Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For April we chose an image taken on our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop. The image was taken by Jason Fox during our macro photo shoot near Corcovado National Park. Jason is a wildlife and travel photographer from Ontario, Canada.
Congratulations to April 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Jason Fox
Photographer Jason Fox
The Story…
I was looking for an angle with the right light. I remember Cree was right next to me. I was also looking for just the right angle for the background. The frog wasn’t going anywhere. So I was looking for the right expression as well.
I chose the Nikon Plena lens because I don’t really have a macro lens. I do not photograph macro that often. The minimum focus distance is quite short on the Plena. I figured this lens would give me good separation form the background. It also has legendary bokeh. Everyone goes on and on about the bokeh with this lens. I’m not quite sure why it is so unique, but it seems to do quite well.
My daughter absolutely loves frogs. This one of the reasons I chose to go to Costa Rica. I took the photo for her. I want to make a print of this one for her wall. This frog is a bit on the plain side. I thought it worked well with the muted background.
The editing for this image was pretty light. I wanted to leave some of the natural gunk on the plant because I didn’t want it to look too staged. I wanted the image to look natural. I did very little to the frog because it was so sharp, right out of the camera. I increased the vibrance on the frog just a bit and desaturated the background about 10%.
Photo of the Month – Gladiator Tree Frog
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: Nikon Plena 135 mm
Aperture: f2
Shutter: 1/160th seconds
ISO: 180
Exposure Comp +.7
About Photographing in Costa Rica
The critters and the locations are fantastic. I have shot in a lot of jungles. I was just in Borneo with Tom and Cree the month before. I found the lighting in Costa Rica to be challenging. The light seemed to change more frequently then in other places I’ve photographed. It was an exposure compensation workout.
I really enjoyed the macro subjects.. The Yellow Eyelash Viper was really striking. The anteater was also very cool. It is a rare critter and I felt very fortunate to be able to photograph it. I was next to Tom in the right place at the right time.
I have been to Costa Rica a few times before. This particular part (the Osa Penninsula) feels more wild and less developed. It was wilder than I would have expected for Costa Rica.
The sloth shoot was pretty phenomenal. I love sloths. We were much closer than I expected. In the past they always seemed to be way up a tree and hard to photograph. Usually they are just furry lumps in trees. But not on this shoot.
Three-toed Sloth in Costa Rica
Jason’s Tips for Wildlife Photography
Tip 1
Patience. It all comes down to finding different angles than everyone else. For the sloth image above, everyone was trying to get the clear shot from straight on. I looked at the direction that it was headed and moved over to the side. I like that he is partly covered by the leaves. This is a critter that is designed to hide and the image shows that.
Tip 2
Generally I like slower shutter speeds. Digital cameras are almost too sharp. I like to shoot slow and have the image be a little softer in the background or in the foreground.
Baby sloth in Costa Rica
On Jason’s Horizon:
Everywhere is on my bucket list
Canary Islands
South Africa and Madagascar
Bhutan
Antarctica
Indonesia
Jason getting to know his macro subject
Interested in joining us in Costa Rica next year?We have space from March 22-29, 2025 Learn more
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For February we chose an image taken on our Indonesia Workshop. The image was taken by Richard Epter during a photo shoot in a rice paddy near Malang on East Java. Richard is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Augusta, Georgia.
Congratulations to February 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Richard Epter
Richard Epter in Indonesia
The Story…
I remember that we got to sleep in. We left at 4am which was later than the days before. I had no idea what we were going to see because I had never been to a rice paddy before.
When we got there, we walked through some fields and then the view opened up. It was twilight and we were just starting to see light. In the distance I could see terracing. I could’t see much beyond that because it was cloudy and too dark.
There was a short wall made of mud on our right. The walls were a foot think. I thought it was gorgeous to see that. Terracing has always been fascinating to me. Earlier on the trip we saw terraces on the sides of mountains and I was amazed at how steep they were.
During the shoot, I learned how the local men in the rice paddies make the walls. They dig up mud, push it to the edge of the paddy and manually build up the the walls, layer by layer. It all happened right before us.
In my photo there are tiny rice plant shoots in the foreground. Rice is one of the few aquatic crops other than taro. The image shows a lot of water with the rice plants just starting to grow. As they grow they don’t need as much water.
