HCPC In Focus Newsletter of the Harbour City Photography Club January, 2021

President’s message by Bill Saffin Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year to any member of the executive. you all. Here’s looking forward to a brighter year ahead. We are continuing to investigate possible venues for in-person meetings, so that we We have made it through several very will be ready to switch when it becomes difcult months, with adaptations to a new possible. We welcome your feedback about way of conducting our club’s activities. It has our Zoom meetings (complaints, been challenging, certainly, but I have been suggestions, or ofers to help). very impressed by, and thankful for, the way members of our club have stepped up. We Speaking of suggestions, we are looking for have changed the way we do everything, ideas for meeting topics, presenters, possible and there have been a few rough spots, but workshops (via Zoom for the time being), we have overcome those and, I think, we software training, or other types of training/ have had a very successful season so far. education that you would like your club to consider ofering. We don’t know yet what the “new normal” will look like, since things are still subject to It is not too early to start thinking about next change, but our club is in a good position. year, particularly about the new executive We have had enough practice with Zoom board that will need to be elected at our next that our meetings go quite smoothly. We Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled have had a great lineup of presenters, most for June, 2021. All positions on the board will of whom we could never have aforded in regular times. We have two very active SIGs (Special Interest Groups), with at least one Table of Contents more scheduled to begin early in 2021. Feedback from the members participating in President’s Message 1 these SIGs has been extremely positive, and Internal Challenges 2 it is very easy for anyone who is interested to External Competitions 2 make their interest known to others. Programs, Presenters & Pandemics 3 Freeman Patterson, Iconic Photographer 4 Outings are very diferent now from the way Member Profle: Martha Hardy 6 they used to be conducted, but they are still possible. We will continue to monitor public Photo-Bio: Fred Herzog 8 health orders and adjust our outings as Populating Landscape Images 10 appropriate. If you have any ideas for Club Outings 12 outings, particularly outings that could be Wildlife,Bird&InsectPhotography 13 conducted in the current limited fashion, Puzzle 14 please forward your ideas to Don Clark or

1 be open, and all except that of Secretary non-executive member, just like most of you. must be flled by diferent members – the The club is doing well, but it will continue to remainder will have all served their do so only with the continued support and maximum two-year term at the end of this hard work of its members. club year. Please start thinking now about how you might contribute to the functioning Thanks for your continued support, and of your club in the coming year – every remember to keep shooting and sharing. member of the executive was formerly a

Internal HCPC Challenges, 2021 External Competitions, 2021

President’s Challenge - Theme - An Members are encouraged to submit their Island Winter - Due Date January 1 - best images for all external competitions Show January 5 we enter as a club. Upcoming themes and deadlines for submissions to HCPC Valentines Day Showcase - Theme - Red are: -DueDateFebruary12-ShowFebruary 16 January 8th, 2021 - CAPA Creative St Patricks Day Showcase - Theme - January 23rd, 2021 - CAPA Fine Art Green - Due Date March 11 - Show TBD February 5th, 2021 - North Shore Spring Challenge - Theme - New Beginnings - Due Date May 13 - Show Challenge (Open) May 18 February 8th, 2021 - CAPA A Series of Year End Showcase - Theme - Shoes - Four Photos Due Date June 9 - Show June 15 February 28th, 2021 - CAPA Year End Awards - Black & White Monochrome Portrait - Due Date June 8 - Show June 15 March 6, 2021 - CAPA Audio Visual Presentation Year End Awards - Abstract - Due Date June 8 - Show June 15 March 24 2021 - CAPA Curves and Lines

Year EndAwards - Humour - Due Date April 8, 2021 - CAPA : My June 8 - Show June 15 Country

Full details for all challenges and Winning images from past competitions competitions will be on our club website are posted on the CAPA website .Click calendar. on Winners, in the Competitions drop down menu.

“All the technique in the world doesn’t Full details for all challenges and compensate for the inability to notice.” competitions will be on our club website ―ElliottErwitt calendar.

