- JAPAN IPT REPORT: PART I/THE SNOW MONKEYS
- THE BLOG IS THE BOMB
- F3C CONVENTION
- NIK Color Efex Pro
- POSSE NEWS: JIM NEIGER
- POSSE NEWS: ROBERT AMORUSO
- IPT UPDATES
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This Snow Monkey image, Three of a Kind, was one of the most popular ever published on the blog so I am republishing it here for all to enjoy. It was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Click here to learn what others thought of this image. Click on the image above to enlarge it. |
JAPAN IPT REPORT: PART I/THE SNOW MONKEYS
Everyone in the group loved the Snow Monkeys. So human-like. Such captivating faces. Expressions and hands so like ours. And those oh-so-cute babies. As we opted to stay in a fine hotel in Nagano we were about an hour from the park by van that followed by a 30 minute hike up the hill with our gear. So we brought lunch and spent three full days photographing, arriving by 9:15am and staying on average till about 4pm. Even on clear days nearly all of the situations were well shaded by the surrounding hillsides. We enjoyed clear skies, cloudy conditions, and snow. Notice no rain. 🙂
You can learn more about Jigokudani Yaenkoen Nagano Prefecture, Japan, aka the Snow Monkey Park, by clicking here. The opening image there will give you an idea of the photographic insanity at the park.
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This baby Snow Monkey image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the Canon 1.4X III TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering plus about 1 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. As above, I pushed each exposure to the right so that I had a few blinkies on the snow in the background; doing so ensured sufficient detail in the darker portions of the image. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and recompose. Do not get in the habit of using this technique when hand holding. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enlarge it. |
For the most part I worked with the 300 f/2.8L IS II on the tripod and the 70-200 f/2.8L IS II hand held. I used the 1.4X III TC often with both of those lenses and mounted the 2XIII TC on the 300 II several times. Read the caption info on the image above very carefully for a hand holding AF tip. My co-leader Robert O’Toole worked almost exclusively with the Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 APO OS HSM Nikon mount. One of the participants used this lens at times and all four relied on their 70-200 f/2.8 lenses. The animals were crazy tame.
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This is not a Snow Monkey. It is Mike Gotthelf. The image, however, was created at the Monkey Park–that’s why Mike is smiling so broadly–with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and the Canon 1.4X III TC (hand held at 200mm) with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering plus about 1/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. The central sensor fell close to Mike’s right eye. When hand holding it is imperative to select a sensor that falls on or near the subject’s eye and have that sensor active at the moment of exposure. If you focus with the central sensor and then recompose while hand holding your breathing and body movement will result in mostly unsharp images. If you are on a tripod it is a different story. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enlarge it. |
Friend Mike Gotthelf (Boston) is a neurologist. He has been on many IPTs all over the world; he joined us in the Galapagos a few years back with wife Barbara. He typifies the type of happy campers that make my life a pleasure. On this trip Mike has almost always had a big smile on his face. But he has done more than his share of grimacing. Enduring some rather severe back pain he has been a real trooper. To make matters worse IPT participant Kevin Watson (New Jersey) and I have been giving Mike grief on the subject of the New York Football Giants (second in a row) stunning upset of the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Not a day goes by when we do not have fun at Mike’s expense. And our jibes always come out of nowhere in a conversation. But Mike keeps smiling. And grimacing.
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This suckling Snow Monkey image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 2X III teleconverter, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/50 sec. at f/11 in Av mode. You’d best be on a tripod at 780mm (15.6X magnification at 1/50 second…) I ran NIK Detail Extractor at 100% on the face of the baby using a Hide All Mask (as described in Digital Basics). My NIK workflow additions will be covered in detail in the next update of Digital Basics coming early this summer. In the meantime there are lots of Color Efex Pro tips on the blog. Several folks made virtually the same image with their 70-200s. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enlarge it. |
THE BLOG IS THE BOMB
Even in Japan I have continued to put in 20+ hours a week towards making the blog informative, timely, and beautiful. Most of the educational features that formerly appeared in BAA Bulletins now grace the BAA Blog. If you have a problem subscribing, please contact us via e-mail. If you are not subscribed, you are missing a ton of great stuff almost daily. You can subscribe to the blog posts by clicking here.
If you’d like to read all all of the Japan IPT blog posts (that include lots of great Snow Monkey images) click here and scroll down and down.
Here are some links to recent posts of interest:
In “To Give You an Idea” I explain photography at the Monkey Park in full. The challenges and the rewards. Though it was not what we expected, everyone agreed that it was a stupendous experience.
Learn of our killer hike up the wrong hill on Day 1 in Granny. As I wrote there, the Japan IPT got off to a rather challenging and inauspicious start….
Three of a Kind featured one of the most popular ever blog images.
Did Robert O’Toole finally pull the trigger??? Click here to find out.
We are now in Hokkaido. Tomorrow is our last morning with the sea eagles. Was I cold? You’ll want to check out Ten Degrees of Flight Photography.
