paul_di_biase

Washington has no bird photography "hot spots" like those in Florida or the Southwest. On any given day a refuge, fishing pier or wetland can be full of interesting waterfowl or devoid of everything but the mallards.

As of today, there are few wild flowers at Hurricane Ridge due to the large amount of snow still present. A mid July trip should provide some flower opportunities provided the weather warms up enough to melt most of the snow in the next week to ten days. It was in the 40's at Hurricane Ridge today. However, we did manage to see deer and even a few fawns at the lower elevations.

 

You might find more information on the Olympic Peninsula via the Pacific Northwest Photography e-mail group which I sponsor. You can get to it via www.onelist.com. Once you signin to OneList search for the pnwphoto list and follow the instructions to join.

I would start with our own Dan Smith.

The camera body may also make a difference. I can't prove it with objective test results, but my observations show that the mirror slap on my FM2n causes more vibration than that of the N90s. Fortunately, the FM2n has psuedo mirror lockup via the timer.

I spent two weeks in Alaska last year on both the land and water. I found that most days were moderate to heavily overcast with resulting low light levels. So, if you intend to shoot moving subjects such as animals, performers and other people, I recommend bring a good fast film such as E200 or Portra 400VC or Fuji NHGII. You will need the speed to stop subject motion. Also, if you take a boat sight seeing tour you will need the speed to fight the up and down motion of the boat as it bobs around in the swells. I found my sharpest pictures from a small boat (not a cruise ship or ferry) were made using Fuji 800 and E200 pushed to 640. IS will probably help but, since I have never used such a lens, I am not sure if it will completely correct the motion problem.

I may have the opportunity to visit Bosque del Apache in mid July.

The visit will require a good amount of extra travel and expense so I

wish to have a clear picture of what wildlife and conditions I can

expect there in July. Thanks.

Shooting the rainforest will take a lot of time as there is a lot of rainforest to shoot. You could probably spend a week just moving up and down the Quinalt rainforest. Keep in mind that much of your shooting will have to be done in the early and late hours of the day to avoid the hot spots caused by mid-day light making it past the canopy. Of course, if the day is very overcast this may not be a problem. I suggest bringing a good fill-flash to help handle these hot spot problems.

 

You might get more help on the Pacific Northwest photography e-mail list.

www.onelist.com/subscribe/pnwphoto

This URL is suppossed to take you directly to a sign up page.

 

http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/pnwphoto

There is a new mailing list expressly for the purpose of discussing photography of the Pacific Northwest. You can find it by going to www.onelist.com and searching for the pnwphoto group. Follow the instructions to join.

There is only one trail for hiking and that is the one that cuts through the middle of the refuge. It is actually a road, but it is the walkable path. Car travel is therefore the best way to visit the refuge since one cannot walk through many parts of it. I think you will find them nearer the interior roads than the viewing areas on route 4. I doubt if baiting or any feeding is allowed but you can call the refuge at (360) 795-3915 and ask. If I were to plan a return visit to this refuge I would plan on driving through it several times in the early AM and late afternoon/evening. The rest of the day I would visit other attractions in the area such as the mouth of the Columbia River, Fort Clatsop, or Fort Vancouver. The deer while used to people are wild animals and there are no guarantees they will appear in an easily photographed situation.

I just checked my slides and found that my shutter speeds were actually 1/8 to 1/15 of a second. So add prime mirror-slap territory to the lousy photo conditions. Bring fast film and/or plan on pushing a stop or two.

There are several roads that run through and around the refuge. Along the main highway (route 4) the managment has placed several viewing areas with wall like structures and viewing windows. I guess one can call it a deer blind. Two small roads enter the refuge. One goes through the middle and the other along the Columbia River edge of the refuge. We managed to spot a doe with two fawns on this later road, but photography conditions were terrible. Plenty of dark clouds to dim the light, a nice forest canopy to reduce the light further, and the deer move about like most animals tend to do. I ended up shooting at 1/30 to 1/60 second using E200. Needless to say most of my images were blurry. Make sure you have some type of window mount or bean bag to steady your lens. Getting out of the vehicle is a great way to spook the deer. According to the refuge management September through May are the best months for viewing the deer. Alas, this part of Washington get about 60 inches of rain a year and most of it falls between September and May.

You have recieved much good information. The waterfront is very interesting with its mix of tourist attractions and real "working" facilities. I also second the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. Try to time part of your trip to sunrise or sunset if possible. Hopefully, the extremly rainy weather we had had will yield a few sun breaks.

 

If you manage to get some extra time (like an entire day) the Victoria Clipper can take you out to the San Juan Islands and even to Victoria Canada. It's a long day, but well worth the effort.

I have used this lens on a Bogen 3221 with the Arca B1 ballhead. The combination will work and give you sharp images though I believe one is working at the practical limit of the 3221. I have taken a nice sharp photo of a captive eagle using the 500mm P f/4 with a 2X TC on the Bogen setup. Enlarged to 5x7 it has brought me several nice complements.

I will have a few days in Vancouver, B.C. this Spring. Are there any

good places no more than one hour drive from the city where I can

shoot shorebirds? Also, advice on other scenic sites near the city

would also be appreciated. I will be with non photographers so my

shooting time must be spent very efficiently if possible.

This is the Nikon site with the announcment of the new digital body.

 

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http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/news/dsc99-e_99.htm

I found this at the MMPhoto.com website.

 

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January 25, 1999 U.S. Patent Office shows patents awarded for Nikon IS technology. "Macro" Photographic lens having long focal length and vibration compensation. Issued 12/98

I must remember to never proof my own work.

 

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My correct e-mail id is paulcanada@hotmail.com

I am attempting to see if there is enough interest on the part of

photographers who live and photograph in Oregon , Washington and

British Columbia to form a Yahoo club based upon our common interests.

 

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One thing that has frustrated me in the last two years is the

geographical limitation of where I can photograph natural and historic

places. While it is wonderful to hear about rare birds flocking to a

reserve in Florida, or the fabulous Fall colors in Manitoba, few of us

can hop on a plane and fly across the continent to take advantage of

such information. We are restricted to our geographical home by

time, money and other responsibilities. However, many of us can get

away for a long day or two to drive to a nearby location in our local

area.

 

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My hope is that this 'club' will allow photographers in the states of

Oregon and Washington and the province of British Columbia to exchange

information on where and when to photograph various subjects. In

order to avoid having to deal with 'silly' messages and poor behavior

I have set the club up as unlisted. Membership, while open to all

photographers in WA, OR, and B.C., is by invitation only. If you are

interested in receiving an invitation to join please e-mail me at

paulcanda@hotmail.com.

Don, if you completed your testing of Astia and its proper film speed

can you share the results with us? Thanks.

The following test results from Chasseur d'Images recently appeared on the Nikon Digest. You may make of them as you wish.

 

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F5 13 of 13 photos in focus with 300/4, closest photo @ 6 meters

13 of 13 photos in focus with 300/2.8, closest photo @ 6 meters

 

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N90s 7 of 7 photos in focus with 300/4, closest photo @ 9 meters

7 of 7 photos in focus with 300/2.8, closest photo @ 9 meters

 

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EOS3 8 of 9 photos in focus with 300/4, closest photo @ 15 meters 10 of 11 photos in focus with 300/2.8, closest photo @ 13 meters

 

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EOS1n 7 of 9 photos in focus with 300/4, closest photo @ 20 meters 8 of 10 photos in focus with 300/2.8, closest photo @ 17 meters

I do the same thing in the rear of my home so I will share what I have

learned. First, a 400mm f/5.6 lens can be rather slow on overcast

days or if the birds are under a thick tree canopy. You may have to

use a faster film. Second, the Sigma 400mm f/5.6 has the wonderful

ability to focus down to about 4 feet. I often set mine up outside a

window and prefocus it on a selected perch. I then run a cable

release inside and when I notice a bird on the perch I fire away.

I also use Nikon's fill flash to help bring out the detail in the

darker areas of the bird.

 

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What would I do differently? Now that Sigma is making its HSM lenses

in the Nikon mount I would wait to purchase the Sigma and get the HSM

version of the Sigma 400 when it comes out. (I am assuming that Sigma

is wise enough to realize that Nikon has given them a golden

opportunity in this focal length.) While the regular Sigma 400 works

pretty well with my N90s when shooting birds on a fixed perch, I have

used a friend's Silent Wave lens and must admit that such technology

would up the odds of sharp images when shooting fast moving birds. I

have shot flying birds with my Sigma, but the HSM would really help

get the most out of the N90s autofocus technology.

Bob, your comment motivates me to write about TV special that I saw

many months ago, but avoided posting a message about since I thought

it would just fan the flames of the digital argument. The TV show was

about an artist who used pure digital tools to produce art. In

particular it showed how he took a digitized photograph of some

ordinary black bird (possibly a crow) and through many clever

and skillful alterations turned it into a golden eagle. When I saw

that I became convinced of the need for a group like FoundView.

 

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But more than that I can't help but wonder if those who employ pure

digital tools are not missing the point of photography, assuming that

they want to participate in the photographic activity. I can go out

and buy a sound system for my house that will reproduce Dvorak or

Gershwin with amazing accuracy and purity. But that does not replace

the excitement of going to the music center and hearing the same

pieces performed by an orchestra. If I was a musician the sound

system certainly wouldn't replace the satisfaction I would get from

performing these great works myself and with my fellow musicians.

The same is true for good food. I can purchase a pretty good

microwave quiche at the store. But it won't replace one served at a

fine restaurant, nor one made for me by my loving wife.

 

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Let the digital folks go there way. Let them produce art their own

way. God Bless Them. We photographers will still go out, take a

picture (using whatever equipment we choose), enjoy the experience of

the shoot, and produce an FoundView type image of what we saw. An

image that is a genuine experience of the subject. God Bless Us

Also!

The September/October 1998 issue of National Geographic Traveler has an article on the The Great Texas Costal Birding Trail that extends along the Gulf Coast from Beaumant to Brownsville. The "trail" is actually a series of birding spots that have joined together to promote bird watching tourism. Among the birding sites mentioned are : Anhuan NWR, Louis Smith Bird Sanctuary, Sabal Palm Grove Sactuary, Santa Anna NWR, Brazos Bend State Park, and Laguna Atascosa NWR. Apparently, various towns are hoping on board by promoting and preserving various parks and undeveloped areas that birds use as they migrate.

 

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I know from my limited experience that good places to watch birds are not always good places to photograph birds. If anybody has any information on which, if any, of these spots on the GTCBT are good for bird photography, I am sure we would appreciate the information.

Whether a Canon EOS with USM 400mm f/5.6 is better for shooting birds than a Nikon F5 with a Tokina 400mm f/5.6 or Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 Silent Wave is not the problem many of us have. The real problem is getting to where the birds are and thus having ample opportunities to photograph them. The number of good shots I get increases markedly when I can travel to places with a large number of birds that don't flee to hinterlands at the first sight of a human being. Before spending a great deal of money on razzle-dazzle equipment, I suggest budgeting a few trips to where the birds are abundant and photographable. Of course, if you can afford the equipment and the travel expenses so much the better.