Brad Hill: Blog: Photography. Nature. Gadgets. Software. Conservation. Whatever.
Short-winded blatherings on whatever is currently occupying the part of my brain that deals with photography. Updated sorta weekly.
22 January 2012: Conflicting Nikon V1 Reviews: Feedback
Surprisingly to me, yesterday's blog entry regarding conflicting reviews of the V1 sent my web server smoking! I did expect some in-bound web traffic from the forums on dpreview.com - and that did happen, though it was a fairly minor amount. But, I didn't expect so much traffic directed in from other websites, such as that from dslr-forum.de - a German-based DSLR forum (and welcome to all the new viewers from Germany). I don't know what (if anything) is being said in the various forums about my comments from yesterday, but the email I have directly received has been 100% supportive of my views. It would appear that I'm not totally alone in questioning dpreview.com's review or in my positive feelings about the Nikon V1. This short email from Roy LaFaver reflects the tone of the feedback I directly received. The email is "reprinted" here with permission from the sender:
Subject Field: Nikon V1
Email Body:
Hello, Brad. Your review of the dpreview is perfect. I wish I could express it as well. I have finally found a small camera that makes me fearless when I leave the DSLR at home. Gone on ebay are NEX and Oly systems that simply don't measure up.
Roy LaFaver
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
21 January 2012: Conflicting Nikon V1 Reviews: Different Strokes for Different Folks?
Yesterday dpreview.com published their combined review of the new Nikon V1 and J1 cameras. I normally don't like to comment too much on what others say in their reviews of cameras, but in this case I'm already receiving email asking me how my thoughts on the V1 (which are generally very positive) can differ so radically from those of dpreview.com (which gives both cameras quite low scores and quite mixed reviews). Depreview.com's reviews of these cameras are available right here - and my still evolving field test of the V1 can be found here...
Anyway...here's a few things to keep in mind in trying to sort out the differences in how the camera is being perceived by various users:
1. I don't think the reviews are really all that different! It's important to keep in mind that my field test is clearly written from the perspective of ONE wildlife photographer using the V1 as a walk-around camera - I make it very clear that my field test is applicable only to others with needs similar to mine. Dpreview.com's review is written for a different audience and from a different perspective (which I find a little challenging to actually describe - the "average" user? Is there an "average user"?). And, there's an incredibly important sentence near the very end of dpreview.com's "Overall conclusion" - it reads: "If you want to shoot moving subjects in good light with a small (ish) camera then the J1 and V1 really are the only game in town, at least as far as mirrorless models are concerned." (italics and boldface are mine). Yep. And, in my opinion, there's one very important thing that's omitted in this thought - the group that wants to "...shoot moving subjects in good light..." is - in the real world - a HUGE group! It would include wildlife photographers, sports photographers, soccer moms and dads, anyone wanting to capture images of their kids (or pets) doing anything but sleeping, yada, yada, yada. Nope, the V1 isn't the best tool (at all) for landscape photography or studio photography, but no one - including Nikon - is pretending it is.
2. OK, there's a statement in dpreview.com's "Overall conclusion" that presents an opinion almost as fact and which I (and others I'll mention in a second) disagree with and that could really bias readers of their review. The statement is: "Obviously, enthusiasts will be disappointed by Nikon's focus on beginners, and that's fine - the 1 System really isn't designed for them." (italics and boldface mine). Hmmmm...I don't think this is obvious at all. And I think it's wrong! And, so do some other pretty serious shooters out there, including Rob Galbraith (his excellent Nikon V1/J1 review is here) and Kirk Tuck (his very positive comments on the V1 are spread throughout his blog but a good overview is found here). Add in the ability of the V1/J1 to accept "real" Nikkor lenses (with use of the Mount Adapter FT1) and the Nikon 1 system becomes VERY appealing to Nikon-shooting enthusiasts.
3. And, on the really picky side...and only because dpreview.com has considered it so important that it merits a bullet point in their final list of "Pros and Cons" (as the second "Con") - dpreview.com states "No 'live' simulation of exposure compensation, nor on-screen histogram" (italics and boldface mine). Hmmm...I agree on the "no on-screen histogram" - it's not there and I initially thought it would be nice to have. But my V1 DOES simulate the effect of exposure compensation while I'm looking through the viewfinder - I rely on this feature daily and it works well - after a day or two of use I could use it effectively enough to judge exactly when I'd be losing highlights (or shadows) in high contrast scenes while looking through the viewfinder. In fact, now I'm completely fine with NOT having a live histogram (makes for a much cleaner view of the scene and I have no problem judging the effect of exposure compensation).
