Did you hear that our Africa Safari Adventure is now out for you to watch? The love notes are flying in and we’re very grateful. But some are saying there weren’t aware it was out, so here’s the news. Being invited to Africa with Images in Africa, my bud and very talented Adam from Kelby Training made an epic class from our safari. Did we have fun … check this out …
and how did I pack for this adventure? Here ya go …
And the best part … we’re going back 2015 and in 2016! And if that’s not enough Africa for you (and it really isn’t), there is our January 2015 issue of the BT Journal devoted to this safari. So, here’s some fun, learning, photography, biology just for you.
During our Georgia Nature Photographers Association day workshops, we were at the Callaway Gardens Birds of Prey Show. They did a marvelous 90min presentation for just us. They had flights and birds on the glove for folks to photograph. The whole time, they explained just a ton of biology while they worked the birds. From the photographic side, it was a great learning opportunity to learn how to combine biology with technology. The two main things were panning and flash. The panning seemed obvious, photographing the birds in flight from perch to glove and back again. The problem though is when birds fly, they don’t fly in a straight line but rather, dip down in their flight path and then wing up the last moment to the perch. So in this situation this meant the birds would dip down so the folks heads and a hideous background came into play. So the conventional flight shot using panning while would result in a sharp image, the rest of the elements in the photo would suck. Not good.
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One of the main rolls of a wildlife photographer is to solve problems. In this case, using biological knowledge to incorporate technology to make the photo is our job. So if the goal is to get the raptor in flight photo (this is a Harris Hawk) and panning isn’t an option, what can you do? Rather than go with a long lens and the pan, I went short and to stop the action, flash. Shooting with the Df, 14-24AFS and SB-910, I talked with Christina and had her and the glove where the Harris would land higher than me. Why? I wanted to catch that moment the Harris landed, wings fully spread and primary feathers opened up. I wanted the feeling of flight. So before the show I stuck my hand in the air with the basic background I figured I would have and took a shot for the ambient light exposure and made corrections. I then took a shot with the SB-910 turned on (see the shadows on my hand filled in). We need flash to not only fill in the shadows since we are shooting up towards the sky, but also to freeze motion. We need to meld the two exposures, ambient and flash. Then when the Harris Hawk came in, I made its photo. The marvel of TTL flash and Custom Setting e4 make the exposure really very simple to accomplish. They key here most don’t understand is the speed of the flash for freezing. Many thing Shutter Speed is needed but if we put the burst of the light from the flash in shutter speed terms, the slowest shutter speed of a flash is 1/2000 and the fastest can be nearly 1/24000! Are these the best photos? Na, but they were fun to do and great teaching tools and thats how you want to approach these opportunities so when they great opportunity in the wild presents itself, you have the tools to make the photo!
Another location at Callaway Gardens we shot at was at Sibley Gardens. This is a marvelous place to shoot with so many options and besides the gardner, I was totally entranced with the blooming Cherry Trees. It started off shooting wide with the 14-24AFS but soon abandoned it and its perspective. Why? I wanted that oriental feel to the photo, what you might see in a painting but with that wide lens, while I got the sweep of the branches, there was simply to much other junk in the photo taking the eye away from that sweep. Had to go to plan B.
What was plan B? Go the opposite direction from wide, go long! I went with the Df / 300PF because it permitted isolating those elements of the Cherries I liked while excluding those elements I found distracting. What made it all work were the overcast skies. That flat light kept the blossoms from blowing out and use the natural topography of the trees to create lights and darks showing the shape of the tree. Good stuff. It was a fun challenge and turned out to be a great lesson for folks. And as it turned out, a couple of cool clicks I like enough to share with you. And for me to have a posey photo I want to share is saying something.
Sharon & I are down in Georgia at the Georgia Nature Photographers Association meeting having such a grand time! What a gang of really nice folks, truly the definition of southern hospitality. We were invited down and amongst other things, lead a couple of walks at the gorgeous Callaway Gardens. We’d never been here and sadly, never heard of the place which is a shame … it’s great!
It’s known for many things and top on the list are the Azaleas. Now its 6500 acres have a lot more than that, but the fields and hillsides when they are in full bloom are legendary. Sadly, they are a couple of weeks late with the hard winter the south had this winter. And not at the top of Moose’s list to photograph are azaleas because as many of your know, I’m just not a macro kinda guy. Lucky for me, the plants are high and there was little wind so I didn’t have to stick my butt in the air nor wait for my subjects. So had a great time looking for subjects. I shot with the Df / 300PF / TC-14eIII the whole time using the focal length and narrow DoF of f/5.6 to make the clicks. What you see is what I shot, I got real lucky but had fun doing it. Not enough to explore macro further, but to surely enjoy our afternoon!
You just never know who might just become a dear friend, I would never have thought it would be Harry. It’s not that he’s a Canon shooter, but we come from life at two different directions. He’s got an amazing sense of humor, a great storyteller, a mind boggling view on life, great laugh and is a most excellent photographer. I’ve lost track how many times we’ve gone shooting together but as all photographers can relate to, there is no lack of “Nikon / Canon” banter between us and Harry takes as well as he gives. Like when we were in Costa Rica last month where Harry arrived with his new 800mm lens (gorgeous glass). Screwing with him, I acted as if with my 800mm lens, I could focus on something really close. He looked through his lens and he couldn’t focus that close so he backed up, backed up, backed up and backed up until finally he could. At which time, all were laughing because they knew I couldn’t focus that close either. I was just pulling his chain! And because of photography, we have all that time while celebrating the craft. It’s truly a gift. Thanks for a great week Harry!
I dunno but every time I’m standing at the seashore with my sweetheart and there is a lighthouse, I’ve just gotta have that light in the shot. To me, a lighthouse is either getting the lost mariners in safely from the brutal sea or, is the warm and safe shelter where they are having hot chocolate after the storm. On this morning with the gorgeous sunrise, it was hot chocolate time for the mariners and my sweetie. The capture is pretty straight forward, D750 / 24-70AFS with the light produced in post. And the rest, well that up to your romantic inclinations.