I found it very interesting that on the downhill edge of each paddy, there was a small 6 inch gap that drained the terraces. This allowed the entire field to drain slowly throughout the day.
As the sun rose I could see a huge mountain in the background. I was so surprised to hear that it was Mt Semeru. Semeru is the the same mountain we had photographed days early with volcanic gases escaping. We were on the opposite site of the volcanic massif. It was not just a coincidence. That was fantastic to see and photograph both sides.
When we were walking back from the shoot, I was looking for an angle that really accentuated the lines of the terraces and the reflection of Semeru. I used a low perspective to get the entire mountain in the reflection.
It wasn’t until I got on the computer that I realized what I had. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was,
Photo of the Month – Malang Rice Paddy with Mt Semeru by Richard Epter
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: Nikon 24-120
Aperture: f11
Shutter: 1/13 sec
ISO: 64
Mode: Manual
About Photographing in Indonesia
This was my first time to Indonesia. It has so much natural beauty. The people were so nice everywhere we went.
The only volcano I had ever seen was Haleakala in Hawaii a long time ago. All of my pictures were blown out then. I did a much better job this time around.
Our sunrise shoot at Semeru was very impactful for me. It was interesting to be so close to an active volcano. You never know what it is going to do. That is exciting in and of itself.
This was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. The gases were spewing perfectly to catch the colors of sunrise in the clouds. The sun started strolling down the sides of the volcanos and brought out all of the volcanic ridges.
Every day in Indonesia was exciting. We never knew what we were going to see.
The monkeys and orangutans in the wild made it feel like we were on the set of Tarzan. The skills of the guides were terrific. They could see and hear things that none of the rest of us could. They were fantastic. They would point out a kingfisher on a limb and I couldn’t even see the limb! It helped me learn to train my eye.
This was one of the most adventurous trips I’ve ever taken.
Mt Semeru at sunrise
Richard’s Tips for Travel Photography
Tip 1
Take an extra minute or so to access the angle of view. Try moving up and down to change your perspective. A foot to the left or right can also make a hug difference. When I squatted down, I was able to get the entire reflection of Mt Semeru in the photo.
Tip 3
Don’t worry about taking too many frames. Shoot at a high frame rate, especially if you are on a moving boat. I tend to shoot wildlife at 20 frames per second. This really helps capture more images where the animal is looking right at you. This makes a more engaging shot.
Tip 4
Use the lowest ISO that you can. I learned this from Tom in Indonesia. Now I try to use ISO 64 when I can to keep the noise low. Noise reduction software can make a big difference, but it’s even better to start with a low ISO.
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image taken on our Oaxaca Mexico Workshop. The image was taken by Monica Whitt during our Dia de los Muertos photo shoot. Monica is a commercial and portrait photographer from Anchorage, Alaska. Check out her work at Monica Whitt Photography
Congratulations to January 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Monica Whitt
Monica in agave fields of Oaxaca
The Story…
The way the lights were set up was amazing. The Clam Shell format is pretty cool. It really highlights the face.
The background light was also convenient. The wall was already red. The background light with the red gel cap accentuated the color and added mood.
It was great to have the strobe trigger and be able to direct the model. I tried to get as many expressions in the face as possible. I asked her to turn around and to tilt her face a bit.
I also shot in portrait and landscape. I zoomed in and out. I was using my Canon 28-70 2.0 lens. This worked well for zooming. I just kept experimenting to see what worked best.
The villa was amazing. The arches, the color, the flooring. The whole place helped the mood and the vibe. It was comfortable and not at all hot. So colonial. I loved it!
Photo of the Month – Sofia - Day of Dead
EXIF Data:
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: 28-70 2.0
Aperture: f8
Shutter: 1/100 sec
ISO: 100
Mode: Manual
About Photographing in Oaxaca
It was my first time in Oaxaca. Photographing people was a highlight of the week. This is why I signed up for the workshop.
I was also fascinated by the murals all over town. Then adding the couple (of models), this made it so much better.
I frequently had to decide what angle to photograph. Literally in a 360′ view, there would be 1000 photos right there. The people were just wonderful.
Chef Alejandro Ruiz at the market
Monica’s Tips for Travel Portraits
Tip 1
I recommend environmental portraits in Oaxaca. They showcase where the person works and the area.
