Barbets of Keoladeo NP

Barbets are a species of tropical birds in the family Capitonidae (order Piciformes). Barbets are named for the bristles at the bases of their bills that they use to dig holes in rotting trees where there will nest. They have large heads and short tails and are not agile fliers. They eat insects, lizards, birds' eggs, fruit, and berries.The Keoladeo NP has three species of Barbet.  I was able to photograph only the Brown-headed Barbet     Psilopogon zeylanicus and the Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus,  The third, White-cheeked Barbet was not found.As these birds sit in very dense leaf trees the light is hard to work with and high ISOs become mandatory. 

Tanzania - The Great Migration - Photo Safari

August 21 – August 30, 2018This is a trip of a lifetime for 10 of you to observe and photograph The Great Migration in Tanzania this coming August. More than 1 million wildebeest and over 200,000 zebra migrate from The Serengeti in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya – crossing the Mara River at the risk of meeting their demise in the jaws of a Nile crocodile. This is the GREATEST wildlife spectacle on earth and we put you in the middle of it and we put you there in comfort!Not only will you observe the migration but you have excellent prospects at photographing every other awesome animal there is to photograph in Tanzania – giraffe, cape buffalo, leopard, cheetah, rhino, lion, elephant, birds galore, monkeys, hippo, waterbuck, mongoose, baboon, crocs, serval cat(maybe), gazelle, topi, wildebeest zebra, and many, many more.This safari has an unbeatable price for photographers of all skill levels.  Accompanying spouses/partners are most welcome to participate.  Call 617.759.0010 or use the contact page if you need more information Check out the details and confirmed camps 

Out of Acadia

This is a late post but never the less the Out of Acadia conference was spectacular.  Over a hundred participants and multiple instructors made the event a great success.  Between leading excursions and doing classes there was not much time to do a lot of photography but this was photographed on the last day at Little Hunters Beach.  Given the shape of the cove and the direction of the sunrise, one has to wait for the light to hit is peninsula.I used my new Leica 12 - 60 mm with the GH5 that I am loving more and more - particularly with Version 2.1 of the firmware update.  Exposure triad: ISO 200, f/7.1, 6 sec at 12mm (24mm equivalent). Benro filter holder with a polarizer and 4 stop ND and a grad.The image below is the same converted to B&W using Capture One 10.

Aquatic Birds of Florida

Before I say anything, I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not a videographer.  I captured these clips while I was in Florida during the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, late January 2017.  All these were captured during my photo walks/drives in Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island.  The primary purpose was to tryout the "In Body Image Stabilization" aka IBIS of the Panasonic Lumix G85 camera body.  The camera was used with the Leica 100 - 400 mm lens at its full extension that is an equivalent of 800 mm (most of the time).  All footage was captured hand-held and in many instances during high winds and rain.  It is important to note, that all the footage was captured before Panasonic released two major firmware updates, one of the camera and the other for the lens.  What this means is that the Dual IS function was not in effect when these videos were captured.  I was very impressed with the performance of this camera and lens combination and will be doing a comparison to see the impact of the new firmware when I am at the next conference in St. Augustine in April.To see the video in 4K please CLICK HERE to be directed to YouTube [video type="youtube" id="i1exFCyhtGU" width="600"]Default Message[/video]

The Grand Tetons and Mt. Moran

Just back after a truly wonderful trip to Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons.This is a panorama captured at sunrise yesterday October 8, 2016, just a few hours before heading to the airport to return home.Please do click on the image for a lager rendition.  In its native state the image is 153 inches wide at 240 ppi.

Iceland Sept 2016 - IR was fun

On a whim I took my IR converted Panasonic Lumix G7 to Iceland.  Knowing fully well that a lack of deciduous trees could yield not so great IR images but wanted to try it out anyway.  Here are a few from various locations.  All images were processed using Capture One 9.2 and then converted to Monochrome using Silver Efex Pro.     

