by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Aug 19, 2015 | Bird photography
Butterfly
The first time I visited Costa Rica, it was during an alumni bus tour where photography was not the focus. The trip and people were nice, but the country was not high on the list of places I wished to revisit. However recently, I was fortunate to meet some friends who invited me to their home in Costa Rica this August. They took me to a number of locations within a 2 hour drive from their home that were super for photography that changed my opinion of the country’s photographic potential. By the end of my week’s stay, we were discussing the possibilities of my developing a photography workshop locally. The volcanoes and mountains were spectacular, with tall waterfalls, low hinging clouds, huge ferns, gigantic trees, and brightly colored bromeliads, orchids and other flowering plants. The trip was only a week long, so I only saw a small portion of the country but what I saw was impressive.
Coatimundi, Costa Rica, Different coloration compared to those in Brazil an Argentina.
The hummingbirds were my favorite subjects to photograph, so many species and colors. I hoped I could ID them from their photographs but light effects their colors and they alter feather position and change colorization. I know now, I realize need expert help. I had hoped for photos of male quetzals an iridescent green bird with a long elegant tail. We visited an area where they feed and saw them flying at a distance but I will have to wait until my next trip to capture an acceptable image of one. However, during my Costa Rica photo tour I photographed coati, spider and capuchin monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles, red squirrels, a raccoon, a rhinoceros beetle, red crab, parakeets, hummingbirds, tanagers, woodpeckers, and other bird species. Places visited included La Paz, Poas Volcano, Paraiso Quetzal, Hotel Savegre, & Manuel Antonio NP.
Flame-colored Tanager Costa Rica, Sevegre Lodge
Most nights I spent at my friend’s house in Tabaca, overlooking San Jose and its suburbs and a mountain range. The elevation was high and to my surprise temperatures dropped quite low at night requiring a warm jacket. My host’s home was surrounded by a wonderful garden with a small waterfalls, colorful flowers, and hummingbird feeders. The only night away from Tabaca was spent at the lovely Hotel Savegre in the heart of a jungle preserve where Quetzals are found. Outside the guest rooms were beautiful gardens and feeder stations where bananas and other fruit were placed to attract flame-colored tanagers, blue-gray tanagers, rufus-collared sparrows, acorn woodpeckers, and an assortment of hummingbirds.
The downside of the trip was the traffic. Every day there were rush hour traffic jams in the area around San Jose. Double “no passing” lines in the middle of the road seem to have no meaning to locals and motor bikes are plentiful and are constantly darting between cars. Overall, major roads were in good shape except where mud slides required repair. The small towns we encountered were charming with churches dating back hundreds of years. However, driving through them was challenging with frequent turns and few street signs. All things considered, these inconveniences are minor when you consider all Costa Rica has to offer. Keep your eye on my schedule. I suspect I will be adding Costa Rica to my list of photo tours in 2016.
Hummingbird, Costa Rica, Paraiso Quetzal
Tips for shooting in Costa Rica and similar habitats:
Days with soft light were the best for shooting in the jungle. Stronger light produces hot spots in the background and deep shadows that obscured details.
On overcast days when shooting hummingbirds, I used a high ISO, fast flash sync speed, and fill flash set on -1 or -2. The flash brought out the bird’s iridescent colors even on a rainy day.
To freeze the wings, I would like to return with several flashes set on a manual setting (1/32 sec) and 2 or 3 placed near the bird and 1 or 2 on the background. All would need to be in the shade so no ghosting will occur. The flashes would be fired at the same time by a set of Pocket Wizards (radio trips). Ideally you would put out a feeder and train the hummers to come to it. By blocking several holes you can control the hummers approach and increase you chances of success. You can go further and replace the feeder with a flower baited with sugar water.
Flash with a “better beamer” attached to extend the flash power can be used to throw light onto subjects in the shade of the canopy.
Cameras with small built-in flashes often proved satisfactory if used in a jungle setting but close to the subject.
With flash exposure, if a subject is moving and there is enough sunlight hitting the subject to produce a daylight exposure (can happen at high ISOs or large lens openings), you may get ghosting (an overlap of a sharp flash image and blurred daylight image.) If the subject is still and you use daylight as the primary source of light and the flash as fill (-2), ghosting may not be a problem.
Spider Monkey
Bring a ponchos or other covering for you and your camera equipment for sudden rain showers.
