6th Day in TX – 03.31.07

So, we’re at the airport at 4am to head back home, lightning has been lighting up the skies since sunset and it’s still at it. We walk in to the terminal to see this horrendous line and an itty, bitty piece of xerox paper saying our fight hand been canceled. An hour and a half later we get to counter, Laurie can get home by Tuesday and I can get home Sunday. Since we both have to be in Boston on Monday for Photoshop World, we need to find a better option, fast. Laurie gets on her cell phone and instantly has us flying out of Austin. Back to the rental car desk, back on the freeway and back to another airport. I always have my D200 w/28f1.4AF on my shoulder so while I had time, I went around the Austin airport and made some images. Hopefully, between my very tired eyes and working on battery power, the B&W graphic looks OK.

Surviving my first Laurie Excell WildTour, I can honestly say that besides making some great photography come to life, she never leaves out one dull moment! Thanks Laurie!

Photo captured by D200, 28f1.4 AF on Lexar digital film

5th Day in TX – 03.30.07

So, how did you spend your day? Well, Laurie & I are in the TX hills and man, it’s a REALLY cool place! We’re the guest of some really, really nice folks who gave us a killer tour. Now they had no control over the rain (which was actually Laurie’s fault) but we wish they did. What you see here is Block Creek and our car is on the other side! The rain poured and the creeks rose so our hosts had to do some fancy driving to get us back to our car so we could head to the airport. Both Laurie & I are looking forward to coming back here, when it’s a little drier!

Photo captured by D200, 28f1.4AF on Lexar digital film

PS…I forgot to mention that the water was over the sign just a couple of hours before!

4th Day TX #2 – 03.29.07

Another common bird that I enjoy is the Catbird. It’s quite the character and all morning long, it lived up to expectations. We only had a morning session today because we booked it up 5hr north to the hill country to check out some other very cool ranches.

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital

4th Day TX – 03.29.07

Up bright and early, even with the huge winds we decided to be in the blind by 7am. We have a number of blinds to choose from at Steve’s Ranch, we went for the ground level blind thinking the birds would be stuck on the ground with the wind. We were rewarded for our trouble with some great shooting of what many consider “common” birds. This Lincoln Sparrow wanted to get the dust off and in the process, providing us a killer photo opp.

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital film

3rd Day TX #2 – 03.28.07

There’s a snake in the grass, and I’m not talking about Laurie and her sneaky tricks! Texas is known for many things, one of them is their rattlesnakes. Our host today, Steve, wrangled this nearly 6′ long rattler for us as it tried to slip away into the shade. Laurie and I had a good 30min with this Wester Diamond-backed Rattler working about three feet away from it. It was gorgeous female who was quite happy when we went back into our blind and got back to the business of photographing birds.

Photo captured by D2Xs, 70-200VR w/1.7x on Lexar digital film

3rd Day TX – 03.28.07

Well, there I am in the blind bloody early this AM when this lovely pair of Scaled Quail appears. I REALLY like this bird and didn’t even get the images I wanted last year of it. The pair teased me, half hiding in some shrubs, darting out for a moment and than back in permitting only a capture or two that included grasses. Than, the pair comes out again into plain view, ah, gorgeous. I click off a few frames when all of a sudden I’m viciously attacked causing me to miss this rest of this amazing opp. What hit me? Laurie, oh, sweet Laurie says a simple one liner causing me to laugh so much, so hard, I couldn’t shoot. I don’t think she’s playing fair!

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital film

2nd Day TX #2- 03.27.07

Hot Dogs!

A bird I’ve wanted to photograph for a very LONG time is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. We started the morning seeing lots of them along the road in the predawn light. Kent was great and drove us right up to one at the start of the afternoon shooting. That broke the jinx. On the way back in from shooting in the blind at sunset, Kent worked his magic and drove us up beside a couple more flycatchers. This last one taken was literally after the sun had set and it was just gorgeous! Keeping the 600f4 rock solid handholding it out the window of the truck was hard. Not because it was heavy, but because I was so excited with what I was seeing in my viewfinder. It’s a great start to the file!

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital film

PS…don’t forget to check out Laurie’s blog to see what she photographed today!

2nd Day TX – 03.27.07

It was a great day of shooting, just finished editing 32GB of images (and it’s the next day now). It was the day of the woodpecker, the Golden-fronted Woodpecker which you see here. We were on the Weaver Ranch today (GREAT place!) who must have the entire state’s population of Golden-fronted. We were in the blind for over 9hrs today and most the time was spent with Woody!

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital film

1st Day TX #2 – 03.26.07

#2 Great-tailed Grackle

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital film

1st Day TX – 03.26.07

First day in TX and the weather just wasn’t our friend. Woke up to rain and cloudy skies which turned into a cloudy and really windy day. None the less, Laurie & I put in a full day and at times, had some really good shooting. How good?

