Atlantic Puffin TROPHY

Atlantic Puffin TROPHY (Fratercula arctica, Macareux moine, ATPU) Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada, Réserve de parc national du Canada de l'Archipel-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS 1DX mark II, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @400mm. ISO 400, f/5.6 @ 1/4,000s Manual exposure. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

I'm just back from my annual back-to-back deluxe Atlantic Puffin workshops at the Mingan Archipelago National Park of Canada. The birds (puffins and Razorbills) and the folks in my groups were awesome! We had tons of laughs, epic photographic opportunities and some incredibly delicious food while staying in the lighthouse on the island for the four day (three night) trip.

Here's a favorite "grab shot" from the trip; I was putting my camera and lens together on an otherwise quiet morning while I noticed this Puffin circling. It was making it's way into it's burrow to feed it's Puffling (baby puffin) in some pretty sweet light. I called-out that it would continue to circle to those in the group who were near me. I quickly set the manual exposure and then pre-focused my camera at the distance I thought the Puffin would fly past me. This is the first of three frames captured. Call it a lucky shot, but years of photographing and watching seabirds, learning their behaviour and ensuring that my groups have the very best dates does ensure ample opportunities - smile.

Do be sure to book early for next year, as the trips are already starting to fill! Read more about my Deluxe Atlantic Puffin trip July 29 to August 1, 2017 HERE.

KUDOS

The four days and three nights on the I'ile aux Perroquets (Deluxe Puffins Galore Workshop) will go down in my mind as one of those life experiences that will stay with me forever.  That isle is a very special place. You did an incredible job.  I was thinking about you on the trip back.  What does it take to be a top notch photographer as well as a gentlemanly guide, teacher, chaperone, and friend?  You have a unique set of skills that somehow pull off the attributes necessary.  Each and every one of us that left that island felt as though we had made a personal connection with you.  That is no easy task.  Must be a Canadian thing!  Keep doing what you're doing.  A very sincere "thank you" to you.  This trip exceeded all expectations.

- Paul Treseler Massachusetts | USA

Bald Eagle The SCREAMIN' EAGLE

Bald Eagle The SCREAMIN' EAGLE (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DXS Mark III, 500mm f/4 L IS USM and Canon 2X and 1.4X Tele-converters II. ISO 400, f/13 @ 1/400s Manual. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's an old favorite from my 2009 Eagles Galore Photo Tour. Posting today, as I prepare for my back-to-back Saint Paul Island and Coastal Brown Bear Boat charter in Alaska.

To me, apart from the incredible detail in this image, I really like the way we can see all of that detail in the mouth. I avoided the deep shadows of harsh light by working on an overcast day (with snow changing to rain and sleet), and avoided using a flash (which would have also created some pretty strong and distracting shadows). My collapsible 22" white reflector did a fantastic job of illuminating the inside of the Eagle's mouth (I won't mention the brand, just get the cheapest one available; the bigger it is, the softer the light).

Bald Eagle STARE

Immature American Bald Eagle STARE (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @400mm and Canon EF 25mm Extension tube II. ISO 400, f/13 @ 1/400s Manual. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

I always carry extension tubes so I can physically connect both my Canon Extender EF 1.4X and 2X (Version III) when I want a really close image, they also reduce the minimum focusing distance when I get really close. During my Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour in March, I used the new Canon 100-400mm II lens for most of the trip. When this immature Bald Eagle landed right beside me, I instinctively crouched-down, and attempted a really close portrait, but realized that the bird had landed slightly within the minimum focusing distance of the lens; it was closer than 38.4" or 980mm (do note this is the distance from the sensor, not the front element of the lens). I quickly added my Canon  EF 25mm Extension Tube to be able to focus without moving away from the inquisitive Eagle.

