Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Barred Owls

Burrowing Owl

Iguana

Contents:  

Looking Out My Backdoor
NANPA
Panama Photo Safari
Wackodahatchee Workshop & Slide presentation

LOOKING OUT MY BACKDOOR

It’s quite amazing what one finds in one’s own back yard, or neighbor’s, or at a local park, or pond, lake, or river.  Many of you write me that you are unable to take one of my tours to Africa, Panama, Ecuador, Inagua, or where ever else I may venture with a group.  However, you can go outside your back door and see a multitude of photo ‘opps’.  Some of you are so kind and call me telling me what you have discovered, often inviting me over to your backyard.  This wonderful, big, beautiful orange-colored Iguana is a perfect example of what we have right here in Southern Florida and practically at my back door. Usually I will share the location of my discoveries, but in this case I cannot as it is a private residence, but it is my understanding that these critters are located all over the place.  (If any one of you is an Iguana expert, please tell me what species these are and is it true that they hibernate?  If so, that’s another story to share in another newsletter!)    Burrowing Owls are abundant in Florida also and one of the most fun and entertaining creatures to watch through your lens.  If you are in a bad mood or depressed, go out and find yourself a Burrowing Owl to photograph and you’ll be smiling within seconds.  Apparently I have been so busy traveling to far-off locations that I have been missing what I have just ‘looking out my own backdoor’!

NANPA

Speaking of traveling, tomorrow morning I hop a plane to Denver Colorado to attend the North American Nature Photographers Assoc. Annual Summit meeting.  This is a five-day event full of meetings, lectures, slide presentations and classes given by some of the most highly renowned professional photographers on earth.  Every year I come away with my head spinning with all the incredible information I have been fed and am attempting to retain.  The trade show is a major event in itself, adding to my already long list of “envy” items that I can’t have! I am proud to be part of  the ‘demonstration’ portion of the Summit.  I will be giving a short slide presentation full of images I took while on my ‘investigative’ trip to Ecuador, including the Galapagos.  As many of you know, I will not endorse, or promote an area to travel to for photography (or any other reason) unless I myself have been there and done all the ‘legwork’ first.  Obviously, I am very impressed with Ecuador and its wonderful photo opportunities.  I am even more impressed with Neblina Forest Tour Company  www.neblinaforest.com---so much so, I have partnered up with them as their photographic tour guide.  I will be giving the presentation on Thursday at 1:30 in one of the Hyatt Regency’s conference rooms.  Hope to see some of you there.  Also, if you are attending the NANPA Summit, do stop by the Neblina booth, pick up a couple of brochures, sign up for a free drawing or just stop by and say “hi”.

PANAMA PHOTO SAFARI:

My excitement is starting to mount up as the days draw closer for this this terrific photo experience.  Not only do I have a great group of people signed on for this tour,  I have added a new ‘twist’ to our learning experience.  Her name is Laura Williams (no relation, but a very good, good friend!).  Laura is an extremely talented photographer as well as tremendously schooled in the digital/photoshop world.  A few of our evenings will be spent with slide presentations, critiquing our work as well as other group members work, and learning some valuable photoshop and digital information.  We will have some fabulous photo opportunities as I personally flew to Panama last year (twice) and spent a week working with one of our guides building feeders that were camouflaged and made into a natural setting.  Another added feature of my photo safari is that we have been given special permission to visit a part of the Panama Canal Zone area not open to the general public.  Last year I visited the area of the Canal Zone that is open to the public and found it fascinating---so much so I added it to this year’s tour.  To be able to visit the inner workings not normally seen by we underlings is a great privilege.  Thanks to my friend and tour participant, Charles Corbeil, for this incredible treat.

WACKODAHATCHEE WORKSHOP:

I’ve been invited to lead a workshop on the Wakodahatchee Wetlands boardwalk in Delray Beach, Florida on February 21st beginning at dawn (6:30 a.m.) until 9:00 a.m  At 9:30, I will be giving a slide presentation showing images I have taken on some of my tours around the world.  If you are interested in the workshop or need more information call Karen Milstein at 561-776-9483 or you can e-mail Brenda Duffey at bduffey@pbcwater.com (misplaced her phone number!  Sorry)

Iguana

Nazca Boobies

Toucan Barbet

Waved Albatross