected. This track is less about simply documenting birds and more about using birds, light, motion, and the environment as ingredients for creative image-making.
You’ll explore techniques such as panning, intentional motion blur, high-key and low-key exposure, silhouettes, small-in-frame compositions, negative space, reflections, layering, and using the surrounding habitat to create more artistic and atmospheric images. The emphasis will be on experimentation, artistic creativity, and learning how different creative choices can change the feeling of a photograph.
This track is ideal if you want to push beyond traditional bird portraits and spend your field sessions exploring new ways to see and photograph birds. With a Fine Art approach to bird photography, you’ll work on creating images that are not only technically strong, but also expressive, imaginative, and visually distinctive.
Field Session Focus
Advanced
Isaac Grant
Steve Gettle
Alyce Bender
Harry Collins
Ron Bielefeld
The Advanced Track is for photographers who want to become more technically proficient and more intentional in the field. This track is best suited for photographers who already have some experience with bird photography and want to refine their skills, improve their consistency, and work with greater focus.
Rather than trying to photograph as much as possible, this track will take a more deliberate approach. You’ll spend more time working through specific situations, studying bird behavior, choosing promising subjects, evaluating light and backgrounds, and learning how to put yourself in position for stronger images. Instruction will focus on mastering camera settings for bird photography, anticipating behavior, recognizing peak moments, capturing action and interaction, simplifying compositions, controlling backgrounds, managing challenging light, refining your field approach, and making better decisions about when to stay with a subject and when to move on.
This track is a strong fit if you want to slow down, study the scene more carefully, and work toward fewer, more intentional photographs. The emphasis is on sharpening your skills, understanding what is happening in front of you, becoming more confident with your camera, and making more technically proficient and purposeful choices as a bird photographer.
Highlights
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge has protected one of Florida’s richest wildlife habitats for more than 60 years, with hundreds of bird species recorded across its wetlands, coastal habitats, pine flatwoods, and lagoons. During Out of Merritt Island, you’ll photograph in this remarkable region with instructors who know how to help you make the most of every opportunity.
This is a hands-on conference designed to help you grow in the field. Each day combines guided field sessions with classroom learning, image reviews, and time to rest, connect, and recharge. You’ll photograph alongside instructors, receive practical coaching in real-world conditions, and return with stronger skills, sharper instincts, and a clearer creative direction.
New for this year, you’ll choose one of three tracks — Explore, Creative, or Advanced — so your field experience matches the way you want to grow. Whether you want to discover the classic birds and habitats of Florida, experiment with more expressive approaches, or refine your timing, technique, and fieldcraft, your track will give your week more focus and purpose.
Cocoa Beach will be our home base for exploring some of the region’s best bird photography locations, including Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, Orlando Wetlands, Sebastian Inlet, and other nearby habitats. Possible subjects include Roseate Spoonbill, Tri-colored Heron, Glossy Ibis, Anhinga, Purple Gallinule, Limpkin, Osprey, Snail Kite, Wood Stork, Reddish Egret, Florida Scrub-Jay, Magnificent Frigatebird, Black Skimmer, Black-necked Stilt, Crested Caracara, and many more.
You will learn how to:
- Choose camera settings that help you respond quickly to changing bird photography situations
- Use autofocus modes, tracking settings, and field techniques to create sharper images
- Photograph birds in flight with better timing, composition, and consistency
- Understand bird behavior so you can anticipate action and approach subjects more thoughtfully
- Practice ethical bird photography in sensitive habitats and around nesting, feeding, and resting birds
- Work with light, background, gesture, and moment to create stronger bird portraits
- Photograph birds within their environment to tell a more complete story
- Create stronger portfolios and collections of images
- Use creative techniques such as silhouettes, high-key images, panning, motion blur, close-ups, black and white, and abstraction
- Develop a more personal style and make images that feel different from the expected bird photograph
- Photograph in challenging conditions, including low light, harsh light, wind, and changing weather
- Build stronger visual stories through emotion, behavior, habitat, and sequence
- Organize, cull, and edit your bird photographs more effectively
- Use post-processing techniques to bring out the best in your bird images
- Explore video, printing, and presentation techniques when offered through select sessions
So many things made it special: The detailed organization, the preparation provided before we even arrived, the caliber of instructors, the presentations each of the instructors provided before the conference, the amazing locations chosen for the shoots, the team of instructors for each of the shoots, the breakout sessions available, the free prints provided, the B & H team (I sold old equipment and bought new), the weather, the variety of birds, my awesome carpool buddy. . .
