CameraintheWild - Carolinas Nature Photographers Association

CameraintheWild
QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF THE CAROLINAS’ NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION • FALL 2011
© Sandra Dimke • Lone Pine at Sunrise • Best of Show • Members’ Choice Competition 2011
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • A

Carolinas’ nature
PhotograPhers assoCiation
Website: www.cnpa.org
Post offiCe Box 97323
raleigh, nC 27624-7323
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Donald E. Brown, President
debrown@msn.com
704-845-5341
Stephanie Bell, Treasurer
803-546-5550
steffibell@msn.com
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Susan Bailey
919-771-1555
sbailey4@nc.rr.com
Suzan Brand
843-881-4795
scbrand@aol.com
Bruce Dickson
919-656-7560
bruce@dicksonimages.com
Bill Edmonds
252-809-9067
bephoto@suddenlink.net
Mark Hoyle, Regions Chair
864-287-8280
tht96@aol.com
Ollie Treadway, Website Coordinator
336-918-0449
ollie@paxphotography.com
Jim Zieger, Membership Chair
919-844-0457
jzieger@nc.rr.com
❉
Don & Joanne Wuori
Friends of the Board
Bob Williams, Publications
803-786-7022
bobwilliams@sc.rr.com
B • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
President’s Letter
Donald E. Brown
The last weekend of April a group of us met in Charleston for the 2011
CNPA Photography Weekend (and, incidentally, to celebrate my birthday)
and were treated to a great weekend of camaraderie, some great photo opps
and wonderful hospitality at the “home” of the Charleston Region. The only
problem for me was that I couldn’t possibly explore every opportunity in just a
weekend. My best birthday present was the making of the First Place Image
for the customary Sunday morning critique and contest. I don’t know which
I enjoyed more on Kiawah Island, the
lovely and colorful Painted Bunting
or the Anole with his red sac extended
that entertained for a good 20 minutes.
I guess the Anole since he was the
judge’s choice for the weekend.
The Coordinators are meeting as a
group in August to help shape the
future of CNPA by providing the
Board of Directors their comments
and suggestions of programs that
hopefully reflect your views and wishes
for the organization. An important
discussion will be the Photography
Weekend and what form and direction
we should go with this event to better
serve our members. The Board would
like for the Regions to take a more
active role in the event with the support of the Major Events Committee and
are very interested in the views of the Coordinators. You will get feedback and
a chance to weigh in as soon as a proposal is developed.
This has been an exceptionally hot and humid summer and most of us are ready
for it to end and cooler days of Fall prevail. And with the arrival of the 2nd half of the year I am receiving lots of inquiries about the Annual Meeting. The
committee is in the final stages of the arrangements and you will soon be knee
deep in information and appeals to register early. The keynote speaker this
year is Bob Krist, a well-known and respected outdoor photographer, who is
a fantastic “teacher” and I am looking forward to learning more of this craft of
ours. Along with Bob, we will have Deborah Sandidge, Ed Heaton, and Mollie
Isaacs and Mary Lindhjem doing breakout workshops throughout the weekend.
In addition and in celebration of the 20th year of CNPA we will have some
special programs and recognition of some of the founders of the organization
with opportunities to meet and speak with them. Believe me, you will not want
to miss this event in Columbia, South Carolina, home of the Midlands Region.
On behalf of the board, we thank you for your support. Have a great summer,
fall and winter and good shooting!
Mary Lindhjem Mollie Isaacs
2012
ANNUAL
MEETING
FEBRUARY 9-12, 2012
KEYNOTE PRESENTER
BOB KRIST
And others…
Deborah Sandidge
Hours of instruction, inspiration and fellowship
Exciting Trade Show • Annual Business Meeting
Lots of doorprizes • Swap & Trade Tables
Thursday evening through Sunday noon, February 9-12, 2012
Register for the Annual Meeting online @ cnpa.org or download mail-in forms
Early Bird Registration October 1 through December 15, 2011: $130.00.
Regular Registration December 16, 2011 through January 15, 2012: $145.00.
After January 15, 2012 registration is at-the-door only for $160.00
Make hotel reservations at
Embassy Suites Columbia • 200 Stoneridge Dr. • Columbia 29210
Direct Local: 803-252-8700 or 1-800-Embassy
embassysuites.hilton.com/Columbia
The reservation code is “CNP” for the special room rate of $114/per night.
The cutoff date for reservations is January 19, 2012
Ed Heaton
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 1

2012 Annual meeting keynote presenter: bob krist 2012 Annual meeting presenter: deborah sandidge
Photo Craft & Art
Bob Krist Website: www.bobkrist.com
Our Keynote Presenter will feature in-depth instruction
on the following topics of interest:
Behind the Scenes: Real Life Misadventures of a
National Geographic Travel Photographer
Into Multimedia: Adding Sound & Movement to Your Stories
Natural Light on Land, Lenses and Composition
Shooting for Story: How to Tell a Well-rounded Story About
A Place Through Your Photographs
An Annual Meeting schedule will be published on our website
in time for the online registration to begin in October.
An accomplished writer as well as a
photographer, Bob is a contributing
editor at both National Geographic
Traveler and Outdoor Photographer, where
he writes a travel photography column. His
how-to book Spirit of Place: The Art of The
Traveling Photographer (Amphoto Books,
NY) was hailed by American Photographer
magazine as “the best book about travel
photography we’ve ever read.” His newest
book Travel Photography: Documenting
the World’s People and Places was recently
published in the Digital Masters series by
Lark Books. He lectures in Washington
DC as part of the ongoing “Live at the
National Geographic” series. He teaches
photo workshops for the Maine and Santa
Fe Photo Workshops, National Geographic
Expeditions, and Linblad Expeditions.
A former professional actor, Bob hosted
Nature’s Best Photography, a 13-part series
for National Wildlife Productions on the
Outdoor Life Network, and Photography
Close Up, one of Cablevision’s “MagRack”
series.
Infrared Photography
Deborah Sandidge
Deborah Sandidge is an award-winning professional
photographer, and the author of Digital
Infrared Photography published by Wiley. She is an
instructor at BetterPhoto.com teaching Enhancing
Images and Creating Works of Art, as well as Digital
Infrared Photography. Deborah shares her knowledge
and enthusiasm with photographers in her
many presentations and workshops each year.
Deborah’s travels have taken her from coast to coast
of America and beyond to yield photography that
stretches the imagination. She has had the joy and
privilege of photographing the beautiful people and
Infrared Photography will illustrate the beauty of infrared photography as
it applies to landscapes, architecture, birds, and wildlife. This presentation
is designed for photographers interested in digital infrared photography, as
well as those currently shooting in infrared.
Using compelling infrared images created with her infrared converted
cameras, and color/infrared comparisons, Deborah will discuss in detail the
best techniques to enable you to capture one-of-a-kind infrared images.
From understanding infrared light and filter choices, to imaginative techniques
in infrared photography, and post-processing in Photoshop, Deborah
will share insightful and creative techniques that you can immediately apply
to your infrared photography.
captivating architecture of Cuba, the rich culture
and history throughout Europe, and the stunning
dunes and sweeping coastlines of Namibia.
Deborah’s passion is not only capturing images of
people, places, and things with her digital cameras, but
also in the creative work she does in the digital darkroom.
She considers Photoshop her “artist’s palette”.
Deb’s Blog: http://blog.deborahsandidge.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/debsandidge
2 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011 Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 3

