bruce

I will be making my 4th vist to Costa Rica later this month. I have

seen a lot of the country... but seem to be drawn back to the country

every other year or so. I will be staying around Playa Ballena in a

lodge called Cristal Ballena. I am curious about "must do"

photographic opportunities in the area. If you have been to Playa

Ballena &/or stayed in Cristal Ballena, I would like to pick your

brains a bit... or see some of your images.

Thanks and regards,

bruce

Definitely Red Alder... very typical of that region of the US.

regards

I visited El Yunque last year, March 2005. Please check out my website, www.btleventhal.com and follow this link http://www.btleventhal.com/htmlfiles%20Folder/elyunque.htm

My wife and I stayed in a rainforest lodge called "Casa Cubuy." The lodge is on the backside of the rainforest and connects directly into El Yunque. The area we stayed is not heavily traveled. If you are unaware, there once was a road that traversed El Yunque. This road was washed out in the '70s and as a result, this area of the forest can only be accessed by driving the main coastal road to the backside of El Yunque. The visitor center is a great place to visit, but it is extremely busy. While you can access many areas of the park, it does not make for quiet & contemplative photography. The advantage of Casa Cubuy is that you are staying within the forest boundary and you can hike in peace to forest fed pools in near solitude.

Take care and have fun..

bruce

Has anyone tried to mount their Canon 1.4x converter to a Sigma 300 2.8EX

HSM lens. I am trying to avoid buying another 1.4x as I use my EOS one on

other lenses. It appears that the Sigma's rear element is not too recessed in

the barrel, and I don't want to be the first to try this experiment and destroy two

lenses in one shot.

I appreciate your suggestions from those who have paired these optics

together.

regards,

bruce

The owls will probably be around all winter. The recent ice storms and snow

will not help them survive, as they hunt by catching mice that are burrowing

through the snow. I agree with all of the posters who suggest some caution

when photographing these birds. As of last weekend, more than 50 great

grays have died in car-owl collisions. I always do my work on back roads

where there is no traffic. In addition, I will not photograph these birds if they

are at all interested in me. As soon as a bird stops alters its behavior in

response to my actions, I move on.

Here's another image I made during a recent shoot.

http://www.btleventhal.com/HomeImages/GGO8.jpg

regards,

bruce

Hi,

I live in Minnesota and have been out shooting these owls over two different

weekends. If you wish to venture north in search of Great Grays, head to a

region known as the Sax Zim bog. The owls are reasonably approachable. If

you are using a digital slr w/ a 1.5 crop factor, a 400mm lens will be sufficient

for portraits. This image was taken w/ a 300mm + 1.4x

enjoy,

regards,

bruce

http://www.btleventhal.com<div></div>

I would like to thank everyone who has posted a response to my query. I

really appreciate the advice that your collective experiences offer. I feel as if I

am about to engage in a new and rich adventure in photography, and look

forward to sharing my discoveries as they develop.

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Hello all. I am an experienced nature photographer having worked

assignments for field researchers, magazines, and personal stock. In my 12 or

so years of my study of nature, I have worked with 35mm, 645, 6X6, and

digital SLR's. Having recently sold all of my film gear to build a solid digital

system, I have felt as if I lost the opportunity to make the BIG print. In the past,

MF seemed to fill this niche, but I needed to divest from my MF gear to fund

the plunge into digital... Well, yesterday, I stumbled into a bargain... for the

lowly price of $1100 I purchased a Zone VI 4X5, 90 f4.5 nikkor, 135 5.6

Symmar-S, and a 210 5.6 Symmar-S lens, and a polaroid ready-load "back."

All of the gear was mint..., as it came from the Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN.

I have always wished to pursue large format photography, but the opportunity

just never seemed to appear... well, it's now here. So, here is my question... I

have the gear, but do not know where to begin. I am seeking sources of

information so that I can begin to learn how to use my camera... to be honest, I

don't even know how to load the film!... how embarassing to admit this! I do

not have a camera manual... do companies make manuals for 4X5's?... does

Zone VI still exist?... how about general information on basic techniques?

FYI, I will be purchasing Jack Dytkinga's book on large format nature

photography this afternoon... I figured that I could not go wrong with that one...

any other books that you could recommend would be appreciated.

Thanks for any and all help

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Jemini,

If you are lucky, you would be able to do both eagle and swan photography

on the same day... but, this will not be at the same location. Swan migration

through Reicks lake seems to occur during mid to late November. On the west

side of the river is Wabasha, MN. Wabasha has some great eagle photo op's.

