August 17, 2010
G’day Everyone,
We’ve recently returned from another outstanding Tom Jordan Memorial Boreal Coast Tour and rather than extolling the photo opportunities of this tour, let me simply show you a couple of the images I harvested this year and let our esteemed participants offer their commentary. By the way, if you’re still wondering about the name of this tour, you’ll have to either 1) come on the tour or 2) purchase my memoir – http://www.sojournsinnature.com/store.php#Nesting. 
Also, while the Blue Ox Moose Tour is filled, there’s still some room for additional participants in the upcoming Fall Foliage Magical Mystery Tour – http://www.sojournsinnature.com/fallfoliageworkshop.php. Come join us to capture New England’s autumn grandeur.
Atlantic Puffin in Flight with Fish
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM lens at 200mm with 1.4x teleconverter
1/2500″ @ f/8, .33 EC, ISO 400
evaluative metering, aperture priority
IS mode 2, CF 17 at automatic 13 pt. expansion
handheld
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Hot Shots,Maine,Workshops & Tours | Comments (4)
July 18, 2010
G’day Everyone,
After the Grand Canyon, the tour headed south, stopping for a sunset shot of Cathedral Rock in Sedona before returning to Phoenix to overnight and depart for home the following morning. At Sedona, I hugged and kissed my wife, Cheryl, goodbye, bid everyone else farewell, and instead of accompanying everyone to Phoenix, I climbed into Eliot Scher’s rented Grand Cherokee and the two of us headed for Kayenta and Monument Valley.
Cathedral Rock at Sunset
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 25mm
6″ @ f/22, +.67 EC, ISO 100; aperture priority, evaluative metering
Moose warming polarizer and Lee – 1.5 GND filters
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head
cable release, mirror lockup
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under American West,Workshops & Tours | Comments (4)
June 21, 2010
G’day Everyone,
One would think that leading an exclusively landscape photography tour in Arizona, the off chance of spotting a California Condor or Elk notwithstanding, would be a piece of cake. Heck, it should even be easier than photographing fall foliage in New England since, after all, fall colors are ephemeral and tumble to the ground within a few days after turning and, as unlikely as it seems, one can actually miss peak autumn color! (Believe me, I ought to know.) But the rain-bowed rocks and famed geological formations of the American southwest – the buttes, mesas, canyons, and arches, well, they aren’t tumbling down or losing their vermilions and ochres and burnt oranges anytime soon, unless you’re a geologist and consider, say, five million years “soon”. Yes, one would think that getting world-class images of these locations is as easy as, well, pointing and shooting. Yet, as I stepped out of the Phoenix airport into the blistering desert sun and looked up at the absolutely cloudless sky I was reminded that even though stationary rock formations don’t run off or fly away like mammals and birds and insects or wave in the breeze like flowers, my coleader, Arizona photographer, Ed Taube, and I would still have to work hard to send our participants home with some prize photographs.
Sunset at Yavapai Point, Grand Canyon National Park
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 21mm
f/20 @ 1/15″, ISO 100, -1/3 ec
Lee -1.5 GND & #2 Coral GND warming filters
evaluative metering, aperture priority
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod, cable release, mirror lockup
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under American West,Landscapes,Workshops & Tours | Comments (0)
December 3, 2009
G’day Everyone,
It’s late afternoon on October 2 and our small group of Magical Mystery Tour participants are becoming acquainted over cheese and crackers and a little bit of wine provided by our wonderful host, Deb Godin, at the Lakeview Clubhouse in Eden. I glance out the window and notice that the crisp autumn light has mellowed so I muster everyone and we head over to my favorite fall foliage location, Belvidere Pond.
I’ve always bragged on Belvidere Pond, how it never lets me down, graciously offering me something to photograph nearly every time I visit it, from otters glissading on its frozen surface in winter or migrating geese relaxing on its glassy water during the spring migration, stunning fall foliage landscapes, to an occasional moose. Belvidere Pond has typically been the highlight not only for myself, but for many participants on the Fall Foliage Magical Mystery Tour. That’s high praise when one considers that the tour covers some of the most fabulous autumn scenery in all of New England, from the Green Mountains to the Kancamagus Highway in the Whites.
There was nothing special about the light that evening, on the contrary, it didn’t look that promising, what with the dark clouds on the horizon behind which the sun would soon disappear. There was really no reason to suspect that Belvidere Pond was about to yield up yet another incredible gem of a photo.
Autumn Splendor at Belvidere Pond
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM lens at 116mm
evaluative metering, aperture priority
3.2″ @ f/11, ISO 200
Moose 81A Polarizer
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod, cable release, mirror lockup
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Fall,Fall Foliage,Landscapes,New Hampshire,Vermont,Workshops & Tours | Comments (2)
November 3, 2009
G’day everyone,
Spend, say, three days in Baxter State Park in Maine, especially in Spring or Fall, and you’re bound to encounter a moose. Though, on any given day, you could beat the bushes from the first glimmer of dawn until the last bit of twilight gutters without ever seeing Alces alces. I know. I’ve done it, as have many people. In fact, I spoke with a couple I met in the park during this year’s tour who told me they paid a professional guide $400.00 for one day to help them find a moose. They eagerly followed the guide to several dozen ponds, wallows, and wetlands throughout the park, in vain. The guide apologized and kept their money.
On the one hand, Baxter State Park, central Maine for that matter, is the moosiest area in all of New England. On the other hand, it’s a huge area with thousands of wetlands, ponds, and lakes where one might see a moose out in the open. The thing is that on any given day moose will indeed make an appearance in any of these areas. But not necessarily every day and not consitently in the same location. Question is, will you pick the same location a moose has chosen to visit on a particular day?
Bull Moose
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens with Canon 2x teleconverter
1/400″ @ f/5.6, ISO 400
Gitzo GT3541LS carbon fiber tripod with Wimberley Head
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Fall,Fine Art Prints,Maine,Wildlife,Workshops & Tours | Comments (0)
July 31, 2009
G’day Everyone,
When Isaac whispered “leopard” and pointed to a lone acacia tree on the horizon between the waving expanse of tall, golden oat grass and the pastel backdrop of purple hills and pale blue sky, all I saw was the arborescent outline of a tree. Isaac brought the Land Rover to a full stop and picked up the binoculars and immediately handed them over the back of the front seat. I took them but I continued to stare at the tree through the open window of the middle seat for another several moments before resigning myself to the binocs. Isaac hardly ever used them. I have 20/15 vision but, even through the binoculars, all I could see was the silhouette of the tree against the bright sky and perhaps a slight bulging on one of the thicker branches extending horizontally from the left side of the short trunk and something that looked like an enormous wasp nest suspended from a branch on the opposite side of the tree. Isaac leaned over the back of the front seat as I, in turn, passed the binoculars to Peter, my only client on this Kenya photo safari and who, like me, was starring vainly at the acacia tree from the back seat.
“I can put us right under that tree without scaring off the cat.” grinned Issac. “But you must be patient; it will take some time. OK?”
Masai Giraffes and Burchells Zebra, Masai Mara
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS L IS USM lens
1/1000 @ f5.6 at ISO 200, +.5 exposure compensation
evaluative metering, aperture priority
handheld
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Kenya,Workshops & Tours | Comments (0)
July 6, 2009
G’day Everyone,
For those of us sufficiently aged to remember the music of the seventies, you might recall the tongue-in-cheek song by Dr. Hook, “The Cover Of The Rolling Stone”. Whether you’re a “big rock singer with golden fingers” or a nature photographer with a keen eye, a cover shot, in particular, on a national publication, is about as good as it gets. You’d think, being a professional and all, getting one’s images published loses its allure after a while. Not for this pro. What with the competition these days, it’s more important than ever to stand out and there’s not much that spotlights one’s work better than a national cover. Well, ok, there’s winning the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award and the Pulitzer Prize, but let’s keep it real.
My image, “Sunrise at Otter Rocks” (below), appears on the front cover of the current issue (Summer, 2009) of Nature Photographer magazine. I’m offering a signed 18″ x 24″ print, matted and framed in solid oak of the cover image, along with an autographed copy of the magazine with free shipping to all Sojourns In Nature subscribers for $195.00. Simply email me at gustav@sojournsinnature.com if you’re interested. You might also consider joining me in Maine on the Tom Jordan Memorial Boreal Coast Tour next summer. Who knows, if you stood right next to me…..
Sunrise at Otter Rocks
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Nikon 24mm f/1.2 with Canon-Nikon Adaptor Ring
f/22 @ 1.5″, +1 exposure compensation, ASA 100
Cokin -3 GND filter
Gitzo 2220 tripod with Manfrotto 3047 head
cable release, mirror lockup
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Filters,Maine,Publications,Shows & Exhibits,Summer,Technique,Vermont,Workshops & Tours | Comments (5)
June 10, 2009
Hey friends,
For many years now, I’ve been taking a vacation during the first week of June. Not only does this coincide with my birthday, but early June tends to be very nice weather-wise and is great for nature photography. Coincidentally, this is the same week as the Green Mountain Nature Photography Workshop takes places, and for the third year in a row, I headed down to northern Vermont for 5 days to be co-instructor of the workshop.
I know, I know, many of you are scratching your heads about this. Why on earth would I want to “work” during my vacation? Why would I choose to get up at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning for 5 days? Truth is that for me this is not work, and getting up early is worth it. I love to share my passion for nature photography with others, and I happen to have pretty good technical know-how regarding photography and equipment, so it is a pleasure and a thrill to help others in their photographic journey.
So on Friday May 29th 2009, my first day of vacation, I headed down to Vermont to hook up with my friend and photo partner Gustav. Sadly, my wife Johanne had to stay in Montreal, as our 13+ year Labrador Retriever, Gryphon, no longer travels well and gets too stressed when we are away. Many thanks to my darling wife, who did not make me feel bad about leaving her behind.
I’ll reserve a detailed day-by-day description of the workshop for a future blog post next spring… For now, I simply wanted to share a few of my favorite images with you. I’m deliberately choosing images that are different from my previous 2 trips to the workshop.
Four Corners Falls – Missisquoi River – North Troy, Vermont
Canon EOS 5D MkII
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L lens at 21mm
ISO 100, 0.5s at f/20
Filters: Singh-Ray Gold-n-Blue Polarizer
Gitzo GT3541LS Tripod with Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ballhead
Read more…
Posted by Rob under Filters,Landscapes,Macro,Spring,Vermont,Workshops & Tours | Comments (2)
March 8, 2009
Hey all,
I’ve been thinking about what to write for the March blog entry. My initial thought was to write about winter photography. You know, as a counterpoint to Gustav’s Solstice 2008 entry, where the self-proclaimed “winter wimp” whines about the cold, dark days and freezing extremities… Use ‘em or lose ‘em, my friend! 
I’ve not abandoned that blog idea. I will eventually be writing about the joys of winter photography, and the gear and clothing I use to stay safe, comfortable and warm. However, with the Green Mountain Workshop being only 3 months away, I thought I’d use this space to make a shameless self-marketing plug.
Truth is, neither Gustav nor I are very adept at filling this workshop. This boggles my mind… but then, marketing just ain’t our thing, photography is. This workshop is probably the best “bang for the buck” nature photography workshop an aspiring nature photographer can take. Seriously… Why? Well, let me just tell you the ways! (Or ask one of the previous years’ participants.)
We do not have a specific agenda or time schedule – we go with the weather, the flow, and the requests of the participants. When weather cooperates, we maximize the time in the field for hands-on work. When rain hits, we’ll retreat indoors for work on digital workflow, image processing and photography theory. And with the purchase of a new large tent/greenhouse, we’ll able to shoot insects and plants without getting wet even if the rain does not let up!
Although I can’t tell you exactly what we’ll be doing in the 2009 version of the workshop, I can still tempt you by writing about some of the fun stuff we will do and learn. Take a look at my 2008 Green Mountain Workshop blog entry for a day-by-day account of the photo activities and wonderful meals we had last year.
Moss Glenn Falls – Granville, Vermont
Canon EOS 20D with Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 31mm
1.3s at f/16, ISO 100
Singh-Ray Gold-n-Blue Polarizer
Gitzo G2220 tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead, cable release, mirror lock-up
Read more…
Posted by Rob under Spring,Technique,Vermont,Workshops & Tours | Comments (8)
November 9, 2008
G’day Everyone,
A frequent question at presentations and exhibits is whether or not I have a favorite photographic location and if so, where it is. I suppose most folks expect me to describe some exotic locale far from home, likely requiring hours of intolerable air travel with its associated trevails, then a day or two of tiresome paddling along a murky river through a dense, foreboding jungle, the air humming with malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, the shores fringed with crocodiles longer than the canoe.
Autumn at Tamarack Brook
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 17mm
Moose 81A Polarizer
30 seconds at f/19, ISO 100
evaluative metering, aperture priority
Gitzo G2220 tripod, Bogen 3047 head, cable release
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Fall Foliage,Shows & Exhibits,Vermont,Workshops & Tours | Comments (1)
