Do you canoe?

OK, so everyone likely doesn't remember the commercial for some fragrance a while back... At any rate, I decided it was time to give something a try.

One of my photographer friends is always getting some pretty nice images of various waterfowl and shorebirds by taking his gear aboard a canoe. To me, this always seemed like a HUGE risk.

Why take the risk? In a canoe, you are just a couple feet off the water. In most cases, this put you at the subjects' same level. You get a much more appealing angle on your subject. See for yourself at the 2 posted images contained in this entry. Both were shot handheld with a Canon 500L IS f/4 on a Canon 1D Mark IIN.

Well, Becky has wanted to take me canoeing the past couple visits to my folks' house in WI. So, we finally took that canoe trip.

I was quite surprised at how stable the canoe was as well as how easy we seemed to glide along the water.

We decided, based on the amount of waterfowl and shorebirds we had seen, that we'd for sure have to go back again with my camera gear. So later that afternoon, we did just that.

We observed numerous Green Herons, Great Blue Herons and a group of Mallards. As we'd approach a subject of interest, Becky would slowly position the canoe for me to get the optimal angle.

Many great images were the result of this journey - a journey I know I will surely make again... and again!

Hummingbirds

If you've never seen a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, they are quite small AND quite erratic in-flight.

A good friend of mine has them in abundance in his backyard "sanctuary." Yes, not a garden, a sanctuary for all different kinds of birds.

I spent a couple days shooting there last year and never really got anything "killer!" So, Mike invited me back. I got killer captures this time!

Male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird:

Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird:

Welcome family, friends and visitors...

Well, I figure if my non-technical sister can pull off a blog, then it's time for this tech-savvy guy to get off his duff and publish those "deep thoughts!"
What do I have to say?I likely will talk about recent photo shoots or other such related topics.

What do you need to know?
I'm a software engineer by day, semi-professional photographer by night. I have shot a few portrait sessions as well as assisted at numerous weddings over the past 4 years.

Brand allegiance?
I am a Canon shooter. Why? When I realized that I needed to get out of the point-n-shoot market and into the flexibility that a digital SLR offers, I found the best deal with a Canon EOS 10D.

Upgrade.
It never ends!I've since upgraded from the 10D to the 20D. Still wanting a faster body with more features, I soon upgraded to the Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN. This body served me for a couple years and is now relegated to backup and time lapse duties.

In early 2009, I purchased a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. I was very excited for this top-of-the-line body. Full-frame and 21 megapixels! But, I just was never happy due to it's relatively slow frames-per-second speed.

So, in 2010 I sold this body and purchased the new Canon EOS 1D Mark IV. What a great body - over 10 frames-per-second, 16 megapixels, new processor and even shoots HD video!

Similarly, I started out with some nice, budget Tamron lenses. They have since been replaced by Canon "L" series lenses, with my favorite being the Canon EF 500L IS f/4.

What makes me happy?
Camera in hand, a long lens and something of interest downfield. Be it a shorebird, raptor or woodland creature, this is where I find my peace and calm.