– Suzanna, Out of Merritt Island 2026
Itinerary
Pre-Conference Online Session Day
Friday, February 26, 2027
Your conference experience begins online with a full pre-conference session day designed to help you arrive prepared and inspired. We’ll host an attendee orientation to review the schedule, tracks, field session structure, locations, logistics, and what to expect throughout the week. You’ll also have access to recorded teaching sessions from our instructors, giving you a chance to start learning before you arrive and make the most of your time in the field.
Day 1: Arrival, Welcome, and Opening program
Monday, March 15, 2027
Check in to the Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront and join us for conference registration, a meet-and-greet reception, group dinner, welcome remarks, and our opening program. You’ll meet the Out of Chicago team, connect with instructors and fellow attendees, and get oriented for the days ahead.
Days 2–4: Field Sessions and Classroom Learning
Tuesday, March 16–Thursday, March 18, 2027
Each full day begins with morning field sessions in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding area. After time to rest and recharge, we’ll gather for midday classroom sessions, image reviews, help sessions, and group learning at the conference center. Later in the day, you’ll head back into the field for late-afternoon and evening photography, with boxed dinners provided during the field sessions so you can stay close to the action and photograph through the best light.
Day 5: Optional Field Sessions and Closing Day Learning
Friday, March 19, 2027
On the final day, you’ll have the option to join morning field sessions or spend time at the conference center for image reviews, help sessions, and classroom learning. We’ll close the conference with time to celebrate the week, share images, ask final questions, and say goodbye before checkout.
Post-Conference Online Session Day
Friday, April 2, 2027
After the conference, we’ll reconnect online for an image celebration, processing sessions, and image reviews. It’s a chance to keep learning, see what others created during the week, and continue building on everything you experienced in the field.
Location and Accommodation
Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach: your home base for Merritt Island and Florida’s Space Coast
We’re returning to the Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach as our home base for Out of Merritt Island because it gives us the right combination of comfort, convenience, and access to the field. Located along Florida’s Space Coast, the hotel keeps us close to the birding habitats we’ll photograph throughout the week while offering a relaxed place to return between sessions. With the beach just steps away, comfortable rooms, and meeting spaces for classroom sessions, image reviews, and group discussions, it’s an ideal setting for a focused, inspiring bird photography experience.
This conference was superb: 1) the quality and variety of pros, 2) the wide variety and locations for bird photography, 3) the overall organization and coordination by the Out of Chicago team.
– Lars, Out of Merritt Island 2026
Conference Price
$5000
The full conference price is $5000 with a deposit of $2000. The remaining balance is due 90 days before the start of the event.
What’s included?
4 nights single accommodation at the Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront
Opening reception and dinner | 3 brunches | closing breakfast
Boxed group dinners in the field
3 days of hands-on instruction during morning and afternoon field sessions plus an optional closing day field session
60-minute presentations from each of the 18 instructors
Pre-conference recordings from each instructor
Pre-conference online session day including presentations and orientation to get you ready for the conference
Post-conference online session day including processing sessions, image review, and Attendee Image Celebration.
Recordings of all sessions, over 30 hours of content, available for 12 months after the conference
Private online community for attendees and instructors
The opportunity to learn from, get to know, and photograph alongside an inspiring team of 18 professional bird and wildlife photographers
What’s not included?
• Airfare
• Transportation to the hotel
• Transportation to and from field sessions – we will help coordinate carpools
• Camera gear and personal photography equipment
• Travel insurance
Book with Out of Chicago for any and all conferences, asap. The locations, the instructors, the pre and post events are excellent. The organization both before and during the conference will give little time to think about anything except for your photography. The days and evening are filled with learning and shooting with the best from around the world. You will not be disappointed!
– Sue, Out of Merritt Island 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be opportunities to explore and photograph other areas of Florida?
We may offer optional add-on experiences before or after the conference, including opportunities to photograph some of the region’s less accessible birds and habitats. More details will be shared as they are confirmed.
