Pic of the Day

     Black-billed Magpie – Moraine Campground; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado:  I have many photos of Black-billed Magpie.  But, I was not happy with any of them.  While I was photographing wildflowers this Magpie flew to a nearby rock and landed.  I quickly gave up the flowers and began stalking the magpie.  I took photos at a distance just incase the bird flew, but it remained on the rocks and let me make a close approach.

     As I shot I became quite humored by the Magpies antics.  As I shot the Magpie would stretch its head under its body, and between its legs.  It appeared to be picking something from it feathers, perhaps parasites.  Whatever the reason, the behavior made for interesting photos.

     Oh, by the way, I am happy with these Magpie images.  Clear, unobstructed backgrounds and behavior always make the image more interesting.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII, 1/160 sec. @ f8, Gitzo Tripod with Arca Swiss B2 ball head 

Pic of the Day

Razor-billed Auk, Image A

Razor-billed Auk, Image B

       Razor-billed Auk – Les Iles au Perroquets; Mingan Archipelago, Quebec:  These images are just two of the many Razorbills I photographed at Les Iles au Perrosquets on the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.  Just before landing, Razorbills, like all alcids, move their legs from a streamline position under their body (Image B), and bring them forward as they prepare to land on the islands cliff face (Image A).  Most of the Razorbills photographs I shot were of birds with legs and feet in a streamline position.  I was fortunate to get a shot just as the Razorbill was beginning its upward swing and bring its legs forward.  Luckily, I snapped this image as the Razorbill moved into an angle that placed a highlight in the eye as well.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 300mm 2.8 VR, 1/2000 sec. @ f7.1, Handheld using custom made gunstock mount

Who's Looking

     Welcome viewers from Morocco!  You have made Morocco the 90^th country from which viewers have logged on to Bobby’s Photo Blog.  I hope you enjoyed the blog and will forward the URL to your friends.  I update the blog often so please come back…..Bobby

Who's Looking

     Viewers from Macau and the Isle of Man have made these two countries the 88^th and 89^th countires (respectively) from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog.  Welcome to the blog.  I hope you enjoyed the images and if so, please log on often. 

     For all of you who log on, please let your friends know about the blog as well.  Just copy the URL and pass it on.  Thanks for your help in getting the word out about the blog……Bobby

Pic of the Day

     Atlantic Puffin – Machias Seal Island, Maine:  While I was able to get flight shots of Puffins and Razorbills on Les Iles au Perroquets, in the Mingan Archipelago, I had to travel to Machias Seal Island to get close-ups. 

    I tired to get to the island out of Cutler, Maine.  However,  the one boat that travels to Machias Seal was booked for the entire month of July.  Fortunately I was able to catch a ride from Grand Manan Island, in New Brunswick.  Unfortunately, I did not get to the island until 2:30 in the afternoon.  This time would not have been too bad if the typical weather of fog and clouds prevailed, but the day was perhaps the most  beautiful I had ever seen in the Gulf of Maine.  The sun was high, bright and hot.  The hot weather kept most of the birds off the rocks and in the water.

     Once in the blind I lucked out with finding a rock perch used by the puffins that provided a clean background and also provided an angle to the sun that that reduced harsh shadows.  While shooting I was discouraged with the light and fewer number of birds.  But, after viewing the images I was quite pleased with the results. 

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, 1/800sec. @ f7.1

Pic of the Day

     Yellow-headed Blackbird – Bear River National Wildlife Refuge; Brigham, Utah:  I searched and searched Bear River NWR for a Yellow-headed Blackbird to photograph.  Now, Yellow-headed Blackbirds were everywhere.  But all were quite shy, and every time I got close enough for the shot, they flew.  I wanted that close-up image of a Yellow-head blackbird with head held back, beak agape and singing its territorial song.

     It seemed that all the males were doing what I wanted, but I just could not get close enough.  I had worked all morning and had not got the shot I really wanted. 