2 Progams, Presenters & Pandemics by Rooney Dumler April 2020 marked the beginning of the big presentations from Phillipe Scholz- shift in the Harbour City Photography Club. Rittermann and Chris Harris of Caribou Our eforts to salvage the Photo Salon led the fame, to name but a few. executive and salon planning committee into the new reality of virtual presentations and Two issues have been raised about our the world of Zoom. Little did we know how current direction. Firstly, in terms of budget it would reshape the club or for how long. and afordability, the costs of most presenters fall within our policy on Photo clubs throughout western Canada and honorariums. Apart from the cost of a Zoom the Yukon met, and continue to meet, to talk subscription, the overall cost of hosting a about the challenges of the new technology. meeting is minimal. We will also accrue Ideas regarding challenges, competitions, unexpected revenue from the Freeman educational topics and speakers have been Patterson webinar, generated by selling exchanged. This, in itself, has provided a “seats” as organized through Eventbrite, an wealth of ideas, some of which we have event management and ticket website. This implemented in our own club. webinar will more than ofset our program and education expenses this year. Presenters who were at one time far beyond the reach of the average club have now, The second issue is, “Where to, now?” through the magic of Zoom, become accessible. Many of the “experts” that used The immediate ‘now’ for our club is to to headline major conferences have continue as we have for the past six months realigned their skills and resources into and present, through Zoom, a variety of afordable ninety-minute slide presentations. interesting speakers and opportunities for Groups such as Camera Club Hub have members to share their own work. I developed, whereby a club in need of a encourage the club to participate in the presenter can access a catalogue of Zoom Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to further presenters and topics from all over North refne photography skills. And hopefully, we America. will be able to resume small group outings in the new year. After the pause in March and April, our group found its feet and met to ofer The ‘long game’ may look diferent. Zoom speakers and events over the summer. The has opened a level of accessibility to the fall program focused on building skills and “experts” that will be difcult to ignore. knowledge through teacher-photographer, Even as we begin to once again meet face-to- Rick Hulbert. His program was interspersed face, this technology has become part of our with a presentation on street and new norm. But I welcome the day when we documentary photography from Jef Topham can all get together over cofee and cookies, and later, a presentation on long exposure in a building, all at the same table, and and fne art photography from Sharon develop the new plan for programs and Tenenbaum. In the coming months we are education that will best serve our club in the hosting a webinar from Canada’s icon, future. author and photographer, Freeman Patterson, and later, we look forward to

3 Freeman Patterson, Iconic Photographer, Coming to HCPC by Trish Hanna On January 19th, 2021, HCPC is honoured to painting and music, host a Zoom presentation, A Call to the photographer Creativity, by the renowned photographer, begins with a author, and educator, Freeman Patterson. subjective response to the objective Born and raised in New Brunswick, world. He coaches Patterson returned to that province in 1973, us to pay homage to it and to our responses settling just down the road from his to it. His guidelines are clear: discipline, childhood home in Long Reach, at understanding visual design, using care, and Shamper’s Bluf. There he created a centre diving deep into our surroundings. These for photography and design. Nearly 50 years were the tenets of his training under Dr. on, he continues to hold workshops and Helen Manzer, his tutor and mentor in New encourage students to fully explore their York in the 1960s, and they have not varied. creative potential. Watching Ken Rockburn’s interview with Known primarily as a landscape photo- Patterson,itwasdelightfultohearthathis grapher, Patterson explores his own love of photography has never abated. immediate settings, whether it’s the porch of Despite losing all 1500 shots (on flm, of his home, the felds beyond his kitchen course) from an undergraduate trip to window or the far reaches of South Africa. Yugoslavia with his frst “real” camera, He has led workshops in Australia, New which malfunctioned, he fell in love with the Zealand, Israel, the USA, and England. tool and the process of making pictures. By graduate school (Masters of In 1984, with the photographer, Colla Swart, Divinity - 1962), he distilled he co-founded annual Namaqualand his explorations into the Photography Workshops in South Africa. thesis “Still Photography as a That region was the source for his book, Medium of Religious Namaqualand: Garden of the Gods.Sincethat Expression.” For the era, this time, the program schedule has expanded had to be an extraordinary and more instructors now participate. Until proposal. There were many, this year, due to COVID-19, he has continued then, who considered photography neither to lead annual arts and nature wilderness an art nor a spiritual practise. He has, in the camping and photography tours there. The past few years, ofered an innovative Photographic Society of Southern Africa has workshop called “Inscape”, which explores recognized his contributions with an photography and spirituality. honorary fellowship (1976) and a full fellowship (1995), tributes to the artist who As I look through his many books and read considers their his newsletter,itisclearthatphotography country a second has remained his preferred form of home. expression for the exploration of his spiritual life and his intimate connection to the Patterson observes natural world. Technical profciency has that, unlike other allowed him the freedom to explore his arts such as photographic tools in many creative ways.

