Capturing Light in a Box

Of equal importance to fishing will be the opportunity in New Zealand to take pictures of some of the most photogenic scenery in the world. Over the past 20 years I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel and photograph so many beautiful places in the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. I have now passed over 15,000 images taken with my trusty Nikon D100 which replaced my long time Nikon N90. I recently purchased a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 zoom and a 2x extender for use in tracking down a few glamorous penguins and maybe a Kiwi or two. With the 1.5x magnification of the Nikon, this should be the equivalent of a 35mm camera with a 600mm lens. Bring it on Mr. Penguin!

I hope the first penguin sighting will be at Lake Moeraki on the second day of my extended travel along the west coast of the south island after fishing at Lake Rotoroa. The penguins are known to occasionally be found at the beach on the upper left corner of this picture. http://www.uniquelodges.co.nz/lakemoeraki/


Lake Moeraki Lodge is approximately at the vertical white line in the center of the picture.





However, I must be realistic about my hopes.
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/dec_media_061122_03
Reports that " Mr Graeme Taylor from New Zealand's Department of Conservation said the fiordland crested penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), whose population is believed to be 3,000 pairs worldwide, lives and breeds on New Zealand's south island and Stewart Island. "The limited population makes the fiordland crested penguin one of the two rarest penguin species in the world, with the yellow-eyed penguin the rarest of all the species.""While these penguins feed in the southern Tasman Sea and off the southern Australian coastline, it is very unusual that they would come ashore on the eastern Australian mainland at this time of year, as they normally only return to shore where they breed."

Can I find one of these rare handsome creatures? Will the Sigma 70-200 with extender be enough? Will I be fast enough to focus and compose the shot? Stay tuned folks.

Another post will discuss the use of wide angle lenses. Sphere: Related Content