Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/05/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hoo-ha! Another Bourbon drinker on the list! Max ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kyle Cassidy" <KCassidy@asc.upenn.edu> To: <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 9:32 AM Subject: [Leica] Bald Eagle Photos; proving I'm far lazier than doug herr > In 1980, Pennsylvania had only three pairs of nesting bald eagles. Today, > there are something like 45 pairs, largely due to reintroduction. Hardly a > stellar comeback, but a significant achievement nonetheless. > > I knew that to photograph a bald eagle in Pennsylvania would be a > challenge, > but one that I felt up for. In late 2003, a pair of bald eagles nested at > the Beaver Run Reservoir in westmorland county. They hatched two babies > and > later that year, the father was shot by a turkey hunter but the two babies > survived. > > Across from their aerie is a sheer 60 foot rock cliff with no road access > that looks down from about 120 feet -- I knew this would be the vantage > point from which the nest must be photographed. I called > ye-professional-photo palace to rent a 600mm f4 AF-S and a 1.4x > teleconverter, and looked into the proper gear backpack for climbing the > rockface. Then I scheduled climbing lessons at the Centerville Rock Wall > gym. Bob Tukkas was very helpful in teaching me piton and caribeaner > skills. > I slated two hours for the climb which left me with a dilema, I wanted to > get there just as the crepuscular light broke over the nest, which would > have me climbing at dark, a dangerous prospect. > > "Ah, what the hell," I figured, and took the lens rental money, bought a > case of burbon and went to the philadelphia zoo and photographed Ritz and > Glory with a 300mm where they sat, ignominiously, with an autographed > (philadelphia eagles) football, looking very bored. > > http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/cassidy/lj/2005/eagle.jpg > > Then I had ice cream and went home, realizing I'll never be half the > photographer doug herr is, but I do have a case of burbon. > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information