If you’ve been dreaming of making a trip to the Antarctic Continent you will surely want to click here.
If you are (mistakenly) deleting images created in the fog you can learn a ton by clicking here.
There will be lots of new Snow Monkey and sea eagle images coming to the blog during the next month or so; be sure to subscribe so that you do not miss any of the valuable free lessons.
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This hooting Snow Monkey image was created at Jigokudani Yaenkoen Nagano Prefecture, Japan with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and the Canon 1.4X III TC (hand held at 230mm) with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering plus about 2/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. I tried to push each exposure so that I had only a few blinkies on the snow in the background; doing so ensured sufficient detail in the darker portions of the image. Two AF sensors up from the central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Again, when hand holding it is imperative to select a sensor that falls on or near the subject’s eye and have that sensor active at the moment of exposure. If you focus with the central sensor and then recompose while hand holding your breathing and body movement will result in mostly unsharp images. If you are on a tripod it is a different story. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enlarge it. |
F3C CONVENTION
Thanks to the generosity of Canon USA and the Explorers of Light program I will be keynoting at the Florida Camera Clubs Council 2012 Annual Conference, “Pixels to Print:” March 23-25, 2012 at the Naples Hilton, Naples, FL. Fellow Canon EOL George Lepp will also be appearing among a large cast of skilled presenters and speakers. In addition to the keynote I will be doing a field workshop at Tigertail Beach. You can follow the links here for more information.
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This threat display Snow Monkey image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Did you note that momma is holding a baby monkey? Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enlarge it. |
NIK Color Efex Pro
As regular blog readers know I have been improving most every Snow Monkey and Steller’s Sea Eagle image that I create with NIK Color Efex Pro 4. I have written several short how-to bits; more will follow. What can I say; this plug in is amazing.
NIK 15% Discount
You can save 15% on all NIK products (including and especially Color Efex Pro 4) by clicking here and entering BAA in the Promo Code box at check-out. Then hit Apply to see your savings. You can download a trial copy that will work for 15 days and allow you to create full sized images.
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NIK Creative Efex Collection
NIK recently announced the availability of a special limited production bundle of 3 of their most popular products, Color Efex Pro 4, Silver Efex Pro 2, and HDR Efex Pro. You can save more than $200 on the bundle which is available only through NIK affiliates. If you would like additional info, please e-mail with the words “Creative Efex Collection” in the Subject line. If you have been on the fence about purchasing the plug-ins mentioned above this is a great chance to save some significant bucks. I love both Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex and plan on learning to use Viveza soon.
POSSE NEWS: JIM NEIGER
FLIGHT SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY IN OSPREY HEAVEN, LAKE BLUE CYPRESS (Vero Beach, Florida) $1500
Jim has spent the past several years perfecting his techniques for photographing birds in flight using large telephoto lenses hand held. The focus of these workshops will be learning Jim’s hand held, long lens techniques for photographing birds in flight and in other action. Each workshop will be held in some of the most beautiful, wild, and unspoiled wilderness areas of central Florida.
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Osprey with bloody fish, Lake Blue Cypress, FL |
Each workshop will include a four hour classroom session, welcome dinner, four morning photography sessions, and three afternoon photography sessions. Each photography session will be of three to four hours in duration. Five of the photography sessions will (weather permitting) be conducted via a specially configured pontoon boat that has been customized for photography. The remaining photography sessions will be in-the-field land-based sessions. The workshops will be limited to five participants so that everyone may photograph in comfort and receive personalized instruction.
The photography sessions by boat will be held on the unspoiled and unparalleled Lake Blue Cypress. This spectacularly beautiful lake is virtually free of civilization and manmade elements. The lake is surrounded by ancient cypress swamp and marshy wetlands. Here, the gorgeous cypress trees grow from the lake bottom surrounded on all sides by water. Osprey nest by the hundreds are in these trees; participants will be able to photograph the birds as the fly to and fro, dive for fish, gather nesting materials, and feed their young chicks. Some of the nests are actually at or below eye level when standing in the boat. The only distractions in this pristine, wilderness environment are the constant cries of the Osprey as they court in midair and defend their nests from other birds. Lake Blue Cypress is also a landscape photographers dream. The horizons contain nothing of man’s influence and only the beauty of the real Florida wilderness. Perches and backgrounds are spectacular beyond belief. March, April and May are the best months to be at Lake Blue Cypress. Wildflowers cover the stumps and trees like blankets of radiant color. The skies glow with spectacular, multi-hued sunrises and sunsets. Seeing more than a hundred different species of birds is possible on this trip. Large American Alligators are commonly seen sunning themselves on top of the fallen trees and stumps. The biggest problem for a photographer here is deciding which subject to photograph. Even the weather cooperates this time of year. It is the dry season and clear, sunny days are the most common weather condition.