2012 Annual meeting presenters: Mary Lindhjem & Mollie Isaacs 2012 Annual meeting presenter: ed heaton
Meet your F.A.T.E. and control your photographic
destiny. In the modern digital world of
cameras and computers, the quest to create superb
images presents a series of never ending challenges.
We live in an exciting time of technological
advances and creative options. This inspirational
and educational program by Mollie Isaacs and
Mary Lindhjem will help you to clarify the process
of crafting impressive photographic art from
inception to completion. Learn how and why they
select certain subjects or locations over others.
Gain insights into how to use simple creative techniques
and basic image optimization software to
achieve a higher level of artistry. With their gentle
blend of humor and illustrative imagery, Mollie
and Mary will walk you through the creative and
technical process needed to elevate your photography
and to enjoy the journey.
Mary Lindhjem Mollie Isaacs
Meet Your F.A.T.E.
Mary Lindhjem and Mollie Isaacs are professional photographers
and experienced instructors. They joined forces
to establish Awake the Light Photo Tours and Workshops
(www.awakethelight.com), which offers a variety of popular
photographic tours and workshops around the country.
They incorporate a broad knowledge base and gentle
humor into their presentations. Their combined love of
photography and teaching makes them entertaining and
effective, engaging and compelling, stimulating and refreshing.
They have been described as inspirational speakers
who are eager to help other photographers improve
their creativity, their vision, and their technical skills.
Mollie Isaacs specializes in macro photography, portraits of
children and families, and scenic and nature photography.
4 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
She has studied with Ansel Adams, Joyce Tenneson, and
others. She has won the “Oscar” of photography, the coveted
Kodak Gallery Award, fourteen times. Several of her
award-winning photographs have been exhibited at Epcot
Center in Disney World, and her work is in the Permanent
Collection of the International Photography Hall of Fame.
Mary Lindhjem specializes in nature and wildlife photography,
and has taught photography at the college and university
level. She also teaches photography, Photoshop, and
Lightroom to a variety of groups and professional photographic
organizations across the country and abroad. Her
images have been published in numerous books and magazines.
Her photographic travels have taken her to many exciting
places including Africa, Costa Rica, and Alaska.
Ed Heaton
Ed’s lecture “Composition & Light” will cover the overlooked
and sometimes forgotten aspects of image design and
the all important role that light plays in creating dramatic
and spectacular images! Join Ed as he talks in-depth about
how to get a better understanding of the basic and advanced
concepts of composing compelling compositions and using
light to make extraordinary images from ordinary subjects!
Ed is a published and award-winning professional photographer residing
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania who specializes in landscape, nature
and travel photography. For close to ten years now, Ed has conducted Creative
Composition workshops, seminars, and classes on an ongoing basis.
Ed’s passion for the outdoors is definitely reflected in his photography. His
ability to capture light and make extraordinary images from ordinary
subjects is truly a gift. Ed’s combination of traditional and innovative
techniques have been instrumental in his success.
Composition & Light
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 5

1st Place Captive • © Edgar Payne
Lion Partners in Early Light
3rd Place Captive • © Diane Roche
Powerful, Gentle Giant
6 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Members’ Choice Competition Winners 2011
2nd Place Captive • © L. J. Weslowski
Western Lowland Gorillas, Mandara & Kibibi
1st Place Landscape • © Kristin Backhaus
Royal Twilight
Members’ Choice Competition Winners 2011
3rd Place Landscape • © David Froelich
Teton Storm
2nd Place Landscape • © Carl Cask
Moonbow, Yosemite Falls
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 7

3rd Place Macro/Closeup • © Donald Hiscott • The Snail
2nd Place Macro/Closeup • © Jim Davis • Calla Lily
8 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Members’ Choice Competition Winners 2011
1st Place Macro/Closeup • © Bonnie Allen • Cactus
1st Place Plant Life • © Ken Barrett • Magnolia
Members’ Choice Competition Winners 2011
2nd Place Plant Life • © Pamela Strand • Mosaic Plant
3rd Place Plant Life • © Alan Strait • Points of View
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 9

1st Place Wildlife • © Al McCarty • Slithers & Ripples
2nd Place Wildlife • © Mark McInnis • Bear with cubs in field
10 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Members’ Choice Competition Winners 2011
3rd Place Wildlife • © Bob Riley
Alaska Mother & Cub
1st Place Birds • © Paul Wilkinson • Cattle Egrets
2nd Place Birds • © Mark Hilliard
Violet Sabre-wing Hummingbird & Red-eyed Tree Frog
Members’ Choice Competition Winners 2011
3rd Place Birds • © Ronald Brunsvold
White Lace
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 11

