20% off beautiful fine art prints!

Ron Niebrugge Alaska, Denali, Photos, Travel Leave a Comment

Denali National Park, Alaska.
Denali National Park, Alaska.

From now to December 15th we are offering 20% off all our fine art prints at our new website! This even includes metal prints which not only are rich in color, but arrive ready to hang. No need to mat and frame, just hang. And they are extremely durable, you can even wipe them down with a soft, damp cloth if they do get dusty. Plus, there has never been a better year to support the small business / artist, I know it is what we are doing this year. Thanks!

New Camera?

Ron Niebrugge Photos 3 Comments

My long trusted Canon on top with a 500 mm lens, an Olympus E-M1X on the bottom with the equivalent of a 600 mm lens!

Olympus has generously offered to loan me their latest camera gear to try out for the summer with no strings attached! When I say no strings – I mean they don’t even expect a positive review or blog post. That is very generous – The camera and lenses arrived last night via over-night UPS!

I’m very excited to try a 4/3 camera system. I have had many clients in recent years rave about the small size, but it wasn’t until Jim Griggs and Joe McDonald visited our Arizona property this winter did I realize all the advantages. Joe has been a long time professional photographer, and he was acting like a kid who just discovered photography! His enthusiasm was impossible to ignore. As was Jim’s

The small size is really just one of many features – some of the other features like Pro Capture I think are going to complete revolutionize the photography industry. With Pro Capture, the camera is constantly writing up to 35 images to the buffer with the 35th image being replaced by the current one so then the second you hit the shutter, the camera saves all 35 images so effectively you can go back in time! This will be amazing with capturing birds in flight as they land and take-off. I have already had a blast with our swallows at the home office, and can’t wait to try it at the Desert Photo Retreat!

There are so many other features! Pro Comp, which allows you to stack exposure based on the lightest pixels – this will be awesome for aurora and star trail photography. Plus, maybe I can finally juxtaposed wildlife against the stars with a camera trap – can’t wait to try it.

Plus, really close minimum focus, flip up LED screen, 60 fps shutter speed, 4K video, silent shutter, a high-res mode for landscapes where the sensor actually shifts during the image, and an incredible in camera stabilization.

As some of you might remember, I tried the Sony mirror-less a while back, and wasn’t happy with it. I think this system is better geared toward action and wildlife, so I’m optimistic, but I’m holding off judgement until I have had a chance to try it in the field. I think in fairness to the Sony, I may not have given it a fair shake, as I often reverted back to my familiar Canon. To avoid a repeat, I am only taking the Olympus on my upcoming back to back Alaska Bear photo tour trips, so that I will really put it through the paces. Stay tuned.

Joe and Mary Ann McDonald

Ron Niebrugge Arizona, Photos, Travel, Tucson Leave a Comment

Bobcat, Desert Photo Retreat, Arizona. Photo by Joe McDonald.

Bobcat, Desert Photo Retreat, Arizona. Photo by Joe McDonald.

All photos by Joe McDonald.

It was great to have Joe and Mary Ann McDonald visit us this week at the Desert Photo Retreat.  When it comes to camera trapping, I have learned so much from Joe thanks to his book Understanding High Speed Flash and Triggering Systems.  It is $20 well spent as it will vastly speed up the learning curve.  If you have any interest in camera trapping, it is a must have.  You can find a link on their website.  So it was great fun having them out to the property, and seeing Joe set up two cameras for the night at my two water holes.   Between Joe and Bruce Taubert, I have now had the chance to learn from two of the best camera trappers in the business, who both have been doing this for a long time!

So these photos are all images Joe captured here in just one night.  He was more than gracious in sharing the photos to help promote our property which I appreciate!   It was great to have him here, but it was also great to have the Desert Photo Retreat really deliver.  Two bobcat visits, many gray fox, screech owl, and two skunks!  From my trail cam, I could see the bobcat show up, and then quickly run off.  I thought the camera  / flash spooked it.  It wasn’t until we downloaded Joe’s images and looked close that we realized the cat caught a mouse!  Check out the cloud of dust.  It was also a treat to have the bobcat return and pose so nicely!  Check out more images below.

