Arthur Morris Birds as Art

On the morning of June 14 (2008), my 62nd birthday, we took the ferry to Bonaventure Island and made the 1.8 mile (2.9km) walk up the big hill.  I had been a bit worried about making that walk up and down for five straight days, but Chris was right:  “Take it slow and it is an easy walk.”  When we arrived at the gannetry, I was totally blown away.  So so many birds at arms length.  Dozens, even hundreds of gannets in the air at all times, many carrying huge loads of nesting material, many landing just yards away.  That day, the photographic action was nonstop, but it was not a birthday present, for the succeeding four days were equally exciting.  And as each day came and went, I visualized and created many new and different images.  I felt like a painter locked in a huge warehouse with hundreds of blank canvases and an unlimited supply of paints.   I was in bird photographer’s heaven.  

I have been to Antarctica.  I have been to Kenya.  I have been to Tanzania.  And I have been going to Bosque for the past 13 years.  All of those places offer great photographic opportunities.  But no place that I have been has ever offered as consistent and spectacular action as Bonaventure.

Chris is an excellent photographer and a skilled teacher. Chris is bi-lingual and over the course of his 131 walks up the hill, he has crafted a wonderful relationship with the park staff. Do consider joining Chris for the photographic experience of a lifetime. 
— Arthur Morris BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #264 June 26, 2008

CLICK HERE to learn more about the photographic experience of a lifetime

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CLICK HERE to learn more about the photographic experience of a lifetime 〰️

I most admired Chris Dodds’ active coaching

My recent trip (Dec. 2016) with Chris Dodds to the Bosque del Apache reserve was a roaring success! Five full days of shooting opportunities were exactly what I bargained for, and great lessons were learned.  Specifically, high-quality results come with time, patience, and attention to detail.  My experience with Chris gave me a taste of all three in a truly relaxed and fun atmosphere.  Each and every one of our five days working primarily with snow geese and sandhill cranes offered welcome variation in conditions to provide a broad package of opportunities.  I left the workshop with a full portfolio of portraits, flight shots, behaviors, and great shots of those magnificent “blast offs” of thousands of white geese and elegant cranes, all under excellent light conditions for bird photography.  Chris is a master at choosing and teaching about the best positioning for photos (clouds, sun, wind, behavior etc.) It was a busy time, with all the instruction I wanted, and that’s exactly how it should be! I most admired Chris Dodds’ active coaching combined with openness to questions at any time.  Chris was often right next to us shooting away and teaching-by-example, but his clear priority was to boost the abilities of each participant, no matter whether they were beginners or pros.  It is a rare ability to coach a well-experienced photographer one moment, and then patiently help a newbie with a point-and-shoot learn how to set up their tripod! I’m busily planning another trip or two with Chris!

Darrell Vodopich Waco | Texas

 

Chris is an exceptional photographer, teacher, and all around good guy

The Puffins Galore Workshop on I'ile aux Perroquets exceeded my expectations. Chris is an exceptional photographer, teacher, and all around good guy.  He was quick to point out the best photographic opportunities for the group, taking into account the constantly changing weather, light and tides.  He was always available to answer questions and give tips, catering to all levels of experience in the group.  The accommodations were excellent and the food was first rate. Our chefs/housekeepers/hostesses, Louise and Johanne, were amazing. The photographic opportunities were endless with an unbelievable number of puffins as well as razorbills, guillemots, gulls, whales and seals.  This was my first photography workshop and I am looking forward to my next adventure with Chris.

Mark Adkins Rochester| MN

Chris Dodds knows how to do a workshop

Chris Dodds knows how to do a workshop!


I had the pleasure of attending Chris' Snowy Owl Workshop this past January. To be honest, I did not know much about Chris before the trip. All I knew was the quality of his images on his website and that I wanted Snowy owl pictures. Needless to say, Chris met and exceeded my expectations. He goes over and above to get you in the right place at the right time to capture the best images possible. Having been on numerous workshops around the world with various leaders, I can say Chris worked harder than most..... He also made sure that we were in position to get a variety of images and not just 1000 photos of the same animal behavior. Chris knows his birds and what they are going to do next (as much as humanly possible). He teaches in a way that things make sense. I was getting frustrated with my photography before this trip. I was able to get great shots before the workshop but felt that the percentage of great shots to missed shots needed to be better. Chris explained ways to change a few of my bad habits in a way that no one else ever did. I have tried manual exposure in the past but never got comfortable with it but after a day or two with Chris it clicked in my mind and my images improved and percentage of keepers went up.
If you get a chance to go on a workshop with Chris I would highly recommend it. I know I will again.


Rick Susi  Orlando, FL, USA

Chris Dodds is everything I could ask for in a workshop leader

Chris is everything I could ask for in a workshop leader. He is patient, accommodating, and knowledgeable, both about photography and birds. I learned a lot and took hundreds of great pictures that would not have been possible without Chris' instruction and experience. Aside from being a great teacher and leader, Chris is an all-around great guy and a pleasure to spend time with.
 Bonaventure Island itself is spectacular, and the Zodiac trips around the island in the morning are incredible experiences, both photographically and visually, in part because this is the only way to see and photograph gannets in morning light, since the island is inaccessible until 9AM. Chris knows the place backwards and forwards, and always knew where the best photography experiences would be under a variety of conditions - an important resource to have on an island containing several large colonies. 
In short, if you're on the fence about going, do it! Chris' Gannets Galore Workshop truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Matthew Barr Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA

The best photographic event that any of us had ever experienced

Thank you for a magnificent workshop on Bonaventure Island. Your efforts on our behalf were nothing short of heroic. I don't know where you get your energy, from Sun up to long after it set, you were working to make this the best photographic event that any of us had ever experienced, and you succeeded. Bonaventure Island is a photographers paradise, I have never returned from a workshop with so many 'Portfolio shots. If all your endeavors as fruitful, can't wait to get my lens on those Snowy Owls this winter.............

I had a heck of a good time doing what I love, thanks to you.

Malcolm MacKenzie West Palm Beach, Florida, USA