4 He was one of the innovators of what we Conservancy of Canada, where he served as now call intentional camera movement national trustee for six years. In 1985, he was (ICM), mastered multiple exposure awarded the Order of Canada; in 2013, the techniques on flm, printed and then Order of New Brunswick. The Photography manipulated his Society of America, in 1990, awarded him the prints with pencil or Progress Medal, putting him in the company paint, all to push of Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, Jacques the parameters of Cousteau, and Edward Steichen. creatively in image making. Patterson receives many invitations each year from groups all over the world to teach Atalentedauthoraswellasaphotographer and make presentations. We are sincerely and educator, Patterson has written and/or honoured he has co-authored 13 books with themes based his made time for us. own images, but also four instructional books that are articulate, informative and Links will be made inspiring. As he shares his knowledge on available to HCPC creativity, visual design and technical details, members closer to he encourages us to embrace not only our the date. Non-members can purchase tickets surroundings but our dreams and our for $10 through Eventbrite while supplies imagination. Photo Impressionism and the last (link below). Subjective Image: An Imagination Workshop for Photographers,co-authoredwithAndré *All images in this article are ©Freeman Gallant (2001), provides a workshop style Patterson, used with permission. Fine art prints manual of techniques for these explorations. are available through his website.

“What you should remember and practise when “If you do not see what is around you every day, you evaluate your own work is this: don’t what will you see when you go to Tangiers?” evaluate the pictures you thought you made; -FreemanPatterson evaluate the ones you actually made. After all, that’s how you would evaluate the work of others.” -- Photographing the World Around You -FreemanPatterson,p.81 Your HCPC in Focus newsletter team:

Patterson has received wide international Don Clark recognition in the decades since winning the Rooney Dumler Gold Medal for Trish Hanna Photographic Judy Hancock Holland Excellence from the Sue Nurmi National Film Board of Canada in Volunteers are needed to write articles 1967. Accolades and contribute in other ways. Please include recognition for his photography but contact [email protected] if you also his environmental dedication and can help or to submit suggestions. stewardship. Part of his legacy will be the endowment of his property to the Nature

5 Member Profle: Martha Hardy by Judy Hancock Holland

Martha Hardy spent her early try out that frst camera when she and two years in the east, growing up girlfriends got to have their frst camping in PEI and then attended the trip, staying in one of the parents’ tent trailer Aberdeen Hospital School of for two nights. Her love of both camping Nursing in New Glasgow, and photography persist to this day. Four NS. She moved to years ago she and her camera drove across Island in 1980. the country to PEI and back again. She had a blast and would love to do it again one day. Martha got her frst Brownie camera when she was in elementary school, by collecting Although she appreciates many genres of photography, Martha still especially loves taking images of people She is a proud and enthusiastic grandmother, and brought her grandson, Theo, into our club, where he has really fourished. “stars” of packages of Scotty’s potato chips. Her grandchildren are some of her favourite She tells me she didn’t really eat all those subjects. potato chips; she rummaged through the school garbage to retrieve the packages her In 2011 Martha joined the Bastion City classmates discarded. She really, really Nanaimo PROBUS Club and the camera club wanted that camera! there led by Ken LaRose, and it was then that she became more serious about learning Martha has always loved taking memory more skills. She attended a photography pictures of her friends and family. She got to course through Elder College at VIU and learned a lot there from Keith Newington, the instructor and a former member of our club. In 2013 or 2014 Dave Tyler brought her as a guest to an HCPC meeting, and she’s been a member ever since.

