Sometimes everything aligns for only a moment.
As the fog began to lift, sunlight broke through and illuminated the distant cliffs, which remained softly diffused by the lingering mist. At the same time, a thin veil of smoke from wildfires in Northern Québec drifted through, muting the light into a warm golden glow.
For those twenty minutes, the smoke became an unexpected creative element, adding warmth and atmosphere to the background. We were lucky that it cleared quickly—and even luckier that we did not see it again during any of the workshops.
Then this Razorbill flew directly towards me with its bill full of fish.
Razorbills are compact, powerful seabirds and incredibly fast in flight. Their rapid approach makes them challenging to follow, particularly through a long super-telephoto lens.
I photographed this one at 1/5,000 second with a 600mm f/4 lens and 1.4× teleconverter. The shutter speed froze the bird’s rapid approach, but the extraordinary atmosphere came from that fleeting alignment of sunlight, lifting fog, wildfire smoke and the distant cliffs.
A few moments later, it was gone.
Photographing Razorbills on Île aux Perroquets
Atlantic Puffins may be the stars of Île aux Perroquets, but Razorbills provide some of the most challenging and rewarding photographic opportunities of the workshop.
They fly quickly and directly, often returning from the Gulf of St. Lawrence with bills full of fish for their young. We photograph them perched on the rocks, interacting near their nesting sites and racing towards the island in flight.
The location is every bit as special as the birds. We stay on a small island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with a historic lighthouse, sleeping in the former lighthouse keeper’s and assistant keeper’s homes.
Being on the island gives us the time to experience its constantly changing moods—from fog and wind to clear skies and fleeting golden light—and to be there when a rare opportunity like this suddenly appears.
Connie and David’s Workshop Experience
“We recently attended the Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Workshop with Christopher Dodds.
The location Chris selected was an experience in itself: a small island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with a lighthouse, along with our accommodations in the lighthouse keeper’s and assistant keeper’s homes. This setting provided abundant opportunities to photograph Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills, whether perched, in flight, or returning to the island with bills full of fish as they raised their young.
Chris is a wonderful teacher who generously shares his knowledge and love of photography. Throughout the workshop, he offered helpful input, asked whether he could assist, and checked in with each photographer, all with the goal of helping us get the photographs we had dreamed of capturing.
This is the second workshop we have attended with Chris, and we continue to find his workshops well organized and enjoyable for all attendees. We would highly encourage other bird and wildlife photographers to attend one of his workshops.”
— Connie and David Emmerson, Texas, USA
Join Me for the Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Workshop
Spend several days surrounded by Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills and other seabirds on one of the most remarkable islands in Quebec.
With a small group and extensive time in the field, we concentrate on understanding the fundamentals, recognizing developing behaviour, mastering birds in flight and making the most of rapidly changing weather and light.
