Upde Designs

Nikon D300S | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/640 sec @ f6.3

What is it they say the best laid plans of man…  My original plan for today [Saturday] was to travel to Sabula, Iowa and shoot Eagles.  Several friends had told me all week about the gathering of Eagles at Sabula and that was the place to go shoot.

Well I looked at the temperature (30) the average wind speed (35 mph), the sky (gray/overcast) not a great day for shooting outdoors.  I opted to try on Sunday.

So I was on my way downtown when my cell phone rang.  I didn’t recognize the number but decided it might be one of our employees so I answered it.  Jenni Determan (former employee) a friend of mine was on the other end.  She said that her fiancée had just called  and said there were two hundred Eagles at Sabula on the ice. CRAP, I was hooked.  So after my hair cut I went home and selected the equipment I wanted for the shoot and headed out.

Nikon D300S | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/500 sec @ f6.3

I decided to make several change is my shooting strategy.    First I would put the Tamron 200 – 500 mm lens on the Nikon D300S.  The D300S is a “cropped sensor” DSLR and I would get a 1.5 multiplier to the 500 mm focal length of the Tamron lens.  It has a much slower (painfully so) burst rate compared to the D700 but the added focal length I reasoned would give me better shots.

Second I decided to shoot with a tripod as opposed to an unwieldy mono-pod.  I thought with the softness of the Tamron lens I needed all the stability I could get.

The wind was blowing so hard that even with the tripod the camera was moving around.  I do think though under reasonable conditions the tripod would be the right solution.  The wind blew so hard that once when I was trying to put my gloves on (Freaking Cold!!) the wind blew my tripod (with camera and lens) over.  Fortunately I was able to grab the camera strap and rescue the camera from hitting the ground (WHEW!!)

Nikon D300S | Tamron 200 -500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/500 sec @f6.3

I shot 700 images while in Sabula.  It was miserably cold and the wind took your breath away and made my eyes water so bad that I couldn’t see what I was  shooting.

So each shooting experience is a learning  opportunity.  My original thought to wait until Sunday was probably correct (the Eagles will probably still be there.)  The lighting, the cold, the wind made for a miserable time.  My fingers burned from the cold (exposed to press the shutter button.)  Okay all together “Wimp!”

Having said all that I enjoyed the experience.  I got some decent images and will post them as the week unfolds.  Thanks for stopping by.  Be careful.

Nikon D700 | Nikon 24-70 mm lens | SB900 Flash | ISO 200 1/60 sec @f6.3

Just a quick post as I’m off to try and find some more Eagles.  Had a wonderful dinner and evening with Angie and Ben at their home.  Ben grilled some burgers and Angie did corn, mac & cheese, and baked beans.  Finish that off with caramel filled brownies with ice cream and is it any wonder my stature continues to grow. 🙂

Nikon D700 | Nikon 24-70 mm lens | SB900 Flash ISO 200 1/60 sec @f6.3

Josh has the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen.  Yep no doubt about it he is going to be an absolute heart throb.

Have a great weekend.  Hope to have some new Eagle pictures for you Monday. Thanks for stopping by.  Be careful.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1000 @ f6.3

Okay I’m showing you the last of my Eagle pictures.  It was a good day today and as I was driving home I saw the biggest most orange sun I can ever remember seeing.  I violated a couple of laws trying to get to a place where I could shoot the sun in all its magnificence but alas it was not to be today as I just ran out of day light.

I really like this image of an Eagle flying low.  It almost looks like he is walking on his wing tips.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1000 @ f6.3

The image above was taken a short couple of seconds after the first one and you can see those big powerful wings have gained him some altitude.  I just can’t get over how beautiful these creatures are.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1000 @ f6.3

Final resting place.  Like I’ve said before there is a very fine line between being close and too close and only the Eagle knows where that line is.  The good news is that tomorrow is Saturday and that means some more valuable experience gained by hopefully shooting more images of Eagles.

Have a great weekend, thanks for stopping by, and be careful.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1000 @ f6.3

Say I’m getting a lot of mileage out of this one shoot.  This is the fourth post from the Green Island shoot so that’s not bad for a day’s work.   I really like these ducks. Four ducks with green heads with their wings in the downward motion and one brown head with wings upright.  I don’t know what that means, I’m just making an observation. 🙂

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1000 @ f6.3

I could look at Eagle pictures all day.  I just think they are such an incredible bird with so many unique characteristics.   I’m told these are muskrat huts and the Eagles seem to like to sit on top of them.  I walked up fairly close to a couple of them.  Like I said the other day… there is a fine line between close and too close.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1000 @ f6.3

So I may head back down to Green Island this Saturday.  My friend Andreas likes to shoot around Sabula, Iowa so I might try that as well.

