On the Edge

What and Where?

“On the Edge” was made along the rugged Northwest coast of Vancouver Island in August, 2017. For seven days, the 71' foot Ocean Light 2 sailboat was our "base-camp" for wildlife and landscape photography. Equipped with a zodiac for visits to shallow inlets and the rough rocky coast, we had the flexibility to pursue wildlife and landscape opportunities throughout this unspoiled region of the Pacific. While most of our humpback, otter, and harbor seal images were photographed in calm and protected waters, the Stellar sea lions always seemed to beach themselves along rocky islands where the surf hammered away with an unrelenting intensity. Access to these locations required the zodiac, and photography here was as unpredictable as anything I have ever experienced. At no time did I feel as if the boat were not experiencing the same unrelenting surge of water that the seals endured day in and day out. 

Technically speaking, I relinquished much of my control to the modern electronics in my camera. In an attempt to freeze the water and reduce the inevitable motion blur derived from the unsteady zodiac, I set my camera to auto ISO and a minimum shutter speed of 1/1250 of a second. While I retained control of the aperture by shooting in aperture priority, I let the camera select an ISO that would maximize (actually minimize) the shutter opening based on the parameters I selected for the lens. For photograph pictured, the photo was taken at ISO1400 and f/11 with a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8VC G2 lens and Tamron converter that I was testing on this day. Despite the crazed shooting conditions, the vibration reduction built into the lens and autofocus capabilities of my Nikon D500 camera allowed me to produce a surprising number of decent photographs. 

Why it Works?

Tamy and I saw some pretty amazing animals and landscapes during our seven days at sea, but this day was one of our all time favorite photographic experiences. This type of "cowboy shooting" reminded me of our African safaris that produced an infinite palette of opportunities. The image, "On the Edge," has an interesting balance with the sedate sea lions to the right serving as foil to the active ones on the left. The foreground water and background forested mountains frame the action in a way that draws the viewer into the photograph. The behavior of the animals, rough seas, and frozen waves create a level interest that seem to keep the eyes engaged and searching throughout the image. 

Ecological Notes

Steller sea lions are the sole member of the Genus Eumetopias. Dwarfed by the northern and southern elephant seals as well as the walrus, Steller sea lions are third largest pinniped and biggest of the eared seals. Female sea lions stop growing after their fifth year and weigh between 240 and 350 kg. In contrast, the males grow continuously until they reach sexual maturity, and can weigh as much as 450 to 1120 kg, The extreme dimorphism in male and female mass can be attributed to the intense competition between males for maintaining territorial boundaries, and thus reproductive access to breeding females. 

Residing near the top of the food chain, Steller sea lions prey on many fish species and mollusks throughout the Pacific and Bering Sea. Known to eat northern fur seal, harbor seal, and sea otter pups, the Steller sea lion is not without its own dangers, as they can fall prey to migrant orcas and great white sharks. In the 1970's and 80's the Eastern population of sea lions saw a steep decline. While there are numerous hypotheses for the precipitous fall, their present populations now serve as a conservation success story. This once endangered marine mammal was removed from the endangered species list in 2013 because of a strong recovery that extends from the Aleutians Islands to the North Pacific. 

©2000-2017 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Favorite Places: Estuaries

In 2013 NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) identified several key factors that negatively impact estuaries throughout the United States. With a total of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves, the US is well positioned to study how climate change influences places where the ocean meets the land.

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Happy - Sad (Harbor Seals) - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Flood control, aquatic nurseries and wildlife habitat are just three of the many ways estuaries contribute to coastal ecosystems. Located wherever rivers meet the sea, these habitats are indicators of ecological stress because their structure and productivity can be easily measured. The NOAA report identified a number of key factors that serve as underlying stressors to the stability of estuarine habitats. With 40 percent of all Americans (123 million people) living in counties along the coast, it should be no surprise that human settlement is the key source of ecological instability throughout these wetland communities. Industrial, residential and agricultural development all contribute to increased sedimentation and shoreline erosion. Often flooded by toxins that originate upriver or along the coast, estuaries are subject to spikes in chemical pollutants and human waste. Furthermore, the planet’s historically high warming trend now causes some estuaries to flood while others to suffer a loss of biodiversity due to increasing salinity from draught or the depletion of freshwater reservoirs by human activity.

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Passing Ships (Sea Otters) - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

Nestled between Santa Cruz and Monterey California is one of my favorite locations to photograph coastal wildlife. The Elkhorn Slough is a seven mile long intertidal habitat where the Carneros Creek flows into an “elbow-like” bay that extends inland from the coast. Home to nearly 700 species that includes more than 300 resident and migrating birds, seals, sea-lions and otters, the slough is a remarkable place to view and photograph a wide diversity of unusual animal and plants. 

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Portrait of a Female Otter - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

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Marbled Godwit - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D7100 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

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Saltmarsh Cottontail - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f/4.0VR

The Elkhorn Slough is a rare gem along the Central California coast. A hot spot of estuarine biodiversity, the stretch of water and land provides amazing photographic opportunities for both the casual and serious wildlife viewer. During low tide, the state beach road north of the slough is a great place to find shorebirds feeding on crustaceans buried deep within intertidal mudflats. Continuing west towards the beach, there is a network of trails that branch throughout a unique salt marsh habitat. For those hoping to see and photograph otters and seals, I recommend a private charter or group tour with Elkhorn Slough Safari. The flat-bottomed boat is a great platform for making images, and if you warn the captain and first mate about your photographic intentions, they will try to put you in the right place to make the images you are seeking. Weekend warriors and adventure seekers may prefer kayaking the slough in place of a leisurely motorboat ride. During our most recent visit, Tamy and I rented kayaks from Kayak Connection in Moss Landing. The four hour rental made for unprecedented opportunities to view and photograph marine wildlife “eye to eye.” While making pictures from a relatively unstable kayak takes practice, the ability to control your destination and time at each location was well worth the effort.

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Portrait of a Male Sea Otter - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

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Kayaking the Slough

Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR

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Me...

Nikon D7100 + Nikon 24-120mm f/4VR

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Cormorant and Great Blue Heron - Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D7100 + Nikon 24-120mm f/4VR

Marinas, fishing, farms and a power plant fuel the economy of Moss Landing and the region that surrounds the Elkhorn Slough. Like most of the California coast, the Slough is subject to the impacts of human encroachment. Yet, this ecosystem is a model for how citizens, non-profits organizations, government and scientists can work together to meet conservation targets. If you are interested in seeing and photographing the slough, check out the Elkhorn Slough Foundation for information related to their research and public outreach programs.

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Harbor Seal in the Elkhorn Slough

Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6VR 

©2000-2016 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Behind the Camera - Behind the Computer

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Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

Photographed within minutes of the prior picture, I decided to convert the original to a monochrome. The bold posture of the swan and dark water cried for a dramatic interpretation of this serene moment. I used OnOne software to do the black and white conversion and add a vignette to draw the viewer into the contrasting tones between the plumage, bill and water.

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Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

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Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

Much like my treatment of the swan, I felt that this seal's characteristics would be enhanced by monochrome processing. Photographed minutes before the yawning seal pictured above, this sleeping giant contrasted beautifully with its background and the water. Once again, I applied a modified OnOne pre-set to the original color image.

©2000-2016 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Did You Know (45)?

The evolutionary origins of seals, sea lions and walruses is still unsettled science. Historical taxonomic studies suggest two potential lines of ancestry which include the Ursids (bears) and the Mustelids (otters, minks, ferrets…). While molecular and fossil evidence now appear to implicate an otter-like ancestor, some continue to cling to the “bear hypothesis.” 

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California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)

Collectively belonging to the Clade Pinnipedia, pinnipeds are carnivorous, fin-footed semiaquatic mammals. With the exception of the Baikal seal (Pusa sibrica), pinnipeds are marine mammals divided into three distinct groups. The Otariidae or true eared seals, possess ear flaps and a flexible hind flipper that allows for semi-coordinated movement on land. Familiar examples include the California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, who’s tendency to bark and play make them a favorite of zoos and marine parks. While significantly larger than sea lions, the Odobenidae have a similar body morphology, but are distinguished by their enormous hairless bodies and pronounced tusk-like canines. Commonly known as walruses, only one extant species remains. Sadly, their long-term viability is now threatened by the rapidly changing arctic climate. The significantly smaller Phocids, lack external ear flaps and have inflexible hind fins. Far more cumbersome on land than their sea lion brethren, “true-seals” are more aqua dynamic with their stubby clawed forelimbs and torpedo-like body.

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Harbor Seal  (Phoca vitulina)

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Otter and Seal... a study in comparative morphology

All Images were Made with a Nikon D7200 and Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR1 Lens

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

No Excuses... No Regrets

Earlier today a group of last year's graduates showed up in my classroom to discuss the start of their college careers. All three are now biology majors at the same institution, and I couldn't help but feel a bit of nostalgia for the life I once lived. I wanted to wax poetic and share stories from my glory days, but chose instead to internalize my exploits as I probed for information about college life in the modern era. Now 32 years removed from my own freshman year, I can't help but wonder how I got to where I am today. First a researcher and now a public school educator, at age 50 it's hard not to think about the many missed opportunities and false starts. 