A US Navy DC3 Cargo Wreck

On Sólheimasandur a black sand beach in Iceland lies the remains of a Douglas Super DC-3 cargo plane that crashed here in 1973. The cargo aircraft was abandoned and is now a tourist attraction.  Though not easy to get to, it is a great photo opportunity. It tail section, wings and engines are all gone and its interior stripped.The wreck is most photographed from the side you first see it when approaching the beach but on this evening on August 14, last year the dramatic clouds made an exceptional backdrop for the opposite side of the plane.I am so looking forward to going back this September for another great workshop.

Cape Cod, Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons

Just finalized the 2016 Fall Photo Tours and Workshops in Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons National Parks and Cape Cod.Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons - October 1 through October 8, 2016 - Details HereCape Cod - October 12 through October 16, 2016 - Details HereIn addition, the September 2016 Iceland photo tour and workshop is nearly full - two spots are available - Details Here

View from the Merced

Although May is a great time of the year for exceptional waterfalls it is not the best time for sunsets.  The angle of the light at sunset just does not hit Half Dome rights from the iconic locations such as Glacier Point and Washburn Point.  Similarly Tunnel view sunsets are weak compared to later in the year. This is one of two evenings where the light on El Capitan made it worth photographing.  (Photographed May 2016 during my Yosemite & Monolake workshop.)

Beaches of Martha's Vineyard

Here are another three images from my Martha's Vineyard workshop last weekend. The image above and the next were captured on the beach at Aquinnah just below Gay Head Cliffs.  The last image was captured on the last evening at Menemsha.  Menemsha is famous for exceptional sunsets but this was a overcast and stormy evening with no hope of a sunset.  Stormy yet so serene.  

Lucy Vincent Beach - Martha's Vineyard

 Concluded a great photo workshop in Martha's Vineyard yesterday.  A great group of photographers, and some great locations on the island.  Inclement weather did not prevent us from photographing the opportunities that were presented.  This image is one of my favorites where the last rays of the sun just kissed the rock on the shore at Lucy Vincent Beach.  We stayed on to do some light painting and astro photography before winding up for the night.  (More images to follow) 

One Day Workshop Schedule

ALL ONE DAY WORKSHOPS ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

Workshop details are available from the Registration Page.

Macro and Close-up Photography

Flash Photography, High Speed flash, creative lighting

Portrait and Lighting Techniques

Digital Photography A-Z.  This is a one day three part course that will teach you camera basics, post processing and printing.

The Digital Darkroom - a course that covers image capture, asset management, processing and enhancement, output to print and web media. A one day program for digital image making workflow

Timelapse Photography, post processing and video assembly

If you have any questions or would like more information please call 617-759-0010 or email sv@shivverma.com

Please use this REGISTRATION link to register for these workshops.

Light of Cape Cod - Photo Workshop

A 4 day 3 night photo workshop that includes lodging and site feesMid Spring in Cape Cod is a multi faceted photo opportunity with truly spectacular scenics and some wildlife.  The tourists have not crowded the roads and traffic is not a nightmare.  This very special workshop is for all levels of photographers from beginner to advanced.  The Cape provides some of the most incredible landscapes and seascapes and the light during spring is exceptional.  We will explore and photograph the Cape's classic sea shore, sand dunes, light houses and some wildlife (including migratory birds).  We will determine schedules and locations based on weather forecasts, tides and sunrise/sunset times.  We may even explore the opportunity to do some night photography.(CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS)

TWiP Episode 453 – Hot New DSLRs!

If you’ve been listening to TWIP over the years you probably know how we feel about the relatively slow pace of innovation in the “mirrored” camera space… also known as the dSLR.

To reiterate, I personally LOVE Canon and Nikon, and I still own a bunch of Nikon gear, including many lenses and strobes. But now I primarily shoot Panasonic Lumix gear. Part of the reasoning is that the innovations and tools mirrorless technology gives me, “fits” better with the kind of media creation (stills, video, etc) that I enjoy.Enter Pentax — a company that Ricoh acquired back in 2011 for $124 million dollars, has announced a brand new dSLR, with many features not found on any “mainstream” camera (mirrored, or mirrorless!).Also Canon has refreshed its dSLR line-up with the 80D, as well as new glass and some accessories squarely aimed at video creation.

