Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Newfoundland Puffins, Whales & Lobster Traps

When you're out photographing all the time, you have good days and bad days. Weather plays a big role in your photographic success. After numerous foggy/overcast days and Hurricane Bill forecast to hit eastern Newfoundland, I was hoping for a good day. And then I found puffins - lots of them flying and landing within close range. To say that my photo mojo peaked is an understatement. As birds go, puffins are way up on the very cool list. I had only 2 hours with them before the remenants of the hurricane ended the shoot with heavy overcast skies, rain and winds. But those two hours were magical!


Photo 1: Atlantic Puffin, eastern Newfoundland; EOS 1DsIII; 500/4 IS lens & 1.4x teleconvertor; 580EX II for fill flash


Photo 2: Atlantic Puffin landing, eastern Newfoundland; EOS 1DsIII; 500/4IS lens & 2x teleconvertor


Photo 3: Beluga Whale, eastern Newfoundland

Departing eastern Newfoundland to travel back westwards across the province, we started the drive on a scenic coastal road. My friend spotted several humpback whales feeding on capelin schools in a scenic bay, so we stopped to see if we could hire a local fisherman to take us out for close photos. Although we couldn't hire a boat at that time, a local guy mentioned that a Beluga Whale was hanging out in the harbour. No sooner had the words come out of his mouth, and the beluga surfaced right next to the dock. For about an hour, we watched the beluga at close range, and played tug-o-war with the tame whale, as it playfully grabbed onto mooring lines from a fishing boat. What a great experience!

It was hard to leave the beluga, but we had a long drive across the province to make our next destination. At sunset we stopped near Castors River on the northwestern coast to camp for the night. Here's the view from where we camped....


Photo 4: Lobster Trap at sunset, Castors River, northwestern Newfoundland; EOS 1DsIII; 17-40mm lens, Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer & 5-stop hard edge ND grad (handheld during 8 second exposure)

10 comments:

  1. Wow! Your photos are incredible. I've been browsing the net for photography blogs, (as I am a beginner and would like to learn more) and I stumbled upon your blog this evening. I will definitely be checking back in.
    Thanks,
    Molly

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  2. Hi Ethan:

    Your images of the East Coast are amazing, so great to see our wonderful Country through your eyes!! Hope you are having a blast on the East Coast, can't wait to see where your next adventure takes you!

    Cheers Lisa

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  3. Anonymous3:50 PM

    Hey Kiddo - great photo's. your back in the motherland. You just need some photo's of some barns :).

    I read your article on Lola and it made me laugh.

    Sounds like you're having a good time.

    Let me know when you're back in town,

    Jody

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  4. Really incredible photos. I love the colors and composure of the 4th photo (lobstertrap). Did you really hold your hand steady over 8 seconds? Amazing! Keep em coming :)

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  5. Kalle, sorry I should have been more clear in the techs, I handheld the grad filter... not the camera. The mosquitoes were so bad when I shot that photo, I could barely stay still at all!

    Jody, I meant to send you a copy of the article... glad you got to read it!

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  6. Love the picture of the Puffin landing. I find it fascinating to see how adept birds are in flight. Judging by the different positions of it's two wings, this one is obviously making some flight correction. Great capture!

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  7. What an amazing place to camp! I can't believe how close you were to the Beluga - That's one I've only had a chance to see from a distance. Simon and I were in Trinity Bay in July and got up close with a Minke while we were Iceberg hunting. It was just the two of us with our guide in a little Zodiac - pretty fun!! Got about 200 shots of the same hunk of ice. Should have one good shot in there!!

    Sharl

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  8. Carolyn12:23 AM

    Puffins are one of my favourite birds -- you did them justice. As you did with Newfoundland. Really stunning work.

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  9. I went to Miami last year and I had a great experience with the Dolphins, so they are the best animals in the world, so I think that the birds in those pcitures are spectacular, I really like the post!22dd

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  10. hello, this post remember me when i was a child, i do not know why....

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