p.47 #2 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
Fred Amico wrote:
^^ These are wonderful, Bruce!
Thanks Fred... it's been a lot of hard work and persistence to finally get something I like.
I think the 100-400 is a great lens for this type of photography... compact, first class VR, weather sealing, fast AF, and more than sharp enough.
cheers,
bruce
p.47 #5 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
OwlsEyes wrote:
I have found whale photography to be the most challenging type of wildlife photography. I've shared this thought in the past, as I have photographed whales on many occasions which stretch all the way back into the 1980's. In 2017 I spent a week on a sailboat between Vancouver Island and the mainland in search of humpback and orca. The photo trip was quite successful and resulted in an amazing portfolio of work (at least for me... you can see this gallery on my website here: https://bruce-leventhal.squarespace.com/the-wild-bc-coast ). While I managed to produce some great stuff, I failed to catch a good breech. This inabilty to photograph a breeching whale has haunted me... until yesterday
Last night was my 4th outing in 2 weeks, all of which were on very small 6 passenger boats. My goal was to be close to the water in order to prevent the top-down perspective that is very common when shooting from larger vessels. Our captain managed to find whale that had a lot of energy, as it breeched about 10 times within a 2 hour period. While I was not successful with each of the breeches, I did manage to finally nail a few shots that I am happy to keep and add to my library of images...
p.47 #8 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
I spent last Friday on the water with Frans Lanting, of all people. Frans wanted to do a mini wildlife experience close to home and sent out invites. There were 15 of us on an early morning charter. It was a crazy overcast and misty day, but the bay was hopping with humpbacks, orca, rizzo dolphins, and white-sided dolphins.
I got so engaged by the dolphin activity, that I did nto realize that my lens was misted over with spray. I wear glasses, so I assumed the diffused light through the camera was due to the mist on my glasses.
After the peak of activity slowed, I checked my lens and saw that I essentially had a layer of water coating the front element. About 95% of my pictures from that part of the outing are worthless, but I put effort into processing this one. I've never successfully photographed a dolphin completely out of water and wanted to have one for my files.
cheers,
bruce
NIKON Z 8NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens100mmf/6.31/4000s5000 ISO+0.7 EV
p.47 #15 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
OwlsEyes wrote:
Two from yesterday's outing...
regards,
bruce
Were these from a boat or kayak? I was just out kayaking Monterey Bay a week and a half ago wishing I had something longer than my accepted Sony 70-200 F4 but it was awkward getting stuff in and out of a dry bag and having to undo/redo the spray skirt every time.
Disregard - I just read your great write up further down the page.
You're right it was such an experience. We were paddling around in the fog listening for the sounds of the spouting and then paddling in that direction. A little harrowing a mile and a half out and decently large swells but such a blast!
p.47 #16 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
Seabassius wrote:
Were these from a boat or kayak? I was just out kayaking Monterey Bay a week and a half ago wishing I had something longer than my accepted Sony 70-200 F4 but it was awkward getting stuff in and out of a dry bag and having to undo/redo the spray skirt every time.
Disregard - I just read your great write up further down the page.
You're right it was such an experience. We were paddling around in the fog listening for the sounds of the spouting and then paddling in that direction. A little harrowing a mile and a half out and decently large swells but such a blast!...Show more →
Thanks for the note...
I'll just follow up a bit on your question about my shooting technique / style.
I do a bit of everything in the Monterey Bay. I will shoot from land when I see a bit of activity, or feel like my target species are accessible from land... see this "recent" blog post, as it was from land: https://bruce-leventhal.squarespace.com/bruceleventhal/2024/8/4/adventures-in-california-post-1
I will also kayak in the bay, but I tend to stay in the slough and not go into the open ocean. My goal is to make pictures not exercise or sightsee, so I want to maximize the experience for photography. I used to go out in a dry bag, I now just bring one camera/one lens and a towel. I know that I will lose it all one day, as I don't shoot with a strap or any protection. I've shot with dry bags and covers in the past, but they always get in the way. I just go with what I have and live with the consequences. Because I'm in the slough, I don't get the swells that are so common in the bay.
Finally, I will go on chartered whale-watching boats. I prefer the boats that are low capacity and low to the water. These boats allow for a unique water-view perspective. On these trips, I often take wider to normal zoom (24-120) and short tele to moderate tele zoom (100-400). While I have used my 180-600 on whale watching boats, I have found that the whales are often too close for 180mm... sometimes too close for 100mm!
p.47 #17 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
Thanks for the note...
I'll just follow up a bit on your question about my shooting technique / style.
I do a bit of everything in the Monterey Bay. I will shoot from land when I see a bit of activity, or feel like my target species are accessible from land... see this "recent" blog post, as it was from land: https://bruce-leventhal.squarespace.com/bruceleventhal/2024/8/4/adventures-in-california-post-1
I will also kayak in the bay, but I tend to stay in the slough and not go into the open ocean. My goal is to make pictures not exercise or sightsee, so I want to maximize the experience for photography. I used to go out in a dry bag, I now just bring one camera/one lens and a towel. I know that I will lose it all one day, as I don't shoot with a strap or any protection. I've shot with dry bags and covers in the past, but they always get in the way. I just go with what I have and live with the consequences. Because I'm in the slough, I don't get the swells that are so common in the bay.
Finally, I will go on chartered whale-watching boats. I prefer the boats that are low capacity and low to the water. These boats allow for a unique water-view perspective. On these trips, I often take wider to normal zoom (24-120) and short tele to moderate tele zoom (100-400). While I have used my 180-600 on whale watching boats, I have found that the whales are often too close for 180mm... sometimes too close for 100mm!
Very cool. Not sure when my travels will take me back that way, but a little zodiac-esque boat sounds like the way to go. We did have some sea lions that almost took out my wife and daughter when they came bursting out of a swell. Kept it exciting.
p.47 #18 · Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S images thread
This is a Rizzo dolphin. This species hangs in pods like many dolphin species, but they do not breach the water unless encouraged by white-sided dolphins. The white-sided dolphins are smaller and they often jump completely out of the water. This Rizzo was photographed on a super-foggy day, and its pod was mixed with a pod of white-sided dolphins. Interetingly, this species often look as if they were painted by an abstracty artist. They are playful and will use their teeth to "rake" the skin of the mates (friends) and mates (reproductive partners).
cheers,
bruce
NIKON Z 8NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens145mmf/6.31/4000s3600 ISO+0.7 EV
NIKON Z 8NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens210mmf/6.31/4000s4000 ISO+0.7 EV
