Best Wishes !

JD

Grizzly shot published in the Canadian Geographic magazine

Cool news I received lately, as I was informed that one of my Grizzly bears wrestling shots was published in the Collector's Edition, Best Wildlife Picture of 2012 of the Canadian Geographic magazine.

This shot was taken when I did a small expedition in the north of British Columbia in June 2010. Grizzly bears come down from hibernation in the mountains during the spring months eating sedge grass and sometimes finding a "partner".

Even though it does not look that way, this couple were wrestling and playing, then sleeping next to each other the moment after.

An experience of a life time to observe and photograph grizzly bears from a very short distance. Something I will remember all my life.

Best of light !

Jean-Daniel (JD)

Feedback on the Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS

After a few months shooting with the recent Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS, my conclusion is: Not bad at all if not wow! I have had a love-hate history with the 100-400mm f/3.5-5.6L IS; in fact I had 3 in the last 8 years. I was searching a good long range zoom that could be light and allow good to very good accuracy in terms of sharpness and IQ.

But the 100-400mm was a deception in all occasions: too slow in terms of focus, first generation IS witch was barely 1 stop advantage, very ordinary sharpness, forget about wide open, and the infamous pump zoom...

But the 100-400mm range was excellent and so was the portability. Then comes the 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS. I first tried it at Vistek in Toronto when chatting with my friend Henry who takes care of the PROs for Vistek. My first impressions were wow! The lens was mounted on a 7D and the focus was lightening fast in store.

I already have a 70-200 f/2.8L IS II so why bother with a 70-300? Each situations requires the proper tools. Sometimes it is not possible to bring the 300mm 2.8 in some shooting or sometimes I just want a smaller gear to feel incognito in the city. And, even though the 70-200 II is an outstanding workhorse, and the new 1.4X III extender is of better quality (contrast), history tests have proven that a L lens + extender is always less sharp than a "native" focal lens.

I won't present you a lab test: first this is not my cup of tea and second, I do not have time to do this since I prefer to be out shooting. So my review is based on field impressions.

My review on the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS is as follow:
1. A well balanced and fairly light lens
2. Very sharp even at 5.6
3. Small enough length to fit in a back pack in an upright position (like my wide angles)
4. Latest generation IS (at least 4 stops)
5. Rapid focus

Drawback: You have to get used to the fact that Canon has placed switched the focus and zoom rings position (focusing ring is the farthest so near the front lens); and you get rapidly used to it...

In terms of accuracy, I could easily compare the 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS lens at par with the 300mm f/4L IS and even better wide open. The benefit over the 300mm is the fact that you have a zoom and the latest generation IS.

You cannot physically put a Canon extender on the new 70-300 L. The glass on the back is placed at the very end of the lens and there is simply no space (like with the 100-400) to put the extender. You have to remember that this is a 5.6 aperture lens at 300mm so putting an extender would slow focus and tracking focus pretty much.

But after some reading on the web, I have decided to give a try to the Kenko PRO 300 GDX 1.4X on the 70-300 L. The results were surprisingly good, but not outstanding and I could not say that this couple gives ultra sharp results. But sharpness and contrast is good with a slower focus. It won't be usable to follow a sujet moving fast like a bird in flight but for slower moving subjects (a person walking) or non moving subject, it would be a good bundle. Remember that the type of camera you are using is mostly driving the focus; the lens is responding to it. I did my tests on the 1D MK IV.

My score for this lens would be  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

(I give a 5 ♥  to a lens like the TS-E 24mm f/3.5 or the 300mm f/2.8L IS)
  
Best of Light !

JD

Reaching the Semi-Finals in the Wildlife Photographer of the year 2011 contest

                                                                                                                              Version Française ici

It has been with great pleasure that I have learned, yesterday, that 4 of my photographs have made it to the semi-finals in the world contest Wildlife Photographer of the year 2011 organized by the British Natural History Museum.

Considering they receive tens of thousands of photographs from all over the world every year, I am quite happy that my shots had made it to the semi-finals level. It is gratifying and encouraging while always confronted to the usual photographer questioning.

These 4 photographs were classified into 3 categories: Animal in their environment, Animal behavior and Wild Places (or out of the ordinary).

So here they are:

Animal in their environment:

Golden Grizzly evening

Sleeping beauty

Animal Behavior:

The big life of a Loon chick

Wild Places:

Doorway to the Frozen World

Other news:

We are about to fly to Newfoundland! We have been granted a special permit to photograph Atlantic Puffins on a nesting island site.

We will also take the opportunity to photograh Northern Gannets at Cape St.Mary's and coastal landscapes around the Avalon peninsula. To be followed...

Best of light !

Jean-Daniel(JD)

Soon I will see Zion again...

On the Zion Plateau...

I was missing this place and now, it's time to return to photograph her, the beautiful Zion.

I will seize the opportunity to do some scouting for my Workshop-Tour next October (only 2 places left, see my website).

On this trip, I will follow Art Wolfe teaching for 3 days and then I will be solo shooting for 4 days while I will return to the Subway and this time, I will be more prepared and equipped for climbing and rappel.

2011 will be a big year for me because the followings will be the Badlands in Alberta in June, Atlantic Puffins in a seabirds  reserve in Newfoundland in August (thanks to the Department of Environment and Conservation of NFLD) and finally a return to Utah and Arizona where I will lead the Workshop-Tour on October 12 to 22nd.

In the mean time, above is a souvenir of my last visit to Zion...

Best of light !

Jean-Daniel

Presentation at the Lake Shore Camera Club on March 28th

I am please to be invited as a guest speaker at the Lake Shore Camera Club of Pointe Claire on March 28th 2011

I will be presenting the Grillies of Khutzeymateen, a photographic adventure based on my trip to the Khutzeymateen Grizzly bear sanctuary, in Northern British Columbia. I will talk about how to get there, the necessary gear and the guiding possibilities as well as presenting chosen photographs.

Best of light

JD

A quick test with the new Canon 2X III

First quick test with the Canon 2X III mounted on a 300mm f/2.8L

Context: photographing my good friend the maple fox(1).
              On tripod and using a trigger, IS on, ISO 100 with the 1D MK IV
              2 exposures demonstrated here: f/5.6 & f/7.1
              focus had been made right under the eyes and righ in the center of the fox nose

Canon 1.4X III - First Impressions

I received my new Canon Extender 1.4X III last week. I haven’t got much time to test it thouroughly, but here are my first impressions:

The version on the left is the new Version III and on the right is version II. They are of the same dimension and have about the same weight, but the version III has some distinct physical external caracteristics such as a bigger lock button and 7 screws on the camera mount side instead of only 4 on the old version II.

3 days in grizzly land

We are back to Prince Rupert after 3 great days in the Khutzeymateen. From Prince Rupert, we took a float plane flight to our base, a 72 feet sailboat. From there we were able to , not only move in the different areas of the estuary but also to share the experience with 7 other wildlife photography passionnate people.

Western Canada 2010 - Part 1: The Khutzeymateen, land of the Grizzlies

While preparing for this new trip, excitement is present.




But the logistics are complicated when carrying photo gear with objectives related to both wildlife and landscape. Due to the quantity of gear with me, I will have to modifiy my setup depending on the type of transportation that is offered and to their restrictions: