Photo Safaris / Eric Horan

March 21-23 / South Florida Wildlife Photo Adventure

2011-12-31T13:07:00.002-05:00

Lead by Marvin Bouknight and Eric Horan. This will be the second photo adventure we have done in this same area of Florida and I suspect will do more in the future. It is that good! :) To see a gallery of images from our last two trips to south Florida please visit Eric's Facebook page "Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris".

We will arrive Wednesday evening the 21st, get acquainted see a short program on wildlife photography, field technique and the flora & fauna of South Florida, and have dinner, not necessarily in that order. In the morning we will grab a pre-dawn continental breakfast and head for "Devils Garden Bird Park" where we will explore and photograph from ATV's all day with a mid-day lunch in the field. Back at the hotel we'll have dinner and possibly a group critique of images from the day. Friday early after another pre-dawn breakfast we'll head by carpool, for "Dinner Island Game Preserve" where we will explore the 640 square mile preserve by auto and on foot. We will officially be done by mid-day and you can head home or in a direction of your choice, including staying in the park for the afternoon. Or Marvin & I will take all those interested, with us to "Viera Wetlands" for the afternoon (northeastern direction) for more explorations after grabbing lunch on the road. We will plan on being there around 2:30pm so we'll have time to view the afternoon's wildlife activity.

Please contact Marvin to make your reservation and pay a deposit. You can email Eric or call him @ 843-524-3037. More information on both of us can be found at our websites… www.horanphoto.com and www.naturenookllc.com. For a complete species list of the possible sightings @ these three locations click here.

Dec 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-12-02T12:11:00.001-05:00

Shrimp Boat at Sunrise / Hunting Island
Photo of the Month / Eric Horan
December/ 2011 Lowcountry Calendar

There was a light drizzle falling on my morning photo plans to visit Hunting Island. Often rainfall provides me an excuse to sleep in, but clearing skies were on the forecast.

Everything about Hunting Island that morning was dark and ominous. The sand was heavy with rain, a ceiling of black clouds filled the sky and appeared to hang over the working shrimp boat along the horizon. I was taken by the sole shrimp boat dragging his nets in defiance of the threatening skies – much as the SC shrimp industry is doing, for their fair share in the marketplace against a flood of competition - now global. I raced down the beach to frame the boat with the storm clouds to create balance and hopefully, a story with the composition.

Photo Tip: Matching lighting conditions with available subject. The difference between good photography and excellent often leads to how the photographer used light in the finished capture. Even when light conditions are not favorable, there is usually something interesting to grab our attention. Overcast skies are useful for shooting portraits and direct light provides options for different effects whether it’s front, side or backlit. In this image I was working with not much available light at sunrise but I also took advantage of the sky drama and bright horizon behind my subject to create this silhouette. Getting outside in nearly any weather condition, to explore the natural world is an outdoor adventure and can pay dividends.

For more information about Eric Horan Photography, Inc., Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris or to order your 2012 Lowcountry Calendar visit www.horanphoto.com

Photo Adventure- South Florida w/ Marvin Bouknight & Eric Horan

2011-12-02T11:56:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite images from our 2 day workshop at The Devils Garden Bird Park and Circle B Bar Ranch. These images will help convey the immense diversity of bird life in these areas. From the Crested Cara Cara to the Meadow Lark this photo adventure offers opportunities to see and photograph images of 60 species of birds or more in just a couple of very focused days of exploring. After a few trips to the area Marvin & I are now very familiar with the habitat and wildlife movements and each trip adds to that knowledge base. This allows our workshop attendees to just come along, enjoy the ride and have a unique outdoor adventure that won't soon be forgotten.

First wading bird we saw "Great White Heron" (not an Egret : )

The "Swallow-tailed Kite" - several birds flew right overhead

The endangered "Snail Kite" are a species we were especially interested in observing (here with snail)

"Red-Tailed Hawk" (flew overhead as we were shooting Sandhill Crane)

"Barred Owl" I scared him from his perch driving the ATV, then he stayed here for several minutes

"Red-Shouldered Hawk" busy feasting when we first spotted him, let us get close (full frame 500mm)

"Burrowing Owl" @ Devils Garden Bird Park (ATV & approached on foot)

Sandhill Crane (next four shots)

We watched three on the ground feeding for a few minutes, then several more birds landed, headed right toward the cameras

"White Ibis" (environmental portrait - I loved the perch)

Plenty of large gators

"Northern Shrike" (shot from the vehicle)

"Eastern Meadowlark" (ATV & approach on foot)

"Belted Kingfisher" not an easy bird to get close to but we sat near one of his favorite perches in ATV

"Anhinga" drying wings @ Circle B-Bar Ranch

"Black-bellied Whistling Duck" because of hard 45degree, rather contrasty light I choose to make this single image HDR combining (3) exposures

"Little Blue Heron"

"Cattle Egret" and white-faced steer

Big Bull @ Devils Garden

All three scenics @ Circle B-Bar Ranch - Lakeland

Oct 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-10-03T12:32:00.000-04:00

Tree Swallows

Photo of the month / Eric Horan

October/ 2011 Lowcountry Calendar

Nemours Plantation: While driving the old rice dykes early one morning, last May, scanning left and right trying to identify the different species of shore and wading birds I was struck by the vast numbers of tree swallows on the wing, in a feeding frenzy feasting on airborne bugs. I stopped to watch their aerial acrobatics and to see if I could actually see them make a catch with the binoculars. This was a difficult challenge, maybe second only to capturing a good photograph of them on the wing. Then suddenly, as if a silent bell rang out announcing a naptime or declaring a rest period, they all landed on these dead cattails forty yards form where I had stopped the vehicle. As I scrambled to add a tele-convertor to my 500mm lens that was attached to a window mount, I noticed the beautiful iridescent blue-green plumage on their upperparts. I was able to fire only six shots before they, as if answering another bell, took off again.

They say so much of getting good wildlife photography is luck. Well if you define luck as “ that place where preparation meets opportunity” then I think what “they say” may be right. If we have done our homework and gotten ourselves in the right place at the right time with the right equipment then we should have some chances at least, to capture some of those special moments in nature’s ongoing ballet. I have learned to always expect the unexpected. This Tree-Swallow image was captured with a Canon 7D, 500mm F4 lens + 2x tele-convertor on a Kirk window mount.

To see more about Eric Horan, his images and his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.horanphoto.com.

Sept 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-09-02T17:29:00.000-04:00

Red-tail Hawk

Photo of the month / Eric Horan

September/ 2011 Lowcountry Calendar

I’m so happy the Laurel Hill wildlife drive in the Savannah Wildlife Refuge is open again after a long but necessary construction project by the Army Corp of Engineers’. They renewed the fresh water canals from higher up the Savannah River to irrigate the compounds, in order to mitigate the higher salinity levels brought on by deepening the Savannah Shipping Channel.

This wildlife drive is a jewel of a place for any wildlife junky (photographer, birder or the like). Different the year around it provides a insiders view of a wide diversity of wildlife behavior, without having to leave your vehicle. But if you do leave your vehicle it can be all the better. This Red-tail Hawk I spotted from the car, perched high up on a pine tree limb. I stopped and got out with a 400mm lens. The bird was just out of range for this lens so I shot a frame or two and waited and watched. After several minutes the bird took flight and came my way. I have witnessed their curiosity before, and wondered if I might be so lucky to have him he come over to check me out as he circled right over my head.

PHOTO TIP

So much of good wildlife photography is just “being there” with the animals & birds, staying in the moment and observing their natural behavior. And because my previous observations in the field, I knew that the hawks at times, showed a certain curiosity, and so I waited for the bird to move. Call it luck and in one sense it is, he did not have to come my way, but because I have seen them behave this way on previous encounters, I had hope that he might J

To see more about Eric Horan, his images and his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.

New Photo Adventure- South Florida w/ Marvin Bouknight & Eric Horan

2011-08-01T19:09:00.003-04:00

If you want your bird sightings and /or photographed birds list to grow by leaps and bounds, come join Marvin and I early November this year as we explore a 12,000-acre bird sanctuary in South Florida. Below is a list of birds sighted over the last few years - 185 species and counting. I've listed them below in a format that you can print and bring with you!

               BIRD SIGHTING / PHOTOGRAPHY OPPORTUNTY AT DEVIL'S GARDEN
                                                           SOUTH FLORIDA

WATERFOWL
__ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck__ Fulvous Whistling-Duck__ Greater White-fronted Goose__ Snow Goose__ Wood Duck__ Gadwall__ Eurasian Wigeon__ American Wigeon__ Mallard__ Mottled Duck__ Blue-winged Teal__ Cinnamon Teal__ Northern Shoveler__ Northern Pintail__ Green-winged Teal__ Canvasback__ Redhead__ Ring-necked Duck__ Lesser Scaup__ Hooded Merganser__ Red-breasted Merganser__ Ruddy Duck

QUAIL
__ Northern Bobwhite__ Wild Turkey

LOONS and GREBES
__ Pied-billed Grebe

FLAMINGOS
__ American Flamingo

PELICANS, CORMORANTS and ALLIES
__ American White Pelican__ Double-crested Cormorant__ Great Comorant__ Anhinga

HERONS, IBIS, STORKS
__ American Bittern__ Least Bittern__ Great Blue Heron__ Great Blue Heron       (White Morph aka Great White Heron)__ Great Egret__ Snowy Egret__ Little Blue Heron__ Tricolored Heron__ Cattle Egret__ Green Heron__ Black-crowned Night-Heron__ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron__ White Ibis__ Glossy Ibis__ Roseate Spoonbill__ Wood Stork

VULTURES, DIURNAL RAPTORS, FALCONS
__ Black Vulture__ Turkey Vulture__ Osprey__ Swallow-tailed Kite__ White-tailed Kite__ Snail Kite__ Bald Eagle__ Northern Harrier__ Sharp-shinned Hawk__ Cooper’s Hawk__ Red-shouldered Hawk__ Short-tailed Hawk__ Swainson’s Hawk__ Red-tailed Hawk__ Crested Caracara__ American Kestrel__ Merlin__ Peregrine Falcon