Mary Lou Dickson • marylou@dicksonimages.com
Okefenokee Swamp, a hidden treasure
Giant, ghostly figures dance with the wind above the inky
black reflective water of the swamp. There is a stillness in the
air. The ghost figures’ reflections watch silently as the still water
captures every nuance of their master’s wind dance. Looking back
up river, I see that the water’s reflections are clouded. But it seems
too warm for fog. I must look closely to distinguish that the water’s
reflections are clouded by the layer of pollen floating on the water’s
surface. Viewed from this distance, the effect is like a low fog.
As the sun rises further, my giant ghost figures are becoming less
menacing. It seems they are not ghosts at all, just huge Pond
Cypress trees carpeted with Spanish moss backlit by the sun.
However, the additional light reveals that there are real ghosts in
this forest. The ghosts of ancient goliath trees long since sacrificed
for their wood; wood so valuable that an elevated railroad was built
in the river just to carry it out of the swamp. But all of that is gone
now. All that remains are the stumps of the ancient goliaths, lurking
in the dark water. For true tree lovers, like myself, these giant
stumps are reminders of what has been lost. But that judgment
may be too harsh and too premature, as these stumps have found a
new purpose. They have become what the locals call Cypress flowerpots,
nurseries for new trees to catch hold and start growing.
Suddenly, the morning’s quiet is interrupted by a loud clap and
splash. An alligator has been disturbed. Looking up, then down
river I see numerous alligators in the black water. As we approach
in our canoe, each alligator slowly and silently disappears into the
water. First the tail, then the back and finally the head slips out of
12 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
sight, once our canoe is almost on top of it. I’m not sure, but I think
that last alligator might be sizing us up for breakfast.
Speaking of breakfast, I’m thinking it is nearly time to head back.
As we turn our canoe around, I realize we’ve experienced an amazing
morning, deep in the Okefenokee Swamp with just a canoe and
a paddle between us and the alligators. But I am not afraid; I’m
mesmerized. The raw beauty is breath-taking as the water takes
on the brilliant sapphire blue color of the sky, while the vegetation
becomes almost an emerald green. The whole place is a canvas for
all the blooming wildflowers, Yellow Pond Lilies or Spadderdock,
Swamp Iris, Wild Azalea and Virginia Sweetspire, to name a few.
If I were braver I might try stepping out onto the peat to experience
the “Land of the Trembling Earth”, the other name for the
Okefenokee Swamp. But in the end, I think staying dry and safe in
my canoe is a better idea.
There is so much to see and explore at the Okefenokee Swamp,
a huge area of land in Southern Georgia and Northern Florida.
Most of the swamp is protected in the Okefenokee National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR), which offers three entrances. We chose
the western most entrance, just outside Fargo, Georgia. It allows
entry into the Stephen C. Foster State Park, situated within the
NWR, which provides boat tours and rentals along with camping
and hiking. It’s also a great place to star gaze, as it is devoid of light
pollution being so deep inside the swamp.
There is an incredible variety of plants and animals in the region
due to the numerous Okefenokee habitats, which vary from peatfilled
bog to lakes and islands to wet prairies to the Suwannee
River. During a normal year, all of these habitats can be explored at
Stephen C. Foster State Park. Unfortunately, 2011 has not been a
normal year, with the entire area experiencing an extreme drought.
During our April visit, we were warned that the low water levels
might cause the park to close. However, on April 28 a new threat
did that, a wildfire sparked by lightning. I hope the conditions
there improve soon. If not, it would be a terrible loss.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 13

Learning by Doing Tom Dills • tomdills@earthlink.net
recently traded emails with a student from one of my Lightroom
I classes who told me that she liked my teaching style because I
showed her how to do things then gave her time to try them out
while being available to give feedback or answer questions. I appreciated
that feedback because that’s always my goal.
As someone who is mostly self-taught—after a great introduction
from a photo class taught by my now good friend Emilie Knight—I
am a firm believer that while it is good to get inspiration, knowledge
and information from workshops, websites, videos and the classroom,
it is absolutely critical to “complete the circle” by taking the
time to do the work. Sit down at your computer and figure out how to
use whatever software you choose to create the images you envisioned.
Watching me doing it and taking notes isn’t going to help you.
People like to tell me about how hard they think Lightroom is.
It’s not hard—in fact it’s remarkably simple—provided you take
the time to learn how to use it. If you’re looking for that big “Easy
Button” you won’t find it. But if you take the time to learn how to
use it you won’t need the Easy Button. For me the goal of software
is to not have to think about it. Learn what the capabilities are, just
like you learn the capabilities of your camera. Before you know it
you’ll be taking photographs and visualizing the results because you
will know exactly what the capabilities of the software are.
Get out and photograph. Apply the inspiration you get from others
and get to work making your own photographs. You need to get out
and take pictures: YOUR pictures. Not your version of my pictures
or someone else’s pictures.
14 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
When I do my classes or presentations I show people my photography,
show people how Lightroom works, talk about what inspires
me or how I see, but I don’t want to do it for them. Enjoy my work,
hopefully be inspired by some of it (hey, inspiration can inspire to
do or to not do, you know!), see what the possibilities are, then go do
your thing. That’s one of the problems with sharing technical data.
When I show a photo and someone asks me what lens I used, or
what the shutter speed was, they’re not thinking about the photograph.
They’re distracted by the how and not paying attention to
the why. I encourage people to think about it instead of asking the
question. That’s how we learn.
If someone asks me for the technical information and I say “Canon
5D with the 70-200 2.8L IS USM at 190mm, f16 @ 1/30, ISO 100”
and they write it all down, what does that do? It’s just a bunch of
gobbledygook. But if they look at my photo and think to themselves:
“Looks like a longish lens because he got in close, shutter
speed is pretty short because he froze the movement and there’s
pretty good depth of field so he probably used a small aperture.”
Guess what? You get it! It doesn’t matter whether you get the exact
numbers but as long as you get the idea that’s close enough. Then
take that and apply it to your own situations.
Don’t get me wrong. Going to the classroom or attending a workshop
is great. It’s fuel for the fire. Another tool for the toolbox.
But take that fuel or that tool and go out there and make something
with it. Something that’s special. Something that’s yours. Get out and photograph. Apply the inspiration you get from others and get to work
making your own photographs. You need to get out and take pictures: YOUR pictures.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 15

