Robert OToole Photography
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  • Jan13

    3 Comments

    Nikon D4

    Posted in: Announcements, Articles, Gear, Technical

    Example

    A Wildlife Photographers View of the Nikon D4

    Finally after 5 solid years Nikon has announced a successor to the D3. From a wildlife photographer’s perspective the the D4 looks impressive, and most importantly it looks like Nikon seems to have made an extensive series of small improvements and not a lot of big changes for still photographers. In other words it looks like they did not make any huge mistakes as Canon has done over the last few years with their pro cameras. Thankfully Nikon has aimed for it’s professional user-base and tried to improve the D3S which was probably one of the best, if not the best DSLR ever made.

    Upgrades

    Note: I have not had a chance to use the camera yet so all of this info is based on Nikon supplied info. If you would like to find out more of see Nikon’s brochure see the bottom of this post for links.

    Some of the more important  D4 photo shooting specs are a new higher-resolution 16.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor and the ability to shoot at 10 frames per second with AF. Most importantly the continuous shooting ability has been increased from 43 shots with the D3S to 97 NEF on a CF card and 105 NEF files with the new XQD card. Limited RAW file continuous shooting capability has always been a problem for action photographers since the first DSLR.

    Nikon reports that the  new Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX AF system in the D4 has improved low light ability. A new 1005 pixel AE metering sensor has been replaced a new design with 91,000 pixels. The 3D tracking performance of this new color matrix metering has reportedly been dramatically improved. This is huge since I feel that the current Nikon AF system is the best AF system I have ever used. It is comforting  to see that Nikon has confirmed autofocus at f8 so super-telephoto NIKKOR users can use 1.7X and 2.0X teleconverters. Nikon has always had this capability on pro and pro-sumer cameras but new cameras like the Canon EOS-1DX  have dropped this capability. This is a very important issue for a lot of people including me.

    The D4 a lot of new interesting capabilities with the new WT-5 Wireless Transmitter. This will allow the user to log into your camera with a laptop, tablet or smartphone and will have access to a camera control panel and live view feed with a standard web browser.

    The Real Challenge

    Image quality is really most important and I think it is the D4’s biggest challenge. I feel that the Nikon D3S is the closest thing to the perfect camera on the market right now. Nikon promises that the D4 will offer even better image quality and even better low light performance. The D3S low light high ISO performance was almost unbelievable. For an example of what kind of file the D3S can produce, look at the image below.

    Example

    Dalmatian Pelican at 25,600 ISO, Greece, 2011. Nikon D3S with Sigma 50-500mm OS @ 340mm at 1/8000 F14, ISO 25,600. image copyright © 2012 Robert OToole.

    This is the kind of image quality the D4 has to beat. The image made at an astounding 25,600 ISO is almost completely noise free. For the record no noise reduction or blurring has been applied, yes the D3S is that good!

    I would be surprised if the D4 will be able to surpass the IQ of the D3S at high ISO but if it can at least match it the D4 will be worth the 3 year wait.

    Things Missing From the D4

    Enough resolution to make the D4 the first true dual mode camera. Rumors have been circulation for years that the D4 would offer high full frame resolution and a 12-14 MP 1.5x crop mode with a higher frame rate. This would be the ultimate camera for action and outdoor photographers. Full frame and a faster 1.5x mode when you need extra speed and reach. The D4 offers more resolution but it looks like it will only provide about 6-7 MP in crop mode. Maybe next time? D800 maybe?

    No removable viewfinder, I still miss this feature from the film SLR pro camera era.

    No built in incident meter.

    No removable upgradable sensor.

    No removable low pass filter.

    No built in RAID SSD hard drive with thunderbolt connector for downloading.

    What I Do Not Like About the D4

    Nikon made a mistake dropping the AF-Mode selector on the back of the camera and replacing it with the the same AF mode / AF manual mode combination switch from the D7000. All of the online reviews I have read claim that this change is an improvement, for me its a bad move for photographers. Nikon went from a brilliant AF-Mode switch that only took a single finger to operate without even looking.  The D4 / D7000 design uses an outer collar that rotates to select auto or manual focus, and selects the AF mode when the center of the selector is pressed while the command dial is rotated. Honestly almost all D7000 owners I have met dont even know how to use the combo switch. I don’t even have my D4 ordered yet but I already miss old style AF-Mode switch.

    At least they didn’t touch the AF-On button!

    D4 Links

    Nikon D4 brochure link:

    http://www.nikonusa.com/en_US/o/QD8q_b3vH8Re-n_CPUtpjBl-qbE/PDF/D4_brochure.pdf

    More Nikon D4 info:

    http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/nikon-d4/nikon-d4A.HTM

    http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-11673-12259

    All content (including text, design, photos, layout, and graphics) are copyright © 2011 Robert OToole. All rights reserved.

  • Jan6

    No Comments

    High Surf Advisory

    Posted in: How to, Ocean, Waves

    Example

    Left barrel at Burnouts, South Bay, Los Angeles California.
    NIKON D700 and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 500mm, 1/1600th sec at f8, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 400.  Image Copyright 2012 Robert OToole Photography. The 50-500 is my favorite lens for this kind of image, my 500/4 Nikkor is  better for surfing images but it just doesn’t offer the flexibility or the portability of the Sigma for waves.

    If you are in Southern California and have a chance over the next few days you should head to your favorite west facing shore to take advantage of the High surf advisory in effect right now and through the weekend. A high surf advisory means that the National Weather Service expects that high surf will affect beaches in the advisory area producing rip currents and localized beach erosion. High surf advisories are always great opportunities to make special images that you will not normally see but be extremely careful when you are near the shore. The swells during big swells have periods of lulls, sometimes up to one hour, and other periods where up to a dozen or more waves will detonate on the beach. When you are on the shoreline it is vital that you keep your eyes on the ocean all the times. On arrival the ocean might look deceptively calm, but there could be 10 or 12 huge waves on their way to the shore. Taking your eyes off for just a minute can be a disaster for you and your equipment. When in doubt it is best to check with the lifeguards at your location to make sure an area is safe.

    When you are photographing waves it is best to use manual mode and a proper shutter speed to freeze the wave. I set my shutter speed to 1/1250 to 1/2000 and my aperture to f/5.6 or f/8 then adjust my ISO on a middle toned area of water to give me a meter scale reading of zero. You do not want to use an auto exposure mode for waves because the high contrast will cause problems with over and under exposure. It is important to set your autofocus to continuous and your frame advance to high so you don’t miss the peak of action when the wave breaks. Try a jetty or a pier for some interesting views looking into the tubes of the waves. Get out early or arrive late in the afternoon to photograph in the very best light of the day. Enjoy your time at the beach but always be careful when you are near the shore and especially when large surf is expected.

    All content (including text, design, photos, layout, and graphics) are copyright © 2011 Robert OToole. All rights reserved.

  • Jan4

    No Comments

    TripIt

    Posted in: Travel, Uncategorized

    Example

    Apps you should be using now: TripIt

    TripIt mobile is one of my favorite apps or all time, this app is so good it almost seems too good to to be true. Seriously, if you travel, you should be using it. Instead of having to carry copies of your reservations, important addresses, contact info, and itineraries, you can keep all of that info in the palm of your hand accessible anytime.

    When I get a travel confirmation email from my airline, hotel or rental car company, I just forward it them to plans@tripit.com and TripIt adds maps, directions, route, weather, and more then sends a custom itinerary to my phone. When I am on the road I can check my trip info in seconds instead of taking time  to dig into my bag for the reservation paperwork. The app will also provide gate info, flight status and even seat details from inside the app. Find out more about the TripIt app: http://www.tripit.com/

    Example

    Just click the Orange TripIt app icon and the upcoming trip screen will open as shown on the right.

    Example

    Tapping a trip opens the trip itinerary as shown on the left and tapping on the flight icon takes you to the flight info page with time, date, flight locator, seat assignments, gate info, weather and even seat details all in the TripIt app.

    All content (including text, design, photos, layout, and graphics) are copyright © 2011 Robert OToole. All rights reserved.

  • Dec30

    No Comments

    Auto ISO – The Third Auto Mode

    Posted in: How to, Metering, Technical

    Imagine if there was an exposure mode that would enable you to set both the aperture and the shutter speed and the camera will automatically change a third variable to adjust the exposure. This would be like having simultaneous aperture and shutter priority (via manual mode) with auto exposure. This mode is called auto ISO and when used in manual mode I don’t see any reason to use aperture or shutter priority. The power of auto ISO in manual is that you can set the both the aperture and shutter speed and the camera will set the ISO value for a proper exposure.

    For the record I still use straight manual mode for 90% of my photography (where I have to set the ISO manually) but when conditions call for auto exposure I enable auto ISO in manual mode. With this combination enabled the camera leaves the shutter speed and aperture up to you and only adjusts the ISO value. Although technically you can also use auto ISO in aperture or shutter priority modes, I find auto ISO in manual to be the most powerful combination.

    Example

    Single Sandhill crane landing, Northern Farm Field, Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico. NIKON D300s and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II,1/1600th sec at f5.6, manual mode, metering on zero, Auto ISO. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.
    Earlier this month at Bosque when the lighting conditions where changing rapidly used auto ISO in manual mode with great results. This gave me the freedom to concentrate on making sharp full frame images of cranes with all legs and wingtips intact and not having to worry about changing settings up and down when the light levels changed.

    Instead of getting caught up discussing how one auto mode is better than another think about how auto ISO can be a useful tool. Manual mode allows you to have complete control over the aperture, shutter speed and ISO but the camera will not compensate for any changes in light. This can be a huge problem in rapidly changing conditions since the user will not have enough time to adjust the settings back and forth to compensate. Enabling auto ISO in manual mode will allow you to use the exact settings you require and at the same time the camera will compensate instantly for any changes in light so you can concentrate on other important things like autofocus, timing, and composition. Some cameras (Nikon D300S, D700, D3S, and D3S) even allow you to fine tune the results with exposure exposure compensation in manual mode with auto ISO enabled.

    Would auto ISO be useful for me?

    The answer depends on the brand and camera model you use. The best way to find out is to test auto ISO with your own camera in different modes with different settings and see which combination gives you the best results. Current Nikon cameras, D300s, D700, D3S, and D3X offer manual mode with auto ISO, called ISO Sensitivity Auto Control, with adjustable ISO limits and exposure compensation. This means you can set the ideal shutter speed and aperture and the camera will set the ISO level with EC available at anytime to fine tune the results. Canon EOS-1D MK IV and 7D bodies feature auto ISO in manual mode with adjustable ISO limits. Although the Canon EOS 5D MKII does have an auto ISO mode the features are very limited in the auto modes and it is not available at all in manual mode. Unfortunately at this time no Canon camera will allow you to use exposure compensation in manual mode with auto ISO enabled. The recently announced EOS-1D X is rumored to feature auto ISO options similar to the MK IV, hopefully with the addition of exposure compensation. There has been a lot of discussion online about Canon adding EC with auto ISO and hopefully Canon will decide to include this feature in the future.

    Nikon photographers that would like to learn more about auto ISO and a lot of other professional techniques more should pick up my Nikon DSLR User’s Guide for the D300s/D700/D3S/D3x is available at the Birds As Art online store:
    https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=329

    If you are in the market for a new DSLR and auto ISO is important to you it would be best to test all of the current cameras available right now from Canon and Nikon before you actually make your camera purchase.

    Be sure to leave a comment if you have any auto ISO tips or questions you would like to share.

  • Dec15

    5 Comments

    Autumn Eagles

    Posted in: Alaska, Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle Workshop, Workshops

    This is my sixth continuous year leading bald eagle tours in Alaska and after all these years and all those gigabytes of memory used up I still find the experience so amazing I cant wait to go back. I just finished up two instructional photo tours last month and results were really spectacular. This was my first time there in autumn and we were so lucky to have all different types of weather and conditions to work with. Some of the situations were so unbelievably good it really was a memorable time up there. Here are some of my favorite image from the trip.