4. And those final "Overall Scores" awarded by dpreview.com? I understand the desire to produce a simple "at-a-glance" score on a camera, but in a way it's the ultimate in the "dumbing down" of what would otherwise be an intelligent camera review. Who is that score for? The "average" user? Does the "average" user exist? Is there any validity for these scores for real-world users? A few examples may make my point clearer: dpreview.com's score for the V1 is 69% and the score for the Olympus E-P3 is 74%. Yet for my uses (as clearly defined in my field test), there is absolutely no contest between these two cameras - the V1 wins hands-down (which is why I sold my entire Olympus kit just three days ago). For use as a walk-around camera for a wildlife photographer I would give the V1 an incredibly high "Overall score" - something like 90%. For use as a landscape or studio camera - well, that would be a low and failing score - maybe 48% or so. Averaged out what do these scores give - a rating of 69% (what a coincidence - same score as dpreview.com!) But the averaging is where the valuable information is totally lost! And that's what bothers me about any hybrid index (like dpreview.com's "Overall score") - it kills ALL the valuable information found in the variation of scores between different user groups. Variation is a key source of information - ask ANY analytical professional who knows anything about statistical analysis. Let me say this clearly: for me - and I suspect other users with the same needs in a camera - the V1 is currently the ONLY mirror-less game in town!
So...different strokes for different folks? Or perhaps a not-so-subtle statement about the real-world usefulness of camera reviews written for "everyone" (or, perhaps more accurately, written for "no one")? You be the judge.
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
17 January 2012: One Spot Opens Up on 2012 Khutzeymateen Instructional Photo Tour
I have just received a single cancellation on my spring "Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen" Instructional Photo Tour. The Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary is world-renown and provides absolutely unique opportunities to photograph fully wild grizzlies in a spectacular setting. The trip runs from May 23 to May 30, 2012.
Full details about the trip available on the Photo Tours page of this website - or simply download this brochure (PDF: 2.0 MB).
Contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca if you're interesting in joining me on this once-in-a-lifetime photo adventure.
Cheers...
Brad
16 January 2012: For Sale: Full Olympus Pen E-P3 Kit with Multiple Lenses
17 January Update: This kit has now been sold and is no longer available.
If someone is looking for a complete and completely current Olympus Micro Four-Thirds mirrorless camera kit I'm offering a deal almost too good to be true (but it is true!). The kit includes an E-P3 body, both a 14-42mm Micro Zuiko zoom lens and a 40-150mm Micro Zuiko zoom, electronic viewfinder, and more (and here "more" includes a second E-P1 body and second 14-42mm lens!). All details on my Gear For Sale page...
With the price I'm offering this kit at it's unlikely it will be around for long. So if you're interested it would be best to act quickly.
Cheers...
Brad
14 January 2012: Wildlife Photography Seminar: 5 Additional Spots...
We've just added 5 additional spots to my seminar entitled "Wildlife Photography: From Documentary Images to Wildlife Art". The seminar is in Calgary, AB on January 28 and had been sold out for quite a some time. All details available on the Digital Photography Instruction page of this website...
Cheers...
Brad
10 January 2012: On Animalscapes, Enviroscapes, and Active Portraits...
Over my years of teaching wildlife photography and leading instructional photo tours I've noticed that the images captured by many developing wildlife photographers often fail for a very simple reason - when confronted by a dynamic and compelling subject (such as a bear, lion, wolf, whale, etc.) they become almost "spellbound" and forget most everything they know about photographic composition. And, the thing that seems most commonly ignored is consideration of the question "how large or dominant should the subject be within the viewfinder (or final image)?".
My approach when shooting wildlife is to think in 3 frames of reference regarding the relative dominance of my subject: animalscapes, enviroscapes, and active portraits. And, I've just updated my popular "A Few Key Techniques" page to include a reasonably detailed discussion about these 3 different approaches to subject dominance - you can check out the discussion right here...
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
8 January 2012: The Nikon V1: Using the Mount Adapter FT1
9 January 2012 UPDATE: Images captured with the Nikon V1 paired with other Nikkor lenses (using the Mount Adapter FT1) are now beginning to appear in my Gallery of Latest Additions. The first offering (of yet another dickey bird!) was shot with the V1 paired with the 400mm f2.8 VRII, for a total effective focal length of 1080mm. Click the "In the Field" tab for some additional comments/thoughts on using the V1 with Nikkor super-telephotos, including for the photography of small birds.
For those that don't know, the Mount Adapter FT1 is an accessory for the Nikon V1 (and J1) that permits the use of "real" Nikkor lenses on the Nikon 1 bodies. Mine arrived Friday. And, yesterday I had about an hour or so to begin playing with it. And I can now say that my "like affair" with the V1 is blossoming into a real love affair!
The FT1 is solidly built and integrates very well with the V1 camera. The instant you put it on the camera automatically makes the appropriate adjustments to the camera's autofocus options (many of the V1's autofocus capabilities are lost when the FT1 is used). For instance when you mount the FT1, you lose continuous AF (AF-C) capabilities, but the camera is "smart enough" to know the FTI is installed and automatically shifts the camera to AF-S mode (and even changes the menu options for AF, showing only AF-S and manual focusing options). But, when using AF-S AF, the focus is very snappy and appears very accurate. Additionally, the full features of the lens (such as VR options) still work just fine.
