BALD EAGLE Instructional Photo Tours with Robert O’Toole and Arthur Morris

This workshop series is all new and just announced

Workshop one, October 25-29, 2011, 5 DAYS: $3399.

Absolute limit: 10 (plus leaders: Robert O’Toole and Arthur Morris) Openings: 7

Add-on day (Free if you sign up for both IPTs), October 30, 2011, $550

Absolute limit: 10 (plus leaders: Robert O’Toole and Arthur Morris) Openings: 8

Workshop two, October 31-November 4, 2011, 5 DAYS: $3399

Absolute limit: 10 (plus leaders: Robert O’Toole and Arthur Morris) Openings: 8

This workshop is for any serious bird photographer that would like to photograph tons of tame eagles in beautiful natural areas with almost unlimited opportunities away from crowds and other photographers. If you have ever dreamt of an opportunity like this don’t hesitate to call or email now to join.

Two great leaders provide both in-the-field and in-classroom instruction that will include at least two Photoshop sessions. Canon or Nikon we’ve got you covered.  (In-the field instruction only on the Add-on day.)  We expect both of these trips (and the Add-on day) to be sold out shortly.   A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is required to hold your spot.

If you would like to join me for the experience of a lifetime, please let us know immediately via e-mail or by phone that you will be sending a deposit as I these workshops to sell out.

Email Robert@RobertOToolePhotography.com or call 310.619.8017

What’s included: lots of eagles and lots of instruction.  Ground transportation from the motel to the dock. As above we cover all boat fees and boat-related expenses but for the tips.  Breakfast at the motel. We may be able to pick you up at the airport to save you the cost of a cab.  Note: some folks may wish to rent a vehicle so that they can photograph on their own during free and nap time. This trip will be based in Homer, AK.

What’s not included:  your round trip airfare from home to Homer.  (Driving from Anchorage is recommended only for the adventurous….) The cost of your room.   Meals other than breakfast.

All the images in this post were made last month during my last Bald Eagle workshop series.

Juvenile finishing off a meal, NIKON D700 and SIGMA 150-500 mm APO OS HSM lens @ 380mm, 1/1600 sec at F8, manual metering, no flash, ISO 1000. Subject distance: 11 m. Image Copyright 2011 Robert OToole / Robert OToole Photography.

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

March 2011 Bald Eagle workshop series report

Now that I am back in the office and looking back at the last twenty something days in Alaska, its hard to find words to describe them. The three weeks were simply amazing, three sold out workshops, tons of eagles, great weather and unlimited opportunities. Compared to the previous six years, this year has to go down as one of the best. Two of the workshop participants were in the same area to photograph bald eagles in Homer in 2005-2006 and they both agreed the opportunities during this workshop were better by far.

March weather in coastal Alaska can be harsh and very cold but this year we were blessed with mild weather and each of the three groups were lucky enough to have sunny days. As usual I brought my entire lens arsenal, complete with a 500/4 and a couple of new lenses on loan from Sigma USA. My favorite lens camera lens combination for this trip were my D700 and Sigma 150-500 EX OS HSM lens (thanks Sigma USA). I used my standard setting for birds in flight, Manual mode, 1/1250th – 1/2000th of a second at F8. My ISO settings ranged from 200 to 2000. Most workshop participants found the 70-200mm zooms with and without 1.4X converters to be very effective for action while longer lenses were useful for static images and portraits.

This image was made during a session that I will never forget, one of the greatest photography sessions in my life. Warm, soft morning sun, wind at our back, smooth water and an eagle attacking head on. For a bird photographer, this means eagle photography heaven. The only potential problem that goes through your mind in a situation like this, do I have enough memory?

A moment after the LCD review image popped up I sighed with relief when I could see that I avoided any clipped wing tips. The tree line curve follows the wing position nicely.

This image was made at one of my favorite sand banks, only shoot-able on a low or medium tide. I asked our guide and captain to maneuvered the bow of our boat up on to the bank to put my group at eye level with more than a dozen eagles. A special situation to experience to say the least. The soft blue backgrounds at this spot are just superb.

If you would like to join me on the next Bald Eagle workshop series please send me an email right away to be placed on the interest list. The last three workshops sold out quickly. The 2011 workshop details have been finalized and will be announced here within the next 24 hours. Shoot me an  email, Robert at Robert OToole Photography.com,  if you have any questions.

New Bosque workshop date just added

Thankfully my first Bosque workshop in late Nov has sold out so I am happy to announce a second workshop on December 8-11, 2010. Find out more here: New Bosque workshop

If you have ever thought about visiting Bosque you really should consider joining my new workshop. Bosque has to be one of the premier bird photography locations in the SW and for good reason. The opportunities can be amazing and I always look forward to going back year after year. I am also leading a White Sands New Mexico landscape workshop right before this new workshop. There is limited space in both so let me know if you would like to join as soon as possible.

Snow Goose about to touch down at Bosque, NIKON D700 and Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR, 1/1250 sec at F5.6, manual metering, flash off, ISO 400. Image Copyright 2010 Robert OToole / Robert OToole Photography.

New Bald Eagle Workshop

In March of next year and I am co-leading two sold out Robert O’Toole Photography Homer Bald Eagle Instructional Photo-Tour with Arthur Morris. I will be adding another workshop soon so if you are interested please send me an email or call to be placed on the interest list so you will have the first chance to sign up. Act soon so you wont be disappointed. The winter and summer opportunities at our workshop locations were awesome and I am looking forward to the next workshop up there. This image was made during my June eagle workshop. The colors, the tail drag with talons out make it one of my favorites. If you would like to have some opportunities to make images like this why don’t you join me this winter.

Bald Eagle about to strike, NIKON D700 and Sigma 150-500 OS, 1/1250 sec at F8.0, manual metering, flash off, handheld, ISO 1250. Image Copyright 2010 Robert OToole / Robert OToole Photography.

The Sigma 150-500mm lens

For my June Bald Eagle workshop Sigma was nice enough to Fedex me a 150-500 OS lens. This was my first experience using  it in the field. Honestly I a little skeptical about the performance of this lens when I looked at the wide zoom range and the compact size (for a 500mm anyway).  After the first shoot with the lens I has very surprised with the image quality. The image sharpness was great at F8 and the zoom range was fantastic with the eagles.  Sigma should win some kind of award for  producing a lens like this that leads the field with an impressive price vs. performance ratio, actually there isn’t anything else to compare it to in the same price range. The image above was made with the 150-500 handheld this June and is only slightly cropped top and bottom.

Sigma Workshops coming soon

If you would like to try out one of Sigma’s longer lenses at a photogenic location and learn about state of the art techniques I have some interesting news. Right now I am looking at final planning for a Sigma sponsored workshop series late this year and through 2011.  More info will be posted here soon. The workshops will provide loaner equipment and I will be providing the training on how to make better nature photography images. They will include in the field and classroom sessions. These one day workshops will be great for people without the time or the budget for a full multi day workshop.

If you have any ideas for good location ideas for something like this and would like to share,  feel free to send me an email.

Earlier this week I returned from a very successful workshop series on the Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska and I have some great news. If you would have ever dreamed about photographing Bald Eagles this is the perfect workshop for you. The opportunities during the last workshop series were unbelievable. In fact they were even better than any of my previous trips to Homer and Kachemak bay in the last five years. You can see some images from this trip in my latest images gallery: http://www.robertotoole.com/galleries/latest-images/

The trip went so well that I will be setting up a summer and fall Bald Eagle workshop series and I am finalizing pricing and other details right now. Send me an  email or use the contact info or form on the right side of the page right away to be placed on the interest list to be the first to receive final details.