Northern Gannet Branch Manager

A Northern Gannet “The branch manager” bringing a branch back to its nest over the cliffs of Bonaventure Island during my Gannets Galore and so much more workshop in Quebec. While most of the Gannets returning with something to line their nests bring seaweed, grass, and sometimes sticks or feathers, I have occasionally seen them return with fishing nets and garden hoses over the decades of leading workshops at Bonaventure Island.

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.

Northern Gannet Over-the-Top

A Northern Gannet cartwheels while calling at the top of its dive in the Gulf of the Saint Lawrence, Quebec, Canada. We have had some epic time photographing from the early morning Zodiac excursions during my Gannets Galore Workshops in Percé, Quebec, Canada.

Northern Gannets SPOONING

Here is an image from 2013 that I have looked at so many times! It is extraordinary how affectionate Gannets can be!

There is still a couple of spots available for my June Gannets trips due to unvaccinated participants who decided to postpone another year.

Join me for the ultimate immersive bird photography workshop! We start each day onboard a 28-foot Zodiac Hurricane under the bird-filled cliffs of Bonaventure Island. We’ll be photographing diving Gannets, Common Murres, Razorbills, Harlequin Ducks, and Black Guillemots while getting close to Grey Seals and Whales. After our daily Zodiac adventure, it’s off to the colony with the park staff transporting our gear on their Kawasaki Mule, making our walk an easy and pleasant one!

Gannets Galore Workshop Last Minute Openings

Northern Gannet with Seaweed (Morus bassanus, Fou de Bassan, NOGA) From my Gannets Galore Workshop on Bonaventure Island at Parc National de l'île Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE100-400 F4.5-5.6 G Master OSS @ 164mm. Full frame image (top to bottom; left and right cropped to square aspect ratio). ISO 640, f/5.6 @ 1/4,000s Manual exposure mode.

Two last minute openings

I have two last minute cancellations/openings for my Gannets Galore workshop on Bonaventure Island at Percé, Quebec from June 5 to 7, 2018 due to sudden illness. This is a last minute opportunity for what I feel to be the very best workshop to improve and perfect your bird photography skills! Includes daily four hour Zodiac excursion under the colony and all the Gannets you can imagine at the very best place to photograph them in the world. One of the true natural spectacles in the world! Read more & sign-up: CLICK HERE.

Northern Gannet a la Sony a9

Northern Gannet BOUQUET (Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan, NOGA) Parc national de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure Island, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE100-400 F4.5-5.6 G Master OSS  @176mm. ISO 640 f/5.6 @ 1/4,000s Manual exposure mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Here's a Northern Gannet from a rare opportunity to photograph alone on Bonaventure Island while I was testing the new Sony a9 mirroless camera with the new Sony FE100-400 F4.5-5.6 G Master OSS lens. I was blessed with a cloudy bright day, which is my absolute favorite lighting for my all-time favorite bird photography place where I have spent more than a year of my life since falling in love with the Gannets there! (If you were to add up all of the days spent teaching workshops there over the years).

I still have a couple of spots available for my June 5-7, 2018 Gannets Galore workshop there. Read more about the workshop I host there every year HERE.

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.

Gannets Galore Bird Photography Photo Tour / Workshop / Safari June 10-12 & August 13-15, 2010

Northern Gannet landing with sea weed (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 1D MKIII, 70-200mm F2.8 IS, (@200mm). ISO 400, F5.6 1/2500s Manual. Canon 580 EXII Flash in Manual - full power. Full Frame. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Gannets Galore Bird Photography Photo Tour / Workshop / Safari June 10-12 & August 13-15, 2010

I still have limited space available for my June 10-12 and August 13-15, 2010 Gannets Galore Photo Tour / Workshop / Safari (June 14-16 & 18-20 are SOLD OUT; Thanks to those who registered). This is THE best place on earth to learn the art of avian photography. There is non-stop action and a plethora of artistic models at close range. Sure to be the photographic adventure of your lifetime, the daily (weather permitting) four hour Zodiac cruise under the largest Northern Gannet colony in the world offers close views of thousands of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common Murres, Razorbills, grey seals & whales and, of course, diving Gannets.

Be sure to read client TESTIMONIALS HERE

JUNE 10-12, 2010 GANNETS GALORE INFORMATION HERE

AUGUST 13-15, 2010 GANNETS GALORE INFORMATION HERE