RAILS, CRANES and ALLIES
__ King Rail__ Sora__ Purple Swamphen (Exotic)__ Purple Gallinule
__ Common Moorhen__ American Coot__ Limpkin__ Sandhill Crane

SHOREBIRDS
__ Black-bellied Plover__ American Golden-Plover__ Semipalmated Plover__ Killdeer__ Black-necked Stilt__ American Avocet__ Solitary Sandpiper__ Spotted Sandpiper__ Greater Yellowlegs__ Willet__ Lesser Yellowlegs__ Marbled Godwit__ Ruddy Turnstone__ Sanderling__ Semipalmated Sandpiper__ Western Sandpiper__ Least Sandpiper__ White-rumped Sandpiper__ Pectoral Sandpiper__ Dunlin__ Stilt Sandpiper__ Ruff__ Short-billed Dowitcher__ Long-billed Dowitcher__ Wilson’s Snipe__ Wilson’s Phalarope

GULLS, TERNS, SKIMMERS
__ Bonaparte’s Gull__ Laughing Gull__ Ring-billed Gull__ Herring Gull__ Lesser Black-backed Gull__ Great Black-backed Gull__ Gull-billed Tern__ Caspian Tern__ Black Tern__ Forster’s Tern__ Royal Tern__ Sandwich Tern__ Black Skimmer

PIGEONS, DOVES
__ Rock Pigeon__ Eurasian Collared Dove__ White-winged Dove__ Mourning Dove__ Common Ground Dove

CUCKOOS
__Yellow-billed Cuckoo__ Smooth-billed Ani

OWLS
__ Barn Owl__Eastern Screech-Owl__ Burrowing Owl__ Barred Owl

NIGHTJARS
__ Common Nighthawk

KINGFISHERS, ALLIES
__ Belted Kingfisher

WOODPECKERS
__ Red-bellied Woodpecker

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
__ Eastern Phoebe__ Great Crested Flycatcher__ Tropical Kingbird__ Cassin’s Kingbird__ Western Kingbird__ Eastern Kingbird__ Gray Kingbird__ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

SHRIKES, VIREOS
__ Loggerhead Shrike__ White-eyed Vireo__ Blue-headed Vireo

JAYS, CROWS
__ Blue Jay__ American Crow

MARTINS, SWALLOW
__ Northern Rough-winged Swallow__ Purple Martin__ Tree Swallow
__ Bank Swallow__ Barn Swallow__ Cliff Swallow__ Cave Swallow

WRENS
__ Carolina Wren__ House Wren__ Sedge Wren__ Marsh Wren

KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS
__ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

THRUSHES
__ American Robin

CATBIRDS, MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS
__Gray Catbird__ Northern Mockingbird__ Brown Thrasher

STARLINGS, MYNAS
__ European Starling

WAXWINGS
__ Cedar Waxwing

WOOD-WARBLERS
__Yellow Warbler__Magnolia Warbler__Black-throated Blue Warbler
__Yellow-rumped Warbler__Yellow-throated Warbler__Pine Warbler
__Prairie Warbler__Palm Warbler__Blackpoll Warbler__Black-and-white Warbler__American Redstart__Ovenbird__Northern Waterthrush__Common Yellowthroat

SPARROWS and other EMBERIZIDS
__ Eastern Towhee __ Savannah Sparrow__Grasshopper Sparrow
__Swamp Sparrow

CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS and ALLIES
__Northern Cardinal__Blue Grosbeak__Indigo Bunting__Painted Bunting

BLACKBIRDS
__Bobolink__Red-winged Blackbird__Eastern Meadowlark__Common Grackle__Boat-tailed Grackle__Brown-headed Cowbird__ Orchard Oriole

Florida: Photographic Road Trip planned for November!

2011-07-18T21:24:00.001-04:00

July 19, 2011

Join myself and Marvin Bouknight, staff naturalist @ Old Field Plantation, for a 3 day, 2 night photo adventure to central and south Florida. To avoid any redundancy please read what Marvin has written about our recent scouting trip and the upcoming photo adventure. We will focus on good working field techniques and natural history information on all species viewed and photographed. We will discuss use of lighting, composition, proper exposure, lens selection and much more for all outdoor nature and wildlife photography. These images were made last week in July! This is not the best time for wildlife action in south Florida but November is, we hope you will join us :-)

Great White Heron

Meadowlark

Burrowing Owl

Swallowtail Kite

Sand Hill Crane

Crested Caracara

Tomkins Island Seabird Rookery Tour -White Pelican

2011-07-15T11:43:00.000-04:00

On one of my recent photo safaris to Tomkins Island @ the mouth of the Savannah River I was thrilled to see a large group of White Pelicans! They are known to be along our coast during winter and spring months but not so much this time of year. We were able to observe these birds from a distance while drifting in the tidal currents with our motor off. We must have watched & photographed for around 10 minutes before they finally took flight and headed north. Still in beautiful breeding plumage, it was quite a thrill : -)

These images were made with a Canon 7D and a F4 500mm lens (hand held) 400 ISO f6.7 @ 1/4000 sec

See more of my work and all of my seasonal photo safaris @ my website: Southernlight

Seabird Rookery Photo Safaris

2011-07-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

July "Photo of the Month" column

2011-07-03T12:40:00.001-04:00

Great Egret Portrait

Photo of the month / Eric Horan

July/ 2011 Lowcountry Calendar

Using a tripod mounted 500 mm lens, I made this image of the Great Egret on a visit to the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. I followed her as she fished the waters edge. For some time, I purposely kept her between the sun and myself to maintain the strong back lighting. Behind the bird you can see the pale blue sky reflected in the water. All this made for a high key portrait with a limited color palette. A natural backlight, the bird’s gesture, and a monochromatic color palette were the image qualities I used to create this portrait.

PHOTO TIP

Good wildlife photography requires a diverse and variable set of skills and choices. With each situation, you will have to employ different ones in various combinations to enhance your success. Anticipation, patience, knowledge of subject, stalking, listening, lens selection, color mix, control of light, composition elements and camera position are a sampling of ingredients. For this shot, I used a combination that included choice of lens, camera position, back lighting, subject knowledge and anticipation of the bird’s movement in order to isolate the Great Egret against this natural backdrop for a studio-like portrait.

To see more about Eric Horan, his images and his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Michael Short

2011-06-06T13:23:00.007-04:00

Ancient

Death Throes

Eric's Buoy

GET OFF!

Golden Sunrise

Hey Buddy, Come Here..

I Was Here First

In Search of the Golden Moment

MMMMM, Sushi

Mossy Tree

Out for Breakfast

Peaceful

Pelicans

Rocky Racoon

Whimbrel

Sunset Fire

The Promise Still Holds

Tied but not Moored

Your Clear for Takeoff

Netherworld

Opportunity knocked once again and I knew there was no way that I could let it pass me by. I had been on one little photo jaunt with Eric Horan and loved it and now the chance for a whole weekend expedition to Ossabaw Island. The only thought was what and where is Ossabaw Island? I started with a little research on the island and found that it sits just south of Savannah and it is a Heritage Preserve owned by the state of Georgia. Access to the island is by boat only, no roads, no bridges, very few people. I was stoked, an opportunity to capture a few photos that you might find in a book or museum or some other collection. How could I not go?

The weather for the trip was spectacular save the first day, but even it was not a loss. I was able to capture a few nice frames of a raccoon that was startled to see me and had to check me out as I shot his picture. Once the front that caused the rain had passed we were treated to a nice sunset and an opportunity to capture a rainbow.

The beaches of the island offer wonderful things to see and take pictures of. My personal take away from the island was not the wildlife but rather the lines and patterns the trees and vegetation made both alive and dead. The moss hung in the oaks almost like snow and the light made the moss appear whiter than any I can ever remember seeing. The birds were plentiful and did their part as grand models for our craft. The islands’ use and history also provided wonderful props for compositions that for me is not only captured in bits and bytes but in memories that will live in my mind for the rest of my life.

Our hosts Eric and Marvin provided all of us with an awesome place. Their knowledge of photography and their love of nature were on full display and for this photographer made for a great trip. But as great as Eric and Marvin were I have to tip my hat and say job well done to two very wonderful people, Jan and Jill. Their efforts provided for the nourishment of the entire group and was done with great skill and a lot of love. They were the ones up early so we could have a bite before we met the sun and would have lunch ready when we returned and dinner was prepared with the thought of time for the evening’s golden hour. If you love photography and you love nature you could not ask for a better group of people to go on a trip with. Take a Low Country Safari, you won’t be sorry.

--Michael Short

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Margaret Smith

2011-06-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

Boneyard Beach l

Boneyard Beach ll

Evening on Ossabaw

Jelly in Tidal Pool

Palmetto Trunk

Palms on Ossabaw

Resurrection Fern

Spanish Moss

Tidal Pool

Eric - Since many of us came away with similar images, I decided to process mine in black and white. I think that sometimes, when the subject we are photographing is colorful, looking at it with different eyes, with the color removed, reveals things about it that we might otherwise overlook. The old live oaks with their Spanish moss and the boneyard beach seem to cry out for black and white.

Thanks so much for a great weekend! - Margaret

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Rebecca Bass

2011-06-02T20:06:00.000-04:00

“The Road Not Taken”

“Listen, do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell?”

“Casting Brownies Before Swine”

“Lonely Nun”

“Devalued Dollar”

“Cody Lost in Thought”

“Hard Day at the Office”

Spending the weekend on Ossabaw Island was truly magical. It was a fantastic experience to be in this beautiful place, make new friends, and learn from Eric, Marvin, and fellow photographers.--- Rebecca

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Eric Horan

2011-06-02T18:28:00.001-04:00

Before heading out after the birds, like most of us I choose to walk around the deadfall and bone yard beach. Instead of singling out any one tree, I was after an image that captures natures ability to re-shape our world at will, a fact mankind has a hard time accepting.

When we arrived Saturday morning @ Middle Beach I knew right away I wanted to do something with the Palmettos. They were so commanding, standing tall guarding over the water front. Maybe it's my photojournalism training but I try to see things from as many different perspectives as I can when shooting. I first made the long lens silhouette, then with the same angle shot with a 12mm lens. Then I turned around and shot using the same lens, using front light. Hopefully each image stands on it's own but as a collection they may be stronger, kind of a collective portrait.

The Ossabaw Landscape: I think the South Carolina and Georgia Coast is second to none in terms of tidal marshes and raw beauty. It's hard to do it justice with a two dimensional photograph so I try to make them look less so, by using foreground elements to bring the eye into the background to give them more the feeling of depth.

Spoonbill flight

Great Egret

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron

What could be more amazing than watching birds in flight. And what could be more challenging than trying to capture this with our cameras? Here are a few of my successes, the egret and the heron @ Middleplace and the Spoonbills, to everyone's surprise, at the Willows.

Walking back into the maritime forest behind Middle Beach I was struck by the dense tangle of the trees, vines and Spanish Moss, almost fairy-tale like. The challenge is to make sense of it all, I attempted to single out points of focus, something for the viewers eye to settle on and not just be caught up in the tangled knot of it all.

The Back Dunes

Photographic Paradise: I was not the only one out there enjoying the challenge of getting some good shorebird images. I made Michael Short part of this image. I think the image tells the story.

Red Knot & Dunlin: Marvin & I were hoping to see the Red Knot, though it was a little early for the majority of birds to make it here from South America, their arrival always timed for the Horseshoe crabs laying their eggs at the beach. The eggs being the Knots primary food source, it is essential for them to be here after their 2,500 mile trek. Notice the Dunlins belly is just staring to turn black. Before they head north for the summer they'll look as if they just squatted down on and ink pad.

Sand Dollar Sculpture

Shorebird Brotherhood

Dowitcher Landing

Brown & White

Photographing birds from a boat (3 images above): I am out on the water a few days each week, but I never really know what we'll encounter during the time we're out. Most of my trips are planned around a high tide when birds are congregating on the high ground for rest and relaxation. Because it is their resting time it is not good to pressure them too much, we can accomplish this by using long lenses from a good distance. We move slowly with a trolling motor or adrift or sometimes on anchor at a distance away and just experience the constant in and out of birds coming and going. At Ossabaw it was no different, we went on a rising high tide and were able to watch birds coming and going by trolling motor. The White Pelicans were the unexpected treat on Saturday. In Shorebird brotherhood you'll see Ring-billed Gulls, Laughing Gulls, Black Skimmers, Marbled Godwit, Willet and Short-billed Dowitchers.

The song of the Red-winged tells me it's spring and I'm in the Lowcountry. When we saw these birds late in the day at the Willows it was an easy photo assignment. We had beautiful light, vivid colors and many choices of background to choose from. I picked my background by using camera position and lens choice; so all I had to do was compose and shoot when the bird was singing.

It's funny to me, even though I was not treating this photo weekend as and assignment I ended up with a set of images, like the ones I would have turned in as a travel photographer, where you are supposed to come back with "the essence of a place". To do this you really have to shoot wide and long, micro and macro. I guess it is ingrained at this point. Also shot @ Middle Beach the Sand Dollar and the back dunes.

Synchronicity of Flight: To me, there are not many things more amazing to see than watching shorebirds flying in mass going this way and that, turning almost literally on a dime and heading 180 degrees in the other direction. Science believes it is not one bird leading the others but a group decision, some kind of mass communication. With a camera, all we can do is try to keep them framed and watch for moments when you like the mass formation or gesture : ))

The Willows

Willet Feeding: Photographing shorebirds afoot or on your belly is fun and takes patience, some stealth and the ability to blend. By that, I mean birds need time to accept you as non-threatening and it helps if you have a small profile (stay low) and move very slowly. Long lenses are imperative for bird photography (200-600mm), this image shot with 500mm lens, the bird is about 30 feet away a quit comfortable with my presence.

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Chris Kirk

2011-05-30T20:50:00.000-04:00

Bradley Beach Buoy – A must have shot – after all, where else would you see one of these?

Bradley Beach Dunes – Very white sand with high dunes and natural anchoring grass. Beyond the dunes you find grassy meadows and palmetto/palm tree forests so close to the shoreline.

Bradley Beach Jelly Fish in Surf - A partially submerged jelly fish hanging on for survival until high tide returns. The continual waves afforded a kaleidoscope of patterns.

Bradley Beach Jelly Fish – Stranded at low tide allowing in a macabre way for an appreciation of its simplistic beauty. Do we rescue each one we see or let nature take its course?

1. Bradley Beach Road Oak Tree – Driving along, this ages old tree stands sentinel as you climb the hill. Why couldn’t my yard growing up have one of these for climbing?

Bradley Beach Sunrise Palms – Sunrise over the ocean took a back seat to this palm forest lit by the progressing dawn. I was so fascinated as the light show unfolded that I had to remember to push the shutter button. The rustic road weaves from the sand dunes along the meadow back into the forest.

Bradley Beach Vista – The full morning sun highlights the vegetation expanse with the spring green spreading. The palms’ glow has receded until the next dawn. I visualize a shampoo commercial with clean-haired people running through the ocean side field.

Donkey in Building – A real “Ossabawian” taking a reprise from the sun. His shelter a monument to days gone by. Thanks to Jill for alerting me to this photo opportunity.

Middle Place Fire Palm – Through a woody thicket I could see a small clearing amongst a closely grouped set of palms. I crawled through and was rewarded with the setting sun finding its own way in; joining me to provide a natural spotlight. I just had to make sure to find my way out before the shadows deepened too much.

Rookery Lushness – The island at this time of year made me think often of Jurassic Park (in the good way). Greens were really green, and the topography varied from open to dense. The lack of spring rains keeping this area dry allowed us to traipse across the incredibly dark, rich soil of what is normally a water fowl rookery. The native wild pigs forage here.

South Beach Algae & Reflections – I became enamored with the tidal pools as the early morning high tide receded. Directly and indirectly this scene captures the essence of this bone yard beach – the water, the encroaching algae, the driftwood, the barnacles, the log shapes, and the reflected towering still standing trees. Maybe one of those “guess you had to be there?” photos.

South Beach Red Blooms – A classic scene at this remote location. With the juxtaposition of the blooming tree as a back-drop to those that have seen their day.

South Beach Road Interior Oak – Due to recent showers the resurrection ferns were fully leafed throughout the island. Yet another grand oak – standing over a rustic camping area. Marshes and beaches can quickly take a back seat to the wooded acreage of Ossabaw.

South Beach Shore Scene – The warm weather afforded wading to gain a different perspective on the shoreline. When will these live trees join their downed brethren as a causality themselves of the ocean’s ebb and flow?

South Beach Silhouette – While waiting for our transportation I turned and caught sight of the sun at an interesting angle. The tide had deposited a set of linear pools that the blue sky colored. The tree remnant shows how far out the forest once ruled.

South Beach Sluice – Waterways ring the island bridging the gap between beach and marsh. They make for pleasant, calm walks. Why did we invent concrete and asphalt?

South Beach Water Trees – Tired of South Beach yet? I guess I’m not since I included yet one more – after all we are allowed twenty photos to post. This would have worked well in Eric’s class to demonstrate that I listened to the composition lecture that taught natural framing, and receding subjects providing depth to the picture.

Willow Pond Egrets & Reflections – A nice surprise on the way back to the bunkhouse. Bunches of egrets hanging out in the pond for our visual enjoyment. Flying, feeding, resting – a real treat. One of the many “most” scenic spots on the island. The causeway provides wonderful access.

Willow Pond Grass – Did I mention the island is lush? What a transition from our winter trip to the budding spring. So many tonal variations of the basic colors. One can only wonder what all uses this area as its annual nursery.

Wood Stork Perched – I had expected to see thousands of wood storks nesting on the island (based on prior reports from a caretaker on the property on our last trip), but alas the lack of water ponds foiled that this spring. But climbing out of the Middle Place palm thicket to work my way over to the meandering creek for sunset I spotted this lone fellow. I crept stealthily toward his very high tree. Forced to use a wide aperture, full zoom, high ISO, and slow shutter speed, I propped against a tree and was fortunate out of three attempts to get this shot. All was not lost!

Eric,

Thank-you for a WONDERFUL trip to Ossabaw Island. While photography was the excuse to go, the multi-day stay is a true experience in itself. Including the boat trips to and from, the island itself, the camaraderie, the meals, the learning, and the relaxing. A truly unique opportunity in life. A time I will always cherish ...

Chris Kirk

St. Helena Island, SC

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Steven Gold

2011-05-28T15:10:00.000-04:00

I like this Cormorants in flight shot. Used Nikon 70-200 with 1.7x TC. Jim had set the autofocus setting properly 2 days before, and, of course you got us in good position on the water. In retrospect I would have used smaller aperture to get both birds eyes in focus. No catch light as they were flying away from the sun, I believe.

Dead Fall-South Beach

Jelly Ball

I get WOWs (from staff at work) on the Ossabaw Main Road shot. Thanks to Suzanne for lending me her tripod for that shot. The overcast sky was perfect for the shot. I plan on putting it up in our local Catawba Valley Camera Club (landscape theme) competition in couple weeks.

Oyster Catcher

South Beach

The Willows

The pelican shot is interesting in that the subjects are on the perimeter of the image, breaking the usual rule. I kinda like the effect.

Hi Eric-I thoroughly enjoyed Ossabaw and would love to see it in the fall- Best regards...Steven Gold

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Suzanne Wolf

2011-05-25T12:31:00.000-04:00

The rusting paint and the location of this buoy tell a story. This buoy has ridden the waves of stormy seas. One wonders how the ocean waves tossed it so far up on the beach.

Donkeys Domain

Golden Palms

Great Oak

Oak and Palmetto

OssabawWindow

One’s eye is drawn toward the red buoy.

sanddollar and light

This is the other side of the tool shed. The old fan makes the picture.

While you were looking up in the trees for for birds, I was looking down in the grass for snakes.

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Tom Korbutt

2011-05-23T13:52:00.001-04:00

Born To Soar

I selected a variety of photos that depicted my stay on Ossabaw island from birds to island settings and the barrier island beaches. The stay on the island brought me closer to mother nature and solidified my passion to continue my love of photography, especially the wildlife which I love to watch in their habitat and have the privilege to photograph.. The barrier island is a unique place to visit and I plan to return in the fall to enjoy a different season and flavor of the island.

