Deluxe Puffins Galore Workshop Update

I have just added another workshop from August 10-13 due to the overwhelming popularity of my Deluxe Puffins Galore and so much more workshops.

This is a dream deluxe photography tour: Dreamlike accommodations in a newly restored lighthouse just feet away from nesting Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills on a small island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Quebec, Canada, with gourmet food.

• It is timed to coincide with the very best time to be at the colony when the Puffins return with fish to feed their young.

• The group size is limited to 5-8 photographers (the price is per person in single or double occupancy, as desired, with only six rooms available).

• Exclusive use of the lighthouse and accommodations means we will be the island’s only inhabitants.

• The small group size means more assistance, one-on-one guidance, and coaching for every participant.

• Long lenses are not mandatory for this tour; 200-400mm reach is adequate for an impressive portfolio.

• Photographers of all levels are welcome; the tour pace will suit everyone’s needs and skill level. Participants should be able to comfortably walk 200 meters (200 yards) at a slow pace while carrying their equipment.

• Owners of all camera brands are welcome. My 40 years of professional photography include the last six years as a Sony ambassador, 16 years using Canon as a Canon Northern Explorer of Light, and 16 years using Nikon before that. I can help anyone with any brand improve their photography.

• Christopher Dodds has 40 years of experience with the Puffins in the great Canadian outdoors.

Atlantic Puffin in flight with fish (Fratercula arctica, Macareux moine, ATPU) from my Deluxe Puffins Galore Lighthouse Island Workshop Adventure. Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 1.4X Teleconverter @840mm. ISO 10,000, f/6.3 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Long-eared Owl.

In his play Love's Labour's Lost, William Shakespeare wrote, "Then nightly sings the staring owl." These words certainly apply to any of these big-eyed, big-headed birds, for owls do indeed stare. And in that staring face, we can see some of the owl's adaptations for life in the dark.

Unlike the eyes of other birds, an owl's eyes face straight ahead, like our own, giving the bird binocular vision. Unlike human eyes, however, they do not move in their sockets, so the bird must swivel its head to follow moving objects.

Although owls see well in dim light, most depend on supersensitive hearing when searching for prey. Long-eared Owls have hearing so acute that they can snatch prey in complete darkness.

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus, Hibou moyen-duc, LEOW) Ontario, Canada. Image copyright ©Christopher Dodds. All rights reserved. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera and Sony 200-600mm Lens (@600mm). ISO 400, f/8 @ 1/125s Manual exposure. Full-frame image. Join me for my annual Owls Galore Workshops in January.

Roseate Spoonbill pretty in Pink

A Roseate Spoonbill lands directly in front of me during my recent Ospreys Galore Workshop (and so much more) in Florida.

One of the most spectacularly beautiful large wading birds is the roseate spoonbill, a resident of the Gulf Coast from east Texas to southern Florida. Named for its bright pink plumage and long, flat, spoon-shaped bill, the bird feeds in a manner all its own. It swings its extremely sensitive bill from side to side in shallow water, snapping it shut on small fish, shrimp, and insects that it detects by touch.

Like other members of the ibis family, roseate spoonbills are usually found in flocks. The birds nest in colonies among shrubs and mangroves, often sharing island rookeries with herons, egrets, and other waders. Spoonbills fly in long lines at dusk, their slender necks extended as they head to their roosts.

Roseate Spoonbill landing in spectacular light (Platalea ajaja, Spatule rosée, ROSP) from my OSPREYS GALORE WORKSHOP at Stick Marsh in Fellsmere, Florida ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Sony Alpha a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens @600mm. ISO 1,600, f/4 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure.Full frame image.

Coastal Brown Bears Dancing

We watched these two siblings wrestling in the rain for almost an hour during my Ultimate Brown Bears of Katmai Photo Tour. This frame makes it look like they are ballroom dancing (and rather good at it). This is another frame from 2010: I have been at this for a long time - smile!

Coastal Brown Bears SHALL WE DANCE? (Ursus arctos or Grizzly Bears) from June 2010. Geographic Harbor, Katmai National Park, Alaska, from my Ultimate Brown Bear Photo Tour. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. 500mm with 2X Teleconverter @1,000mm ISO 1,600, f/8 @ 1/800s. Manual exposure.

Join me for an eight-day Coastal Brown Bears Mothers & Cubs Adventure along the Katmai Coast of Alaska.

Coastal Brown Bear twin cubs (Ursus arctos) Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska from my Ultimate Brown Bear Photo Tour. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. 70-200mm @ 70mm ISO 400, f/8` @ 1/200s. Manual exposure.

Every photographer dreams of getting close to bears safely, and that is precisely what we do during my 8-day Ultimate Coastal Brown Bear photo tour in Katmai National Park in Alaska. We live on board a privately chartered research vessel but spend most of our time in Katmai National Park in front of the highest concentration of Coastal Brown bears in the world while surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth!

The ship is spacious with two lounges and a galley, and each stateroom has a private bathroom, complete with a walk-in shower, sink and toilet; there are no water restrictions, so grab a shower anytime you like! We spend most of our time on land with the bears and return to the ship to eat some incredible meals and sleep.

Atlantic Puffin in flight with fish (Capelin) in sweet light

Join me for a DREAMY DELUXE ATLANTIC PUFFIN WORKSHOP from August 10-13, 2023. It all starts when we arrive on the tiny island and move into the newly renovated lighthouse accommodations; We will be living only feet away from the many Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills and Common Murres that call the island home - all of the photography is within 200 meters (200 yards) of our bedrooms! This is THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD to photograph Atlantic Puffins; in sweet light, in flight and bringing home loads of fish to their babies! The included gourmet food is a bonus - smile!

Deluxe Atlantic Puffin Workshop in Quebec update

Join me in Quebec from August 10-13, 2023 for a dream Atlantic Puffin workshop a la Deluxe version. The adventure is based on a small island and we live in a renovated lighthouse - imagine! The food is gourmet and the photographic opportunities will be endless! Perfectly timed to get the Puffins bringing fish home to their babies.

Red Fox on the cliffs of Bonaventure Island

Aside from the 100,000’s seabirds on the cliffs of Bonaventure Island, there are always special treats available from the Zodiac for the adventurous photographers. Here is a Red Fox emerging from a hole in the rocks along the cliffs of Bonaventure Island. Photographed from our Zodiac during my Bonaventure Island Gannets Galore workshop.

"An excellent professor of the art"

"Now in September, with the images of our Northern Gannet workshop processed and filed, I want to thank you for your outstanding planning and execution of our adventure/trek/shoot on Bonaventure Island this summer. It was a pleasure to be your customer/client.
 Your execution provided an experience to make it one of the two best that I have been a part of in my many years of summer shoots. Given the uncertainties of rain, tides, winds, and clouds, you exploited so well every opportunity that came our way. On these trips the purpose is to get good looks at the birds. The some 3,100 exposures that I came home with were solid evidence that I got the looks at this magnificent gannet I was hoping for ---I netted many quality images. Good stuff now in the files. 
Our housing was just what we want: accessible, comfortable, clean and a good buy. The schedule was chock full, we did not have avoidable down minutes, and we squeezed all of the looks available to us out of the time and conditions available. The access to an ATV to tote our gear from the dock to the colony, for a guy of my age, was a real plus and that comes about only with your obvious advance work and solid relationships with the park folks.
 The trip on the water to the far side of the island was a highlight for me and shows best your foresight and planning to get us in not otherwise available, shooting positions. That was unique time, extraordinary. 
But most of all, Chris, your ever-present availability to be immediately responsive to our technical photographic and logistical questions makes this trip so exceptional. So many of the shoot producers put themselves above and before the client-photographer and are spending more time getting their own shots or just not being around when you need their advice. You stay available to provide professional guidance to the guys and gals paying for the experience. I observed that no question is too mundane; you patiently helped the rookies, just as you did the most advanced. Personally, I improved my techniques and banked a good range of knowledge, thanks to you. 
 

My summary: You are an excellent professor of the art, a solid expedition planner, a constant steward of the details, and a good guy with whom to spend days on a trek. 
I'm very interested in getting some Spring/nesting shots of that Atlantic Puffin. If you put together such a trip, please let me know. 
I look forward to another shoot with the unique Dodds' touch. 
Continued success to you, with all best wishes,

Andy Hays Chicago, Illinois, USA"

Learn more about the Gannets Galore Workshop Adventure with Christopher Dodds CLICK HERE

〰️

Learn more about the Gannets Galore Workshop Adventure with Christopher Dodds CLICK HERE 〰️

Northern Gannet Singing in the rain

Last Chance to join the Ultimate Northern Gannet Adventure CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE or SIGN-UP!!

〰️

Last Chance to join the Ultimate Northern Gannet Adventure CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE or SIGN-UP!! 〰️

Northern Gannets SINGING IN THE RAIN (Morus Bassanus, Fou de Bassan) from my Gannets Galore Workshop on Bonaventure Island, Quebec in 2013 ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. 70-300mm @188mm ISO 400, F9 1/400s Manual exposure with balanced flash.

A Northern Gannet calls in the rain and I used a flash set in manual mode as balanced light to add the glitter :)

There is still a couple of spots available for my June 10-13, 2022 Gannets trip due to unvaccinated participants who decided to postpone another year.

