Nature Photo Magazine 2009/2 by Természetfotó Magazin

Nature photo magazine

free online photo magazine

2009/2.

The Moon’s thousand faces | astro photography GDT | Society of German Nature Photographers Costa rica | with Bence Máté

welcome Dear reader, Refreshed by the success of the first issue, Nature Photography Magazine’s online edition continues on its journey. As far as statistics are concerned, we have already achieved a readership of 10,000, and we already present on all 5 continents in a total of 46 countries. We have received excellent feedback so far, thereby confirming the belief that digital periodicals have a rosy future. Furthermore, the virtual form helps to protect our Earth from destruction, as our magazine is paper free. Be a part of our work, recommend and publicize our magazine to as many potential reader as possible to enable them to get to know our planet’s natural treasures and recognize its fragility, and alter reading habits for the sake of protecting the trees. We thank all the readers who sent in positive e-mails and comments which made an important contribution to the development of our magazine. Begining with the second issue it is possible to view the video trailers in DVD quality, indeed you are even able to enjoy it in full screen mode. In the 2009/2 issue we launch a new feature in which we welcome Bence Máté, world famous nature photographer and his partner, Ágnes Kiss, who is responsible for the text in this feature. As a starter they give us a glimpse behind the scenes of hide photography from the wilds of Costa Rica. In the Photo Club section we have managed to bring perhaps Europe’s largest photographing association to our readers, namely ’GDT’, Society of German Nature Photographers, which we can become familiar with up close. Several member of our editorial team visited Northern Europe’s largest eagle population, and were duly bowled over by the scenery and the unspoilt nature of the Flatanger Fjords. In our photo portfolio, our guest is Laco Stuhár from Slovakia, who photographs unbelievably scenic landscapes with his trusted 6x6 Fuji Velvia 50 slide. The Young Talent comes from Poland this time in the person of Jerzy Grzesiak, a young and enthusiastic nature photographer. We tested out the Canon 500D and the Nikon D500. Both DSLR cameras came through the test with flying colours. In the Tips and Tricks feature we zoom in on the photography world of flies, bees and wasps, while the Photo School presents the various possibilites for composition. In Interesting places we are given a taste of the Big Mountain of Tarpa and secret treasures of Bakony, which are worth checking out in autumn, too. And last but not least, in the Web review we introduce our readers to ’Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe’ in TV and DVD form. We warmly welcome you to our second issue.

Cover: SEA EAGLE Photo: Tamás Imre Canon EOS 1D Mark II N, EF 2,8/300mm 1/500sec f/5,6 ISO 400

Our colleagues are in the field in all corners of the world, striving to capture the natural world in picture form, in so doing reaching an even bigger nature photography audience and spreading the message about nature’s beauty and fragility. This is one of Nature Photography Magazine Online’s main missions. Tamás Imre, Chief Editor

Costa Rica 94 Bence Máté and Ágnes Kiss

eagles at Flatanger

In this issue of photo adventures we would like to take you on a journey to Norway, to the home of the master predator of the wonderful Fjords, to the kingdom of the Sea eagle. The territory of the Flatanger, worthy of the title of paradise on Earth for bird photographers, amounts to 460 sq.km. and around 1,400 smaller islands, making it Northern Europe’s most numerous group of islands and ideal habitat for the eagle.

Laco struhár from slovakia

photo school - composition II. 32

He is a leading light character of contemporary Slovakian building and scenery photography, also accomplished internationally. He represents the beauty of the Slovakian scenery and country on permanent exhibitions in Budapest, Sofia, Warsaw and Taskent, in the local Slovakian cultural centers. He has to date 13 independent photo albums, two of them earned a gold medal in the Slovakia’s Most Beautiful Book contest.

We’re continuing the composition series. As already seen, sharpness and precise exposure are not enough alone – a photograph will only turn into a real picture if the composition itself is good. What’s on the menu? We will be serving up a diet of angle, image, rhythm, mass balance, structure, window effect among other tasty dishes.

The beauty and the beast Black vulture (Coragyps atratus) and the very rare king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)

The moon’s thousand faces

The Moon is a truly spectacular celestial body and an ideal subject for photography. At the same time it’s one of the few heavenly bodies that can be both observed and photographed from our modern-day light polluted, urban environment. The Moon is the celestial body where movements and changes of light have been tracked by man since time immemorial.

field test - Nikon d5000

The Nikon D5000 is a versatile DSLR, it is able to capture not only outstanding quality still images but high resolution, audio enabled D-Movie videos as well. The 12.3 Mpixels DX-format sensor records exceptionally detailed photos. With the innovative, variable angle LCD screen and the Live View function you can easily take photos or record videos from any angle.

interesting places Tarpa mountain the gaja stream valley tips and tricks flies, bees and wasps photo club GDT digital image editing Adobe photo tools field test canon eos 500d young talents Jerzy Grzesiak workshops bird photo in hortobágy reviews book, dvd, web gallery

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Photographic adventures eagles

the king of air in Norway In this issue of photo adventures we would like to take you on a journey to Norway, to the home of the master predator of the wonderful Fjords, to the kingdom of the Sea eagle. The territory of the Flatanger, worthy of the title of paradise on Earth for bird photographers, amounts to 460 sq.km. and around 1,400 smaller islands, making it Northern Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most numerous group of islands and ideal habitat for the eagle.

Canon EOS 1D Mark II N, EF 2,8/300mm 1/4000sec f/3,5 ISO 400

You should never save time when out on a photo trip, hence you should spend at least a week at the Fjords, which will, in turn, improve your chances of success. The weather in Flatanger is always changing, and you can witness rain, fog, haze and glorious sunshine all within one day. Out on the sea you can catch eagles, seagulls, oystercathers and skuas, and on the island deers, elks, squirrels and many more smaller forest birds. Flatanger is beautiful in its own right, so don’t forget landscape photography. Interestingly, from June to mid-August you’ll find it hard to sleep here if you are used to sleeping in darkness. At this time of year the Sun doesn’t really disappear even at night, simply resting near the horizon before ascending again. From a photographer’s point of view this means that from 10 PM to 4 AM landscape shots can be taken in ideal light conditions. To capture birds it’s worth taking to the waters twice a day. Fine, but where and who with you may you ask. On the www.norway-nature.com webpage you can find the contact details of guide Oleh Martin. Oleh is one of the best photo tour guides in the world, not only totally at home in his work but also very humorous and well-spirited. That’s why we returned to him again this year. For bird photography we recommend the following gear for trip. If possible take an F/2.8 300 mm lens that’s a good travelling companion for an EOS 1D Mark III. If you have a Canon body with 1.6 crop then a 70-200 lens will suffice, but ensure you take a 1.4x and 2x extender as well. If you are a Nikon person, then a D3 or D300, or even a D700 could be a good choice. As far as lenses are concerned, the champion is the Nikkor F/2.8 300 mm VR and the F/2.8 70-200 mm VR. From the Sigma lenses, the F/2.8 120-300 mm is an excellent choice, enabling you to enjoy the advantages of a croping. If you wish to take pictures of the birds flying, you might need a

Canon EOS 1D Mark II N, EF 2,8/300mm 1/500sec f/5,6 ISO 400

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 4/24-105mm 1/1600sec f/6,3 ISO 400 F/4 500 mm lens, but you’ll use it relatively little. You won’t need a tripod at all, as the birds are so fast that the ideal shutter speed is at least 1/1000 sec. For action shots an agile DSLR body and a Sandisk Extreme IV card are probably big help, but the spare battery shouldn’t be left on dry land either. As mentioned in the previous edition, light at dawn and dusk

are the best for photographing, so early mornings and late nights are essential. Indeed, we usually only finished the afternoon session at midnight or twelve thirty, and set out again early the next morning. The most we could do in the meantime was landscape photography from 1 to 4 AM, followed by breakfast, and, in turn the next session. Then we slept until the afternoon to see us through the next trip. It is difficult

to get usual to this regime, but worth the effort. On the open water you can take pictures from the boat as the birds recognize Oleh’s vessel. But finding the eagle population, unsurpassed anywhere else in the world, is no easy task. GPS navigation systems and motorboats are essential to cover the long distances. The birds can be up to 50 kilometre away from the set off point, but a quality guide always knows why,

where, and when you should go to take the most amazing pictures. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t delude yourself into thinking taking brilliant is a piece of cake. The whole action only lasts about 2 seconds, and more often than not the serial warrior approaches from the wrong direction. You need to be totally focused, mentally prepared and calm to take a quality shot. The seagulls, snapped from the boat and from the shore, provided good practice material. As time passed we

endeavoured to capture the eagles is over more extreme conditions. We needed a few days practice to get acquainted with the birds, the wind and the light. Last but not least, good reflexes were required to capture the moment. The results are excellent, this picture (6. page) was internationally recognized and awarded the gold medal by PSA (Photographic Society of America) and FIAP

(International Federation of Photographic Art). A warm thanks to Oleh and the bird itself, without them I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have taken this picture. Aside from the awards it was simply an incredible experience to be part of these amazing creaturesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives for just a little while. But always remember that nature photography has an important universal message. We have to preserve these endangered species

Canon EOS 1D Mark II N, EF 2,8/300mm 1/2000sec f/5,6 ISO 400

and through our pictures we can show the creatures’ vulnerability, sending this message out to a much wider audience, since most of us do not see the beauty of nature at such close quarters. Money and time allowing, treat yourself to a trip to this bird paradise, leaving the mundaness of everyday life behind. A lot of interesting and beautiful pictures can be credited to Oleh Martin’s persistence. This is tha second year that we here taken groups for workshops to the kingdom of the eagles. I can but recommend it to everyone. But don’t be disappointed if you can’t take the longed-for photo at the first attempt. Nature photography involves a lot of persistence and early mornings. May I wish you beautiful pictures and plenty of subjects.

Text, photo and video: Imre Tamás

Basic essential information Location: Central Norway Access: from Trondheim airport on the E6 north, then on road 17 up to the fjords. Subjects: primarily seagulls, eagles, and other seabirds. It is worth photographing landscapes as well near the islands. Equioment: 16-35 mm lens, 70-200 mm and 300 mm lens if possible with 1,4x converter, tripod, ND filter and memory card, as much as you have. Accommodation: In Flatanger and in the surroundings area you can find good quality accommodation. The ideal time to visit: from May to September

Video: Tamás Imre Music: Martin Perhiniak

Interesting places

The Big Mountain of Tarpa / “Hungarikum” (a one-off)

Splendid vantage point on The Bereg Plain Hills rising out of the edge of flatlands are always a sure guarantee of an excellent view of the landscape boasting an almost table top like smoothness. This is true of the Big Mountain too, located at the verge of the Bereg Plain, on the border of the village of Tarpa. Despite standing at a mere 154 metres above sea level, the Big Mountain is not only a mountain in name, but in reality, too. 15-20 million years ago smoking volcanoes dominated the landscape here, the lava ejected from them ranging between 1000 and 2000 metres in depth. In time the area sank, and the Big Mountain’s dacite cupola, as with the neighbouring Kaszony Mountain and the Beregszász Big Mountain, hardly peeps over the accumulated sediment.