Tip 2
Shooting in shade makes for even lighting. If there is no shade, try putting the sun behind the person.
Tip 3
Depending on their comfort level – tell the models to do whatever they want. They feel free and really show more natural expressions and genuine smiles.
Tip 4
I try to get a variety of expressions. When I work with high school seniors I ask them funny questions like, “Are you the smart one in the family?” They laugh and I get great expressions.
Working the agave fields
On Monica’s Horizon:
Patagonia
Germany – to visit family
Portraits of Native Alaskans
Interested in joining us in Oaxaca in January 2025? Learn more
Tom and Cree are headed to Borneo with a workshop this weekend. They will be photographing an area with the largest population of Orangutans in the world. After that they join a group in Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod.
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For December we chose an image taken on our Bosque and White Sands Workshop. The image was taken by Tim Crull during a stunning sunset at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. Tim is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Indiana and he loves grizzly bears!
Congratulations to December 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Tim Crull
Tim Crull at White Sands National Park
The Story…
When we arrived at the Roosting Pond, there were only a few ducks there. We could hear cranes from a distance and we started to see them flying towards us.
We needed the right sky color. Then we needed the cranes to fly right in front of it.
I began tracking multiple groups of cranes. Sometimes the cranes were not close enough. Othertimes they overlapped and did not look as good. I just kept trying until I got what I wanted. Just keep shooting.
Everything has to come together to get the right shot. I waited until I got an odd number of cranes with just the right separation between them.
Photo of the Month – Trio of Sandhill Cranes by Tim Crull
EXIF Data:
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: 600 mm
Aperture: f4
Shutter: 1/1000 sec
ISO: 500
Mode: Manual, auto ISO
About Photographing in White Sands
I had never been there before. I’ve been to other sand dunes like in Death Valley. The white sand makes it really amazing.
I went two days before the workshop but could not get in early. Going with a workshop means you can get in before sunrise. This makes all the difference in the world.
It’s all about the light there. The sand reflects the different colors in the sky like no where else.
Sunset at White Sands National Park
Tim’s Tips for Photographing at Bosque
Tip 1
You need the right weather. Keep going back until you get it. A sunset with red or orange is what you want.
Tip 2
Shoot a lot. You won’t know the position of the birds and groupings until later.
Tip 3
Practice tracking birds with your camera and lens before you go.
Tip 4
The first day the 600mm felt like it was too much. But that was really all I used for the rest of the trip. The 100-500mm Canon lens was what I used in White Sands, in addition to the 24-105mm
Tip 5
Experiment. Try some slow shutter speeds. I shot the Snow Geese at 1/30th of a second and that was new for me.
Snow Geese at 1/30th second
On Tim’s Horizon:
Bears in Katmai National Park in Alaska
Iceland
Chilkat, Alaska for Bald Eagles
Denali National Park
Northern Lights
Tim at Bosque with his Canon 600mm
Tom and Cree just returned from a family vacation in the jungles and beaches of Mexico. Great to relax and enjoy sunsets with Spotted Eagle Rays swimming by us.
We are finishing up a very successful 2023 year. Thank you to all of you who joined us on trips this year. We hope to see you again in 2024: 2024 Schedule and 2025
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For November we chose an image taken on our Chilkat Eagles Workshop. The image was taken by Marni Nagy on a snowy day on the Chilkat River in Alaska. Marni’s creativity extends to her business as well. Check out Capturing Couture to see her beautiful, custom camera straps. Perfect item for the Holidays!
Congratulations to November 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Marni Nagy
Marni on the edge of the Chilkat River
The Story…
I was off to the side. I got a different angle than everyone else. One of the eagles, the one I call Mohawk, was the aggressor all week. Based on her size, I think she was a female. She was often the one going after other eagles. I have the before and after sequence from this image. The eagle who had the fish flipped over and had it’s back on the ground to get it’s talons in the air.
I didn’t realize that eagles were scavengers. Eagles would grab a salmon and bring it out of the river and then another eagle would come in and take it. There were plenty of fish to go around in the river.
I was working on protecting my ISO. This was my biggest learning from the workshop. Tom and I discussed exposure compensation vs ISO. He recommended giving up exposure compensation to have a lower ISO.
Having a day of snow was just magical. Even the grasses became pictures.
