wildlife photography

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Alaska Eagle Diary 2013 – Part 4

Posted by scottbourne on March 26, 2013
Posted in: News. Tagged: , , , , . 1 comment
Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons - Olympus OMD

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

My final Alaska eagle photography trip is close to an end. It’s been a great experience. My workshop sold out with lots of old friends in attendance. My assignments all went mostly pretty well. My hard drive is full of more amazing eagle images and lots of video.

It occurred to me that some of the questions I’ve been receiving about the trip might just as well be answered as part of the diary. So without further delay – here are some random eagle photography tips based on your questions.

1. We photograph eagles in the late winter because they congregate in confined areas near seaports looking for food. In the summer the birds are widely dispersed because there are so many food sources. In the winter, they hang out with each other in tight groups of about 120 or so in search of food.

2. The brown eagles you’ve seen in the pictures I’ve shared so far are immature bald eagles. The traditional bald eagle you may be familiar with, i.e., white head and brown or black body is an adult. It takes approximately five years for eagles to mature. From a photographic perspective, the adults are the hardest to photograph because of the wide dynamic range needed to hold detail on a white head and a black body. The immature birds have more interesting patterns on the wings, but may be hard to meter against a dark background. It’s not easy. It just looks easy.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

3. It is possible to get very close to these eagles without baiting them. As long as you’re in an area where there is natural food like a beach or seaport, there will be eagles. We found a beach littered with dead fish and muscles and determined that during the low tides the eagles came down from the trees to feed. We set up on that beach this morning and three birds were perched nearby. By waiting, making sure the eagles are comfortable with our presence, and very slowly over a 15-minute period getting close enough to shoot, we had a half hour of photography with no bait and no problem.

4. We are able to get so close to these birds because we are not on U.S. soil. The United States has made just about anything and everything concerning eagles a crime, so we shoot from land owned by the Alaska Native Regional Corporations. The Coast Guard doesn’t like it – but there’s nothing they can do about it. We are probably more interested in protecting the birds than they are, but we also know what the actual threat of harm is and where hyperbole starts so we do as we please, but we do it with respect for the eagles. Some people don’t like it – I say tough. The images we make help make the general population aware of the birds and I believe has a positive impact on them overall.

5. Photographing eagles is an acquired skill. I’ve developed a few tricks over the years. I try to shoot shutter priority so I can freeze the wing tips in flight. This is anywhere between 1/1000th and 1/2000th of a second. Generally, 1/1500th of a seond is perfect. I try to shoot between f/6.7 and f/8. These are large birds and to get them sharp from front to back you need a little more depth of field. (Sorry to all those who practice the religion of shallow depth of field – it’s really not the only way to take a photo.)

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

6. We let the ISO act as our primary control when light changes. The shutter speed and aperture need to be reasonably constant if the birds are flying. For perched shots, I drop the shutter speed dramatically if I do want to run at lower ISOs.

7. A high-speed camera really helps. Six frames per second gives you lots of opportunity. 12 frames per second is heaven.

8. Good, fast, advanced autofocus really helps with flight shots, but when you don’t have that, manual focus works well, as long as you can pre-focus on the area where the birds will be. Anticipation is key. These skills aren’t new. Sports shooters used them for years before fast, reliable autofocus was available for film cameras.

9. Studying the birds yields the highest percentage of keepers. Once you know the bird’s behavior, you’re more likely to catch the bird where you want it.

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

10. It’s best to start focusing on a bird that’s far away when you’re attempting flight shots. Then track that bird all the way to its expected destination and stick with it. If you’re in a swarm of eagles (as we often are in Alaska) it’s tempting to try to pick them off as they fly by but very difficult to get good, clean, crisp, sharp images with good exposure.

11. Setting up a shoot like this is hard work. Sometimes the permits and insurance take months (or more) to arrange. The costs are prohibitive. We’re spending $40,000 on boat and crew alone. I’m not saying nobody else can do it, I’m just saying you need to be very committed to making it work if you’re going to invest the time and money to make the trip.

I hope this post answers most of your questions. I’ll write one more  post about this trip and then no more eagles. I promise. But I have to tell you – t’s been a blast being up here with great people, great weather and great eagles.

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Seasonal Considerations for Wildlife Photographers

Posted by scottbourne on December 22, 2011
Posted in: Tips. Tagged: , .

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved

If you want to photograph wildlife (or any subject outdoors) pay attention to these seasonal considerations:

Winter – Snow can cause your camera’s meter to register an improper exposure by fooling the camera into thinking there is more light than there really is. A simple way to avoid this is to fill the frame with the animal or use your camera’s spot meter to make sure you are reading only the light that is striking the animal, not the light that is striking the surrounding areas. See the exposure section if you need a brush up on metering non-medium tones.