Using the FT1 I had the opportunity to shoot my V1 the following lenses: 70-200mm f2.8 VRII, 200mm f2 VR (both with and without the TC-14EII 1.4x teleconverter), and the 400mm f2.8 VRII. All worked fine and while I've only had a chance to quickly review most of the test shots I captured, most shots looked very, very sharp (and noticeably sharper than those shot using the CX lenses I own, which I'm sure many will find interesting).
One little irritating quirk I noticed is that when using the FT1 with my 200mm f2 VR and 400mm f2.8 VRII the VR is ALWAYS active - until the camera goes to sleep (I didn't notice this on my 70.200mm f2.8 VR, but this is likely because the VR isn't as audible on this lens as it is on the 200 f2 and the 400 f2.8). I'm guessing this will be the case on ALL of Nikon's VR lenses. The only problem this presents is battery drain - powering that VR on those big lenses pulls the battery of the V1 down awfully quickly. The obvious workaround is to set the V1 so that it begins its automatic shut-down routine faster (which is configurable) so that the camera goes into "sleep" mode sooner. But the problem with this workaround is that the camera is slow to wake from its sleep - a little over two seconds once one touches the shutter release. So you face a dilemma - save battery life by setting your camera for a rapid sleep onset (and risk the chance of missing the action by a camera only very slowly coming out of its slumber) or stay ready to shoot all the time by specifying (by having a long onset to sleep) and have that VR rapidly drain your camera's battery. Methinks this problem justifies a firmware update.
Sample shots? More coming later when I update my V1 field test article, but here's a sneak peak of one 1200 pixel high image shot using the V1 with my 200mm f2 VR plus 1.4x teleconverter (EFL of 756mm!) - all techs are given on the image:
Pine Grosbeak - More Fun with the V1 (JPEG: 427 kb)
I've heard you can't blur backgrounds and isolate your subject from the surroundings with the mirrorless cameras with small image sensors. Hmmm...really? ;-)
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
8 January 2012: The Nikon D4: Memory Card Purgatory?
For the record, I'm very excited about the D4 and can't wait to begin shooting with mine (once I get it!). Any misgivings I have about the camera are quite minor. And, it would appear that at least some others share my feelings about the camera having two different memory card slots on it (one for the newly announced XQD card format, one for "tradiitonal" Compact Flash cards). Here's what one viewer (presumably from Spain or Italy) said to me in an email late yesterday. The email is "reprinted" with permission:
Subject Field: Blog Feedback - XQD - How to ruin a good idea
Email Body:
There is no doubt that XQD will become the standard in the next 18-24 months. It offers many interesting advantages. Meanwhile, the prices are quite high, availability low and can not be ruled out defects on the initial mass production, as happens in the life cycle of any new technology.
Today Sony has just announced the production of 16 and 32 GB XQD cards with a write speed of 125 MB/s, much less the potential of this technology. CF has reached its limits and can not offer further significant developments, although some new announcement (eg, Lexar 400x).
The solution XQD slot + CF slot effectively forces users to a double logistics chain without being able to enjoy the full benefits of the new (eg the download time of the buffer is affected by the slower card when using backup card).
It would have been rather useful to design interchangeable slots (simple and not expensive) so that the user can choose whether to use two CF, a CF and one XQD or two XQD. In this way it would be possible to manage the transition optimally. Probably some marketing genius thought of forcing the hands of customers. It's a choice that creates distrust.
Regards
Francesco Penno
Francesco - I agree with you. But - for perspective - I think of the card slot situation on the D4 simply as an "annoyance" issue and I'm sure I'll be able to live with it. Given the huge number of refinements and improvements on the camera, I'm still convinced that the vastly improved overall user-experience of this professional photographic tool will more than offset the card slot annoyance/inconvenience.
If anyone can provide me with some reasons why the "two different card slots" approach is a good one - I'm all ears. I'm open to posting your thoughts here, but be aware that I will not post anything without including the sender's name (the increasing online trend of hiding behind anonymity doesn't work for me).
By the way - Rob Galbraith's excellent preview/overview of the D4 is an evolving document which is receiving multiple updates and it's definitely worth visiting (and re-visiting). You can find it right here. Thanks for the info Rob!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
6 January 2012: The Nikon D4 - Evolutionary or Revolutionary?
As expected, Nikon unveiled their new DSRL flagship today - the Nikon D4. The rumored listed of specifications turned out to be very accurate and, at a glance, the key differences between the D4 and the camera it replaces (the D3s) are increased resolution (to 16.2 effective MP), a slight increase in frame rate (to 10 fps), tweaks to the autofocus (AF) system, enhanced video capabilities, enhanced user-configurability of buttons and controls, some fairly significant changes to the camera's ergonomics, introduction of a slot for the new uber high-speed XQD memory cards (so one Compact Flash slot, one XQD slot), and a new battery. A complete spec-spew can be found here on dpreview.com's website. A more in-depth and reflective discussion of the new and key features of the D4 may be found here on Rob Galbraith's website.
