Fast forward to July 2003. My wife, Terry, and I were planning a trip to Italy for a friend’s wedding. I used the opportunity to make the case for some real camera gear. You see, the year before, we were in Australia and all I took down under was a Canon Elph. It took nice snapshots but it really didn’t do the location justice!
After some research I took my understanding wife to a local camera store and got my hands on a Canon 10D, a Canon 28-135 and Tamron 28-300, my long lens. I was all set for the land of my ancestors. It was a great trip; I got to play with my gear and took some decent shots.
When we returned home, one day we decided to go to a local state park and on a whim, I took along the 10D and the Tamron lens. As we walked in the park, a Red-Tailed Hawk landed in front of us with fresh prey. I started snapping away – and I was hooked!!!!
I should tell you that I am the type of guy who considers camping to be a hotel with no room service. So when I told my wife that I wanted the subject matter of my new hobby to be nature, there was quite a bit of eye-rolling and giggling.
I went back to the park several times looking for that hawk. In my search I found a pond with large white birds. As I approached the pond I noticed some people in camouflage gear with these HUGE beige lenses on tripods - I had met the nature and wildlife photographers of Long Island (NWPLI). “Come to a meeting,” they said, “You will learn a lot!” Or, in other words, prepare to be assimilated.
So I went to my first meeting. I met Jimmy G., Bob Ettinger, Stu Levine and Chas Glatzer. The images the group put up on the screen were mind blowing. They told me I should come with them Jamaica Bay to shoot. “By Kennedy Airport? There are birds there? Won’t they get sucked up in the jets?” I asked.
Well, to make a long story short, I did go to Jamaica Bay (without waders!) and then Dune Road and then a hummingbird sanctuary. I began waking up before dawn (a task Terry thought impossible) to go out onto the beach to photograph shorebirds. I went to Montauk in the winter to photograph seals. It’s amazing what is out there when you take the time to look.
Feeling the need to better my knowledge and skills, I did a day in the field with Chas which was an amazing learning experience for a beginner like me.
Of course, along the way I needed to get some better gear. The 28-300 gave way to a Canon 100-400 and eventually the 500L and a good tripod. Now I needed a SUV to carry all this gear and to get where the beasties live as the VW wagon was not going to cut it. Unfortunately, the SUV apparently counts toward my camera equipment allowance in the wife’s eyes, so I’ll have to slow down on the purchase of new glass for a while.
So now, I wake up at dawn, load up the Land Rover, cover myself with DEET and slip into waders. My family thinks I have gone a bit off the deep end. I bought Terry a Digital Rebel for her birthday so she can come with me (I’m not stupid after all).
It’s been a great year; I met some great new friends, joined a fantastic online community, got away from my keyboard for some fresh air and discovered the hidden beauty of my home, Long Island, and along the way managed to snap a few good images. I wonder what this year will bring?