My best eagle portraits were done in a residential area that lies adjacent to

the Mississippi... as for photographing eagles and swans together, I know the

swans might stage a protest and leave in fear for their lives ; ).

regards, bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Hello,

I think I am a day late and a dollar short for you here, but... you can

photograph tundra swans on the MN-WI border. In the town of Alma along the

Mississippi is an observation platform for Swan viewing. Tundra swans

migrate out of Alaska and Canada along the Mississippi flyway. Reicks Lake

in Alma is a regular stop for them because this wetland is rich with Tubers. I

have posted some images of the swans that I made two weeks ago in this

location on my website. In addition, I've included a USFW link about the

swans in a brief essay that is connected with the pics.

Check them out at http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

good shooting and regards,

bruce

Jan... I have been down this road many times. Bottom line... if

you want the best optics and compatability with your camera

system, stick with the manufacturers lenses. I shoot Nikon, but

have used Tamron 300 f2.8's AF and MF lenses, and each time I

ended up trading or selling these to buy the Nikkor lens. I have

not used an after market lens for more than 2 years now, and will

probably never use one again. For whatever reason (most likely

psychological), I am willing to accept my image failures with my

Nikkor lenses, but blamed poor images on the Tamron when I

had previously used that lens.

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Very SAD about this...

I have just returned from a 2 week photo trip to Alaska. I had

been reading Galen's most recent essay compilations in

preparation for the adventure... the news of Galen's death has

saddened me to the core. : (

bruce

Louie,

My wife and I returned from a 2 week + trip to Alask earlier today.

We spent 7 days in Denali, four of which were spent in or near

Wonder Lake. I stongly reccomend that you do the McKinnley

Barr Trail. The trail head is a half mile from the Wonder Lake

campground. The trail is an easy 3 mile hike through blueberry

bushes, bogs, river rock beds and an old spruce forest. The trail

ends about 3 miles from the trail head at the McKinnley river.

Another great Wonder Lake hike is up to the old water tower.

This is a little more rigorous, but it gets you into a mixed tundra /

boreal landscape with multiple kettle lakes.

One word of caution. Tamy and I were a bit disappointed with

your trip as much of Denali was impacted by smoke from nearby

fires... this made landscapes extremely challenging!

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Steve,

I know that you have come to a conclusion at this point, but I feel

the need to chime in... just for the record.

I shoot for stock, magazine articles, and galleries, and

purchased the 80-400VR for its flexibility. 2 months later I had to

sell it at a significant loss (thankfully the rebate defraid this a bit).

I found the lens to be poorly built w/ its telescoping (and

vulnerable) inner tube, unusable on a tripod, and unsharp at 400

f5.6. It is possible that the lens is sharper than it appeared, but it

exhibited a lot of movement when mounted on my tripod and

thus was prone to vibration... Stay away from this lens!!!

I have subsequently purchased the new AFS300 f4.0 ( the 2.8 is

too much money for my business to justify) and am searching

for a reasonably price 400 3.5 for my wildlife work. While the 300

4.0 has the same tripod colar as the 80-400, it is better attached

to the lens, and does not suffer from the same degree of

vibration as the zoom did. If I have not said this clearly enough...

Don't buy the VR if you are criticle about your work!!

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

John,

You have received a lot of good advice from Craig and Shun to

this point, and I would like to support their recommendation. I

moved from Contax to Nikon in the mid 90's. I had a broad

selection of bodies and lenses... traded it all towards Nikon, and

rebuilt my system. There is no question that the Macro-Planar is

an outstanding lens for the Y/C, N, & 645 system, but it does not

touch the convenience and flexibility of the new EDAF200

Micro-Nikkor. If you are using the older 200, it to is a good lens,

but the newer design is sharper and allows for 1:1

magnification. It's build is a durable as any Zeiss optic I have

owned in the past. Finally, the value and flexibility of a lens based

tripod mount can not be understated in Macro photography!!! You

will tend to shoot less macro verticles if you can not easily flip

your camera, and this will restrict your vision.

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Hello Ken,

My wife Tamy and I do much of our shooting together. We show

our work together in galleries, and publish with a joint byline.

We've been married for 12 years now and are partners in the true

sense of the word. I could not imagine taking photo adventures

without her... whether it be a 10 mile trip to a nature center or a

larger excursion to Costa Rica. To be honest, there is nothing

like sharing your passion with someone who is your passion.

The only draw back to our photo relationship is the cost. We have

3 complete systems... two 35mm SLR systems and one

medium format system. Because we have invested in two full

SLR systems, we have made compromises... for example, we

have yet to purchase AFS lenses to replace our older AF and MF

gear... but this is a compromise I gladly accept in order to have a

photo partner who understands the process and pleasure of

nature photography.

Thanks for the good question and regards, Bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Doug,

I have done quite a bit of rainforest photography... both tropical

and temperate. Having visited a rainforest a year for 4 years

running, and planning a 5th trip for this year, I definitely have

burned a lot of film in these places. Like you, I either shoot w/out

a filter, or with an ND or Polarizer when the situation warrants

their use. Rainforests are very very green, and you have to pick

your shots carefully. In addition, sunny days can be murder

creating dark shadows and white highlighted greens! Pick your

moments and your subjects carefully. In good soft light, you will

be able to produce great shots with a broad range of colors.