Photo of the Month – Eagle Dance on the Chilkat River
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon D850
Lens: Sigma 150-600 mm at 600 mm
Aperture: f6.3
Shutter: 1/2500 sec
ISO: 1100
Mode: Manual, auto ISO
Exposure Comp +.3
Mature Bald Eagle in Flight
About Photographing in the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve
I had never been to Alaska. Only to Colorado. I feel like the vistas in Alaska were much grander than in Colorado. When the fog rolled in I could really get the layers with the trees. The mountains were stunning. I turned my landscape into a black and white image. There were so many layers of majesty.
The number of eagles made it very easy to find a photo. The difficulty was to find a picture that showed the quantity of eagles. I wish I had gotten a better shot of just how many eagles were sitting there. It was just amazing.
Across the scenic Chilkat River
Marni’s Tips for Photographing Eagles
Tip 1
Go to the right place. At Chilkat the eagles were all right there.
Tip 2
You needed to have patience. Some of the groups would leave after 20 minutes because there were no eagles. The eagles would always show up if you waited long enough.
Tip 3
I was at 600mm most of the time. Bring a long enough lens.
Tip 4
Try using manual mode, with auto ISO for wildlife. I had not shot in manual before. I will use this again. I used the group area tracking in the D850 and liked the results.
On Marni’s Horizon:
Bosque
Iceland
Northern Lights
Marni and new photo friends
Tom and Cree are headed to Bosque for the last 2 workshops of the year. Sandhill cranes fly through vibrant New Mexico skies as they land on the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. For the last two days of the trip we photograph soft hues of pink and blue over the dramatic dunes at White Sands National Park. Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for posts.
The Northern Lights have been spectacular in Fairbanks this fall. Get in on the action on our Northern Lights and Iditarod Workshop in March 2024. Three spaces available. Click here to learn more.
Tom and I celebrate great participant images by selecting a Photo of the Month. For August we chose an image taken on a Strabo Photo Tour, the Impressions of France. The image was taken by Cheryl Sackett in the Loire Valley town of Chedigny. Cheryl is an avid travel photographer and did a masterful job capturing the elegance of the French countryside.
Congratulations to September 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Cheryl Sackett
Cheryl in the Priest’s Garden at Chedigny
The Story…
I love table settings and have photographed them before. I liked the lighting in the area and the small set of stairs in the background. It was very elegant the way they had it set up.
This scene is from the restaurant in Chedigny, France where we ate lunch, La Clos des Roses. It felt like a very private restaurant with the number of people in it.
The food was excellent. it was probably the best meal of the trip. I remember the main meal was two types of veal. The meat was very tender and both versions were delicious. We also got to meet the chef and she was very cute.
We were already sitting down at lunch and my cell phone was the only camera I had at the moment. I looked over my shoulder, saw the scene and wanted to capture it.
La Clos des Roses restaurant in Chedigny, France
EXIF Data: Apple 11 Pro – we were already sitting down at lunch and my Canon camera was put away. All of my other photos were taken with my Canon.
Monet’s Garden at Giverny
About Photographing in France
I loved seeing the iconic Paris sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. I also liked getting out of the city. The small village of Chedigny was beautiful and takes you back in time.
The grandeur of the chateaus in the Loire Valley was amazing. The architecture was wonderful. We stayed in a castle called Domaine de la Tortiniere. It was an old chateau with modern settings like a pool and conference center. I stayed in a very quaint annex overlooking the chateau.
Hot air balloon photography over the Loire Valley
Cheryl’s Tips for Travel Photography
Tip 1
I travel very simply with my Canon camera and one or two lenses. For this trip I mostly used my Canon 18-400 mm. It covers just about everything.
Tip 2
I try to get the big picture first and then go for smaller details.
Tip 3
In Chedigny I was looking for interesting scenery and the smaller pictures. I loved the shutters and flowers near the windows. I like to capture people in the background. It was great that there was nobody there but us.
Vin rouge
On Cheryl’s Horizon:
Ouray, Colorado
Greece
Egypt
Oaxaca, Mexico
Costa Rica
Antarctica and South Georgia
Cheryl – the French Chef
Tom and Cree will be closer to home for their next tour, Ouray Fall Colors. In October they are headed to Slovenia with Strabo Tours again. Slovenia is known for its striking variety of landscapes: coastal Mediterranean towns, rolling foothills like in Tuscany and charming mountain towns like in Switzerland. Take a look at other Strabo Tours here.
