Where to photograph Elk (Wapiti, Cervus canadensis) around Banff National Park, Alberta

Bull Elk  Lookback (Wapiti, Cervus canadensis, élan) Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 70-200 F2.8 IS II @200mm. ISO 650, F5.6 1/200s Manual. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

I'm just back from a great two week vacation with family in Calgary, Alberta. While it was meant as an "unplugged" getaway, I did manage to scan all of our old family photographs (some 2,500 images) and sneak away to Banff National Park on two occasions for some photography with Julie. Here's a few images from one of many encounters with bull Elks during what became the most successful trip there so far.

Bull Elk in the rain (Wapiti, Cervus canadensis, élan) Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 70-200 F2.8 IS II @170mm. ISO 650, F5.6 1/200s Manual. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Bull Elk overlooking the Bow Valley in the rain (Wapiti, Cervus canadensis, élan) Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 70-200 F2.8 IS II @70mm. ISO 650, F5.6 1/200s Manual. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Where to photograph Elk around Banff

If you find yourself visiting Calgary with a spare day for photography, then be sure to head West on the Trans-Canada Highway to Banff National Park and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. I'd leave around 04:30 and drive  directly to the Bow Valley Parkway (slowly) until you reach the Moose Meadows area (It dosen't happen often, but we photographed a beautiful Bull Moose here, and it is certainly worth a look); at which point I'd turn around and head back to Banff.  Once you exit for Banff, instead of following the sign for the town, go the opposite direction and slowly follow the switchbacks of Mt. Norquay Scenic Drive; make a u-turn in the ski area parking lot at the top and head back down for a second look for the Mountain Sheep that live here.  Now follow the Trans-Canada Highway East for a short while and take the exit for Lake Minnewanka; follow the lake Minnewanka loop road and explore the dead-end roads that branch from it. This might be the best, most scenic location for Elk around. Figure driving about 300km and spend the whole day enjoying the sights. Best time of year for bull Elk is the rut during September and October. Here's the route on Google Maps:


View Banff Wildlife Drive in a larger map

Photoshop CS5 First Impressions and Guide to Photographing the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger, Guifette noire, BLTE)

Black Tern Hovering Vertical (Chlidonias niger, Guifette noire, BLTE) Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, Vermont, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS-1D MKII, 70-200mm F2.8L IS (version I) @200mm. ISO 400, 1/1000s F5.6. Hand-held (vertical) from kayak. Cropped slightly top & bottom to fit this aspect ratio. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Photoshop CS5 First Impressions

“The past two decades have demonstrated an amazing interplay between customers who want to push the limits of their personal creativity and a passionate team of Adobe engineers who make those visions a reality,” said Kevin Connor, vice president of product management for professional digital imaging at Adobe. “We experienced this firsthand when we posted a ‘sneak peek’ video of the team’s work on the Content Aware Fill feature a few weeks ago. It quickly became the number one viral video online, with close to 2 million views and its ‘magic’ was one of the top trending Twitter topics of discussion. This version of Photoshop has some of the most innovative and extraordinary technologies to ever come from our labs and clearly customers are already clamouring for it.”
Redefining the Image-Editing Experience
Now a native 64-bit application on both Mac and Windows®, Photoshop CS5 delivers superior tools and creative control so users can perform advanced image manipulations and compositing with ease. Revolutionary image intelligence behind Content-Aware Fill magically removes any image detail or object, examines the surroundings and seamlessly fills in the space left behind. Lighting, tone and noise of the surrounding area match perfectly, looking as if the removed content never existed. New Refine Edge makes nearly-impossible image selections possible. This innovative technology precisely detects and masks the trickiest types of edges, such as hair and foliage, while eliminating background color contamination.
For photographers, Photoshop CS5 now offers next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) capabilities. When combining multiple exposures into a single HDR image, Photoshop CS5 preserves the full tonal range of a scene with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The new HDR Pro offers exceptional ghost artifact removal and greater tone mapping and adjustment control. With HDR toning, users can emulate the striking look of an HDR image with any single-exposure image.     -Adobe Press Release April 12, 2010

I'm locked away having fun re-visiting and re-processing older files (this one from 2005) in PhotoShop CS5 - it’s a whole new world for some images. Truth be told; I'm always learning about Photoshop and refining my post capture workflow (usually trying to spend less time working on each image), so it's about time I revisited some older files to apply my new workflow and get the most out of the RAW capture.

While I only barely touch the surface of the plethora of tools in PhotoShop, I am somewhat disappointed with the "content aware" thing that drove their marketing campaign as a “magic eraser tool”. Got an image of a breathtaking vista that has an ugly telephone pole and electric wires across it? No problem: Content Aware  to the rescue (it works with the Spot Healing Brush and is an option of the Fill tool); it fills a selected area with data from the surrounding area, so that the lighting, texture, and tonality all match the rest of the image. It didn't work as well as the video that Adobe circulated virally on the web; I had to cleanup with the Clone and Patch tools. But, overall, it is an impressive time-saving feature that will surely evolve by the next release of Photoshop.

The Refine Edge selection dialog box has been redesigned to allow more accurate selections, especially of difficult textured edges, such as a bird’s feathers or tree bark. Not to say that creating masks are now child's play, but with the Refine Radius and Erase Refinements brushes, along with Smart Radius analyzing the edges, the task of working on such difficult subjects isn't as arduous and time consuming. In addition, the Color Decontaminant option helps remove excess background that you might have mistakenly included in your mask.