Furthermore, be sure that you are very comfortable with your

flash and the process of doing "fill exposure," as this will be

essential for most close range flora and fauna shots within the

understory of the forest.

To see a sample of Costa Rican images, visit the gallery in our

website. http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

regards,

bruce

To all looking for a fairly comprehensive analysis of the 400 DO

lens, here is a link to the site that I was trying describe in my

previous post.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/400-do.htm

regards... again,

bruce

Bob,

I have not seen one to date, but there is a website called

luminous-landscape (http://www.luminous-landscape.com) that

has done a fairly thorough review of the lens. The photographer

(Michael Richemann sp?) has used it and did some tests

comparing the lens to the 100-400 IS @ 400mm.

Based on the tests, the DO lens significantly out performs the

zoom.... Now if only the price came down and Nikon made it,

would the world be a great place ; { >

regards,

bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

I own the 80-400 vr, old style AF300 f4.0, and a 300 f2.8. I

certainly agree with the tripod mount criticisms associated with

the 80-400 lens, but it is still an outstanding lens. In contrast to

the Shun's comments, I think that the lens is nicely built, and very

easy to use in manual focus. If you are hoping to use the lens for

rapidly moving objects, you will be disappointed with the AF. As

for "publication & enlargement quality," just about any quality

lens can produce publishable images if the subject is worthy.

I've produced 16x20's with the 80-400 that rival the images made

with my 300mm lenses...

As for choosing the new AF300 f4.0 AFS to avoid the tripod

mount snafu... this newly designed lens used the same exact

tripod mount as the 80-400, and exhibits the same problems

with slow shutter speeds... sometimes Nikon makes very stupid

decisions to save a few $$ in production!

regards, bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Hello all,

I am hunting for some advice about must see places during my

two week trip to Alaska. 1st and foremost, I arrive on 8/11 in the

evening and am heading off to Denali on the 12th. I already have

camping reservations at Riley Creek on the 13th, and

reservations at Wonder Lake for the 14th to 18th. We will be

leaving Alaska on the 23rd. I am a camper with a lot of photo

gear... full medium format and 35mm systems. Note... this is a

photo excursion as Tamy and I both shoot nature for Galleries

and Stock. So,... do you have any suggestions about where to

stay/go on the 12th as I make my way towards Denali? Once I'm

done with Wonder Lake, I've got about 5 days to kill. Do you

suggest that I stay in a different Denali campground? Head

towards Homer? I really do not know where to go next, where to

stay, and what to see.

Thanks and regards... bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Ben,

The Kenko Pro300 1.4x + the original AF Nikkor 300 f4.0 EDiF is

an outstanding combination. I use this set up routinely for light

weight work. I have compared it to my AF 300 2.8 EDIF + TC14b,

and the performance is identical wide open. I have written a

thorough review of this converter and posted on my website.

Check it out at http://owlseyenaturephotos.com

Regards,

bruce

Doug,

I had gone to the one day Gerlach seminar in Minneapolis about

3 or 4 years ago. The seminar will hit many levels of nature

photography, but what I found particularly useful was John's

method for spot metering subjects. His technique for metering

nature has now become the one that I exclusively use... You will

get a very useful hand out, and a nice education on determining

zones relative to neutral.

Enjoy the Seminar and regards,

bruce... http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

Rick,

I use a Pentax 645 & 645n with the AF45 f2.8, AF75 f2.8, and

MF200 f4.0. These lenses have never exhibited flare under

normal sunlight shooting conditions. I was out at Joshua Tree

NP working on a landscape assignment this last December

and did not experience any flare with any of my lenses... this

includes direct sunrise and sunset images...

Maybe you've got a bad sample... or the zooms are prone to flare.

My advice... stick with the primes.

Regards,

Bruce

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com

I have searched throughout the MF forum seeking a solution to

my problem, but have yet to find an answer. I am using a Pentax

300 f4.0 EDIF MF lens on my P645 & P645n. I do not wish to

purchase the AF lens as the MF lens has the identical formula to

the new lens, and is constructed from better materials. My

problem is that the lens I own does not have a tripod mount.

While this is not a huge issue when the lens is used alone (as

Pentax 645 bodies have both vertical and horizontal mounting

holes for a tripod) it is a problem when the lens is used with the

matching 1.4x converter.

I have considered the Bogen long lens support, but it is

awkward, and I am not certain that I can get it to attach to my

Arca-Swiss release system.... Does anybody have a creative

solution to my problem?

Thanks and regards, Bruce Leventhal

http://www.owlseyenaturephotos.com