Canon EOS30D, 2,8L/80-200 mm f/16 1/200 sec ISO 400

Canon EOS30D, 2,8L/80-200 mm f/16 1/400 sec ISO 400

The Eastern corner of Hungary, characterized by its copses, river valleys, tributaries and backwaters, is one of the prime examples of flora and fauna conservation at its best. The Tisza’s fast flowing upper section featuring smaller tributaries, streams and both permanent and variable water levels, provides a pleasant, humid environment for both plant and animal life. From Tarpa heading towards Beregszász the Big Mountain rises merely 2 kms. Its southern slope is lined with vines and fruit trees, and dotted with wine cellars

Canon EOS30D, 2,8L/80-200 mm f/16 1/30 sec ISO 400

and weekend homes of varying size. The route to the summit cuts a swath between them. The fact that there isn’t an uninterrupted panoramic view from the top poses a serious challenge for the telelens. The mountain is shrouded in woodland. To the Southeast and East, where the sun rises in autumn, lies the one thousand hectare Téb Forest, boasting trees aged between 70 and 80, together with a 10 hectare section, the Big Wood, with its prize 120-150 year old trees between 1 and 1.5 metres in dimension. Oak predominates, mixed with ash and

Canon EOS f/16 1/30 s

hornbean. At sunrise the curtain goes up: the celestial body in red light illuminates the vine covered hill for but just a minute before disappearing in the punctuated cloud mass. Below cold, blue vapours swim and swirl, above a pale pink sky with only the outline of the Beregszász Mountains visible on the horizon. When momentarily bathed in sunlight, the tree lines peep out in a yellow-red light from the blue mist. Good weather protects the chameleon-like foliage right up to November. Another half an hour passes without significant change in the light quality. The sun’s

EOS30D, 2,8L/80-200 mm sec ISO 400

Canon EOS30D, 2,8L/80-200 mm f/16 1/100 sec ISO 400

Basic essential information Location: Eastern Hungary, in the vicinity of Vásárosnamény Access: Take Highway 41. from Nyíregyháza, through Vásárosnamény, until the crossroads at Beregsurány, from there turn right towards Tarpa, it is only 3 kilometres from the junction Subjects: First and foremost, landscapes, minor details, flora and fauna in changing seasons Equipment: Wide angle lenses and telelenses, tripods, release cable, polarisation filter, ND filters Where to stay: Six accommodation possibilities operating in Tarpa, but you can find other boarding easily in the surrounding villages The ideal time to visit: To capture the autumnal flavour the best time to go there is from the middle to end of October, if possible in still conditions

rays break through the clouds, but only cast light on the distant landscape, stubbornly ignoring the woodland at the foot of the mountain. After a mere minute’s suspense, the sun emerges from its den, turning the blue vapour orange, while the rays of light breach the clouds’ defences, cutting a path between the trees. It’s a heavenly drama being acted out, and one worthy of majestic organ music. The camera’s shutter snaps in quick succession, in a desperate race against time before the magic of the moment disappears for good. The sight left

is beautiful, the forest resplendent in yellow-brown pastel colours, the lines of trees steadily succumbing to the mist. It’s truly worth making the pilgrimage here at other times of the year too. The nature trail winding its way up from the foot of the Szőlő Mountain to the very top can be used freely, but for more serious ventures into the forest permission is required from the Hortobágy National Park NyirségSzatmár-Bereg branch. In early spring a lilac carpet covers the floor of the forest, coinciding with the blooming Carpathian Saffron.

Later the adder slides along the forest litter, the raven squarks from on high, above the trees the roller flaps its wings, while the bee-eaters make their nest in the loess wall of an abandoned mine. Many other treasures and experiences await the visitor: painted wooden boarded Reformist churches, complete with wooden bellfries, relics of local architecture, traditional folkweaving from Bereg, so pleasing on the eye, and last but not least the delicious Tarpa plum pálinka (spirits). Text and photo: Árpád Krivánszky

The Gaja stream valley in

the Bakony

The Bakony’s expanses of woodland at one time provided shelter, hiding places and scant but lifesaving nutritional sources for the likes of highwaymen and those on the run. Today, the story has changed, the area being an attraction for weekend hikers and cycle tours. One of the most spectacular areas is the East Bakony’s principal water source, The Gaja stream valley. With its source close to Nagyesztergár, the little river progresses east for 20 kms, then turns south at Bodajk. After replenishing the water reserves at Fehérvárcsurgó, it continues south. In former times it played a big economic role, as every settlement in the surrounding area boasted 3 or 4 water mills. The brook is splendid throughout its length, flowing through a romantic landscape. One marvellous destination for an excursion is the section located between Bakonynána and Jásd featuring the gorge famous for its Roman baths. Where the limestone rock has been eroded most, creating the narrowest of passages, a series of rapids and small waterfalls has formed, producing one of the most romantic and beautiful corners of Hungary. It is worth approaching the canyons from above Bakonynána as the upper stretch of the valley is spectacular too. The trail starts at the edge of the village, where the road crosses the stream. Proceed past the renovated building that once served as the water mill, and walk downhill into the valley, hugging the stream. The river bed gets even deeper, before long the trees conceal the stream babbling on the valley floor. It’s worth making a little detour down the side of the valley, where boulders rise up intermittently and the waters of the Gaja stream struggle through a narrow passage. From the tourist resting point in the valley to the Roman baths’ waterfall is just a stone’s throw. The valley’s other beautiful section is the canyon valley between Bodajk and Fehérvárcsurgó, stretching several kilometres. In the absence of waterfalls, this valley features rapids and The Gaja, almost swollen to a river at this stage. In the highly humid air the flora flourishes in all its glory. The Gaja canyons, complete with their towering rock faces, deep charms and gently murmuring trees, is truly picture postcard vintage. Once two old oak trees stood on the bank of the Gaja, which Flóris Rómer wrote about in his book on the Bakony, published in 1860. So ancient were the trees, named Adam and Eve, that in 2002 they were officially listed so called ’witness trees’ in Hungary. Autumn’s wonderful rusty coloured scenes provide the most beautiful time for touring the area. Text and photo: Béla Szabó

Canon EOS 5D, EF 2,8/24-70mm, 15 sec f/22 ISO 50

Basic essential information Location: East Bakony, Gaja stream valley, between BakonynรกnaJรกsd and Bodajk Access: Turn off from Highway 81. at Bodajk, or from Highway 82. at Zirc Subjects: Mostly landscapes, waterfalls and flowers

Equipment: Fisheye, wide angle lenses, telelenses, tripods, ND filters, release cable, wellingtons and hiking boots recommended Where to stay: Accommodation in Zirc, Bodajk, and the surrounding villages The ideal time to visit: Autumn, winter under snow and spring

Laco (Ladislav) Struhár He is a leading light character of contemporary Slovakian building and scenery photography, also accomplished internationally. He was born in 1954 in Bratislava, the Slovakian capital (where Slovak, Hungarian, German and Czech people lives side by side), which has always been known as a multicultural city à l’époque. One of his grandmothers was Hungarian. He studied in the local Arts and Design High School and graduated as a photographer in 1974. After that, he moved near the amazing Tatra mountains, to Ruzomberok. Nowadays, he lives in Hlohovec, in the hills over looking the Vág valley. The visitors had the opportunities to marvel at the wonderful scenes at 20 independent exhibitions. Abroad his work has been displayed at 21 foreign exhibitions in the galleries of Guttenstein, Austria; New York and Hawaii, USA; De Panne and Stavele, Belgium; Kaposvár, Hungary; Prague, Hranice and Prostejov, Czech Republic; Trondheim, Norway; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Canada; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro; Porto and Lisboa, Portugal. He represents the beauty of the Slovakian scenery and country on permanent exhibitions in Budapest, Sofia, Warsaw and Taskent, in the local Slovakian cultural centers. He has to date 13 independent photo albums, two of them earned a gold medal in the Slovakia’s Most Beautiful Book contest. The “godfather” of his book “Slovakia – Garden of the Dreams” is the President of the Slovak Republic. One of his best selling books presents the Czech capital, Prague. In addition to his independent photo albums, he has shot photos for five other books, among others for “The Harmony of Geometry in Slovakia’s Historical Architecture” and for “Tatra, Slovakia – Country of Colours”. He released almost fifty calendars on assignment from several Slovakian ministries and companies. Besides his creative work, he has been a member of the jury at Monfodi International Photo Saloon of Szolnok and the “Slovakia’s Most Beuatiful Book” contest on enormous occasions organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. He is a member of the Slovak Art Association and the Professional Photographers’ Slovakian Alliance. Laco Struhár still prefers analog technique and medium format slides. He shoots with a Hasselblad and a mechanical camera built by himself. His gear includes many lenses from wide angle to tele, completed with polar and gradual grey filters. His motto is: A good scenery requires respect for the nature, skills, patience, a pod and long shutter speed. A nice pair of boots comes in handy too. Text: Béla Szabó

Portfolio

Slovakia - Garden of dreams

Slovakia - Gard

den of dreams

Slovakia - Gard

den of dreams

Slovakia - Gard

den of dreams

Slovakia - Gard

den of dreams

Slovakia - Garden of dreams

photo school composition tips II. We’re continuing the composition series. As already seen, sharpness and precise exposure are not enough alone – a photograph will only turn into a real picture if the composition itself is good. The rules for composing are largely universal and apply equally to photographing flora, fauna and landscapes, indeed, they are relevant for themes outside nature. It takes just a single click to take a photograph. But before pressing the button, take a moment or two to the composition. If you do so, the consider photo’s quality will increase accordingly. What’s on the menu? We will be serving up a diet of angle, image, rhythm, mass balance, structure, window effect among other tasty dishes.