PHOTOGRAPHING TUNDRA SWANS AT BEAR ISLAND WMA
Lamar Nix • lamarnix@gmail.com
Flight of Six. Air born tundra swans form up into flight formation.
The biting chill of a predawn, February morning added to my anxiety. I had brought a party of photographers way
out to the Bear Island Wildlife Management Area*, to observe and photograph the wintering Tundra Swans, but
we had not heard or seen evidence that they were actually there, at least in large numbers. A palpable sense of unrest
and frustration seemed to be falling over the waiting photogs. When I had come over here the afternoon before to
scout the scene there were no swans on the lake at all until after dark. Only then a few pairs of swans started to come
in and land, perhaps scared away earlier by the shots of a hunt in progress in the adjacent managed area. So there
were indeed swans, but perhaps only a few on the lake.
Still there was silence and none of the loud honking that marks the awakening of the great birds, nor were any
birds close enough to shore to be seen in the dim light. Finally dawn began to break and parties of tundra swans
became visible toward the far side of the lake, much to the delight of the photographers. Gradually the swans
began stirring, and forming into groups
that prepared to take off on their day
trips to forage in the countless marshes
covering this area. As the first sunlight
streamed across the water, the sight of
the great birds, and the steady cacophony
of honking combined to provide one
of those profound moments when all of
nature is in tune.
The Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus, is a
migratory species that breeds across the
tundra of Alaska and northern Canada
during the summer months. The “eastern
population” of tundra swans migrates to
the Atlantic coast as far south as South
16 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Swans Ballet. Big bodied swans run along the surface of the water to gain enough
speed to become air born.
Carolina. The South Carolina wintering population is found almost exclusively in the managed wetlands of the
ACE Basin near the Bear Island Wildlife Management Area where they forage on the natural vegetation**. In a
typical year the big birds arrive in December, and depart on their migration north at the first full moon in March***.
Our photographing party on that day was treated to about 100 swans. On previous visits I have seen as many as 300
of the big birds on the lake at one time. Still the photographic potential today was good. We were unlucky with
sky color that morning as the sky , just gray, but we did begin to get direct sunlight as the sun reached the horizon.
For these conditions a long, telephoto lens is imperative, and the cost of a large aperture lens starts to pay dividends!
My shooting objectives were twofold: to capture images of the beautiful swans floating about on the water illuminated
by the sublime color of a dawn sky; and as the swans began leaving in small groups, to photograph them
in the takeoff. The big bodied birds rise up and run along the water surface as they gain speed to become air borne,
making a considerable splash as they go. For the former I was shooting with the camera on a tripod and set up for a
fast shutter speed of 1/100 seconds or better to catch the moving birds sharply. For the latter takeoffs I had the lens
set wide open with iso at 200, where I was confident my Canon EOS 7D would produce good sharpness with minimal
noise. My telephoto lens was the EF 100-400mm, f/4.5-5.6L , which is good in adequate light, but marginal
in the lighting conditions extant. The takeoffs occur spontaneously and require a broad field of vision as well as fast
response to capture them. A tripod is not useful in this situation and I shot the takeoffs hand-held with the Image
Stabilization set to 1-axis stability to avoid shifts in framing of the moving birds. As the birds rise into the low angle
sun’s rays, their translucent wings provide a good target for the camera’s autofocus even in the low light.
My photography party that day was treated to one of nature’s true jewels!
*Bear Island WMA is managed by the SC DNR. It is located on Bennet’s Point Road, about 18 miles from the turn
off on U.S. 17, mid-way between Beaufort and Charleston.
**Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) by Walt Rhodes published on the DNR website at http://www.dnr.sc.gov/
cwcs/pdf/Tundraswans.pdf.
***Verbal communication with naturalist at SC DNR, Bennet’s Point DNR facility.
Seven Swans A’swimming. Swans swim in a delicate light before taking off on their day trips.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 17

Who Doesn’t Love an Elephant?
Deborah E. Bender • bender.deborah@gmail.com
Elephants are intriguing, lovable, albeit large animals. My
love for elephants had its beginning in childhood trips to the
local zoo. I couldn’t wait to get to the elephant fields of the
zoo. I don’t know whether it was their size, the swish of their tails
against the grasses or the wink that I imagined each elephant gave
back to me when I waved to him.
It was only when I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa in 2007,
I discovered that not everyone felt the same. During that semester,
I served as Faculty Advisor to a group of honors students from
the University of North Carolina. They were each studying at the
University of Cape Town and serving in a local community agency
one day a week. The beauty of Cape Town and the challenges of
post-Apartheid were foremost on our minds.
However, it was not long before we began to hear stories of the
slaughter of the elephants. We were reasonably familiar with
poaching elephants for their ivory tusks, and that the practice
continued to some extent despite the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) ban on ivory sales that went
into effect in 1990. However, we were less familiar with the laws of
South Africa that gave license to farmers to shoot elephants who
were found to be encroaching on their farmlands.
For farmers in this region, an elephant can be an irritating fiveton
garden pest—or an active danger to his life. If a hungry beast
destroys the season’s crop, the culprit (or sometimes just the nearest
elephant, guilty or not) may be hunted down killed.
18 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
By the time that Addo Elephant National Park was created in 1931,
there were only 11 elephants left in the area. Now the third largest
park in South Africa, it is situated in the Eastern Cape of South
Africa, about 50 miles north of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth.
The elephant herds have taken advantage of the open protected
space to regenerate their own; the elephants now number more than
550. Addo Park has expanded to protect not only the elephants but
also black rhinos, zebras, some lions and leopards. The Park is also
home to the giant Leopard Turtle. These tame turtles can grow as
long as two feet and weigh up to 70 pounds. If well cared for, the
giant turtles may live for as long as 80 years.
The park also supports a wide variety of flora that feed and provide
protection and shelter from the warm African sun for the animals.
When we visited the Park, we paid the fee and were allowed to enter
– but warned to stay in the car. Only once was I tempted to open the
door and hop out, to get a better angle for a photograph of a baby
elephant. I glanced briefly at the size of Mama elephant’s foot just
behind, and remembered immediately the wisdom of the guards’
warning!
Addo Elephant National Park is not nearly the size of Kruger
National Park, but it does offer the advantage of being able to see
most of the park on a day’s visit. And there were elephants, there
aplenty. Who can resist hanging out with the elephants?
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 19