At Tom Bol Photo Workshops, we celebrate great participant images by selecting a Photo of the Month. For July we chose an image taken on the Redwoods and Rocky Coastlines Workshopcreated by Scott Harrison. Scott worked as a digital imaging specialist for the LA Times for 33 years. His journalistic approach to photography comes out in the breadth of images he created on the workshop. You can see more of his images at www.harrysonpics.com
Congratulations to July 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Scott Harrison
Scott on the Redwoods and Rocky Coastlines Workshop
The Story…
On the second session on the evening walk I wanted to get a scene setter. I hoped to capture the overall picture. We started up the trail and met with the fog. I started using my 16 mm lens and shot about 20 versions of this scene.
I was trying to use the trail as a leading line. In half of the photos I included a person to give scale to the forest. Almost all of the people were members of our group.
My style – I always use 2 camera bodies. This time I had a 24-200 mm on one. My second lens is always special, in this case a 16 mm. Sometimes I use a LensBaby, sometimes an old manual focus lens.
I like to mix in a variety of focal lengths to tell a story. This keeps the images fresh and not repetitious. By adding a specialty lens I also get creative effects.
July 2023 Photo of the Month
EXIF Data:
Camera: Canon EOS RP
Lens: 16 mm
ISO: 100
Shutter Speed: 1/60 sec
Aperture: f/4
Shooting Mode: Shutter Priority
Exposure Comp -.03
Colors in the fog on the Damnation Creek hike
About Photographing in the Redwoods
I love it!
I’m not a landscape photographer per se, but I like to walk around and photograph things. It is a different world in the Redwoods. I loved the quiet and peacefulness. That is why I was often by myself on the workshop.
I was happy to be in the fog. In Southern California I deal with high contrast lighting all the time. In the fog the lighting is flat and I had the ability to capture more detail. The colors are also saturated. I found the colors were so bright that I had to desaturate them in PhotoShop.
Coquille River Lighthouse in Brandon, Oregon
Scott’s Tips for Photographing on a Workshop
Tip 1
Because of my background, I hate shooting the same photo that everyone takes. I stay away from the Grand Canyon and the parks in Utah. If I am there, then I take photos of the crowds in the foreground taking photos in scenic spots.
About 15 years ago I started taking road trips by myself. To plan my trips I used iphone apps like Roadside America. I also use Fotospot and Atlas Obscura. These apps give me information on all the unusual places in the country. I try to find things that other people do not photograph.
From my training with newspapers, we used to travel to a new town and go right to the local drugstore and look at the postcard rack. Find things outside of the mainstream, including in your own home town.
Tip 2
Join the local camera club and do photo walks. Going as a group can really help.
Tip 3
Listen to what the leaders are saying. I took the fern photo because Cree mentioned dialing back the exposure compensation to create a moody shot. I underexposed by 2 stops for that one. I also created a whole series from the Simpson-Reed Grove in black and white.
Low Key Fern in the Simpson Reed Grove
On Scott’s Horizon:
Route 66 in Oklahoma
Tucson and Saguaro National Park
South Dakota Badlands
New Zealand and Australia
Scott wandering in the redwood forest at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove
Online Image Celebration: Join us on August 10 at 5 pm Denver time to see more of the work created on our workshops in the last 4 months. This is a great way to celebrate new work. Sometimes people need more time to edit their images. If you were on a workshop you are invited to send in 3 images to creetbp@gmail.com. If you would like to join us, send a quick message here and we will send the link.
Tom and Cree are headed to Ecuador next for Ecuador Cloud Forest Workshop. In August they will be out of the office on a wilderness canoe trip in Canyonlands, Utah and then on a scouting trip in remote arctic Alaska.
At Tom Bol Photo Workshops, we celebrate great images by selecting a Photo of the Month. For June we chose an image taken on the Tanzania Photo Workshop with Strabo Photo Tours created by Joan Carroll. Joan is a well-rounded travel and outdoor photographer. She regularly sells her work through Fine Art America. Check out her numerous online galleries for FAA. We hope you enjoy Joan’s images as much as we do!