As a final note, Joe also shared a copy of his beautiful new book Gorillas In The Wild, A Visual Essay.    It is full of beautiful photos – it has to be the most comprehensive coverage of gorillas to date.  Check it out.
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Las Vegas NANPA

Ron Niebrugge Las Vegas, Nevada, Photos, Travel Leave a Comment

The Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada.

We are heading off to Las Vegas today for the North American Nature Photography Summit where we will have booths for both Alaska Photo Tours and Desert Photo Retreat.  Stop by and say hi if you are at the conference.

It will be interesting to visit Vegas again as it has been a few years.  During the height of the stock industry, we would make 2 to 4 visits a year to Vegas since it was so lucrative.  It will be fun to be back, at least for a couple of days.

Chuparosa Wildflowers

Ron Niebrugge Arizona, Photos, Travel, Tucson Leave a Comment

Chuparosa near Tucson, Arizona.

Chuparosa near Tucson, Arizona.

Last night near sunset.  I’m seeing lots of the early blooming wildflowers, namely chuparosa and fairly duster.  This is the biggest one I think I have ever seen – it was taller than I am!

Picking the Best Antarctica Tour

Ron Niebrugge Antarctica, Photos, Travel 1 Comment

Massive icebergs near the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica.

Massive icebergs near the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica.

Who offers the best Antarctica trips for the serious photographer or nature lover?

In a few weeks I will be making my 5th trip down to the Antarctica region as a member of the Cheesemans’ Ecology Tour staff.  Now that I have made a number of trips, and traveled and worked with staff and passengers who have been on a wide variety of trips with different operators, I am surprised at just how vastly different trips really are.   In many cases a little extra money, or even the same price can provide a far better experience if you know what to look for and how to evaluate trips.

Icebergs at Brown Bluff, Antarctica.

Icebergs at Brown Bluff, Antarctica.

First, notice I singled out serious photographer or naturalist when talking about the best trips to Antarctica.  I’m thinking of the person who wants to maximize their time on shore, one who wants to be out at those special times like sunrise and sunset, and have enough time to really observe the wildlife and light.  This isn’t for everyone.  I understand many, if not most people will be as interested in the quality of their room, the food, the entertainment and formal nights; and are fine watching the beautiful scenery from the comfort of a balcony.  There is nothing wrong with this, and you will still have a very memorable trip, but this post won’t be overly valuable for you.

St. Andrews, South Georgia.

King Penguin at St. Andrews, South Georgia.

For me, it is about getting off the ship as much as possible in hopes of capturing those special moments.  Going to shore at Saint Andrews, one of the most amazing places on earth with some 300,000 King Penguins, in time for the 4:00 a.m. sunrise is certainly one of them.  This would begin a 12 hour landing at this world class South Georgia Island beach.  Sitting on Booth Island at midnight for a stunning sunset after doing two other landings that day is another memorable day.  For me, I would be happy with peanut butter and jelly and a cot if I knew it would give me another chance for such an experience.  This is who my post is geared towards, although none of the ships are going to feed you P&J or have you sleep on a cot. 🙂

To understand the difference in the tours to Antarctica you need to understand how travel is managed there.  Travel is managed by a large tour association, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).  IATTO provides site and wildlife guidelines directed at minimizing the visitor impact but maximizing the experience for Antarctica and South Georgia.  Guidelines dictate wildlife viewing distances and other traveler and tour company operational issues.  IATTO also controls the schedule of ships so that two ships won’t share the same landing site and they schedule things in a way that you rarely see another ship, adding to the remote visitor experience. They also require training and annual testing of staff members, like myself, and require operators have at least 75% of its staff have prior Antarctic experience.  In short, you do not want to take a trip with anyone who isn’t a member of IATTO, fortunately the vast number of operators are a member.

Icebreaker Ortelius moving through ice at sunset / sunrise as we travel below the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica.

Icebreaker Ortelius moving through ice at sunset / sunrise as we travel below the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica.