Bald Eagle TOP OF THE DIVE

American Bald Eagle TOP OF THE DIVE (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @400mm. ISO 400, f/5.6 @ 1/3,200s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's another image from my Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour in March. If you want to come home with a portfolio full of Bald Eagle images, then this is the trip of a lifetime for you. I have guided more photographers in Kachemak Bay than anyone else and know where to be in any given weather, wind and light conditions. I know where to find flat dark water when it's snowing, and I work very hard at getting us the very best opportunities. No matter if you are a beginner, or seasoned professional, this is the right trip for you.

Be sure to book your EPIC Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour spot before it's too late; March 2017 dates are live. Get more information HERE.

Bald Eagle FREE SPIRIT

American Bald Eagle FREE SPIRIT (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @312mm. ISO 320, f/5.6 @ 1/3,200s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Yet another Bald Eagle from my Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour in March. Having so many Eagles fising so close to us provides some great opportunities to photograph them during their acrobatic approaches. Here's the top of a cartwheel dive in nice light.

Do notice the exposure is an equivalent to Sunny 16, less a third of a stop to preserve all of the details in the white feathers. Read more about the Sunny 16 rule HERE.

Be sure to book your EPIC Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour spot before it's too late; March 2017 dates are live. Get more information HERE.

Bald Eagle APPROACH

American Bald Eagle APPROACH (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @400mm. ISO 5,000, f/5.6 @ 1/2,000s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's another image from that same EPIC morning of my Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour in March (March 15), this time only 30 minutes later. The dramatic dark sky gave way to subtle pastel colors.

Be sure to book your EPIC Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour spot before it's too late; March 2017 dates are live. Get more information HERE.

Bald Eagle EPIC HAPPENS

 American Bald Eagle GOLDEN MOMENT (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @263mm. ISO 800, f/5.6 @ 1/3,200s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Epic Happens!

Here's another Bald Eagle from my Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour in March. We got out to the dock early on a dark and gloomy heavily overcast morning, and it really was a little disappointing just how dark it was. After crossing Kachemak Bay, the light didn't improve for some time, but the water was the calmest, and flattest, I have seen in the bay. There were a few minutes when the golden early morning sun shone through an opening in the dark cloud cover. The Eagle, wind direction, water and light all came together for a few minutes of EPIC! Being out in the field at the ready paid off big time. 

Bald Eagle ALOFT

American Bald Eagle ALOFT (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @300mm. ISO 1600, f/5.6 @ 1/2,500s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's an immature Bald Eagle from my Bald Eagles Galore Photo Tour in March. Although I was making portraits of this first year Eagle, I was ready for any action by using a higher ISO and the resulting higher shutter speed; being prepared for the extra-ordinary while photographing the ordinary!

Northern Gannet THE BOUQUET

Northern Gannet THE BOUQUET (Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan, NOGA) Parc national de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure Island, Quebec Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX Mark II, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @400mm. ISO 1600, f/8 @ 1/3,200s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's another Gannet from the first day of my Gannets Galore workshop. This one in heavy fog. Foggy images lack contrast, and look washed-out when exposed properly.

You can adjust the contrast several ways, to reflect how much fog you would like in the image; I used the levels tool (in Photoshop), and adjusted the darks by grabbing the left slider and dragging it to the right. Hold down the "ALT" Key while moving the slider, and you will see when the darks start to clip. If you move the slider far enough to clip the darks, you loose details in the darkest parts of the image. Be aware that this might increase any noise in the image; An effect that is amplified if you start with a poorly exposed image.

Northern Gannet The Return

Northern Gannet THE RETURN (Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan, NOGA) Parc national de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure Island, Quebec Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX Mark II, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM @263mm. ISO 1250, f/8 1/5,000s Manual. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's a simple image from the first day of my Gannets Galore trip to Bonaventure Island. The Gannets continue to do well and the colony continues to grow, offering truly spectacular sights and images; The photographic opportunities are endless. The 1DX Mark II and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM proved to be a killer combination; easy to manage all day with amazing AF and high ISO performance. Do join me for the ultimate Bonaventure Island experience next June 5-7, 2017. Find more details HERE.