Creating
a
Series
Eve Turek
yellowhouseartgallery@yahoo.com
Electricity is one of those subjects I cannot
seem to grasp. I read and repeat, turn the
page, and my eyes glaze over. I do recall that
circuitry can be either parallel or in series
(just don’t ask me which is used for what),
and that if you hook the wires up correctly,
the juice will flow. I’ve been thinking about
electricity as a handy analogy for getting
our own creative juices flowing. Last year, I
spent a lot of time looking skyward, shooting
what could be thought of as images in
parallel, on assignment to produce a body of
work for a show on Sky photography. Once
the assignment was over, I found myself in
a sort of creative drought. The familiar was,
well, too familiar. I kept showing up, camera
in hand, but the motor wouldn’t turn over. I
needed to break out of my rut…but how?
Early this year, I realized one way to refresh
my outlook was to think, electrically speaking,
in series rather than in parallel.
I started thinking in terms of a series when
I realized, cataloging images for a new
website, that I had been quietly and persistently
photographing a similar image, over
and over. The image—a lone wave, illuminated—transcended
my other seascapes
20 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Sunlit Sea and Pelicans – Shooting into the light at sunrise silhouettes pelicans while capturing the morning sun
glinting through a clean breaking wave.
Pier and Wave in November 2010 Storm – After hours of pounding northeast winds and waves, and a monochromatic sea
and sky, a late day break in the clouds lit up a breaking wave.
The Great Wave Cloud – Sometimes you search out your theme; sometimes it finds you. In these clouds, I spied my
illuminated wave.
Frontal Boundary – As an afternoon storm front moved across the Outer Banks, bringing a brief April shower, rifts in the
clouds produced this scene.
Illumination – Overcast western skies near sunset produced a dull eastern seascape until the sun broke through in
shafts, illuminating isolated waves.
If you discover that the images have common elements but your
emotional responses are very different, your series and theme
might be built around those differences. Can you shoot the
familiar image in a way that evokes a myriad of emotions, and
let those different responses become your series?
in the emotional response I had felt upon
viewing the phenomena in real time and
attempting to translate that emotion
through photography. I’ve now shot that
wave over time with normal, wide, and telephoto
lenses and in both calm and stormy
conditions. I even saw the same image in
an early evening sky-show! I’ve lived on
the Outer Banks all my adult life, within
no more than four miles of the ocean. I
have LOTS of ocean photographs. But
this series seems different. Behind the
motif I discerned a motive. Within the
motive, I sense a larger purpose emerging.
All of a sudden, the familiar is once again
fresh. I have one photographer-friend who
asks, “What is the story here?” He finds
his answer in repeated shapes and forms.
Another fellow CNPA member, Matt
Gibson, is conscious of archetypes in a way I
think of as more literary than visual, and he
continues to create bodies of work around
these themes.
Viewers can find in my “lone wave, illuminated”
series their own emotions, motifs,
and stories, of course. The key point for us as
photographers is to identify these emotions,
motifs and stories for ourselves. In thinking
about freshening your work, here are some
questions you might ask yourself:
Forget for a minute what catches your eye.
What catches your breath? What scene or
aspect of nature have you found yourself
photographing again and again? Is there
a motif for you in these photographs that
would make them a series?
What emotion predominates for you when
you photograph these particular images—
and do you have the same response when
you view them later on your monitor? Are
there other images that evoke the same
emotional response? If yes, could they be
combined into a series?
If you discover that the images have
common elements but your emotional
responses are very different, your series and
theme might be built around those differences.
Can you shoot the familiar image in
a way that evokes a myriad of emotions, and
let those different responses become your
series?
Thinking of my emotional responses as the
circuitry that connects my images within
the framework of a series has given me a
new way to view this place that I so love.
Hopefully, the metaphor will be as helpful
to some of you.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 21

Tufas, Anyone?
Jim and Debra Ellis • ellis5432@yahoo.com
When we first saw Mono Lake while we drove toward Lee
Vining, California, we were impressed with its natural
beauty. Then we saw huge mud like towers rising up from the lake.
Curious, we got out of the car near the boardwalk to take a closer
look. Some local birders walking on the boardwalk shared their
knowledge concerning the lake and a surprising fact that bird life is
abundant in this area.
These unique towering formations are called tufas. The spires
formed from freshwater springs and the salty lake water; they are
calcium carbonate rock formations.
Our favorite area is on the south side of Mono Lake at a forest
service access point. Park in the closest parking area to the lake and
hike the trail. Throughout the day the formations take on different
colors and feelings. Since we were visiting during the dry season
and expected only clear blue skies, cloud formations were a special
treat. While we were there in late August, we had a light snowfall
one evening. The remaining ice crystals still clinging to the grass
crunched under our feet as we hiked the trail to the shore for a
closer view of the tufas.
Mono Lake, a special body of water is over 50 square miles, is land
locked, and is said to be one of the oldest North American lakes.
22 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
You will notice the lake has a high salt content from years of evaporation
leaving the minerals behind. Your first thought is the Great
Salt Lake, but Mono Lake is smaller, more intimate.
If interested in photographing the tufas, you need to visit the area
in the near future as the tufas will be gone soon, covered by the
rising water in the lake. The State of California has mandated the
water level be restored to the original lake depth. For years streams
feeding the lake have been tapped for fresh water use by California
towns.
Mono Lake is East of Yosemite National Park about 13 miles on
Highway 395 near the town of Lee Vining. The town has several
motels and a good local diner, Nicely’s. You will want to stay
awhile to photograph the lake’s tufas in various light and weather
conditions.
Photo tip: As with most landscape photography, the best time
to shoot Mono Lake is at dawn. The town of Lee Vining is on the
western side of the lake, sunrise is across the lake. Tripods and HDR
techniques work well to handle the high contrast colors of sunrise.
http://jimellis.photography.com.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 23