The photography sessions on land will be held in remote areas of southern Osceola County. Here, participants are likely to have opportunities to photograph birds that are endangered and rarely seen. Possible species include: Swallow-tailed Kite, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Barred Owls, Whooping Cranes, and Great Horned Owls, among others. Sandhill Cranes, a common bird in Central Florida, are tame enough to approach as closely as you like. Participants will also learn how to safely use bird song recordings to attract birds. Jim has developed his own, innovative techniques for using recordings to attract birds, in such a way, that amazing photographic opportunities are common when they would be almost impossible otherwise. This includes special techniques that encourage birds to fly and land in desired ways; this provides spectacular opportunities for flight images and for creating images on beautiful perches.
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Swallow-tailed Kite with frog, Lake Blue Cypress, FL |
To see more great Blue Cypress images, click here. To learn more about Jim and Flight School Photography, click here.
LBC-1: March 22-26, 2012.
LBC-2: April 26-30, 2012.
LBC-3: May 3-7, 2012.
The cost of the workshop is $1500. Each workshop includes a four hour formal classroom instructional session, a welcome dinner, 4 morning photography sessions, and 3 afternoon photography sessions. The photography sessions include personalized instruction in the field. Discounted lodging is available but is not included in the workshop fee. A $750 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve a spot in a workshop. The remaining $750 is due 10 days before the start date of the workshop. If you are unable to attend the workshop after paying the balance, the balance payment will be refunded ONLY if your spot can be filled on short notice from the waiting list. All workshop payments must be made by check or money order. Credit cards are not accepted.
For additional info, click on this link: Osprey Heaven Lake Blue Cypress Workshops
Contact Jim by phone at 407-247-5200 or via e-mail to jimn@cfl.rr.com.
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT AMORUSO
The ORIGINAL Gatorland Photographic Instructional Workshops
Two-Day Weekend Workshops: February 25-26, March 24-25, April 28-29, June 16-17 and July 14-15. Three-Day Long-Weekend Workshop: May 18, 19 and 20. All 2012. Extensive in-the-field instruction at East Central Florida’s best rookery location: Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL. Includes morning and afternoon classroom presentations: Successful Strategies in Avian Rookery Photography and image editing and post-processing workflows. The three-day workshop adds indoor presentations on thinking creatively. In-the-field instruction includes learning to isolate your subject, understanding light, getting the proper exposure, using depth of field to your advantage, using fill-flash and lots more. Classroom sessions are held onsite at Gatorland. A CD with lesson plans is included.
Learn more here.
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Great Egret – Gatorland – ©2010 Robert Amoruso. I envisioned this image for years and finally created it in 2010. Understanding how to balance ambient light with flash exposure allowed me to do this. Canon 7D with 70-200mm @98mm. 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, Manual, Evaluative, ISO 400, E-TTL Flash. |
St. Augustine Photographic Instructional Workshop
April 19-22, 2012 – three and one-half days of extensive field and classroom instruction at the famous St. Augustine Alligator Farm with Robert Amoruso and Robert O’Toole. We will be using the Alligator Farm’s Education Center for meetings and equipment storage between morning and afternoon sessions. The weather is pleasant and the birds will be courting, building nests, and copulating. There will likely be a few tiny Great Egret chicks. This workshop includes cover the same topics as the Gatorland workshops. Sigma Pro Robert O’Toole will provide additional in classroom and in-the-field instruction; we will have both Nikon and Canon equipment covered; don’t fret all camera systems are welcome. Robert O’Toole will also be sharing his Quick Masking techniques with you. CD with Amoruso lesson plans included.
Learn more here.
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Roseate Spoonbills – SAAF – ©2011 Robert Amoruso. Understanding bird behavior will help you to capture images like this. Canon 7D with 100-400mm @169mm. 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, Manual, Evaluative, ISO 400, E-TTL Flash. |
Private Photographic Instructional Workshops
As good as a group workshop can be, sometimes private one-on-one instruction is the ticket. My private workshops cater to your individual needs. In advance of the workshop we will discuss your objectives and how they can best be met. Then I design your workshop to meet those goals. These workshops generally include areas close to my home as I know them well but I can travel to other locations in Florida if you have a specific locale in mind.
Learn more here.
BLOG and NEWSLETTER
E-mail Robert to receive his educational newsletter. Robert’s blog covers photographic locations, how-to tips, workshop information, and more.
Learn more about Robert and check out his images here. You can contact him with questions via e-mail or call him on his cell: 407-808-7417.
Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
Remember: you can earn free contest entries with your B & H purchases. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here for details.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the images talked about in this blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2X III teleconverter. I also use it a lot–as I did for the image of the eagle with fish–with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens. This lens proved to be ideal on a tripod for both birds and wildlife with both the 1.4X and 2X III TCs. All images were super-sharp and the lens was light enough for hand-holding both in the zodiacs and when doing flight photograph from the ship.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Camera. Canon’s lightweight full frame body is perfect for serious landscape photography and worked out great for wildlife on my Southern Oceans voyage.
And from the BAA On-line Store:
LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