I'm already receiving a lot of email asking me what I think of the D4. In general the questions have been of the "is it revolutionary or just evolutionary?" ilk. My honest answer is this: I don't know yet. I haven't had the chance to handle or shoot with the D4 yet and I firmly believe you can't judge a camera by specs alone. I learned my lesson with the D3s - on paper it looked almost identical to the D3 and it appeared to be a real yawner of an update. But once in the field - WHOA...what a huge difference!
But I will say this about the D4: While I have a few minor quibbles with the specs (more on this below), overall I really like the specs of this new camera. The many small changes from the D3s (which was an incredibly tough act to follow) should make the D4 an even more efficient tool in the field. I welcome the increase in resolution - there were more than a few times when the full-framed images from my D3s contained too few pixels for my (or more importantly, publishers I was working with) needs. And, I did run into low-light situations where the AF system of my D3s faltered (the D3s functioned to EV-1, the D4 has been up-spec'd to EV-2).
But, at least for this wildlife shooter, what's not shown on a spec list will determine whether I end up thinking of the D4 as "just" evolutionary or really revolutionary. Things like...
1. How does the ISO performance of the D4 compare to the D3s? As one who shoots a lot in the low-light world of the Great Bear Rainforest (and who is forced to do ridiculous things like hand-hold 600mm lenses while in a moving Zodiac boat) I have come to love (and depend on) the amazing high-ISO performance of the D3s. I actually expect that despite the modest increase in resolution that the D4 will actually out-perform the D3s in ISO performance (as good as the D3s would please me; I'd be very happy with a 0.5 stop increase in performance, and literally ecstatic with a 1 stop increase in performance). And, to be honest, I think this is why that Nikon stopped at 16.2 MP and didn't go higher yet in resolution. I hope I'm right.
2. What happens to the dynamic range of the D4 as you crank the ISO up? Most modern high-end DSLR's have sufficient dynamic range (for most shooting situations) at the camera's base ISO (the lowest numerical ISO setting). But what happens as you crank up the ISO varies dramatically between cameras. Many cameras instantly start losing dynamic range directly proportional to how much you crank up the ISO - you'd lose a stop of range for every doubling (i.e., each additional stop) of ISO. But the D3s did a very beautiful thing (that I came to depend on) - it resisted the trend of "losing a stop-for-a-stop" (so kept it's dynamic range) until ISO 1600, and then it started losing a stop-for-a-stop. In the conditions under which I commonly work this meant I could capture high-contrast scenes at high ISO settings and still be left with sufficient shadow and highlight detail to effectively "work" the image in processing. Whether or not this is the case with the D4 remains to be seen (but I'm both assuming - and hoping - the D4 will perform as good or better than the D3s in this regard).
3. Attainable image quality in the conditions I work under? In a way, this is the kicker - right? Image quality is a vague term and is ultimately the coalescence of a lot of intertwined variables. I'm already reading encouraging (but quite vague) comments - like this one from Joe McNally: "...but I was impressed by the detail and the creaminess of the pictures. No sharpness of contrast, and harshly defined lines of demarcation between highlights and shadows. Smooth, in a word, and great skin tone." While it's nice looking at images shot by others - the reality is that no one can tell me how the camera will work for me (under my shooting conditions) but me. I'm optimistic and hopeful that for me the output from the D4 will surpass that of the D3s, and that's a tall order to fulfill.
4. How well will the ergonomic and/or button changes work in the field for me? Ergonomics can literally make or break the real world usefulness of a camera. The layout and feel of the D3s worked well for me so I view tinkering with tried and true ergonomics as a bit of a dicey proposition. The change I'm most interested (and concerned) about is the transfer of the AF bracket toggling away from the Multi-selector switch to two new multi-position buttons called "Sub-selectors". Again, my expectation and hope is that this will be an improvement - I had been quite accustomed to using the "old" multi-selector method of navigating the AF bracket array (and had become quite adept at doing so quite quickly). So messing with this function almost scares me - but I'll keep an open mind here and expect an improvement!
5. Will changes to the Auto ISO function work for me? I have come to love (and rely on) the Auto ISO function on the D3/D3s - incredibly useful once you know how far you can push the ISO in a given situation and then configure/constrain the Auto ISO setting accordingly. With the D4 Nikon has added a new twist - the minimum shutter speed setting will now be dynamic when using a zoom lens - choose a longer focal length and the minimum shutter speed will be higher; select a shorter focal length and the minimum shutter speed will be lower. Seems to make total sense in principle, but the actual algorithm used to determine the shutter speed will be the critical factor in judging whether this change is a good or bad thing.
