Zambian Dawn

Straw-coloured Fruit Bat ZAMBIAN DAWN (Eidolon helvum) Kasanka National Park, Zambia. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon 1DX, 500mm F4 L IS, Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 (with Deluxe Swing-arm upgrade) ISO 400 f/5 @ 1/2,000s Manual Mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Dreams

I suppose I should call this post Zambian Dreams....

Seeing 7 million Straw Colored Fruit Bats return to their roost in Zambia was something I have wanted to do since I was about 8 or 9 years old after reading about it in one of the first National Geographic Magazines that I ever saw in the elementary school library. It was when I first imagined what it would be like to see the world as a nature photographer! Said to be the largest mamal migration on earth, this was the single most impressive natural history sight I have ever seen.

This is pretty much the image I have had in my head all those years; I always try to pre-visualize the images that I would most like to capture; sometimes they work, other times mother nature throws a curve-ball and they don't. I knew the money shot would be a wide shot with the treeline and the sunrise, but I didn't know I would use my 500mm lens to get it. It's always a good idea to bring a selection of equipment, even when you don't expect to use it.

Now back to the dreams; they can come true - wink.

About the Straw-coloured Fruit Bat

During November and December each year five to seven million straw-coloured fruit bats take up residence in one hectare of Kasanka National Park’s mushitu swamp forest.  Enticed by the abundance of such delicacies as musuku, mufinsa and the other wild fruits in the area, colonies of bats start arriving in late October. Straw-coloured fruit bats are identifiable by their pale, tawny fur and bright orange neck.  As with all fruit bats (alias flying foxes) they have dog-like facial features with small ears, large eyes and a long snout.  The wingspan of a straw-coloured fruit bat reaches 85-95cm making them the largest bat in Southern Africa. By day the bat colony roosts in the trees of the mushitu forest, packing themselves around branches and trunks which often break under the sheer weight of bats!  Daily life is not easy for the bats as many predators including raptors turn to a diet of bats for the two months that the colony is in residence. Fish eagles, martial eagles, vultures and numerous other raptors have been seen to take the bats in flight and from the roost.

Christopher Dodds Canon Northern Explorer of Light

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus, Ours Blanc) at Cape Tatnam Wildlife Management Area (south of Wapusk National Park) along the shores of the Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Canon 1DX, 500mm F4 L IS , 1.4X Teleconverter III, Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 (with Deluxe Swing-arm upgrade) ISO 800 f/8 @ 1/800s Manual Mode. PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION HERE.

Canon Northern Explorers of Light

I am thrilled and honoured to share the news that I have accepted the invitation to join the Canon family and their NORTHERN EXPLORER OF LIGHT Initiative as an inaugural member. The Canon Northern Explorers of Light initiative has been founded for the purpose of educating photographers and targets professional photographers. It truly is a huge honour, and I am very grateful to be one of the founding few to be recognized by Canon as a worthy ambassador. Watch out for news from Canon and I'll be sure to let you know when their new pro website goes live over the next few weeks.

Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai Workshop / Photo Safari July 24-30, 2011 Announced

Coastal Brown Bear Female (Sow) Fishing in Last Light Vertical (Ursus arctos) Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park, AK Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DMKIV, 500mm F4 L IS with 1.4 Teleconverter II, Tripod & Wimberley Head II. ISO 1600, F5.6 @1/2000s Manual mode. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PRINT or LICENSE IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION.

2011 Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai Workshop/Safari Announced

Join me, Christopher Dodds, and some of the more than 2,000 Coastal Brown Bears at the best place in the world to photograph Coastal Brown Bears. Claiming the world’s highest concentration of Coastal Brown Bears, Katmai National Park in Alaska also has to be the most beautiful setting on the planet to photograph them. Truly the adventure of a lifetime, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to see, study and photograph Coastal Brown Bears in their undisturbed, natural environment without the influence or pressure that large groups and camps often cause. I have secured the much coveted dates of July 24-30, 2011; timed to coincide with the annual Salmon run. With a limit of only six participants, there will be plenty of time for instruction and personal attention from Chris. MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION FORM HERE.

EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT & CANON RAIN COVER BONUS

Register for the 2011 Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai Nature Photography Workshop/Safari early and you save $380.00 per person AND receive a limited edition (rare) Canon rain cover for your camera. Choose between the large (400/2.8, 500/f,600/4 or 800/5.6) or medium (200/2, 300/2.8 or 400/4) versions. Supplies are limited; offer valid only while supplies last. Special thanks to Canon Canada Professional Services for the rain covers. REGISTER HERE.

N-Rain Cover E2-M (medium) or E2-L (Large): Keeps your professional camera clean and dry when shooting in a wet environment. Compatible with current profesional Canon EOS Cameras. Transparent window enables clear visibility of the top and rear LCD panels and LC monitor. Front fastener enables easy attachment and removal of all lenses. Displays a large printed "Canon" logo and includes a soft case for compact packing.

CANON EOS 7D and CANON EOS-1D Mark IV firmware updates
Find out more about the latest firmware updates for the EOS 7D (Version 1.2.2) and EOS-1D Mark IV (Version 1.0.8) DSLRs that include a fix to ensure set apertures stay in place when shooting EOS Movies in manual. 

Updates available for download HERE