Congratulations to June 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Joan Carroll
The Story…
We pulled up to the spot and I do not remember which vehicle got there first. It was a pretty amazing scene.
I went back and forth between shooting the 800 mm lens to get a close up view of the animal leaping into the water, and using the 100-400 mm lens to get a wider view of the scene. I really liked the environmental view with animals in both the foreground and the background.
I am a fan of the environmental view. A close portrait of an animal is fantastic. But putting it in the environment gives it a sense of place and is really important.
I was looking at the photos of this scene. I must have 1000 images of it. At the end of the series a crocodile took down one of the wildebeest and stopped the action. Before that, the wildebeest were slipping in from the side of the pool and leaping over the top of each other.
When I looked back on the series of images, I could see the crocodile lurking in the scene, just waiting for the right moment. This made me wonder if the wildebeest knew it was there. Were they swimming for their lives. Animals are smarter than we think. Did they have the awareness of the wildebeest all along?
June 2023 Photo of the Month
All the dust and the whole environment….it’s not something there are really words for.
Of the 1000 images of this sequence, I chose the one where the wildebeest was leaping the highest. He leaped the highest but landed right by the shore where the crocodile was waiting.
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: 100-400mm at 240
ISO: 5600
Shutter Speed: 1/3200 sec
Aperture: f/11
Shooting Mode: Manual with auto ISO
Exposure Comp +.67
Elephants wrestling at sunset in Serengeti National Park
About Photographing in Africa
Oh my gosh! The two trips to Africa have probably been the most exciting things I have done….ever.
It is so dynamic. It is always changing. It is not like a landscape where you have time to figure everything out and adjust your settings.
I’d still be stuck there if someone hadn’t said “Let’s move on.” I’d just keep shooting.
I’m paying for that now with 44,000 images from the trip. I was going to be more mindful of how many photos I took this time. But when I got to the Serengeti, all bets were off!
Zebra herd at the waterhole
Joan’s Tips for Wildlife Photography
I don’t consider myself any kind of expert.
Stand next to Tom and Cree and do what they do. Keep your ears open for tips and re-evaluate what you are doing.
Be aware of the whole scene and what the possibilities are. Pay attention to the flow of what’s going on. Have global awareness.
Have all the right equipment, batteries and cards.
Get a lot of rest. Be ready to go for every shooting session. I was there to photograph animals and do as much as I could. Know what you want out of a photo trip.
On Joan’s Horizon:
Bears in Lake Clark National Park
Eagles in Chilkat, Alaska
Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands
My all time favorite trip was to the Canadian Arctic. We landed at Grise Fjord on Ellesmere Island and took a sledge out onto the ice to go ice diving. The silence was incredible.
Joan and er husband Benny enjoying an African sunset
Why Strabo?
Tom has been doing workshops for Strabo Photo Tours for decades. He likes how trips are well organized and cater to photographer’s needs. Tom and Cree currently do at least one trip per year with Strabo.
At Tom Bol Photo Workshops, we celebrate great images created on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For May we chose an image from our Louisiana Birds and Bayous Workshop created by Nancy Lehrer. Nancy is primarily a street photographer. She signed up for this workshop to learn more about wildlife and bird photography. We hope you enjoy Nancy’s images as much as we do!
Congratulations to May 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Nancy Lehrer
The Story…
We were heading towards an alligator on the boat. I heard Tom yell, “Look at the light, look at the light.”
In that part of the swamp there was less moss. It seemed like there were two parts to the swamp. There were light green, mossy parts and then there were these dark green and brown parts. When we arrived in this spot I had not seen the dark green part before.
I was trying to get the reflections and the floating algae. I shot about 20 frames, but the focus wasn’t right. I focused on the reflection and not on the plants. I decided to try a wider angle lens instead. I grabbed my 24-105 mm lens. I wanted to capture the feeling of a bowl. Wide angle images give more of a fisheye feeling. I wanted the feeling of a lake in front of the trees.
