This photograph was made from a small gondola while gliding through the canopy of a rainforest in Costa Rica earlier this month. I was drawn by the slight tint to the fog/rain from a sliver of sun peeking in from somewhere.

On the weekend I went with some photo friends to an antique car museum.   Apart from cars, trucks and motorcycle.   They had various automotive service brands highlighted in various displays including full blow service stations from bygone days.

There also was a General Store with a post office.   That is what caught my eye.   Since everything in the building was from long ago and even further back than I can remember.   I decided my post processing would have to reflect that point in time.

Enjoy the result.

Take Care and Be Safe

Recently a local forum I belong to asked for us to share with it’s members our favourite shot from 2011.    When they asked for us to show OUR favourite shot.  I took it that they did not want.  The most popular shoot.   My best selling shot,   My shot that was my best WOW.    BUT……..MY favourite.

This picture was made during my 6th trip to Africa, my second to the Masai Mara in Kenya.  I have lots of various shots with a cheetah(s) as the subject.   However I was miss a full body shot.  Standing on a mound. With a nice clean background.  The animal look right at me.   That picture was on my “bucket list” for shots to get on that trip.

That is way it is my favourite shot from 2011.

Take Care and Be Safe

My wife Glenda and I are going on a ten day cruise over New Years out of Fort Lauderdale.    We have six ports of call included the Panama Canal.    We are certainly looking forward to that.

I really had some very serious thoughts as to what camera equipment would be coming along.  Since this will not be primarily a photo trip.   And I did not relish the thought of carrying a 40lb camera bag containing things just because I may need it.   Especially trekking through jewelry stores.

The end result is Nikon D700, Nikkor 28-300 VR and 50mm f1.8.  A polarizer and a SB-900.   That is it not even a tripod, just a few charging and cleaning items.  If Jay Maisel and Bob Krist can do it, I just might be able to do it also.

Hope you all have a very Happy New Year and a prosperous 2012

Take Care and Be Safe

Christopher Robin

I was able to secure two places on Squiver.com’s  Ultimate Bears Workshop in September, 2012 at Clark National Park, Alaska.  A seven day photographic adventure I will be sharing with my son Geoff.

Like most of Squivers Workshops lately they sell out very quickly.

Geoff came with me to the Masai Mara last August, he purchased a new D7000 and we exchanged long lens during the trip.    Geoff learned that on photographic adventures like this it is best to carry and use two camera bodies.    This time I will be adding tripods and mounts to the mix.      My hope is that he gains an interest in my Nikon D3 about the same time as the anticipated Nikon D4 hits the shelves.    Time will tell on that one.

Another year is about to enter the history books.    At this time of year our thoughts turn to peace on earth and goodwill among men.   If we start with our family and friends and work out into the world some day this world of ours just might have “Peace on Earth and Goodwill among all peoples.”

When I was growing up my mother and grandmothers were always reading to me and telling me stories about my name sake and his friends that lived in the Hundred Acre Woods.  One of them has Christopher Robin saying to Pooh “If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. but the most important thing is, even if we’re apart.. i’ll always be with you.”

Maybe we don’t say to our family and friends what we ought to.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and Safe Holiday.

May your time be filled with hugs and sharing.

It has been a long time since I pulled out a long lens, flash, Better Beamer, Wimberly mount and headed off to FortWhyte Alive.   FortWhyte Alive is an amazing nature reserve right in the middle of the city.  When you are concentrating on getting a wonderful bird portrait, you are liable to be bumped by a passing white tail deer.    They are truly ghosts of the forest, moving silently through the bush.

Nothing is rushing you at FortWhyte so you have plenty of time to make those photographs that you want to.

This picture I made of a “Hairy Woodpecker” working away on a block of frozen suet was one of the results.   It took about an hour and about 50 exposure before I got what I wanted.    Nice even body motion with a sharp eye.   The only thing more I would have liked was the suit cage being sharp.   But it was hanging by a chain and was powered by the bird motion.

I had a great day at the reserve.   Made a few different pictures.   Oh yeah the zero degree weather was a welcome bonus.

You never know when trying something new, will help with what you really like doing.    Animal Portraits are/where not high on my list of things to try.  But I have this wonderful model at my call all weekend.

I was granddog sitting,  Oliver my sons 3 1/2 year old Silver Lab.   So armed with treats my wife Glenda set to work to make a portrait of Sir Oliver.   We assembled an array of Nikon equipment, backdrops, light stands, umbrellas.   With my head full of instructions from, Joe McNally, Strobist , Dave Black and David Ziser.   We set to work.   Not sure what we ran out of first.   My nerves, treats or Oliver willingness to co-operate.

Well if the final result makes it to a frame and resides on my sons desk.   I guess it was not only an afternoon filled with laughs but a success.

For those that have visited Monument Valley.  You are aware that the Valley Loop is closed to the general public  until after sunrise.    So unless you take one of the special guided tours you have to find other ways to get your mittens in the rising sun.

My one day visit to the valley, sort of a scouting trip as I had never been there before, was how I made this image.    Arrival was just at sunset, a 3rd floor room was booked at The View hotel.  This was the view from the rooms balcony.   Shot the sunset,  then a few shots during the night and was set up in the morning to get this wonderful sunrise.  The rest of the day was spent driving around the Valley Loop road marking places for photography on a return trip.

On the night of December 10th, 2011.  Parts of the world enjoyed a total lunar eclipse.  Here in Manitoba we raced the rising sun to try and see the moment of totality, but we lost out to the daylight and clouds.  The next total lunar eclipse will be April 15,th.  2014.
I was able to pull out several cloudless images during to period from full moon to just before it went into totality.    This composite photographs shows my results.