When
Photographing
Animals
in the Wild
Just Isn’ t
Happening
Margaret van Bulck Smith
margaret@vanbulckphotography.com
I
love wolves. No, I mean I really love wolves. I get a huge rush
photographing wolves. In fact, for me, just seeing wolves in the
wild is amazing. Hearing them howl at night is like nothing else
I’ve ever experienced. For others, it may be a different animal, but
for me, it’s wolves. I have been to Yellowstone in search of wolves.
Immediately after my first Photoshop workshop in Missoula,
Montana at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, I joined
a group with Natural Habitat Adventures (www.nathab.com) on a
Yellowstone in Winter tour in search of wolves. That was definitely
a high point in my life. I was just beginning my new life as a photographer.
I had spent a week behind the computer, and l was eager to
get outside, take some photographs and practice my
newly acquired Photoshop skills. Although it was not
a photography trip, per se, everyone in our group was
a photographer. Our two guides went out of their way
to insure that everyone had plenty of time to capture
great images of Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and
as much wildlife as possible. The trip was amazing and
greatly exceeded my expectations. Neither my camera
nor my lens was outstanding, but I got to photograph
all manner of wildlife at close range. It was my first
experience photographing wildlife, and from that
point on, I was hooked.
While in Yellowstone, I saw a young wolf walk next
to our vehicle not more than six feet away from where
I sat. I wasn’t expecting a wolf to just wander by, and
no, I wasn’t even holding my camera. By the time I
grabbed my gear and tried to focus, he was gone. I
didn’t even get an out-of-focus tail shot. Later that
24 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Wading, Seacrest Wolf Preserve
day, however, we found a pack of wolves. We found another pack
the following day. I have dozens of photographs that I will always
cherish. I seriously doubt I’ll ever print any of them. The wolves
were too far away and my lens was entirely too short to capture a
really good image. From time to time, I go back and look at them on
my computer and feel warm and fuzzy all over, remembering that
amazing trip. No one else would (or could) appreciate those black
specks in the white snow. I know that someday I will go back to
Yellowstone. Next time, I will have longer lenses, a private guide,
and lots of prayers. However, I want more than a once in a lifetime
experience.
In the Grasses, Seacrest Wolf Preserve
Since that time, I have had many opportunities to photograph wildlife.
There is nothing like photographing animals in the wild. That
said, sometimes the animals we are hoping to photograph just don’t
cooperate. Wolves are particularly elusive animals. When we want
to photograph an animal that we just can’t find in the wild, it comes
down to moving to “Plan B” or just not photographing them at all.
After my trip to Yellowstone, I knew that I wanted to get close to
those amazing animals. The idea of
not photographing wolves did not
seem at all appealing. So, I opted for
“Plan B.” My first attempt to photograph
captive wolves was at Triple D
Game Farm in Kalispell, Montana
(http://www.tripledgamefarm.com/).
The animals at Triple D are actually
trained models used by professional
photographers and videographers.
They are in enclosed areas with no
barriers separating the photographers
from the animals. I was able to get
very close to the wolves, actually close
enough to touch them. How exhilarating!
While the wolves are typically
comfortable around people, they are
still wild animals. They are allowed to
move freely and consequently exhibit
natural behaviors which hopefully
On the Prowl, Triple D Game Farm
come through in my images. Wolves
were not the only animals I photographed at Triple D, but they were
definitely the highlight of my trip.
I also discovered the Seacrest Wolf Preserve in Chipley, Florida
(http://www.seacrestwolfpreserve.org/). It is closer home and in a
more natural environment. There, displaced wolves find a home in a
natural setting. With over four hundred acres at Seacrest, the wolves
live in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible in
captivity. My weekend at Seacrest provided a chance to photograph
several different packs at different times of the day and evening and
in different settings. On the last
evening, as a special treat, both for
the wolves and the photographers,
one of the packs was given a deer.
The deer fed to the wolves are typically
road-kill. The highway department
notifies Seacrest when a deer
has been killed by an automobile.
Seacrest picks up the dead deer,
typically freezes them, and saves
them as special treats for the wolves.
Watching the wolves feed was fascinating.
True pack behavior was
exhibited, and pecking order was
obvious. Don’t get me wrong. I love
deer. I have a deer feeder outside my
house just because I enjoy having
them close by. I cringe when I consider hunters shooting them. But
watching the pack feed on that deer gave me a new appreciation for
the natural order of the animal kingdom.
Seacrest Wolf Preserve provides photographers and videographers
the opportunity to capture images of gray wolves and small
Guarding the Pack, Triple D Game Farm
mammals such as foxes, raccoons, and skunks. In addition to
providing a haven for gray wolves, the owners attempt to educate
the public about the role wolves play in the natural world and to
teach tolerance and respect in the hope that it will create a passion
for protecting them.
A third option for photographing wolves in a controlled environment
is the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Knowlton Township, Warren
County, NJ (http://www.lakotawolf.
com/). There photographers will
discover packs of Tundra, Timber,
and Arctic wolves in a natural
surrounding along with bobcats and
foxes. Photographers have access
to unobstructed views of wolves in
their natural settings. Being able to
photograph the wolves in a stressfree
environment where they live
provides opportunities for great wolf
images. I have not personally visited
the Lakota Wolf Preserve, but having
seen photographs from there, I hope
to visit it in the near future.
As an aside, I have found that often
photographers can get more for their
money if they go to game preserves as
part of a workshop. Workshop leaders
are often able to negotiate access
to more animals and/or more time with particular animals than
individual photographers are able to get travelling on their own.
Most websites for preserves or game farms will list the dates and
names of workshops that will be offered there during the upcoming
year. Sometimes the preserves or game farms will also offer special
events for serious photographers, providing an appealing opportunity
with extra perks, again not available to individuals photographing
alone. Additionally, it is often more enjoyable to photograph
with a group of like-minded individuals. In addition to the camaraderie,
the opportunity to learn from
others in the group can add to the
enjoyment of the experience.
Successful wildlife photography
often is achieved by being in the
right place at the right time. Bird
photographers know that positioning
themselves in rookeries or
other similar birding environments
during the spring greatly increases
their chances of capturing those
award-winning images of a mother
feeding her chicks or a fledgling’s
first attempt at flight. The same
is true with other species. Some
species are harder to capture than
others. We don’t all have the luxury
of hiding out in the wild for months learning the habits and habitats
of the animals we hope to photograph. Photographing animals in
captivity can be a very viable option. Ethically, we cannot claim that
the animals were photographed in the wild, but the experience can
be fabulous and our photographs can be, as well.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 25