    Next year I am looking forward to leading another group of photographers there during the very best dates in autumn.  If you have thought about  photographing eagles in a natural environment with professional guidance don’t hesitate to join me, you wont be disappointed. If you cannot make my autumn series next year I am also leading two winter tours in March 2012. To find out more about my 2012 eagle workshops email me or see: http://www.robertotoole.com/workshop/bald-eagles/

    Example

    Eagle speed blur, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
    NIKON D300s and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 170mm, 1/20th sec at f11, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 200. Subject distance: 34 feet (10.6 m) Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.
    For eagle photography I will take cloudy weather over full sun any day but when the light level is too low for reasonable shutter speeds I turn to creating speed blurs.
    ExampleSpeed bank against storm clouds, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
    NIKON D300s and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 290mm, 1/1250th sec at f8, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 640. Subject distance: 88 feet (27 m). Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography
    This afternoon we had dark gray skies to the west with just enough soft sun to light the eagles. Thankfully The light levels were high enough for decent ISO levels.

    Example

    Speed blur down stroke, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
    NIKON D300s and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 240mm, 1/20th sec at f9, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 240. Subject distance: 45 feet (14 m). Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography
    Sometimes I get lucky after hundreds of tries, here the wing patterns and head detail really standout sharply against the paint brush like blur.
    Example

    Full bank against the storm, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

    NIKON D300s and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 290mm, 1/1250th sec at f8, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 640. Subject distance: 88 feet (27 m) Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.
    This individual bird deserves an award for cleanest freshest feathers in Alaska.

    Example

    Eagle hitting prey speed blur, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
    NIKON D300s and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 170mm, 1/120th sec at f16, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 640. Subject distance: 59 feet (18 m). Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.
    When working with blurs I use 1/50th down to 1 sec but 1/15th – 1/20th seems to work well with eagles. This image of the moment of impact was made at 1/20th.
    Example

    Eagle threat display, Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
    NIKON D700 and 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM @ 290mm, 1/1250th sec at f6.3, manual mode, metering on zero, ISO 2500. Subject distance: 88 feet (27 m). Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.
    This eagle was really aggressive warning all to stay away although the  raven doesn’t seem too particularly intimidated.

    All content (including text, design, photos, layout, and graphics) are copyright © 2011 Robert OToole. All rights reserved.

  • Dec14

    No Comments

    Last Minute Gift Guide

    Posted in: Uncategorized

    Judging by the amount of email I have received about last minute gifts, there are a few people out there that still need help. If you need a reasonably priced last minute gift for a photographer here are some items that I use and recommend.

    Lens pen – http://www.lenspen.com/
    I never leave home without a couple of these, they work great to clean all optical surfaces. Shop links: Adorama (Nikon branded version) / BH

    Sensor Pen - source
    This is the best way to clean digital camera sensors, I use this with a rocket blower and a sensor scope for quick and clean results. Shop links: Adorama / BH

    Rocket Blower - http://www.giottos.com/
    These are best out there and I always keep one of these handy especially to clean camera sensors. Shop links: Adorama / BH

    Sensor Scope – source
    There are a lot of other companies making sensor scopes but the Delkin version is a good value for the money at about $50. I have been using one of these for years and years. Shop links: Adorama / BH

    Display Protector – http://www.clarivue.com/ or  http://www.zagg.com/
    All of my phones, point and shoot cameras and DSLRs have a display protector installed. These are cheap protection against smudges, finger prints and scratches.

    Think Tank Eye Piece – Think Tank Photo
     These are more comfortable and easier to use since they stick farther out and best of all they will not pop off as easily as some of the factory versions. They work with Think Tank rain covers to seal the viewfinder.

    Cable Management Bags – Think Tank Photo
    People ask me about these accessory bags all the time. Think Tank makes a few of them here are the two that I use:

    Cable Management 10

    Cable Management 20

    USB Hard Disk Drives
    Prices are so low these days its amazing, I picked up my 1 TB USB 3.0 passport drives for $99 each at Costco earlier this year. Due to recent problems in SE Asia prices have gone up but there still are good deals out there. I use Western Digital Passport drives, they offer them in PC or Mac format – http://www.wdc.com/en/products/external/portable/

    Nikon User’s Guide – http://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=329
    Learn how I set up my camera for nature and wildlife photography. Recommended for all Nikon D300s, D700, D3S, D3X  DSLR owners.

    Nik Software – link

    If you are not using Nik you wont believe what you are missing. You can cannot go wrong with any of these Nik plugins, these are my favorite plugins of all time.

    These are my recommendations:

    Dfine® 2.0
    The best noise reduction plugin available today.

    Viveza® 2
    Using control points, Viveza 2 is the most powerful and precise tool available to selectively control light and color in photographic images. Just click and adjust.

    Color Efex Pro™ 4 Complete Edition
    Very powerful and very easy to use.

    Silver Efex Pro™ 2
    Easy to use and works very very well.

    Complete Collection Ultimate Edition
    Includes all of Nik Software’s award-winning plug-in software titles for Adobe® Photoshop®, Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® and Apple® Aperture®.

  • Dec12

    6 Comments

    Which Macro Lens?

    Posted in: Articles, Gear, Macro

    Thinking about buying a macro lens for the first time or thinking about upgrading soon? Instead of comparing a big load of specs and lens photos lets look at some real world images to help you decide on a lens. To see what effect focal length would have on the subject and the background I made this series of images with 3 different lenses, 180, 150 and 50mm. To keep the subject size constant the camera and tripod was moved closer for each lens change. F/7.1 was used to make all of these images.

    Example

    Orchid at 180mm, National Orchid Garden, Singapore. NIKON D700 and Sigma 180mm f/3.5 EX DG IF HSM APO lens, 1/125 sec at F7.1, manual metering on zero, ISO 640. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    This image was made with a 180mm macro lens, my personal favorite. The sharpness and bokeh,  aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas, are extremely good. The long working distance (distance to the subject) allows you to stay farther away from the subject with the 180. This makes lighting easy and helps keep you safer if you are photographing something that can bite or sting. Making this orchid image was easy and I was able to photograph from about 4 feet away!

    The 180’s small angle of view makes it easier to keep the background clean and free of unwanted objects compared to a shorter focal length lens. In terms of sharpness I find the 180 sharp at all apertures and works very well with 1.4x, 1.7x (Nikon only), and 2x teleconvertors/extenders. 180mm is a popular focal length and available from almost all the major manufacturers (Nikon makes a great 200mm f/4 macro).

    How does the 180mm compare to a 150mm lens?

    Example

    Orchid at 150mm, National Orchid Garden, Singapore. NIKON D700 and 150mm F2.8 EX APO DG HSM Macro, 1/100 sec at F7.1, manual metering on zero, ISO 640. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    The 150mm is extremely sharp, light, compact and works great with teleconverters.  This is the lens I usually reach for when I am packing for a trip. Using this lens in the field was a pleasure, the working distance for this image was a respectable 3 feet. Sigma is the only manufacturer that makes this focal length but I would not hesitate to recommend this lens to any camera owner regardless of brand. This is not the stabilized version of the 150 macro and unfortunately I have not had a chance to use the new OS version of this lens. I have heard good things about the Sigma 150 OS and I look forward to getting to try one in the future.

    Example

    Orchid at 50mm, National Orchid Garden, Singapore. NIKON D700 and 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro lens, 1/100 sec at F7.1, manual metering on zero, ISO 640. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    The 50mm macro is a good all around lens and is reasonably priced when compared to other macro lenses. The biggest strength of this lens is the size and weight but the focal length is just too short if you are photographing small subjects especially small moving subjects. This lens was my least favorite to use since it was so difficult to use in the field. The camera was only about 1 foot away from the orchid  when I made this image so it was hard not to block light and to position the tripod.

    Example

    Orchid at f/7.1 with 180mm, 150mm, 50mm macro lenses. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    When I made these comparison images I did not exactly know what to expect and I was shocked to such a big disparity in background quality between the 180 and 150 images.What do you think?

    The 150 image above looks sharp and the background looks good but compared to the 180 image there is no contest. For a nature / wildlife photographer I would rate the 180 by far the best in terms of image quality and ease of use in the field. Even though I own all three of these (and a 105 macro) I always choose the 180 when I go out to do macro photography and the 150mm when I travel. Most modern macro lenses on the market today are comparable but make sure you choose a lens with an ultrasonic motor, called USM, HSM, or AF-S. This gives you a huge advantage when photography anything in motion, this is very important even in macro photography.