6. And about the enhanced user-configurability of the buttons/controls: This is an incredibly hard thing to "get right", simply because every pro likes to use their camera a bit differently (and I know TONS of pros that never customize anything on their camera!). Increasing the user-configurability seems like a good move, but it's usefulness totally depends on the execution (i.e., the exact options of each button will matter!).
I mentioned above that I had a few minor quibbles with the specs I've seen. I'm not one to try to snag headlines or web traffic by dumping on products with a "I know better" attitude, but two things about the D4 trouble me a little right now:
1. Two card slots - each accepting a different format? Nikon has been an earlier adopter (the first adopter) of the new XQD storage cards that promise uber fast data transfer rates. The D4 has one slot for Compact Flash cards and one for XQD slots. I like new technology and almost always buy-in very fast, but having one slot of each type almost seems like a "design-by-consensus" and "keep everyone happy" decision (don't want to PO all those folks with scads of Compact Flash cards!). But in the field having two different slots - and carrying two card types with you - seems like a big step backwards. When I'm in the heat of the action I don't want to be sorting card types and finding the right slot for the right card ("Excuse me Mr. Grizzly, could you please stop your charge until i find the right card and get it in the right slot? Thanks!"). And, now I have to carry two card-readers (or buy a new multi-card card reader) for a single camera. Now there may be a very good reason for combining "old" and "new" technology in a single function, but I'm missing it. If the good reason becomes apparent I will apologize for this short rant.
2. New battery, new charger. ARRGH! The D4 is powered by the new EN-EL18 lithium battery, which you charge with the new dual-slot Quick Charger MH-26. Which means if I'm taking my D3s and D4 into the field I have to take two chargers with me (actually, 3 if I take either my D7000 or my V1 with me too!). So...in practical terms this means leaving something else that's important behind (like my flask of rum!) when I'm getting onto a float plane with a strict 75-lb per person luggage weight limit! The work-around? Sell my D3s and buy two D4's? Yes, I know for many users this battery change will be a trivial thing, but for some shooters this is the kind of thing they hate. I can accept change-for-the-better, but the new EN-EL18 batter has a lower capacity than the EN EL4A of the D3s. I have to say I'm now dreading what the battery spec for the D800 will be!
OK - that's it for minor and possibly uninformed quibbles.
My "haven't-even-touched-it-yet" final word on the D4? Evolutionary or revolutionary? Well, mine is on order (and has been for a while) - I'll let you conclude what that means I'm thinking the answer to the "evolution or revolution" question will be!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
5 January 2012: Capture One Adds Support for Nikon V1 and J1
Phase One Software has updated their popular raw converters to version 6.3.3 and they now include support (raw conversion capabilities) for the Nikon V1 and J1 cameras. The accompanying Release Notes list the support for the V1 and J1 (and P7100) as "preliminary" with no further explanation. This is a good news/bad news thing for me - I'm a long time fan and user of Capture One Pro and have been looking forward to seeing how my V1 images look when converted with Capture One Pro. But...it means I have a LOT of time to spend in front of the computer in the near future. Get the update and links to full details here.
By the way - for those of you who are wondering - support for the Nikon D4 was not included in the full list of new cameras supported.
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
2 January 2012: Think Different. Because You Are.
While I always keep a close eye on the web stats for this website, come end of year I always dig deeper into the numbers to see what they might tell me. While I keep most of the numbers associated with traffic on this website confidential, there are some numbers I don't mind sharing. And, they say something very interesting about those visiting this website. Besides the obvious (i.e., how cool the average visitor to this website is!), the numbers reveal that the "typical" visitor to this website is far from typical! So don't be afraid to "Think Different" - because you certainly are! And for the analytical types out there - the trends below are definitely not sampling errors - they're based on tens of thousands (or is it hundreds of thousands?) of unique visitors stopping by in 2011.
| 1. OS Wars: Mac vs. Windows! | ||
| THIS Website | The Entire Web | |
| Windows | 45.11% | 78.77% |
| Macintosh | 38.36% | 8.65% |
| iPad | 9.73% | 2.84% |
| iPhone | 3.91% | 0.94% |
Those using calculators may have noticed that the total percentage of visitors coming to this website using an Apple product is 52%, compared to total Windows users of 45.11%. Hmmm...that's different!
| 2. Browser Wars! | ||
| THIS Website | The Entire Web | |
| Safari (all flavours) | 43.31% | 6.2% |
| Firefox | 21.83% | 25.5% |
| Internet Explorer | 17.70% | 32.90% |
| Google Chrome | 12.86% | 22.80% |
| Opera | 1.84% | 2.40% |
Who says Safari is dead? Certainly those visiting this website don't think so! That's certainly very different!
