Category Archives: wildlife photography

Anatomy of a photo: How do I photograph an otter eating a fish?

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

I can only answer this question by explaining how I got high definition video and 20+ megapixel images of a North American River Otter this past weekend. The first key factor was, well, luck. I was kayaking in an area … Continue reading →

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Shorebirds of Tomales Bay: The Marbled Godwit

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

I went kayaking recently on Tomales Bay, and found one of my favorite shorebirds, the Marbled Godwit. It was one of the first sandpipers that I learned to identify, as it is very distinctive with its barred cinnamon coloration, and … Continue reading →

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River Otter devouring large fish

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

For the story of how I capture video and some beautiful still images of this otter eating its fish, you can read and view pictures here. The experiment in kayak videography continues. The sound disappears part way through the movie, … Continue reading →

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What to bring in your kayak

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

When I head out kayaking to take pictures, I am often paddling alone so as to be less intrusive to the wildlife. There are some items I find indispensable to kayak photography, but also being alone on open water, often … Continue reading →

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Shorebirds of Tomales Bay: the Surfbird

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

The latest installment in my of Shorebirds of Tomales Bay series. Really fun bird in this one, the aptly named Surfbird. We don’t often see them in the southern parts of Tomales Bay. They are more often found towards the mouth, where … Continue reading →

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What to look for in a kayak (for photography)

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

There are a wide range of factors to consider if you are looking for a suitable kayak to photograph from. In this post I don’t recommend a particular kayak, because each person is a little different, their needs will be different, … Continue reading →

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Osprey’s catch of the day

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

Sometimes the images that are the most fun, aren’t always the best pictures. This series of an osprey, while a lot of fun (and much commented upon,) is not actually the greateset show of technical photography. I’ve cropped them way … Continue reading →

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Shorebirds of Tomales Bay: Scrub Jay (video)

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

This is the very first video I tried making on my new SLR body. You can tell. I don’t have much of a handle on the technique, but the subject matter is fun. I spend a lot of my time … Continue reading →

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Focusing on portraits: Animal and otherwise

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

A portrait tries, with a single snapshot in time, to tell a story. This is true, whether the image is of an old ranch hand, a cow, or a wild animal. Usually this will be a tightly focused image, where … Continue reading →

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Black Turnstone feeding on the shores of Tomales Bay (video)

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

I went on an early morning kayak yesterday. Absolutely beautiful out there. I decided to test out the video capabilities of my new camera. It is definitely a learning process. A kayak is not an ideal shooting platform for holding … Continue reading →

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Camera settings while kayaking

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

Have you ever thought to yourself “What settings should I use on my camera while I am kayaking?” This is especially important to consider with wildlife kayak photography outings, but wonder no longer, help is on the way, in the … Continue reading →

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Kayak Photography: When to paddle

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

Possibly more important than what to photograph while kayaking is when. I’m sure you’ve all heard about “magic hour” and morning light, which is helpful and good, but not what I am writing about. (After all, nearly every photography book/blog/class … Continue reading →

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