Stuff
Swim, core exercises, acupuncture treatment, ice bath. Two good meals and a nice goat cheese salad. Even with considerable help from Peter Kes–thanks Peter–this blog post, the 89th in a row, took about 1 1/2 hours to prepare. It was published at 6:17am on Tuesday morning. Congrats to the Duke Blue Devil’s who rode the amazing play of two freshman guards and some really debatable block-charge calls all of which went in their favor and beat Wisconsin for the title in the Men’s NCAA Championship game.
BirdPhotographers.Net Image of the the Year nominations
The six images below were chosen as the 2014 BPN Image of the Year in their respective Forum. Click on the links to see what the boys and girls at BPN thought of the various images when they were first posted for critiquing. BPN/It Ain’t Jus Birds: honest critiques done gently.
Which is the overall strongest image? Please leave a comment and vote for the one that you think should be the BPN Image of the Year. And as always, let us know why you made your choice.
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Image #1: Elegant Tern tossing baitfish by David Salem. |
Avian Forum 2014 Image of the Year
This elegant Elegant Tern image was chosen as 2014 Image of the Year for the Avian Forum. Click on this link to visit the original thread: “Fish Toss” by David Salem
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Image #2: In the Shadow of the Ele by Marc Mol. |
Wildlife Forum 2014 Image of the Year
This strikingly graphic image was chosen as Image of Year in the Wildlife Forum. Click on this link to visit the original thread: In the Shadow of the Ele by Marc Mol.
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Image #3: Fun with Smoke…Waves, by Steve Adkins |
Out-Of-The-Box Forum 2014 Image of the Year
This extremely creative image was chosen as Image of the Year in the Out of the Box Forum. Click on this link to visit the original thread: Fun with Smoke…Waves, by Steve Adkins.
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Image #4: Fluffy, by Vida van der Walt |
Macro & Flora Forum 2014 Image of the Year
This rather scary image was chosen as Image of the Year in the Macro & Flora Forum. Click on this link to visit the original thread: Fluffy, by Vida van der Walt in Macro and Flora
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Image #5: Dune 45, by Peter Delaney in Landscapes and Cities. |
Landscapes and Cities Forum 2014 Image of the Year
This dramatic image was chosen as the Landscapes and Cities Forum 2014 Image of the Year. Click on this link to visit the original thread: Dune 45, by Peter Delaney.
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Image #6: White-tailed Eagle Squabble by Giovanni Frescura. |
Eager to Learn Forum 2014 Image of the Year
This exciting action image was chosen as the Eager to Learn Forum 2014 Image of the Year. Click on this link to visit the original thread: White-tailed Eagle Squabble by Giovanni Frescura
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All of the images in the bear boat card above were created in Katmai National Park during the month of September. |
Bear Boat/Bears Catching Salmon IPT: September 1-8, 2015 from Kodiak, AK/6 FULL & 2 1/2 DAYS: $6699. Happy campers only! Maximum 8/Openings: 3. Plus the leader: Arthur Morris.
This trip is a go.
Join me in Katmai National Park, AK for seven days of photographing Coastal Brown Bears (grizzlies) catching salmon, fattening up for the long winter. Other subjects will include Mew and Glaucous-winged Gulls in flight and dip-feeding on salmon roe. Did I mention that we live on a boat and that the food is great? Most of our photography will be done in a variety of famed locations: Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay, and Kukak Bay. We once had 39 bears fishing the creek at Kukak….
It is mandatory that you be in Kodiak no later than the late afternoon of August 31, 2015 September to avoid missing the float planes to the boat on the morning of September 1. With air travel in AK being what it is, with the chance of fog or other bad weather–being on Kodiak on August 30 is an even better plan). I will be on Kodiak on August 30 to avoid any potential disaster. That said in my nearly a dozen bear boat trips I was delayed only once but since I was day early as noted above there was no harm, no foul.
We will take one or more float planes to the boat mid-morning on September 1. We will photograph bears fishing that afternoon and every day for the next six days (weather permitting of course). We should have bears catching salmon every day. In addition, we will get some nice stuff on Mew Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls dining on roe and the remains of predated salmon. We may–depending on where the concentrations of bears are–get to photograph Harbor seals and some hauled out Steller’s Sea Lions (an endangered species). Halibut fishing (license required) is optional. On September 8, our last morning on the boat, those who would like to enjoy one last photo session will do so. The group returns to Kodiak via float plane midday. Most folks will fly to Anchorage and then continue on red-eye flights to their home cities.