    I hope this information images helps you decide on a macro lens or maybe even make you think about upgrading to a longer macro lens in the future.

    Notes:
    I did not include a 80 or 105mm macro in this comparison but based on experience  I would put this range in between the 50 and 150 but nowhere close to the 180.
    Don’t forget that when you change camera sensor types, full frame to DX for example, the effective focal length will change but the lens angle of view will not.
    If you plan to use teleconvertors or extenders  with your macro lens make sure you check with the manufacturer. Some lenses like the Sigma macro lenses used in this comparison only work with the manufacturers own lenses. A Nikon teleconvertor will not work on the these Sigma lenses, but the new Sigma 150mm OS lens does work with the new Canon extenders.

    Unfortunately one lens I used to make this comparison, the Sigma 180mm is discontinued. I hope Sigma replaces it with a 180mm  OS macro in the future.

    Another factor to consider when deciding on a focal length is that modern internal focusing auto focus lenses will actually shrink as they focus closer even if the physical length remains the same. This is due to IF lens design, they shift lens elements or element groups within the lens as they focus closer. So a 200mm lens is not a 200mm lens at a close focus distance. Nikon actually published this data for the old 200mm F/4 micro-Nikkor macro lens, this lens would shrink to 140mm at 1:2. The new  Nikon AF-S VR 70-200mm 2.8G ED II shrinks to 160mm at 1:18.

  • Dec11

    No Comments

    Weekly Update

    Posted in: Uncategorized

    Tips and Techniques

    Over the next few weeks I am looking forward to sharing  tons of new photography and photo optimization tips and techniques. For everyone using Nikon I will also be featuring some tips and techniques from my new Nikon User guide.

    Win 7 to Mac OS X Migration

    Also it should be an interesting next few weeks as I share the positives and negatives of my migration from a Windows 7 laptop to a MacBook Pro running Mac OS X. This move has been in the works for a long time and I am looking forward making the switch finally happen.

    Photography Tip of the Day

    Example

    Sandhill crane display, northern crane pool, Bosque del Apache New Mexico. November 25th, 2011. NIKON D700 and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1000 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, Auto ISO @ 220 . Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    At Bosque sandhill cranes congregate and rest (roost) overnight in two pools along highway 1. It sounds like an easy opportunity to photograph the birds and it is but getting images of pairs or small groups displaying with clean background is a lot harder than it sounds. Photographers line up early in the morning but leave as the group of birds thin out but this is really the time when you want to be there. This is when you can see pairs and family groups all alone displaying in clean open water. Sometimes you can see a world famous photographer or 2 pack up and lead a group away when the conditions are just starting to peak. Getting the images you want sometimes means staying after everyone leaves and photographing until the last bird leaves the pool.

  • Dec6

    5 Comments

    Bosque del Apache Update

    Posted in: Bosque del Apache, Travel, Workshops

    The photography at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico this year was definitely unlike any other in the last seven that I have been leading groups there. The conditions were severely handicapped from the start this year due to mismanagement of the reserve but at the same time the same management were able to rescue what could have been a dismal year for photographers. The total crop failure this year would have been a disaster but the refuge opened up a new loop road temporarily for the crane festival and at the same time the staff started feeding barley, brought in especially to feed the birds, sometimes very close to the road. This made for some very good opportunities for photographers on the farm field road and new loop road. Even though the conditions were far below the normal standard due to the crop failure there were still some good to great photographic opportunities at times thanks to the barley feeding and the opening of the new loop route.

    Although I did not lead a group of my own this year at Bosque I did co-lead a Birds As Art group for Arthur Morris. Our group was blessed with some great weather and more than a few quality opportunities. These are some of my favorite images made in the last couple of weeks at Bosque.

    If you have ever thought about photographing at Bosque you should consider an instructional tour or workshop to make the most of your time there. I will be leading a photo tour there in 2012, look for more details posted here soon.

    Example
    Sandhill crane landing in the early morning light, west farm field, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. NIKON D300s and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1600 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 320. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    The cranes would congregate each morning in the farm fields but finding a single bird to photograph was almost impossible. Arriving very early with the right conditions did make it possible to get a the first groups of cranes landing with a clean green background before the field completely filled up with cranes.