3. Monitor Wars!
Given the huge number of different sized monitors out there, showing all the data would take a massive table. But here's an interesting fact: the percent of folks visiting this site with a monitor of 1440 x 900 pixels or larger is just over 38%, compared to only 18% with monitors this big surfing the web in general.
So there you go - if you're reading this, odds are you're quite different. In a good way. Makes we wish Steve was still alive to see this...
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
31 December 2011: The Top Ten Images of 2011
One of the things I like best about New Year's are all the "top ten" lists out there - top ten music albums, top ten songs, top ten news stories, et cetera. Well...here's TWO top ten lists from me. The first is a list of what I consider my top ten images captured and/or first processed in 2011. These are simply my favourite shots - not necessarily those that sold the best or got the most page views or anything else. Just shots that stir something in me. The second list consists of my top ten shots as "picked" by others. The method of ranking isn't scientific, but includes page views on THIS website, page views on the Nature Photographer's Network (NPN), comments left on the images on NPN, and direct feedback (via email) I received about the images. Interestingly, you'll find there's only a small degree of overlap between the two lists.
Feedback on these lists absolutely welcome. As always, lots more information about each image can be found by clicking on the tabs under the image. And...with no further ado...
My Favourite Ten Images of 2011:
1. Celebrating the Wild Life. Breaching Humpback Whale. A challenge to capture, a challenge to process. Love the angle of right dorsal fin. I'm still amazed by the grace exhibited by this 40-ton mammal...
2. The Ethereal Great Bear Rainforest. Moody. Atmospheric. To me this image is what I think of when I think "Great Bear Rainforest".
3. The Sentinel. A Bald Eagle touched by the sun for a fleeting moment. Not a bad perch, either!
4. October. A beautiful female grizzly bear doing what bears do in October. Odd framing? Yes. But one of those images that - for some reason - always draws me back...
5. Drip Dry. An intimate portrait of a female grizzly found in the Khutzeymateen Inlet. Shots like this are the reason why the 400mm f2.8 VRII has become my favourite wildlife lens.
6. Trees. Just a few trees? Yes. Shot in Gwaii Haanas National Park (within the Haida Gwaii - formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands). Love the light and texture.
7. Sunset Magic. Light and colour - complete with not-too-bad a subject - that only the Khutzeymateen can deliver...
8. Early Autumn Sunrise Over Smithers. Just an "f8 and BE THERE" moment and with lots of technical flaws. But I like it.
9. Eye-to-Eye. Very simple? Yes. But definitely not-so-simple to capture. The 400mm f2.8 WIDE OPEN!
10. Reflecting on a June Morning. Just a reflection in a pond. One of those bits of natural art that spontaneously "happen" out there - the trick is always simply in seeing them. Pretty much straight out of the camera...
My Top Ten Images of 2011 - According to Others:
1. An Inside Joke. While a little too "happy" and cliche for my taste, this image definitely captures the essence of the Khutzeymateen. And it generated an avalanche of comments and feedback both on NPN and directly to me via email.
2. Eye-to-Eye. This one's on my list too...so I guess I can't argue with it being here!
3. Celebrating the Wild Life. Another one I can't argue with! ;-)
4. Eye-to-Eye 2. Spirit Bear eyes and salmon eyes! This one WAS fun to shoot, but to me it's more of a novelty shot than a wall-hanger! Not shot in 2011 - but first processed and displayed in 2011.
5. Autumn Sunrise. Adult grizzly being struck by first sunbeams of the day. I love the sunbeams, but have to say I'm not fully thrilled with the angle of the bear. Others apparently disagree (which is OK with me!).
6. October. Another one that appears on both lists - but I seem to like it a little more than others!
7. Simple. And Simply Soaked. One very wet grizzly bear! I was actually surprised that an image with this much negative space was so popular. I like it myself but didn't think others would. Don't mind being wrong.
8. Cirque du Dolphin. One of my goals on the trip I shot this image on was to get one Pacific White-sided Dolphin fully out of the water. So a bit of a bonus when I lucked out and captured this. Amazing natural pattern, but lighting a bit drab for my taste.
9. The Original Cute Little Devil. American Martens ARE cute...but boy do they have teeth (and they really know how to use 'em). I do like this shot too - what a cutie!
10. The Rare & Elusive Harboreal Seal. I guess documenting a never-photographed-before species draws attention. And, some actually didn't catch on that it was a joke!
Feel free to let me know how you feel about my choices or those of others. Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
Cheers...and a have a really great (and safe) New Year's...
Brad
25 December 2011: Merry Christmas!
To all of you who celebrate Christmas - Merry Christmas. To all of you who don't - have a great day!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
24 December 2011: Only ONE Spot Remaining on All 2012 Photo Tours!
UPDATE - 3 January 2012: Sorry, the last spot on my 2012 photo tours is now gone. But if you're still looking for a great photo adventure, please see the options below...