The Painted Bunting, Nature’s Canvas
I fell in love
with these amazing birds the
first time one flew in front of
my camera lens. That has been more than a year ago and I got
only a blurry picture of it sitting on the other side of a feeder. I
was at Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet, S.C. and it
has become an obsession of mine to get photos of all the Painted
Buntings at the park.
The colors of the male Painted Bunting are so striking; I am just
amazed at how beautiful they are. The blue, red, yellow, and green
feather coloring is so vibrant; an artist must have had a hand in
creating them. The female bunting is a vivid green with yellow on
its breast. The immature male is also green for about the first 2
years, before it begins its colorful transformation.
The birds are being monitored by the South Carolina Department
of Natural Resources. The monitoring is done by capturing the
birds and placing identifying bands on their legs. Each bird has
four color- coded bands that are arranged specify for each different
bird. There is also a website (http://www.paintedbuntings.org/)
that is dedicated to the observation of the Painted Bunting.
26 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Sandra M. Barnes
Sbarnes93@ymail.com
They are a very shy bird, especially the males, and it is difficult to
get good photographs of them in their natural setting. I go to the
park several times a week to take pictures and I have been somewhat
successful at getting them in other places besides the feeder. I am
trying to document the different male and green buntings that I
see. I have seen and taken photographs of three banded males and
one male not banded. One of the banded males does not have a left
foot, but he seems to manage just fine. He has become my favorite
and also the one that ends up in a lot of my photographs. There
are also three banded green Buntings and one not banded. About
two or three weeks ago three more small green Buntings showed up.
They stayed together and hung out around the feeder most of the
time. These three were a lot smaller and were darker in coloring. I
think they had recently left the nest.
I have included several pictures that I have taken since this past
April. Hopefully, the pictures will show just how remarkable these
small colorful birds are. I did not do anything to enhance the coloring
of the birds in the pictures. In one of the pictures I did make the
background black & white, so only the Bunting was in color.
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 27