     As I drove out of the refuge I traveled the 12 mile road between the refuge entrance and the headquarters building, again Yellow-headed blackbirds were plentiful.  Yet, every time I got close to the birds, they flew.  In the last quarter mile I saw this blackbird perched on a fence post singing its territorial call.  As so many times earlier that day, I slowly pulled my van within shooting distance.  This time the blackbird did not fly.  Just as I had envisioned the bird continued singing with head held back and beak agape.  Now, if I could just get this shot with the blackbird on a natural perch.  Until then, I’ll enjoy this image.  Hope you do as well.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII,  1/320 sec. @ f6.3

Pic of the Day

     Thunderstorm from Grand Manan; New Brunswick, Canada:  I must confess that I have not obtained the number of quality images that I had hoped over the summer.  I added many adequate bird photos and even new species, but unique images seemed to escape me.

     On my last evening at Grand Manan, I found myself on the northwest corner of the island.  Looking west across the Gulf of Maine the setting sun was shinning through a major thunderstorm. 

The light was beautiful and the scene memorable.  As I looked west the landmass to the north was Campobello Island, New Brunswick, the vacation destination of U. S. President, Franklin Roosevelt almost three quarters of a century ago; to the south, the Maine Coastline.  The golds and blues of sky and water were harmonious and exquisite. 

     Beginning my photography career at 15 years old, I shot black and white film and made my own prints from the first time I picked-up a camera.  I grew-up seeing the world in color and in my mind visualizing those color images in tonalities of black and white, a necessity for creating dynamic black and white images.  So, when I saw this scene I not only saw a beautiful color image, but a stunning black and white photograph as well. 

     In this post I am showing both the color image and the black and white conversion.  I do some manipulation on all my photos.  I have never seen a digital image that did not need some curves (contrast) and color correction manipulation, and the black and white conversion requires much more.  I also do    manipulation when printing from black and white film as well.  The idea with both mediums is to utilize the full potential of either medium to create a full tonal range image. 

     As the thunderstorm moved from Campobello Island into Maine, I continued to shoot many images as the sun set.  The scene that evening provided what I felt I had missed over my summer travels.   


Nikon D7000, Nikkor 24-85mm set to 24mm, 1/50sec @ f8 

Pic of the Day

     Atlantic Puffin – Les Iles au Perroquets, Mingan Archipelago; Gulf of Saint Larwence:  After the last post, I though I should post a close-up of a puffin in flight.  Hope you like it!


Nikon D300, Nikkor 300 f2.8 VR, 1/2,00 sec. @ f 7.1

Pic of the Day

     Atlantic Puffin (composite) – Les Iles au Perroquets, Mingan Archipelago; Gulf of Saint Lawerence, Canada:  This is a composite of 10 images I made of one bird as it flew by.  Most of the images are very sharp, though about 3 are a little soft.  I included the soft images in the composition as it completes the series and at the computers resolution the soft images are not perceived as such.  The series shows the bird further away at the right and closer on the left, thus the difference in size of the puffin.  The original composite is 14” x 45”.

    I had a great time shooting flying Alcids, but it was exhausting raising the D300 and 300mm 2.8 to my shoulder for a couple of hours.  However, I do like the results……hope you do as well.

Double Click on the image and the composite will expand to 10” wide


Nikon D300, Nikkor 300mm f2.8, Digital Capture ISO 320

Update, and Pic of the Day:

   Hello everyone, this is my first post since July 7.  Sorry for not posting sooner but I have been on (and off) the road since my last post. 

     My latest travels have taken me to Canada and Maine.  My Canadian destination was Longue Pointe de Mingan, on the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.  From there I took a small boat to, Les Iles au Perroquets to photograph puffins and other seabirds.  After arriving at Les Iles au Perroquet I found it somewhat of a disappointment as I was under the impression that I would have the opportunity to get very close to puffins. 

     While the island host about 200 breeding puffins, there are no blinds that allow close access to the birds.  Though I could not get close-up images of the birds I quickly saw the potential of shooting flight shots as the birds flew to their burrows.  The only other location I had photographed Atlantic Puffins was Machias Seal Island, off the coast of Maine.  While standing in the blinds at Machias Seal, it is next to impossible to take flight shots, so I took advantage of the situation on Les Iles au Perroquets.  By the way, this translates to “Island of the Parrots.”  The name was given by old sailor who called puffins, “Sea Parrots,” because of their large colorful beak. 

