Looking Back on 2016 – The Top 10

Daybreak, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario

 

Looking back over the past year I came to the realization that I created some of my own personal favorites during 2016. As this year comes to a close here is the selection of my most favorite images. From the stunning daybreak display above on Marie Louise Lake in Ontario’s Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, to the Bullfrogs on Horseshoe Lake, to beautiful vistas along the Niagara Escarpment in Bruce Peninsula National Park, to winter scenes close to home, and to the highest cliffs in Ontario at the Top of the Giant Trail over-looking Lake Superior. I arrived just in time to capture nature’s beauty when she was ready to put on a stellar show!

I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of 2017 as I will commence several new ventures with my photography, including a schedule of upcoming workshops that I will announce shortly.

I would like to take a moment to thank you all for your support of my work and to wish you all a very Happy New Year and all the best for the year ahead.

Please do remember to click on each of the images to view the sharper, larger version.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Bullfrog in Wetland on Horseshoe Lake, Parry Sound, Ontario

 

Halfway Log Dump, Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario

 

Winter Stream in Thornton, Ontario

 

Daybreak on Horseshoe Lake, Parry Sound, Ontario

 

Red-eyed Tree Frog – captive

 

Top of the Giant, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario

 

Ferns in Autumn Woodland, Torrance Barrens, Ontario

 

Northern Water Snake, Horseshoe Lake, Parry Sound, Ontario

 

Night-scape, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario

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Season’s Greetings

A special thank-you to all of those who began following along here at the blog this year and to all those who continue to show there support. Wishing you and your families all the very best for a safe and joyous holiday season. Cheers!!!

Merry Christmas!

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Mark Your Calendars for Reptiles & Amphibians on January 7th

On Saturday, January 7, 2017 I will be hosting a Reptile & Amphibian Photographic Workshop at Reptilia commencing at 8:30 a.m. sharp. The cost of the workshop will be $85, which includes admission to the Reptilia Zoo. We will be photographing each of the animals featured in the above card during the first two hours, before entering the Reptilia Zoo to photograph many species of snakes (both venomous and constrictors), alligators, and lizards for roughly another two hours. Generally  two to three hours provides ample time to photograph the reptiles located within the zoo after we have finished photographing the reptiles and amphibians in the controlled set-ups, but folks that wish to stay longer do have the remainder of the day available to spend in the zoo. This workshop will be limited to a maximum of 10 people. Payment for this workshop can be made via email transfer or by cheque. Please contact me at mclachlan@bell.net at your earliest convenience to reserve your spot for this workshop and for further info on sending payment.

To photograph these subjects I do find it best use a 100mm macro lens, or other lenses with close focusing capability. You will also need to bring along your flash and either a flash sync cord or a wireless flash trigger as we will be working with off camera flash and preferably a flash bracket that will allow you to position the flash out over the lens to yield the optimum results. I often have two spare off-camera macro flash brackets that folks can borrow for the day should they be in need of such a bracket and a couple of killer home-made flash diffusers too. The room in which we photograph the reptiles and amphibians does have a tendency to get rather warm so you may wish to wear light clothing. To photograph the reptiles in the zoo afterwards lenses that cover the 100mm to 300mm range will be preferable. Tripods have a tendency to become an exercise in frustration when photographing reptiles and amphibians, which is why I recommend using off camera flash and hand-holding so that you will have the mobility to capture these quick-moving subjects.

During this workshop we will photograph the following species:

• Vietnamese Moss Frog
• Red-eyed Tree Frogs
• Blue & Black Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus)
• Fire Salamander
• Green Tree Python
• Rainbow Boa

Each of these species will be photographed in “natural-like” settings using my popular, home-made mini-pond, stunning tropical plants in full bloom, as well as an array of natural props so that each set-up will offer something unique. Your images will look like you just spent an awesome day in the jungle photographing these amazing and colourful critters. Do get your name in early as I have several folks already anticipating the announcement of this workshop.

 

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Workshop Participant Photos

White’s Tree Frog – captive
Nikon D5200, Nikon 105mm Micro VR lens
ISO 100, f18 @ 1/60 sec

 

Today’s blog post is featuring the work of Barb Marszalek. Barb was one of the participants on the recently concluded Frogs of the World Photographic Workshop. To create these photos Barb was using her hand-held Nikon D5200 with a Nikon 105mm Micro VR Lens. Since the Nikon D5200 has an APS-C size sensor the 105mm Micro lens becomes the 35mm equivalent of a 157mm lens. Barb’s Nikon Speedlight was fitted with my custom-made tracing paper flash diffuser. I will feature this ridiculously inexpensive but extremely effective, do-it-yourself- flash diffuser in a future blog post. Barb did a great job capturing the White’s Tree Frog a-top of the brilliant red Bromeliad blossom as well as the Vietnamese Moss Frog – a true master of camouflage – on a large, flat piece of lichen and moss covered tree bark. Also you can anticipate the action of the Red-eyed Tree frog  as it is poised to leap from it’s perch on the pink bromeliad blossom. In the final image of the female Fire Belly Toad, which was photographed on a small lichen covered branch resting in the home-made mini-pond that I set-up for each of these workshops, Barb framed the composition quite nicely ensuring that the water extended across the entire bottom edge of the frame.

Congrats on the beautiful images Barb!!!

Vietnamese Moss Frog
Nikon D5200, Nikon 105mm Micro VR Lens
ISO 100, f16 @ 1/60 sec

 

Red-eyed Tree Frog
Nikon D5200, Nikon 105mm Micro VR Lens
ISO 100, f18 @ 1/60 sec

 

Fire Belly Toad – captive
Nikon D5200, Nikon 105mm Micro VR Lens
ISO 100, f16 @ 1/60 sec

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