Moose Moment: Mother and calf

Here's an intimate portrait of a Moose Cow and her calf from Baxter State Park in Maine from my workshop on Sept. 15, 2006. While hanging out for the Giant Bull Moose, we often watch and photograph the females and their young eating the sodium-rich, lake-bottom pondweed.

North American moose's summer aquatic plant diet is linked to sodium needs. While sodium is available in a woody plant diet of leaves, twigs, and buds, emergent or submerged aquatic plants produce an average of four times more nutrition than terrestrial plants. Aquatic plants are more digestible and have higher concentrations of minerals than woody forest browse, a more typical winter moose diet. Oh, one last thing: "moose" is from the Native Algonquin language and translates roughly to "twig eater." 

Moose Cow & Calf MOOSE MOMENT (Alces alces, Elan, Orignal) Sept. 15, 2006, Baxter State Park, Maine Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds www.chrisdoddsphoto.com All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DsMKII, 500mm F4 and 2XII teleconverter ISO 500, F8 1/250s Manual mode. Full frame image.

Ospreys Galore and so much more

OSPREY FISHERMAN (Pandion haliaetus, Balbuzard pêcheur, OSPR) Lake Blue Cypress, Florida. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon EOS 1DMKIV,  500mm F4 IS. ISO 800, f/5.6 @ 1/2500s Manual. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Ospreys Galore and so much more Workshop

 

April 1-3, 2012 & April 4-6, 2012  - 5 Participants with Christopher Dodds and fully licensed USCG Captain

It's not too late to join-in on the fun photographing Ospreys on the Beautiful Lake Blue Cypress in Florida. Join me at one of THE most beautiful places in Florida for three action packed days of Osprey photography. Lake Blue Cypress in southern Osceola County (just 20 minutes from Vero Beach) is known for it's high Osprey density; More than 240 pairs of nesting Ospreys build their nests in the Cypress trees along it's shores and many of them are at eye level and accustomed to human activity and close approach.

Large, stable 24 foot pontoon boat to ensure freedom of movement and excellent photography opportunities without being bothered by any space restrictions during our daily 4 hour morning light photography cruise. New this year is a US Coast Guard licensed sea captain to ensure our safety, and get us into the very best possible positions to photograph the many Ospreys.

Land-based afternoon photography sessions at some of the best hot-spots in Florida with exceptional access, diverse species and action packed, card filling photo fun!

Huge telephoto lenses are not required for this one; in 2011, I made many of my favourite images with Canon's 70-300mm zoom lens.

The Crown Jewel of Florida, Lake Blue Cypress is the perfect habitat for the hundreds of Osprey nests that cover the ancient Cypress Trees which pierce the pristine water and surround the lake. We will have tons of opportunities to photograph Ospreys on their nests at (or below) eye level, diving for fish or gathering nesting materiel. Our trip is timed perfectly to see the parents bring fish to their babies. We will photograph other species of Florida birds and will have constant urges to capture the true beauty, spectacular sunrises and all it illuminates in landscape images of the unspoiled, wild and spectacular setting of Lake Blue Cypress.

REGISTER HERE