Galapagos Day 6/Afternoon, Punta Moreno, Isabella

Galapagos Day 6/Afternoon, July 11: Punta Moreno, Isabella

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This Greater Flamingo bird-scape was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 70mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 200. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/10. When creating bird-scapes I generally determine the correct exposure, set it manually, focus on the bird using One-Shot central sensor AF, and then recompose to come up with a pleasing composition with sharp focus on the bird.

After a dry landing , our two mile walk over somewhat dicey lava fields brought us to several ponds, one with two photographable Greater Flamingos in it. (The second bird in the image above was covered with a Quick Mask.) Juan educated the group as to the colonizing cacti and other vegetation. The vast lava fields were formed less than 1,000 years ago. As you will see below, we photographed the cacti in a variety of manners.

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This Candelabra Cactus is the same cactus as in the birdscape above. The image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6. The relatively dark background here (that makes the image for me) was the side of a distant volcano. There are six volcanoes on Isabella.

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This Prickly Pear Cactus image was also created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 50. Evaluative metering -1 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/16. I love silhouetting a variety of subjects against the brilliant flashing highlights created when a relatively strong sun strikes the water. For more on creating what I call “11am silhouettes” see page 530 in The Art of Bird Photography II (916 pages on CD only)..

After our lava walk we took a short panga ride and had some decent chances with nesting Flightless Cormorants. Then it was back to the Beagle for yet another great dinner. And sleep.

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This Flightless Cormorant is gular panting; it helps with thermo-regulation. The image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3. Remarkably, I was able to set up my tripod low in the bow of the panga for a short photo session.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used that afternoon at Urbina Bay:

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our Shopper’s Guide