80-400 best or similar best for hummers – they are not very timid if you move slowly. If you use a longer focal length, it is a bit difficult to capture the birds in flight due to the narrower angle of view. The zoom feature will make it possible to zoom out and catch interaction. Tried several techniques to capture the birds after they sip at the feeder. Pre-focus where I thought they would be when they pull back. Auto focus on very edge of feeder and they catch the bird when it backs away from the feeder.
Adding the 1.4 tele-converter was not a good idea. The hummers move rapidly and the tele-converter slows the auto focus
With birds in bushes, I found manual focusing preferable to auto. Auto resulted with the focus often being on the plant and not the subject
If you want to close focus on a small subject, you can focus closer using manual focus.
600 mm lens was good for birds near a feeder in a bush but not necessarily for hummers. The narrow angle of view made it a bit difficult to find them in the viewfinder.
Host’s Garden
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | May 7, 2015 | Photo classes, Photo Clubs, Photo Tours, Photo Workshops
I received several nice comments and notes such as the following after serving as a judge for the NBCC photo competition May 6, 2015. “You undertook a long drive and a tough subject, and came through in spectacular fashion!” Such complements are always appreciated. I have both presented and judged competition previously for the club. This time, as before, I was impressed with the talent and creativity of the members. Although the topic, “it’s raining” is pretty far off my wildlife/nature photography radar, I really enjoyed reviewing the images. It is always a pleasure seeing how photographers vary approaching the same topic. As do the images from my students, seeing these photographs also expanded my vision. If you have an open mind, there is I always something new to learn. I may even borrow the topic “it’s raining” as part of an assignment for my Creative Photography workshops. My hat is off to the competition winners. http://www.nbccmd.org
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Apr 27, 2015 | FlowerPhotography, Nature Photography, Photo classes, Photo Technique, Photo Workshops, Wildlife Photography
NEW ….. Garden Photography Class
Lilypons Water Gardens (Field Trip)
23, 27, 30 Jun, 7 Jul 2015
with Irene Hinke-Sacilotto
Classroom @ Y in Abingdon, MD: 23 & 30 Jun, 7 Jul 2015 (630 – 8:30 PM)
Field practice @ Lilypons: 27 Jun 2015 (Saturday 8:00 – 11:30 AM)
Date for the field trip was selected because it is the best time to see lilies and lotus blooming at the same time. Garden is located near Frederick, MD. (Max number of participants – 6)
With exotic flowers in attractive surroundings, Lilypons Water Gardens offers you a wide range of subjects to photograph. Although designed to showcase lilies, lotus, and other aquatic plants, the gardens include terrestrial favorites — iris, cone flowers, ornamental grasses, flowering shrubs, black-eyed susans, and other colorful blooms. Some gardens are accented with ornamental waterfalls, fountains, and statues. These and other decorative touches add interest, perspective, and a sense of motion to the images. The gazebo reflecting in a lily pond is my favorite. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, the gardens provide opportunities to photograph wildlife drawn to the water, shelter, and food. Common visitors include an assortment of insects, birds, frogs, turtles, snakes, deer, fox, muskrats, raccoons, and squirrels.
Topics of discussion include: equipment selection, composition, lighting, exposure, creative design, and perspective. Field practice @ Lilypons Water Gardens. Classroom sessions are at the Ward Center, Y of Central Maryland, Abingdon, MD. (Based on Digital SLR cameras)
Directions to Lilypons – near Frederick, MD. Take Route I-70 and follow Route 85 south through Buckeystown until you see Lilypons Road. Turn left; cross the bridge; and turn into the entrance to Lilypons Water Gardens on the left. Proceed to the parking area. (Approximately 2 hours from Baltimore).
Register with the Y of Central MD, Abingdon, MD
http://ymaryland.org/locations/familycenterys/wardharfordcounty
410-679-9622
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Apr 6, 2015 | Nature Photography, Photo Technique, Photo Tours, Photo Workshops, South Dakota, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Prairie Dog. Approach low and slowly. Pausing periodically.
Stalking Techniques
- Emulate movements of subject. (For reindeer, a local guide suggested simulating antlers by holding tripod legs over our head.)
- Move slowly, pause periodically, & make no sudden moves.
- Keep a low profile to avoid appearing human and a threat.
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Elephant seal. Approached with low profile.
- Observe the animal’s movement. Don’t walk directly towards it. Move on an indirect route. Where possible, move in a direction to intersect the path the subject is taking.
- Avoid wearing shiny objects, noisy clothing, perfumes, or anything that is not natural to their environment.
