We have nearly two days travelling to get to Dunedin, it is almost the length of the South Island back. We are still looking for Magenta Petrel.
Another birding father and son duo (Ray and Nick).
I tried to get them both with their cameras up. I got them with their cameras down instead . . .
Time to go on the bridge (I wasn't stalking you Ray.)
We sight a sperm whale and calf.
And then if you go near the end, you will see the tail.
We have a lecture on how to photograph birds (never too late). Here is what I learned.
Photography lecture by Cindy
Shutter speed importance, How to use the right shutter speed to make every shot count: Many a potential great shot has found its way into the trash due to the use of an incorrect shutter speed. Shutter speed times are measured in fractions of a second. The difference in real time between 1/250 of a second and 1/8 of a second may not seem long, but when measured in photographic time, it’s an eternity.
If you’ve been plagued with soft images, there’s a way to diagnose the cause. If a moving subject is blurry but the rest of the image is sharp, the shutter speed was too slow to halt its action. This is evidenced by the fact that where movement occurred, there is softness. On the other hand, if the entire image is soft, it substantiates the shutter speed was too slow to stop the motion of the camera when the shutter was pressed. This means bumping up the ISO, shooting when there is more light, or using a faster lens.
800 ISO is acceptable in shots on a dull day. On a bright day 500 generally .
Shooting modes - use these for a novice.
P, A and manual.
Dark birds suck up the light.
Use histograms to get the right colour.
Always have the sun behind you, point your shadow at the bird.
I keep trying.
I take a photo of Carol and Fran.
Bill takes a photo of me taking a photo.
Then Fran took one of us.
And someone got one of me. This was a typical scenario - I wouldn't be able to do my blog if I didn't take photos.
We all went to the lecture room for the last time for the final wrap up with Judd and the guides. Judd talked through the whole trip which was great. Then Daniel showed a slide show of the trip that he and the guides had compiled. It is below, it has some great photos. Thank you to Daniel Kermode (Della Matta) for letting me use his music for backing it.
Thank you to everyone for the most memorable 19 days ever.
Then it was the last night drinks and dinner.
A photo with our Russian table attendant for the trip, Yulia.
We arrived into Dunedin early the next morning.
And said our goodbyes off the ship. It's been a wonderful experience.