The experience was great but what made it outstanding was the interaction with you, Marvin, Jan, Jill, and the other photographers especially in the field as well as at home base where we shared our experiences and photos. In addition helping each other with computers, cameras and getting in and out of our open air safari truck as we lumbered out into the dark each day on our photo safaris. The photos I have seen so far are really great as each of us found different ways to present what we saw and experienced. My congrats to you all, your photos which made this island trip special to me.
Best Regards to All,

Tom Korbutt
Sun City Hilton Head

Can You Hear Me Now

Eric on the Ball

Flaps Down Comin In

High 5

Lift Off

Long Road Home

Maze In wood

Night Heron Watching

Ossabaw Sunrise @ South End Beach

Pelican Beach Race

Praying for a Better Shot

Reflection Broken View

Sky Birds Ballet

Soft Palette of Color

Sunlight thru the Moss

Sunrise at Bradley Beach

Sunset on Fire

Sunset on Middle Place

Trying to Blend In

Woodstock VW Pot Mobile

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Toby Hilton

2011-05-21T12:34:00.000-04:00

Sunrise on the other end of the island. It was great not having anyone there except the people with us

Someones old home at sunset. No one lives there now. The moss hanging from the trees (Very Large) trees made the house and us seem small.

Birds in flight. Eric took us out in his boat (4 at a time) to see and photograph the different shore birds. There were a great many.

The road leaving from the bunkhouse. It led to many wonderful photo locations.

A large Oak tree on the way back to the bunkhouse from our outing,

Red Winged Blackbird at the marsh . just making some noise.

A Plover checking me out. I was down on my knees taking a photo of something else and I looked over my shoulder and about 4 to 6 feet away was this guy?

On the way back to the bunkhouse as came to a marsh there was a large number of Egrets feeding. So Eric stopped and we got out and with his direction moved in slowly and got quite close and and some good shots.

We were here for a sunset. It was a marsh that was very quiet and peaceful. We didn't have a problem with bugs

Another view of the old house at sunset.

There were some hummingbird feeders on the porch and during the time we were not out on a outing we would take a few shots of these guys

This guy was all alone just standing there as to say where did the water go.

Another guy (Spotted Sandpiper) wondering where did the water go. No one there but our group. A dozens of us.

A couple of friends. They were not fenced in . There were about 6 donkeys and they would wander up to the bunkhouse for food and attention, which they got plenty of...

A passing storm. On the first day Thursday there was some strong storms going by. We got a little rain but for the remainder of the weekend the weather food and people were wonderful.

Painted bunting: I was sitting on the porch of the bunk house and along he came. he stayed for about 15 minutes.

I had a great time and I will be looking for the chance to do another trip with you and Marvin.

Thank You

Toby Hilton

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1-Anne Sosbe

2011-05-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

Hey Eric,

How am I supposed to pick just 20 ughghgh ;)

Thanks again for all that you do, the trip, the knowledge, the advise... much appreciated.

I would like some feed back, as I didn't get to show them to the group. I have pretty thick skin, so be as critical as you want... its a learning process. I'm still getting familiar with my 'big girl' camera.. and seem to have issues with exposure getting blown out.... I dialed down an f stop- when I had time or could remember.. and it helped, but in general that is my down fall.

Thanks again, I really enjoyed the trip, the group, and the experience

Thanks again,
Ann Sosbe

" April On Ossabaw"

thanks to Toby, I turned around and got this shot... a macro would have been awesome... but you would also loose the feel of the other leaves....

mmmm "Beach In Blue"
yep I know the rule of thirds part about not having the horizon in the middle.... but it was more about the tree... and it is not quite a silhouette... that is kinda cool :)

"Spirt of the Island"

...while the crab is gone.... his spirt lives on.... again with the rule of thirds......I tred differnt croppings.... came back to this one.

"Mr. Painted Bunting"

at least I know this is a male... and like the bald eagle... my holy grail of birds....ok add the spoonbills in there too ;) Probably too much zooming in on the crop... but I love the highlight on the eye....

'Window to Another Day"
I'm all about some color as you can see.... love the feel /mood of this window....

"Morning Golden Hour"
I think this is Jim and Toby... if anyone know for sure please let me know..... a perfect depiction of the weekend.....

"The Island that is Ossabaw"
Nothing.. but then so much here.... I love this shot

"Fire Palms"

.....when we got out of the truck before the sun came up, I knew these were going to be spectacular in the light.

"Spokes"
... reminds me of the spokes on a bicycle wheel.... a little blown out in the center.... see previous comments haha

"Meadow of the Sea"

this is the grass on the back side of the dunes....please tell me the name....

"Shifting Dollar"
.....dropped the depth of field very short on this one... another good shot for a macro... but I made do.

"Breakfast"
I had to run back in for my camera for this one, she was just too cute

" Outta Here"

.... I got a great shot with the 200mm....would loved to have gotten all the wings... but I keep this one....

"Morning Oak"

..... all I did was crop... the effects were the rippels and imperfections in the glass of the upstairs window of the Club House.

"Palms On the Pond"

.... this was a breath taking site....

"Palms of Yesterday"
loved the still glass reflections...

"Window from the Past"

....heading down to breakfast-thanks again ladies- I had to dash back for my camera-AGAIN. The old wavy glass and sunrise were too much to pass up. I would like to have had more room around the edges, too close of a crop. I just look at this and wonder how many other people since the late 1800's, have gazed out this same window.... if those walls could talk...

"Middle Place"
.... didn't get to peek in the window... everyone was taking shots, next time!

"Sea of Gold"
Like I said, I love color.....

"Sea Horse in the Wave"

... well almost, again probably cropped way to much on this but I loved the action in the wave.....

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1- Nancy Lipe

2011-05-16T20:53:00.000-04:00

Imagine tales the trees lining this path could tell, a step back in time.

Early morning light makes even old tree bones look pretty.

Morning visit to the boneyard.

Willet taken from Eric’s boat.

Shy American Oystercatcher on the beach with a molted shell of a horseshoe crab.

Smorsbourg of shore birds: foreground, immature and mature Brown Pelican; mid-ground, Ring-billed Gull; and background, Willet, Marbled Godwit and more.

Marbled Godwit and Willet on the edge of the surf.

Shore birds including Willet, Red Knot, and others.

Red Knot, Willet, Black Skimmer.

Ring-billed Gull, Willet & Ruddy Turnstone.

What a beach treasure in early, golden light.

Nun buoy on the beach.

Great and Snowy Egret in the pond

Great and Snowy Egret with ripples in the water.

What a face!

Early morning light really makes simple images really pop.

Cannon ball Jelly

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1- Jim Williams

2011-05-13T22:03:00.002-04:00

I'm a sucker for silhouettes especially those created by our setting sun. It was taken the night of the Roseate fly by. I would like to have used a wider focal length, but the car and people were in the way.

Of course this is the Avenue of Oaks which seemed to go on forever. I liked that road but I also liked the road leaving to the left raising the question, "I wonder where that goes?"

It's the same picture you all saw the first evening, toned down a little, not so much saturation. It was that rainy Thursday afternoon. Good light.

My interpretation of "Beach art."

The two mules were great, but the trash can, I think, ruins it. If I tried to move the can, the mules would have moved, Catch 22.

Walking around Middle Plantation, you had the feeling you shouldn't be there. Time had stood still, here .

This was taken within seconds of the sun breaking the horizon with a 600mm lens. The jagged horizon was real and, I think, adds to the appeal for the image.

After one of the passing showers in front of the clubhouse.

I took some liberties in Photoshop with this image.

To have those 4 Roseate Spoonbills make two fly-bys, made the evening for me. To get a lucky shot like this made it even nicer.

This Semi-palmated Plover made a beautiful landing right in front of me and I got a whole series of shots. This was the best, a little soft, but useable.

This was the nest area down by the old marker. I was watching the plover setting on the nest when she/he got up and went to the shore line and started feeding. After a few seconds she/he chirped and a different plover, who was feeding about 30' away, took off and landed by the nest. He/she looked around, checked out the eggs and sat down. This is the second plover just before he/she sat down.

Ossabaw Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1 / Sharon Lindsay

2011-05-11T22:46:00.000-04:00

Hi Eric - Please accept my thanks and appreciation for the great workshop you and your crew gave us on Ossabaw Island. It was a fantastic location enhanced by great weather and nice people. - Sharon Lindsay

It's All In The Feet / Cormorants demonstrate their bounce takeoff technique to other flock members. With the proper kick, it is possible to flick sand into the faces of gulls and terns.

Middle Place Sunset / The schoolhouse was an eye catcher and worthy of quite a few photos. However, the wide expanse of the marsh caught my eye, with the setting sun adding that elusive warm glow.

Moon Rise At South End Beach / The serenity of the beach at daybreak was delightful and it preceded a fabulous day of exploring the island in detail.

Palm Remnants / The setting sun added glow and detail to the standing remains of cabbage palm trees. It caught my eye and made me wonder why there were so many dead trees in this one site. Water intrusion?

Respite At The Oyster Bar / The proliferation of shore birds seen during the boat trip was a special treat. This area is obviously a mecca for migrating shorebirds.

Storm Clouds / An afternoon shower gave beautiful clouds and color that enhanced the beauty and scope of the salt marsh. Clouds can serve as the icing on a plain image.

Tidal Pool Conflict / Two Snowy Egrets argue over which will rule the tidal pool. Totally irrelevant since the eight foot tidal exchange changes the landscape rapidly.