I’ve really been itching to shoot this week but the weather has been so crappy so far this week that I haven’t been able to shoot anything.  I was hoping to shoot some yesterday but it was raining all the way home.  Tomorrow is suppose to be a better day weather wise.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be careful.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/800 sec @ f6.3

I’ve enjoyed for three days now my trip to Green Island.  I suspect that I will be going back.  I have some more Eagle pictures to share with you tomorrow but wanted to show you these now.

This is not what I pictured in my head.  I wanted a spectacular corner to corner head on shot of an Eagle with its yellow eyes piercing the camera lens and its hooked beak open.  As is a common saying now days , “It is what it is.”

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/800 sec @ f6.3

This is what I ended up with and I guess for my first time shooting the 500 mm lens and really my first time shooting Eagles I can’t be too disappointed.    What I can do is vow to do a better job next time.  Like so many instructors say over and over again.  “Practice, practice, practice.”

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/800 sec @ f6.3

Eagles are such magnificent creatures.  So majestic in their stature.  I could shoot them all day long.  I”ve seen some incredible Eagle pictures over the last few years.  The Telegraph Herald Photographers have captured some really stunning images of Eagles.  That is what my goal is.  If not this year then next.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be careful.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1600 sec @ f6.3

Good Day.  Thanks for stopping by.  These are a couple of images from my Sunday shoot at Green Island.  I had just arrived at the parking spot and was getting my cameras set up for the shoot when I noticed two Canadian Geese flying straight at me.

So I grabbed my D700 and started shooting as fast as I could.  I have no idea where the focus point was (obviously) as the goose above is pretty soft (and it’s a pretty lame shot to boot.)  I have to post something to prove I was there 🙂

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1600 sec @ f6.3

I told you yesterday I shot around 430 images (most of which have long been deleted from my hard drive.)  That is a record for me.  I received an e-mail from my friend Andreas (who is a gifted photographer / both creatively and technically.)   Apparently he was at Green Island as well on Sunday.  He told me that he shot around 1250 images.  WOW. If I know him there will be some super images of Eagles and other winged creatures.

We’re discussing the possibility of doing a shoot together sometime later in the Spring at a lake he likes to visit.  He’s been following some Trumpeter Swans who make their Summer home there.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200 - 500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/1600 sec @ f6.3

My friend Becki Kenton and I still have to get our Galena shoot in sometime.  We were going last December but there was a snow storm the day we planned to go so we opted to play it safe.  So lots of opportunities to shoot in the coming months.  Can’t wait.

Oh I almost forgot.  Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk will be held around the first week in October this year.  He received a lot of requests to change the date because of the “difficult shooting conditions” of mid-Summer.  More details about that coming later.  Have a great Tuesday and be careful.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200-500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/500 sec @f6.3

I made the trek to Green Island yesterday to try to capture some decent images of Eagles.  I came back with two very stark realizations.  One I’m not any good at nature photography.  Reasons include but are not limited to; poor camera holding skills, inadequate equipment, lack patience, and a complete lack of understanding about wildlife habits.

The second realization was that I’m not in very good physical condition and tracking down wildlife is hard work.  😦  Well actually I knew about the physical condition before going.  The hard work I wasn’t sure about.  It looks so easy on TV.

The Nikon D700 preformed perfectly.  It has such a high burst rate slightly slower than the D3 but fast enough to capture action.  I have 9 images of the birds above and you can barely detect any wing change.  The image below was the 10th image in the series.

The Tamron 200-500 mm lens, well it is what it is.  I knew when I bought it that it would not perform to my complete satisfaction.  It is hard to auto focus and combine that with my hand holding skills, which  are terrible and that is a formula for lots and lots of throw away images.  I’m all over the place with a long lens.  I used a mono-pod yesterday (big disappointment in it as well.)   It helped on still shots but when in flight I just really sucked it up.

The part that screws into the lens just coming undone and falling off.  I almost dropped my camera a couple of times.  I said potty words.  Why did I buy the Tamron if it is so bad.  Well it’s not really that bad, the Nikon lenses are so much better but substantially more $$$$. Used correctly the Tamron can produce satisfactory results.  If it were mounted on a tripod.