The eight days will consist of six full days (Sept 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7) of photography featuring lots of Coastal Brown Bears catching salmon as above plus a variety of other natural history subjects plus some nice scenic photography that I forgot to mention above. Plus the first afternoon and the last morning.
What’s included? 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS on the boat as above. All meals on the boat. (The food is quite excellent.) National Park fees. One night’s double occupancy lodging on Kodiak; arrive: Sept 1/depart: Sept 2. The thank-you-in-advance dinner on Sept 1. In-the-field photo tips, instruction, and guidance. An insight into the mind of a top professional; I will constantly let you know what I am thinking, what I am doing, and why I am doing it. Small group image review, image sharing, and Photoshop instruction on the boat.
What’s not included: Your round trip airfare to and from Kodiak, AK (almost surely through Anchorage). All necessary lodging other than the cost of your double occupancy room on the night of August 31 should you opt to arrive early–we can arrange that in advance for you. We will let you know the cost of a single supplement for the one night if so desired. The cost of the round-trip float plane to the boat on September 2 and back to Kodiak on September 9. The cost of a round trip this year was $500. The suggested crew tip of $210.
Is this an expensive trip? Yes, of course. But with 6 full and two half days, a wealth of great subjects, and the fact that you will be walking with the bears just yards away (or less….) it will be one of the great natural history experiences of your life. Most folks who take part in a Bear Boat IPT wind up coming back for more.
A $2,000 per person non-refundable deposit by check only made out to “Arthur Morris” is required to hold your spot. Please click here to read our cancellation policy. Then please print, read, and sign the necessary paperwork here and send it to us.
Your deposit is due immediately. That will leave a balance of $4699. The next payment of $2699 will be due on February 15, 2015. The final payment of $2000 is due on May 1, 2015.
I hope that you can join us for this wondrously exciting trip.
By e-mail from Bill Keown, veteran of three bear boat trips!
Hi Artie, What a great trip! With the exception of the one bright sunny day it was just great. Very different from my first trip in June where we only had the bears clamming; the fishing bears were amazing! As always I learned a lot and enjoyed the group immensely. All the Best, Bill
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As an amateur wildlife photographer (and aspiring bird photographer) 🙂 I love the capture of the eagle behavior in #6 and the beautiful exposure and elegance of the tern in #1. But my favorite is the shadow patterns of the eles in #2. I would add to David’s eloquent post that not only is the angle and light perfect, but the separation between the eles is near perfect … resulting in little shadow overlay. Love eles … and I still love my “Badgers”.
Sending this from Malaysia.
My choice would be number 6, purely on the basis of a unique awe inspiring capture, followed closely by no 1 which has incredible visual impact, is superb in all technical aspects and is equally unique.
They are all superb. My favorites are 1 and 2. My pick would be for 2 for image design and uniqueness. I love it.
I liked no 2 best. Tough choice. I spent some time looking at the shadows trying to make out what they were . Once I saw the elephants it all made sense. I like the way the image is composed. The low sun angle makes a very nice relief on the landscape, defining all the surface features by creating lots of small shadows. The landscape itself looks a bit like tough leathery elephant skin. Maybe not intentional by the photographer, but very clever none the less. The textured ground here creates a canvas for the ele shadows. The elephants are so similar in tone to their background that at first all I could see we’re the shadows. This image made me stay a while and fully explore the frame. Very nice work. This is one I would place on my wall.
My second choice was the dunes , a strong graphic composition.
#1 Does It for me.
All are amazing, but my pick is #1.
Warren
My image of the year vote would’ve been for #4.
The expression of course is priceless, but the blue and green
bands of colors really put it over the top for me.
As far as the expression, its almost like ‘what are you doing
down here?’ Absolutely love it.
I went to the link and didn’t see any info on how it was created?
If so, its a shame cause I’d love to know what went behind the
scenes to capture this.
Doug
My bad 🙂 Scroll down here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/119622-Fluffy
a
#1 is aaaawwwwe…some !
Wow – I can see why they were all winners in their categories. If I had to pick one to be the winner of all I would go with #5 (even though #1 is my other first choice). Its composition with the windy edge drawing the eye in deeper into the photo along with the gorgeous tone and use of lights and darks keeps me coming back to it.
I prefer nr 1: the fish toss. Very interesting posture and very sharp.
#4 makes me smile; and a bit jealous!
Which would you choose as Image of the Year???? a
Thanks for asking. I might have chosen #3 if the smoke didn’t go off the edge. So #4 first, #1 second, #3 third
Mike
I prefer Image 1: Elegant Tern… It is an amazing capture in perfect focus. The intensity of the bird’s stare at the fish is captivating. The bird’s posture is so unusual! The lighting is very nice.
Marv