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Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) - Moss Landing State Beach, CA

There was a time when I dreamed of pursuing an academic career in field ecology, and while I played the role in college and graduate school, I discovered that the world of deep academia was not for me. Alternatively, I could also see myself working in the field behind a camera and lens. In the 1980's nature photography was a specialized discipline; it was a meld of science,  photographic arts and business. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that I lacked the skill, patience and risk tolerance required to be an entrepreneur, I feared that a career in photography was as unlikely as one at a university. 

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No Regrets - Big Sur, California

In the end, teaching found me rather than the other way around. The career was a safe choice at the time, and was intended it to be a stop-gap until I "figured it out," or sequestered the dollars needed to ride out a PhD program. Twenty-three years later, this accidental teacher has embraced the mentor role and has found pleasure in an unexpected vocation where every day is different and peoples' lives are impacted. There is no doubt that I still dream about the past and wonder what the present could have been, but this life is one that I live with no regrets. 

Philosophically yours...

Field Report and Review : Nikon D7200

Background

Frequent visitors to this blog know that I rarely review camera gear. In fact, most of the 500-plus posts on my site fall into one of two general categories… the process of seeing or the biology of what is seen. While I’m not known for reviews, there are times when I feel compelled to share my thoughts about a piece of photographic equipment. Prompted by the dearth of field reports on the Nikon D7200, the following might be useful to those contemplating its purchase.

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California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)  - Eating Mussels Moss Landing

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 800

For the sake of some background, readers need to know that I am a fairly recent convert to Nikon DSLR’s. Having been a shooter since the film era, most of my digital work has been with Canon cameras. In September 2014, I had the opportunity to acquire a Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR at an incredible price, and used this as justification for switching brands. Prior to moving to Nikon, my primary wildlife kit included a Canon 1D MkIII or Canon 7D paired with a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS and converters. The combination of this gear served me well throughout the United States, Canada, Central America and Africa. My decision to change systems was solely based on a desire to work without tele-converters and gain the flexibility that a high-end “super-tele zoom” could offer. 

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Hummingbird feeding - Rincon de La Vieja, Costa Rica

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 400

The transition from Canon to Nikon for landscape work was surprisingly smooth. Trading a Canon 5D MkIII for a Nikon D800E was a win, as the Nikon has more resolution and a wider dynamic range. Having spent most of the equity in my Canon gear on lenses and the D800E, relatively little was left for the purchase of a high-end wildlife camera. For the better part of eight months, my wildlife photography was done with a pair of 12MP D300’s. Revolutionary at the time of its introduction in 2007, the D300 now seems somewhat primitive with respect to modern DSLR’s. Although the build and frame rate of the D300 and D300s make these cameras relevant in 2015, the relatively shallow dynamic range, low sensor resolution and high ISO noise are sources of angst for wildlife photographers seeking a Nikon DX (crop) camera option. In May 2015, I decided to give up the rugged build and fast frame rate of my D300’s in favor of a smaller and less robust “prosumer” camera. 

Enter the Nikon D7200 - The Good

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Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) - Moss Landing, CA

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 

Rather than a review, mine is a wildlife photographer’s reflection on the D7200’s strengths and weaknesses when pursuing active subjects. If you are interested in a list of specifications, new features and the function of buttons, I suggest you follow one of these links: review by dpreview or review by Thom Hogan.  

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Hummingbird feeding - Rincon de La Vieja, Costa Rica

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 400

In mid May I traded two D300’s towards Nikon’s latest DX offering with an equal mix of pro and consumer features. Designed around a Sony 24mp sensor, I knew that the dynamic range and relatively low high-ISO noise of the D7200 would best my prior Nikon wildlife cameras. The need to move and bin 24mp files was a serious problem for Nikon’s prior model (D7100), which famously had a very shallow buffer. Now that I’ve use my D7200 to photograph flying birds, aquatic mammals and rainforest wildlife, I can safely say that the D7200’s buffer is capable of holding and moving files rapidly enough to photograph active subjects. In nearly three months of fairly heavy shooting, I have only hit the buffer limit on two occasions. By relying on high speed and modern SD cards, the D7200 matches the processing speed of my prior D300 bodies. 

