Savannah Sparrow on Fireweed

A Savannah Sparrow posed on some Fireweed during my Deluxe Puffins Galore and so much more workshop in Quebec. Savannah Sparrows nest on the island and are easy to photograph as they forage and return to their nests with food for their babies.

Atlantic Puffins in flight with fish

We got photobombed while I was tracking the nearest Puffin as it brought fish back to its baby during my Deluxe Puffins Galore and so much more workshops in Quebec. Join me at the best location in the world to photograph Puffins bringing home fish. It was one of those days when it got cloudy and we were having so much fun that we stayed out late in the dark; notice my ISO of 32,000 :)

Atlantic Puffin in flight with fish (Capelin) in sweet light

Join me for a DREAMY DELUXE ATLANTIC PUFFIN WORKSHOP from August 10-13, 2023. It all starts when we arrive on the tiny island and move into the newly renovated lighthouse accommodations; We will be living only feet away from the many Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills and Common Murres that call the island home - all of the photography is within 200 meters (200 yards) of our bedrooms! This is THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD to photograph Atlantic Puffins; in sweet light, in flight and bringing home loads of fish to their babies! The included gourmet food is a bonus - smile!

Grizzly Coastal Brown Bear Mother and Cub

Another image from my recent ULTIMATE BROWN BEARS OF KATMAI WORKSHOP in Alaska. After another of Melissa’s epic home-cooked meals on our private charter ship, we returned to shore in heavy overcast and foggy conditions and spent a few hours waiting for this mother and cub to wake up from their afternoon nap :)

Grizzly Brown Bear second summer cub in the rain

A second summer Coastal Brown Bear grazing in the rain from my recently concluded ULTIMATE BROWN BEARS OF KATMAI WORKSHOP. I love cloudy and overcast light, especially when it is misty or drizzling in Katmai. The short grass in mid-June offers amazing low-angle images possible. The bears love the sweet, high-protein sedge and spend much time grazing like cows - smile.

One of the few reliable food sources for bears in the spring is Lyngbye's sedge (Carex lyngbyaei). On the Pacific coast of Katmai, large numbers of bears gather to graze like cattle when this sedge emerges in salt marshes. As it begins to grow, Lyngbye’s sedge is relatively high in protein and lower in crude fibre, making it easier for bears to digest and extract nutrition.

Harbor (or harbour) seal

Although the primary “focus” of my ULTIMATE BROWN BEARS OF ALASKA WORKSHOP is the bears, we get distracted occasionally. This Harbour seal lounged on the rocks at low tide while we cruised Kukak Bay for bears clamming from our boat.

Grizzly bear mother and cub running

We had a fabulous time with this mother and cub during my recently concluded ULTIMATE BROWN BEARS OF KATMAI WORKSHOP. Contrary to most assumptions about how aggressive a mother is when protecting her cubs, the mother bears of the Katmai coast seek us out as protection from the big boars (the male bears). We sat with his mother and cub for hours as they slept on the ground pointed away from us with their noses pointed into the wind and us as protection downwind. The moment she caught the scent of a big male, she ran for cover, and they ran past us, spraying mud as they escaped.

Tree swallow in flight

Here is a Tree swallow in flight from my recently concluded Ultimate Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai workshop in Alaska. Yes, there will be loads of bear images to follow, but I thought that I would start with something different - smile.

Northern Gannet in flight with seaweed

A Northern Gannet landing with seaweed during my recent GANNETS GALORE WORKSHOP on Bonaventure Island in Quebec. The heavy fog during our first day became patchy, and I made this image while wandering between the main colony and the tower during a brief window of light fog at the end of the first day.

There are many ways of dealing with fog post-capture, including the dehaze tool, curves and levels adjustments, etc. I usually try to preserve the foggy scene but occasionally process a foggy image so the result negates any sign of the fog.

Common Murre (bridled) calling in flight

The opportunities were endless during the early morning boat cruise below the cliffs of BONAVENTURE ISLAND during my recent GANNETS GALORE and so much more workshop.