     To shoot the flight images I used a 300mm lens mounted on a custom made gunstock mount.  The gunstock mount allowed me to follow the birds with a smooth panning motion.  A cable release in the gunstock allowed me to release the shutter as if pulling the trigger of a gun.  I would say that about 1/3 of the images I shot were sharp.  Not too bad as the puffins were extremely fast fliers.  Razorsbills, by the way, flew considerably slower.  I did not notice this until I started taking the flight shots.  Razorbills were somewhat easy to get the lens on and follow; puffins were much more difficult because of the speed they flew.

     I also used a Nikon D300 with an MBD-11 set to continuous high frame rate.  I love shooting the Nikon D7000 with its 16 mega pixel frame, but it simply does not shoot enough frames per second to get the job done in this situation.

     Razorbill Auk – Les Iles au Perroquets, Mingan Archipelago; Gulf of Saint Lawerence, Canada:  

     I have always loved photographing razorbills.  They are a real challenge being a totally black and white bird.  Well, that is not quite true.  The black is really a brown-black, but in bright sunlight, as when this shot was taken, the angle has to be just right to see the brown coloration. 

     As the auks and puffins flew past me they would often tilt at an angle that illuminated the bird at just the right angle to put a highlight in the eye.  I began shooting before the tilt, with the expectations of capturing an image with the highlight in the eye.  I like using cameras with a fast frame rate to capture the wings in just the right position.

     I had to watch for birds flying low over the water at some distance from shore.  Once finding one that appeared to be heading ashore, I pointed the lens and locked focus as it approached.  The birds move very fast and I often lost focus. This was simply caused by my inability at times to pan the camera as the birds flew passed (they move sooooo darn fast).

     I lucked out with this bird, it has two sand eels in its beak.  One of the reasons I went to “Les Iles au Perroquets” was to photograph puffins with fish.  I was happy to settle for this image.

More to come..............

Whitney enters National Wildlife Federation's 41st Annual Photo Contest

     Hello everyone.  My daughter Whitney, has entered the National Wildlife Federations 41^st annual photo competition.  This is her first contest and she has entered some very good images.  The contest has a peoples choice award.  The following link will take you to Whitney’s images.  Please take the time to go to this site and vote for her images.  All you have to do once you are on the page is -- click on the green, checked box, by the vote count.  You can log on every day and vote for your favorite image.  Please vote as often as you can.  Here is the link:

http://www.nwf.org/PhotoContest/PhotoContestHome.aspx?search=true&firstname=Whitney&lastname=Robison&sort=RECENT

Thank you for voting for Whitney’s images.  --- Bobby

Pic of the Day

     Mountain Bluebird – Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado:  I was at the Moraine Campground looking for Mountain Bluebirds to photograph, but was having no luck at all.  A Black-billed Magpie flew in looking for a handout so I decided to photograph it, as I had no good photos of magpies in my files.  After shooting for a quarter hour I resumed my search for Mountain Bluebirds. 

After what seemed to be forever of scanning the hillsides for bluebirds I finally found a female fly-catching from a low hanging branch of a pine tree.  Once I saw the female I gathered my equipment and began the stalk.  I moved slowly and was able to approach within 20 feet before shooting.  Then, I spotted this male hawking insects from a nearby pine branch.  Both birds were very approachable and I followed them for over an hour.  This is just one of the many bluebird images I shot that day, and I will post a few more in the near future.


Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4 VRII,  1/60 second @ f6.3

National Wildlife Federation photography contest

     I recently received an email from John Nuhn, photo editor of National Wildlife Magazine.  If you are not familiar with National Wildlife Magazine it is one of the premier nature magazines in the world.  Each year the magazine sponsors a Nature/wildlife photography contest for amateur and professional photographers.  For all you photographers, there is still time to enter.  Just follow the link to enter the contest, Good Luck!

http://www.nwf.org/photocontest/?s_src=20110630_NW_Pro_LastCall

Who's Looking

     Jersey becomes the 87^th country from which viewers have logged onto Bobby’s Photo Blog.  Welcome to the blog and log on often.  Bobby