Cold weather can also affect your gear. Cold weather shortens battery life. It’s a good idea to keep your spare batteries in a pocket close to your body. Often, if a battery runs low, warming it up will help restore it. Some photographers have actually taped chemical hand warmers to the outside of their cameras over the battery compartment. For more tips on protecting your gear in the cold, see Secret #22 – Protecting your Gear.

Photographing in winter can be a joy, but you need to protect yourself and stay warm. We recommend layering appropriate clothing. That means synthetics or wool instead of cotton. Always have a hat available too.

It’s hard to change film or settings on your camera with frozen fingertips. Glove liners, fingerless gloves, and hand warmers are a few strategies for keeping your hands operating. One product that Rod really likes is the ThermaBand by Crazy Creek. The ThermaBand is a wrist strap made of polar fleece material. It has a pocket that holds a chemical hand-warmer against the wrist, which, according to Crazy Creek, “prevents the radial and ulnar arteries from constricting, increasing blood flow, keeping hands and fingers warmer.” With the ThermaBand, you can wear lightweight gloves or the fingerless flip top mitten gloves. When you do expose your fingers, they stay warm and workable. The hand warmer packets typically last up to seven hours, which, in the winter, means all day.

If your feet are uncomfortably cold or numb, you’re not going to be thinking about making your best photos. You’re going to be thinking that your feet are uncomfortably cold or numb. Combat this problem with chemical toe warmers and insulated boots.

To keep the rest of you going, have some high-energy food snacks in your pocket too.

If you use your head before going out in the cold, the rest of your body will remain comfortable, and you’ll be able to concentrate on your photography.

Spring – Spring brings rain to many areas of North America. Take appropriate steps to protect your gear. It’s also a time for wildflowers and fertile green backgrounds for your wildlife photos. There is more daylight in the spring than winter, so you may have more opportunities to shoot, but also note that the sun will be higher in the sky than in winter causing harsher light with greater contrast.

Summer – Summer is the hardest time to photograph wildlife. The sun is very high in the sky meaning that you have to restrict your shooting time to very early morning or very late afternoon. Crowds are always an issue if you go to parks, zoos, or refuges. You will also notice that the animals you photograph in summer don’t have the pretty coats of fur that you see the rest of the year.

Avoid photographing wildlife in the summer if you can help it. There are exceptions to this rule, such as bears in Alaska or moose in Maine. But for the most part, you’ll do better waiting for fall.

Fall – Fall is the best time to photograph at zoos, parks, and wildlife refuges. Summer crowds are gone. There are few school field trips to the zoo this time of year, and it’s cooler, so the animals are typically more active. Some zoos even offer discounted admission fees in the fall making it cheaper as well. The light tends to be lower in the sky this time of year, so the light will be softer or less harsh. Contrast ranges will be narrower making it easier to get a good picture every shot. Animals from cold climates will start to get their winter coats in the fall, making them much more photogenic. Depending on the location and weather, you might even be lucky enough to get backgrounds full of fall color.

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Nine Resources For Wildlife & Bird Photographers

Posted by scottbourne on May 6, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: .

Copyright Scott Bourne 2009 - All Rights Reserved

If you follow my work you know that I enjoy wildlife photography. Yesterday a reader asked me if I had a list of resources for photographers who want to find and photograph wildlife. The answer is I did not – but I do now.

Here are several places you can go for information that will help you get your next wildlife shot.

1. e-Nature.com (http://www.enature.com/)

Your complete wildlife discovery source. Lists of all North American animals plus additional wildlife resources.

2. BirdWatchingDaily – Formerly Birders World Magazine (http://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/)

A great way to study quality bird photography.

3. National Wildlife Federation (http://nwf.org/)

Since 1936, the NWF has educated people about wildlife. Patient photographers can comb through this material and find great information on wildlife behavior, habitat and yes, wildlife photography.

4. National Geographic (http://www.nationalgeographic.com)

If you want to see pictures of wildlife, learn about wildlife or get access to wildlife resources, National Geographic is a great place to start.

5. National Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/)

Information, maps, interpretation and education for wildlife photographers. You can locate some tremendous wildlife subjects in America’s national parks.

6. America’s National Wildlife Refuge System (http://refuges.fws.gov/index.html)

The very best places in America to photograph wildlife, period!

7. U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)

Conservation and wildlife management. A great resource if you want to understand wildlife conservation, learn about the animals you photograph and find good wildlife photography locations.

8. U.S. Naval Observatory – Sun & Moon Data (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html)

Get the sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset times you need to plan your photo shoot.

9. Weather.com (http://www.weather.com)

Get the weather forecast you need to plan your photo shoot.

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Photo Book Review – Captured: Lessons from Behind the Lens of a Legendary Wildlife Photographer

Posted by scottbourne on November 7, 2010
Posted in: Tips. Tagged: .

Author: Moose Peterson

Publisher: Peachpit

Review by Conrad J. Obregon

With no insult meant to the author, Moose Peterson’s name says it all. Like the animal (and perhaps like the author), Captured: Lessons from Behind the Lens of a Legendary Wildlife Photographer (Voices That Matter) is large, sprawling, inelegant and ultimately endearing.

The book is like almost no other about wildlife photography. The chapters, with titles like “No Illusions, I’m Not in Control” and “Hold onto Your Pants” are certainly not organized in any concise fashion to develop the principles of wildlife photography. Instead they start out as autobiography and end up with random advice on photographing certain species of animals. Sprinkled throughout are tips on wildlife photography, some of which are old hat and some of which even many veterans will not have heard. The language is rough and ready, wanders off from the topic and is frequently repetitive. The pictures are often related to what the author discusses in the text but occasionally seem very far afield (pun intended). They run from magnificent shots of bears to family photos of the Peterson family. Many seemed a trifle dark to me but not so much as to offend me.

Moose (you get such a feeling for the man from the writing that you have to call him by his first name) talks about his favorite subjects: the importance of understanding the biology of the subject; treating the light as a subject; capturing the image correctly in the camera rather than leaving it for post processing; and the need to protect the environment. You’d better understand the elements of exposure, because he doesn’t cover those fundamentals, but will tell you how to play with exposure to get a better image. Canon and other brand users may feel a little left out because his equipment discussions are all geared to Nikon (but non-Nikon users shouldn’t be discouraged; the ideas are relevant to all brands). Also don’t look for anything about post processing. And although some of the images rise to the level of art, Moose is most concerned with telling us about the subject.

Throughout it all, you feel like you are sitting around with the larger-than-life character of the author. When he tells about trying to get his boots on over an infected foot while photographing grizzlies at McNeil Falls, you feel his pain, while at the same time feeling his exhilaration at being cheek-to-cheek with the bruins. When you read about his journeys through the dark with biologists to photograph prairie chickens, you feel like you are tiptoeing besides them.

This is clearly not the best introduction to the technical or artistic side of wildlife photography. But it is so much fun to read that I suspect even non-wildlife photographers may enjoy it. And now (hoping this isn’t an insider’s joke) what I would love to see is a joint presentation by Moose Peterson and Joe McNally!

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Alaska Photo Diary Part 3, 4 & 5

Posted by scottbourne on September 11, 2008
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , .

(Nikon D3, Gitzo Tripod, Mongoose 3.5 Gimbal Head, Nikon 200-400 F/4 VR at 200mm, ISO 800, +0.5 EV. F.5.6 @ 125th Sec. straight out of the camera without post processing other than exposure adjustment and cropping – may appear too bright, too dark, wrong color, right color – depending on your monitor)

EDITOR’S NOTE: (I am in Anchorage and flying back to Seattle Thursday or Friday. I will post the rest of the diary in two and three part sections with a few photos, and then repost the entire group of entires with more photos next week.)

UPDATE: Here are a few snaps from the trip.

Alaska Photo Diary Part 3

Kodiak and Katmai

I’m here in Kodiak getting ready to board our chartered flight to Katmai where we’ll pick up the chartered yacht and finally embark on the final leg of the journey that will hopefully take us to the bears.

I’m trying to take some time to reflect on what I want to accomplish during this trip. One thing that sets pros apart from amateurs is we go into a photo shoot with specific goals in mind. I find it easier to get great shots when I have a theme. If I just go out and shoot everything I see, I am not focused enough (no pun intended) to come away with a solid portfolio of work.

So I am not even sure what my theme will be on this trip. But I have a few things in mind. Conditions will often help dictate the theme. Weather, subject, mood, light, and other considerations can cause me to change a theme.

Short of those situations, I think my theme this trip will be somewhat general… I want to make images that will help people look at life through the bear’s eyes. Perspective is something that’s often lacking in today’s busy world. I know my perspective. I might even know your perspective if I spend enough time with you. But do I really honor other perspectives? Do I really take time to learn from other people’s perspectives? And moreover – is there anything to be learned from the bear’s perspective?

This is the starting point for my theme this week. It could change. But that’s where I am going to begin.

And I’ll use my old standby photojournalism trick. . . EDFAT – Entire, Details, Focal Length, Angle and Time. I’ll shoot using this tool to remind myself to shoot scenes at different angles, with different lenses, closer and farther, higher and lower, at different times of day, using slow shutter speeds in some cases to capture the mood of motion or freezing action with a high shutter speed so that I can seriously study every detail in the bear’s face.

There’s a great deal to think about – and notice, nothing I’ve written here refers to gear or gadgets. Great photos start in the mind’s eye. Now I just have to capture in my camera over the next few days those photo’s I’ve already pre-visualized in my mind.

