Tips for Successful Wildlife Photography from FL Audubon
GearHead Wednesday 14-07
Got a gear question you want answered? I want to help and answer it. Send your gear questions to me at Gear Questions and I’ll do my best every Wednesday to answer as many questions as I can. Keep in mind the answers are just my $.02 worth and you have to take what works for you and your photography and embrace it and ignore the rest. So here’s this weeks questions ….
Shooting in nasty weather
Help, the weather sucks, wet, cold and miserable but I want to shot. How?
I lost count how many emails have come in the last couple of weeks asking this question. I thought I would devote this GearHead Wednesday to answering this question. Now if you wanna see if I really do what I say, just check out this KelbyTraining Class on the Oregon Coast. I’ve been saying for a long time, “The worst weather can make for some of the worst weather.” And to know that, you’ll gotta get out in it and work. Here’s how I do it.
Next to personal comfort, care for gear in these harsh weather is the next big concern. I came to the mantra “The worst weather can make some of the best photos” by taking my gear out in such weather and successfully coming back with it in working order. You can do the very same thing if you remember two key concepts. First, if you can take the weather, you camera gear can. Second, never, ever wipe your gear dry. You must blot it dry! But let’s go over everything so you’re prepared for any scenario and keep shooting and shooting.
If there is one time you need to have a filter on your lens, this is it! That filters performs a number of important tasks in this kind of weather with the main one being, keeping moisture from the front element and internal elements of the lens. At the same time, the filter makes it much easier for us to wipe off moisture that will most assuredly collect on it. We have two forms of moisture to contend with, fresh and salt water (slush, snow, ice being states of moisture). Knowing this gives us a plan of attack for dealing with the moisture while in the field and back in the warmth of our room.
There is one essential tool you want to have with you at all times, tucked safely in the warmth and dryness of your jacket. The white towel is the number one tool you have to taking are of your gear out in this harsh environment. The key to making this tool work is keeping it dry! This mean you don’t drape it over your camera gear while your out shooting in the rain! In fact, I’m recommending that you don’t use any cover for your gear. Since you’re not shooting a football game where you must stay exposed in the elements for hours at a stretch, you don’t need to go to that extreme. I’m particularly recommending you don’t use a plastic bag. Here’s why.
Our cameras of today are truly portable computers, electronics making everything happen when we go click. Electronics and moisture simply don’t get along. Those plastic bag covers folks love to use are good for one application when the camera is first dry and first covered. Once you remove that plastic cover to shoot and then replace it, the moisture from the camera will be transferred to the inside of the bag which will in turn tend to force that moisture into crevices of the camera which will put it in contact with the electronics. Keep in mind, if you can handle the elements, your camera can. If it’s a downpour that makes you seek cover, take your camera with you and you will be fine.
Here’s the variable that will make or break your time shooting, wind! It’s what takes the rain and makes it go horizontal rather than vertical. Now if we were just worried about vertical rain, you could be under an umbrella or tree and be basically OK. But when the rain is going horizontal, these do really no good. In fact, I saw a photographer once with one of those umbrellas that attach to a tripod have a guest of wind take his gear for a Wizard of Oz ride until the umbrella imploded on itself (wasn’t a pretty outcome). So than, what’s the white towel all about?
Your gear will get wet, that’s a given but it won’t melt, it won’t short out with this very simple step. Blot your camera dry. Let the clean, dry, warm towel you have safely tucked away in your jacket wick up the moisture and you’ll have no issues. Now the front element of your lens that is protected by that filter, you can wipe it dry with the towel. There are portions of your lens barrel you can wipe dry but any part of the barrel that has switches, you need to blot them dry. The entire camera body, you need to blot it dry. And with that, you and your gear just keep clicking even in the bad weather.
The one thing I highly recommend you don’t do if you have a zoom lens that expands / contracts with zooming is NOT contract the lens if the barrel is even slightly damp! Any moisture on that portion of the lens barrel that contracts back into the barrel will be transferred inside the lens. The possible problem might occur when the lens with that moisture trapped inside gets warm again. That moisture than can turn into steam. While I’ve only seen it once in a photogs lens, it did require the lens going into the repair shop. So, take that white towel and make sure that lens barrel before contracted back in is dry.
One other side note to all of this, where do we place our gear once back to our vehicle? Yeap, most photographers place that gear back into their camera bag. If that gear is damp to wet, that moisture often transfers into the camera bag and that might not be a good thing. What do you put that gear then if you don’t put it back into the bag? If you’re done shooting, than simply wrap it in the white towel and securely set it in your vehicle. If there is even the slightest, remotest possible you might travel from location to location in this bad weather, have another, larger white towel just for transport. This might seem like a lot of fuss but keep in mind that if your camera goes down, no mo photography for you!