- Avoid intense eye contact with the subject & loud noises.
- Leave an escape route for the animal.
- Don’t block its path. (I accidentally did this once and had an elk run its antlers into the tree where I had taken refuge.)
- Animal curiosity can act in your favor.
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Badger. Approached careful and kept distance using 600 mm lens. Only once when someone walked by me did it show signs of concern and briefly retreated to its burrow. Can be a nasty adversary.
- Photographing from the water seems to improve success in many cases where from a kayak, canoe, or wading.
- No matter if in a national park or refuge, animal behavior is Use your longer lenses. If the animal feels threatened, it may attack you and the attack can be lethal.
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Black Bear. Shot from vehicle for safety reasons with long lens.
- Wearing camouflage clothes may be helpful since you better blend in with the surroundings. Like humans, animals can spot shapes and movements that are out of place. Literature says some but not all can detect colors so camouflage clothing may be a wise choice. In addition, camouflage clothing discourages approach by curious human who might disrupt your activities.
- I believe in some cases talking softly in monotone can provide an animal with a sense of security. The tone is not threatening, and the animal has a good sense of your location and is more comfortable with your presence.
- On windy days animals are often more nervous since noises can be confusing. It is harder for them to identify the direction noises and threats are coming from. This is not the case in places in South Texas where the wind blows constantly.
Moved into field taking a path that would intersect where the deer is moving.
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Feb 27, 2015 | Bird behavior, Nature Photography, Photo Technique, Photo Tours, Photo Workshops, Tangier Island, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Tangier Island
TANGIER ISLAND Photo Workshop
See Website for details (Schedule) & Photo Gallery: www.ospreyphoto.com
21-31 May 2015
In the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, just south of the Maryland line, is Tangier Island, VA. It is actually a series of small islands connected by narrow wooden bridges spanning marshes and tidal creeks. Tangier is a charming community and home to waterman who make their living, as did their ancestors, crabbing, fishing, and oystering. At dawn, we will photograph the waterman as they motor out to their crab shanties to gather supplies for the day. From a boat I charted, we will be able to capture images of the offshore structures and crabbers as they work. We will also explore the beach, tidal creeks, and wetlands in search of wildlife – ducks, herons, skimmers, pelicans, and osprey which nest in large numbers nearby. Includes golf cart transportation, 2 nights at B&B, and image critiques.
Workboat at Sunset
Sunrise Tangier Island
Black Skimmer w/fish
Tangier Island Description
Just south of the Maryland line, in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, lies Tangier Island, VA. Covering approximately 1.2 square miles, Tangier Island is actually a series of small islands connected by a series of narrow wooden bridges spanning marshes and tidal creeks.
Tangier Island
Dunlin. Visit the island during the spring.
Tangier is a charming community of waterman and shop owners, often referred to as the soft crab capital of the world. Many born on the island speak a unique dialect of English dating back to the language used by those who settled the island from Cornwall England. For visitors, animated conversations between islanders can be somewhat difficult to understand. Inhabitants make their living as did their ancestors for more than 400 years by crabbing, fishing, and oystering. Each day well before dawn, the waterman depart the island for their off shore docks and crab shanties to retrieve their crab pots, soft crab scrapes, floats, and other gear required to harvest the blue crabs which are abundant near the island. After hours on the water, they return to off load their catch for shipment back to the mainland and to tend to their soft crab shedding tanks. It is a difficult life, with long days at the mercy of the weather and seas.
Wildlife is plentiful in the marshes, creeks, beaches, and waters surrounding the island. Ducks, geese, herons, rails, shorebirds, terns, and pelicans take advantage of the abundant food supply and shelter. To the delight of photographers, there is a healthy population of ospreys with many nesting on nearby structures and soaring overhead.
Isolated from the mainland, Tangier can only be reached by boat or small plane. Golf carts replace cars as the primary mode of transportation on the island since the streets are narrow and barely wide enough for 2 carts to pass. It’s a peaceful community with friendly people and no traffic lights or violent crime. There are no banks, arcades, and only 2 bed and breakfast accommodations. Bring cash since not all establishments accept credit cards. Cell phone connection difficult. Limited Wi-Fi.
Tangier Island is worth a visit for a rare opportunity to photograph a unique way of life that is slowly disappearing. Potential subjects include work boats, offshore crab shanties & docks, working waterman, an active waterfront, birds, beaches, and lots more. Best times to visit – mid April to early Oct. Favorite B&B – Bay View Inn (photo below).
Bay View B&B