Our club means the world to Martha. She’s learned so much here, especially through SIGS, which she says provide both intense and fun learning and also support. A member of the original Critiquing SIG, she

6 fnds the smaller, lighter gear easier to manage. Like many of us, she’s been shooting more images indoors this year as the pandemic has restricted us, and she’s been exploring more minimalist images.

Still, she likes to get out for a good walk most days and watches for images to take along the way. says she loves knowing she can bring images It’s not surprising, that are not quite “there” to the meetings having lived in PEI, and receive gentle constructive suggestions Nova Scotia, and to make them better. She’s had several pieces Vancouver Island that accepted to our Photo Salons. Martha likes shooting around water. She especially likes doing Recently Martha’s also enjoyed being part of photo rambles along Nanaimo’s waterfront, the Long Exposure SIG, and she loves the where the access is easy for her. So keep an outings, education through guest speakers, eye out for this dynamic “people person” and the Foto Fun Fair as well. She especially next time you’re down at the waterfront, day appreciates what everyone is doing in these or night. She’s usually up for a (socially COVID times to keep the club moving distanced) chat with another photographer. forward; she thrives on the enthusiasm of others and is excited about the new opportunities we’ve found through Zoom.

When I asked her whether she prefers colour or black and white, I did so tongue-in-cheek, as Martha’s well known in our SIG for usually preferring the colour versions of most images. However, she says she’s learning to like black and white in certain circumstances.

From her original Brownie, Martha progressed to a Lumix FZ35 bridge camera and then a Canon Rebel T5i. Today she does most of her shooting on her Olympus EM1Mk2 or her iPhone, as she

7 Photo-Bio: Fred Herzog (1930-2019) by Trish Hanna With just under 200 years of history behind our photography in magazines to educate chosen tool and art form, I’m curious about who himself. came before us, how they worked, whether they were accepted, or not, and how they infuenced Herzog emigrated in 1952, lived a year or so our view of our craft and our world. This edition, in Toronto, and then made his way West to Idecidedtolookclosetohome,toaphotographer the “city by the sea.” He loved boats and whose work reminds of me of the city where I quickly got a job on the steamships. grew up. Itrytoimaginewhatitmusthavebeenlike Vancouver in the 1950s was a young, vibrant, for him to walk the streets of Vancouver, a growing city. Not yet on the barely formed city virtually world stage but flled with a untouched by the war, sense of potential, its urban land- neighbourhoods like Chinatown scape developed in one of the providing exotic sights and most beautiful natural settings on smells, the tower-less West End, the planet. From the mid to late and a walkable, relatively safe, 20th century the streets were though gritty, downtown core. lined with theatres, restaurants With a foreigner’s eyes, he saw and shops, many with neon what those who had been born signage. It created a gaudy, there did not see, and it colourful visual collage. With an intrigued and engaged him. For economy based on the riches and the rest of his life, he took toughness of resource extraction, pictures on the streets of his the city had wealth, and it had an adopted home. underbelly that few artists chose to explore. Fred Herzog began a career as a medical In 1953, a young man named Ulrich Herzog photographer at the University of British arrived in the city. He was frst nicknamed Columbia, starting in 1957, and became “Fritz” by his co-workers on the steamships, Head of the Photo/Cine Division of the then “Fred,” the name he used for the rest of Department of Biomedical Communications his life. Born in Bad Friedrichshall, near there, eventually overseeing a staf of 60. He , , in 1930, his childhood worked at UBC for 30 years. He became a was spent in Rottweil, a small city whose Canadian citizen in 1959. In the late 60s, he appearance, though charming, hasn’t much began teaching photography seminars at changed since the 16th century. By 1946, he and UBC, and made was orphaned; his mother died of typhoid small presentations to groups of architects when he was eleven, his father after and artists. returning from the war. Herzog had seen a photograph of Vancouver in a geography Herzog remained unknown in the fne art textbook when he was 14 and decided then photography world, partially due to the that he would go there. He inherited a deprecation of colour photography, which camera from an uncle and became interested was associated with advertising. Fred loved in taking pictures. With enthusiasm but no Kodachrome slide flm, known for its deep family support for training, he studied the saturation of colours, particularly red, and