When do I need to arrive for the conference, and when will the conference end?
Plan to arrive for hotel check-in on Monday, March 15, 2027. Conference registration, the opening reception, dinner, and the welcome program will take place that evening.
The in-person conference will conclude on Friday, March 19, 2027. The final day will include optional field sessions, image reviews, help sessions, and closing activities at the conference center.
How do I get to the hotel from the airport?
Attendees are responsible for getting themselves to the Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront. Orlando International Airport is approximately 50 minutes from the conference center hotel. Attendees can coordinate shared rides and carpools through our private online community before the conference begins.
How do I book my accommodations?
Your hotel room is included with your conference registration, and we will handle the room booking for you. We will have more information coming to extend your stay at our group rate before or after the conference.
Can I share a room with another conference attendee?
Yes. If you would like to share a room with another registered attendee each attendee will save on their final payment, email us at merrittisland@outofchicago.com and we’ll help you with the registration details.
Can my non-attendee spouse or partner stay with me during the conference?
Yes. Your conference price includes a single-occupancy room, but another guest may stay with you in your room at no additional hotel charge. The hotel is located right on the beach, has a great pool, and is surrounded by restaurants and things to do in the Cocoa Beach area.
Can I bring a non-photographer friend or family member to the group meals?
We will offer a guest meal option at an additional charge so a non-attendee guest can join us for select group meals. Classroom sessions, image reviews, help sessions, online sessions, and field sessions are reserved for registered conference attendees only.
Does the Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront offer accessible rooms?
Yes, the hotel has ADA-accessible rooms available. Email us at merrittisland@outofchicago.com or include your request in your registration comments if you would like to request an accessible room.
Is there an option to attend the conference without staying at the hotel?
To run this event, we must meet our minimum room commitment at the hotel. If we are able to offer a limited number of non-hotel registrations, we will announce that option separately.
What should I expect after I register?
After registering, you’ll receive an email with important details about the conference, including key dates, hotel information, preparation resources, and next steps. As the event gets closer, we’ll send additional updates, preference surveys, field session information, and details about the private online community.
How are we getting to and from the field sessions?
Attendees are responsible for transportation to and from field sessions, but we will help organize carpools. Minimizing the number of vehicles makes it easier for groups to access locations with limited parking and helps us move more efficiently in the field.
What fitness level is required for this conference?
This conference will involve walking to access photography locations, carrying your gear, and being on your feet for extended periods. Many locations are accessible by paved paths, boardwalks, roadside pullouts, or short walks, though some sessions may include sand, uneven ground, or longer periods of standing. We’ll provide more details about field session expectations before the event.
What will the weather be like on Merritt Island in March? What if the weather is challenging?
March is typically a beautiful time to be on Florida’s Space Coast, with warm daytime temperatures, cooler mornings and evenings, and generally pleasant conditions for bird photography. Rain, wind, humidity, and changing conditions are always possible.
Many field sessions may still go out in light rain or challenging weather when it is safe and productive to do so. We’ll discuss weather preparation, rain gear, and field expectations during the pre-conference online session day.
Who is this event for?
This conference is for passionate bird, wildlife, and nature photographers who want to grow through a mix of field instruction, classroom learning, and creative community. All levels are welcome, but you should be excited to immerse yourself in bird photography for five days.
This year’s Explore, Creative, and Advanced tracks will help you choose the experience that best fits your goals, whether you want to discover classic Florida birds, push your creativity, or refine your technique and fieldcraft.
What if I’m overwhelmed by technical camera settings?
You won’t be alone. We’ll provide pre-conference teaching sessions and preparation resources to help you get more comfortable before you arrive. In the field, instructors will help you make practical decisions about autofocus, shutter speed, exposure, subject tracking, and camera setup in real-world bird photography situations.
Do I need special equipment to photograph birds?
You do not need a 600mm f/4 lens to get a lot out of this conference. A lens in the 100–400mm, 100–500mm, 150–500mm, 200–600mm, or similar range is a great choice for field sessions. Longer lenses can be helpful, but our instructors will also help you create environmental images, behavior images, creative compositions, and stronger photographs in a variety of situations.
We’ll share a detailed recommended gear list before the event. A laptop is recommended if you want to participate fully in image reviews, editing sessions, and post-processing opportunities.
