Pine Marten and Peanut Butter

Everyone loves peanut butter! I'm sure pine martens prefer a hot lunch but will settle for this when MacDonald's is closed. This was the highlight of my second trip this year to Sax Zim Bog.  The red pail handle is an indication of the chaotic feed placement at this location.

Too Cold!

It was too cold for the camera!  One day last week I was filming with a Canon C100 and experienced pixelation that makes the footage unusable. the only way to salvage it was to share the experience. Canon lists it lowest operating temperature at 32F so I can't complain about the camera. 

GoPro for Wildlife

I'm testing my daughter's GoPro  for wildlife.  Despite its small size these feeder birds and squirrel definitely were aware of its presence. If I were serious I would put the housing in the area to allow the animals to get adjusted to it and then put the camera in. I don't know the minimum focusing distance and these shots may have been inside that limit. I think the wildlife focus is a little soft. On the other hand maybe the lens was a little cloudy from humidity in the case in the -10 degree weather.  More testing will be done in warmer weather.

Technical: camera controlled with iPhone app. Edited with iMovie

The Second Shot

The first decision is choosing the subject.  This is the most important decision in photography, a carefully considered decision can immensely improve the quality of your work. The second decision is easy.  Do you shoot a vertical or horizontal frame?  Shoot both and decide later which one works best.  When shooting wildlife there is an indeterminate length of time with the subject.  Shoot, shoot, shoot, and review later.

Breaking Rules

In preparation for March classes I'm reviewing the rules of photography.  Frequently rules are called guidelines, occasionally they are called unimportant.  We all know of exceptional images that break the "rules".  Those images are like the news we watch on TV each day, the vast majority of good stories do not make the news.  Take images that follow the longstanding rules, then take the other images.  Shoot, shoot, shoot, and review your shots at your leisure to see which composition best communicates your story.  Technical: Rule of thirds followed.  Image shot at noon, rule against shooting at midday broken.

Grosbeaks at Feeder

Back to the feeders for some action.  This feeder on Blue Spruce Road, east of Meadowlands, is a prime viewing spot for both evening and pine grosbeaks.  Photography is a little tough for the purist in nature photography with the birds either being on the feeders or high in the surrounding spruce trees.

Pecking Order

Feeders are great for the interaction although the stress probably does burn some extra energy.  But when the diet is peanut butter there should be some extra fuel for a good fight, albeit a brief one.  Filmed at Sax Zim Bog.  Techinical: ambient sound added, 50% normal speed

Thirsty

This pine grosbeak was busy in the tree appearing to be eating snow.  Technical: photographed standing in the bed of the pickup to reduce angle, cropped.  Photogrpahed at the Blue Spruce feeders, Sax Zim.

Nervous

This hairy woodpecker is very nervous and is finally convinced the red squirrel's warnings might be important than eating.   As photographers we concentrate on the visual elements but recording video brings in the importance of sound.  Sometimes I just close my eyes and listen at the feeders. Technical: action at 75% normal speed, sound cleaned with Audacity.

Staying Warm

I've spent the last couple days in Sax Zim Bog braving the -18 degrees yesterday morning.  The temperature tested the lower comfort limit of my footwear which is definitely above that temperature.  My feet were cold!  This ball of feathers is staying warm in his own way.

Slow Creeper

Another version of my fascination with this hyperactive bird.  The video is shown at half normal speed so the birds unique behavior can more easily be seen.  Filmed at the Owl Ave. feeder complex in Sax Zim Bog.  This is an excellent feeder for a variety of birds and photogenic placement of the feeders.  Technical: Overcranked to 60 fps, shutter speed 1/125 to match shutter angle.  Converted to 30fps in Final Cut to create slow motion.

Catch me if you can!

Another photo from Sax Zim that shows its range of birds.  Brown creepers and great gray owls have feathers but other than that they could not be more different.  The photographer's challenge is to get an image with the beak an eye present in this bird that is in nonstop motion, I guess that's why there is a high speed burst mode.

Great Gray Finale

The last of the great gray, time to move on to other Sax Zim images.

Great Gray Variation

There are a couple ways to look at this image.  Yes, it is a great gray owl with snow on its head and a few flakes coming down in the background.  Looking at the image from a design perspective the diagonal perch and eyes to the right make the image more dynamic than a flat perch and the owl looking straight ahead.  The owl is separated from the out of focus and flat background. Compositionally there is space to the front of the bird.  The beauty of photography is the fact there are no right answers just different possibilities.  Over the course of a few a hours lots of possibilities were tried.  Now ther is the fun of reliving the experience while editing.

It's in the Eyes

I spent yesterday at Sax Zim and had an unforgettable day photographing with friends.  One highlight of the was spending the afternoon with this owl.  The music of shutters on burst mode filled the air.

Downy at the Feeder

I always have trouble determining whether I'm watching a downy or hairy woodpecker at the feeders.  If you are in the same quandary here are a couple hints learned during my most recent review of Sibley.  Downies are smaller (Diminutive). Downies have a small (Diminutive) beak compared to their head.  Downies Devour feeders.  They are very common at most feeders.  Hairy woodpeckers on the other hand are larger, have a large beak relative to their head size and are less common at feeders.  If you see a diminutive woodpecker with a diminutive beak devouring the feed it is probably a downy woodpecker.

Boreal Chickadee #2

Portraits are among my least favorite bird images.  Usually a portrait is a "bird on a stick" or butt shot. This portrait tells a story, at least to me, of a winter bird and the head position gives the impression of looking up and around as they are constantly doing.  Technical: 500 mm lens with 25 mm extender, slight cropping.

Boreal Chickadee

A trip to Sax Zim Bog yesterday was rewarding but frustrating.  The boreal chickadees, which are one of the areas signature birds, were active but getting footage was frustrating.  I finally went for the easy shot of one feeding on peanut butter. Technical data: shot at 60 frames per second, converted to 30 frames per second, therefore motion is 1/2 speed.