I didn’t put the tops of the trees in the image because they are in the sun light. It would be too much contrast with the understory. By focusing on the reflection, the viewer can see the sky in the reflection on the water. I also wanted to capture the side lighting that brought out the yellow tones on the trees
May 2023 Photo of the Month
EXIF Data:
Camera: Sony A7 R5
Lens: 24-105mm f4
ISO: 640
Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec
Aperture: f/9
Shooting Mode: Aperture Priority
Shot at 30mm, handheld
Great Blue Heron taking flight
About Photographing in Louisiana’s Swamps
I am really not a wildlife or landscape photographer. I found that photographing in the swamp was very much like doing street photography. The actors were the animals. We were gliding on the boat like I’d be walking down the street, very slowly.
It was very peaceful in the swamp. The animals were in their habitat. I found myself just looking around for animals, birds, turtles, alligators.
Great Egret feeds chicks in a mixed wader rookery
Nancy’s Tips for Bird Photography
Get a camera that has really good Auto Focus. I rented a Sony A7 R5 for this trip and it made a big difference.
Using a monopod really helped me be stable. It meant I didn’t have to worry about fatigue. I practiced with it at home on the birds in the backyard.
Be a good motion detector. Look for motion and then follow the bird.
Look for birds that are stationary and getting ready to take off. That’s the only way I can count on getting birds in flight.
Connect the bird to the landscape. It’s just like street photography. The background should tell a story.
Watch the behaviors. Keep shooting different behaviors and decide later which is the best image.
Louisiana has more alligators than any where else in the world
On Nancy’s Horizon:
Hokkaido, Japan for fishing villages and the Ice festival
Iditarod in Alaska
The Silk Road in China
Anywhere in eastern Europe: Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Czech Republique
Nancy, the wildlife photographer
Where are Tom and Cree?
We are headed to Africa to photograph in Tanzania for two weeks. Then it’s up to Alaska for our annual Brown Bears at Summer Solstice trip. We have space for 1 male photographer if you’d like to join us from June 18-23. We’ll be photographing brown bears with cubs in Lake Clark National Park. Click here for more information.
We’ll be posting photos from these two trips on Instragram @tombolphoto and Facebook. We’d love to see your photos on our Photos for Inspiration TBPW Facebook Page.
At Tom Bol Photo Workshops, we celebrate great images created on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For April we chose an image from our Tucson Workshop created by Suzy Onysko. Suzy is a wildlife and portrait photographer. Her work is wonderfully creative and she often carries an infrared camera in addition to her regular gear. We hope you enjoy Suzy’s images as much as we do!
Congratulations to April 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Susan Onysko
The Story…
Well, this never, ever happens… at least to me anyway. This photograph was taken the first morning of our workshop at Gates Pass. I started out using a wide-angle lens to photograph the yellow brittle bush in the foreground and the stunning rocks, cacti, and clouds in the background. I love color and that was a pop of color in the desert that I didn’t expect. It was pretty windy out, though, and I worried about the flowers ghosting too much in the foreground. I looked for another foreground element and found this stunning barrel cactus.
I took a few shots in color first. They looked nice but with the clouds in the scene and yellow flowers not being an important element anymore, I ran back to the car. I got my infrared camera to see how that would look. I quickly changed my preview screen to show the image in black and white instead of the out of camera red preview. I shot a frame and the infrared image took my breath away.
I will be the first to admit that wide angle landscape photography is not my forte, so when I get an image I like I am quick to analyze why I like it. Hopefully in the future I come to “see” that image a bit quicker in the field. Why do we like the desert? The textures of the prickly cactus is what we are drawn to and what it’s known for. By taking away the color I enhanced all the desert textures and shapes. The clouds enhanced it by adding a bit more mood.
Did I click once and be done? Oh no… I took two hundred images of this scene (no judging, it’s free!) by changing my position mere inches up, down, left, and right until the cactus was just big enough in the foreground but not too big to overwhelm the rest of the scene. I liked how the barrel cactus was the focal point, but by showing some mid-ground I also included some prickly pear cactus which led to some Saguaro Cactus and an impressive rock formation and then those incredible clouds!
April 2023 Photo of the Month
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S Lens
ISO: 2000 (did I denoise it? Nope – I like the grainy effect for a western black and white image)
Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec
Aperture: f/11
Shooting Mode: Aperture Priority
Shot at 15mm, handheld
About Photographing in Saguaro National Park
I am from the Midwest and love unusual landscapes that I do not get to see at home. Death Valley is another place that I love. I find that the desert and Death Valley both give an other-worldly vibe that I adore. We were fortunate enough to have the yellow brittle bush blooming while we were there which for me added an unexpected element. What a happy surprise!