See you on the other side.

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Alaska Photo Diary Part 4

We got up at Zero Dark Thirty for our flight to Kodiak where we (and our gear) were weighed for the floatplane trip. We chartered three planes for the entire group and our gear.

After a quick breakfast we headed out for Kinak Bay to meet the two 62 foot yachts we chartered. These two boats will be our “hotel” for the next week. We’ll eat all our meals, shower (occasionally), sleep and organize our images on the yachts.

If you’ve ever watched “Lockup” on MSNBC and seen the prison cells featured in their news stories, you’ve seen something resembling my “executive, private stateroom” on the boat. In fact, those cells on the TV show look BIGGER than my little bunk. As president of the horizontally-challenged photographers of America, I lodged an official protest with the ship’s captain, but it didn’t do any good. :)

After we unloaded the gear and supplies we got our photo gear lined up and headed out on a skiff to find some bears. We didn’t need long. Our first bear encounter was at about 3:30 pm. A large sow came down the creek fishing for the Pink Salmon that was running past our feet. From there, it got better and better. We saw a total of six bears on our first afternoon. Not as many as we hoped, but enough to get some great shots. We had one magnificent boar that must have weighed 900 pounds flanking us and coming around behind us so he could walk up the creek to fish. He was about 40 feet away and seemed MUCH closer. The light was great. For bears, you NEVER want sun. Cloudy, overcast days are best and that’s what we got all day.

By 7:00 pm it was still light, but the bears seemed to move on and we decided to as well. Everyone was cold, so we walked back to the skiff and went back to the yacht to download, eat and sleep.

So far, I’ve managed to survive the three airplane rides as well as the boat and the bears.

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Alaska Photo Diary Part 5

In case you didn’t know it, yacht captains don’t encourage the use of boat showers. They want us to conserve water so sponge baths were the order of the day.

I got up after about five hours sleep as is my practice. Usually I’d be answering hundreds of e-mails at this time of day. It’s been 24 hours since I had Internet access and I’m having some slight anxiety thinking about the thousands of e-mails that will be waiting for me when I get back.

The trip leader is my pal Artie Morris and he’s having fun. I was also glad to find out that one of our TWIP listeners Marc Katz, was able to come on the trip. We’ve been hanging out and enjoying the experience together. Marc’s a heart-surgeon who has developed a love for photography. It’s cool for me to be around someone who’s just starting to really get serious about photography. He’s smart and he’s like a sponge so he’s in a position to learn a great deal on this trip.

Now it’s time to deal with my first day’s worth of images.

I off-loaded all my images onto the Macbook Air and then realized I forgot to install Capture NX2 on the laptop so I can’t see my D700 images. But I did copy them onto both the hard disk in the Air and onto one of my portable USB drives. They’ll have to wait until I return to Gig Harbor. I didn’t shoot much with the D700 since the D3 had the 200-400 attached. That was the lens I needed most of the day, and of course the D3 images go into Aperture.

Before I get to that I’ll mention that the gear performed very well yesterday.

The 1.7 teleconverter performs well on that 200-400 lens. You give up two stops and loose some detail, but it’s an acceptable compromise.

If we get to a place where the bears are closer, I’ll test the difference shooting without it.

I’m starting to rethink my theme – as often happens. I might shift to a theme that revolves around bears and water. Water plays such a big part in these animals’ lives that it’s hard not to include it.

We’re working Kinak Bay again today because there seem to be fewer bears in general, and fewer bears in Geographic Harbor than we found when scouting.

For those of you wondering, we’re about an hour (by boat) from the place where Timothy Tredwell found out you can’t pretend bears are like people. It’s called Kaflia Bay and we’ll probably avoid it since the bear maze is supposed to be fairly well devoid of bears at this time.

Back to the images…
I’m using Aperture to go through and select my best images from the first day.

My workflow is pretty simple. I import into a new project, use the auto-stack feature to get similar photos in a group, then I move to full-screen mode and shift through the images. I start by rejecting (using the “9″ key) the images I know I don’t like. These are still in the library, I just can’t see them once I reject them. Then I mark the remaining images with four or five stars. The five-star images are those I know I’ll keep for further editing. The four-star images are those I might keep for later.

Then I go back through and reject any images that are remaining. I do some basic metadata work like adding simple captions, etc., and I’m done.

I think it’s a mistake to edit in the field. You’re too close to the subject to be objective. In my case, there’s also the problem of working on an underpowered computer. The Air is not a machine I’d want to use as a regular photo-editing machine. It’s just a way to do basics and nothing more. I’ll save the real work for when I get home to my color-calibrated 24″, fully-loaded iMac.

Time to get geared up for today’s shoot.

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