Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/05/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]What brand of bourbon? Buzz Hausner >From: Kyle Cassidy <KCassidy@asc.upenn.edu> >Date: Tue May 31 08:32:00 CDT 2005 >To: "'lug@leica-users.org'" <lug@leica-users.org> >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.