Summer can be difficult for nature photographers, the spring migration is over and here on the wet coast we are eagerly awaiting the salmon to head up river as autumn arrives. Here in Campbell River we do have a huge number of Bald eagles along the coast in summer and they can be very active fishing off the coast or just grabbing leftovers from the fisher people as they come back from a day on the water.
Read MorePersistence and Patience - Short eared owls
Sometimes there are dry spells, sometimes months between interesting moments when you do nature photography. After the Salmon spawning season last fall I have been experiencing one of those times. Three months of rain nearly every day then a cold spell made it difficult to get out much in a time of the year when there often isn't much to shoot. Even when there may be something out there you still need a good deal of patience.
Read MoreSalmon run on Vancouver Island - How to get Good shots while Watching Black Bears get Fat
As fall approaches we wait for the first rains to help the water flow in the rivers along the coast of Vancouver Island. Here on the Island, the main species I like to photograph that benefit from this abundance are the Black bears….
Read MoreWinter trip - Final stage - ...and this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home
Our winter trip took a bit of a turn to the east so that we could go to a boat show in Florida, after some fixes to the trailer in east Texas we made a bee line to Miami spent a week there and then quickly again started to head back west.
Read MoreWinter trip - Stage 3 - Desert States
When it is time to run from the cold and rain the desert states seem like the perfect place to get back to sunshine and that dry heat. That was the plan and for the most part we found a good amount of sun but for some odd reason the cold was still following us down from the north.
Read MoreWinter trip - Stage 2 - Quickly down the US west coast
Coastal photography, we have spent a great deal of time shooting on the east coast of the US when we lived in South Carolina. The west coast is a different beast altogether. Rocky coastlines, big waves crashing, fantastic tidal pools all make for very different shots and of course the fact that the sun goes down over the ocean instead of rising again makes shooting very different.
Read MoreNature photography on the road - Chasing the sun (blog version) part 1.
I had a plan. This plan was to reduce the amount of time I spend working in my real job (I am a physicist who migrated to the financial world to build computer software and systems for mathematical modeling). If I did this right I would be able to take some long trips to do the types of photography I love in new places for extended periods.
Read MoreMeet the new neighbors - a rundown of completely new to me nature in our first months in BC
One of the best things about moving to new locations is that we get a whole new set of sights and sounds when it comes to animal and bird life. After our short stay in the Niagara region to complete an 18 month contract in Buffalo we finally committed to our long term plan to get to the west end of North America.
Read MoreWildlife sampler from the Kootenays
Extending from the last post that focused mostly on landscapes, let’s take a quick look at what we were able to see in the way of wildlife in the Kootenays on our short stay.
Read MoreA month in the Kootenays
As it was just the start of winter, it can be a challenge to get places to shoot nature. Most travel from Nelson requires traversing at least one mountain pass which can and most likely will have some significant snow and ice and can also be rather treacherous to drive.
Read More12 Best Photos of 2020
Last year will go down as one of the oddest years for most. It definitely wasn’t the best year for nature and landscape photography but I still managed to get out and get some shots for the portfolio.
Read MoreWayback Wednesday (Take 2) - Australia
I chose our trip to Australia from seven years ago for my look-back. Ever since I was a young kid I remember thinking how great it would be to travel around Australia to see the exotic animals and birds, amazing coastlines and reefs, not to mention those cool accents, right?
Read MoreWayback Wednesday - Costa Rica 2010
Back in 2010 Salwa and I had an opportunity to stay at a “resort” near Corcovado National Park on the Southwest Coast of Costa Rica. This trip would mean a flight into San Jose, a second “white knuckle” flight to Puerto Jimenez and then an hour and a half 4x4 ride to the Pacific coast and the Bosque Del Cabo Rain Forest Lodge.
Read MoreSpring migration - short post for an odd spring.
We had a very odd spring this year, cold and wet until the last couple of weeks of May and then 30 degrees Celsius immediately afterwards. No transition, and due to that the spring migration of birds felt kind of abbreviated.
Read MoreShort eared owls in Shortyville (or how I learned to stop worrying and love my 200-600)
Short Eared Owls are not a particularly rare owl, but up until this year I have had little success in getting to know them. Near the end of this winter I got a call from another nature photographer with some local knowledge of a great location to be able to shoot Short Eared Owls…not owl…owls.
Read MoreWinter wonderland - Wandering through some of Ontario’s Parks and conservation areas.
On our first winter back in Canada after 5 years down in South Carolina we were not really looking forward to the prospect of weeks of below -30 degrees Celsius, but we were looking forward to some hikes in the parks… hopefully after a big snowfall.
Read MoreA tiny haven for nature
One small wooded area on the beach near where we live that can still be a resting and replenishing area for migrating birds. Located near Waverly Beach, this small plot was the sight of the Erie Beach Amusement Park nearly ninety years ago.
Read MoreA quick tour of Vancouver Island (first big trip with only Sony gear)
Got a new toy and places to go. I picked up the Sony 200-600 and was able to test it out on Osprey before the start of our one week trip around Vancouver Island. This is the first big trip I have done leaving my Canon gear at home and only going with Sony.
Read MoreBirds in Flight challenges - Autofocus improvements over the years
Learning to use your tracking autofocus is not just a matter of picking up a new camera and point it at a subject.
Read MoreThings they are changing
It has been a few months since I have written anything. Between looking for a new job, moving back to Canada and experiencing probably the worst spring weather wise I have seen in years, time and motivation to do any photography has been at a minimum.
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