CS5's HDR-Pro offers enhanced options and new algorithms. Curve tool and sliders for adjusting Vibrance, Saturation, Exposure, Detail provide more precise, highly creative control over the dynamics. The auto deghosting works well at removing artifacts caused by slight differences among the merged photos, like a leaf that might have moved between captures. You can choose which of your original images is to be used as the defining reference to resolve visual conflicts, such as a cloud that might have changed shape between frames. One of the problems with HDR is that you have to start with a series of nearly identical photos, taken at various exposures. The new HDR Toning in CS5 allows you to emulate HDR, using a single image. The controls are quite similar to HDR-Pro, and the tool provides a high degree of creative potential.

The real value to the upgrade, in my humble opinion, is the re-worked Camera Raw converter, ACR (now version 6.1). There are some great new, highly anticipated, enhancements that include the new noise reduction algorithms that now includes sliders for both luminance and color noise (this is worth the price of  the upgrade alone), sharpening, grain and post-crop vignette tools. Now you can apply profile-based corrections to accommodate geometric distortions, chromatic aberration and lens vignette effects. Manual corrections for geometric distortion & vertical and horizontal perspective transforms are also available. A handful of lens profiles are included for automatic correction and more can be created by the community with the Adobe Lens Profile Creator. (http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lensprofile_creator/)

Where to photograph the Black Tern

Black Tern is considered "species at risk" in Vermont, and "species of concern" in Ontario. There's a healthy population at Point Pelee in Ontario and Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Vermont. There is also some great opportunities at L'ile Bizard in Quebec. The most accessible (without boat) are at L'ile Bizard in Quebec and then Point Pelee National Park in Ontario. Species status in Vermont has forced the authorities to increase the size of the protected nesting zone at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Vermont, but you can still shoot them from the road (there's a culvert big enough for a canoe to pass through near the fishing hole / boat ramp that they like to hang around) - it is hit, or miss, though, but there are plenty of low Osprey nests to entertain you if you aren't lucky with the Terns.

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger, Guifette noire, BLTE)

The Black Tern (Chlidonias niger, Guifette noire, BLTE) is a small tern generally found in or near inland water in Europe and North America. As its name suggests, it has predominantly dark plumage. Adult are 25 cm (9.75 in) long, with a wing span 61 cm (24 in), and weigh 62 g (2.2 oz). They have short dark legs and a short, weak-looking black bill, measuring 27-28 mm, nearly as long as the head. The bill is long, slender, and looks slightly decurved. They have a dark grey back, with a white forehead, black head, neck (occasionally suffused with gray in the adult) and belly, black or blackish-brown cap (which unites in color with the ear coverts, forming an almost complete hood), and a light brownish-grey, 'square' tail. The face is white. There is a big dark triangular patch in front of the eye, and a broadish white collar in juveniles. There are grayish-brown smudges on the ides of the white breast, a downwards extension of the plumage of the upperparts. These marks vary in size and are not conspicuous. In non-breeding plumage, most of the black, apart from the cap, is replaced by grey. The plumage of the upperparts is drab, with pale feather-edgings. The rump is brownish-gray. In flight, the build appears slim. The wing-beats are full and dynamic, and flight is often erratic as it dives to the surface for food; similar to other tern species. The Black Tern is very social. It breeds in loose colonies and usually forages, roosts, and migrates in flocks of a few to more than 100 birds, occasionally up to tens of thousands. Point Pelee National Park in Canada boasts a robust population of black terns. It is considered threatened in Vermont, though there is a thriving population at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge on the astern shore of Lake Champlain near the Canadian border in Franklin County, Vermont.

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris, Troglodyte des marais, MAWR) & Bokehlicious Backgrounds

Marsh Wren vertical portrait (Cistothorus palustris, Troglodyte des marais, MAWR) Bois de I'Ile Bizard Nature Park,  L'ile Bizard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS-1D MKIV, 500mm F4L IS USM and 2X II Tele-extender. ISO 800, 1/320s F9. Canon 580 EX II Flash in manual mode. Tripod and Wimberley Head II. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Marsh Wren vertical portrait on beige (Cistothorus palustris, Troglodyte des marais, MAWR) Bois de I'Ile Bizard Nature Park,  L'ile Bizard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS-1D MKIV, 500mm F4L IS USM and 2X II Tele-extender. ISO 800, 1/320s F9. Canon 580 EX II Flash in manual mode. Tripod and Wimberley Head II. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

I enjoyed a great afternoon at Bois de I'Ile Bizard Nature Park,  L'ile Bizard (Montreal) with clients/friends Tuma Young and Nick Honig from Halifax, NS (both of whom I’ll be seeing them again very soon at my workshop on Bonaventure Island). The star performer yesterday was surly this Marsh Wren that was building it’s nest right along the boardwalk trail.

PRO TIP: Silky Smooth Bokehlicious backgrounds for Birds

Whenever I find a co-operative subject in a place where there could potentially be a distracting, cluttered background (like a marsh full of reeds and bulrushes), I almost always immediately slap a 2X tele-converter onto my 500mm lens. I do this to take advantage of a narrower field of view (less distracting elements included in the frame) and the smaller depth of field that narrows as the focal length increases; creating smooth out-of-focus backgrounds (also known as bokeh).

Canon announces firmware update Version 2.0.7 for the EOS 5D Mark II DSLR.

his firmware update (Version 2.0.7) incorporates the following improvements and fixes.

  1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the aperture exhibits abnormal movement when shooting movies in manual exposure mode and Aperture Priority AE (Av mode) using some Canon lenses (such as macro lenses).
  2. Fixes a phenomenon in which the exposure level shown in the LCD panel differs from what is shown in the viewfinder when shooting still images in manual exposure mode.
  3. Fixes a phenomenon in which the Wireless File Transmitter (WFT-E4 or WFT-E4 II) may not automatically power off when used for FTP transfers.

These phenomena only occur with the Version 2.0.4 and Version 2.0.3 firmware. The Version 2.0.7 firmware being released this time is for cameras with firmware up to Version 2.0.4. If the camera's firmware is already Version 2.0.7, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

To find out the exact download instructions and to download EOS 5D Mark II firmware Version 2.0.7 please click here. Please note that before downloading firmware Version 2.0.7 you should read the entire contents of the page linked to above.

For all current Canon EOS firmware downloads please click here.

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris, Troglodyte des marais, MAWR)

The Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris, Troglodyte des marais, MAWR) is a small North American songbird of the wren family. It is sometimes called Long-billed Marsh Wren to distinguish it from the Sedge Wren, also known as Short-billed Marsh Wren. The Marsh Wren is a secretive bird; even when singing the territorial male remains well hidden, briefly climbing a cattail for a look at an intruder. Males destroy eggs and nestlings of neighboring birds. They will even attack their own eggs if the female is removed from the nest. This behavior reduces competition for food in their area.
Adults have brown upper-parts with a light brown belly and flanks and a white throat and breast. The back is black with white stripes. They have a dark cap with a white line over the eyes and a short thin bill. Bewick's Wren is similar but has unstreaked back. Sedge Wren has less distinct supercilium and streaked crown.
The male's song is a loud gurgle used to declare ownership of territory; western males have a more varied repertoire. Learning continues throughout their adult life; it has been shown they will imitate songs presented to them on a tape recording or by a live tudor.
Their breeding habitat is marshes with tall vegetation such as cattails across North America. In the western United States, some birds are permanent residents. Other birds migrate to marshes and salt marshes in the southern United States and Mexico.
These birds forage actively in vegetation, sometimes flying up to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects, also spiders and snails.
The nest is an oval lump attached to marsh vegetation, entered from the side. The clutch is normally 4–6 eggs, though the number can range from 3–10. The male builds many unused nests in his territory; he may puncture the eggs of other birds nesting nearby.
This bird is still common, although its numbers have declined with the loss of suitable wetland habitat. Wholesale draining of marshes will lead to local extinction. Still, this species is widespread enough not to qualify as threatened according to the IUCN.

 

American Bald Eagles Tumbling - Breaking the rules - Save 25% off Point Pelee Annual Pass

 Bald Eagle Tumble Abstract (Haliaeetus leucocephalus Pygarge à tête blanche) Kachemak Bay, Homer Alaska, USA. ©Christopher Dodds http://www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1D Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, 1.4X II Tele-converter, Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head II. ISO 400, F5.6 1/1600s Manual Exposure. Full Frame. Cropped from left and right to 4x5 Aspect Ratio for visual impact. BUY A PRINT OR LICENCE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Bald Eagle Tumble Abstract  (Haliaeetus leucocephalus Pygarge à tête blanche) Kachemak Bay, Homer Alaska, USA. ©Christopher Dodds http://www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1D Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, 1.4X II Tele-converter, Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head II. ISO 400, F5.6 1/1600s Manual Exposure. Full Frame. Here is the original, un-cropped image. BUY A PRINT OR LICENCE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Breaking the rules...

I strive to always challenge myself to break the standard rules of art, composition and photography; especially when mother nature works against me. In the case of the image above, I was simply making the most of a bad situation; the wind was blowing against the afternoon sunlight and all of the other photographers had opted to take the afternoon off to rest or edit their images. I watched and saw that I might have a chance at something artsy, or abstract, to salvage the afternoon. As I typically challenge myself to compose my images in-camera and shoot full-frame, without cropping, I thought I would include the original, un-cropped version for you to see how cropping, or changing the images aspect ratio, changes the visual impact of the image. While it's generally a good idea to include your subject's face, or eyes(preferably with good eye contact); once in a very great while you can create something nice without including either.

The broken rules:

  • Always photograph birds-in-flight with the wind and sun at your back.
  • Always include your subject's face
  • Always ensure at least one eye is critically sharp & in-focus
  • Always ensure strong eye contact between viewer and subject
  • always follow the rules

Kudos

"I wanted to thank you for a wonderful owling trip last week.  It was great to be in the field with you and I learned a great deal about the birds, environment and my camera.  Thanks so much for being such a great naturalist, photographer and trip leader.  I will go on another trip with you in the future."                                                                                                                                                         - Lynda Goff Santa Cruz, CA (Professor Emeritus Ecology & Evolutionary Biology UC Santa Cruz)

Save 25% on your Season pass to Point Pelee National Park of Canada

Buy or renew your annual pass to Point Pelee National Park of Canada and save 25%. From February 1, until March 31, 2010, take advantage of this great offer to start your preparations for this year's spring migration. Simply call (519) 322-2365, extension 200 from Monday to Friday from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. I always recommend the Family (or group) pass, as this let's you enter through the automated gate and skip the sometimes lengthy line-ups each morning.

Thick-billed Euphonia

Male Thick-billed Euphonia   (Euphonia Laniirostris) Canopy Lodge, El Valle de Antón, Panama. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, 2X II Tele-converter, Canon 580 EXII Flash (manual mode) with Better Beamer, Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head II  ISO 250, F8 1/160s Manual Mode. Full Frame. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.

Christopher Dodds Photo Safaris

Why a Christopher Dodds Nature Photography Workshop? I'll let my clients (many repeats) tell you HERE.

Photographing Frogs: Endangered Species of Panama.

Harlequin Toad (Atelopus limosus). Provincia de Colón, Panama. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, Sigma 150mm F2.8 Macro, Wimberley F2 Macro Flash Bracket, Canon 580 EX II Flash with LumiQuest Softbox III Hand-held. ISO 400, F16 @ 1/160s Manual mode. Full Frame. CLICK HERE TO ORDER A PRINT OR TO LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Panama: Home safe

Just home from an incredible nature photography trip to Panama. By far, the most fun, rewarding  and adventurous part was spending days deep in the jungle photographing highly endangered relatives of the, now extinct in the wild, Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki). Crawling around jungle streams after hiking through the jungle had me facing some of the very toughest tropical conditions. I was constantly soaking wet from sweat, and I could feel my own body heat reflect back onto my face each time I brought the camera to my eye to take a picture; only to have the viewfinder  and my glasses constantly fog-up. There was simply no escape from the heat and humidity. I chose to bring my Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III as my primary camera body and my Canon EOS 5D Mark II as my back-up; both performed flawlessly in the very toughest of conditions. I was, however, disappointed to have my Canon 580 EX II Flash fail yet again.
I have only had conjunctivitis once before, but quickly realized it's symptoms appearing on the third morning. Facing a medical situation involving my eyes in a third world country was a somewhat worrisome task; I was afraid that the medicine would do more harm than good. Turns out that my worries were unfounded and I was able to get American made medicine over the counter at a large pharmacy chain. The infection started to clear within 24 hours and all is fine now.
Enduring mosquitoes, tick and chigger bites and an ant attack were all well worth it (yes, I did use precaution), and a visit to Dr. Rashed at the Tropical Disease Centre of the Montreal General Hospital upon my return to have the various bites, blisters, welts, marks and rashes checked-out seems to have given me a clean bill of health (though I'm still waiting for the results of the three ticks that I removed from myself after my return home). Oh, the glorious & romantic life of a nature photographer (smile).
Harlequin Toad (Atelopus limosus). Provincia de Colón, Panama. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, Sigma 150mm F2.8 Macro, Wimberley F2 Macro Flash Bracket, Canon 580 EX II Flash with LumiQuest Softbox III Hand-held. ISO 640, F16 @ 1/125s Manual mode. Full Frame. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT OR LICENSE AN IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

“Ground Beef”

After arriving in Panama City and collecting luggage, rental car and picking-up granola bars and bottles of water, I stopped for a bite at the international fast food chain symbolized by the golden arches. While waiting an unusually long time for my meal, I watched the woman at the grill drop a hamburger patty on the floor, pick it up with her spatula and replace it on the grill; I guess she thought it would sterilize it by putting it back on the heat (smile). I have always heard the rumors that there was no beef in their burgers; but now know it is, in fact, GROUND BEEF! She took a quick look around while laughing with her colleagues in the kitchen until she made eye contact with me and realized that she had been seen - then she quickly looked away and resumed making burgers. I simply walked away and decided I could wait until breakfast to eat.
Harlequin Toads Amplectant Pair (Atelopus limosus). Provincia de Colón, Panama. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 5D mark II, Sigma 150mm F2.8 Macro, Wimberley F2 Macro Flash Bracket, Canon 580 EX II Flash with LumiQuest Softbox III Hand-held. ISO 800, F14 @ 1/160s Manual mode. Full Frame. CLICK HERE TO ORDER A PRINT OR LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Harlequin Toads (Atelopus limosus) & amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)

amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) is a lethal fungus spreading across Central America and wiping out entire populations of frogs. The Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is so deadly that it kills about half of all amphibian species and reduces overall populations by about 80% after it’s arrival in any given place. One third of the known 5,743 amphibian species in the world are at risk of being wiped out! On a world scale, 122 species of amphibian species have gone extinct, compared with five bird species and no mammals in the same period.

Listed by the IUCN (Red List) as endangered, the Harlequin Toad (Atelopus limosus) is also known as the Mossy Stub-footed Toad and Limosa Stubfoot Toad. An endemic species of Panama, it’s population is limited to 5,000 square kilometer range of severely  fragmented forest and is at risk from Amphibian Chytrid Fungus and habitat loss.

