Eagle Tour 2015

April 17, 2015 in Alaska, Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle Workshop, Nikon D4s, Nikon D810, Workshops

Eagle Launching into a superman pose. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D4s, 1/4000s, f/5.6, 140mm, ISO 400, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

2015 has the distinction my being my tenth year leading eagle workshops in Alaska. Its a privilege to have such wonderful tour participants that made all the 4 tours a big success, a special thanks to all of this years participants.

Redirection against spruce trees with cones. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D810, 1/2500s, f/4, 300mm, ISO 400, Manual mode, Handheld.

The Weather

The biggest news this March had to be the weather. My first group had unusually low temperatures hitting -5 F all the way down to -15 with lots of wind and only one short period of snow. The next three groups saw much warmer temperatures but no major rain or snow.

The warmer weather we have had over the last couple of years did create one benefit this year. The stress of the warm weather caused a bumper crop of mature spruce cones. They really add a nice touch of color in an otherwise monochromatic spruce background.

The Usual Subjects and Locations

The sheer numbers of eagles at our locations this year was just great, the opportunities have been getting better and better over the last few years. In all four of my groups we had magical shoots that made all the expense, time and effort to get to Alaska worth it.

Launching in soft light. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D4s, 1/2500s, f/5.6, 155mm, ISO 1250, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

Equipment

This year I went with the same lenses as my Japan tour, with Sigma 120-300 f/2.8, Sigma 150-600 sports, and a Sigma 24-105 all in my new F-stop backpack system. For bodies I brought a Nikon D810 and D4s for backup. My old faithful 120-300 f2/8 sigma lens was my favorite lens again this year. This lens has to be just about the perfect lens for eagle photography.

The D810 AF system worked very well, maybe even better than my D800E. The ability to go into CX mode with 6 fps and a 1.2X crop and DX mode with 7 fps and 1.5X crop on the D810 was useful when the D4s was not around. The D4s was my choice for low light and when I expected some heavy flight action.

This year with the addition of my new Bama boot socks my arctic sport Muck boots kept me warm and toasty even on the coldest mornings. Why didn't I know about these before?

Eagle island Kachemak Bay. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D4s, 1/2500s, f/5.6, 145mm, ISO 500, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

Temperatures The higher than normal temps over the last couple of years has a huge influence on the eagles behavior. This can make action at certain spots inconsistent and at others better than ever. Some of the areas that are normally very productive were unusually quiet this year but since there are so many spots available we worked alternate locations that offered amazing opportunities.

One twentieth speed blur. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D810, 1/4000s, f/13, 270mm, ISO 100, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.Eagle posing next to cone topped bonsai like spruce. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D810, 1/500s, f/4, 300mm, ISO 500, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

Super close up approach. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D4s, 1/2500s, f/7.1, 220mm, ISO 1250, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

Bank and spruce trees. Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sports lens and Nikon D4s, 1/2500s, f/4, 250mm, ISO 800, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

Eagle over Mt Augustine. Sigma 150-600 Sports lens and Nikon D4s, 1/2000s, f/7.2, 600mm, ISO 1000, EV + 1.3, Manual mode, Handheld.

The weather this year was not the best due to the lack of snow and warm temps but each and every group was able to experience amazing dream like eagle shooting sessions that made everyone more than happy so my rating for this year is an A+.

If you would like to join us next year my 2016 dates are available but act quickly so you are not disappointed.

Eagle Photo Tour Series 2016

March 15 – 19th, 2016, 5 days $3900. Deposit $1950. March 22 – 26th, 2016, 5 days $3900. Deposit $1950. March 28th – April 1, 2016, 5 days $3900. Deposit $1950.

Maximum of 5 photographers + Leader Robert OToole and co-leader.

For more tour info follow this link: http://www.robertotoole.com/workshop/bald-eagles/

Sunday February 21st - Saturday March 5th, 2016, 14 Days: $8200. Deposit $3000.

Maximum 6 photographers + Leader Robert OToole and co-leader.

Any questions or comments? Leave a question below or send me an email.

First Eagle of The Day

March 23, 2015 in Alaska, Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle Workshop, Travel report, Workshops

Early bird sequence. NIKON D4S with Sigma sports 120-300 mm f/2.8 lens @ 220mm, ISO 800, 1/4000 s at f/5.6.

Within minutes of arriving at our shooting location at first light this eagle flew directly at us and banked across our bow.

Wildlife photography is challenging but sometimes everything falls into place and makes things really really easy.

Will post lots more images and details on my 2015 eagle tour series soon!

Unsharpened 100% magnification crop of the above sequence.

Any questions or comments? Leave a question below or send me an email.

Eagle Tour Opening

January 15, 2015 in Alaska, Bald Eagle, Tour

Two openings just became available for one of my Bald eagle tours. The tour is at one of the prime eagle photography locations on the planet. Here are the details:

March 26th – Mar 30, 2015, 5 days $3900. Deposit $1950. 5 photographers maximum. 2 openings.

Tour leader: Robert OToole

You will need to be in Alaska on March 25th at least.

Here are more details on past tours:

See the 2014 Eagle Tour Report part one: http://www.robertotoole.com/2014/03/19/eagle-tour-2014-part-one/

and part two: http://www.robertotoole.com/2014/04/02/eagle-tour-2014-part-two/

Let me know right away if you can join us, you wont regret it.

Early morning touch down made at a 300mm focal length.

Photographer working an immature bald eagle with a 70-200mm lens.

Any questions or comments? Leave a question below or send me an email.

Brown Bears of Katmai Photo Tour 2015

August 21, 2014 in Alaska, brown bear, Tour, Workshops

My annual brown bear tour visits some of the very best brown photo locations on the planet and the timing of the trips in late July and early August means we will have excellent photographic opportunities for brown bears, many with cubs, great weather, and good chances for bears fishing.© 2014 Robert OToole Photography

If you would like to join me next year my 2015 tour dates are open for registration and have just started to fill so email me as soon as you can if you are interested in joining us. Through experience I can tell you that the timing of these tours offers the best balance great action and good weather having led past tours at the same locations from the months of June to September.

For 2015 we will have the new updated accommodations and headquarters with plenty of room and space for the entire group.

July 19-25, 2015. 7 Days, 6 nights: $6500. Deposit $1500.

Maximum 12 photographers + leader: Robert O’Toole and co-leader.

August 9-15, 2015. 7 Days, 6 nights: $6500. Deposit $1500.

Maximum 4 photographers + leader Robert O’Toole and co-leader.

August 15-21, 2015. 7 Days, 6 nights: $6500. Deposit $1500.

Maximum 4 photographers + leader Robert O’Toole and co-leader.

For more information see the tour info page: http://www.robertotoole.com/workshop/brown-bears/

Any questions or comments? Leave a question below or send me an email.

Bear Photo Tour Report 2014

August 04, 2014 in Alaska, brown bear, Tour, Travel report, Workshops

Coastal Brown Bear Paradise

Over the last weeks the weather for my two back to back brown bear photo tours was just about perfect. Two weeks without a single rainy day is almost unheard of in coastal Alaska and our group took advantage of the great conditions spending as much time as possible in the field especially for the unbelievable evening light from about 7 to 10:30.

Late evening in Hallo Bay, Katmai NP, Alaska. Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX lens and Nikon D4, 1/1000 s, f/4, 170mm ISO 900, EV + .7, Manual mode, Jobu MK3 gimbal head and Jobu Algonquin Carbon Tripod.

Good sized schools of fresh looking salmon greeted us at each location we visited. Although the overall bear numbers were down this year the combination of salmon and the superb conditions made up for the lack of bears giving us excellent photo opportunities at Hallo and Geographic every single day. On a few occasions the bears that did show up to fish got so burned out from fishing they sat watching fish go by just inches away! Can you imagine how frustrated that is for a photographer? A few times the bears were so stuffed with salmon they would create a cache of fish on the beach, burying them in the sand to eat later. Normally bears will do this with large prey they kill but they usually eat salmon on the spot.

Perfect late evening light, Hallo Bay, Katmai NP Alaska. Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX lens and Nikon D700 (backup body), 1/1000 s, f/8, 800mm ISO 800, EV + 1, Manual mode, Jobu MK3 gimbal head and Jobu Algonquin Carbon Tripod.

The mild warm weather and lack of big male bears seemed to bring the mother bears and cubs to the meadows. At Hallo we had a mother with a yearling, two mothers with 2 spring cubs, and another mother with a single spring cub. Hallo has always been my favorite location for bears with cubs.

Feeding frenzy bear lunge, Hallo Bay, Katmai NP Alaska. Sigma 50-500mm F5.6 EX lens and Nikon D4, 1/2000 s, f/8, 380mm ISO 1000, Manual mode, handheld.

Although the weather was pleasant this July it possible to have too much sun in Alaska. This year the intense sunny conditions and dry weather did cause some problems by kicking salmon berries into overdrive way too early this year. Normally the berries peak in late summer/autumn giving the bears something to gorge on before winter sets in. This year was way different.

Instead of finding bears waiting patiently for salmon lots of bears didn't bother to show up at all for the salmon. It seems the bears took advantage of the available berries and stayed away from the streams, creeks and river mouths. So instead of the 12-15 bears you can see when the salmon are running in a normal year we would see 5 or 6 in a single area.

A park ranger/biologist told me that the bear numbers were about 40% of last year, which were already down from the previous year.

Chum Salmon breakfast, Hallo Bay, Katmai NP Alaska. Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX lens and Nikon D4, 1/1250 s, f/4, 420mm ISO 1400, EV + .7, Manual mode, Jobu MK3 gimbal head and Jobu Algonquin Carbon Tripod.

Late July early August is my favorite time of the year in Katmai for bears with cubs and bears fishing. Year after year this time frame has proven to be very good with minimal rain compared to late summer or early spring. For photographers this means you can get used to ISO levels of 400 up to 3200, later in the season you have to get used to a minimum ISO level of 1600 or higher.

Mother and cubs on alert, Hallo Bay, Katmai NP Alaska. Sigma 50-500mm F5.6 EX lens and Nikon D4, 1/2000 s, f/8, 380mm ISO 1000, Auto-ISO, EV + .3, Manual mode, handheld.

Even though the conditions this year were a little different than previous years everyone on the tour had plenty of excellent opportunities to put both long and short lenses to good use.

If you would like to join us next year my 2015 tour dates are available already and the tours have started to fill so email me as soon as you can if you are interested in joining us.

Any questions or comments? Leave a question below or send me an email.