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NatureScapes.net Monthly Newsletter - October 2010

Humpback Whale - Joe McCabe

Living in Juneau, Alaska, situated along the the Inside Passage waterway, seasonal home of many humpbacks and orcas, I'm fortunate enough to have relatively easy access to these wonderful and often entertaining animals.

This photo was made in Chatham Strait, between Admiralty Island and Baranof and Chichagof Islands, about a 2 hour small boat ride from Juneau. We had been hanging out with 2 groups of about 6 whales each which were cooperatively bubble net feeding as one large group. Often when 2 distinct groups of humpbacks interact, there will be a higher than normal chance of great photo opportunities as the whales establish their social pecking order. In these circumstances, you can almost count on breaches, spy hopping and fin and tail slapping (not to mention cooperative lunge or bubble net feeding).

Equipment Used: Canon 7D, EF 100-400mm IS, 160mm, 1/1000, F9, ISO 640.

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  Featured Articles  
 

Scenes from Louisiana, the BP Oil Disaster Part II Scenes from Louisiana, the BP Oil Disaster Part II
by Shawn Carey

After making a one week trip to Louisiana July from 24 to August 1 to document the PB oil disaster it soon became clear to me I would need to return for a follow-up visit. With much of the major media quickly losing interest in this story, I felt compelled to see what, if any, progress had taken place since my previous visit. This time I would be limited to only four full days so I would have to make the best of it while I was there. So, before departing, I made plans with both Drew Wheelan (American Birding Association), who was spending much of his time on Grand Isle, and local wildlife photographer Charlie Bush who lives in Houma, Louisiana.

The plan was to charter a boat on two mornings. One trip would be out to Raccoon Island which I had flown over on July 28. The other would be a return trip into Barataria Bay to check on Cat Island, one of the largest Brown Pelican rookeries in the area. We would also travel up into Bay Jimmy to see Wilkens Island and some of the other marsh islands in the bay. I also wanted to interview some of the locals like Patrick Shay and Leanne Sarco that I had interviewed on my previous trip. Since they both are on Grand Isle, I wanted their perspective on how the cleanup was going. Obviously, I also wanted to see for myself what was taking place in terms of the cleanup on the island. Read full article >

 
 

The Magic of Blurs: A Guide to Creating Artistic Images The Magic of Blurs: A Guide to Creating Artistic Images
by Alfred and Fabiola Forns

Blurs have always been an intriguing part of photography. They can be technically challenging to create, and require practice, technique, and luck to do well. A variety of subjects are well suited to blur photography, including birds, flowers and even landscapes. Who has not tried to blur a bird in flight or a waterfall? Low light is almost a prerequisite to blurs, as it provides the ideal condition in which to... Read full article >

 
 

Infrared Photography Infrared Photography
by Deborah Sandidge

Photographers from the novice to the professional can photograph in infrared. Infrared light surrounds you—you just can't see it. However, when you use a special filter with your digital camera, it becomes capable of recording infrared light. You can learn to envision the behavior and effects of infrared light, and see it in your mind's eye. The camera can capture this invisible light to transform ordinary... Read full article >

 
 

Sunset View Sunset View
by Bret Edge

While assisting at a photo workshop in Arches National Park, the leader called it quits when warm sunset light failed to materialize. We all packed up our camera gear and loaded into cars for the trek back to Moab. No sooner had we hit the main park road than a faint wash of color started spreading through clouds above the La Sal Mountains to the east. Not wanting to miss a possible... Read full article >

 
 

Herp Photography Herp Photography
by Pierson Hill

So what exactly is "herp photography?" Aside from the subject matter—reptiles and amphibians—there is no single defining attribute. Because the increasingly popular discipline spans a wide range of techniques, gear, and strategies, this article will serve as a primer and will simply cover the basics of how to capture images of creepy crawlies. I will emphasize photography in the field, but many of... Read full article >

 
NatureScapes Photography Series - Bosque del Apache - December 3-5, 2010
  Featured Workshops  
 
Bosque del Apache Bosque del Apache with Greg Downing
Socorro, New Mexico
December 6-8, 2010 - $750
Just announced - only 4 spaces available!

With a mix of in-the-field and classroom instruction you will work closely with Greg on honing your skills in this intimate small-group setting. Immediately following the NSN Event - attend both and save $100! Get more details >

Tanzania, Africa The Ultimate Africa Experience
Tanzania, Africa

March 1-12, 2011 - $8,495
Instructor: Greg Downing
Must be registered by December 31st!
Costa Rica Hummingbirds & More Adventure
Costa Rica

March 21-31, 2011 - $3,995
Instructors: Greg Downing, Greg Basco
Almost full!
Kaui, Hawaii Ultimate Kauai - from Land, Sea, and Air
Kaui, Hawaii

May 24-30, 2011 - $6,495
Instructors: Greg Downing, E.J. Peiker
The ultimate Hawaii workshop!
British Columbia, Canada Loons & More
British Columbia, Canada

June 10-14, 15-19, or 20-24, 2011 - $2,475
Instructor: Greg Downing
Just announced!
 
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When will the DSLR become a relic?
"With improvements in electronic viewfinders and liveview technology, when will the DSLR join the ranks of the film camera? The advantages of the mirrorless camera are enormous. They can be smaller and lighter in weight, frame rates can be faster and autofocus more accurate without the blackout period. Another mechanical failure problem will be eliminated. Electronic viewfinders would allow seeing the effect of image settings in the viewfinder. So when will the new breed be good enough?" Read topic >

 
 

Have you ever been harassed for taking photos?
"It's happened only once to me in 2004. A college commissioned me to take a photo of its building for its holiday card. I was on the top level of the adjacent garage building (six floors high) with a tripod and a wide angle lens (17-40mm) around 6 am waiting for nice light. A security guard parked his truck so as to block my vehicle and asked what I was doing. Another guard came up the stairs. Someone reported seeing the tripod. To my surprise, I reacted strongly and negatively. But after I showed the guards my business card and driver's license, they left." Read topic >

 
 

Interesting NEC PA271W BK-SV Model Notes
"I finally blew my gasket with HP and needed a monitor... so I ordered the NEC PA271W-bk-sv today with the Spectraview II. Reading through several review sites lately, two of them mentioned that the SV version had hand picked top of the line panels. "These are then tuned and altered to enhance the performance even further, with advanced adjustments being made in the factory to ensure these are the absolute cream of the crop. I figured it was a bunch of hogwash so I called NEC and asked the question..." Read topic >

 
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