Photo Safaris / Eric Horan: Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1

2011-05-06T23:17:00.000-04:00

Photo Safaris / Eric Horan: Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1

Ossabaw Weekend Photo Adventure, April 28th-May1

2011-05-06T23:16:00.004-04:00

A 20-minute boat ride from Savannah, this 26,000-acre island wilderness is a designated natural heritage reserve set aside for cultural, natural and scientific study, research, and education. Visiting Ossabaw is going back in time to undeveloped beachfront with overhanging Live Oaks and ancient dead fall. I lead a few (2) hr boating trips for shorebirds but mostly Marvin Bouknight and I lead 14 photographers by pickup truck and on dirt roads, unmarred by road signs or stop lights. The abundant wildlife is mostly undisturbed by the hand of man on this 24 thousand acre all natural island, about the size of Hilton Head Island. Bone yard beaches and miles of prime shorebird habitat provides a perfect home for nesting Wilson's Plover and other shorebirds. Deer, wild hog, and a plethora of bird species populate the dense maritime forest. We saw and photographed endangered Wood storks, Roseate Spoonbill, and birds too numerous to name here, visited huge Live Oaks draped in Spanish moss, historic slave quarters and a school house, even a 1800’s era club house - which was our temporary home. While anytime of year is worth a trek to this remote island, spring and fall are ideal for moderate temperatures, increased daylight. Spring is great for flowers and new life of all kinds; Fall for foliage colors, shrimp boat and dolphin activities, both spring & fall are great for the migrating birds.

Ossabaw Island provides a perfect arena for teaching and learning about the lowcountry's natural history. Marvin and I not only share our knowledge but also learn from the group which is always a multifaceted collection of outdoor enthusiasts. Daily field trip options on foot, by vehicle and boat. Fees include everything from leaving your car on the mainland Thursday morning to your return Sunday noon - water taxis, ground transport, boat tours, field guides, workshops & instruction, meals and overnight bunk accommodations. Sound like a deal? We think so and hope you will be convinced after viewing the best images by the 16 of us who were just their a short time ago.

For the next couple of weeks I will be posting several of each photographers best images on this blog starting with my co-leader Marvin Bouknight, staff naturalist @ Old field Club.

Crowded Buffet - Many egrets and herons communally roost in trees, but when there is feeding going on, most of the time these birds are solitary hunters. When food is very concentrated, then these birds don’t mind being close and you can see egrets, herons, wood storks, etc. all feeding in the same small area.

Curious Duo - I noticed these two snowy egrets walk away from the crowd and focus on something in the water. I followed them with my camera and saw that they were looking at a disturbance in the water and it piqued their interest, as well as mine, but they became very still, allowing for an interesting composition with a mirror-like reflection.

Deer on Ossabaw Avenue - I kept watching this little doe cross back and forth, hoping she would eventually feed along the road, so I could include her in my shot. Patience paid off and she wandered right over to the edge and nibbled on the grass.

Evening Photographer - I thought the light was perfect that afternoon and snapped this photo of Eric concentrating on flying night herons, egrets, and other birds circling a roost.

Feeding Dunlin - I just love watching these little shorebirds feed and it is extra special when they start to get their breeding plumage. This little dunlin is starting to get his black belly patch and was just feeding up a storm when I shot this pic. I love the dimpling in the sand...

"Wilson's Plovers are larger, uncommon plovers related to killdeer, black-bellied plovers, and smaller plovers like the semi-palmated and piping plovers. They scrape out a depression and lay 2-4 eggs that blend in perfectly with the sand and debris on the beach. On beaches, sand flats, and oyster banks, it is important to remember that birds like plovers, oystercatchers, etc. nest in these areas above the high tide line, so it is best to stay below the high tide line to avoid inadvertantly stepping on nests and crushing eggs."

Male Red-winged Blackbird - This time of year, if you are patient, the red wings sing and fluff up their feathers, especially their epaulets. If you watch them a little, they will pick a perch, spread their tail, fluff up, and sing. I just think there is no other bird that exemplifies the marsh like these blackbirds.

Mud on your face - This little sanderling was feeding and constantly probing the sand. I wanted to get him with food, but instead, I just got him with a beak full of sand. I like the way the sand shows how deep the little bird probes..

Ossabaw Island Images, Tabby Ruins, Ossabaw Oak, Spanish Moss Curtain - These are truly unique images to Ossabaw. The oak was expansive and hard to get it all in the frame. The houses and tabby ruins reflect a time gone by. I think the structures as well as the oaks and Spanish moss really makes Ossabaw stand out in my mind from other places I’ve visited. The moss is thinner, more vertical, and just...different

Rain Collecting on Tallow Leaf - Plants in a maritime forest deal with excessive moisture as well as the stinging salt water in different ways. I wanted to show how the tallow leaf utilizes both a “drip tip” to funnel water off the leaves as well as the waxy cuticle protects the leaf surface from both corrosive salt and excessive moisture.

Roseate Spoonbill Trio and Spoonbill escape - Seeing spoonbills is special, seeing three is great, seeing three adults in full plumage, is wonderful, and seeing them in the light of sunset is just awesome! I was lucky to get these two photos, with a 500mm, chasing them around in the viewfinder and hoping that I would get at least one good shot!

Sunrise shots - I like the effect of the sun through trees, especially with a small aperture to create the sunburst. It’s kinda hard not to shoot a pretty sunrise at Ossabaw!

Truck Bed in Graveyard - As a naturalist, I like to see how nature adapts and overcomes. This little resurrection fern growing on the decaying and rusting truckbed epitomizes the power of nature to take back her property!

May 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-05-03T16:22:00.000-04:00

Fox Pups at Old Field is the result of a field tip from my friend Marvin Bouknight, staff naturalist at Old Field Plantation in Okatie, South Carolina. He called one morning enthused about a new litter of pups beginning to make aboveground appearances at their resident Red Fox den. He invited me along for his routine visit to the den on his way home. In late afternoon light and covered in camouflage, I stretched out flat onto the grassy median of a two-lane residential road with my tripod-mounted 500mm lens. Marvin staked out our photo territory with two bright orange cones and a street sign “QUIET PLEASE – WILDLIFE ACTIVITY” providing just enough hope that friendly residents might neither stop to chat nor run over us. This exposure captures the moment two pups surfaced. They soon relaxed and carried on with their evening romp around the neighborhood as Marvin and I headed home to our own dens.

Red Fox live around the world in diverse habitats and adapt well to human environments. They are legendary for their intelligence and cunning ways. Red Fox are omnivores hunting year round for small mammals, rodents, fruits and berries and mostly at night. Living among humans, they also dine on our garbage and pet food. Females often use the same den for several years and will produce anywhere from 2-12 pups each year.

PHOTO TIP

For successful wildlife images in the field, the standard photography tool of choice is a long lens (500mm) and tripod. One of the challenges when using this lens is controlling the sharp focus on your subject. While it is difficult to keep the focus on the entire subject, you will want to focus on key elements. You can experiment with your lens openings (f-stops) to confer with me. The wider your lens opening, the lower your depth of field. By stopping down your settings to a smaller lens opening, you will increase the depth of field adding often-welcome inches of sharp focus to key elements such as the eye details. I would suggest that unless your subject is sleeping, sharp focus on the eye might make the difference between a strong image and a disappointment. With my fox pups, I was able to get both in focus by stopping down from f4.0 to f 8.

To see more about Eric Horan, his images and his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.

April 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-03-29T11:54:00.000-04:00

I was paddling my kayak to a high, shell bank in the Cooper River to check on a nesting pair of Oyster Catchers I had been watching. I heard rustling in the nearby Spartina grasses so I backed away from the oyster bank to see what was stirring in the salt marsh. As I rounded the bank, I caught a glimpse of the mink as she was ferrying her pups to high ground. The full-moon tide had apparently flooded her home forcing her to relocate her brood. I watched as she carried them in her mouth, one by one, through the grassy water passage and then landing them onto a pile of soft detritus at the other end. In less than a foot of water she could disappear and then resurface in a flash with another pup. At one point she must have sensed my presence because she paused for a split second to look my way. I heard my camera fire away four images. Again she disappeared to return with yet another. I backed away to allow her peace to finish her chores. I will never forget the grace and efficiency she displayed that morning as she transported her family through the flood tide to safety.

PHOTO TIP: This image is an excellent reminder to me how important it is to pay attention, not only visually but to the sound clues offered you when working in the natural world. If I had not been sitting quietly, listening and following the rustling sound midst the grasses, I would have missed this amazing experience completely. While the image itself is special to me, the total experience is a treasured memory I’ll never forget. NOTE: When approaching wildlife, I move extremely slow, stop for a spell, listen and look for any changes, then move again only if I have not threatened or interfered with the natural behavior of my subject.

To view more of Eric's work or to learn more about his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.

March 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-03-11T12:14:00.000-05:00

Great Egret Stalking on Lemon Island

I captured this image while staying overnight on Pritchards Island back when an overnight bunkhouse facility was maintained for environmental and scientific education. This is no longer the case. I found this ocean view was a short distance from the front door with only nesting loggerhead turtles as neighbors. From this view to the left and right are two neighboring barrier islands: the residential Fripp Island to the east and Capers Island, a natural preserve managed by the SC Department of Natural Resources, to the west. Unfortunately, public access to Pritchards is no longer possible, however there are other barrier islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia remaining in their natural state with public access.

This image was also taken in the springtime when we often experience abrupt weather changes. Temperatures fluctuate from warm spring breezes, short sleeve weather to winter storm fronts and then back again. This, at times, creates dense morning and evening fog. On the coast, these low hovering clouds move with the sea breeze. When the fog starts to thin or burn off during daylight hours is the time to grab the camera and head out. The challenge is to be in a spot where you can capture good images when it does.

PHOTO TIP: When photographing seascapes or anything where movement is part of the scene, like these rolling waves, a useful technique can be blurring that motion. I enjoy playing with this because I like how it adds a kinetic feel to a still image. It also serves as a design element in the composition. Blurring is done by slowing down the shutter speed. And, if you study the movement you are shooting, you can better anticipate its direction so that you can place it where you want it in the composition. A tripod is a must in eliminate camera movement.

To view additional images of Eric Horan or to learn more about his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.

February 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-02-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

Great Egret Stalking on Lemon Island

I was working from a photo blind on Lemon Island when this Great Egret landed right in front of me. I had been shooting Blue-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser and Bufflehead when she passed before me in hot pursuit of small baitfish. I had everything I look for when composing environmental portraits … strong graphics, good light and interesting subject matter. The warm, soft glow in this image was provided by early morning sunlight, and the surrounding black needlerush provided color, texture and design as well as habitat. All I had left to do was check my camera settings and click away.