And if you want the best raincovers, I recommend these:
LensCoat RainCoat Standard (Black)
Think Tank Photo Hydrophobia Rain Cover 300-600 V2.0 (Black)
Nikon Lens Rain Cover (Large)
Nikon Lens Rain Cover (Medium)
AquaTech SS-200 Sport Shield Rain Cover (Gray)
Elvid FieldVision Monitor
Why a off camera monitor? Darn good question, hope the video answers it and tells you more about this great monitor, the Elvid FieldVision.
Sensor Cleaning Prayers Answered! – Sensor Gel
Yeap, your sensor cleaning nightmares are over! Hallelujah! The Sensor Gel only takes good eyesight to work, the rest a monkey can do. Watch the video and you’ll see what I mean, say good-bye to swabs, pain and sorrow and say hello to clean sensors! Seriously … I mean, really, seriously!!!
And BTS
Profoto B1 Features – Video
I’ve had a number of emails since posting my shoot with Chris in regards to the Profoto B1. This amazing off camera flash (that can operate TTL) deserves more than just email responses. So here ya go, a quick video about the B1 features.
GearHead Wednesday 14-06
Got a gear question you want answered? Send your gear questions to me at Gear Questions and I’ll do my best every Wednesday to answer as many questions as I can. Keep in mind the answers are just my $.02 worth and you have to take what works for you and embrace it and ignore the rest. So here’s this weeks questions ….
Wearing Glasses & Handholding
Moose,
I went through the same problems wearing glasses and getting older doesn’t help either. I tried contacts and cheaters and they didn’t do the job. Last year a Photoplus expo I was at the Hoodman booth and picked up a pair of titanium frames the the lens will flip up. I had my prescription put in the glasses set the diopter on my camera for my shooting eye so all I do is flip my lens up and press my eye against the rubber cup. It works great.
Thanks
Craig
You bring up a great option Craig, the Hoodman Glasses are a great solution for many! Also, Hoodman makes a HUGE eyecup that I’ve seen many shooters use while wearing their glasses. Great to see a company recognizing photographer’s problems and solving them!!! Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
80-400 & 200-400
Moose;
I would like to get your thoughts on the pro’s and con’s between the Nikon 80-400 and 200-400 lenses. I am primarily a wildlife and landscape shooter and see that you are hyping the the 80-400 quite a bit. Does the 200-400 buy you a large increase in quality, or just more light?
Fred
Fred, I actually have and use quite often the 80-400VR3 and 200-400VR2 and you’re not alone asking this question. Cutting to the chase, I don’t think there is any optical difference between the two lenses. They are both very sharp, very fast AF and simply sexy lenses! I have no hesitation recommending either lens to photogs.
Now as to “hyping” the 80-400, you might be right in that I’m hyping it but I think the reason might not be clear. Until the 80-400 arrived, wildlife photographers didn’t have a super sharp, super fast AF 400mm lens in the Nikon line that is “inexpensive.” For many wanting to get into wildlife photography, the price of the 200-400 can be a deal killer. So for that reason, I want folks to know the 80-400VR3 is a great lens and not anything like the original 80-400.
When it comes to my own personal use, both lenses get the same amount of use but I have very specific applications for both. Aviation, air to air and statics, I use the 80-400 to death. When it comes to ground to air, I use the 200-400. Wildlife when going after birds, the 80-400 is the backup lens to the 800mm. With mammals, it’s the 200-400. And for landscapes, it’s the 80-400. And if you think I’m nuts, you would be 100% correct but that’s how I’m shooting now.
Settings Upsetting the Apple Cart
Hi Moose,
This may or may not qualify, but my problem is what have I done wrong when my menu options on a D4 or a D800 don’t want to let me do what they should?
Both bodies have relatively recently been serviced by Nikon and I assumed that the settings would not be changed by them (BIG Mistake!). So I tried to reset my menu options using your suggestions from your Blog.
However, the D800 just won’t let me “Lock mirror up for cleaning” even though I have recharged both batteries (in-camera and MB-D12), the option is just greyed out.
The D4 does not give me “My menu” but “Recent Settings”.
Finally in a sort of settings mode – is there a way to get notified if Nikon update the firmware?
As always thank you for the immense help and knowledge you provide and the immeasurable inspiration.