I love the white spectacles on this bridled common Murre. The key to success while working at 20,000 ISO is to pay particular attention to two things:

1. Ensure you have exposed the image correctly and pushed the whites all the way to the right of the histogram; correcting a poorly exposed image will always result in much more noise than getting it right in the camera.

2. Try to work full-frame; the more you crop an image, the more you magnify any noise that there may be.

Northern Gannet foggy landing

A Northern Gannet landing in the fog from my recent GANNETS GALORE AND SO MUCH MORE WORKSHOP on Bonaventure Island in Quebec. I always keep an eye open for unique backgrounds and love the foggy background here; I think this was the only bird that swung around and landed away from the gentle breeze.

Northern Gannet flying with seaweed

The early morning boat excursion under the cliffs of BONAVENTURE ISLAND during my Gannets Galore workshop offered so many different and unique opportunities. This Gannet had just collected the seaweed and flew right past us: I love the contrast between the dark water, shadows and subject here.

Northern Gannet landing with seaweed in fog

On the first day (June 5, 2023) of my Gannets Galore and so much more WORKSHOP, after our four hours along the cliffs under the colony in the Zodiac, we loaded our gear onto the specially arranged 4-wheeler for the park staff to transport for us, and we hiked up to the gannet colony. The fog was thick, and the gannets were plentiful. This image was made from the memorial platform that is a tribute to Gilbert, a friend, former long-time park employee and Gannet lover.

Northern Gannet landing with seaweed

A Northern Gannet brings home some seaweed to line its mud-bowl nest during my recently concluded GANNETS GALORE AND SO MUCH MORE Workshop on BONAVENTURE ISLAND.

After spending an incredible four hours on the Zodiac, we loaded our gear on the park’s four-wheeler (a special arrangement only available to my group) and made our way up to the fog-enshrouded Gannettry; it is always an impressive sight. The fog was heavy, but the rain was manageable. This image was made towards the end of the day as the fog let up a little.

Common Murre with baby food

I photographed this Common Murre (bringing fish home to feed its baby) against the out-of-focus cliffs of Bonaventure Island hand-held from a Zodiac Hurricane during my GANNETS GALORE WORKSHOP last June. I love my time on the daily Zodiac excursion photographing the other species that call Bonaventure Island home. The open boat trips are weather permitting, and there is some rain in our forecast, but my fingers are crossed that the current sunshine manifests and we start big on the Zodiac tomorrow morning.

Sea Wolf Howling or Grey Seal Calling

A Grey Seal (AKA Sea Wolf) howled under Bonaventure Island's cliffs in Percé, Quebec, Canada. I am returning to Percé to host my annual Gannets Galore (and so much more) workshop. Super excited to get back to one of my favourite places on Earth! Getting out in the 28-foot Zodiac Hurricane for four hours each morning is an absolute highlight - hearing the seals howl is pure magic to my ears - smile!

Bay-breasted Warbler

During my recent SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP, a Bay-breasted warbler pauses for a split second at eye level during migration at Point Pelee National Park.

Bay-breasted Warblers eat eastern spruce budworm, a native but often destructive insect. The two species are so closely tied that budworm outbreaks (or declines) affect the warbler's population. Bay-breasted Warbler's overall population has dropped about 74 percent since 1966, likely due in part to pesticide use to control the budworm.

Black-throated green warbler

A Black-throated Green Warbler pauses for a portrait during my recent SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP at Point Pelee National Park of Canada.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

A Golden-crowned kinglet took a brief pause from flitting restlessly from branch to branch as it plucked insects and their eggs and larvae from the foliage and crevices in the bark. Males have conspicuous orange crowns, so I expect this is a female with her yellow crown. The Kinglets are so fast and unpredictable that they annoyed everyone during my recent SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP.

Blue-headed Vireo

A Blue-headed Vireo from my recently concluded SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP. While everyone was distracted by the first Willow Ptarmigan ever to visit Point Pelee National Park, I decided that the crowds were too much and it was unlikely that I would get a decent image. This beauty showed up for a portrait - smile!