8 he learned how to use it to its best advan- lously catalogued, stored in his ofce and tage. “Fine art”, however, was black and basement. white. In addition, slide flm wasn’t readily accessible to viewers, so few people saw his The presented images. Every roll had to be sent away for Herzog’s frst solo exhibition in 2007 and the processing; printing was a remote, complex Equinox Gallery, which still represents his and expensive process. Fred just kept estate, hosted a major retrospective in 2012. walking and shooting, completely eclectic in He exhibited internationally and in major his choice of subjects, capturing whatever he group shows. A book of his images, Fred liked at the time. Herzog: Modern Color,waspublishedin2017 and remains on the shelves. Accolades included the Audain Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts and an honorary doctorate at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. The defnition of fne art photography had changed and his work was, at last, acknowledged.

Fred Herzog passed away on September 9, 2019 at the age of 88. He chronicled Vancouver for the latter half of the 20th century as it transformed into the city it is today. Like street photographers every- where, he was shooting what captured his Although he travelled and made imagination at the time, in the present tense, photographs in other countries and cities, he with no thought of the changes that were was most familiar with Vancouver. He ahead. His work provides us now with a frequented the streets and back lanes of the view into a disappeared, colourful urban Downtown East Side, a poor neighbourhood, past. the underbelly of Vancouver, even then. He said that he didn’t like the “new”, he liked Images in this article are courtesy of the the grittiness of the worn and the lived in. Equinox Gallery in Vancouver, which Not wanting to impose upon the scene or represents his work. For more on the artist, gain the attention of subjects, he often shot I’ve listed a few links below. I hope you from the hip. He became a master of colour enjoy his work. and of street photography. Equinox Gallery, Vancouver

It was not until digital scanning and inkjet “Lost Vancouver” printers advanced sufciently to truly recreate the saturated colours of his slides “The Life of Fred Herzog” that Herzog’s images were printed for presentation to wider audiences. This was Knowledge Network: Snapshot Series late in his life. At the age of 75, Fred Herzog was discovered and became an “overnight Knowledge Network: A short introduction success”; that is, an overnight success with more than 100,000 photographs, all meticu-

9 Populating Landscape Images by John Young When I hike with a group, I usually prefer to bring up the rear, and not just because I’ve slowed down in my old age. I almost always prefer to have people in my photos, and if I’m in the lead it’s hard to do. Therefore, I searched my landscape photos for ones that were improved by having people in them. I knew that having people gives the viewer a sense of scale, but I wondered how else a person could improve an image. When I Tamarindo, Costa Rica, 2016 Googled the topic, among several, I found: -Apersonintheforegroundormid-way “5GoodReasonstoAddPeopleintoYour creates a sense of depth Landscape Photography”byBruce -Ruleofthirdspoint,withthemfacinginto Wunderlich. Aha! I thought. I knew there the image were other good reasons to have people in landscape shots. The people in this photo tell a story, but they also improve the composition, because they He explains that including people in your add depth to the image. I had a shutter landscape photos can improve your images speed of 1.6 seconds, resulting in the ghostly in these fve ways: quality of the people, but leaving them distinct enough. 1. Tell a story • Viewers may wonder who, what and why 3. Scale of Size about the person. Including people gives the viewer a point of reference and scale to the landscape.