Autumn leaves viewed from below

It is worth pointing your lens upwards sometimes! One morning out in a beech forest I was greeted by beautiful sunshine and exquisite colours. The leaves, partly still green, but in many places already an autumnal yellow, in harmony with the blue sky, poignantly painted the early autumn mood. The view with the wide angled lens was very pleasing on the eye. I had to search for a distinct motif to serve as a handhold for the viewer on the mountain of foliage. – and found it in the form of a prematurely bare tree. What’s more, the blueness of the sky is even more accentuated behind the outline of the tree stripped naked, resulting in all colours, laden with mood and atmosphere, being equally emphasized.

Change the angle from time to time © László Suhayda Canon EOS 3, 2,8L/16-35 mm f/16 1/200 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

The pair of pictures depicting the grey heron provide a good example of how it is possible to delieve completely different effects and results ever when the pictures are taken from the same spot and about the same subject. The picture taken with wide angle lens captures the animal together with its environment and habitat, creating a special ambience. In contrast, in the picture taken with the telelens the environment barely perceptible, however the photo reveals much more about the animal’s characteristics, personality, and behaviour. We strongly advise to change the lens and the angle for other themes too, such as plants and landscapes. Even by using a smaller zoom lens it’s possible to produce photos with a completely different ambience, if you change the focal length.

Less can be more at times It can advise that we condense our composition in the interests of achieving a bigger effect. By doing so we can direct the viewer’s attention to the most emphasized elements of the scene. The ground was covered with a hard frost when I came across this beautiful, double trunked wild pearl tree particularly attractive was the trunk and the thick branches snaking their way out of it. I moved in closer and took the picture of the inner crown in a narrower cop.

Graphical impression As characteristic shapes catch the viewers’ eyes, it’s worth looking and photographing them. One day out on an excursion, the washed out roots of a pine tree grabbed my attention, their brownish colours complementing the fallen yellow leaves. I had to find a picture cropped which prevented the viewer’s attention being diverted outside the picture frame by the outward developing roots. It is essential to keep every detail in such photos sharp, hence it is worth using a tripod and a suitably narrow aparture. © László Suhayda Canon EOS 3, 2,8L/16-35 mm f/16 1/125 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Natural forms In the same way that little children draw the stars and the sun, so in nature the ray forms and shapes are commonplace. This photo of the inside of a flower has the radiating structure as its main subject, with transitory colours emanating from the core of the funnel. The pistil is located on the horizontal third, but the longer side is devided in a ratio of 40 to 60. The sharpness of the pistil conveys the flower’s, depth, as do the rayed structure behind it and the relative blurriness in the rest of the picture. If you edit a flower photo for the purposes of concentrating on its fascinating construction, then do so explicitly so the viewer won’t think that edges were omitted through sheer negligence.

Rythm I came upon the habitat of the black anemone in unfavourable light conditions. Nevertheless, my attention was caught by three flowers, which not only imitated one another’s forms and bending movements, but also seemed to be like sibling, in 3 progressive sizes. The ever repeating motifs in this photograph an interesting and rythmical feel. Hence, it’s worth looking for and detecting these elements. The attractive background was made possible by a longer focal length and a wide aperture. The tone of the ground is slightly different from the sky’s, enabling the small elements in the top corner to add to the overall effect. However, when the tone (lighting) difference is big, it’s advisable to avoid placing the sky and the ground in one common background.

Window effect On a cold winter morning I took a walk on this meadow at the edge of a village, and came across a couple of old willows. I wanted to capture as much as possible of this fairytale like atmosphere coated in hoarfrost. Of all the pictures I took this one perhaps conveys the ambience of the scene best. The way the branches and trunk of the tree in the foreground embrace the more distant one conjures up a romantic, mystical feel to the picture. I took the photo from a low position (from a tripod), leaving just a narrow band of relatively uninteresting ground and allowing space for the blueness of the sky. I also used a polarization filter to deepen the blueness and increase the contrast.

mass balance It can be the case that a subject appears too small if placed on the third horizontal line, or that an environment disruptive to the viewing doesn’t allow the picture ’room for manoeuvre’. In this situation the main subject is positioned in the middle, or almost in the middle of the picture. Here it’s important to pay attention to the mass effect. In this instance, the tree would make up roughly a third of the whole surface, allowing the viewer’s eye to travel around the subject without interruption. A thin band of ground ’supporting’ the tree is sufficient in the picture. The bareness of the branches help make their assymetry stand out even more, as they stretch out into the mystical mist. The blueish dawn mist defined the branches’ colours and the overall mood of the photograph, for which exposure of a couple of seconds was needed.

Text and photo: Árpád Krivánszky and László Suhayda

Astrophotography The Moonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thousand faces The Moon is a truly spectacular celestial body and an ideal subject for photography. At the same time it is one of the few heavenly bodies that can be both observed and photographed from our modern-day light polluted, urban environment. The Moon is the celestial body where movements and changes of light have been tracked by man since time immemorial. It is quite understandable when you consider the way it seems master of the universe on a clear night.

The Moon’s colourful face Picture of the complete eclipse of the Moon, on 03.03.2007. The coloured surface of the Moon, caused by the Earth’s atmosphere is clearly visible. EOS 400D, TMB 130/780 apo (6/780 tele) 5 sec ISO 200

Despite appearing within touching distance, it is in fact surprisingly distant from us, on average some 384 thousand km, equivalent to 30 times the diameter of the Earth. Light covers this distance in 1.3 seconds, the time it takes the light from the Moon to reach our eyes. Its diameter of 3,476 km amounts to a third to a quarter of the Earth’s. With no atmosphere air temperatures vary extremely. During the 15 days of sunlight and equivalent period of darkness the temperature at its equator fluctuates between -180 and + 140 degrees celsius. Its 30-day circulation and rotation period coincide, called a fixed rotation. This accounts for the fact that seen from Earth the Moon always shows the same face. As far as photographing rare celestial occurences is concerned, a Full Moon and New Moon provide excellent conditions. Solar eclipses, when the Moon covers the Sun as viewed from Earth, occur during New Moons. In the case of Full Moons the opposite happens producing a lunar eclipse when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. Eclipses are a rare phenomenon, occuring on average twice annually, on account of the fact that the Moon’s orbital plane is not totally in harmony with the Earth’s orbital plane of the Sun, the so-called ecliptic. Paradoxically, although a lunar eclipse is a slightly more rare event than a solar one, the former can be observed much more frequently from a set location. A complete solar eclipse can only be witnessed in a narrow band on the Earth’s surface, amounting to a couple of hundred kilometres wide band stretching some thousand kilometres. In contrast, a lunar eclipse can be enjoyed from anywhere should the time of the eclipse coincide with the local night time. In the latter case the Moon darkens and deepens in colour. Our celestial companion remains visible since a small amount of sunlight which penetrates the Earth’s atmosphere illuminates the Moon’s surface. The eclipse’s colour and shade vary. Apart from the characteristic shades of crimson, colours ranging from yellow to violet may also be detected in lighter or darker tones, depending on the composition of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, for example the incidence of volcanic eruption in the recent past. Even a basic or shorter focal length telelens will suffice to produce photos rich in spectacle and ambience capturing these rare celestial moments.

Moon in the wane Nikon Coolpix 4300, TMB 130/780 apo (6/780) 1/30 sec ISO 100 10 képes mozaik

Crater trio On the terminator line the most minute shapes appear in clear definit The photo shows the Theophilius-Cyrillus-Katherina crater trio and its Nikon Coolpix 4300, TMB 130/780 apo (6/780 tele) 1/15sec ISO 1

tion. s surroundings. 100

This video shows the atmospheric turbulence clearly, making photographing the details more difficult. The video was made with a focus extended to 15 m and F/50. Canon EOS 5D MkII, 300/1200 Newton, 640x480

Video: IvĂĄn Ă&#x2030;der Music: Martin Perhiniak

The centrally located Gassendi crater possesses a multiple summit system, with frissures detectable on its surface. It constitutes a ruin crater, its walls are severely eroded, its bed filled up with lava. The same is true for the even more dramatically filled in phantom craters, in its vicinity. To its left the Mare Humorum (Sea of Moisture) is visible. Nikon Coolpix 4300, TMB 130/780 apo (6/780 tele) 1/15 sec ISO 100

Ashgrey light With a slight horned moon, the Moon’s dark side is perceptible, from where the ’Full Earth’ illuminates the Moon’s surface. EOS 350D, TMB 130/780 apo (6/780 tele) 4 sec ISO 200

Of course the Moon’s ever-changing face itself provides numerous photographic opportunities. A lot of theories have been proposed down the ages as to how and why the Moon remains Mother Earth’s faithful companion. The Moon’s shape in essence dates back to a more turbulent period in the formation of our solar system but which is still observable today. Its surface is characterized by dense craters caused by meteorite attacks. The large swatches of flattened surface, where the craters are less dominant, have been filled up with lava. Their shadows are darker than the environment as a result of volcanic material. In the past these areas were thought to be seas, from where they got their latin name mare. The craters which were formed earlier were either completely or partially buried by lava, and the latter formation is referred to as a phantom crater. Apart from the craters, numerous other forms can be distinguished, (including) for example mountains, river valleys, crevasses and domes. Today the Moon is, in a geological sense, a dead celestial body, in effect atmosphere free. Viewed from such a huge distance, we cannot observe the changes caused by the weathering process, slowly but surely, but sure, deriving from the extremes in temperature. You are mistaken if you are led to believe that a Full Moon provides the best opportunity to observe the craters and other more minute forms. Instead, the surface contours are best defined when the Sun illuminates the landscape from a low angle, seemingly scraping the surface. This situation coincides with the Moon’s rising and setting. The Moon’s day and night path is called a terminator, and is in continuous motion, when the Moon, in common parlance, either ’waxes’ or ’wanes’. On this line even the most intricate details can be observed clearly, preferably in the area of the first and last quarters (half moon). We can capture the craters in most detail either with a bigger focal length lens or else an astronomical telescope. The Moon entirely fits into the focal length up to a 2600 mm focus (1.6 crop case: 1600). Consequently, we don’t need to think twice about mounting a 2x extender on the longest telelens. However, ensure that the tripod is stable, as the mirror and the shutter system’s movements can easily upset the body, resulting in a blurry picture. That’s why it is essential to

use the mirror lookup function together with the remote release. To establish the correct exposure, employ spot metering, guiding value F/5.6 and ISO 100 sensitivity with a recommended 1/250 exposure. Of course this can change depending on the Moon’s phase and atmospheric conditions. As long exposure is impossible due to the Earth’s rotation, it is advisable to increase the ISO value and expose as quickly as possible, in order to avoid bluriness. In the case of 1000 mm. focus, at 1/30 the picture already starts to move because of the Earth’s rotation, but with a clock drive this can be eliminated. An astronomical telescope allows us to broaden our photographic possibilities. One way is by using the telescope as a telelens, whereby the required adaptor is attached to the DSLR, in the absence of a lens. The focal distance can be increased further courtesy of a barlow lens or ocular projection method. At the same time we must bear in mind that the more we stretch the focus the longer the shutter speed we need for the correct exposure, and the more difficult it will be to keep the system steady. Thanks to a telescope we can photograph with even compact cameras. In this situation the camera is attached to the telescope’s eyepiece , and the picture is obtained through it, in afocal mode. For this purpose, cameras with small front lens are ideal. Using this technique enables us to zoom in with ease, simply by adjusting the telescope itself. A further advantage of the compact camera is that the shutter system does not upset the exposure. Indeed, we can still use it during delay or remote release! Changes in atmospheric turbulence can obstruct the production of a detailed picture, resulting in a wavy edge to the Moon and blurred details. To achieve success, photograph the Moon at its high point in the sky, and persevere in an effort to increase your chances of capturing the most minute details.

Text and photo: Iván Éder

The Moon itself can be disturbing, as when its just above the horizon its light illuminates the sky, making it impossible to pick up the faint objects. One problem that can arise during long exposure periods is the apparent movement of sky objects, resulting in the blurring and streaking of the stars in the picture. The reason for this phenomenon is the rotation of the Earth. The movement can be tracked by means of an astronomical mount with clock drive (with an astronomical tripod, obtainable in specialist shops). This device turns the mounted camera equipment in the opposite direction. Its worth shooting the Milky Way with up to a 50 mm equivalent lens, using F/4.0 at a sensitivity of ISO 400, for a recommended 5-10 minute exposure. In summer the most captivating sights are from the constellation of Sygnus to Sagittarius. These recommendations are only valid for digital cameras. With regard to reciprocity failure, the exposure time should be increased to 20-40 minutes in the case of film (slides, negatives). The summer Milky Way’s most distinctive deep-sky objects become definable even with wide angle shots, among others Lagoon Nebula, Sagittarius Star Cloud, M22 Glubular Cluster, Wild Duck Cluster, „E” Dark Nebulas, Dumbell Nebula and North America Nebula. All of these galactical wonders can of course be captured with longer focal length lenses, whose techniques will be presented in a later issue of our magazine.

Text and photo: Iván Éder The Moon and Venus in the daylight sky The Moon covers Venus’s meagre crown in the daytime skies, seen clearly with the naked eye on 18.06.2007. Picture taken a few minutes after this phenomenon. EOS 350D, SkyWatcher 80/600 ED (7.5/600 tele) 1/400 sec ISO 100

ric - Bengal tiger crossing a creek

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, MP-E

tips and tricks flies, bees and wasps The hymenoptera order constitutes a populous and varied group within the insect family. They vary widely in terms external appearance and habitant. One grouping feeds on nectar and pollen, other types are characterized by a predator lifestyle. Of particular interest are types living in groups. They can be found in any free areas, even in close proximity to humans. But it’s important to avoid taking photos close to beehives and wasps’ nests, as their chemical defence systems can pose a real danger to the photographer. In contrast, they are generally harmless in their feeding ground. Their size can range from a few milimetres to a few centimetres, and are extremely agile. Insect photography, like all specialized areas, requires experience, an appropriate technical background and, occasionally, a knowledge of the subject’s lifestyle. Primarily it is necessary to use either a macro lens or else other technical equipment such as a close-up lens, extension tube, reverse ring. It’s possible to use a tripod, thereby remaining motionless at a much frequented flower or watering place. However, in the majority of cases we can only follow the rapid movements courtesy of a handheld camera together with a high ISO, small depth of field and quick exposure time. If the situation allows it is worth using something to rest the camera against. It is a game of trial and error because the subject’s speed of movement often results in sharpness not being where you want it. In addition, we two legged humans cannot compensate for the stability provided by a tripod. It is often the case that, from the photography point of view, the positioning is unfavourable or indeed unnatural. This is where the digital camera really comes into its own, eliminating the need to save on shots. For smaller flashes the ring flash is recommended, while for longer focal lengths a more powerful 2 or more headed macro flash is necessary. If the flash is used as the main light, then you must take care to avoid the background darkening in unnaturally. What is strongly advisable is to use a filling flash at only a low performance level, thereby playing a secondary role to the main actor, the natural light, which constitutes the main light.

2,8/65 mm 1-5x macro, MR 14 EX vaku f/8 1/200 sec ISO 400

Luxury panorama

Canon T90, SSC 4/17 mm f/16 1/250 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

My long cherished ambition was to present the beehive’s living quarters and environment from the perspective of the bee leaving through the opening, a truly bee’s eye view. With this in mind, I placed a camera in a beehive. The task was made more difficult by having to reconcile the internal area’s illumination with the external lighting. Lacking a light meter, I was also deprived of advanced technology commonly in use today. Through a test run I could determine the appropriate ratio between external and internal illumination. The immediate playback function was not an advantage in this process, as the result could only be scanned after the development of the first role of film.

Face to face On many occasions you need luck taking photos. This green eyed fly was possibly ill or injured (fortunately there weren’t any visible injuries), accounting for why it didn’t take flight, indeed, it put up with the relocation to a red environment more in harmony with its eye colour. I used two flashes in order to achieve the desired effect. Canon EOS 3, MP-E 65 mm 1-5x macro, MR-14 EX vaku f/8 1/200 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Swarm of bees in the air For bees in the colony the time when they go in search of a near residence is an exciting period. I was successful in capturing on film one station in this process when the swarm rested on the branch of a walnut tree. I consciously took up position so as to capture the bees’ glittering wings in counterlight. By focusing on the mass of bees clinging to the tree branch I was able to conceal the disruptively sharp light emanating from the Sun’s outer rim. The photos were made by hand.

Canon T90, 4L/300 mm f/11 1/1000 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Canon EOS 3, 3,5L/180 mm MT 24 EX vaku f/6,7 1/200 sec Fujichrome Velvia 50

Wasps looking out at the world At the end of summer I came across a completely developed, large-scale wasp colony. Curious about the internal structure of the wasps’ nest, I broke the nest up. In so doing the lined up wasps venturing from the nest provided an interesting sight. I couldn’t take photos properly during daylight because the wasps attacked fiercely : I was in protective gear, gloves, but still I got stung! As a result I made the photo in the evening, in darkness, using a tripod. In such contrast themes the TTL system often lacks accuracy, that’s why it is worth taking trial shots and in turn adjusting the exposure. To illuminate the object correctly I made use of an independently guidable and regulative two head macro flash.

Ruby-tailed wasp (Chrysis pseudobrevitarsis) The fire red ruby-tailed wasp can be encountered in spring and summer on flowers or sun heated surfaces or awaiting their mate. What is lacks in size – only 6-7 mm – it more than makes up in colour and spectacle. Its small size requires the application of a special macro lens, and its agility required the use of a hand held camera. The appropriate short exposure can be ensured by a macro lens. The flash provides a somewhat harder, more contrasting illlumination, resulting in a greater sharpness and fuller colours.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, MP-E 2,8/65 mm 1-5x macro, MR 14 EX vaku f/8 1/200 sec ISO 400

Robber fly (Asilidae) on a white flower One category of hymenoptera, which includes the robber or assassin fly, pursues a predator lifestyle. The assassin fly lies in wait for the similary sized - 20 to 25 mm – or smaller victims, principally flies, bees and moths. I came across it in a meadow rich in flowers, pleasing on the eye. I took the pictures with a relatively small depth of field with a weak filling flash. With insect photography the photo does not have to be sharp at all costs. In this photo only the head and the forelegs are sharp, nevertheless the real predator character is conveyed to us.

Canon EOS 400D, EF 3,5L/180 mm, MT 24 EX vaku f/7,1 1/200 sec ISO 200

Courting wild bees In spring I spotted these mating wild bees, or carpenter bees (Xylocopa), on a tree stump. The female measured 12 mm, while the male at 6 mm was only half the female’s size. I could take the photo right up close, supporting myself on the stump, as the couple, lost in love, remained aloof to my presence. Generally, you have to take care that the flash doesn’t darken the background unnaturally, however in this case the darkened background enhanced the photo, accentuating the beauty of the insects; hairy body, their eye shape and other features.

Canon EOS 40D, MP-E 2,8/65 mm 1-5x macro, MT 24 EX vaku f/8 1/250 sec ISO 250

Envelopped in pollen I stumbled across this pair of mating flies in a beautiful, pink-white flowered area. What was of particular interest was that while feeding they covered themselves in pollen so much so that they disappeared under the thick layer. I could photo the couple from close up, in calm conditions, from a tripod. To achieve more balanced illumination I used a slight filling with a ring flash. Canon T90, 4/200 mm macro, Hanimex vaku f/6,7 1/90 sec Fujuchrome Velvia 50

Canon EOS 40D, EF 3,5L/180 mm macro, f/5,6 1/200 sec ISO 200

Wild bees on a cirsium flower One cloudy late September afternoon I came across wild bees gathered on a bunch of a vividly coloured cirsiums. It was an occasion when a flash was not required to take an insect photo. Given appropriate light, and in the absence of a flash, the light conditions are more balanced. There is hardly any shadow in this photo, while the natural light presents the environment in all its authentic glory. I achieved the picture with a tripod, narrowing the aperture to just the right setting. Feeding time and movement often pose a serious challenge for the photographer, hence we have to take a lot of photos of them to guarantee success. The particular difficulty involved in this photo was synchronizing the point in time when all three bees were in a ’photo friendly’ position, constituting a pleasant end result.