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Summe Snow Monkey (Macaca fuscata) in Black and White (c) - Minnesota Zoo

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 400

The autofocus performance and accuracy is a definite upgrade from the Nikon D300. Like the D300 and other professional Nikon bodies, there are 51 AF points that stretch across most of the viewfinder. With so many autofocus points, I have little difficulty placing an AF target on the spot that meets my compositional goals. The AF system is fast and accurate, especially when set to Autofocus Continuous Single-point mode (AFC-S). For moving subjects like flying birds or running animals, I will I set the camera to AFC-S, and use the joystick on the back of the body to follow my subject. Whenever I am faced with an erratically moving animal like the elegant tern pictured below, I’ll migrate from AFC-S to AFC-9. By doing this, the autofocus system uses nine autofocus points in a 3x3 grid to maintain critical focus. While this sounds useful in theory, I rarely shoot in expanded AF mode because the focusing speed slows and critical focus is easily lost. In expanded AFC-mode, the user selects a specific target with one AF point, and the surrounding eight points assist to maintain focus. If the chosen point drops off, one the surrounding eight points re-establishes focus on the subject. Unfortunately, those surrounding points might lock onto a wingtip, beak or whisker rather than the eye that was originally selected. It is not until you begin your edits on a computer will you realize that most of your images are not as sharp as you expected. Admittedly, the deliberate decision to rely on a single AF bracket results in some missed opportunities, however my in-focus rate increases dramatically by shooting in this more conservative and less automated manner. To summarize, when shooting in AFC-S (single point continuous autofocus) mode, the camera readily locks onto a moving target and maintains focus at the cameras maximum frame rate as long as the autofocus bracket is accurately placed on the intended target. 

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Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans) - Moss Landing, California

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 800

The sensor in the D7200 has exceeded my expectations for resolution, noise control and dynamic range. When compared to the D300, the seven-plus years of technological improvements are quite clear. The D7200 produces detailed pictures due of its 24 megapixels packed into a 1.5 times (DX) cropped area. The result of this high-resolution cropped sensor is many more pixels per feather than the D300. These resolution gains allow for flexible cropping and greater compositional control. Comparing this sensor to the one in the D300 seems unfair. Both the dynamic range and relatively noise-free images allow me to comfortably shoot between ISO 100 and 800 without substantially degrading the image. Usable at ISO’s of 1600 to 3200, the D7200 produces high ISO photographs that clean up nicely with just a bit of noise control. The latter is in stark contrast to the D300, where I find that any image shot beyond ISO 400 was unacceptable due to noise which causes the image to degrade substantially. When compared to the Canon 7D’s that I once used, the key difference is the absence of pattern noise. The 7D always had difficulties with blue skies, blacks and fog. When photographing animals against a reduced color palate, bands of noise and unnatural splotches were common artifacts in my files. The Nikon D7200 has far better noise control at high and low iso than did my Canon body, all of which allows for more flexible shooting, as well as processing in underexposed regions of an image. To me, the sensor improvements alone are enough to justify my purchase of this camera.

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Geoffroy's Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) - Rincon de La Vieja, Costa Rica

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 800

The Nikon D7200 - The Bad

All is not ice-cream and candy with the D7200. In many ways, the camera is a placebo for what many Nikon wildlife photographers want… a D400. As it stands, given the opportunity, there would be a small army of us who would gladly adopt a Canon 7D MkII if it were made with a Nikon mount. Where the 7D MkII is a clear replacement for the original 7D, the same cannot be said for the Nikon D7200 when compared to the D300. Ad a wildlife photographer, there are two downgrades in the D7200 that directly impact me in the field. The D300 has a robust weather sealed body that follows the design ethos of Nikon’s professional cameras. Picking up the D300 feels good in the hands and its mass balances nicely when mounted to a high-end telephoto lenses. Changing ISO, white-balance and shooting modes on the D300 is essentially the same as on my D800E. In contrast, I often find myself fumbling or looking through menus to make these same basic changes on the D7200. Furthermore, the D7200 feels light in the hand, lacks a deep grip and does not balance well on my ball head or gimbal when mounted to the 200-400mm f4.0 VR. While I do not have the confidence that the D7200 can withstand the abuse of a D300, I do know that it performed well in the humid and often heavy rains of Costa Rica. At one point, I was stuck in a downpour and did not cover the camera or lens adequately. As the rain pounded on the body, I did what I could to shield vulnerable spots. The D7200 survived the experience and was ready to use in spite of the rain. So, while it might not be as weather tight as a D300, so far, the camera’s weather seals appear to be adequate.