One of the key takeaways from IATTO’s site guidelines is they limit the number of visitors at any landing site to a maximum of 100 passengers (not counting staff).  So if you are on one of the many ships with 200 passengers, or possibly more, you just cut your time on shore in half as they now have to do everything in shifts, or alternate landing sites.  I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be sitting on board waiting your turn and hoping the weather doesn’t deteriorate to the point of cancelling the landing. Ships with more than 500 passengers are not allowed to make landings at all.

So the first thing I would look at with any tour operator is the passenger count, and I would do what I could to avoid trips with more than 100 passengers, especially if they have substantially more than 100.  There are huge economies of scale when it comes to ships,I know that with my own yacht charters, but this is one case where paying a bit more could double your time on shore and greatly enhance your experience.

Zodiac cruising, Antarctica.

Zodiac cruising with a humpback whale, Antarctica.

Some locations don’t lend themselves to landing on shore and are usually enjoyed from a Zodiac as you “Zodiac cruise” looking for whales, seals, penguins and cool icebergs.  The other advantage to a small passenger ship is the ability to “cruise” with all the passengers at the same time.  Again, no shifts.

Another important consideration is the length of the trip.  There are many trips known in the industry as the “milk run” to the Peninsula which allow time for few days actually in Antarctica.  There are a couple of problems with the short trips.  For one, you have little weather latitude.  I once had a two day crossing turn into 5 days thanks to big seas and 90 knot wind.  On a short trip, that would use up almost all your time.

The other consideration, do you have time to get to the “good stuff” which tends to be further South in my opinion.  If you are going to take the time and spend the money to travel to the other-side of the planet and visit Antarctica you want to make sure you have time to travel South through the Gerlache Strait and down to the Lemaire Channel.    In my opinion, this is “real” Antarctica with towering peaks, glaciers and giant icebergs.  Below I have more information on places to look for on your itinerary.

Adelie-penguins

Adelie Penguin.

All the trips have a substantial fixed time cost when it comes to the ocean crossings, so for every day an operator shortens a trip that deduction comes directly at the expense of time in Antarctica.  So as you compare trips, compare the number of days actually in Antarctica and/or South Georgia not just the total number of days.  Not all X number of day trips are created equal as some operators include days in Ushuaia or even days flying to and from South America.  Study the itinerary carefully.

Another consideration is the staff  Will you have non English speaking ship crew driving your Zodiac, or will you have experienced, English speakers who can help get you in the best positions and explain what you are seeing, and respond to your requests in English.

The ship is another consideration.  Is it stabilized and is it an ice class ship.  I would want a minimum of a 1D ice class, 1A is the best.  I know some of my most memorable moments have been plowing through ice in a ship with a 1A ice class.

Where to Go

Most trips include stops in the South Shetland Islands as this is your first chance to get off the ship at the beginning of the trip, and last chance on the way home before the long crossing.  I find most places in the Shetlands pale in comparison to what you will see elsewhere, and I’m usually eager to move South with one exception, Baily Head.  The huge chinstrap penguin colony at Baily Head is impressive, although the landing there is challenging, and often not possible.

As you travel to areas around the Northern portion of the peninsula it gets more interesting.  Hope Bay and Brown Bluff are two favorites.  Unfortunately I have never made it to Paulet Island because of ice, but it is often listed as a favorite among fellow staff.

Giant icebergs at sunset, from Booth Island, Antarctica.

Giant icebergs at sunset, from Booth Island, Antarctica.

In my opinion, you want to make sure you travel further South.  Cierva Cove is the beginning of the best locations as far as I’m concerned.  These are many of my favorites:  Pléneau / Booth Island, Danco Island, Petermann Island, Cuverville Island, Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay and Neko Harbour.   If it is your first trip a visit to the Post Office at Port Lockroy is interesting.

Now taking the go South theme to extremes, by far my two most memorable days ever in the Southern Ocean was the trip we made South of the Antarctic Circle.  Unfortunately, lack of time or too much ice has thwarted future attempts, and that would be the risk with any circle bound itinerary.