Apple Announces Aperture 3 - FINALLY

Funny how critics blasted Apple for not announcing a new version of Aperture when Adobe released it's free beta version of Lightroom 3. I'm happy to report that Apple just released it's newest full version of Aperture. Unlike Adobe, Apple waited to release a full, working version available as an upgrade for only CAD$109.00. This new version has more than 200 new features, including the incorporation of Faces and Places from iPhoto. Apple included brushes, pre-sets and advanced slideshows with full multimedia support. If you're a Mac user, be sure to try the 30 day free trial here. If you're a PC user, then is is just another reason to make the switch to Apple (smile). I've only had limited time with Aperture 3, but kudos to Apple for waiting to offer a full version and skipping the "use your customer base as guinea-pigs" stage. Though, perhaps, early to offer a full review, my experience has been flawless so far.

Thanks for your concern

My last post was on January 22, 2010, so this is the longest I've gone without blogging. Many thanks to the many dozens of folks who emailed me to check-in and see if all was A-OK. As you can see, I was having a blast in Central America!

Free Site Guide: Photographing the Snow Geese of Victoriaville, Quebec

Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens, Oie des neiges) Réservoir Beaudet, Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds http://www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1D Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, 2X II Tele-converter, Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head II. ISO 320, 1/1250s F8 Manual Exposure. Full Frame. CLICK HERE TO BUY A PRINT or LICENSE AN IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

Réservoir Beaudet is immediately adjacent to the city of Victoriaville, in the Eastern Townships of southern Québec. During migration, this site harbours significant numbers of gulls and geese. Since 1996, high numbers of Greater Snow Geese have been recorded here. So far, 224 species of birds have been recorded at this site. The high concentration of waterbirds using the reservoir is probably linked to the absence of hunters. At peak times in October, ducks, geese, and gulls numbers exceed 1000,000 individuals. Several species of land birds also use the reservoir in high numbers for roosting in the fall. The following are some of the peak counts for certain species: 4,000 American Crows (1989), 17,251 European Starlings (1989), 2,500 Red-winged Blackbirds (1988), 1,000 Common Grackles (1988) and 700 Brown-headed Cowbirds (1988).

Photography is relatively easy here; only a short walk from the parking lot is a boat ramp (GPS co-ordinates: 46° 4'6.37"N , 71°58'35.94"W) that is about the best place to be when the wind is from the west in the afternoon. April-May and October-November are the best times of year for photography.


View Larger Map The green arrow indicates the exact location that I like to be in the afternoon when the wind is from the west. GPS co-ordinates are: 46° 4'6.37"N , 71°58'35.94"W

Vested Interest Photo Vests

John Storrie of The Vested Interest (a division of Storrie Parachute Works Inc.) sent me a Khumbu Photography vest and I am thrilled. True to his solid background in building safe, strong and rugged parachutes, John's The Vested Interest produces top quality photo vests. I wanted a vest, but had very specific needs that only John could address. I wanted a way to transport my camera equipment like a backpack, but allow access to camera bodies and lenses while I hiked without removing a backpack, having to lay it down and unzip it, etc.. I chose the Kumbu model because of the large padded pocket on the back that holds either my 500mm F4 IS or my 300 F2.8 IS Canon lenses. I spend a lot of time photographing from a Zodiac, and that large rear "drop-in" lens pouch on the back is perfect even if I were to take the whole kit off; I simply wrap the whole vest around the mast of the flying bridge and secure with the zipper. Unlike a photo-backpack, where the whole contents are at risk of a spill when open, this vest protects all of my gear and still allows access to each component while protecting the rest. I recently took the vest to photograph Snow Geese in Quebec where there are simply too many people to lay equipment down and not worry about it. The vest held everything I needed and still had plenty of room to spare. It's simply a study in astounding build quality, and design genius; there are even brilliantly designed padded shoulders which not only cushion the weight of your shouldered camera, lens and tripod, but they also disperse it. Built of military grade (just about bomb-proof) parachute nylon, this vest will easily outlast me; it's easy to see why the military buy these for their photographers. Be sure to visit The Vested Interest and check out the various vest designs - most of which can be customized to your specific needs.

That's me, Christopher Dodds, with my Vested Interest Khumbu Photo Vest. Notice just how many pockets there are and that it fits over my down winter jacket. Image copyright & courtesy of Bruce Lapointe.

Pro Tip: GET A GRIP!

I often have many thousands of dollars of equipment set-up on my tripod and carry it around on my shoulder while following my subjects around the wilds. From the moment I leave my car, I risk slipping on packed snow or ice. I keep a pair of MICROspikes with me at all times in the winter. It's like having the very best winter tires with studs and chains and is a relatively small investment to protect both myself and my gear. Wether I'm looking for owls in Owl Woods where it is often icy, or just walking my dog, T-Bone; MICROspikes is the product I use. A less expensive product is offered by Yak-Trax, which I used to use until I discovered MICROspikes - both are good, but MICROspikes are more aggressive, robust, long lasting and less likely to get stuck on something and lost.

                           

Comments welcome & appreciated.

