MooseNewsBlog

That’s right, starting on the 30th, you can get the buffer in your D3 increased!!! For $500, if you shoot Raw, you can hold 36, FX 14bit images, twice the amount! For the info, head here!

“Fee and Return
The cost is $500.00 plus your state tax. Customer is responsible for all shipping costs. Please allow up to two weeks time for the Buffer Memory Expansion service; should more time be required, the user will be informed.

Taking advantage of the buffer memory expansion service
Requests for Buffer Memory Expansion service will be accepted beginning July 30, 2008. Before sending your camera, please note all of your settings as this service will reset the camera to the original, default settings. This service will only be performed by Nikon Inc. service facilities in Melville or El Segundo.”

PS…as to the emails being sent asking if I’m going to be sending my D3s, I’m not sending them, they are already sent! To me, this is a no-brainer! Nikon recommends writing down you settings because they will be reset. Hey, simply Save them to your CF Card so you can easily reload them later SetUp Menu > Save/load settings

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.moosenewsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/_bmp9473.jpg" height="390" width="495" /]

Sharon knows me all too well because as the truck screeches to a hault, without even looking she just says, “See a photograph?” Yeah, I saw a bear so I had to stop! As the sign says, we’re heading to LA and hopefully, heading for fun. The “grunge” look to the photo is no more than one pass of Tonal Contrast in the Nik Color Efex 3.0 and moving the Shadow and Midtone sliders too far to the right.

The rest of the sign and the collection below it seemed more like a B&W so I quickly popped into Silver Efex Pro and finished it off. Tomorrow, it’s back to the serious stuff.

Photos captured by D3, 105VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

Thanks for asking, the fishing was great! In between chores and fishing, I did get a NX2 Color Cast removal video created. You’ll find it with the other videos right here. As I mention in the video, the way I do it I’m sure isn’t the text book, technical perfection correct way of doing it. None the less, it’s the way I do it in my everyday workflow.

Want to thank everyone for the love notes in regards to these very simple videos! It’s great to hear they are helping so many with their photography. Understandably, we’ve received as many emails and calls asking for more video tutorials for NX2, Photoshop and how I create the blog posters. It would be great if I had the free time or was paid for the time to produce these, but such is not the case. I am waiting breathlessly for the release of the bird photography video we shot in February to get posted at Kelby Training and until that is posted, I just don’t have any time on my schedule to offer you something else. Thanks though for letting us know these have helped your photography which is the whole goal!

I was hoping to get out of this cleanly, but you “loyal” fans aren’t going to let me.  Pandora’s Box has been opened now. That’s OK, knowledge is a good thing, it’s just a time issue for me. Let me answer a couple of the most common questions on NX2 and my videos for you.

*The videos show my notebook NX2 Workspace which is what I use on the road. The screen shot above is my dual monitor set up back in the office. NX2 is pen centrick which makes it an even more killer and faster app to use with my favorite tool, the Wacom 21UX. I use dual monitors (yes, 2 – 21UX) as shown above. The left monitor has just the image, the right monitors holds the Edit List, Histogram, Metadata and Browser. When I have the luxury of traveling with my Wacom 12WX, then I can use this same workspace with my notebook as pictured above.

*Many have pointed out I do not as indicated in the video, show the “correct” method to do Color Cast correction using NX2 in our DigitalPro tutorials. Oops…I guess I have a weekend project. I’ll get it done when I get done fishing (we gotta get our fly lines wet this weekend).

*The videos were having a sizing issue with IE. That has been fixed

Thanks for all the response to the videos, glad they are helping some dive into NX2 and then get out with finished images so quickly!

Cleaning up the to do list, I got two NX2 Videos made and posted. You can find them here. You will have to give them a moment to load, they are files on the bigger side of life 29-40MB. I process 4 images in the two tutorials providing you some insight into the new features of NX2 I depend on. I in no way cover all the features of NX2, that’s because I don’t use them. Hope they are of help to you.

I have also updated Moose’s D3 Settings and posted them for you to download and install for firmware 2.0.

Have a great weekend, rock the world with YOUR images!

Life has as we all know it’s pluses and minuses. One of the pluses is the wisdom that comes from getting older and having a laugh over the silly things we did as kids that we now know were really stupid. As one get’s older one of the BIG minuses is the passing of friends. That’s not as easy to get over.

I was saddened to receive an email from Jim Clark about the passing of Tom Vezo this week. I knew Tom well back in the 90’s, the film days and shot with him on a number of occasions at some memorable locations. His big smile on those cold mornings at Bosque just after lift off are hard to forget. He was out hiking with his wife when life caught up with him, doing what I’m sure he enjoyed.

Luckily for all of us, he left behind his passion and love in his photographs and words. Tom also was passionate about the preservation of his home in AZ. You can learn more about Tom visiting his website or those things folks are writing about him. But you can learn about Tom best through his photography. I can only wish Tom continued great shooting!

He’s been called many things, AOPA Pilot calls him Super Photographer, Joe McNally calls him the Quiet Guy, folks at DLWS call him the Quiet Giant. I simply call him Flyboy and my best friend! Kevin and I have photographed Grizzly Bears, Polar Bears, ANWR, Prairie Chicken, Sheep and a whole lot more together over the decades on some grand adventures. He’s one hell of a great photographer, good friend and it’s good to see him start to get the recognition he deserves. Now teaching me to fly probably isn’t one of his brightest ideas, but I sure enjoy it.

You can check out more of his work here and here. And you can experience his wisdom and talent at DLWS as he is one of the four main instructors. And don’t, don’t ever let your guard down around him. I know, I’ve been on the receiving end of his jokes many a time! Congrats Flyboy!