While I grumble about my time spent sitting in a photo blind, the opportunities make up for the restrictions. For undisturbed animal behavior, there is no better way to capture images than with total concealment. Another advantage the blind provides is a single focused attention through the lens - which becomes almost meditative. And nothing in the field of view escapes you.

PHOTO TIP: To avoid loosing detail when whites and blacks are in your image, always check the exposure your camera is giving you. You can do this by taking a test shot, reviewing the histogram, and also the LCD screen. Your camera meter averages all light values to give you a neutral grey and it depends on how much of the viewfinder the white or black occupies to determine how you’ll have to compensate. If using a spot meter, it will turn white to grey and black to grey so you would want to overexpose whites and underexpose blacks until you have the correct exposure. When using matrix or center-weighted metering, it will be the opposite adjustments. To be sure that your images are properly exposed use both the histogram and the LCD, then make whatever adjustments are needed. Learning to read the histogram is well worth the time.

To view additional images by Eric or to learn about his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit www.southernlight.biz

Field Trip- Eric Horan & Sherrie Winarski

2011-02-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

Sherrie Winarski from Atlanta called and wanted to see and photograph the area while she and her husband were her visiting Hilton Head Island in early January. I choose Fish Haul Creek on the island and Hunting Island State Park (also Chapel of Ease & National Cemetery) for two different trips. Both locations are great for sunrise so we went on two separate days. Below are some of our images : )

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the map noting the spots we shot! I just love the shots of the ruins and the mossy trees....gotta come back for some more! Here are a few of my favorites!

Hope all is well!

Sherrie

Sherrie,

Thanks for sending all you stuff, it's great! And interesting to me how we were in the same places and saw different things. This is one of the things I love about photography and sharing the outdoor adventures with other photographers!

Looking forward,

Eric

"how pleasantly surpirsed I was to see the uprooted tree in the ocean on that early morning....it created interest in the foreground of the beautiful sunrise!"

For the first few moments at the ruins, I struggled to find my composition. My immediate thoughts were that the ruins were the main interest, but after studying the area, it occurred to me that the real stars here were the old mossy oak trees.

This beach was beautiful in a most unusual way! It was a busy, but peaceful landscape. I paced back and forth a few times studying it's vegetation and the tide. Eric recommended "isolating" the subject and waiting for the light. Success....I love the sunlight beaming down on the water at the horizion.

I actually climbed to the top of the light house with the intention of photographing the spiral stairs...one of my standard lighthouse shots. But, when I reached the top and looked out, I was captured by this dramatic storm cloud moving across the ocean. I hand held, using the lighthouse railing to stablilze my camera, and shot mutliple different exposed images. I processed the images to create this HDR shot! I was thrilled with the result!

Dunlin feeding @ Fish Haul

Willit feeding with gull overhead

Pair of Sanderling

Marbled Godwit

National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC

Fish Haul, a great place for sunrise

Willit resting

Crested Cormorant

Black Skimmer, Short-billled Dowitcher, Willit & Laughing Gull

Western & Least Sandpiper, Semi-palmatted Plover & Sanderling

For these three shots I used HDR and a limited color palette to accentuate natural beauty the graphic qualities

Look how different this version is from Sherrie's. Both HDR, it can be such a wonderful, creative tool!

American Avocet

2011-01-30T12:14:00.001-05:00

My friend and naturalist @ Old Field called on Thursday and said he'd had a group out on a bird walk and seen American Avocet and wanted to return with a camera. Now, I have never seen these birds in Beaufort County and jumped at the opportunity. We were treated with about 30 birds @ Donnelly in the ACE Basin. and were able to get some images. Wow! What a thrill and such amazing birds : ) I captured the flight shot when a Bald Eagle flew over and cleared all birds off the pond for about a minute. Everything to to the air and then settled back down as the eagle passed.

I showed this flying shot to my wife Jan and she flipped out- "Those are the birds I saw when I was crossing the Broad River Bridge the other day"! At the time when she called me on the cell to tell me about these amazing birds, I couldn't ID them based on her description, but I was not far off either, I said they sounded like they could be Black necked Stilt. Anyway Jan was excited, both crossing the bridge and then seeing my picture : )

January 2011 "Photo of the Month"

2011-01-02T18:21:00.000-05:00

Instead of a clean white blanket of snow in winter, lowcountry photographers are challenged with fully exposed, dead marsh grasses in their scenic landscapes. While not as exciting at first glance, this monochromatic palette of muted earth tones, textures and blue sky can offer a lovely palette of complementary colors. This image is the featured image for January in my Lowcountry 2011 calendar.

I learned in my photographic schooling that everything in the right light is worth investigation. So during the coldest time of year, I sometimes drag myself out early morning like this rare freeze in search of frosty landscapes. I bring my ladder along for the long view, my tool for elevating my perspective. The ladder allows me to capture more foreground resulting in increased depth of field in the final composition.

PHOTO TIP: Landscape images need special attention. When the entire image is in focus, each element must be a meaningful part of the whole and well lit. Everything inside the frame needs to support the subject. You will not want your water scenic ruined by telephone lines, trash cans, signs etc. unless it’s your subject. Take the time to study what you want inside and outside the viewfinder, then check it out at different times of day. Move your camera position, change your lens, re-compose what is in the frame. When you’re back home reviewing your catch, the images you end up keeping and sharing with others, will likely be those with more of your thoughtful consideration.

To view additional images or learn more about Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.

Ossabaw Photographic Adventure - Dec 2-5- Ron Selby slideshow

2010-12-13T14:19:00.001-05:00

Eric & Randy - I enjoy taking my photos and putting together a slide show as a way of sharing with others. This link should take you to YouTube and my “Ossabaw Island “ slide show. This is the first time I have uploaded to YouTube and it seems to run fine on Internet Explores but has problems on Google Chrome. Click on full screen to get the full effect. Let me know how it works for you. I enjoyed spending the weekend with all of you and the food was great, Thank to the cooks! - Ron Selby

Ron Selby Ossabaw slideshow

Ron Selby chasing images

2011 Lowcountry Calendar - Eric Horan

2010-12-10T14:49:00.002-05:00

Through December 15th calendar shipping, no matter how many you order, is only $3.00

ORDER HERE

Other great Christmas gifts while you're there: "Art Prints", dolphin mousepads, notecards, and maybe a signed copy of Eric's book "Lowcountry A to Z"

Photo Safari-Greg Pacentine

2010-12-10T14:14:00.000-05:00

Hello Eric - I know they are a long time coming but, here ar some pictures from our trip. We all has a great time - Greg

Clapper Rail

It's unusual to see Clappers in the marsh from a powerboat, but we were following dolphin in the creek at the time and under electric trolling motor power so we were very quiet and there she was - Eric

Immature Brown Pelican

Photo Safari- Nancy Elwood

2010-12-10T13:28:00.000-05:00

Hi Eric - It sure was nice meeting you also and going out with you. It was a lovely morning and as you say it is wonderful just being out there. I have attached 3 images I thought showed some of the highlights for me. - I will be updating my blog and will mention you along with a hyperlink to your blog. - All the best, Nancy

Nancy Elwood

Always looking for the perfect light

www.naturesportal.net

"The colors and reflections from the morning light sure made the trip magical and brought the best out in the environment around us. Thank you Eric for sharing a bit of your world!"

December 2010 Photo of the Month

2010-11-30T09:26:00.000-05:00

T’is the season for autumn shorebird migrations. More than five billion birds take flight across North America at rates of tens of millions a day. Here in the lowcountry, it is not unusual to see several hundred birds overhead and navigating with a synchronicity that boggles the mind. Experts say their aerodynamic maneuvering is partly done as protection from predators, but it is also ergonomic. Flying close together allow birds to take advantage of wingtip vortices that provide lift from the wings of the birds ahead. It is similar to how the bicycle peloton works its magic in road racing competitions, when it catches and passes the break away leaders. Group velocity is simply faster than any individual rider. It takes less effort working together and in migration, efficiency is a life and death matter. There is also a theory that bird communications are only possible or at least improved when flying in close proximity to one another. Whatever the reasons for this dramatic aerobatics, it is amazing to witness and a challenge to photograph. The medium sized sandpiper can reach speeds up to 40 mph.

Photo Tip

During the shorebird migrations, I spend a lot of time on the water exploring where different birds are congregating. I scan high oyster banks and sand spits above the water line around high tide. Birds have their favorite rest stops, even though they look relatively the same to us. I also keep a close eye on the weather and the tides to determine when will be the best lighting and water levels. I was able to capture the image of this flock of Dunlin and Sandpipers in my kayak using a 300mm lens. I like to keep a 300 or 400mm, fixed focal length lens handy. They are lightweight with quick focus capabilities, however a long zoom lens is also useful when trying to frame and compose a subject matter that is constantly in flux. Remember when shooting wildlife images no two trips will be the same but being prepared allows you to remain in the moment with the ever changing natural world.

See the 2011 Lowcountry, South Carolina Wall Calendar (shipping only $3.00 till Dec 15th)

Black Friday Weekend Sales- 2011 Lowcountry Wall Calendars

2010-11-23T16:04:00.000-05:00

Holiday Gift Specials at Eric Horan Photography... After Thanksgiving BLACK FRIDAY SALE!!...when you purchase the 2011 Lowcountry Calendar.

Receive (3) Eric Horan wildlife photography Notecards, with EVERY Calendar purchased FRIDAY NOVEMBER 26 thru SUNDAY the 28TH, 2010!

Photo Safari- Rachel Marin

2010-11-23T14:57:00.001-05:00

Hi Eric,

We really enjoyed our photo tour with you this past Saturday. I was not feeling well (Not sea sick or anything) at all but still managed to get some decent shots I think, at least. I clicked the "Like" button on your facebook page and also visited your blog. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about you on your blog and viewing your photography! Your work is exceptional! l was curious if you had any dolphin photo tours available for the afternoon/eve of Aug 21.

The dolphin strand feeding was fascinating! I have a attached a couple more photos's to go with the few others that I sent from the previous photo tour. I personally am very pleased with the dolphin image that I have attached as well as the shrimp boats that I got on the previous tour. Definately amoung my favorites of all of my images thus far. Anyways, we definately will book more tours with you in the future.

Again, thanks!

Rachel Clinch

Rachel,

I just think all the images you sent are great! And again, I think it is so neat to see what others see when we are all in the same boat, so to speak : )

Looking forward,

Eric

Photo Safari- George McClean

2010-11-22T21:04:00.001-05:00

Hi Eric,

I really enjoyed our photo excursion on the river in Low Country. I come to Hilton Head almost every year and this was the first that I really did any exploring the wild life of the area. I didn't know what I was Missing. Thanks for your introduction to the beautiful Low Country and it's wildlife. i will certainly be back to visit and participate in your excursions. All Images were shot with Pentax K20D and 50mm to 200mm zoom. a little small for the task but it worked out OK. Again Thanks. It was a great experience.

Thanks

George

Awesome job George! It is always so interesting seeing what others capture after a photo tour. I mean I was there too : ) We all have our own vision and come away with our own images. I love leading these trips! I hope yo will come back again, maybe in a different season? - Eric

Ossabaw Photographic Adventure - Spring 2011- UPDATED

2010-11-20T19:05:00.001-05:00

Randy Thompson is committed elsewhere so I will be leading this April photo adventure with naturalist and photographer Marvin Bouknight. Marvin has just published his first coffee-table book: South Carolina's Lowcountry Naturally, he is a good friend and I am thrilled to have him as a co-leader. You can find out more about Marvin by reading this article recently in Bluffton Today.

Photo Safari- Carmody Baker

2010-11-18T21:25:00.001-05:00

Eric - "I could have gone on and on submitting pictures because your tour was fantastic and you afforded me wonderful opportunities to shoot". - Carmody

Eric dropped me off on this island and I took pictures of these birds. I cropped in tight.

a baby pelican learning to fly

3 birds on the dock. I love the colors, helped with nik and cloned out the power lines:)

Not great but my best egret shot.

This was a photo of a shrimp boat at the dock. It was nothing special so I cropped it tight

and then went into Topaz4 to bring out the colors.

My favorite. We were at the dock and I kept my lens focused on the eye of this shrimp boat captain ( hard to do in the boat with a heavy hand held 100-400 lens) he looked up to tell us that a shrimp boat was coming in and I got the shot.

Shrimp boat at sunset. I could only get this shot because Eric kept moving his boat so that the boat was aligned with the setting sun. Edited in NIK.

November 2010 Photo of the Month

2010-11-01T11:57:00.000-04:00

I photographed this pair of mergansers while shooting at Widgeon Point on Lemon Island - located just across the bridge from my home base in Beaufort, SC. My drive to the island includes a beautiful span of intracoastal water views alongside marshy wetlands, often busy with wading bird action -- an easy distraction from my planned destination … cramped, plastic, photo blind. I set up a portable blind the night before knowing these are dues I pay for capturing unencumbered wildlife behavior. I captured this couple en route to their fishing grounds. They are known for their expert diving, practiced daily at mealtimes when they feed on small fish including crayfish and other crustaceans and aquatic insects. This pair exemplifies the dashing plumage of the male and relatively plain, brown female version. Both sexes have a bushy crest of head feathers forming the distinctive ‘hood’ which by the way, can be flattened or fanned out depending on their mood. The male’s dense black crest displays a white spot and sports a yellow eye; the female’s crest is smaller, looser and all brown, even the eye. It is reported that pair bonds will last from winter to incubation, but it is unclear whether the bonds reform the following year or if pairing begins anew. Widgeon Point is owned and managed by Lowcountry Open Land Trust. For more information on them visit www.lolt.org.

Photo Tip: Working in a photo blind can be cold, wet, buggy, lonely and an entry challenge in pitch black as I did this morning. By entering pre-dawn, I sneak in with minimal impact on natural behavior. A photo blind can be used similarly any time of day or night, but when approaching & entering during daylight hours, it takes more time (sitting in blind) before the wildlife will relax or ideally, forget you’re there. Depending on where and when you use your blind, you may want to invest in rubber boots, chest waders or insulated clothing and you will want to dress in layers. A cold, wet morning turns steamy hot once the sun takes hold of your small space. A sturdy tripod is a must when using 200 mm lens or larger. Also note, challenging lenses on the tripod inside a blind is maddening. My solution is to attach the longest lens to the tripod and bring along a second camera body with a shorter focal length ready for hand-held shooting.

Hooded Merganser Pair is the title of this image and it is the featured photograph for month of November in my 2010 Lowcountry Calendar. You can view a larger image of this photograph and others at my picture galleries online at www.southernlight.biz.

Ossabaw Photographic Adventure - Spring 2011

2010-10-05T18:04:00.002-04:00

October 2010 - Photo of the Month

2010-10-04T10:54:00.003-04:00

Sunrise Shrimp Boat at Hunting Island

Everything about my venture onto Hunting Island appeared dark and ominous on this morning. I walked under a black-cloud ceiling with wet sand under foot and following a heavy rainfall. From the beach-front, I watched this lone shrimp boat defy the threatening skies with nets dragging while running at full steam. I had to work quickly to take advantage of this silhouette image of the working ship. The autumn colored strip of clear sky above the horizon was a nice backdrop while the black cloud cover filling the remainder of the sky added tension and a nice frame.

The weather forecast called for the clearing skies and by 9:00 am, not a cloud remained. I left the park as this early morning drama vanished into blue sky. I gave a cheer for the shrimpers working the ocean waters that morning, wishing them and all local fisherman much success in an increasingly difficult marketplace.

Photo Tip: Photographing wildlife around the coastal waters requires careful consideration of local tides. Tides are influenced by the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun to the earth. They come and go approximately an hour later each day washing the banks with differing water depths. The high and low tides provide important information about the natural environment that will serve you when making plans to photograph, whether on foot or at sea. It is why I labor over inclusion of the tides and moon phases in my Lowcountry Calendar each year. On this Hunting Island walk for example, I planned to arrive just after high tide so that by the time I made the beach, there would be sand to walk on (not the case at high tide) yet still wet. I like to have the option of using the residual tide pools as compositional elements.

Photo Safari - Stan Cochrane

2010-09-13T17:39:00.003-04:00

Eric - Having never been to Hilton Head before, my excitement about our visit built once I found you on the 101 things to do in Hilton Head web site. I knew that wildlife was bountiful on the Island, but I can not thank you enough for truly putting my wife and I in full contact with it. Juggling 3 bodies and 5 lens (thank you Sandy for helping me) you gave me more opportunities for photos in 3 hours then I get when shooting a Carolina Panther's game. Choosing 3-5 photos to show case our trip is IMPOSSIBLE. Hopefully you can post all I have sent (I have dozens more) . What a great trip, I hope I get the chance to experience another, truly an experience of a life time.

Brown Pelican - on the wing

exceptional access to brown pelicans, all w/300 2.8, 40D

Sharing a Perch

Great Egret in Live Oak

Egret posing w/300 2.8 and 1.4x, Mark II

Great Blue Jumping

300 2.8 w/1.4x, Mark II

Sunrise in Mouth of Port Royal Sound

Sunrise, heading out 24-70 2.8 circular polarizer, Mark II

Spartina and Puffy Whites @ Fish Haul Creek

24-70 circular polarizer, Mark II

Stan is a professional sports photographer who freelances with the likes of Carolina Panther football team in Charlotte. This is great experience for shooting wildlife! As you can see he was on his toes -

See more from Stan @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/stancochrane/

Dolphin Behavior Photo Tours (Sept - Mid Dec)

2010-08-28T17:52:00.003-04:00

Dolphin Strand Feeding and more

This is the time of year to observe dolphin behavior. As long as the schooling bait fish are up in the smaller creeks (into Dec) - we can find and observe these magnificent mammals at play and work. Their work is to feed themselves and their new calves. In the open water it is difficult to follow and to predict their movements and where their next breach will be, but in the creeks their movement is much easier to anticipate once you've had some time on the water to study their behavior and learn how to read the signs. I've had this experience and invite you to join me. Come witness the excitement of dolphins feeding in the small creeks at low tide and photograph the drama with your own camera. The dolphin of South Carolina and Georgia are known for a feeding technique called 'strand feeding. Stranding is just what they do. A team of at least two and up to several dolphin corral and blast through a school of fish sliding up on the mud bank with the school fish in front of them. When you add the attentive heron, egrets and gulls trying to get their share, you have a real feeding frenzy. For as many times as I've seen this amazing process, I cannot imagine getting tired of watching the Bottlenose Dolphin of the Lowcountry!

the following images were taken by myself or one of my guests in the few weeks during one of my tours

(2) by Molly Mitchell

(2) by Molly's dad, Eric Mitchell

By Chris Kirk

By Naomi Elderfield

By Barbara Dunn

(2) by George Flanigan

(3) by Eric Horan

Shrimp Boat Photo Tours (September thru December)

2010-08-28T17:25:00.001-04:00

Shrimping, Seabirds and Dolphin Photo Adventures

The shrimping industry is a hard business. While US shrimpers are somewhat better off now than 2009 when gas prices were edging up to $5.00/ gallon, our dependence on oil from foreign sources remains unstable. Additionally, farm raised shrimp is flooding the market with inferior and cheaper shrimp. The levels of hormones and antibiotic injections are unknown. The Marketing Association for the shrimp industry has helped by rolling out an ad campaign promoting the purchase of local shrimp harvested wild from our oceans but the threat for survival of the commercial shrimping industry. Support your local fishermen and women.

I live and also work in the heart of this struggling industry. I am a dual recipient of their hard work. I love the shrimp but also photographing the shrimpers daily adventures and the natural beauty of their working presence along the intra-coastal waters of South Carolina. I would like to help raise awareness by asking photographers and other interested persons to join me for a close-up look, to witness the shrimpers work first hand. My trips take us alongside their dramatic trawlers ranging from 17' to 85' and seen in the best available light as the crew go about daily harvesting. I know photographers will share their dramatic images with others which all helps to educate the public at large. As a added bonus when they haul their nets, the seabirds and dolphin swarm around creating an incredible photogenic feeding frenzy.