 

National Geographic Traveller rates Gaspé #3 Best-Rated Travel Destination in the world

Northern Gannets LOVE, Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan Bonaventure Island, Quebec ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKII, 300mm F2.8 and 1.4XII Tele-converter  ISO 250, F8 1/800s Manual. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE AN IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

National Geographic Traveler Magazine rates Gaspé number 3 destination in the world:

Subject to development, mass tourism, pollution, globalization - are the world's great places still...great? Jay Walljasper writes on page 50 of the November / December 2009 edition of National Geographic Traveler Magazine, Gaspé ranks # 3 in the world - Congratulations Gaspé!
jutting into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the colorful Gaspé Peninsula  offers "oceanfront, islands, and inland mountains" within "excellent parks and reserves," along with "authentic Francophone" villages. A big part of the area's appeal is "tourism development largely on a human scale." READ MORE HERE

Click HERE for more information on the Gannets of Bonaventure Island Photo Safari at The Parc National de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé and my very favorite bird photography location on planet Earth!

Testimonial

"I just returned from attending my first workshop, my first time in “the Gaspé” and my first experience with shooting birds in flight and I thought I’d share a bit about the experience…

The workshop was given by Christopher Dodds who is often referred to as one of the very best nature photographers in Canada. We were going to spend three days shooting Gannets on L’Ile Bonaventure, Québec (about 30 minutes off the Percé harbour and close to the famous Percé Rock). The Island is a protected habitat for Gannets and access to the Island is only allowed when the Parks Canada staff are there from about 9am to 5pm.

It’s a long uphill climb from the wharf to the top where the birds are, and Park staff say most people take about 45 minutes to an hour. Chris and I made it in about 30 minutes the first day (and got it down to about 25 minutes the following days but if he wanted to, I’m sure Chris could do it in 15!). We could hear the Gannets long before we got to the top and the first view of them – literally thousands and thousands of them – was breathtaking. The unofficial current estimate is at over 500,000 Gannets, now making this the largest colony in the world!

I can't speak highly enough about the experience of shooting with Chris Dodds. Chris is absolutely amazing. He's got tremendous experience and a great eye. The whole experience was way better than my expectations. He’s a far better photographer and workshop leader than I expected. Not only does he produce incredible work, he has the technical knowledge and experience to make this a really worthwhile learning experience. And he gives what is truly a “workshop”, in that he gives constant tips and coaching to make sure all participants are learning (no matter what their experience is or how stubborn and set in their ways they might be – like myself). He doesn’t just lead you to a subject (as many other workshops do), but he gives all the technical support and training you could wish for; he makes sure you are learning the photo techniques needed to improve. Chris and I knocked heads quite a bit those first days (he was right – I was wrong) as he stuck with trying to get me to improve and get out of my comfortable rut.

I liked those three days (and the one pre-workshop day) so much that I decided to stay for a second three-day workshop and luckily Chris still had a spot available. Not only that, but I’m certainly going to return to shoot those Gannets again, hopefully with Chris. In fact I’d love to take any workshop Chris was leading.

We were shooting ALL day... from the time we got to the top until we had to leave. There was absolutely no shortage of birds or birds in flight and that's unlike any other avian photography venue in the world from what everyone was saying. Elsewhere you only have a few hours to shoot and then the birds are gone. We were always the first ones on the Island (with the Park staff) and the last ones to leave (again with the staff).

Chris is so well known there (and so highly regarded) that he and his group were certainly given privileges and access that someone on their own wouldn't get. If (I should say when) I do this again, I'm going to do it with Chris on one of his workshops.

And with Chris, everything was organized for us including lunches; access and transportation to the island, accommodations and of course the great training. I wouldn't do it any other way.

Believe me, if you took such a workshop with Chris you wouldn't regret it! And his repeat clients (of which there were many in both the 3-day workshops I attended) had nothing but raves for him.

An absolutely fabulous time!"

Eldor Gemst | Montreal | QC | Canada

Comments welcome & appreciated.

 

Northern Harrier & " Stressful Jobs that Pay Badly"

Northern Harrier   (Circus cyaneus, Busard Saint-Martin) Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, USA ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, 2X II Tele-converter, Canon 580 EXII Flash with Better Beamer, Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head II  ISO 400, F8 1/800s Manual Mode. Full Frame. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.

Northern Harriers have owl-like facial disks to help with directional hearing; unusual among hawks, they use their sense of hearing to locate prey.

This article from CNNMoney.com caught my eye when someone posted a link to it on FaceBook. They forgot to mention that no matter what your area of expertise, there is always a pile of people who don't depend on photography to earn their living; and those people will all do the job for 1/10 the price, or even free. I remember when I used to charge $5,000.00 for a wedding and there were always another ten "photographers" charging $500.00; you do get what you pay for. Most people think that the life of a professional photographer is glamorous and well paying....Sigh, smile.

Click on the image to go directly to the CNN article.

 

Comments welcome & appreciated.

 

 

Photographing the Boreal Owl & Ultimate Owl Camera Kit

Boreal Owl  or Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus, Nyctale de Tengmalm) Owl Woods, Amherst Island, Ontario, Canada Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 50D, 100-400mm @ 285mm. ISO 400, F5.6 1/80s Manual. Purchase a print or license image for publication HERE.