    Example

    Sandhill crane displaying in the early morning light, northern crane pool, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. NIKON D700 and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 320. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    The cranes pools are always reliable and can be superb once the cranes groups thin out. As the opportunities get better with less and less cranes the photographer groups also thin out making it easier to move around and reposition, something I do here frequently. Once this group of cranes started displaying and I immediately called out to our group and rushed into position right in front of them. Only one person followed me but we were both rewarded with some great action in clean open water.

    Example

    Sandhill crane pair taking off in early morning light, northern crane pool, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. NIKON D700 and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 320. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    With any wind direction other than a west or northwest the cranes pools can be very good for images of cranes in flight. They roost overnight in the crane pools and take off in small groups once the sun rises. I always try to make images with the multi-colored bands of mountains in the background and always prefer images of synchronized pairs or groups since they are more challenging to capture.

    Example
    Sandhill crane juvenile against storm clouds, farm field loop, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. NIKON D300S and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 500. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.
    A huge band of dark, almost black storm clouds was headed our way and made some unforgettable backgrounds. Here an immature crane is calling out before landing close by. Manual mode was the only reliable way to make this image, any auto mode would have been overexposed the image due to the dark background.

    Example

    Sandhill crane blasting off against distant cotton woods, farm field loop, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. NIKON D300S and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 400. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    What an afternoon this was, the afternoon light angle and a southwest wind meant that the the cranes were blasting off right at us and only a handful of photographers were around to capture the action.

  • Aug20

    1 Comment

    Brown Bear Tour Report

    Posted in: Alaska, Travel report, Workshops, brown bear

    Leading three groups of happy and enthusiastic photographers around my favorite corners of Alaska over a span of three weeks was really a pleasure for me, and it makes me feel thankful that I am able to do this for a living.  All of the groups had plenty of opportunities to make superb images as these trips were made during the very best time of the year. Its very rewarding to see the images that my participants were able to create. One of the tour highlights was that I co-led the last trip with Arthur Morris (take a look at his blog: http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/).

    Example

    Thankfully I was able to place my group in just the right safe position to see these two adult bears spar for quite a long time. We were able to photograph some amazing interaction between these two. Hallo Bay, Katmai NP, Alaska. NIKON D300s and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 800. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    The range and amount of action that we were able to see and photograph was astounding. Spring cubs nursing (see the first image below) and a second year cub attacking an adult bear (with mother there for back up) over a freshly caught salmon, more than once! Adult bears sparring was always very interesting and an amazing experience to be able to photograph. We even had close ups of a recently mated sea otter pair feeding (the male will steal food from the female), grooming, and playing. Some of our people in out group had some lucky beach-combing finds. I feel the luckiest finding a sperm whale tooth! I will post more info on that story here next week.

    Example

    The experience of photographing these two tiny cubs nursing made our day. Bright white at birth the collars still visible on these two spring cubs. Kukak Bay, Katmai NP, Alaska.  . NIKON D300s and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/500 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 450. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    This was an amazing tour series from start to finish and it was hard to leave but I am already looking forward to next July! One of the main reasons we are so successful is timing and experience. My trips are planned around the action, weather and tides to maximize our opportunities to make great images. If you have ever wanted to join us now is the time to act. One of the two 2012 trips is already sold out so please let me know as soon as you can that you would like to join me in 2012 so you wont be disappointed.  If you cannot make it next summer I have confirmed 2013 dates so let me know if you want to join us, you won’t regret it.

    Example

    My friend Jana Bogdanova on her first trip to Alaska. This is one my favorite places on earth. Hallo Bay, Katmai NP,  Alaska, Canon PowerShot S95 at 6mm, 1/1003 sec at F5.6, Aperture Priority, flash, ISO 200. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    Example

    During July and August you can expect to see the pinks (above) and chum running and bears fishing. Usually a bear will stop and scan for other bears before eating his catch.  Kukak Bay, Katmai NP, Alaska. NIKON D300s and AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR lens + TC-14E 1.4x II, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering on zero, ISO 250. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole Photography.

    All content (including text, design, photos, layout, and graphics) are copyright © 2011 Robert OToole. All rights reserved.

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