Nikon D700 | Tamron 200-500 mm lens | ISO 200 1/500 sec @f6.3

Not understanding the habits and nature of wildlife prevented me from getting some of the shots that would have made the trip memorable.  There is a fine line between close and too close from an Eagle’s perspective.  I got the South end of a North bound Eagle in more images than you can imagine.

I shot 432 images yesterday.  First time I have ever filled up a card.  (I reformat my card after every shoot.)  After the first cull I was down to 135.  I haven’t had the heart to do round two yet.  😦

It was fun but it would have been more fun if Jeanne could have been with me.  She was praying for me at church.  Yes I do have some Eagle images but I’ll show them later in the week.  Maybe.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be careful.

Nikon D300S | Tamron 18-270 mm lens | ISO 200 1/250 sec @f10

It was that kind of day wasn’t it.  I had such grandiose plans yesterday but gray skies, freezing drizzle and Mr. Sleepy hitting me on the head a lot I gave up my ambitions for a day of rest and relaxation.

Above my friend Gary Saelens (I posted back in August or September about him taking me on the first flight after he received his pilot’s license.)   Gary is a great guy and one of my favorite people.  This is his plane and he is topping off the tank at the Monticello Airport.

Nikon D300S | Tamron 18-270 mm lens | ISO 200 1/250 sec @f10

He decided he wanted to fly so he took lessons, studied intensely, and passed the test.  Then brought this plane from his instructor.  It’s a great looking craft and Gary has received enormous enjoyment from having it.  We had a meeting in Monticello so he flew from Freeport, IL.

Nikon D300S | Tamron 18-270 mm lens | ISO 200 1/250 sec @f10

This image was so bad.  I had the f stop too high, the gray conditions and my lousy panning technique the plane was really out of focus.  So I took some creative license to it and got an acceptable image.  Well okay no I didn’t be I spent an hour messing with Photoshop, which ain’t all bad.

I was checking out my friend Andreas’ blog this morning and he has an on going project of shooting “shop signs.”  You know those hand-made signs over businesses .  Well that gave me an idea that I’m going to pursue.    I’m not sure why but I just really enjoy shooting barns (I’m sure you hadn’t noticed.)  So now I’m going to make it a project to shoot as many different barns as I can over the coming year.  Should be fun.  Thanks Andreas.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be careful out there.

Nikon D700 | Nikon 24-70 mm Lens | ISO 200 1/250 @ f6.3

A short post today because as usual I’m running late.  I finally got the windmill.  While it’s not the exact shot I was looking for (darn sun) it is close so I thought I would share it this morning.

Nikon D700 | Nikon 24-70 mm Lens | ISO 200 1/800 @ f7.1

Additionally before getting to the windmill I was driving down this country road and saw a huge hawk sitting high in a tree.  I pulled off the road and walked a hell of a long way.  Just as I got within a decent range with my telephoto lens he/she took off.  Flying in the opposite direction so no chance for a shot.

On the way back to the car I shot this image.  I have no idea what I was trying to say but it kind of appealed to me this morning.

Have a great day and be careful.

Nikon D300S | Tamron 24 - 270 mm lens | ISO 200 1/250 sec @f10

It had been 5 days since I held a camera in my hand.  I was having withdrawals.  Between putting in some long hours at work and the weather not cooperating I just hadn’t taken any shots of anything.

I left the office this evening at 5:20 pm and my original plan was to be good, come home and get on the treadmill.  But I was seduced by the setting sun and so I started thinking grain bins, silos, or barns.

I was driving hard and probably a little too fast looking for something to use as a backdrop.  The sun was sinking fast and I knew in a few minutes I was going to lose it.  I thought I had one more hilltop to go but it turned out that road actually went down in a valley so I was going to lose the race again.

Sunset in March

But I came to a side road and decided on the spur of the moment to take it. I went 400 feet and saw these trees off on the horizon.  The sun was already down but it was casting a bright orange light.  So I fired off 8 shots and it was over.

The first image of this post is actually the last one I took and you can see it is the prettier of the two as far as rich colors are concerned.

The second image in the post was as soon as I jumped out of the car and the light was very bright and yellow.  Anyway it felt good to shoot again even if it was only 8 images.  I hope you like them.  Have a great day and be careful.

Thanks for stopping by.