Click here for the Youtube ChannelHere is the link to the TWiP page

Iceland - Sept 17 - 25, 2016

Plans for the 2016 September Iceland photo tour and workshop have been finalized.  Exceptional fall colors and if luck prevails, the Aurora Borealis will make this trip exceptional.From the western peninsulas of Snæfellsnes and Reykjanes to the exquisite south coast including the exquisite black sand beaches and icebergs in Jökulsárlón and surrounding areas this trip is designed for all levels of photographers.  This trip is limited to a maximum 10 participants.All Iceland photo tours and workshops for the past 4 years were fully subscribed within a few days so please register as soon as possible.CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Cape Cod - after Lexi

After Friday's snow storm, Saturday's skies and a thin layer of high clouds were a good indication for photo opportunities.  heading out to the Cape this next image was off Rt. 1 in Foxboro. (please click on the images for a larger rendition)There are many great opportunities for some exceptional color in Cape Cod. This next image is an outhouse at a farm.  A favorite location we always visit during my "Light of Cape Cod" workshops that I will be posting in the next few days.Low tide coincidental with the sunset in the flats are another set of my favorite locations.With the way the low cloud bank was forming I did not expect much of a sunset.  There were some interesting cloud formations and a lovely warm glow on the horizon.As photographers we know never to leave after the sun sets - you never know what the skies might do. Staying pays off:

Wild Flowers, Smoky Mountains and Cades Cove - Spring Workshop

April 17 to 22, 2016 - Six Day 5 Night Photo WorkshopGreat Smoky Mountains National Park is a world-renowned preserve of wildflower diversity over 1,660 kinds of flowering plants are found in the park, more than in any other North American national park. In fact, the park is sometimes referred to as the “Wildflower National Park.” From the earliest hepaticas and spring-beauties in the late winter to the last asters in the late fall, blooming flowers can be found year-round in the park. Wildlife is fairly abundant in Cades Cove and we will have opportunities if lucky, to photograph bears. Landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and much more - a photographer's paradise.CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Ithaca, NY - A Waterfalls and Fall Foliage Workshop

Just concluded an incredible workshop in the Finger Lakes region of NY State. October 8th through Columbus Day October 12th, 21 photographers and two spouses hiked through the gorges of some of the most beautiful parks in New York.  The first night we attempted some Milky Way and light painting photography in the upper lot of Taughannouck Falls Sate Park. The following day, we had an early start to Buttermilk Falls.  Buttermilk Falls is the largest of the 10 falls of Buttermilk Creek.  Larger versions of these may be viewed by clicking on the image. Following Buttermilk Falls we drove to Ithaca Falls but access was restricted as there was construction on the access way to the river bed. Next option - into Robert Treman Park aka Enfield Glen.  Though it rained all morning the water helped saturate the color and the clouds helped defuse the light.Here are some images from Enfield Glen:   Later in the afternoon we went back to Ithaca Falls, a 150ft cascading fall at the end of Fall Creek before the creek empties into Cayuga Lake.  Ithaca Falls is 175 wide and considered the region's most powerful.I had left my ND filter in the car so Nancy Marshal was kind enough to let me borrow her Big Stopper that I hand-held against the lens to get the following image: 

Iceland August 2015 - Day 4 and a Resolution Test

 Today was a travel day to the highlands with a few stops en route.Here are a few images and an experiment seeking detail.This image above was taken as an 8 image pano and stitched in Photoshop.  The resulting image is 23,881 pixels by 7680 pixels.  This equates to an image 100 by 32 inches (approx) at 240 dpi.  There is a farm in the distance that I have applied a red stroke to in the image below (this has been reduced to 500 by 1600 pixels.  Please do click on the image below for a larger rendition. Equipment: Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 at f8, Sony A7R ISO 200, 1.6 sec using a 6 stop HiTech ND filter.I cut and pasted this stroked area onto a new image layer in Photo shop. The crop is about 1936 by 479 pixels. The crop section is below - please click on this for the full scale view.The new mirrorless sensors are amazing.

Iceland August 2015 - Day 3

 This the last full day in the peninsula (rain and wind aside) was spent exploring the far west and the northern coastline.