South Georgia.

If you have seen documentaries on TV about Antarctica, it is not uncommon for much of the footage to be of South Georgia even though it is technically not part of Antarctica.  It is also overseen by IAATO, so the same rules apply.

If you have seen images of 300,000 king penguins, that is South Georgia.  The amount of wildlife there is absolutely amazing, not just penguins, but the beaches are often completely packed with marine mammals, much more so than on the Antarctica Peninsula.  I don’t think there is a larger biomass in one place anywhere on Earth. If you are forced to pick one over the other – good luck!  They really are very different.  If I had to pick, I think I might lean towards the Antarctic Peninsula, but most people I have had this discussion with, who have seen both locations lean towards South Georgia.

One option is to see it all in one trip, but these trips are much longer, and thus more expensive.  I have done a couple of them, to do it right, it takes about 25 to 28 days at sea. Some tours shorten this by a lot, at the expense of many of the good sights in Antarctica.  The best possible option would be two seperate in-depth trips, one to each location.

Huge king penguin colony at St. Andrews, South Georgia.

Huge king penguin colony at St. Andrews, South Georgia.

Must sees in South Georgia?  St. Andrews Bay, Salisbury Plain, Gold Harbour, the old whaling station at Grytviken, and the Shackleton Hike between Fortuna Bay and Stromness are huge highlights and my favorites.  Anything else would be a bonus!

Now I haven’t tried to recommend specific trips or operators, as the offerings are constantly changing – boats, itineraries and even operators change over time.  I thought it would be more valuable to provide the “tools” to evaluate the options.  However, there is one exception at least this year (2016).

The company I work for, Cheesemans’ Ecology Tours historically has offered one of, if not the most in depth trips to Antarctica and/or South Georgia.  I hear this from numerous staff members and passengers.  I, once again, leave for Antarctica with them on a sold out trip this March.  However, this October they will be offering their last in depth trip to South Georgia.   It also includes some landings in the Falklands.  This longer trip allows us to see a very wide variety of places and give us more than one shot at the best places, which we needed last year, plus we visit a whole lot of other amazing locations.

South Georgia.

South Georgia.

In fact, Cheesemans’ isn’t advertising any trips to the Southern region in 2017 and reiterate to me that this will be their last trip to South Georgia thanks to changing market conditions and ship regulations.  I think it is difficult to convey the advantages of the Cheesemans’ offerings given the competitive nature of the industry where price is the deciding factor for many visitors making it harder to fill these trips.  This is just my opinion, not official company talk, but it is a bummer seeing them pull back from these trips down south.  But, there is still one more chance, so check them out.  If you decide to join the trip be sure and  let them know you heard about the trip from me, as I do receive some positive compensation if I send referrals.  And – I’ll be working on board as staff, driving Zodiacs, giving photography lectures and helping people with photography.  And hopefully, getting in one last 4:00 a.m. sunrise morning and 12 hour day at St Andrews!

Favorite Photos From 2014

Ron Niebrugge Photos 12 Comments

As I have done for a number of years now, I thought I would share my favorite photos from 2014, and some of the reasons why they are favorites.

Spring brown bear cub on its mom's back, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.

Spring brown bear cub on its mom’s back, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.

I have been doing two Alaska Brown Bear Photo Tours each summer for many years now, and these tours never fail to produce, including this image which is my favorite of the year.  Cute pose, great morning light – this was a wonderful year for bears!  Note, I do have a couple of spots left for the August trip.

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Havasu Falls

Ron Niebrugge Arizona, Photos, Travel 2 Comments

Havasu Falls, Havasupai Indian Reservation, Arizona.

Havasu Falls, Havasupai Indian Reservation, Arizona.

This is the view from the trail – so imagine this, ten miles of a hot, dusty backpack across the desert and then come over a small mesa to see this!  It really is an amazing sight.  The only thing better then seeing this, is dropping your backpack and swimming into those refreshing waters!

This is on the Havasupai Indian Reservation.  Havasupai means “people of the blue green water”.  Pretty accurate description if you ask me.