Join me for the ultimate immersive bird photography workshop! We start each day onboard a 28-foot Zodiac Hurricane under the bird-filled cliffs of Bonaventure Island. We’ll be photographing diving Gannets, Common Murres, Razorbills, Harlequin Ducks, and Black Guillemots while getting close to Grey Seals and Whales. After our daily Zodiac adventure, it’s off to the colony with the park staff transporting our gear on their Kawasaki Mule, making our walk an easy and pleasant one!

Join the ADVENTURE to Bonaventure Island for Gannets Galore LEARN MORE CLICK HERE

〰️

Join the ADVENTURE to Bonaventure Island for Gannets Galore LEARN MORE CLICK HERE 〰️

Deluxe Puffins Galore Lighthouse Island Adventure

Puffins Galore Deluxe Edition!

Time to start thinking of my Covid-19 reboot and my beloved Puffins!

Join me for A Dream Photo safari: Live on a small island in a newly restored lighthouse just feet away from Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills.

I have been in search of the ultimate destination for an Atlantic Puffin workshop/safari for a very long time. The mandate was simple; find a location that is within reach, safe and easy to get to without a dangerous boat landing on slippery rocks and a place where we can get close to these comical little seabirds without hauling our gear up, and over, huge distances or having to hang over towering cliffs; a place where anyone can comfortably reach, regardless of age or physical ability; a place with reliable, safe and easy boat landings. I have photographed Atlantic Puffins in Iceland, England, Scotland, Wales, Maine, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Quebec; All of these "known" places have their drawbacks., and I simply can't imagine subjecting my clients to the abuse. Mission accomplished; I have found Puffin Paradise. This is the very best place in the world to photograph Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills fishing, with fish in their bills, in-flight and in golden light.

Beyond the 50th parallel, along the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, lies a remarkably beautiful scattering of some thirty limestone islands and more than 1000 granitic islets and reefs. The territory, the "Mingan Archipelago", became Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 1984.

This necklace of land carved out of the limestone bedrock is the site of spectacular natural monuments that bear witness to the never-ending wear of the sea and the centuries. And there is an abundance of life in this strange half-world: plants of variegated hues and shapes, seabirds gathered in colonies, seals, dolphins and whales, swarming the blue vastness in which the islands bathe.

Many of my favourite images of Puffins and Razorbills were made with only my Sony a9 and Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master lens! The Puffins and Razorbills and plentiful and they fly within inches of us. There will be many opportunities to photograph the Puffins and Razorbills returning to their burrows with fish in their mouths!

Join me, Canadian Wildlife Photographer Christopher Dodds, for a dream Puffin photography workshop/safari. This trip will be limited to 5-8 participants and will surely be the trip of a lifetime for anyone seeking to get close and personal (safely) to Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills. We will be the only inhabitants of the island; we will be sleeping within 50 feet of the nesting Puffins and Razorbills! Gourmet meals included! Dawn to dusk Puffin photography.

Price is $3,995.00 (plus sales tax) including three nights single occupancy accommodation in newly restored lighthouse keepers home on an isolated island, all Gourmet meals, Boat transportation to and from the island, park access fees and expert instruction from Canadian Nature Photographer Christopher Dodds. Other subjects might include Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Great Cormorants, Savannah Sparrow (there are many) Common Eider, Grey Seals and whales. Items of a personal nature, alcoholic beverages, transportation to Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, Quebec, and souvenirs are not included.

Curious Harp Seal Pup

Facts About Harp Seals

1. Harp seals grow up to 6 feet (1.8 m) long and weigh up to 300 pounds (136 kg).

2. Harp seals can live for an estimated 30 years.

3. Harp seal pups are born with long white fur that helps them absorb sunlight and stay warm while they’re still developing blubber. Pups shed their white fur after about three to four weeks old.

4. Harp seals are highly migratory and can travel more than 3,100 miles (4,989 km) roundtrip to feed.

5. Harp seals can stay underwater for at least 16 minutes at a time.

6. Harp seals Harp seals are named for the curved, black patch on their backs, which resembles a harp.1

7. Harp seals have a diverse diet, eating at least 67 species of fish and 70 species of invertebrates.

8. Harp seals prefer shallow water but can dive as deep as 1,312 feet (400 m).

9. Harp seals are the most abundant species of pinniped (seals, sea lions and walruses) in the northern hemisphere.

10. Aside from sharks, killer whales, and polar bears, the seals' worst enemies are human hunters.

Coastal Brown Bear on a log

Here’s a Coastal Brown Bear cub checking out the view from the log during my Ultimate Katmai Coastal Brown Bear Boat trip in Katmai National Park, Alaska. We were watching a couple of 3 year old twins grazing the sweet protein rich grass when this one decided it had to stroll over and check-out the view from the log. Most of the time it spent on the log looking away from us, but it did finally turn our way for a photograph :)

Red-legged Kittiwakes Copulating

The Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. It breeds in the Pribilof Islands, Bogoslof Island, and Buldir Island in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, and the Commander Islands, Russia and spends the winter at sea. This species is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN as its population appears to be in decline.

