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Northern Gannets GANNETS GALORE, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1D MKII, 70-200mm F2.8 @ 70mm ISO 250, F9 1/1000s Manual with Canon 580 EX Flash @ -1-2/3
Join Christopher Dodds at the largest Northern Gannet colony in the world. Bonaventure Island, off the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec, is home to more than 55,000 nesting pairs of Northern Gannets. You haven’t really seen a Gannet until you see the activity at a breeding colony. Bonaventure Island is perhaps one of the world’s best places to teach avian flight technique. Other photographic opportunities will include all aspects of breeding behavior; courtship display, bowing (territorial display), sky pointing, fencing (two mates clashing their bills together while pointing skyward), mutual preening and copulation. Most of the nests will be occupied and will contain babies at various stages of development. We’ll be feet away from adults feeding their young on their nests. The workshop is timed to coincide with the annual Mackerel run, so we'll have plenty of opportunities to photograph these magnificent birds diving; sometimes forming huge diving funnels containing thousands of birds. Other photographic possibilities include thousands of nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Murres, Black Guillemots, Rozorbills, Gulls, Grey Seals and various Whales. Highlights will include a daily four hour adventure on a 24 foot Zodiac Hurricane (weather permitting). We should have ample opportunities to photograph Gannets diving and feeding in large funnels. 
Northern Gannets Nesting Material Exchange, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DsMKII, 300mm F2.8 and 1.4XII Tele-converter ISO 250, F8 1/800s Manual
"A trip of a lifetime. The workshop was amazing. The scenery was awesome and the people were fabulous. Chris Dodds' knowledge of our subjects was expansive. The instruction was top notch, We were given so many opportunities to explore and learn the aspects of shooting pictures under conditions that allowed us to work with light, speed and movement. There were so many aspects of photography I had never paid much attention too but Chris incorporated them in my experience effortlessly, patiently and with the understanding what is necessary to accomplish beautiful and professional photographs. Chris is thoroughly professional, knowledgeable and very personable." Marla Moore Arlington Heights, IL
Northern Gannets THE DIVE, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DMKIII, 70-200mm F2.8 with 1.4XII Tele-converter @250mm Hand-held from Zodiac Hurricane 733 ISO 320, F8, 1/1600s Manual
Daily 4 hour Zodiac Adventure
Access to Bonaventure Island is tightly controlled, and it is impossible to land on the island before nine o’clock. The addition of the Zodiac voyage is the best way to maximize the morning light and photograph Gannets in a most unique way. This is your chance to spend four hours (weather permitting) onboard our 12 person (though our group of six will be the only passengers on board), 24 foot Zodiac on each of the three mornings of the workshop. Our Captain will be a huge asset to our expedition as he has lived in Perce all of his life and has spent the last twenty years building the largest (and best) passenger ferry service to the Island and whale watching tour company. Our Captain is an expert pilot who naturally positions his Zodiac in exactly the right place for photography. We will be his only passengers and he will be sure to maximize our time aboard. We will have many opportunities to photograph nesting Black-Legged Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Common Murres and Grey Seals: all at close range. We'll have many opportunities to photograph diving Gannets. After our Zodiac trip, we will land on the main wharf of Bonaventure Island at about nine o’clock and enjoy home-made sandwiches, juice and coffee before setting off on a 1.75 mile hike (mostly uphill with our gear) to the colony, where we’ll spend the remainder of the day.
Northern Gannets Fencing, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 500mm F4 Lens Wimberley Head and Gitzo Tripod ISO 250, F14, 1/200s Manual, Canon 580EXII Flash in manual; full power with LumiQuest SoftboxIII
“Thank you for a magnificent workshop. Your efforts on our behalf were nothing short of heroic. I don't know where you get your energy, from Sun up to long after it set, you were working to make this the best photographic event that any of us had ever experienced, and you succeeded. Bonaventure Island is a photographers paradise, I have never returned from a workshop with so many '"Portfolio shots". If all your endeavors as fruitful, can't wait to get my lens on those Snowy Owls this winter.............I had a heck of a good time doing what I love, thanks to you" Malcolm MacKenzie West Palm Beach, Florida
Northern Gannet Portrait, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DsMKII, 500mm F4 Lens with 1.4X II Tele-converter ISO 400, F11, 1/800s Manual, Canon 580EXII Flash ETTL II 1/16 power manual
Who should attend:
This workshop is highly recommended for any level photographer. Whether you are completely new to bird photography, an experienced amateur, or a seasoned pro. There will be something to photograph all day long and I will have plenty of time to tailor your instruction to your abilities. The seasoned pro can take full advantage of my site knowledge and this is the only way to circumnavigate the island in a Zodiac before the island opens at 9AM.
Northern Gannet SKYPOINTER, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DsMKII, 500mm F4 Lens with 1.4X II Tele-converter ISO 400, F11, 1/800s Manual, Canon 580EXII Flash ETTL II 1/16 power manual
Common Murre, Uria aalge, Guillemot marmette Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1D MKIII, 500mm F4 Lens Hand-held from Zodiac Hurricane 733 ISO 400, F6.3, 1/2000s Manual Mode
Lens choice:
One of the great advantages of being only a few feet from our subjects is not needing to own or bring any super telephoto lenses. Great images can be made with focal lenghts from 15mm to 600mm during this workshop. I often use my 70-200mm F2.8, or my 300mm F2.8 for flight images; while my 500mm (with both the 1.4X and 2X teleconverters) are ideal for tight portraits. Many succesfull images are made with 400mm.
Northern Gannet 7 weeks old, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DsMKII, 500mm F4 Lens with 1.4X II and 2X II Tele-converters ISO 400, F16, 1/100s Manual, Canon 580EXII Flash ETTL II 1/16 power manual
Getting there....
77km from Gaspe Airport (YGP)
776km from Quebec City Airport (YQB)
1029km from Montreal Pierre Elliot Trudeau Int’l Airport (YUL)
Northern Gannet landing with sea weed, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1D MKII, 500mm F4 Lens ISO 400, F6.3, 1/800s Manual, Canon 580EX Flash ETTL II - 1 and 2/3
What's included....
Four nights hotel accommodatin (single occupancy).
Three 4 hour excursions on a Zodiac boat (weather permitting), and return from Bonaventure Island to Perce on a larger, commercial ferry.
Three picnic breakfasts (sandwich, juice & coffee)
Three days admission to Bonaventure Island
Three full days photographic instruction and Introductory slideshow on the evening before the workshop
Northern Gannet DIVING, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DMKII, 70-200mm F2.8 Lens @200mm from Zodiak ISO 250, F6.3, 1/1600s Manual
Group size....
Our group will be limited to six participants
Price....
CAD$2,395.00 per person. Non-refundable Deposit of CAD$1,000.00 is due with booking, balance of CAD$1,395.00 due 90 days prior to workshop. Please email me your contact information (chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com) and remit payment to:
Christopher Dodds
Box 112
Franklin Centre, QC
Canada
J0S 1E0
Bonaventure Island is THE best place in the world for Avian flight photography. Be prepared to be a little over-whelmed by the activity there. It is one of my favorite places on this earth, and I can't wait to share it with you.
Questions....
Feel free to email me at: chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com or call me at +1 (450) 827-1007
Gray Seal, Halichoerus Grypus, Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 500mm F4 Lens Hand-held from Zodiac Hurricane 733 ISO 400, F5, 1/2000s Manual Mode