The thick frost and -5°C temperature during my morning walk through the orchard with T-Bone this morning had me looking foreword to having my snow tires installed and the coming winter owl season.
Last year, I found that having a Canon 50D (with it's 1.6X crop factor) and my Canon 100-400mm zoom lens in a Lowepro Cirrus TLZ 25 Holster Style Case For Digital SLR & Telephoto Zoom Lens (Black) shoulder pouch was the ultimate owl kit to have with me at all times while scouting for roosting Saw-whet owls, Boreal owls, Long-eared owls and short-eared owls. I used to hike through the woods with my pro camera bodies and multiple lenses (including the 500mm F4 IS with matching Tele-converters) packed in my Lowepro Super Trekker. Both Boreal and Saw-whet owls are nocturnal and will probably stay on the same perch for most of the daylight hours, so if I decide I would like images with my 1DsIII and tripod mounted 500mm lens, I have plenty of time to go back to the car and get them. Long-eared and short-eared owls typically flush quite easily, so being ready with my ultimate hand-held rig is key to photographing them. This winter I will use Canon's new 7D with my 100-400mm zoom lens while hiking through the woods and I can't wait!
How do you get an image of a nocturnal owl with it's eyes wide open? - just wait as long as it takes for a birding group (often 10-20 people) to hike right up to you and the owl; there is often a thin layer of ice covering the snow or frozen swampland in the woods that makes quite a racket when that may people approach.

Known in North America as the Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus, it is also known as Tengmalm's Owl, named after the Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm.

SOLD: FOR SALE: CANON 1D MARK II

I have a used Canon 1D Mark II (not the 1D Mark IIN) for sale. This has been a much loved and used camera body that has many marks, scratches and little dings. It has been used professionally and it shows. 100% in working order and includes the original box , charger and contents. Also includes an extra battery. CAD$1,000.00 or best offer. Email me if interested: chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com

Comments welcome & appreciated.

 

White-tailed Deer of Baxter State Park. Trip Report Part I

Eastern White-tailed Deer Fawn Portrait (Odocoileus virginianus, Cerf de Virginie) Sandy Stream Pond (Roaring Brook Campground), Baxter State Park, Maine, USA ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, 500mm F4, 2X II Tele-converter Gitzo 1325 Tripod and Wimberley Head II. ISO 400, F8 1/500s Manual mode.

This years trip to Baxter State Park in Maine was, without doubt, my most productive. We had a great time photographing two Black Bear Cubs, an Eastern White-tailed Deer doe and her twin fawns, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, amazing fall foliage and did I mention the 13 Moose? I thought I would make my first post about the Eastern White-tailed Deer that live in the park, but until this visit I had never seen there. Shortly after setting-up for Moose one afternoon, we watched as a doe brought her twin fawns out to the water's edge across the lake from us. She slowly made her way around the lake until they were about forty feet from us.

White-tailed Deer Doe & twin fawns at Sandy Stream Pond (Odocoileus virginianus, Cerf de Virginie) Sandy Stream Pond (Roaring Brook Campground), Baxter State Park, Maine, USA ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-70mm F2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 400, F14 1/200s Manual mode.

White-tailed Deer facts

Our only animals with antlers, North America's deer include three giants; Moose, caribou , and wapiti, or elk. The most widespread and abundant members of the family, however, are the alert, elegant bucks, graceful does, and dappled fawns of the white-tailed and mule deer.
Especially common throughout the East, the delicate white-tailed, or Virginia, deer prefers woodland edges but can also be found in many suburban areas. Up to 3 1/2 feet tall and weighing as much as 250 pounds, it is a fast, elusive creature that, when frightened, flashes the white underside of its tail like a banner. White-tailed deer can run at speed up to 36 mph (58 km/h), it can make vertical leaps of 8.5 feet (2.6m) and horizontal leaps of 30 feet (9m). The stockier, long-eared mule deer lives in the west on forested mountain slopes and deserts. The black-tailed deer of the North-West is a subspecies of the mule deer.
Both white-tails and mule deer browse by day and on moonlit nights on the buds and twigs of trees, feeding on tender grass, berries, and acorns when they are available. During hard winters they barely subsist on the meager food that is available, and starvation is common.
Male deer, or "bucks", are easily recognizable in the summer and fall by their prominent set of antlers, which bear a number of tines, or sharp points. In the fall, the antlered males battle other bucks  for mates. About seven months later, first-time mothers generally give birth to a single fawn, while older does commonly bear twins. The young have spotted coats that provide much needed camouflage when they crouch motionless on the forest floor or in tall grass. And they are scentless, which further protects them from predators.

Kudos

from multiple workshop participant Eleanor Kee Wellman (thanks, Eleanor):

Since I first met Chris he has been telling me I should go with him and photograph the Northern Gannets on Bonaventure Island.  He knows I love to capture behavior and there, you are surrounded by the many behaviors of the gannets as they go about their daily lives.
Chris is super organized and extremely well prepared!  He knows what lenses and flash combinations are needed to maximize your opportunities.  He genuinely wants his participants to go home with the best and most varied images possible. His early morning zodiac trips aren’t available through anyone else.
Lots of people, me included, dislike bad weather but Chris relishes it!  The more dramatic the better for photography!  Gannets in rain, fog, drizzle and sun, too.  Eagles at Homer in the rain!  Snowy Owls in white snowy haze!  Hey, there’s going to be a big snowstorm!  Why don’t you leave now and meet us for some great photo ops!  He is ever enthusiastic and helpful.
He inspires everyone to do their best and he knows the greatest places to eat, too!
Thanks, Chris!!!!!
Eleanor Kee Wellman - Balla, Ontario (www.eleanorkeewellman.com)