Text: Árpád Krivánszky and László Suhayda Photo: László Suhayda

Photo club Society of German Wildlife Photographers (GDT – Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen) There is an organization for wildlife photography in almost every European country. In Germany this has been the GDT (Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen), the Society of German Nature Photographers since 1971. Being the largest organization in the whole of Europe, this Society has an international reputation for exquisite wildlife photography. At present the GDT has almost 1000 members from all over the world. The GDT serves German and international wildlife photographers as a platform with many kinds of different uses. The GDT aims at a better understanding of nature and thus promotes issues of nature conservation through authentic and visually appealing photographs. Exhibitions at home and abroad (e.g. at the “Automobilforum unter den Linden“ in Berlin, at the station concourse in Potsdam or the Allianz Center in the Hanseviertel in Hamburg), our yearly international nature photography festival with visitors and photographers from all over the world, the renown contest “European Wildlife Photographer of the Year”, seminars, books and calendars as well as our own magazine “Forum Naturfotografie” are all a means to convey the GDT’s matter of interest and illustrate the high level of German and European wildlife photography.The GDT is officially supported by the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, which acts as patron for events and exhibitions hosted by the GDT. Sponsor membership in the GDT is open to everyone. Those who want to become a full member have to file an application with 20 wildlife photographs. Besides the object of the photograph, criteria of assessment include above all picture composition and the photographer’s performance. It goes without saying that authenticity is a key issue and manipulated documents are out of the question. In their photographic work, respect for nature is the main guideline for every GDT member. Members of the GDT include amateur and professional photographers from Germany just the same as photographers from other European countries or overseas. Our list of members includes internationally well-known names such as Frans Lanting, Klaus Nigge, Norbert Rosing, Ingo Arndt, Winfried Wisniewski, Dietmar Nill and many more. All these pictures are from the internal GDT contest “GDT Wildlife Photographer of the year”. This contest is – in contrast to the European contest – just for GDT members. Contact: Karen Korte Körnerstrasse 4. 24103 Kiel, Germany e-mail: gtt.gs@t-online.de

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2008 / Andreas Volz

The yearly contest “GDT Nature Photographer of the Year” is owned by GDT / Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen.

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2007 / Uwe Hilsmann

GDT Nature Photographer of t

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Thomas Block

GDT Nature Photographer of the

The yearly contest â&#x20AC;&#x153;GDT Natu is owned by GDT / Gesellscha

the Year / 2008 / Dieter Hopf

e Year / 2009 / Sandra Bartocha

ure Photographer of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? aft Deutscher Tierfotografen.

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Bernhard Volmer

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Bernhard Diehl

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Markus Botzek

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Dr. Kyra Sänger

The yearly contest “GDT Natu is owned by GDT / Gesellscha

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Bertram LĂźtke

ure Photographer of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? aft Deutscher Tierfotografen.

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Bernhard Brautlecht

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2004 / Markus Botzek

GDT Nature Photographer of the

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Thomas Brocher

GDT Nature Photographer of th

The yearly contest â&#x20AC;&#x153;GDT Natu is owned by GDT / Gesellscha

e Year / 2009 / Holger Dörnhoff

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Andreas Volz

he Year / 2009 / Sandra Bartocha

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Dr. Kyra Sänger

ure Photographer of the Year” aft Deutscher Tierfotografen.

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Thomas Block

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Dr. Martin Schmidt

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year / 2009 / Heinz Buls

The yearly contest “GDT Nature Photographer of the Year” is owned by GDT / Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen.

Digital image editing Adobe tools for photographers Many photographers are in trouble when the shooting is done and it is time to sit down and start processing the pictures. Most of them just start using the special tools by themselves and learn the essential functions over time. A lot of photo enthusiasts fall in love with the image processing

procedures and spend much time expanding their software knowledge; however, the majority never exceeds the first level and uses the only software they have. Moreover, they do not utilize all the functions of these programs because they do not feel the need for it.

Some people say everything depends on the moment when the picture is taken, others say the professional image enhancing is similarly important. In my opinion, the right way is to focus on both phases equally. The modern, professional photographer must know their camera and gear, must know how to compose and plan; must know their theme, hence they have to be familiar with the image processing programs to show the

mood of the captured moment completely. There are many ways to get acquainted with these programs: You can learn by experimenting, learn from other users, you can attend trainings or you can read the technical literature. Every photographer must decide how important the image processing and the knowledge of these programs are. Anyone can start working with the majority of image

processing tools at starter level but they need extensive experience to use the options given in the programs really deeply. It is not worth staying at the autodidact level. It is important to learn handling these programs from an external source. The superficial knowledge of these tools generally leads to overretouched, kitschy photos, whereas the right processing routine could enrich the vision and

increase our photosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quality. First of all, we must see the purpose of the particular software. The lack of knowledge or the misleading communication of the manufacturer could often lead to false theories upon image processing tools. In this article we will identify Adobe image processing programs and we will discuss the main differences. This is the key to deciding what exactly we need.

Photoshop Undoubtedly this is the ultimate in image processing tools with the largest feature set. Currently Adobe has version 11 on the market, and Photoshop will soon celebrate its 20th birthday. It is very popular since it has become a mandatory utility in various professions. Photoshop immediately comes in to minds for many of us when reaching the topic of photo processing. Photoshopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feature and function list could be scary for new users and could easily discourage them. What you have to see is that any kind of photo manipulation

is possible with Photoshop, either a most amazing retouch or the barely perceptible fine tuning. It is entirely up to the user to decide what to use it for. Out of the three Adobe image processing programs, the use of Photoshop is the most difficult to learn. One might say it contains a bunch of unnecessary or disturbing functions. An adequately experienced photographer generally uses about twenty or thirty per cent of Photoshopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s functions.

bridge Bridge joined the Adobe creative software range at the time of version CS2, two versions ago, to make searching, filtering and opening files easier. It can be considered as an advanced File/Open command, which offers a more transparent way to display photos, videos, audio- and other multimedia files for professionals. With this tool the user cannot directly edit images; however, it can process Camera RAW files with the Adobe Camera RAW plug-in. As a result, the user can work on the RAW files quickly and they only need Photoshop for retouching.

Bridge is not for editing and processing photos but for providing an option to organize and manage your images efficiently. It is very simple and easy to use and the photographers who have already got used to it find it difficult to switch to a similar but more advanced program. Bridge attracted a lot of photographers even before Lightroom appeared on the market.

lightroom The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, to give it its full name was designed exactly for photographers. Its only new function is cataloging, thus it is mainly nothing more than the merge of Bridge and Adobe Camera RAW in a transparent and more efficient user interface. Just like Bridge, Lightroom can be learnt quite quickly too, since it only contains the bare minimum for photographers. Lightroom makes Bridge meaningless, except when one uses not only photos but videos or vector graphics as well. Lightroom is undisputedly

the most practical image processing tool from Adobe, which is not a full alternative to Photoshop, but contains most of the important features for photographers. With this, one can browse in a single catalogue for all the photos one has ever taken, be they a digital or scanned, and Lightroom can store each change to every image without the necessity of manual saving.

Workflow Adobe’s image processing tools are not replacing one another but are rather co-operative programs. Lightroom is the most useful tool for a regular photographer, but to realize all visions, they might need the other two software as well. It is worth importing photos to Lightroom directly, because the images are automatically added to a catalogue. Consequently, one can overview all of their photos easily and quickly and ensure the protection of edited and original photos. Lightroom contains five modules: the “Library” is the first, where the user can organize, tag and overview the photos. The second is “Develop” module, where image processing and modifying happens. Those who know Adobe Camera RAW from Bridge or Photoshop will be familiar with this module. Here the user can edit, crop and level the photos, adjust exposition and tones. The finalized photos can be prepared for presentation in the next three modules. It is possible to create slideshows and web galleries as well as print images in Lightroom. If one wants to retouch their photos, to create montages or panoramic images or to apply special artistic effects, they must switch to Photoshop. Images that are finalized there can then be added to Lightroom catalogues; however, it is recommended to manage them separately. This is when Bridge into its own: unlike Lightroom it can handle almost all file formats so it is a useful tool to manage the editing files of retouched photos. There are many ways to work with Adobe tools so the above described is just one option. Every user should combine the features and options of the three programs or use just one or two of them according to their needs, but to be really successful it is highly recommended to know all three tools thoroughly.

Text and pictures: Martin Perhiniak

experiences in the Field canon EOS 500D test

Thanks to the commercial retailer, I could get my hands on the final version of the Canon EOS 500D for a few days at the beginning of July. As I’m mostly interested in nature photography, I took it to my favourite place, the national bird reserve in Hortobágy. As I use Canon equipment when I’m working, I didn’t lose my way handling the menu of the body, and so I could start the test run armed with considerable experience.

ric - Bengal tiger crossing a creek

Imre Tamás - Lebegés Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, 300 mm

Canon EOS 500D, EF 2,8/400mm 1/400sec f/6,3 ISO 400

f /3.2 1/800 ISO 400

External appearance I would rank the body alongside the EOS 450D, but in terms of knowledge it far outstrips it. Its hold is much more comfortable than with the smaller Canon bodies, but it doesn’t hurt to use a grip for the benefit of a secure hold and taking horizontal pictures. Unfortunately, we cannot venture out in unfavourable weather conditions

(dust, rain, etc.) with this body, as Canon didn’t design this model for extreme situations. Its cover is tough plastic that doesn’t contain rubber seals. But let’s not write it off, as it proved exceptionally useful during the device field test. The real big breakthrough with Canon entry class bodies is the higher ISO sensitivity together with the HD video function.

The picture quality and ISO sensitivity The 500D features the fourth generation Digic IV processor that we are already familiar with thanks to the EOS 5D Mark II. At the heart of the machine is the 15 megapixel CMOS, capable of pictures of astonishing quality. The size of the APS-C CMOS is compatible with

Canon EOS 500D, EF 2,8/400mm 1/160sec f/5,6 ISO 400

a 1.6x crop. With regard to the full-frame size if we count up this resolution we reach an astonishing conclusion : if we multiply the 15 megapixels by 1.6, we get a 24 megapixel resolution, making it a bigger resolution than all other Canon cameras on the market. How about this...all this for only a quarter of the price of the professional

cousins! So why buy a professional body? During the ISO testing I ascertained the following : from ISO 100 to 400 there is only minimal change in quality; at 800 the noise really sets in, but using a Digital Photo Professional software with the noise reduction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Luminance Noise Reduction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; set at 04 we get perfect pictures in size 43 Mb. Using

RAW conversion, with a 3x16 bit TIF resolution the uncompressed picture size can go up to as much as 86 Mb. This is perfectly sufficient for creating an 28x40 inch of exceptional quality print. The photo taken at ISO 1600 was noisy, but useable for smaller prints. The camera is not suitable for nature photography at a higher sensitivity.

Hortobágy, in July The humidity and wet conditions put the DSLR to the test. To maximize the results, I went to the hide the night before and spent the night there. In darkness I set up the tripod placed a Canon EF 2.8/400 mm L IS USM lens on it, and attached the body to it. It was an interesting sight to behold when the Moon’s light outlined my equipment, and smiled at the smallness of the body compared to the lens. I woke at 3:30, and my expectations were exceeded, as 8 birds overnighted with me. I set the ISO to 800, and waited for the light of dawn. A Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) was so close that it stared into the camera, making for a beautiful portrait. Most probably due to the scarc light I had to continually adjust the sharpness on the lens’ focusing ring to achieve the optimal crop. At last the dawn light arrived, and presented me with a beautiful picture of a Great White Egret (Egretta alba). In the execution the 500D performed well, not jumping around the sharpness, despite the backlight getting increasingly brighter. I really enjoyed photographing. In a short while, fog descended around my tent. The pictures taken with the Canon 500D are viewable with a 3” Clean View LCD screen. All the pictures, including the ones taken in the fog, were clearly viewable even when the focusing was incorrect. The 920 000 pixel resolution screens appear in this category for the first time.