The Ecuador Inca Trail, 2015 Utah Arch, Arches National Park, 2016 ItookthisphotoonatrekinEcuadorin 2015. I waited for the guide’s horse to be Without the people in this photo you’d have completely in the frame, and wanted the no idea how big the arch is. And, too, it helps subject to be heading into the frame. that it’s late afternoon and the sun isn’t glaring. 2. Composition Apersoncanimprovethecomposition: 4. Drama and Excitement -Apersonplacedinnegativespacecan You can add drama to a shot by the balance your landscape following:

10 -Apersonagainstasunsetaddsdrama -Acoupleholdinghandsaddsdrama

Puerto Escondido, Mexico, 2018

Bullard Beach, Oregon, 2018 Ishotseveralimagesofthesetwomen,but For this shot, I paused to get a photo of the like the wave action in this one the best. This sea stacks, but when I saw the couple photo would ft into all the other categories, walking up the beach I waited until they too. Without the men in the photo, I moved into the frame, but not too far. probably wouldn’t have even kept the shot.

5. Focal Point Any one of these strategies is bound to add Adding people can give the viewer’s eye a that little something “extra” to your next place to land to hold their attention. As a compositions. I used to include people focal point, the person can be the subject of primarily to show “scale of size,” but now I the scene, or a complement to your look for these other reasons as well. And it’s landscape. fun! Punographs by Don Clark What is it? (Answer in the next issue.) Last issue: The blind leading the blind.

11 Club Outings & the Pandemic: We Shall Overcome by Don Clark We have had an amazing year of outings With the help of some dedicated members, given the dire situation due to the Covid 19 Sue Nurmi has compiled a list of suggested pandemic. We have followed the changing areas to have outings or just to go on your recommendations from our health care own and capture images in the Nanaimo professionals and still managed to have area. This is a fantastic list that we can outings even with limiting attendance. Due continue to build on, if anyone has been to to the second wave that is now upon us we other areas that would make for an must again look at adhering to those interesting outing location please let Sue or recommendations. For the foreseeable future myself know. we cannot have group outings even with limited attendance. These are the members that contributed to our list: Lynda Stevens, Diana Dugas, That does not mean we cannot have outings, Jacqueline Bonneau, Denis Dore, AnnaRita all it means is we cannot have outings in Best, Rooney Dumler, Jackie Mullins. Many groups. There are many diferent ways we thanks to all! can be safe and still achieve this goal. There could be an outing with a single subject that North Nanaimo we each view and interpret in a diferent •DeepBay,marina way as was the case of the Cedar Bridge •RaththevorPark,beach/trees/seascape/ outing. There can be a themed outing such as mushrooms/rabbits the Christmas Scavenger Hunt where we •MorecroftRegionalPark,beach/trees each post our images from the list . In the •LantzvilleFoothills,viewofSalishSea/ new year I am hoping we will have many mainland/Lantzville/Nanaimo new and interesting outings that challenge •LantzvilleBeach,seascapes us and let our vision inspire others. •LinleyValleyCottleLake,wildlife •NeckPoint,landscape/seascape/birds/ beach/weddings/sunsets/herring in Some ideas I am planning are, a song title March scavenger hunt, and a series of shoots each •PiperLagoon,landscape/seascape/ on a central theme of photography. But I am Garry Oak trees/wildfowers/birds/sea also looking to you the members for ideas life and suggestions. Later in the year when the •ShackIsland, weather improves I hope we can have more •PacifcBiologicalStation, outings like Brad's long exposure, or some •SugarloafMountain,viewofNanaimo practical demonstrations of location •DepartureBayBeach,people/seascapes portraiture and hands on instruction on •BeachEstatesPark,waterfalls equipment such as the use of refectors and fash photography. Mid town We are always looking for new ideas and •BebanPark,trees/horsebarns/gardens new locations for outings, but now we need •Buttertubs,birds/smallwildlife/fall even more help to fnd outings that are colour/landscape challenging, interesting, and ft within the •BowenPark,landscapes/springand guidelines of the new restrictions. summer birds/fowers/ winter waterfalls/ duck pond

12 •Swyalana/NanaimoSeawall, •JackPoint/BiggsPark seaplanes/yachts/sailboats/commercial •WestwoodLake boat basin/docks/fowers/statues •WestwoodRidges •DowntownNanaimo,KennedyStreetold •VIU,gardens/viewofNanaimo houses/Bastion/murals on S. Commercial St./Courthouse/Old Bank •CollieryDam, Bldg. •MorrellSanctuary,trees/smallwildlife/ •NewcastleIsland,landscape/seascape/ mushrooms mushrooms/birds/wild fowers/ •HarewoodPlains,wildfowersinspring wildlife •1151Milton,siteof#1mineexplosion •ProtectionIsland,heronrookery/ •MordenColliery,springwildfowers Gallows Point lighthouse •NanaimoRiverRegionalParkCedar, •GabriolaIsland,sandstoneformations/ •HemerPark,forestlandscapes/ seascape/landscape/seashore/view of mushrooms in fall/trumpeter swans in Nanaimo winter •CameronIsland,harbourview •NanaimoFishHatchery,nearOld •PortPlace,beyondPortPlacearerailway Cassidy Inn spring and summer tracks/old bridge wildfowers/ fall fsh spawning/ landscape colours •CrowandGate,oldpub/gardens/swan South Nanaimo Remember, we're all in this together. And •NanaimoEstuary,birds/plants stay safe!

An Introduction to Wildlife, Bird & Insect Photography by Linda Stevens Wildlife and bird photography are some of wind can be an additional factor that afects the more challenging, yet satisfying, types of the sharpness of the image. Insects, however, photography. The challenges include often stay in one place longer than birds or subjects that are often moving and animals allowing for more chances to get unpredictable, having no control over the repeat shots or change camera settings. Fast lighting, and dealing with distracting moving subjects such as bees can be elements such as branches and leaves. When challenging but there are often several of you are able to “get the shot”, despite these them present at the same time which challenges, it is tremendously satisfying. increases your chance of success. Insect photography can present many of the same challenges as with any wildlife, and When people ask me to give them tips on bird or insect photography, they usually want to know the best camera settings to use. Settings and gear are important, but the frst thing that I mention is the need for patience and perseverance. This type of photography requires being able to stand quietly and wait for the right moment, and capturing action shots involves more efort and patience compared to subjects that are still. Take the time to observe and learn the habits and behaviours of your subjects. For

13 example, preening birds stay in one place for more shots, move closer and so on. Do not afewminutes,givingyouthechancetoget make sudden moves and try to avoid eye several shots. Birds will often poop right contact with a bird, as some birds will before taking of, so watching for that perceive this as threat. You will have more behaviour allows you to get your camera success photographing birds if the bird feels ready for a fight shot. I have counted in safe, but you rarely get really close so be seconds how long a bee spends at a fower so prepared to use a telephoto lens. Occasion- Icanpredictwhenitwillliftofandmoveto ally, you might be lucky enough to meet the next fower. Being observant and what another photographer called a YASJ - a watching for these types of behaviours will young and stupid juvenile. Inexperienced increase your chances of capturing the birds can be quite curious and will often let moment. Someone said that the better a you get closer than you might expect. In the naturalist you are, the better a wildlife case of nesting birds, never approach the photographer you will be. nest too closely, as this will distress the bird and may even cause them to abandon the Photographing any type of wildlife can be nest. Insects are usually more tolerant of challenging since most wild creatures your presence and will often allow you to become alert the moment that they see or get very close and get some macro shots. hear you. If you approach too quickly your Birds, animals and insects will often ignore subject will be alarmed and may fy or run you when they are feeding or preening so away. Birds have their own comfort zones, so watch for these opportunities. if you slow down or stop moving and wait patiently; birds will often get used to your presence and go about doing whatever they were doing. Diferent birds have diferent tolerance levels for human interaction and the same is true for many insects. Barred owls can often be seen roosting in plain sight during the day and will often let you get quite close.

This is a good to time to briefy mention the ethics of bird photography. If your subject appears agitated, you are probably too close and it is best to back of. There is controversy about using cell phones to play bird calls and draw the bird in closer. This practice mani- pulates the birds’ behaviour and it is now frowned upon by ethical photographers.

Much of wildlife photography is made up of split-second decisions in the feld with no Grab a few shots from a distance, then time to do much planning. There is not one slowly move a few feet closer, take some camera setting that works in all situations.