Cerulean Dreams

Cerulean Warbler Vertical, Dendroica Cerulea, Paruline Azurée Kingston, Ontario Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 500mm F4 Lens with 2X II Tele-converter, Tripod & Wimberley Head II. ISO 800, F8, 1/125s Aperture priority (evaluative +2/3), Canon 580EXII Flash ETTL II -3. PURCHASE A PRINT OR LICENSE AN IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE

Cerulean Warbler horizontal, Dendroica Cerulea, Paruline Azurée Kingston, Ontario. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKIII, 500mm F4 Lens with 2X II Tele-converter, tripod & Wimberley Head II. ISO 800, F8, 1/320s Aperture priority (evaluative +2/3), Canon 580EXII Flash ETTL II -3 PURCHASE A PRINT OR LICENSE AN IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Environment Canada forecast heavy rain all day yesterday, with little chance of bright overcast conditions that would have been conducive to great warbler photography all day long. I decided to venture to the Kingston area of Ontario to give it a try anyway. Worst that could happen is a good birding day without images; sure beats being in the office.
My parents are visiting from Calgary, so I got them up early, loaded into the car and delivered to their friends home in Kingston before most are out of bed (did I mention it was a three hour drive?). From Kingston, I made my way to the Chaffey’s Lock area and spent a few hours in just about perfect photographic conditions. While there weren’t many birds, there certainly were great quality birds. The rain that did fall was light and misty, while it was mostly just dark and overcast. Considered a photographic nemesis bird by many, I had a blast photographing this gorgeous male Cerulean Warbler. I've photographed Cerulean Warblers many times there before, but Queen's University conducts research and most are banded - it was a dream come true to get a nearly perfect male without bands in Ontario. While using the Canon 1DsIII, I strive to keep the ISO under 400; however, there are times when I simply have to use a higher ISO. Properly exposing the image in the camera is the single best way to minimize noise.

The Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea, Paruline Azurée) gets its name from the vivid blue coloration of the male warbler's back and cheeks that makes this a difficult bird to find in the tree tops, where it lives and nests. Cerulean Warblers are forest-interior birds that require large, relatively undisturbed tracts of mature, semi-open deciduous forest. In Ontario, they are restricted to such habitats in the Carolinian Forest zone and the southern part of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Forest zone. These birds begin their long migration to wintering grounds in northeastern South America in late summer. A species of special concern both Provincially and Nationally here in Canada, and in the United States, it is considered a species at risk by many. Recent studies suggest its population is only 30% of what it was only 20 short years ago; dropping faster than any other North American Warbler. On the North American breeding grounds, the chief threat to this warbler is habitat loss resulting from forest fragmentation and degradation. On the South American wintering grounds, forested tracts in mountainous regions are preferred, and these areas are considered to be under a high degree of threat from logging. Nest parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) may become an increasing problem as cowbird populations increase in degraded forest habitats. The Cerulean Warbler is protected in a Schedule under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act.

MORE KUDOS:

Point Pelee photography workshop participant, Michael Lyncheski (from Gladstone, NJ) emailed me this testimonial (thanks, Michael):

“I was impressed on how much Chris cared about making sure everyone was learning, engaged, and getting the most out of the trip. I look forward to my next workshop with Chris!”

Los Madrones Ranch - Texas Hill Country

Golden-cheeked Warbler (male) Dendroica chrysoparia (Paruline à dos noir) Los Madrones Ranch (Texas Hill Country), Dripping Springs, Texas. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds  www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DMKIII, 500mm F4 IS, 2X II Tele-converter, Gitzo 1325 Tripod and Wimberley Head II. ISO 640, F8 1/800s Aperture Priority mode (-1/3 stop).

On Tuesday, April 21 at 03:30 we got an early start and drove the 675 miles to Los Madrones Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas. After avoiding a collision with a rogue wheel early on, the drive was relatively uneventful. Micheal Murphy greeted us around four o'clock, and showed us around the gorgeous Casita that we will call home until Friday, April 24. We spent the last hours of light photographing Black-Crested Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee and House Finch in prime breeding plumage. We also had some great looks at five great Sparrows (more to follow in another post).

The highlight of the trip so far was when Greg W. Lasley www.greglasley.com (Texas' premier birder) arrived and took us to photograph the endangered Golden-Cheeked Warbler. It was an amazingly productive and satisfying morning.

Special thanks to Greg W. Lasley and to Michael & Julie Murphy @ Los Madrones Ranch. If you are planning a trip to Texas, be sure to look them up www.losmadrones.com (512) 264-1741 

The Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia Paruline à dos noir is an endangered species of bird that breeds in Central Texas, from Palo Pinto County southwestward along the eastern and southern edge of the Edwards Plateau to Kinney County. The Golden-cheeked Warbler is the only bird species with a breeding range confined to Texas. Golden-cheeked warblers nest in ashe juniper and live oak trees in ravines and canyons. They use bark and spider webs to build their nests. Females lay three to four eggs. Warblers eat insects and spiders and the adult warbler can reach a length of 4.5 inches. They winter in southern Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The warbler is endangered as many juniper and oak woodlands have been cleared to build houses, roads, and stores or to grow crops or grass for livestock. Other woodlands were flooded when large lakes were constructed.