Least Auklet Portrait and Visitags

Least Auklet Portrait (Aethia pusilla, Starique minuscule, LEAU) Saint Paul Island, The Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II, 2X Extender III, Canon 25mm Extension Tube II. Jobu Designs Algonquin Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 3,200s, f/13 @ 1/160s Manual exposure. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's another image from my hugely successful Saint Paul Island Photo Expedition. Just love getting to within minimum focusing distance of the seabirds that call Saint Paul Island home.

Simply amazing just how quickly the July 2015 trip is booking; do have a look at the workshop details HERE

Canadian Wildlife and Nature Photographer and Canon Northern Explorer of Light Christopher Dodds photographing owls in the Canadian winter (Feb,. 2014). Photographed with a prototype of the new Jobu Designs Algonquin Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3, Canon 200-400mm f/4-5.6 with built-in tele-extender, 600mm f/4 IS L II, Tamrac Expedition 9X camera bag and two Canon EOS 1DX camera bodies. Photo copyright and courtesy of Michael J. Lang (thanks, Michael)

I shared this image of me from my Winter Snowy Owl Photo Expeditions some time last winter. It has become the subject of many emails asking where I got the yellow name tag. I love my bright yellow luggage tags and have at least enough so every bag gets one. These really do ensure there is no confusion if another similar bag shows-up on the luggage carousel at the airport. There is a clear pocket on the inside for your contact details (where you should indicate your email address and mobile number). These tags are simply bombproof! Get yours at www.visitag.com

Shoot Vertical

Parakeet Auklet DORSAL VIEW (Fratercula cirrhata, Macareux huppé, TUPU) Saint Paul Island, The Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II USM Handheld. Full Frame. ISO 800 f/4.5 @ 1/4,000s Manual Mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's another image from my Saint Paul Island Expedition; A Parakeet Auklet against the pastel Bering Sea. Shooting small birds in flight while holding the camera vertically is quite a challenge; shooting over the top of a cliff while pointing down and looking at the Bering Sea below adds a whole new dimension and is not for the faint of heart. As always, practice is the key to success and best done in excess well before your departure to any exotic location.

Black Guillemot with Baby Food

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grille, Guillemot à miroir, BLGU) with Arctic Shanny (Stichaeus punctatus). Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada, Réserve de parc national du Canada de l'Archipel-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 200-400mm F4 L IS II USM (with internal 1.4X extender engaged) and an external 1.4X Extender III with Canon 25mm Extension Tube II. Jobu Designs Algonquin Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 1,600s, f/8 @ 1/2,000s Manual exposure. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's a portrait of an Artic Shanny in the bill of a Black Guillemot from my recent Puffins Galore workshop. The rediculously close minimum focusing distance of the new Canon 200-400mm f/4L lens makes it a great choic to get close to your subjects. I started working on images that included the whole bird, I quickly engaged the built-in tele-converter and added anothe external 1.4X tele-converter to make this close-up portrait.

The Artic Shanny (Stichaeus punctatus) is the preffered baby food of the Black Guillemot (Cepphus grille).

2015 Luxury Live on the Island Puffins Galore

Be sure to email me to join the wait list for my 2015 luxury trip! The lighthouse and the keeper's home have been totally restored and we will be sleeping on the island within feet of the Puffins, Razorbills and Guillemots. A gourmet chef will prepare our meals and we will have the island all to ourselves during the golden hours. Be sure to be among the first to know all of the details as soon as they are released by emailing me your co-ordinates to chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com

Hip to be Square

Atlantic Puffin SQUARE PORTRAIT (Fratercula arctica, Macareux moine, ATPU) Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada, Réserve de parc national du Canada de l'Archipel-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II, 2X Extender III, Canon 25mm Extension Tube II, Canon 12mm Extension Tube II, Canon 1.4X Extender III. Jobu Designs Algonquin Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 3,200s, f/16 @ 1/200s Manual exposure & manual focus. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

The forecast was dismal; mostly rain and high winds for the three day Puffin trip, with a heavy rainfall warning in effect for our last day. I didn't sleep much the night before the workshop; I was too excited to get back to the island, but worried the high winds would sabotage our safe boat landing once there. As is often the case, the forecast was wrong. We had an awesome time and I had an awesome group of passionate photographers.

This image was made when an Atlantic Puffin flew-in and sat almost right beside me while I sat on the seaweed covered rocks as the tide went out. I quickly added both extension tubes and both tele-extenders to my 600mm lens and began manually focusing the monster rig. I just love getting close and personal with Puffins!

Hip to be Square

Always remember to think about the aspect ratio of the image when you first open it in your RAW converter; avoid always using the same aspect ratio and remember that many social media outlets make best use of the square format. Use whatever aspect ratio works best for the image, rather than the the aspect ratio of the original capture.

2015 Luxury Live on the Island Puffins Galore

Be sure to email me to join the wait list for my 2015 luxury trip! The lighthouse and the keeper's home have been totally restored and we will be sleeping on the island within feet of the Puffins, Razorbills and Guillemots. A gourmet chef will prepare our meals and we will have the island all to ourselves during the golden hours. Be sure to be among the first to know all of the details as soon as they are released by emailing me your co-ordinates to chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com

Northern Fur Seal Pups of Saint Paul Island

Northern Fur Seals NEW FRIENDS (Callorhinus ursinus, L’otarie à fourrure du Nord) Saint Paul Island, The Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II , 2X Teleconverter III, Jobu Designs Algonquin Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 4,000 f/8 @ 1/1,6000s Manual Mode.  PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's a couple of Northern Fur Seal pups from my Saint Paul Island workshop. Seals only have one baby at a time, so these two are neighbors meeting for the first time. They are fascinating to watch, and their calls sound very much like a barn full of baby sheep. I shot this image with my Canon 600mm f/4 IS II and 2X Teleconverter wide open at f/8 to isolate the subjects from the volcanic rocks, and used a shutter speed of 1/1,600 of a second to be sure to freeze the rapidly vibrating mouth and teeth while they were calling.

2015 Bald Eagle Workshops announced and Kudos

American Bald Eagle SNOWGLOBE (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, EF 200-400mm F4 L IS USM with Jobu L-Bracket  Jobu Jr.3 deluxe gimbal head and Jobu Designs Algonquin Tripod ISO 6,400, f/4 @ 1/3,200s Manual mode. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.

Here's one of many new Bald Eagle images added to my portfolio during my three recent back-to-back Bald Eagles Photo Tours. There were no shortage of amazing opportunities for everyone who attended and my site knowledge over the years took us to many new bays and private beaches which we had exclusive permission to use.

I used my Canon EF 200-400mm f/4 with built-in 1.4X extender almost exclusively during this year's trips; what a lens! Expect a mini-review soon, but suffice it to say it is one mind-blowing lens!

My 2015 Bald Eagle Photo Tours are starting to fill, so be sure to book early to avoid disapointment! Learn more about my Eagle workshops HERE.

Testimonial

I just got back from a 10 day trip to Homer, Alaska., the place to shoot the majestic Bald Eagle. My host was Christopher Dodds and what a host he has been. He gave the 2 groups I joined a lot of field time and put us in the best positions to take epic shots every single day. There are others out there but Chris has been doing this for more than 25 years so I think it’s justified to call him the primus inter pares. A great workshop leader, excellent photographer, teacher and above all a really nice guy. If you ever consider shooting Bald Eagles and get the best for your money go see Chris , he will not disappoint you.

Dennis Binda The Netherlands

How to photograph bats with the PhotoTrap

Big Brown Bat Drinking from a pond (Eptesicus fuscus, Grande Chauvre-souris brune) Amado, Arizona, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 Photo Trap and four flash set-up. ISO 400, f/16 @ 10 second exposure in Manual mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

I'm back from hosting a five day private workshop to Amado, Arizona where we set-up to photograph bats drinking from The Pond at Elephant Head with Phototrap inventor Bill Forbes.

Among our projects, we set-up the photo trap's infra-red beam to trigger a four flash array to illuminate the bats as they skimmed the pond to drink at night. We arranged our cameras for the best angle of view, the four flashes to properly light the subjects and adjusted our manual exposure to f/16, ISO 400 at 10 seconds. Once set-up, we installed our intravalometers which engaged the shutter release to continually take ten-second exposures; one after another. The flashes would fire every time a bat broke the beam; relying on the flash duration to freeze the action was the key to successfully producing well exposed and sharp images.

Be sure to learn More about the High-speed Bat Photography Workshop HERE

Bird Photography Quick Tip ANGLE OF VIEW

Razorbill VERTICAL PORTRAIT (Alca troda, petit pingouin, RAZO) Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada, Réserve de parc national du Canada de l'Archipel-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II, 2X Extender III, Canon 25mm Extension Tube II, Canon 12mm Extension Tube II, Canon 1.4X Extender III. Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 2,500s, f/16 @ 1/250s Manual mode & manual focus. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Quick Tip

Here's a simple Razorbill portrait which also uses the same technique as described in my last post. Want to know the simplest, but most often missed trick to creating engaging and intimate portraits in nature? Simply get down to, or below, your subject's eyes; it's a simple and effective way to connect the subject to the viewer.

TESTIMONIALS

I found Chris via the strong images on his web site.
 
Having now taken two of his photo workshops, I have seen a significant improvement in my images due to improved capture and post processing techniques.  Having taken many other wildlife photo workshops, Chris stands out for his top notch instruction. His workshops provide many excellent photo opportunities.
 
If you are serious about your photography and want to get better, Chris can help you in many ways.  He is willing and able to explain what he is doing and why he is doing it.  He emphasizes not only the vision but also the execution in the field and the post processing.  
 
It was fun shooting with and learning from Chris.  I give a hearty recommendation to anyone considering a photo workshop with Chris, a recommendation I plan to follow.

Carl Zanoni Connecticut, USA

I want to thank you again for one of the best photo workshops I have ever attended.  The trip to Northern Quebec to photo Puffins was truly an adventure.  I was very impressed with the planning you put into ever aspect of the tour.  Everything ran smoothly and the opportunity to photograph these amazing birds was an experience I will not soon forget.  I also appreciate the time you spent with each of us to make sure we got the best possible result from whatever equipment we were using.  Your technique for reducing noise while maximizing detail when shooting at high ISO's was particularly helpful.  No one had ever explained the science behind this and now it makes a lot of sense.  This trip was everything I had hoped for and I look forward to joining you again in the future.

Chuck Raines Camarillo, California

LensCoat RainCoat Pro2 mini-review & Black Guillemot with meal

Black Guillemot with dinner (Cepphus grille, Guillemot à miroir, BLGU) Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada, Réserve de parc national du Canada de l'Archipel-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II, 2X Extender III, Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 3,200s, f/9 @ 1/2,000s Manual mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Getting close enough for head shots of Black Guillemots was a ton of fun each morning during my Atlantic Puffins & more workshop. We had a few hick-ups with wind and waves which forced us to evacuate the island early on the first two days, but we all came away with some great images. I would be eternally grateful if anyone can help identify this fish or eel.

LensCoat® RainCoat 2 Pro

Canadian Nature Photographer Christopher Dodds using LensCoat RainCoat Pro 2 in South Texas. Image Copyright & courtesy Jory Griesman (thanks, Jory!) Canon S-95 in Program mode.

Mini Review: I have been using my new LensCoat RainCoat Pro 2 since I first started to test it in April. I was using a very complex raincoat that required a dedicated eyepiece for each camera body and became quite a nuance to use; it was bulky and the clear window often fogged-up after placing my wet hand inside the cover. Changing tele-converters or adding extension tubes was nearly impossible with the rain cover physically attached to the camera via the dedicated eyepiece. It did the job and was the best I used until discovering the LensCoat RainCoat Pro2.

Installation of the LensCoat RainCoat Pro2 is a breeze and being able to quickly flip the cover out of the way when adding, or changing, extension tubes or tele-converters (Extenders) is a huge selling point. The whole deal takes just about 10 seconds for me to install, folds into a small pouch and makes the whole process much simpler and appealing to use - even when I would skip the complex set-up of my old cover during light drizzle. I must admit that I am also thrilled with the design with the added foldaway left sleeve which makes it easier to keep your left hand on the lens and focus manually; both "sleeves" are long enough to slide over your rain jacket's arms to keep water out of your elbow when standing in the rain all day.

Finally a rain cover for my camera that is easy to use, keeps my gear dry and doesn't interfere with camera function or operator dexterity!

Description from the LensCoat site: LensCoat® RainCoat 2 provides protection for your camera and lens from the elements like rain, snow, salt spray, dirt, sand and dust while allowing you easy access to the camera and lens controls. It has all same great features as the original RainCoat but adds an additional integrated pocket with foldaway arm sleeve on the left side for easier access to zoom and focus. The RainCoat 2 comes in two sizes Pro (for DSLRs with lenses from 200-400/300mm 2.8 - 800mm) and Standard (for DSLRs with small lenses up to 100-400/400mm f5.6). The RainCoat 2 is constructed from a lightweight waterproof, breathable poly tricot material. Available in Black, Green, Navy, Realtree® Max4, Realtree AP Snow, Digital Camo, and Forest Green camouflage pattern. The seams are tape sealed for maximum protection. NO dedicated eyepiece required. The RainCoat 2 goes on quickly and easily. Its versatility through the use of the cinch straps allows you to adjust the length of the cover and to keep it snug around your lens. It has 2 fold out arm sleeves from its integrated pockets for access to the camera and lens controls. You can also access the camera through the rear opening and the lens through the hook & loop bottom closure.

Please support this site and order yours by clicking on the banner below. 

Snowy Owl from Saint Paul Island Workshop

Male Snowy Owl SAINT PAUL BLAST-OFF (Bubo scandiacus, Harfang des neiges, SNOW) Saint Paul Island, The Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 600mm F4 L IS II, 2X Extender III, Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 4,000s, f/9 @ 1/3,200s Manual mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

We had an awesome time photographing the beautiful male Snowy Owl one morning during my Saint Paul Island workshop. The owl was much more tolerant of our presence than I expected, and kept taking-off to hunt Least Auklets along the shore, only to return to perch near us each time it failed. Finding this, and the Lesser White-fronted Goose the next day is a testament to the diverse and rare birds of Saint Paul Island.

It's not too late to learn bird photography!

If you want to learn bird photography at the very best place in the world for me to teach it, then it's not too late. I have just announced that I'll be returning to Bonaventure Island to teach another Gannet Galore workshop from August 21-23, 2013. This is the best time to photograph the babies and all of the usual Gannet behaviour. Do take the time to read one of the many testimonials from this workshop - if I could recommend a single workshop for you to learn the most, this is it! There is something to photograph from dawn to dusk and the birds in flight opportunities will not disappoint! Click the link for more information or to sign-up: Gannets Galore August 21-23, 2013

Testimonial

My very first birding workshop (Gannet Galore on Bonaventure Island) with a new lens AND camera was filled with much anxiety until the thorough briefing prior to our 1st shoot. After meeting Chris for the introduction to exposing to the right, the Sunny 16 rule and its variances, and the promise of capturing some bird images HE would be proud to call his own my mind was set to rest. I have only been in photography for 3 years and still struggle with exposure, composition, and sharp focusing(especially when bobbing in a Zodiac) but there I was actually able to come away with some great images of Razorbills on the fly! Chris is one of best teachers of photography and wildlife habits I have ever had the pleasure to be around, his knowledge of the Northern Gannets Colony and Bonaventure Island is exceptional. I have already signed on for my next workshop with him, his enthusiasm for wildlife is contagious!

Mel Geer Saint Simons Island, Georgia, USA