14 The fastest way to get better is to go out and If your subject is too far away for a good take lots of images and fnd out what works close-up shot, then consider doing a shot and doesn’t work by experimenting with showing the subject in its habitat. These can settings for your particular camera. Here are often be unique since, through the habitat, some tips to get you started. the viewer sees the time of day, mood, or weather conditions and places them at the Use a high shutter speed, 1/1000 or higher, scene. and as low an ISO as possible. This is not a problem on sunny days, but can be a chal- lenge in low light. If your subject is sitting still, you can often use a lower shutter speed but birds and insects are unpredictable and may move at any time, so it is better to be prepared.

Using a telephoto lens with a variable range such as 100-400mm or 150-600mm gives you more fexibility than a fxed range. Use of a 1.4x teleconverter will increase that range. See this article for more in-depth information Soft, early morning light is the best for bird about the best lenses for bird photography. photography and it is also the time when birds are more actively feeding. Insects, There are also several good bridge cameras however, can be photographed at any time on the market with variable focal length of day but are more active as the day warms zoom lenses that ofer a lightweight camera up. The bright sunlight can present some option and provide fexibility for both long challenges but it also allows you to use a fast distance and close up work. Here is another shutter speed. Knowing how to use your article that provides some good information exposure compensation setting is vital for about these camera options. adjusting to changing light situations.

Close-ups of insects can be taken with a It is always nice when you can photograph telephoto lens or by a variety of other tech- your subject against a clean background, but niques such as a dedicated macro lens, often this is not possible. Sometimes you can extension tubes or a reversing ring. This change your position, but often your subject topic is too broad to cover here but there is a will not stay put long enough to allow you to lot information online. do this. Choosing a wide aperture to throw Always use burst mode and take lots of the background out of focus can help with photos to increase your chances of getting distracting backgrounds. At other times you some that are sharp. Burst mode also can incorporate the distracting elements into increases your chances of capturing your image and call it a habitat shot. interesting positions, since birds move Try to photograph birds and animals on their around when feeding and preening. When eye level. If your subject is on the ground, try using “burst” mode, make sure that your to get down low, even down on one knee, if camera has a big enough bufer to handle you can do this slowly and quietly. multiple images quickly. It also helps to have ahighspeedmemorycard.

15 cameras auto focus system.

To get started in bird or insect photography, practice with common subjects such as geese, mallards, herons, gulls, and robins or ladybugs.

The most interesting and challenging part of wildlife photography is capturing action shots. This is tricky even for photographers who have been doing this for a long time. For birds, your shutter speed should be increased to 1/1600 or higher if the light These will allow you to hone your skills allows. Try to take bird-in-fight shots on before attempting more difcult subjects. sunny days, since this will allow you to use a Develop some tracking skills by photo- fast shutter speed. Smaller birds are gener- graphing them when they are feeding, ally more erratic in their fight and are more preening or moving around on the ground. difcult to track. Large birds, such as geese, Some of our local marshes are good places to are often slower moving and easier to track start, since the birds are often used to the but others such, as hawks, can be fast and presence of people and are more tolerant of unpredictable. If your camera has focus us. Take lots of photos and be prepared for tracking, this can be big help for keeping the many out of focus or just plain bad shots. bird in focus as it fies across your feld of The more mistakes you make, the more you view. The same principles for photographing will learn. And remember to have fun and birds in fight can be using for fying insects appreciate all the amazing creatures that such as bumblebees, except then your nature has to ofer. subject is smaller and harder to track.

With waterfowl, learning about their landing and take of patterns will increase your chance of success. They will land and take Remember: Shaw TV is showcasing of into the wind so positioning yourself our members’ images province-wide correctly can improve your chances. If one every month. bird in a large fock takes of it is likely that the others will follow. Get your 6 images in to [email protected] Always focus on the eye of the bird or promptly. animal-if the eye is in focus it doesn’t matter if some other parts of the subject are slightly Watch for Barry’s emails in your inbox! out of focus. For birds in fight, try to focus on the head or whatever other part of the bird will provide better contrast for the

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