This may be a first - here we are in the dying days of 2011 and almost all my photo tours for 2012 are sold out! For 2012 all that remains is ONE spot on the "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" Instructional Photo Tour in late September of 2012. This final spot will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Full details available on the Photo Tours page of this website - or simply download this brochure (PDF: 2.2 MB).
For those of you who've missed out on my 2012 photo tours but are still interested in visiting the beautiful coast of British Columbia with your cameras soon I have two suggestions...
1. 2013 Photo Tours! I have posted information about my photo tours coming in 2013 and I am already taking bookings (and the trips are beginning to fill). All currently scheduled 2013 photo tours are on BC's spectacular coast - in the spring I'm offering the Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen tours (both instructional and "photo op" style trips), in the summer it's Orcas, Humpbacks and More: Aquatic Mammals of the Central Pacifi c Coast (instructional photo tour), and in the autumn you have two different "Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest" trips to choose from (one is an instructional tour, the other an "exploratory photo tour"). All details (dates, pricing, etc.) are on my Photo Tours page.
2. Go with Who I Go With! Currently I work with Ocean Light II Adventures for all my photo tours. All their trips offer fantastic photo opportunities and there are still some spots remaining for most of their trips, including the Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen, Haida Gwaii Aboard the Ocean Light II, The Orca Explorer, and The Great Bear Rainforest Explorer. Check out the good folks from Ocean Light II Adventures out right here!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
24 December 2011: Nikon D4 Announcement Coming on January 6?
In recent months I've refrained from speculating on just when we're likely to see the announcement and release of Nikon's new professional DSLR flagship for sports/action/wildlife shooters (the D4) simply because this year's events in Japan and Thailand have wreaked havoc on Nikon's "normal" product delivery schedule. Consequently, no one really had a clue at all when new cameras were coming from Nikon. But I'm hearing enough whispers and web chatter (from sufficiently diverse sources and not just nikonrumors.com) that I'm beginning to believe that the announcement of the D4 is finally imminent. Many sources believe that the day will be January 6, 2012 and they just may be right. This is just days before the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) International Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas (January 10-13, 2012) and most camera makers like to harness/leverage the hoopla of the tradeshow to promote their major new product releases.
What are the key specs of the D4? I'm hoping that it's spec'd very similar to the recently announced Canon EOS-1D X which appears to be a very well-balanced professional-level photographic tool (scroll down to entry of October 18 for EOS-1D X details). Of course, we know with equal or near-equal specs that the D4 will, in the real world, outperform the I-D X in both ISO and autofocus performance in the field (whoa boy, that statement oughta generate an inbin full of hate email!). And, most Nikon pundits are guessing that the full-framed D4 will be in the 16-18 MP resolution range with the ISO performance as good or better than the D3s and capable of shooting continuously in the 11-14 fps range. The most detailed list of specs I've seen for the D4 can be seen right here.
Of almost as much interest (at least to me) is the persistent rumour that the successor to the D700 - most likely named the D800 - is also coming soon (though likely not announced on January 6, but ya never know...). Of particular interest is the increasingly prevalent thought that Nikon is going to make a big effort to differentiate the D4 and D800 far more than they did with the D3 and D700 - the whispers are is that the D800 will sport a 36 MP (7360 x 4912 pixel) sensor. When I first heard this a few months back I literally scoffed at the suggestion, but this is one of those rumours that just won't die (so I guess it's another "ya never know"). A 36 MP D800 would be targeted more at the studio and landscape photographer market and obviously couldn't offer the ISO performance of the D3/D3s/D4 lineage of cameras. More "theoretical" specs of the D800 can be viewed here. If this is true, you can at least say that deciding between the D4 and the D800 won't be as hard as it was between the D3 and D700.
Anyway, now Nikon-o-philes have something to look forward to keep them from falling into a post-holidays funk in early January!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
19 December 2011: It's Time to Take Action Against the Northern Gateway Pipeline!
Right now two major pipelines are being proposed to take output from Alberta's tarsands to two different markets. The Keystone XL pipeline is getting most of the news, especially in the United States. This proposed pipeline will deliver hydrocarbons from the tarsands to refineries in Texas. Once described as a "no-brainer" by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Keystone XL pipeline has become a political football in the US (fortunately, no college football coaches with odd proclivities are involved). Long story short, it's not clear at all if the pipeline is going to be approved or will ever be built.