Call Eric @ 843-524-3037 or email: eh@horanphoto.com for dates, more info or to register

St. Helena Sound

Harbor Island

Gay's Shrimp Dock

Hunting Island

Hilton Head Offshore

Harbor River

Photo Tours- Carmen Smargiassi

2010-08-27T17:05:00.000-04:00

Eric,

Thanks again for a wonderful boat tour of the low country. I have been vacationing in Hilton Head Island for over ten years now and never realized the wide variety of water birds that nest on the island. The tour was fun and you have an extensive knowledge of wildlife on the island. I attached three of my favorite pictures. These shots were possible by you maneuvering the boat for the right angle. I look forward to our next visit to Hilton head and another photo tour.

Regards,

Carmen Smargiassi

http://csmar.home.comcast.net

Royal Tern (move over)

Immature Ibis over Spartina Grass

Tri-color Heron

Photo Tours Susan Zoltweitz

2010-08-27T16:46:00.001-04:00

"Our tour of Charleston Harbor was fantastic. Eric, you took great care to make sure we had excellent opportunities to photograph birds and harbor vistas. You are a gracious and thoroughly knowledgeable guide! Thanks again, Sue"

To see a collection of Sue's photos visit:

www.NatureFocusPhotos.com

Brown Pelican over shoulder

Common Eider

Osprey Stare

Sept 2010 " Photo of the Month"

2010-08-27T15:40:00.001-04:00

I made this image while boating in Archers Creek behind Parris Island, the US Marine Corps training grounds. It is the featured photograph for September in my 2010 Lowcountry Calendar and you can view it and the rest of my picture galleries at www.southernlight.biz. Archers Creek is a restricted area and runs alongside the practice firing range. The sound of their weapons can often be heard while boating the neighboring waters. Sunday is the only day when public passage from the Beaufort River to the Port Royal Sound is permitted. The azure sky, deep blue water, puffy white clouds and lush Spartina grasses this Sunday presented me with the essence of Lowcountry summertime that often draws photographers and other artists to this region.

Photo tip If you were to take one of your favorite landscape images from the pages of a magazine and analyze it, you would undoubtedly find a strong foreground and background and one or more tools used by the photographer or artist to move your eye from the former to the latter. These tools include leading lines (bold straight lines like the horizon, diagonals, or s-curves), light and dark contrasting areas, color changes, or various textures to name a few. These tools are used to steer the viewer’s eye around the frame in some purposeful way. Personally I don’t want the viewers attention to leave the image, bored or wondering what was outside the frame over here or up there. To accomplish this, there must be some order or balance of picture elements arranged in such a way as to hold the attention of the observer even for just a few seconds. This day provided me plenty of components. I decided to keep the horizon out of the middle of the frame to accentuate the sky and yet keep enough foreground water with reflections to lead the viewers’ eye into the image. Please visit us online for more information on my photo tours, products and to see more images or read my blog. www.southernlight.biz.

Photo Tours August- Angie Monigal

2010-08-26T11:02:00.000-04:00

Hi Eric,

Thanks again for the great photo tour! It was great to be out shooting with someone who understands lighting and was so knowledgeable about the animals and tides. I thought I'd share a few photos from the tour. Thanks again!

Angie

Huspah Creek @ Hilton Head Island

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge

Snowy Egret feeding in Oysters

Angie McMonigal Photography

www.angiemcmonigal.com

414.967.9209

Photo Tours August- Chris Kirk

2010-08-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

Chris Kirk an alumni of one of my nature photography classes and has since been a guest on several of my tours. He has become a good friend, we even celebrated his birthday together after this trip, over lunch at my favorite mexican food place (Amigos) in Bluffton. He is a camera club member in Beaufort and a rising talent- Have a look : )

Great Egret

Brown Pelican

on fallen tree @ Turtle Island, SC

@ sunrise off Tomkins Island, SC

Great Egret in flight @ Turtle Island

"As a three trip alumnus of Lowcountry wildlife photo tours I can highly recommend them. Eric does not provide a service - he provides an experience! On our dolphin strand feeding tour we saw over a dozen beaching incidents over a 40 minute period. Eric could anticipate their movements and put us in a position to photograph this unusual event. A truly unique endeavor." Chris

just beaching

turning around

he's watching us?

August 2010 "Photo of the Month"

2010-08-02T14:39:00.000-04:00

This image of local fisherman was taken from my boat at the mouth of the Beaufort River in Port Royal Sound. It is the featured photograph for August in my 2010 Lowcountry Calendar and you can view it and all of my picture galleries at www.southernlight.biz. On this morning, I headed out on a rising tide from the boat landing at Sands Beach. My plans were to visit some favorite riverbanks to photograph the feeding action of Black Skimmers and other shorebirds. I started to take notice of the sky - huge thunderheads, lots of white puffy clouds and an unseasonable clarity in the atmosphere. In the midst of our steamy hot summer, days like these are heaven sent for land and seascapes and remaining flexible pays in outdoor photography. My focus changed from hungry birds to wide-open vistas and marsh scenes. Not entirely, but let’s say that I began my search for interesting foregrounds to work with this glorious sky. The fisherman caught my eye and worked well with my cumulus cloud backdrop from a distance and only improved as I made my approach.

Photo tip: I like to build my seascapes and landscapes with subject matter that is not only interesting but will also provide interesting compositions. One way I do this is by drawing the viewer’s eye from near to far – or the reverse. In this shot, I found the background first. Honestly, it hit me over the head. Once I spotted the fisherman, I knew I had both foreground and background. If the fisherman had not turned up, I would have continued looking for something else…shrimp boats, a sailboat, an oyster bank or Spartina grasses. Finding subject matter in the lowcountry is not a chore and I could have used almost anything with this sky. Please visit us online for more information on my photo tours, products and to see more images. www.southernlight.biz.

Photo Tours July- Sam Tutterow & Peter McDonald

2010-07-22T19:32:00.001-04:00

Sam & Pete joined me for a photo tour on and around the Chechessee River in Beaufort. We had a great morning with many keeper images here are a few of theirs---Eric

Dawn in the creek @ Spring Island

White Ibis in flight

Great Blue Heron

Brown Pelican in formation

Eric---I had a great time with you the other morning. I'm sending through several of my favorites. One of the things I came to appreciate over the course of the morning was the value you added from your detailed understanding of the tides and creek layout, and the likely behavior of our animal subjects. You were always positioning us with great lighting, and it made for some wonderful shots.

Thank you.---Sam Tutterow

-------------------------------

White Ibis

Oyster Catcher in flight

Brown Pelican in flight

Eric--- Thanks again for a wonderful photo outing last week. I am sending along the best of my shots. There is very little post-production other than some cropping in here -- a testament to your ability to position the boat for optimal shooting. I was very pleased to get a few decent Osprey shots and of course the pod of Pelicans was the highlight of the day -- but I think my favorite single photo is the Oystercatcher in flight. The orange eye and beak contrast so well with the green grass. The exposure stats are: F5.6, 1/125th, ISO 100, shot with a Pentax K20D -- it captured the motion well without losing too much crispness around the bird's face and body. ----Peter  

Photo Tours June- George Flanagan

2010-07-22T19:02:00.001-04:00

George joined me for a couple of trips and came away with some really nice images landscapes, images of wading birds and dolphin

we had a very nice morning following a group on dolphin and witnessed them strand feeding several times

The egret and heron taking advantage of all the beached fish : )

waiting for the dolphin to beach themselves again

staying with the dolphin as they moved up the creek

Tri-color Heron in rookery @ Ibis Pond

Snowy Egret feeding in tandem

immature cormorant

Great Blue Heron waiting for dolphin to "Strand Feed"

Salt marsh scenic in small creek off the May River, Beaufort County

Eric, Once again thank you for yesterdays trip, it was very exciting. Please find a few photographs from our 2nd trip from last week, your comments are most welcome. I appreciate very much your energy and passion for both the art and the craft of photography and your willingness to share with others. I look forward to joining you again next year on a few more trips in HHI area. Please keep me informed re workshops etc.--George

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo Tours June-Beth & Keith Miller

2010-07-22T18:30:00.000-04:00

I am so honored that you want to include some of my pictures on your blog! We had a "landscape picture" perfect day on the salt marsh with Eric Horan.

I knew that my unsophisticated "point and shoot" camera equipment was not up to speed for what I wanted to capture on this trip, but I was still thrilled with some of the shots that I got. Eric is great company and a wonderfully skilled guide, slipping us in and out of the tidal creeks and positioning us so that the lighting was just right for great shots of each scene. I am already shopping for a really good digital camera to take on our trip with Eric next May. Beth

------------------------------------------------------

July 2010 "Photo of the Month"

2010-07-06T22:00:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Month - Painted Bunting

Lowcountry Calendar - July/ 2010

By Eric Horan

This male Painted Bunting is the photo of the month for July. I captured it on a summer visit to Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. Pinckney is nearly 67% salt marsh and tidal creeks. It also has maritime forests, old farm fields and freshwater ponds. From the parking lot is a short walk to Ibis Pond, a freshwater impoundment that hosts a wading bird rookery of resident and winter migratory waterfowl along with a wide variety of songbirds.

At Ibis Pond I noticed several Painted Buntings coming in and out of the grasses. I made my approach very slowly, stopping every few feet or so to shoot before moving closer. I was able to get quite close with this method and it helped that the birds were so intent on feeding.

The male Painted Bunting is one of the most colorful North American songbirds. The female is beautiful too but more monochromatic - mostly green but splashes of blue plumage all over. Painted Buntings migrate to the southeastern coastal region in the spring for nesting. They will stay in our area until late summer then head to southern Florida and the Caribbean for the winter. They are on the Audubon Watch List, which means the species is either declining or rare. To learn more about the Audubon Important Bird Areas program and how you can help, visit www.audubon.org/bird/iba/.

Photo tip: Dressing in earth tones, moving slowly and being quiet will increase your chances of getting close to these and other birds. By working slowly, shooting some and then moving in a little bit at a time, you allow the birds a chance to get used to your presence at each distance. Also, knowing where to go and when, will help you determine the appropriate equipment to bring. For the Painted Bunting, you’ll need a long lens (300mm to 600mm) so that you can maintain a comfort zone between yourself and the birds. For this picture I carried a tripod-mounted 500mm lens.