Canon EOS 500D, EF 2,8/400mm 1/2000sec f/5,6 ISO 400

Of course I couldn’t leave out the video function from the test run. Previous experience (EOS 5D Mark II) taught me the value of using a tripod to video. A first in this category is the ability to make 1080p HD videos. If you want to record longer periods, or don’t want to use up all the free space on the memory card, you can record in 720p or VGA resolution. The function itself was granted a button in its own right, bearing the symbol of a video camera. Photographers used to shooting in a RAW format should remember to set the white balance and picture style modes before recording, as its not alterable later on the mov files. To play the video back, or to edit, use the accompanying ZoomBrowser. For immediate playback, including a HDTV, you have a built-in HDMI function.

In summary The Canon EOS 500D is a supremely intelligent entry-level DSLR body. In contrast to its predecessors, this is the first one I can truly recommend for nature photography; for both those with a high end camera already it would provide the perfect sidekick, and for beginners it is an absolute must. It is really worth the money. Body guaranteed by Canon Hungary.

Text, photo and video: Imre Tamás

Canon EOS 500D, EF 2,8/400mm 1/80sec f/4,5 ISO 400

Video: Tamรกs Imre

experiences in the field nikon d5000 test The Nikon D5000 is a versatile DSLR, it is able to capture not only outstanding quality still images but high resolution, audio enabled D-Movie videos as well. The 12.3 Mpixels DX-format sensor records exceptionally detailed photos. With the innovative, variable angle LCD screen and the Live View function you can easily take photos or record videos from any angle.

Nikon D5000, 4/300mm 1/90sec f/6,3 ISO 400

First impressions I got the camera for testing from Nikon Hungary Ltd in June. For hands like mine accustomed to handling professional Nikon bodies, this indeed relatively small camera felt strange to the touch, but this feeling turned to warm appreciation of the camera. The D5000 is a mid-level DLSR with CMOS sensor and 12.3 Mpixel resolution. It stands between D60 and D90; however, it is closer to the D90 regarding of specifications and features. The rear LCD immediately captured my attention, because Nikon has realized a new idea: the screen swings down and can be rotated; this allows easier photo shooting since it can be an alternative to an external digital viewfinder. Additionally, the screen can show image crop on such perspectives that a regular DSLRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screen cannot handle. The 2.7â&#x20AC;? screen is clear and bright, the resolution is 230 000 pixels. The photographer can see all settings on the screen in quite good quality: should they change anything, the result is simulated graphically. This is a very smart and convenient solution since it minimizes the possibility of mistakes caused by incorrect settings. The viewfinder shows a bit smaller picture than in D60, although it is not disturbing while shooting. The sensor dust reduction system is activated immediately at power on and power off but it stops instantly when the shutter button is pressed and the camera is ready for shooting. The D5000 has inherited the same 11-point autofocus system that was introduced in D60; in most cases it sets the focus correctly so it is definitely easier to shoot good pictures. The images can be stored on SD or SDHC memory cards.

Nikon D5000, 4/300mm 1/640sec f/5,6 ISO 400

Nikon D5000, 4/300mm 1/80sec f/5,6 ISO 400

Video: Jรกnos Szekeres

Field experiences After a lot of testing and trying out I took the D5000 to my favourite terrain. I was curious how the new body would perform. The weather did not spare us, as it rained heavily so we quickly set the blind, camouflaged ourselves, got in and waited for fortune to smile on us. After about an hour’s waiting the first hart showed up, then the others followed. The Nikon’s screen showed incredibly nice images when I checked what I had taken. Despite the rain the lights were beautiful. The misty scene offset the deer beautifully. Soon some wild boars appeared, so I thought ‘Hey, let’s record a video in the rain!’. In Live View mode the D5000 offers 1280x720 pixels, 24fps HD video recording. It gave me some time to find how to start recording: after setting Live View you have to push the OK button to start; it would be more convenient if there was a dedicated button for it. Bear in mind that while recording, the focus can be adjusted only manually. Beware: the built-in microphone records even the smallest whisper! It was a great experience to shoot still images and record videos with the same camera. You can display your images and videos on HDMIenabled devices. On the left side of the camera there is a HDMI, a USB and a regular video output; additionally, you can even attach compatible GPS receivers. The D5000’s battery capacity offers about 500 shots with moderate usage of the screen and the built-in flash.

summary The Nikon D5000 performed very well, the large screen displays images nicely. What made a very positive impression on me was the shutter sound, being very low and soft.

Text, photo and video: János Szekeres

young talents

Jerzy Grzesiak

How long have you been taking photos? When I was 11 years old I combined my two biggest subjects of my interest: wildlife and photography. Being specially keen on ornithology I took my first steps in bird photography. Over the years I have gained a lot of experience, also in other fields of wildlife photography. Which one is your favourite place or country for photography? The majority of my photographs were taken in Poland. My favourite place is every wild one. I particularly enjoy a walk in a forest at sunrise with my camera. The allure of a soft, morning light is irresistible for me. There is always some magical scene, crying out to be photographed. What kind of special equipment do you use? I take my photographs with Canon 40D, mainly using 100-400 zoom lens for bird and mammal shots. I use a wide range of tents and hides to get close to animals. Among my favourites are home-sewn tents made from some gardening fabric. I spread these on a frame of branches and leave in an interesting place in a field. I also have a floating hide to take photos of water birds. Now I am experimenting with a radio remote shutter switch, trying to take close-ups of wild mammals with a wide-angle lens (17mm). As we can see on your website you earned lots of awards. Can you tell us which is your most treasured one? My first international award was for a photograph highly-commended in The Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was a picture of a goosander. It was the second award for a Polish

Droplet ruff Canon EOS 40D, EF 100-400mm

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The guardian of the mist Canon EOS D60, EF 100-400mm

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Goosander Canon EOS D60, EF 100-400mm

photographer in the long history of this competition. A lot more awards were received for my picture entitled ’The guardian of the mist’, including some from international competitions in Spain, Italy and Germany (GDT). Your book ‘Fascination’ is out. Tell us about this book! It was published in Poland and consists only of my photographs. I also described some methods I used to take particular pictures and added my article about

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wildlife photography. As you are living in Poland, probably you can recommend to our readers a couple of nice places in your country. Can you share these places with us? In Poland there are still a lot of places with relatively unharmed wilderness. I particularly like a few bird refuges, places where innumerable flocks stay to feed and rest during migration. These are Biebrzański Park Narodowy – the biggest National

Park in Poland, protecting the marshlands of the Biebrza River, and Ujście Warty National Park founded to preserve backwater areas of the Warta River. What do you think about professional photography? Do you think in the future you will make a living from photography? Unfortunately in Poland it is very hard to earn a decent living by photographing wildlife. Morover my second hobby is capital

Bored fox - Canon EOS D60, EF 100-400mm

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Roe deer at sunset - Canon EOS D60, EF 100-400mm 1/750sec f/8 ISO 100

markets and I would rather work in this field. With a bit of luck I will be able to divide my time between photographing and regular work. Do you have any secret desire? I would like to have enough time for wildlife photography. A success here is not a case of a particular, remote place, because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to take an outstanding picture just near your home. However, a great amount of time is a must in this subject.

If you could choose, which part of the world would like to visit? Since the very beginning of my photographing I have been dreaming about a trip to the Falkland Islands. There is a great variety of species, not afraid of human. Also I would like to spend some time exploring a pristine rainforest. In which magazines can we see your pictures? I have my photographs and articles published mainly in Polish

magazines, particularly nature ones! I also had my pictures in National Geographic USA and Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Photography. What is your availability or your website? Feel free to visit my website at www.JerzyGrzesiak.pl (also in English). There you can find not only galleries of my pictures, but also an on-line catalogue and some photographs from my fieldwork. Interview: Adrien Imre

Spring bird-photography workshop in the Hortobágy National Park

Date: 29th of April to 3rd of May, 2010.

This Workshop gives a unique opportunity to photograph some of the special birds of the World Heritage Hortobágy National Park in Hungary. We shall be hoping to capture as many moments of the target birds as possible with our cameras! This will include both hide photography and stalking. Our Workshop will be led by Tamás Imre professional photographer, Canon Wildlife Ambassador. With the following key species: Great White Egret, Little Egret, Pygmy Cormorant, Ferruginous Duck, Redfooted Falcon, Collared Flycatcher, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Hawfinch. Also a wide range of waders and passerines possible. Approximately 30-35 species of birds during the workshop. Since the maximum number of participants to this workshop is limited to 9 person, we accept reservation in order of registration! Price: 850 euro / person and SRS is 60 euro The price includes all transport (with minibus for airport transfer and 4x4 cars in the Hortobágy), all

accomodation in the Trófea Nature Lodge, all meals, all guides, available professional photographer assistance, all national park and fisheries entrance fees and the usage of the unique hide system. Upon request Canon and Nikon lenses are provided with limitation. First evening Tamas Imre will guide you through the secrets of the bird photography. • On Thursday afternon/evening landscape photo opportunity: sweep-pole well trio. • Three full day bird photography in fix hides with maximum 3 persons/hide. • For hide details check out the Sakertour website • Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening photo analysis about the taken photos. Registration by email : sakertour@gmail.com Or via phone : +36 30 9957765 or +36205575572 The workshop organizer is Tamas Imre, Canon Wildlife Ambassador Co-operation with Janos Oláh, SakerTour

www.sakertour.com

book review Laco Struhár Slovensko - Zem pod nohami (Slovakia – The Ground we stand on) Slovensko - Záhrada snov (Slovakia – The Garden of Dreams) Accompanying text written by Stano Bellan It is not everyday that you find two books published together. But this is exactly what Laco Struhár, the extraordinarily talented Slovak landscape and building photographer, has undertaken. He presents Slovakia from the heart, rather than through tinted glasses, for commercial purposes. In ’Slovakia – Garden of Dreams’, Struhár uses the landscape as a pretence to express his thoughts about the world. For his part the pursuit of harmony, peace and silence is what really matters. His pictures bear the mark of technical precision.He shows an endless respect and admiration for nature and the Earth’s beauty and variety, be it low hills, mountains or peaks reaching up to the sky. All too often we fall into the trap of thinking the grass is greener in distant lands, ignoring the treasures on our doorstep, captured in photo albums. But this is a mistake as Laco Stuhár’s work proves, documenting everyday wonders we are witnesses to in picture form. We come face to face with a fruit tree in bloom, a track traversing a cornfield, a rain-drenched pine forest. With the aid of his photos it is perhaps easier for us to recognize the beauty and harmony of our own environment.

