Southern California this time of the year means tons of tame California Brown Pelicans, Double-crested cormorants and Brandt’s cormorants in breeding plumage, Peregrine falcons flying over head with prey, and whales, seals, and dolphins just offshore. I spent the last couple of days photographing in La Jolla in San Diego and some of the opportunities were very very good. If you have never been here you really should make some time to try it. Winter time in Southern California is the best time time of the year, the weather is beautiful, the crowds are down, and in Jan-Feb the birds are all in amazing breeding colors. The photography can be epic and staying in the area is reasonable. If you would like to attend a workshop here sometime, I will be leading a photo tour to this area in 2013, more details coming soon but let me know if you would like more information.

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/

Speed 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

My last couple of weeks here in Alaska have been great. I just finished up leading two workshop groups in Katmai NP and we were blessed with excellent bright cloudy conditions and tons of action.  We were able to photograph bears fishing, bears with cubs, bears sparring, close up encounters with a gray wolf and even a wolf fishing! This is a quick update before I head back out in the field to co-lead a new group with Arthur Morris starting tomorrow.

Look for a detailed report and more new images from the trip when I return.

If you are interested in joining me in 2012 or 2013 let me know as soon as you can as these workshops sell out quickly.

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.

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.

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.

European Bee-eater pair, NIKON D700 and Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR,  1/2000 sec at F7.1, manual metering, flash off, ISO 800. Image Copyright 2010 Robert OToole / Robert OToole Photography.

The opportunities during the spring in Europe are amazing and I find myself looking forward to returning each year to lead bird photography workshops. Europe offers quite a number of species that cannot be found in North America. Some of them are my all time favorites and keep me coming back each year. This May we had amazing opportunities for hoopoe, bee-eaters, rollers, raptors and wading birds such as spoonbills.  One of the highlights of the trip for me were the two hoopoe nests with chicks. These birds are amazing and hunt from 5:30 am to dark continuously returning to the nest with prey for their chicks (one nest contained seven chicks). We also had very good bee-eater activity between rain storms. This year as with most places I have visited, the weather was unusual. Rainfall was off the chart, many areas in Eastern Europe were flooding at all time high levels. Next year I will be returning to lead two workshops. For more information or if you would like to join us next year, please email me, see the workshop link at the top of this page or follow this link:

2011 Hungary Workshops

You can see more images from the workshops in the latest image gallery:

Latest image gallery

Hoopoe with prey, NIKON D700 and Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR, 1/3200 sec at F5.6, manual metering, flash off, ISO 1600. Image Copyright 2010 Robert OToole / Robert OToole Photography.

Earlier this month I was invited by Arthur Morris to join him on Midway Atoll as a co-leader of one of his Instructional Photo Tours. Once I arrived I felt lucky to have the opportunity to experience the place. Thanks again Artie!

Midway is like a photographic dream. Most of the three million birds there pay no attention to humans and are not bothered at all being photographed so they go about normal behavior as if you are invisible. I could spend a lot of time there. If you have an opportunity to visit there I would recommend it. The weather was surprisingly pleasant with low humidity, the ocean colors were unreal and the birds were unbelievable.

As usual Artie’s IPT was full interesting and pleasant people so it was a pleasure spend time with everyone and help out teaching and leading when I could. Everyone had a great time and I enjoyed every minute.
Visit my gallery on this site to see more of Midway :
http://www.robertotoole.com/galleries/midway/

Laysan Albatross riding a wave updraft, Sand Island, Midway Atoll, NIKON D700 and Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR with Nikon TC-14E II 1.4x Teleconverter, hand held, 1/1250 sec at F8, manual metering, flash off, ISO 640. Image Copyright 2010 Robert OToole / Robert OToole Photography.

During my time there I spent a few minutes with my Panasonic LX-3 point and shoot recording short clips of some of the most interesting albatross behavior. I have had such good feedback from people about these I will be recording at least some video during all my future trips and workshops.

Here are three clips, hope you enjoy them.

Laysan Courtship from Robert OToole on Vimeo.

Albatross Runway, Midway from Robert OToole on Vimeo.

Black-footed Albatross Midway Atoll from Robert OToole on Vimeo.