Atlantic Puffin twist and shake

We were set-up on the beach at last light waiting for the take-off as this Puffin sat there bathing on the water too far away and just out of reach….as I was thinking about switching to my 600 fé4 lens with 2X extender, It took-off and stalled to shake off the water right in front of me :)

Join me August 2023 for Deluxe Edition Puffins Galore with Exclusive Lighthouse Accommodations CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

〰️

Join me August 2023 for Deluxe Edition Puffins Galore with Exclusive Lighthouse Accommodations CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE 〰️

Atlantic puffin with bill full of fish

Everyone who joined my five back-to-back sold-out Deluxe Atlantic puffin workshops in Quebec was treated to many opportunities with Puffins bringing back fish for their babies. Many of the Puffins were bringing back mixed loads of Sand Lance and Capelin, while others brought back different sizes of the same species. The colony is in fine form with more Puffins than seen on past trips.

This image was made on a foggy morning with the Puffins appearing out of the fog so fast, it was like a video game; so many Puffins with fish, but really challenging photography.

Atlantic puffin banking in first drops of golden light

There were so many opportunities for Puffins with fish, it was an exercise to remember to get some without a beak full of Sand Lance or Caplin :)

Common Raven with Razorbill egg in golden light

All of the seabirds on the cliffs evacuate at the first sight of the Raven. They are quite skilled at carefully carrying stolen eggs :( Part of their success as a species is due to their omnivorous diet: they are extremely versatile and opportunistic in finding sources of nutrition, feeding on carrion, insects, cereal grains, berries, fruit, small animals, nesting birds, and food waste.

Atlantic Puffin in flight silhouette

I can love making silhouettes at sunset on windy days at seabird colonies :) The biggest mistake folks make is not using a fast enough shutter speed to capture sharp edges - wink.

Crested Auklet Vertical

Shoot it vertical and practice!

Here is a Crested Auklet from my recent Saint Paul Island Workshop. If you want to improve your birds in flight skills, try shooting with your camera turned vertically to Portrait mode. As I age, my vision, reflexes and hand-eye coordination are all working hard to slow me down - I stay sharp by spending hours tracking super small, fast and erratic birds in flight and often orient the camera vertically - smile.

Red-faced Cormorant in flight

Here is a Red-faced Cormorant returning to it’s perch on the cliffs of Saint Paul Island. It was great to see the species doing so well with many more accessible for photos than in recent years. Also known as the Red-faced Shag and Violet Shag, this is likely the least studied North Pacific bird species.

Crested Auklet in flight on black

Here’s another Crested Auklet in flight a la Sony 200-600mm lens and Alpha 1 camera. This combo is such a bomb that I am seriously considering leaving my prime 600/4 at home next year. Getting tired of Crested Auklet pics?

Peek-a-boo Horned Puffin

After seeing the effects of avian flu on the Bonaventure Island Northern Gannet colony firsthand, it was nice to see more Horned Puffins than there have been during the last decade on the cliffs of Saint Paul Island this year. This Horned Puffin has a great home with a fabulous view of the Bering Sea!

Backlit Crested Auklet in flight

This image has been on my bucket lit for a very long time. Crested Auklets are the least abundant seabirds on the cliffs of Saint Paul Island, so finding them flying into the right background can be challenging. All of the other images in this sequence had busy and bright coloured rocks in the background. I was fortunate to have a few sequences as this bird circled multiple times waiting for the right wind to land.

Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Galore Workshop last minute openings

I am sad to report a couple of cancellations for my Deluxe Puffins Galore and so much more workshops. If you love Puffins, gourmet food and adventure (think living in a fully renovated lighthouse on a tiny island), then get in touch to grab your spot! If you want to master birds in flight photography and create a complete portfolio of Atlantic puffin images, then this is the trip for you!

July 29 to August 1 SOLD OUT

August 1 to 4 LAST MINUTE OPENING!

August 4 to 7 SOLD OUT

August 7 to 10 SOLD OUT

August 10 to 13 ONLY ONE ROOM LEFT!

Crested Auklet in flight

There was no shortage of Crested Auklets on Saint Paul Island during my recently concluded workshop there. They share the same habitat as the much more numerous Parakeet Auklet, so you really do need to focus on finding the few Crested Auklets amongst the masses of seabirds flying on windy days. The quick identifier is the dark belly compared to the pale underside of the Parakeet Auklet. Absolutely my favourite bird on Saint Paul Island - smile.

Atlantic puffin with Caplin

It’s not too late to join me for my Deluxe Puffins Galore (and so much more) Workshop at the best place on earth to photograph Atlantic Puffins. There is still space for my newly announced Deluxe Puffins Galore and so much more August 10-13, 2022 trip.

Crested Auklet Portrait

Crested auklets are known for their forehead crests, which are made of black forward-curving feathers. These forehead crests are highly variable and can have between two and twenty-three narrow forward curving feathers. The average auklet has 12 crest feathers, which are of variable length, between 8.1 and 58.5 millimetres. Auklets have auricular plumes and a bright orange bill with curved accessory plates. Like forehead crests, these features vary widely within auklet populations.

Join me on Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea, Alaska for an adventure of your lifetime: Saint Paul Island Workshop adventure details CLICK HERE.

Crested Auklet CURIOUS STARE

A Crested Auklet gives a curious glance during my last Saint Paul Island, Alaska Workshop.

Auklets produce a pleasant social odour during the breeding season, described as smelling like tangerines. This odour originates from tiny wick feathers located in a small patch of skin between their shoulder blades.

Atlantic puffin in the Spring 2021 World Wildlife Magazine

I don’t often share or brag about published images, but I hope someone out there will send me a copy of the spring 2021 World Wildlife Fund Magazine. All of their staff at the magazine are working from home and seem unable to get me anything other than this low-res proof. Let me know if you are willing to part with your copy of the magazine, and you may end-up with a limited edition print :)

This is an Atlantic Puffin portrait from my 2019 PUFFINS GALORE DELUXE WORKSHOP. We woke to fog on several mornings and there were Puffins perched everywhere. We used the park information signs as blinds, and were able to spend hours making portraits at just about point blank range. After making the standard tight head shots, I always explore more interesting poses while working at minimum focusing distance with an extremely limited depth of field. Little did I know that the Covid-19 world-wide pandemic would shut me out of my 2020 trip :(

There is limited space available in August 2021:

July 29 to August 1: SOLD OUT!

August 1 to August 4, 2021: SOLD OUT

August 4 to August 7: SOLD OUT

August 7 to August 10, 2021: ONLY THREE ROOMS LEFT!

Atlantic Puffin PORTRAIT in the fog (Fratercula arctica, Macareux moine, ATPU) Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 1,600, f/8 @ 1/400s Manual exposure. Full Frame.

Atlantic puffin in flight with fish at 20,000 ISO

Q&A: High ISO

Q: Hey Chris, There's a lot of hype on the internet about buying the latest Sony a1 for its high ISO capability which is particularly important to me as a bird photographer. My question is more about the financial side of things: I remember several posts where you claimed the a9 was a great performer and wondered since I don't have the money but value your opinion if you would go into debt to buy the a1, or continue to work with the a9 that I have and stay out of debt. - Marc Lejeune

A: Hi Marc, Here's an image of a Puffin flying with fish that was made with the Sony a9, Sony 100-400, and Sony 1.4X teleconverter. I used 20,000 ISO and the results are remarkable in my opinion.

The key to making great images at high ISO with any camera is simple: Use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action, be sure to expose the image correctly, and try your best to shoot full-frame and not to crop.

I would never go into debt to buy a camera. In today’s electronic and disposable world, cameras lose value much more quickly than ever before. Look at it this way: by the time you save your money for it; something better with more features will be available :)

Bird Photography Intentional Blur and Q&A

Q:

Christopher,

I am constantly gobsmacked by your exceptional images. The details are captivating to me. I do wonder if you ever slow down your shutter and create artistic blurs? - Peter Wentworth

Hi Peter,

Thank you. Yes, I am not typically a fan of intentional blurs, but I do occasionally play around and slow my shutter speed down. Here is a Great Gray Owl I recently photographed at 1/40s with the new Sony a1 and 200-600mm lens. I find the key to my liking an intentional or artistic blur is having the eye(s) relatively sharp.

Q:

Hello Christopher, I liked your comments on the new alpha 1. How did you find it with the 200-600 zoom. I use this lens with the a7r3. The combo I found a bit slow to focus with wildlife. Where you happy with it on the a1. I have preordered the a1 and hoping to not have to upgrade the lens. Best, - Steve Aidelbaum

Hi Steve,

I think you will notice a significant autofocus performance boost with the focus acquisition speed and AF responsiveness of the 200-600 with the a1 vs. the a7RIII.

Q:

Thank you for responding to my query (Antman) in the comments. I would value your opinion on the following.

If you could buy either the 600MM f4 or A1 what would you go for based on the pairing

A9 + 600mmF4 or A1 + 200-600MM.

I own the A9 + a7R4 and 200-600mm and am wondering what makes more sense. My gut feel says go for the 600mm f4. However, I have never used either and I cannot get to see or feel the 600mm f4 in Australia. Both options have advantages. - Thanks, Anthony Heuver

Hi Anthony,

The most practical and financially sensible direction here is to invest in glass and buy the 600mm f/4 GM lens that you will have for the rest of your life. Camera bodies are refreshed at a staggering pace and the used value of them seems to be diminishing at a faster and faster pace with each new release. You can get a great deal on a new a9 (the version I), or take advantage of the "depressed" market and get a lightly used one: remember the shutter count is much less relevant for a mirrorless camera body and if you use the electronic shutter to achieve the fastest capture rate of 20 fps, there are no moving parts. The a9II has better ergonomics and connectivity, but I see little reason to spend the extra cash at this time. Holding off on the newly released a1 until we see promotional discounts or used bodies on the market will give you time to save money toward the purchase and save on the initial investment.

Sony a1 high ISO performance and how to minimize noise in any digital capture

After quickly assembling and setting-up the Sony a1, I headed outside to what turned out to be the quietest feeder in town. This Eastern Gray Squirrel didn’t even stay for long. This image was made with the Sony a1 set to APS-C mode and the Sony 600mm f/4 with the 2X teleconverter making a staggering effective focal length of 1,800 mm. I was at just about minimum focusing distance.

This image shows almost no noise at 10,000 ISO, but it is important to observe that the image is mostly midtones through highlights with almost no dark shadows except the eyes, so one could argue that this is a calculated attempt to cover-up any weakness of the new Sony a1. I would argue that this is a full-frame capture, but since the camera was set to APS-C mode and I was set to compressed RAW to achieve the full 30FPS capture rate, the noise performance is quite remarkable. Add to that that I know I have always got more detail, color accuracy, and less noise when converting RAW images with Adobe Camera Raw which has not yet released an update for the new camera just yet (as mentioned in my Sony a1 review HERE, this may simply be user error while trying to get the most from Sony’s Imaging Edge Software).

To minimize noise with any digital camera be sure to understand and use the histogram to make sure your image is exposed correctly: the whites should reside at the right-hand side of the histogram, but should not be touching the edge to avoid over-exposing them and losing details. Since the camera sees and records light like our eyes, it can’t see or record darkness: it is imperative to remember this! Most vocal armchair warrior critics online consistently underexpose and use one of many available techniques to brighten their images after capture: every one of them will introduce noise into the image (particularly in the darkest areas or the shadows).

Since noise is magnified by cropping an image, it is best practice to avoid cropping much from the original capture. Again, this is something I have seen consistently from those vocal interweb armchair critics.

Snowy Owl Dorsal View

Q: Hi Chris, I have been told a few times by other photographers that I should throw away any picture that does not include both eyes. Do you follow this rule?

-James Bauer

A: Hi James, Absolutely not! While it is rare for me to keep an image where you can’t see at least one eye, it does happen. The dorsal view of the Snowy Owl here is a good example of when that works. Browse through the images in this blog and you will see many images with just one eye visible to the viewer.

As for what to throw away, once you have deleted any images that are out of focus, or obvious immediate failures, it is up to you what to keep. We all have different tastes and storage is cheap these days. Keep the images that you like - smile!