In ’The Ground we stand on’, he travels the length and breadth of his mother country, Slovakia, and presents a considerable part of his country’s architectual culture, together with the relics from down the centuries and the forefathers’ heritage. He makes full use of light, accentuating the essential features and downplaying irrelevant aspects. You should stop and think how much love, time, expertise and sheer hard work has been invested in presenting a country amounting to some 49,036 square km, which gained its independence in the heart of Europe on January 1st, 1993. It goes without saying that for Stuhár’s part photography means light, the picture and the thought. This book is a must for lovers of landscape photography. Buildings and ambiences are captured in

unusual ways. The author’s perspective will undoubtedly provide food for thought for our own approach to photography. Publishing: Slovakia, Spektrum Grafik E-mail: laco.struhar@gmail.com

Brutus Östling the kingdom of the eagle Brutus Östling’s name is known not only in his native Sweden but throughout the world, courtesy of his books which brought him the the prestigous WWF Panda prize. Östling took up diving in the mid-90’s, producing a huge number of photos in the following years. At the turn of the millenium he „came ashore”, since when he has all but concentrated on taking photos in areas above the sea level. The

Kingdom of the Eagles came out in 2007, complete with the thoughts of Staffan Söderblom and the pictures of Brutus Östling. Söderblom, Professor of Literature at Göteborg University, had already shown his love and understanding of nature’s wonders in his earlier writings. While the lion is the king of the savannah, , the eagle is the master of the skies. The book depicts the life of these birds of prey through fantastic photos. The eagle’s flight, hunting, resting and everyday mundane struggles are all documented in the book’s

pages, allowing us to witness moments and events that only the privileged few experience at first-hand. Tracking down and photoing the predator of the sky is a truly challenging task requiring patience in abundance. Brutus Östling performs this task pac excellence, bringing the eagles’ exciting and breathtaking kingdom into our homes and daily lives. Publishing: A&C Black Publishing E-mail: salesoffice@acblack.com www.acblack.com Price: Ł25.00

dvd review

BBC wildlife series

the island where with every single step you risk stumbling upon life endangering snakes. The film takes The highly successful BBC series us on a journey from the ocean to ’Wildlife on One’ is – finally now the poles, revealing every aspect available on DVD. Award-winning of the snakes’ lives, and explaining cameramen’s scintillating shots and special camera positions adorn how they conquered the world. this unique series, which allows us The eagle an intimate and unprecedented Few bird species have ever stirred insight into the incredible lives of the imagination of man as much these animals. as the eagle has. For centuries this magnificent predator has been DVD collection I. the symbol of power and bravery. The world plays host to around The snake 60 different species of eagle, all Snakes are incredibly tenacious and dangeorus creatures. They can of which have learned to adapt go without food for up to months, brilliantly to their environment, making their habitats famous but when the opportunity arises for their feared hunter residents. they pounce on their victims Courtesy of special aerial shots we in a flash. Enter a world where can become familiar with these the Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) can outpace the human unique birds of prey. being, where the cobra can spit out its poison even 10 metres, zooming in on the prey with laser-like precision. Get to know

The tiger Tigers are graceful, powerful and dangerous. The dignified way they go about their daily lives is worthy

of note. This animal is fully aware that it’s the principal predator in its environment. We can track its daily life from dawn to dusk, in pouring rain and under scorching sun. The leopard Leopards are the masters of concealment and smash and grab raids. Secretive and almost untraceable, they are the least known of the large African predators. Like domestic cats, leopards often hunt at night, at dawn or dusk. Their substantial size, coupled with the efficiency characteristic of smaller cats, makes them highly dangerous. By day leopards mainly hide or rest, only becoming active at night. For that reason tracking them was no easy task right up to only a few years ago. But armed with state-of-the-art equipment, the BBC cameramen, in daylight and at night, produced exciting recordings never seen before of this immensely talented hunter.

bleak, icy terrain, and continuously DVD collection II. roam the land in their nomadic existence. Their lives are a constant The crocodile struggle for survival, preoccupied Since the age of the dinosaurs with the search for food. The expecting polar bears are capable one species of reptile has existed on Earth, namely the crocodile. of going months without feeding Even after 70 million years this in the Pole’s harshest climate, perfect killing machine is still our taking refuge in their caves cut planet’s most successful fresh out of the snow and ice. Here water predator. Crocodiles are not they give birth to their young. choosy about the menu, feeding This film follows the life of the on anything and everything: snails, polar bears for a whole year. We fish, birds or even buffalo. They can witness at first hand the birth of the offspring, their frolicking can be found in all tropical fresh waters. With the aid of modern around, and marvel at their technology we are able to examine graceful movements under water, their marine and land habitats, and their swimming prowess and their discover the hidden secrets of how feeding methods. this extraordinary creature has survived so long. The wolf Wolves’ stunning intelligence, The polar bear teamwork and stamina are the These predators are at least as stuff of legends. These qualities amazing as the snow covered above all are what enables them landscape they call home. The to hunt down animals up to 10 bears have to be strong to times their size. Continuously have a chance of survival in the on the run from mankind, today inhospitable environment that they have been driven into the is the Pole. The winter here is tightest corners of the Northern brutally cold, the animals have to Hemisphere. Nowadays, the live through months of darkness, once commonplace wolf howl, whereas in summer continuous bloodcurdling and spine chilling, blinding sunlight sweeps the is now just a collector’s item, landscape. Polar bears live on such is the plight of the wolf. That’s why their filming posed a several thousand square miles of

serious challenge. The film was shot by our BBC colleagues in the wild, not in reserves, namely in Canada, America, Europe and the backwaters of India. The whale First impressions can be deceiving: judging from its size and movements you would assume that the Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a gentle giant, but the truth is that this huge mammal is an intelligent killer. For a long time it remained a mystery as to how the whale could be such an effective fisherman, but upon close inspection it came to light that they posses a hightech under water detection and communication system enabling them to track fish shoals even kilometres away. Whales work together in a team. Using their advanced sound organs, they ’shout at’ the shoals, rounding them up in a ball shaped formation, then with an almighty swoosh the fish disappear into their mouths. This film closely follows the whales extraordinary journey. At close hand we become acquainted with their feeding and breeding habits, together with their amazing struggles.

web review

Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe Over the course of his 30-year career, photographer Art Wolfe has worked on every continent and in hundreds of locations. His stunning images capture and record the world’s rapidly disappearing wildlife, landscapes and primitive cultures, and are a lasting inspiration to those who seek to preserve them all. Wolfe’s photographs are recognized throughout the world for their mastery of colour, composition and perspective. In May 2007 Art made his public television debut with the high definition series “Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge,” an intimate and upbeat series that offers unique insights into nature, culture, and the new realm of digital photography. The thirteen episode series received American Public Television’s 2007 Programming Excellence Award—unprecedented for a first season show—and the second season is currently airing nationwide. Review When visiting the ’Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe’ website the visitor is welcomed by a fantastic start page, that changes every time you navigate to it; I really liked this idea. The navigation of the website is easy, which makes it practical as well. By clicking on ’ TV Series’ you can choose a continent on the graphic map and learn about a new expedition. After

selecting you get a short introduction about the place you are virtually visiting, for example Alaska, Katmai Coast, after which you can watch the informative video about the place. Of course, there are also photographs to view on the left side of the screen. The interactiveness of the website is amazing. The information shown is compact but essential and the included photos and videos are spectacular, thanks to Art Wolfe’s artistic talents and power of photopraphic perception. His pictures really impressed me and made me aware of the beauty and vulnerability of the Earth.The whole series of Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe consists of 26 episodes, for all of which an introduction can be found on the official website. By clicking the ART WOLFE button on your visit, you can navigate to the artist’s commercial website where you can order the DVDs in different packages and other merchandise. The pictures on the website really don’t need a lot of explanation, the design is aesthetic, clean and smart. The bigger the audience that such a TV series of the Earth’s wonders attracts, the more respect and care we can nurture towards animal life on this tiny yet fragile blue planet in the universe. A nature photographer of Art Wolfe’s stature can do much to promote the recognition and protection of animal life. In summary, I warmly compliment the designer of the website and can recommend everyone to see it. Text: Balázs Biró

Article by Ágnes Kiss and Bence Máté

Costa Rica

Talent, creativity, diligence and a love of nature are characteristic of Bence Máté. These features all contribute to the making of his career life’s work in nature photography. He took to photography like a duck to water, showing immense promise and talent, winning and performing well in a number of domestic and international competitions. At 15 he was already aware that his hobby was his life’s mission. Recently he launched a large-scale project by which photographers from all over the world will be able to experience the mysteries of nature, particularly in the bird world, from Bence’s revolutionary form of hides. These new user friendly hides are the product of long and detailed planning. The special glass used in the structure allows discrete observation of the birds without disturbing them. Furthermore, the panoramic view available serves to facilitate photographing. The idea of upgrading the successful wildlife photography tourism around Pusztaszer to an international level took off in 2007. Two other young enthusiasts teamed up with Bence to make the dream come true: Ákos Hivekovics, a seasoned world traveller, natural scientist and a distinguished marketing and communication expert. Secondly, Csaba Gődény, IT and webpage editing expert. The trio’s passion for nature photography and combined expertise in various fields make them the perfect team to realize this goal.

There is only 4 mm of glass separating Bence and our most reserved bird species, the Black stork (Ciconia nigra)

’Don’t adapt to this w rather change it by re your knowledge’

world, enewing

ÂŠ Ă gnes Kiss

Eyelash palm pit-viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) in yellow. This snake is one of the smallest but most dangerous ones in Central America. Its poison destroys the central nervous system.

I set off in November 2008, accompanied by Bence and Csaba, leaving the European winter in our wake to map out the primary location of Hidephotography’s (www.hidephotography.com) first international base camp. Destination: Central America’s peaceful and tropical country: Costa Rica. Our more than 18 hour flight came to an end in San José, Costa Rica’s capital. The next day we met up with Ákos, who flew in from U.S., and Kurt Schmack, owner of the Laguna del Lagarto lodge, on whose property we hoped to establish the hides. From San José we reach Pital within a few hours, the nearest small town, which is still accessible by concrete road. From here we arrive at the lodge after two hours travelling on a dirty road, located 15 km from the Nicaraguan border on the edge of the rainforest. The typical climate of Costa Rica comes as something of a shock, the humidity up to almost 100% in places, while annual precipitation can be up to 4000 mm. The frequent and heavy rainfalls are commonplace, but don’t bother the locals like they do us. But the sooner we adapt to these conditions, the better. © Bence Máté

The Che The launch of the first hide in Costa Rica

estnut-mandible Toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) is a frequent visitor to the Lagarto lodge

Owl butterfly (Caligo memnon)

25% of the country is covered by jungle – theoretically. Contrary to our expectations, we tend to encounter pinapple, banana and manioka plantations. As the population grows, there is less and less jungle remaining, as the banana plantations and stock rearing require huge areas of land, resulting in deforestation. Since 1950 around 60% of the rainforests have been destroyed, to satisfy the need of the American market, among others. Most of the jungle still left is now a national park and protected area. Costa Rica, among the tropical countries with rainforests, perhaps leads the way in nature conservation programmes, making its biodiversity one of the best in the world. The government tries to preserve the rainforests by offering substantial sums to local landowners in return for maintaining the status

quo. The huge emphasis placed on tourism development, particularly ecotourism, is borne out by the 1 million plus tourists who visit this politically and economically stable country every year. Costa Rica, where the official language is Spanish, has a population in excess of 4 million. We tried to acclimatize after our arrival, but for the whole duration of our stay we failed to come to terms with the blood-sucking insects. The first month went by very painfully, and despite repellants and long sleeves we looked like victims of chicken pox. Part of the 500 hectare territory belonging to the lodge is primary rainforest, the rest socalled finca, or agricultural land bordered by lagoons.

El (Megas a gig Ce

lephant beetle soma elephas), gantic insect of entral America

Leafcutter ants (Atta cepalothes) grow a special mushroom on the collected leaves, that can’t be found anywhere else. The ants and their grubs feed on this mushroom.

The uguanian Green basilisk (Basiliskus Plumifrons) that belongs to the leguan family, can w distances on water, thanks to it’s strong hind legs. It is a really good swimmer and climbs trees Locals call it the lizard of Christ.

Because of heavy rains dirt roads just turn to mud. Viktor and his friend are trying to rescue their vehicle from being swalloved by the mud. But they are still in good spirits.

walk long really well.

Our lodging (www.lagarto-lodge-costa-rica.com) is second to none, boasting hot and cold water, electricity, full board and cloths washing facilities. The food is out of this world, thanks to Adolfo, the chef, who uses fresh vegetables, fruits and meat to make the local specialities. Costa Rica’s national dish is the ’gallo pinto’, a rice and bean vegetable dish with various seasonings. We only became familiar with one version of it, but on a regular basis (to Bence’s chagrin ). The only real problem was the mould, caused by the high humidity, proving a real headache when it got in between the lenses of our cameras. The situation deteriorated day by day, no matter how hard we tried to keep our equipment dry. First the leather belongings fell victim to the mould, then our stored clothes. To find the ideal spot for our hide we used a local guide to discover the area, then a few days later ventured out on our own. The fact that we only had a little time to become familiar with the wildlife and the lie of the land before getting down to work presented a huge challenge. Communication with the locals isn’t easy either, since they don’t really speak English and we don’t really understand Spanish (except Ákos, but he only spent a month with us). In a tropical area moving about in a jungle requires more concentration than elsewhere given the density of dangerous creatures, and particularly if you don’t want to end up in a local hospital like the careless adventurer, being treated for a coral snake’s bite. As a result, our daily wear consist of wellington boots and long-sleeved polo shirts, come rain or shine, and 30 degree temperatures. © Bence Máté

Bence’s leather boots were covered with mould within weeks

Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) are seen very often on the shores of the lagoons around the lodge, they usually come out at night.

After selecting the first location for a hide we set out procuring the building materials. However, we came to realize that the work morale of the locals differ greatly from what we are used to. Here people don’t live to work (and perhaps they’re right). Consequently, we soon got behind schedule, but there was nothing we could do about it. We just had to grin and bear it as the delivery of wood materials promised in 3 days finally arrived after 3 weeks. Pura Vida! – this local saying dating from 1956 says everything about their view of life, and was a lesson we learned during our stay. The locals mostly live off the land. Their modest homes, often built on stilts, resound to the noises of children. Santa Rita is the nearest small town from our lodge, reachable in 20 minutes on foot. As public transportation is problematic from the small villages, with only 1 or 2 buses daily, the locals’ preferred modes of transport are motorbikes and horses. Owing to the frequent rains small bridges will sometimes simply collapse under the force of nature, leading to the temporary ceasure of bus services. When this happens, the villagers from both sides of the bridge will assemble and decide to build a replacement bridge, which, in turn, will be washed away in the next downpour. On the ’Rich Shore’, dating back to the time of Colombus, 350 out of a total of 800 bird species were observed near the lodge, making it a paradise for ornithologist. The first of the three planned hides is for the observation and photography of scavenging birds, such as the king vulture, turkey vulture and black vulture. The hide is dug halfway into the ground, its roof covered with a thick layer of soil, producing a pleasant climate for the resident. Furthermore, it can be used at any time of day, without disturbing the birds. The other 2 hides are similar in their construction. The ’Big Tower’ is located at the edge of the rainforest, below a solitary tree. Its windows look out on open areas, making it ideal for taking pictures of birds in flight. HidePhotography’s ’Forest Tower’ is deep in the heart of the jungle.

The Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus) uses it’s long tongue to feed on the nectar of the flowers when flying. These bird’s small feet are incapable of walking, they only use them for sitting and holding on to branches. Their shoulder joints can be moved in all directions, allowing them to fly wherever they please.

Bence is working on the pole of our first hide. Many times we were out there working even after sunset.

Israel (left) and his partner. I went horse riding with him every Sunday. This was a good opportunity to listen to his stories about the very interesting local flora.

Lowland forest racer (Dendrophidion vinitor) versus green lizard

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) ) is active during the night, in daytime it is resting camouflaged in the leaves of the trees with its legs squeezed tightly to its body. Its beautiful red eyes are protected by a transparent eyelid as well, that imitates the pattern of the plants.

The Forest Tower

Thanks to the remote location and the deep jungle we can photo birds rarely viewed from the end of a camera lens. Despite the dense foliage both sufficient light and a homogeneous background are available owing to the fact that the hide’s windows face a narrow lagoon. Most of the hide building is done by ourselves, except for the help of a few local tico. Even so it takes us 6 months to complete. The task is very challenging, but Bence is a great team leader, planning every minute detail of the construction process. Due to the lack of time during our stay there we hardly had an opportunity to take photos. That’s why after 3 months’ continuous work we decided to take at least our Sundays off. In addition to birds we often came across snakes (at least 160 species can be found in the country), caymans in the lagoons, monkeys (howler, squirrel and caputchin), frogs (the red-eyed tree frog being probably the most widely known), butterflies (Costa Rica boasts 10% of the world butterfly population), leguans, coatis, anoles and sloths. The original plan was to stay until the middle of March, but when it turned out I had been admitted to university I had to return home at the beginning of February. The boys, meanwhile, extended their stay to the 24th April.

Nest step the world’s biggest swampstand : Patanal, Brazil Text: Ágnes Kiss Photo: Bence Máté és Ágnes Kiss

The local team (far left Chele, far right Mauricio, the two most helpful locals) and Bence

editorial Tamás Imre

Anikó Imre

János Szekeres

Béla Szabó

Árpád Krivánszky

László Suhayda

Adrien Imre

Iván Éder

Editor in Chief : Tamás Imre tamas.imre@naturephotomagazine.com

Editors: Anikó Imre Árpád Krivánszky Béla Szabó János Szekeres László Suhayda Associate Editors: Adrien Imre Ágnes Kiss Balázs Biró Bence Máté Iván Éder Martin Perhiniak Copy Editor: Árpád Krivánszky Art Director: Anikó Imre Graphical Design: Martin Perhiniak Web Design: FX designport Web Product: Mesharray Translators: Balázs Biró Gabriella Szekeres Paul Morgan Advertising: Anikó Imre aniko.imre@naturephotomagazine.com

Nature Photo Magazine www.naturephotomagazine.com info@naturephotomagazine.com English contact: Balázs Biró

Bence Máté

Ágnes Kiss

balazs.biro@naturephotomagazine.com

Publisher: Thomas Picture Publisher Ltd. Address: Hungary Budapest 1576 Pf. 3 All rights reserved © 2009 Thomas Picture Publisher Ltd. The Nature Photo Magazine assumes no responsibility for solicited or

Balázs Biró

Martin Perhiniak

unsolicited contributions and materials.

Raptor photography workshop in the Hortobágy National Park This Workshop gives a unique opportunity to photograph raptors and particularly eagles in the World Heritage Hortobágy National Park in Hungary. We shall be hoping to capture as many moments of the White-tailed Eagles as possible with our cameras! Our Workshop will be led by Tamás Imre professional photographer, Canon Wildlife Ambassador.

to relax after a cold winter photography, all meals, all guides, available professional photographer assistance, all national park and fisheries entrance fees and the usage of the unique hide system.

Date: 25th of February to 1st of March, 2010.

Programme:

Upon request Canon and Nikon lenses are provided with limitation.

With the following key species: White-tailed Eagle, • First evening Tamas Imre will guide you through the Common Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-eared secrets of raptor photography. Owl, Steppe Gull, Hooded Crow, Raven, Middle Spotted • Three full day bird photography in fix hides with Woodpecker, Hawfinch. Approximately 15-20 species maximum 3 persons/hide. of birds during the workshop. • For hide details chcek out the Sakertour website: http://www.sakertour.com/hides.php Since the maximum number of participants to this • Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening photo analysis workshop is limited to 9 person, we accept reservation about the taken photos. in order of registration! Registration by email : sakertour@gmail.com Price: 850 euro / person and SRS is 60 euro Or via phone : +36 30 9957765 or +36205575572 The price includes all transport (with minibus for The workshop organizer is Tamas Imre, Canon Wildlife airport transfer and 4x4 cars in the Hortobágy), all Ambassador accomodation in the Hotel Balmaz with spa facilities Co-operation with Janos Oláh, SakerTour

www.sakertour.com

next issue

november 16, 2009