FIT RIGHT IN
Sue Jarrett • sjarrett@islc.net
Finally you have the opportunity for that photo trip you’ve always
wanted to make—price, dates, locations —fit right in. I am talking
about the Average Joe or Jane who has saved for years for that tripof-a-lifetime.
Not First Class and Five-Star, but Coach and Three-
Star, how the majority travel.
I took a photo safari to Africa starting on board
Virgin Atlantic Airlines. VA has strict regulations.
Your coach carry-on bag can’t weigh
more than 13kg or about 28 1/2 pounds. My
camera backpack weighed 30 pounds, but after
the check-in crew learned that it was all camera
gear, they allowed it. Phew!! While riding from
one wildlife preserve and lodge to another, our
driver/guide and the lodge aides complimented
me on the size and weight of my baggage. On
a trip to Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park
the float plane tour receptionist at Natron Air
commented that my two bags (camera backpack
and clothes bag) weighed a total of 54 pounds
and that was the closest any traveler had come
to their 50 pound requirement in months. So,
not only was I following the rules, but I was also
making it easier for myself.
I’m not going to talk about what goes in your clothes bag. That’s
your decision and desire. I’ll give some ideas about the camera bag
and gear.Some wildlife photographers swear by the hard rolling
backpack like ThinkTank or Lowepro or Tamrac, etc. These may be
good for some photographers, but for Joe and Jane Sixpack they are
expensive and heavy even when empty. No matter what Think Tank
International V2 ($300) advertises, not
all firm rolling backpacks will fit in the
overhead compartments on flights. And
its weight added to your gear weight may
cause even more carry-on problems. My
backpack fits in the overhead bin almost
all the time unless other travelers have
filled it up (remember I am talking about
coach). If not in the bin, it fits under the
seat in front of me.
My backpack also doesn’t display itself
as a camera bag -- just a backpack to be
less obvious. To save weight I decide on
lenses, tripods or monopods, attachments,
etc. I have to decide about wildlife
shooting. For example, I don’t take my
detachable battery grips for my Nikon
D300 bodies. I don’t take my laptop, I’d
rather take my long lens. How do I edit
and backup my images? First I take lots
of high gig memory cards with a basic
plan of filling so many each day. Like
when we used to decide how many rolls
of film to take. I don’t want to reformat
28 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
the cards, but keep them safe in several GEPE Extreme Card cases.
No laptop because of weight and space.. For editing, I use the LCD
panel on the back of the camera as I ride from location to location
or at lunch. You can easily delete bad exposures or out of focus
shots. After basic editing, I slip the memory card into the slot on my
Digital Foci II Storage Safe and download all the images. Actually,
I have two of the Storage Safes, so I have my images on the memory
card and backed up twice.
There are several manufacturers of photo storage safes, but Digital
Foci (250 gigs $100) is a fraction of the cost of JOBO 250 gig $375 or
SANHO Hyperdrive 250 gig $360. The model
I own doesn’t have an LCD screen, but newer
models do and are still less expensive.
My lenses, bodies, storage safes, flash unit, are all
stuffed inside military knit caps. A polar fleece
vest also can help pad the bottom (and keep you
warm). The caps are lightweight padding in the
backpack and are much less expensive than a
LensCoat protective cover. Not having dividers
in a backpack lets you fit much more gear in it.
The backpack is always with me. For basic security
while walking with the backpack on, I have
key rings on each zipper that I hook together.
That makes it hard for someone behind me to
unzip pockets quickly and quietly while I am on
a shuttle or bus or standing in line. I also have
small padlocks when needed.
For stronger security I have a PacSafe Backpack
protector. Now PacSafe has a specific metal
mesh pack for a camera backpack or bag. This wire mesh net goes
around the backpack and latches to an airport bench (while I nap)
or to the bathroom pipes or bed rails in a hotel room or a metal hook
in a car trunk or in the rear of my SUV. Sure someone could eventually
cut through it, but that would take time. Most crooks want to
grab n’ go quickly and can’t open a pocket easily or yank the whole
bag away. I bought mine on eBay.
The last important thing if you are
going out of the country is a customs
list of your equipment, CBP Form
4457 http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/CBP_
Form_4457.pdf. You can download it
from the website, fill it out and take
it and the equipment to the nearest
Customs Office. An official stamps and
signs the form that you may have to
use when you return to the US to prove
that you didn’t just buy all those lenses
and bodies in another country. One
suggestion is to list each piece singly on
a separate form, so you only carry the
forms that match the equipment you
take. Then if you sell a lens and buy a
new one, all you have to fill out is one
form and get it certified by the Customs
Officer. Some people have done this at
the airport hours before departure. I do
it weeks before so I don’t have a delay.
Nikon GP-1 GPS unit for your camera!
Peter Krenn • Krenn@comporium.net
I recently added a new “toy” to my collection of photography
equipment. It’s the Nikon GP-1 GPS unit. I use it with my Nikon
D-300. What it does is record the GPS location and adds it to the
Metadata with the rest of your Metadata information. If you are a
Lightroom user all you have to do is click on the coordinates in the
Metadata information and the program will automatically take you
to Google Earth and give you a satellite view as to where the picture
was taken. I understand it also works with other programs. Now
that’s all well and good, but there is more: you can scroll in or out,
even to street level if the picture was taken in an urban area. It uses
the same program as Google maps. Also, it gives you the elevation
and time the picture was taken.
I ride a motorcycle and my style of picture taking is just following
my nose and seeing where it takes me, usually down many a back
road in the middle of nowhere—I’m just enjoying the ride and
looking for old barns, etc. When I do find an interesting subject to
photograph it may be the wrong time of day for the lighting conditions
are not what I am looking for. I snap a picture anyway and now
I have the information I need to return to that location. It comes in
kind of handy when I’m going through pictures on the computer
and see a shot I would like to take again. I just transfer the GPS
position into my GPS on the motorcycle and let it lead me there.
I just returned from a trip to the Northeast and into Canada and
the GPS kept a great record as to where I took all the pictures of
lighthouses, etc.
The unit is not much bigger than your thumb and attaches to where
your flash mounts, with a short cord going to your camera’s tenpin
terminal. It pulls very little power and works off your camera
battery. It can be adjusted so it only comes on when you depress the
shutter button half way. Like most other GPS units, if you turn it
on after having moved quite a distance, like on a long trip, it takes
several minutes to find the location to where it is at, however once
that is established it only takes about a second or so to see the red
LED in the unit change to green telling you it knows your location
and is ready to record it.
You’ve Been Framed!
David Bowers • dave.bowers@allentate.com
Framing is a creative tool that draws attention to your main subject
by accentuating other portions of your image with natural elements.
By framing your photos, you create a sense of depth, thus, the addition
of another pleasing dimension. What you’ll be creating is
a pathway for the viewer’s eye to travel to the subject that’s most
important within your photo. As a consequence, the viewer tends
to remain fixed to your work for a longer period of time, since there’s
a natural barrier between it and outer edges of the photograph.
Frames for your images can come from various sources and they
don’t necessarily have to be overbearing. Be careful not to make it
feel cramped or to be so heavy as to dominate and take away from
what you’re trying to accentuate. While setting up for the “shot”,
consider moving around your subject until natural elements present
themselves such as: over hanging branches, doorways, arches,
windows, etc.
In my photograph of the shorebirds on the beach, the main
subject is in fact the “frame” situated 10 feet in front of the other
birds (skimmers) which leads us to a very important point. If you
desire a sharp focus of both the subject and the frame, a long depth
of field is required. (ex: f11 to f22) However, some photographers
like a softened frame and consequently open up to f 4.0 to f 5.6 in
order to blur by means of being out of focus. This can be a very
nice effect and further emphasizes the viewers “focus” on the main
subject. Hey, consider this: anything that lets you go through one
thing that leads to another will make a good frame! So, next time
you’re out, look around, you “may have been framed”!
Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association • 29

Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association
Post Office Box 97323
Raleigh, North Carolina 27624-7323
www.cnpa.org
God’s gift of pleasure
It’s not a stretch
for most nature photographers
to recognize the Creator’s handiwork:
awesome beauty, stunning complexity,
cycle of life in insects and stars,
unity far beyond interconnectedness.
Made in our Creator’s image
we, too, are creative in making images.
But there’s more: Pleasure.
Pleasure in beholding images.
Pleasure: a gift of God.
Why do spirits soar on lofty rhapsodies?
Why do prancing dancers excite us?
Why do sculptors imitate Eden?
Why is food so delicious?
Why is sex so much fun?
Why is exposing and viewing images a joy?
Pleasure: our gift from God.
Come, beloved, lay aside the gift of pain.
Embrace his gift of pleasure.
30 • Camera in the Wild • Fall 2011
Photopoetics
Bob Williams
bobwilliams@sc.rr.com