This trip truly has something for everyone, and the variety helped me and my ADD brain! It offered wide landscape desert views, macro photography, bird photography, and at Old Tucson we photographed some very dashing cowboys. Check on the portrait photography also!
Saguaro and Brittle Bush with a 600mm lens
One of my favorite things we worked on was long lens landscape shooting. I often have a hard time seeing the wide angle shot that are right in front of me, sun stars included. It’s like all clutter to me since there is so much going on. Many times in the past I have used a 70-200mm or 100-400 mm to isolate more intimate scenes in a landscape. Tom encouraged me to try using my 600mm to do this and I have to say that I am hooked. I look insane carrying the beast of a lens for a landscape shot, but the images created using this lens have such mood. Cacti framed by yellow flowers look so mysterious and I feel like a spectator viewing and interpreting the relationships between desert subjects as opposed to just pointing and shooting at them.
Gambel’s Quail at the Desert Photo Retreat
About the Quail Image
I love shooting from bird blinds – I was hooked after going on the Texas Bird trip. I will be the first to admit I struggle when finding/seeing/shooting birds in the wild handheld. I get too spastic and excited when I see them. Animal eye tracking on the Nikon Z9 is slowly helping with that issue, but being able to slow down on a tripod with a gimbal to help stabilize the camera makes all the difference in the world. If you know me, I am not normally a tripod fan so when I say that it means a lot!
This Gambel’s Quail is probably like a pigeon to those who live out West but for me this little guy had so much spunk and personality. He was my favorite bird I photographed on the trip. I was determined to get a shot that showed more of his personality than just him strutting across a log, which he did a lot! When he paused for a split second on the log and pondered what his next move would be I saw my chance and shot away. I loved the curve of his head and how the log swirl underneath him mimicked his body position. I looked for a photo that didn’t have his tail merging into the log and was fortunate to have one. This image will be hanging in my house and hopefully others.
Saguaros in infrared at Saguaro National Park – West
Suzy’s Tips for Photographing in the Desert with Infrared
Tip #1) IR works beautifully: it gives an Old West feel to the images. If you ever play with IR, do more than just make a preset for it and call it done. I love playing with all the different LR black and white presets. By doing just that with my multiple infrared images here they all take on a different look. Ethereal, contrasty, ghostlike… you have all the control and can change the mood of the image with one click. I recently converted one of my Z9s to a Deep BW IR conversion through Lifepixel.
For at least ten years I have been converting my oldest camera to infrared through Lifepixel and I am always thrilled with the results. I went mirrorless last year and had to upgrade all my gear. Instead of using my oldest camera (that didn’t exist) I purchased an already converted Nikon Zfc through Lifepixel. I chose the Zfc because it was only ½ lb. It worked well, but it ended up being the only camera in my bag with completely different controls. To make things easier on myself last month I decided to convert a Nikon Z9 body so that all my controls were the same on all my camera bodies. I was thrilled with the results. My fingers knew the controls by heart and I was no longer fumbling, trying to learn a new camera body. As an added bonus the 45 megapixel infrared files are stunning compared the 20 megapixel images of the Zfc!
Tip #2) Bring every focal length: 14-840mm. I did for this trip (my family thought I was insane) and used every one of them!
Tip #3) Mind your body in the field. Jumping Cholla (look them up) are not to be messed with. A week later and I still have bruises where I was nailed by two little balls.
On Suzy’s Horizon:
Botswana, Tanzania and Kenya in June
Hummingbirds in Madera Canyon, Arizona and Ecuador in July
Eagles at Chilkat in Alaska
Cypress trees in the Texas Bayous
Cosplayers at conventions in Vermont, Indiana, Wyoming, New Hampshire, South Dakota, and Maine for my personal project –Cosplay 50: The United States of Cosplay.
Bears at Lake Clark, June 18-23 – 1 space available. Photograph grizzly bears with cubs in Alaska Click here
Where are Tom and Cree?
We are headed to the Lone Star State for our annual Texas Birds in Spring (space available). If we are lucky, we will see Painted Buntings all over the ponds.
We hope spring has finally arrived in your area of the world. We’d love to see what you are photographing. Post your spring images on our Photos for Inspiration TBPW Facebook Page.