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Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) - Moss Landing, CA

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 

My second key concern with the D7200 is related to its frame rate. The camera has the ability to shoot five 14-bit images per second (5 fps) or six 12-bit images per second (6 fps). When compared to the D300s, my current body body has a slower frame rate. Using the D300s with an MB-D12 grip and the high performance/high capacity EN-EL4(a) battery, this 6 year-old camera still manages to shoot eight 12-bit images per second (8fps). This difference in frame rate can be substantial if you are hoping to photograph the nuances of a subject. A burst of 8fps creates the opportunity to catch a bird landing on its nest with the feathers displayed just right, or a brief expression that might be otherwise lost when the frame rate is slower. 

The Nikon D7200 - The Ugly

There is not much “ugliness” to the D7200, however there is a characteristic in the autofocus system that is a source of great frustration. To be clear, I am not sure that Nikon produces a camera that would resolve my issue, but after 25+ years of autofocus technology, the solution should not be unobtainable. Specifically, I find that the D7200 and other Nikon bodies have a high AF-failure rate when photographing low-contrast subjects. Because most wildlife is active at dawn and dusk, low-contrast conditions is much of what I see. When trying to lock onto a dark eye against relative dark fur, as in the beaver pictured below, the autofocus failure rate is very high. In fact, a careful look at my files will reveal that less than one-half of the images meet my sharpness criteria. The inability to lock-on or maintain critical focus of moving subjects under these conditions just drives me crazy!

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Summer Beaver (Castor canadensis) - St. Croix Area, MN

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 800

The Nikon D7200 - The Bottom Line

As I survey the landscape of Nikon cameras that could meet my needs, most fall short in one way or another. I am a “simple kit” guy with a fairly limited budget. Buying the Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR was a stretch for me. With a maximum aperture of f4.0 and focal length of 400mm, this lens is the most affordable long fast glass available for the Nikon system. The Nikon 500mm and 600mm lenses are out of budget, while the Tamron or Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 lenses are too slow for my needs when extended to 400mm and beyond. My solution to these limitations is the use of a high resolution crop sensor camera. As a result, the faster full-framed Nikon D700, D3, D3s, D4 and D750 are unsuitable bodies that would require extensive cropping to meet my compositional goals. Because of these limitations and the lack of a modern high-end crop body (like the mythical D400), the Nikon D7200 provides the image quality that I am seeking with just enough speed to meet my wildlife photograph objectives.

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Three Otters (Enhydra lutris) - Moss Landing

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR1 @ ISO 400

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

The Cycle

In biology, energy is king. Solar energy is at the core of nearly every ecosystem on the planet, and this energy from the sun drives everything from the complexity of a food web to the cellular processes that replicate the genetic code passed from one generation to the next. Deprived of the energy required to do work, the essence of an organism, its “livingness,” comes to an end. 

In living systems, energy is only half of the story. For life to exist, molecular vessels (organisms) must be modified, organized and assembled in ways that can harness the energy. These pliable molecules are commonly referred as biological nutrients. 

Harbor Seal Pup (Phoca vitulina) Splashed by California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) - Moss Landing, California

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR

A fundamental concept to all biological systems requires that energy flows while nutrients are cycled. Energetics are subject to the physical laws of nature, and life can only exist if it obeys these laws. The ”first law of thermodynamics” informs us about energy’s limits. Energy in a biological system is conserved but not recycled. This energy is transferred and transformed from molecules to motion, from motion to molecules, but can not be created nor destroyed. The energy trapped by the molecules in our food is transferred to packets of chemical energy that drive our cellular processes. Simultaneously, some of the energy from each meal results in the generation of heat, or the vibration of molecules, that will increase the entropy in a living system. This energy is not lost, it just flows from one state to another.  

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Dead Harbor Seal Pup (Phoca vitulina) - Moss Landing State Beach, California

Nikon D7200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4.0 VR

In contrast to the energy on the planet, nutrients are limited and must be recycled. Without the cycling of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen the resources required to build an organism will diminish. One of the great harmonies of living systems is the ability to harness energy to order molecules in a manner that can sustain itself for a finite period of time. However, as this molecular order is subject to the stresses of the environment, an ecosystem and time, it becomes less efficient and less capable of harnessing the energy required to remain whole. It is at this point that death ends the cycle inherent in every life. To this biologist, death is nothing more than the completion of a life that includes the wonderful serendipity of unique molecular interactions on this planet we call Earth. 

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.