Warmest Regards
Richard
Richard, setting conflicts can drive a photog nuts! I wasn’t aware though of any in the D800 and only one in the D4. First thing I would look at is the Network setting in the D4 and make sure that is turned off. Next, I would make sure on the D4 the battery doesn’t need to be calibrated which can mess things up some times. The Recent Setting is because you need to change the menu item from Recent to My Menu. But all of my settings are posted on the website so if you follow those, you will have no conflict. And if all else fails, do a Factory Reset of the settings and go through them one more time.
No matter the camera or brand, I highly recommend folks Save Settings to their card prior to sending it off (and keeping that card in a safe place waiting for its return). Save them settings and then check them by reloading them into the camera prior to sending off the camera. Depending on the camera and the service, you might have none or all your settings changed when the camera is returned. By saving them to a card, most of your resetting of settings is dealt with for you but there are some you will always have to do manually no matter what.
When it comes to receiving notifications from Nikon about firmware updates, there is no automated service at this time.
New or Old, that is the Question
Hi Moose!
Love your blog and website. I have you on my daily list of sites to check out. Thank you for all you do to help us amateurs make the most of our photography experience.
My question for GearHead Wed is…
I read on GearHead 14-01 under the post of “Which FX” where you detail the D4, Df, &D610 as the models for the person who asked about which FX model to move to. I too am getting ready to make the move to a FX body and this post was extremely insightful. I have always desired a pro body starting back to the D2 but have not had the funds or real justification for this high of a model. Now as I ponder the move I’m wondering how the older models that are still in the market would stack up to the D4. I really don’t like the looks of the DF and want the video abilities so I’m stuck between settling for D610 or stretching to a D4. Should I be considering the older D3 models (D3, D3S or D3X)?
Mike
Mike, first thanks for the kind words. Knowledge only has value when it is shared otherwise the pain in gaining it is a waste.
There are many “older’ bodies that do a great job since, in all honesty, it’s the person behind them that counts. Personally, many images from the original Coolpix from 1998, D1s, all the way up to current bodies I’ve used for my photography are still very much in use, so they produce the quality required. You need to buy the best you can afford, be it new or old and then perfect the most important tool, you! Since I don’t know you, your style of photography or abilities, I can’t just say buy ….. but of the options you list, I would go D4, D610 and then D3s since you want video (most miss the fact the Df doesn’t have video).
Can you Hide a Moose?
Hey Moose,
I was wondering if you had any thoughts about camouflage or blinds. My point being that I almost had an eagle in close until it saw me ease (not jerk) my camera up to get a shot. I did get a heron up close because it flew up river and didn’t know I was around the bend. I was also in shooting position so I did not make any unnecessary movements. However, it ain’t easy staying in shooting position
for 8 hours at 50 years old. LOL Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,
Jeff
The blind at Rowe Sanctuary for Sandhill Cranes on the Platt River
Jeff, blinds or hides are something I hate with a passion! I rarely if ever use them and in fact, in the last five years, I’ve only used a blind a couple of times and that’s with the Sandhill Cranes on the Platt where they are required.
With that said, blinds mask a whole lot that helps the shy critter come in close. And that’s really what they’re for, the shy subject or the photographer who can’t hold still. Blinds can also help you beat the clock. When you don’t have time to do the homework or stay in one location for a while, the blind helps critters come in closer, faster.
As for camouflage, I’ve never been a believer. We’re not talking hunting here, we’re talking photography, so shouldn’t confuse the two. I use myself for an example, there simply is no hiding me or making me blend in, so looking like a six foot tall leaf never made any sense to me. Now knowing and using basic biology which is all I’ve done all my career, I’ve gotten as close to critters as I want to. At the same time, this knowledge not only helps you get the better photograph, but protects the welfare of the subject. There is no one answer that fits all, but this is what works for me.
The Missing Setting
Hi, my name is Joe Spoto. I am a big fan of yours and I learn something new just about every day reading your blog. I just received my Df today and am in hog heaven!! Occasionally I would get out my Nikkormat and my FE and just look at them wishing that there could be a digital version. I have a question for you, if you don’t mind. On my D3s and D700 I have the command dial set to scroll through images during playback. I cannot figure out how to do this with the Df or know if it is even an option? Do you know if it is an option on the Df?
Thank you,
Joe
Hi Joe! Glad you like the Df, I am a huge fan of it! It just so happens I posted all my Df settings and what you want is Custom Setting f7 > Menus and Playback > On