Enter proposed pipeline #2 - Enbridge's Northern Gateway. This goal of this pipeline is to take some more of those same hydrocarbons from northern Alberta right across British Columbia to Kitimat on the north central BC coast (and a parallel pipeline will send natural gas condensate in the opposite direction for use in decreasing the viscosity of the heavy crude coming from Alberta). Kitimat is in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Once there the highly condensed carbon will be loaded on super-tankers destined for Asia. And, of course, they'll be passing through the narrow and treacherous inlets of the Great Bear Rainforest - the largest intact tract of temperate rainforest left on earth. Basically through the same waters that claimed the Queen of the North passenger ferry on March 22nd, 2006 (and they sink even less than oil tankers - right?). The consequence of a super-tanker filled with Alberta's best going down in the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest would be absolutely devastating to this globally unique ecosystem.
Those in Canada who believe there is NOTHING more important in life than money (even if it means ramping up Canada's carbon footprint) are using the potential delay (or even termination) of the Keystone XL pipeline as "proof" that Alberta-based oil companies should diversify their markets and are pushing even harder to ensure the valves on the pipelines delivering oil to Asia are turned on and the Northern Gateway pipeline is pushed through. The Canadian Government seems to be in FULL support of the project and their spinmiesters are in overdrive - the minister of Natural Resources (Joe Oliver) has taken to referring to the Northern Gateway pipeline project as a "nation-building" exercise (implying, by extension, that anyone opposing the project is somehow unpatriotic and even un-Canadian!).
A few basic realities are turning the Northern Gateway project into a looming environmental battle of epic proportions. First, those that will benefit MOST from the pipeline moving oil to Asia (who interestingly largely reside in Alberta) are those that are taking the least risk if there's an pipeline leak or oil tanker accident. Conversely, those with most at risk (all the inhabitants of the Great Bear Rainforest, including many coastal First Nations communities) will accrue virtually no benefits. So you can well imagine how well the thought of oil tankers going through the Great Bear Rainforst is going over to those that actually live there (see this image of a sign prominently posted at the main pier in Hartley Bay - a First Nations village in the Great Bear Rainforest - and the official position of the village).
Second, while Alberta's short (and possibly mid-to-long-term) prosperity is tied to fossil fuel extraction, BC's future prosperity is tied much more closely to maintaining "Super, Natural BC" (one of their recent advertising slogans) in as pristine a state as possible (along with, of course, sustainably "harvesting" renewable resources, such as forestry and fisheries). And, not surprisingly, study after study has shown that the majority of the residents of BC, and especially the VAST majority of First Nations communities, are completely against both the pipeline and the thought of oil tankers on the northern coast. Even the premier of BC - Christy Clark - is currently refusing to endorse the Northern Gateway pipeline project. Given that she IS a politician hoping to maintain her position in the next election, it is hard to conclude anything other than even she knows what will happen if she supports this project - she'll be absolutely skewered in the next provincial election!
So - to be clear and succinct: Alberta - the majority of us in BC do NOT want your oil flowing through our province. You take the bulk of the benefits, we take the bulk of the risks. That's a bad deal.
TAKE ACTION! Enough background and ranting (this one has me REALLY worked up!) - how can YOU take action against the Northern Gateway Pipeline? Fortunately, the two best conservation organizations on the BC coast have some clearly defined steps you can take. And ALL it will take is a few minutes of your time with no need to open your wallet.
• Raincoast Conservation Foundation's Oil Free Coast Action Page.
• Pacific Wild's No Pipeline/No Tankers Action Page.
Please take just a few minutes to say "no" to oil tankers on the northern BC coast and help save the Great Bear Rainforest for future generations.
Want a little more (and arguably slightly more objective) info before taking a position or action? Hey - I can respect that. Just check out the article on Wikipedia entitled "Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines".
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
17 December 2011: Field Test: The Nikon V1 - Fun with the V1!
I've just posted the first two segments of my field test of the Nikon V1 - the Introduction and Chapter 1 (relax - only two chapters are planned!). This field test was written from the perspective of a serious wildlife photographer (that would be me) looking to use the V1 as a day-to-day "walk-around" camera - not as my primary working camera. The field test is already chock-full of information and should be of use to virtually any one considering investing in this new camera system.
Too busy to read the full field test? Here's my Executive Summary...
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: I really like the V1 - I think it's an EXCELLENT product and well worth the money. It meets my requirements as a walk-around camera with flying colors. And it is just a ton of fun to use. It's NOT perfect (as my long list of dislikes/things I'd change shows) but its responsiveness, including fast and accurate AF, high frame rate, large buffer capacity, and its far-more-than-acceptable image quality combine to make the V1 the walk-around camera I have been looking for for years. In day-to-day use I far prefer it to the only competing system I have fully tested and used myself - an Olympus E-P3 kit. In my very ordinary hands I can use the V1 to capture good images of dynamic subjects over a far wider range of actual (and unpredictable) field conditions than I could with competing products.
Wanting a little (or a LOT) more info about the V1? Then read the whole 8300+ word field test here: Field Tests: The Nikon V1- Fun with the V1!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca