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Florida Birding and Photofest
Apr 2, 2013 09:09:23 #
I am going to be in Florida during the Florida Birding and Photofest, although I had not planned on attending. Has anyone attended in the past? If so, were the sessions worth the cost?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Apr 2, 2013 09:29:46 #
Only you can see if you think it s worth it, there are lots of items on google
http://floridasbirdingandphotofest.com/
http://floridasbirdingandphotofest.com/
Apr 2, 2013 09:58:25 #
I went to St. Augustine with my camera club the weekend after the photofest, hotel rooms were available and so were the birds. We went to the alligator farm and had hundreds of nesting birds of all species. Old, downtown, St. Augustine is a great photo op. We took a walking "Ghost tour" as well as a horse drawn carraige ride, got some great photos during both. Crowds were down too.
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Apr 2, 2013 13:19:24 #
Great! Thanks for the info. I was already planning on going down by Fort Myers, Alligator Alley, and Gatorland. I'll just kill a couple of extra days and attend the Photofest. On April 1st they did waive the $25 registration fee. I'll go ahead and check thing out for the first two days, before I head for the Atchafalaya (sp?) area around New Orleans on the way home.
Semi-retirement is really great!
Semi-retirement is really great!
Apr 2, 2013 13:26:18 #
Was just up at Gatorland 2 weekends ago, more nesting birds, eggs and chicks, was a good trip. For an extra $10.00 they will let you in at 0730, photographers pass, so no regular crowds to contend with, just tripods.
Apr 2, 2013 15:17:25 #
So is it better to carry a tripod or a monopod into Gatorland. Also lens choice: 70-200 or 200-400 zooms or a 600mm f/4?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Apr 3, 2013 08:09:43 #
BobHartung wrote:
So is it better to carry a tripod or a monopod into Gatorland. Also lens choice: 70-200 or 200-400 zooms or a 600mm f/4?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Bob, if you get the photo pass, bring the tripod, otherwise, you will do all right with a monopod. You will definitely get some great shots there. When they do the Gator show, get there about 15 mins early and get a good spot. You can get some good action shots of the Gators jumping out of the water to eat chickens.
Apr 3, 2013 08:14:16 #
I had a Tamron 18-270 in my D7000 and hand held it. Lots of photogs had big lenses on tripods. Some nests are less than 10' away and others several hundred
Apr 3, 2013 09:10:28 #
I was there just a few weeks ago.
Both a long and a wide-to-medium lens had their places.
A Nikon 28-300 worked well for the nesting birds/chicks (& gators) that were up close.
For those across the lake (wood storks with chicks in nest and flying/courting great, snowy & cattle egrets, tri-colored herons, etc.), I used both a 200-400 and a 600mm. The 600mm with a 2x extender on a tripod was useful for getting the distant nest shots but there are plenty of photo ops (from boardwalk on near side of the lake) with a much shorter lens.
see:
http://waltc.smugmug.com/Travel/Gatorlandrookery/
Walt Custer
Both a long and a wide-to-medium lens had their places.
A Nikon 28-300 worked well for the nesting birds/chicks (& gators) that were up close.
For those across the lake (wood storks with chicks in nest and flying/courting great, snowy & cattle egrets, tri-colored herons, etc.), I used both a 200-400 and a 600mm. The 600mm with a 2x extender on a tripod was useful for getting the distant nest shots but there are plenty of photo ops (from boardwalk on near side of the lake) with a much shorter lens.
see:
http://waltc.smugmug.com/Travel/Gatorlandrookery/
Walt Custer
Apr 3, 2013 09:28:10 #
wcuster wrote:
I was there just a few weeks ago. br Both a long a... (show quote)
Thanks for the Gatorland information and the link to your photos. I will be at Gatorland Apr 14-16 and then will attend Photoshop World in Orlando.
Apr 3, 2013 09:42:34 #
BobHartung wrote:
I am going to be in Florida during the Florida Birding and Photofest, although I had not planned on attending. Has anyone attended in the past? If so, were the sessions worth the cost?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I attended last year and enrolled in four workshops. Typical of most conferences, some were better than others. Very reasonably priced. The exhibits were a surprise. Lots of booths with some good conference-based discounts. Last year, St. Augustine, for me, was the biggest attraction.
If you are into birding and want to learn more about photographing birds, I would say it may be worthwhile. I was and am not, but still found it a valuable experience and may attend again.
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Apr 3, 2013 09:42:41 #
See also:
http://waltc.smugmug.com/Travel/Florida-select-March2013
Fort De Soto was especially good.
http://waltc.smugmug.com/Travel/Florida0201303-FtDesoto
Walt
http://waltc.smugmug.com/Travel/Florida-select-March2013
Fort De Soto was especially good.
http://waltc.smugmug.com/Travel/Florida0201303-FtDesoto
Walt
Apr 3, 2013 18:52:46 #
If you don't mind a jaunt north to Lakeland, check out the Circle B Bar reserve - if you search the 'hog, there are some good pics - no admission, uncrowded, with some friendly birders to aid in spotting and ID'ing species. Oh, closed Mondays.
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