Well, Laurie & I thought we might do a little dueling blogging this week. She’s going to post an image or two, and so will I each day, our favorites. You can look at the images and decide who had the better day. Of course, we all win because if nothing else, well have fun. Here’s #1, a Cactus Wren.
Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4AFS II on Lexar digital film

New Blog – 03.26.07

Of course, I’m rather biased, but I just think she’s the best woman wildlife photographer around (noticed, I said woman). My dearest friend Laurie Excell launched her new blog today and I think it’s one you should put on your feed. I know there will be lots there you can learn as time goes on. In fact, you should head there NOW!

My Bag – 03.24.07

What am I using to carry all my gear (seems a little obvious to me)? I received a lot of emails during and after my Homer trip asking me this. I use a black, MP-1, True, while the photos on Moose’s Camera Bag weren’t updated when I recently updated the gear list, but not much as really changed. I do understand folk’s concern and worry about traveling by air. Stories are out there of photographers having real issues when boarding. I witnessed one myself recently and personally, I felt the photographers dug their own grave (and made it harder for the next photographer). Common sense still rules the day. Here’s what’s packed in my MP-1 for the TX shoot:

Long Lens Compartment: D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II, MC-30, ski cap, spare eyecup & eyepiece, spare LCD cover
Top Short Lens Compartment: 70-180macro, 10.5, TC-17e, 12-24DX, 17-55AFS, SB-800, 2-Nikon polarizers, SD-8a & 10 spare AA batteries
Bottom Short Lens Compartment: D2Hs, 105VR, 100GB Fortress, SC-28

I’ve NEVER had ONE problem getting my MP-1 (or MP-3) with all this gear on a plane or in an overhead. Yes, I have had some gate agents ask if it will fit while boarding but with a smile, I tell them the same thing. “I’ve never had a problem getting it in an overhead” and away I go. Now if they asked to weigh the MP-1, well, I’d than be in a world of hurt!

Many ask about tripods and other gear. I take either the Gitzo 5540 or 3540 when I’m flying, the longest lens I’m going to be using the determining factor. Which tripod I take is packed in the checked luggage along with corresponding head, in an Eagle Creek rolling duffel. I also travel with a Tamrac Jumbo Rolling Strongbox. In this I have misc camera gear like chargers, cords, books, notebook charger, bins, extra SB-800s, etc.

The notebook(s), yes, I often have 2 with me, along with other “computer” stuff are carried on in a Swiss Army rolling briefcase. And with this, I’m good to go. I hope this answers all the questions and gives you some ideas how to travel easily and safely. Please don’t let the stories scare you from getting out and exploring whatever corner of the world your camera points you!

Spring? – 03.23.07

Is it spring? We should have 20′ of snow in our front yard and yet, there’s only dirt. We have birds everywhere, everywhere, with many being spring migrants. The Red-shafted Flickers are all over the neighborhood rapidly tapping on the metal chimneys which sounds like machine gun fire. The males do this in their attempts to attract a mate. What gives?

Few, the year isn’t flying by as fast as I feared. The White-headed Woodpeckers (a female pictured here) and Hairy Woodpeckers still have white heads. What does that mean? They aren’t drilling in the firs yet, creating nesting cavaties. When they do that, their beautiful white heads turn rasberry colored, stained with the sap.

I’ve been hard at work all week making sure my programs for Photoshop World (only the GREATEST show on earth!) are all polished and ready to go. While it’s almost two weeks away, I’m out of here tomorrow, off to shoot in TX for a week. While I might be stuck at my desk, I still keep shooting. This photo was taken from my desk, shooting out the open window. Wait, it’s March, it should be freezing with the window open. May be it is spring?

Photo captured by D2Xs, 600f4 AFS II on Lexar digital film

Amazing Tripods – 03.14.07

OK…user update. I’ve been using the new Gitzo 3540XLS and Gitzo 5540LS for a couple of months is all sorts of nasty environments and this is what I’ve found. They rock (as in they are great)!

The main things I love are all based around their new G Lock technology. The ease of use is outstanding! Juggling the height of the old 1548 with the 600f4 on board got real old, always having to take your eye off the subject to mess with the leg locks. No more, with the 5540LS, I can adjust without looking at which leg lock while I’m grabbing or giggling the leg to get longer. An important side benefit of the G Lock technology is the extra stability while working with a lighter tripod. I’m sold.

Moose’s Camera Bag has been updated with these an other small additions I’ve made so far in 2007. I hope the information helps you make the most of your wildlife photography budget!

LensCoat – 03.13.07

I tried a new product when I was in Alaska, LensCoat. I’m sure you’ve seen them on lenses before, they aren’t new to the market place, just to my lenses. When you see a lens, quite often a Canon lens with camo, that’s a LensCoat. Now, I’m not a camo kinda guy but as you can see, the LensCoats on my Nikkors is black. Not trying to hide, trying to protect my lenses from life’s little bumps. For example, shooting out the window of your car, ever come back with brazing on your lens barrel from the window frame? The LensCoat will prevent that.

In Alaska, I wanted to keep the Bald Eagle crap that’s hit me before from getting into the workings of the lens. They have this real knack of bombing perfectly into those cracks. Well, they tried this time but the LensCoat worked perfectly. Kept my gear clean and it was a snap to clean off the white wash from the LensCoat. I’m totally sold which is why I bought coats for the 600f4 AFSII, 200-400VR and 200VR. Buy yours here.

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