Will I need a tripod, or can I photograph handheld?
Many bird photography situations can be photographed handheld, especially when working with faster shutter speeds or moving subjects. However, a tripod or monopod can be helpful for long lenses, low light, video, or extended periods of waiting. If you use a large lens, a gimbal head may be useful. We’ll provide gear recommendations as the event gets closer.
Will all groups go to the same locations?
Each track will have six full field sessions to the best locations in the area, but to keep from having more than one group in the same location, each track will go to some different locations. The Explore Track is guaranteed an afternoon photographing the most accessible nesting birds in the best light and sunset on the boardwalk. The Creative Track will visit one of Florida best known coastal locations where your instructors will help you create images of wading and diving birds, as well as large flocks of coastal seabirds. The Advanced Track will spend a morning photographing Roseate Spoonbills in flight.
How far will we drive for the field sessions?
Field sessions are typically a 30-45 minute drive from the conference center. There are closer locations, but we’ve picked this conference center so that we can access several world-class bird photography locations which are are worth the drive.
How many attendees will there be at the conference and in the field sessions?
We design our conferences to be large enough to create energy, community, and a wide range of learning opportunities, while still keeping field sessions small enough for hands-on instruction. The conference will be limited to approximately 100 attendees. Groups will be limited to 12 attendees with a 6:1 attendee to instructor ratio.
Will there be time to spend with instructors and other attendees?
Yes. One of the best parts of an Out of Chicago event is the time you spend with instructors and fellow photographers throughout the week. You’ll connect during field sessions, classroom sessions, meals, image reviews, the opening reception, the private online community, and informal time at the hotel.
Will I be sitting in classes all day?
No. The heart of the conference is time in the field photographing alongside instructors. Classroom sessions, image reviews, processing sessions, and help sessions are designed to support and deepen what you’re learning in the field.
Which instructors will I work with?
This year, attendees will choose one of three tracks: Explore, Creative, or Advanced. Your track will determine the focus of your field sessions and the instructors you work with in the field. During classroom time, you can work with all of the instructors and you will have access to classroom recordings from all instructors.
Can I switch tracks during the conference?
Because field sessions, group sizes, transportation logistics, and instructor pairings are organized around the track structure, attendees should expect to remain in their chosen track for the conference. If you would like to change your track before the conference and there is room, email us at merrittisland@outofchicago.com to request a change.
How do I choose the right track?
Choose Explore if you want to do a little bit of everything and photograph a variety of Florida birds and locations. Choose Creative if you want to take more time to experiment, develop your personal vision, and create more expressive bird photographs. Choose Advanced if you’re already comfortable with bird photography fundamentals and want to take your bird photography skills to the next level.
Why are there separate tracks?
By creating separate tracks, you will work with the same instructors for a full day in both the morning and afternoon field sessions. By choosing your track, you choose the instructors you’ll work with in the field and the type of instruction you would like in the field.
Separate tracks also allow us to make smaller field session groups, limit field sessions to one group per location, and group you with like-minded photographers.
How do I make the most of the private online community?
The private online community is where we’ll share updates, preparation resources, field session information, community discussions, and attendee communication before and during the event. It’s also a great place to share images, coordinate airport carpools, ask questions, connect with other attendees, and stay engaged after the conference.
Will we have an opportunity to photograph a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral?
Rocket launches are typically announced within a few weeks of launch. If there is a launch during the conference, the hotel beach offers an ideal view for photography.
What meals are included?
Your registration includes the opening reception and dinner, daily brunch during the conference, boxed dinners in the field on the three full conference days, and the closing breakfast.
We’re adding a boxed dinner during evening field sessions so that you don’t need to find dinner after we return from field sessions. Groups will eat together with their instructors when they arrive on location or during the field session depending on location. This will give everyone more time to rest and download images when we return to the conference center.
What is the refund policy?
You can read the full refund policy here.
How do I confirm I am registered for an event?
You can view the events you’re registered for by logging into your Out of Chicago account. In the upper right corner of the website, go to “My Account” and then “My Conferences.” If you do not see the conference listed there, please email us at support@outofchicago.com.
Other questions?
If you have any other questions, email merrittisland@outofchicago.com and we’ll be happy to help.