Not even home for 24hrs and I’m back out photographing bears. Not grizzlies (I wish, miss them so) but rather our neighborhood Am Black Bears (brown phase). This particular mom & cub are not new, Jake posted a couple great shots of them not too long ago in the tree in our front meadow.

This go around, mom left the kid way behind her and when the kid saw me (and the 200-400VR)  and being between them, it started balling (because everyone knows I am scary) and went up a fir a short distance. Darn! After awhile, mom cameback, grabbed the kid and went on their way. After a little time they found a dead Stellar Jay and cleaned it up. I left them as they headed back into the forest where they belong.

While I have a moment, there are some blogs I wanted to point out to you. First, we couldn’t be more proud nor impressed by what our son Jake has posted. He’s got some great work up and his images from our AK adventure are just killer! I have no doubt that in a short time his talent will go flying past dad. That’s cool!

There are also a couple from our Base Camp campers that I want to point you to. The first is that of Chris Van Winkle. At his portfolio review, he had some graphic images that just knocked my socks off. As you can see on his blog, he does a real nice job! The second is from the “kid” from our Bozeman Base Camp, Andrew Kniowski. He was the first “kid” sponsored by Nikon to join us and he set the bar pretty darn high for all the kids who followed. I really like Andrew and his photography.

Lastly is that of someone I consider a dear friend, big hearted and well, just love the guy and that’s Brad Moore. Many know him as Joe McNally’s assistant but I think of him as much more. It’s been a real joy and pleasure to see his photography grow. I know you’ll enjoy all these blogs, so check them out, alot!

I want to thank everyone for the very kind and in some cases, overwhelming emails in regards to my grizzly bear blogs. I spend time with them strictly because of a love for them and always appreciate hearing that comes out in my images. Many asked if I would be taking other shooters to photograph them. I’m out of that business but I highly recommend you head out with my dear friend David Cardinal. We meet when he first joined me a decade ago to photograph grizzly bears and now we have a software together and he leads trips. Check them out.

Photos captured by D3, 200-400VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

One wonder of the modern age is how we can leave Teklinika Campground at 3am and be back home 4000 miles away by midnight. While home is a mighty nice place, I already find myself missing Alaska a wee bit. We took a few days and went into Denali Nat’l Park before leaving to see that big ass rock, Mt McKinley. You can see it here in the middle between the trees.

Since that view would only satisfy my romantic view, here’s a more full frame view of of that one big ass rock. We had great looks of it one day from Eielson Visitor Center (the new one just opened in June). Both of these photos along with all my B&Ws from the last six months on the blog were done with the magical and elegant Nik Silver Efex Pro. This is THE way to go B&W!

But you don’t have to take my word for it. You can download a full version and try it for FREE for 15 days yourself. You need to note when you install Silver Efex Pro what the loader says right from the start, “Photography First.” SEP works best for those who understand a B&W image must have a black and a white. One warning though, you try it, you’ll like it. While it doesn’t help my missing Alaska but it sure does help me bring its majesty out in my images.

Photos captured by D3, 24-70AFS/70-300VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

There is a saying amongst bear biologists and passionate bear watchers that goes something like, “if people can learn to live with bears, then people can live amongst people.” There are many histroic instances where this has not been the case, just look at my home state of CA. The last griz was shot in 1924, but you can still see it on our state flag. Look at the Polar Bear, a current bear situation that’s not going so well. Griz can roam over hundreds of miles or as little as 5 and in its brutal world, they still manage to live amongst themselves and when we’re not in the picture, do really well.

The top photo is of a 4-5yr old female out on the mud flats at low tide digging for soft-shell clams. The bottom photo is of an easy going 1100lbs male that just loved the water. We were incredibly fortunate to spend three weeks amongst these gentle giants, live amongst them on their terms so as to not effect their world. The worst thing to happen was a good cry when we had to say good-bye because you see, bears are just good for the soul.

I hope we all can just live together.

Photos captured by D3, 600VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

And just how many fish were there in Dog Salmon Creek? All the splashing you see in this photo is being created by all the Red & Pink Salmon and not the bear.

There was literally so many fish, this 1100lbs Kodiak male very deliberately picked which fish he was going to eat. As in, he would grab one and if it didn’t meet his standards (whatever they were) he would drop it and grab another. Now this might seem wasteful until you saw the dozen Bald Eagles and Red Fox cleaning up the dead left behind by this male (as well as a Gerber or two). All the ripples in the water in front of the griz are all salmon!

I’ve received a number of emails from folks asking how we can camp amongst griz and shoot beside them and not get eaten. All I can saw is, don’t believe everything you see on TV or  in the movies. If you understand basic biology and understand some of the basics of grizzly bear society, there’s no fear involved (and you can always read this that’s been on our website for 9yrs), just simple enjoyment. Keep in mind, my wife Sharon was right there with me and is already planning our camping trip with the bears for 2009!

Photos captured by D3, 600VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

It looks like this Goober (unofficial biological term for 3-4yr old grizzlies) is about to answer the proverbial question about a bear and the woods, but that’s not the case. We’re in from the second leg of our trip reoutfitting before going back out again. On this adventure, the bears weren’t as plentiful because there were simply no fish, salmon are very scarce in AK this year. On the day this photo was taken, the first school of Reds made it to the hole and the bears were just coming in for the feast.

With the new arrival of Reds, the older bears take presedence at the hole so the Goobers (usually bears just kicked out by mom) who have not established themselves yet amongst the other bears. don’t know where to go, literally So, they are basically afraid of their own shadow and do the silliest things while staying out of their own way. it’s just the way of the bear.

Photo captured by D3, 600VR on Lexar UDMA digital film