Simplicity on the Cape

Head of the Meadow Beach, Cape Cod

Good morning from the Cape! 

I could easily spend the entire summer on Cape Cod photographing its rolling sand dunes and blue skies.  Such simple subjects to photograph, yet an endless array of possibilities given the changing light, skies and colours. 

Hope you are enjoying your summer.

Cheers,

Claus

Postcards from the Cape

Intertidal Pool near Race Point

Seagrass and the dunes

Intertidal Pool 

Sunset over the Cape (notice the sunspots)

Sunset over the Cape

Greetings the from the Cape!

Cape Cod has always been one of my favourite places to photograph.  The soft pastel colours of late afternoon sun, the golden dunes, the seagrass gently blowing in the breeze and the miles upon miles of empty beaches - such is life on the Cape.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

Photographing Gulls

All images captured with a 105mm f/2.8 lens (VR set to 'on')

What do you do when a Cape Cod beach is closed for swimming due to strong currents and heavy winds?   Well, if you are a photographer you would throw Goldfish crackers in the air and photograph the gulls as they perform a variety of aerial acrobatics overhead ....

Postcards from Nauset, Cape Cod

Gentle surf - f/22  2 sec. exposure

Moon light over the water - f/22  18 to 30 sec. exp.

Greetings from Nauset Beach, Cape Cod.

One of my favorite places on Earth is Nauset Beach located in Orleans, Cape Cod.  Its ultra-fine sand, the gentle surf and the most incredible evening light have always captivated my soul ever since my childhood days when visiting the Cape with my folks.  Very little has changed since then.

I could easily spend the entire summer on the Cape capturing its beauty and its countless moods on film.

Speaking of which, I guess I should slowly make my way back to the beach.

Cheers, enjoy your day!

Claus

Sunset over the Cape

Sunset, as seen from Race Point (Cape Cod)

Ahh, life can't get any better!!!

Whale watching

A humpback whale swimming on its back

What a day at sea!

Yesterday afternoon I joined a whale watching tour that took us ten miles off the shore of Cape Cod.  During our four-hour tour we spotted 15 humpback and 18 minke whales feasting on an abundance of aquatic invertebrates, fish and plants.  The highlight of the afternoon was spotting a mother humpback with her six-month old calf in tow.  We were also treated to some fin slapping and breaching (unfortunately I was too slow to capture the breach on film - only managed a shot or two of the enormous splash).  According to the biologist onboard fin slapping on the water is a form of communication between whales.  Toward the end of the tour I managed to photograph a humpback swimming on its back.  Incredible creatures!

Our marine biologist was able to recognize most individuals that we spotted thanks to the unique colour patterns and markings on the the backs, tails and fins of each whale.  He was extremely excited to have observed that the mother humpback and her calf were new to the area (and as of yet un-named).

Photographing these marine mammals was relatively straightforward.  Throughout the photo shoot it was important to keep in mind that a whale may breach or slap its tail very close to the boat and the resulting splash may very well drench the camera gear (salt water is unforgiving to electronics).  I always carry a plastic bag large enough to cover the camera and lens just incase.    For my images (available on my website) I used a Nikon D700 with a 300mm f/2.8 lens attached.  The vibration reduction mode was switched to 'on' to compensate for the rocking motion of the boat.  I also decided to use Aperture Priority mode as this took care of the ever changing light conditions which allowed me to concentrate on the composition of my images.  You will also need to figure out an ISO that is high enough for fast shutter speeds which makes for crisper images since both the boat and whales are constantly moving.  Using the Continuous High Shutter Speed mode allows you to shoot numerous frames per second.  Depending on light conditions you may wish to underexpose your images by as much as 1-full stop (this ensures the white colour markings on the whales are not blown out). 

Here's another useful tip - the straps on the camera and lens are there for a reason - USE THEM!!  Also, try not to hit the heads of excited kids with your lens.

More images from yesterday's photo shoot are available on my website.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

Postcard from the Cape

Hello from Cape Cod!
This shot was taken shortly before sunset at Race Point Beach.
I always look forward to photographing the evening colours of the Cape.
Enjoy!
Cheers

Cape Cod at Dusk

A quick hello from the beaches of Cape Cod!

Last night I had an opportunity to photograph the outgoing tide a few minutes after sunset.  I was hoping to capture a few shots illustrating the colours, patterns and movement of the gentle waves lapping onshore.  The camera, with 300mm attached, was mounted on a tripod.  The f/stop was set at f/22 with an exposure ranging from 1 to 2 seconds.  A cable release was also used to minimize disturbance to the camera.  Above are a few of my favorites.

Now, once the rain stops, it's time to capture the dunes, beaches and ocean bathed in sunlight.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world

Cheers,
Claus