It is always a highlight of my Saint Paul Island Photo Tour to hike up to the high bluffs on a windy afternoon to watch and photograph some of the only accessible Red-legged Kittiwakes in the world.

Northern Gannet Lovebirds

Happy Valentines Day!

I just love the super saturated colors immediately after a rain storm passes at the largest Northern Gannet colony in the world. Join me in June for my Gannets Galore Workshop on Bonaventure Island in The Gulf of the Saint Lawrence. This is, by far, the very best venue in the world to learn, refine and master your bird photography skills!

Snowy Owl in Golden Light

As the temperature falls, the odds of getting great light increases dramatically. Here’s another Snowy Owl flying in the first rays of sunlight over fresh powdery snow.

Last minute opening March 5-9 2020 Bald Eagle Workshop

There is one spot left for my otherwise sold-out Bald Eagle Workshops due to cancellation. This is a great opportunity to join the very best trip to bring home a complete portfolio of Bald Eagle images from a single trip. Join me March 5-9, 2020 in Homer Alaska!

Gannets Galore

One of the highlights of my year is always my annual Gannets Galore workshop on Bonaventure Island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence every June. Seabird colonies are always my favourite to visit, as the activity at a big colony like Bonaventure Island (about 58,000 breeding pairs) can be somewhat overwhelming. Particularly so when it's windy and easy for the Gannets to take-off; there can be 10,000 Gannets flying around at any given time!

The Gannets love brings seaweed back to their mate when they return to the nest. It's always fun to photograph the Gannets landing; more so when they are delivering a load of seaweed.

As for workshops, Bonaventure Island is THE place to learn all about bird photography; from Birds in flight, portraits, behaviour and all of the required technical expertise to become a technically and artistically proficient bird photographer. The included early morning Zodiac boat excursions will round out your portfolio with other species and the exciting action of diving Gannets.

Learn more about my Gannets Galore workshop HERE.

Happy New Year

American Bald Eagle SNOWGLOBE (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) from my BALD EAGLE WORKSHOP in Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year (and decade) ahead! Safe and adventurous travel with golden light and epic images ahead for all!

It's not too late to start the year right and learn how to consistently make awesome images, and bring home a pretty impressive portfolio while you are at it. There are a few last minute openings:

January 20-24 & January 27 to 31, 2020 Winter Snowy Owl workshops. Click HERE to learn more and sign-up.

March 10-14, 2020 Bald Eagles Galore in Homer, Alaska. Cligh HERE to learn more and sign-up.

Bald Eagle Shadow Huntress

American Bald Eagle SHADOW HUNTRESS (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) from my BALD EAGLE WORKSHOP in Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens  ISO 4,000, f/4 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure.

On the third day of my first group of Bald Eagle photo tours the conditions were perfect for my friend and our captain Dave to navigate into one of my favorite back coves in Kachemak Bay. Thanks to Dave for being a loyal friend and a professional mariner who works tirelessly to keep us in the heart of the action while keeping us all safe!

It was dark and overcast with still water and the action was non-stop! I have tried this sort of "backlit in the shadow" fishing shot before, but the other camera brand I used always let me down. Now armed with the Sony 400mm f/2.8 G Master prime lens with the Sony a9 I had so many razor sharp images that it was hard to choose what to keep! Learn more about why it can focus so quickly with its linear movement HERE.

Join me in Alaska Eagle Heaven next March for my annual Eagle extraviganza. Get more information and sign-up HERE.

Great Grey Owl Portrait a la Sony a9 and 400mm f/2.8 G Master lens with 2X teleconverter

Great Grey Owl PORTRAIT (Strix nebulosa, Chouette Lapone, GGOW) ©Christopher Dodds  Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE 400 f/2.8 GM OSS with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter ISO 3,200, F5.6 @ 1/3,200s Manual Exposure mode. Join me for my winter owl workshops this January/February to learn More CLICK HERE.

In case you missed it, I wrote a mini-review of the new Sony FE 400 f/2.8 GM OSS in a recent blog post HERE.

Here's a portrait of a Great Grey Owl with the Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE 400 f/2.8 GM OSS with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter. It has been rather wet and rainy lately. The dehaze filter in Photoshop worked well to negate the heavy rain and ground fog which kept most people inside - smile.

Join me for my winter owl workshops this January/February to learn More CLICK HERE.