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by OntPhoto on Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:58 pm
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I suppose if you travel for photography, it will have an impact.  Fortunately for me, photography hasn't changed much in the places I visit and the subjects I photograph.  Maybe it's the location as I live in a city with a lot of greenspace.  Nothing has changed this spring photography-wise.  Owls and plenty of them and some foxes.  

Crazy times but we'll pull through this soon enough. 
 

by Karl Egressy on Thu Apr 23, 2020 5:05 am
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Every place I visited locally and in Hamilton-Burlington area are closed until the end of June.
Lately I mostly photograph birds in my backyard and it is a limited amount of species,
 

by chuckkl on Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:39 am
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Big changes around the Montreal area. Most of the best sites  I visit  are  restricted in access....but I still have three of my usual spots open. One of which I have not visited in  a number of years. 

I drive alone to these areas, do my bird photography alone....and keep a safe distance from others  I encounter. So far so good !

( my only beef....is SOME joggers....who, seemingly in their own little world.....would not think of moving even one inch.....as they approach you.....especially , those who come up suddenly from behind )

However , with the below normal temperatures....and the various closings.....I don't hope to equal my 2019 spring / summer photograhy.
In that period.....I managed to photograph ( around my area )....101 species of birds.....including 21 warblers.

So....we'll see how May and the migration picks up.

Chuck.
 

by scottleslie on Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 am
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Last edited by scottleslie on Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
 

by Ed Cordes on Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:29 am
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COVID as affected our photography in several ways - some positive some negative. Our two week trip to Iceland planed for May 8 was canceled. Waiting to see if Delta will Issue $ or ecredits.. We have been able to continue to photograph birds in or back yard On the positive side I was able to go through my total image library from 2002 through present to cull out images I have no idea why I kept them and also find some hidden gems I have then processed using new software and more experience. Hoping the snow will eventually stop and we can photograph more from home.
Remember, a little mild insanity keeps us healthy
 

by Wildflower-nut on Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:36 am
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YES. NO SMOKIES IN MARCH AND APRIL FOR FLOWERS. NO NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY IN ZION ARCHES AND CANYONLANDS IN MAY. LATE JUNE AND THE SUMMER IN THE ROCKIES LOOKING QUESTIONABLE. DOWN TO PHOTOGRAPHING IN MY YARD.
 

by scottleslie on Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:23 am
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Covid-19 has stopped my regional travel for my freelance work. No lodging to be had, no camping, no national or provincial parks. Thank goodness for being able to do a little bit of bird photography near home to stay sharp!


Last edited by scottleslie on Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
 

by Mark Boranyak on Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:55 am
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E.J.'s Spring newsletter leads off with how the pandemic has affected both his photography and, to some degree, his life. It is very poignant and and well worth reading.
 

by E.J. Peiker on Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:00 pm
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Mark Boranyak wrote:E.J.'s Spring newsletter leads off with how the pandemic has affected both his photography and, to some degree, his life. It is very poignant and and well worth reading.
Thanks Mark:

Here is a direct link for those interested:
https://ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Quack%20Spring%202020.pdf

Since I wrote that, my cancellations now extend through July and I've been able to recover all but $2300 which I will not be able to recover.  But I still have $5300 at risk for the second half of the year and quite frankly, I don't think I want to get on a plane at all until I have been vaccinated or have a positive serological test.  Even less safe than planes themselves which can be disinfected between flights and it may even be possible to socially distance on them, I just can't see airports as virologically safe places.
 

by OntPhoto on Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:40 pm
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On a recent outing here in eastern Ontario.  7D MK2 + 70-200 2.8L III and 1.4x III.  Handheld.  ISO, 1,000.
 

by Jim Zipp on Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:50 am
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E.J. Peiker wrote: quite frankly, I don't think I want to get on a plane at all until I have been vaccinated or have a positive test serological test.  Even less safe than planes themselves which can be disinfected between flights and it may even be possible to socially distance on them, I just can't see airports as virologically safe places.
Totally agree.  Add to the airports, shuttles, rental cars, hotels, restaurants etc.  My interest in a small camper to travel in has been kicked up a notch.
Jim Zipp
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by Craig Lipski on Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:30 am
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As a retiree and “Winter Texan”, our photo ops have changed drastically.  The State Park 2 miles away, where we’d walk our dogs while shooting butterflies, Odes, birds, and the occasional reptile or mammal, just had a limited reopening.  Same for another 1/2 hour away.  The National Butterfly Center just reopened - we had about 25 sp of Odes there on each of our 2 visits this week.  On South Padre Island, our months old reservation was honored, but the bird migration hotspot across the street was off limits.  We head north later today; instead of poking along, staying multiple nights to shoot in State Parks and NFS campgrounds, (closed), we’re doing 1 night stops in private parks that will get us home ASAP.  I guess I AM whining, but I fully understand the reasoning for, if not the specifics of, the closures


Last edited by Craig Lipski on Fri Apr 24, 2020 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 

by Wildflower-nut on Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:33 am
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I'm playing it by ear.  No trips for rest of year that require reservations.  Big issue is how to get out west without flying.  Not excited about 3 days in a car out and 3 days back. Do you think I could get a NASA moon suit from government surplus?  Airlines and air ports, go early less people.  Go later more people.  Which is best.  They are now talking about not using center seats to get spacing with plastic dividers.  Something like that and masks for everyone will probably be necessary for the public to be willing to again to travel by air.

At my age, I hope I have 10 more years where I can still physically do the things I want to do.  To spend 18 months to 2 years locked down is too big of chunk of that time.  I will wait to see how things develop and not be the first to do anything.  Let other people do it first (I think of them as guinea pigs) and wait a month to see what happens.  Eventually I will probably want to take carefully calculated risks.
 

by Scott Fairbairn on Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:18 am
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I’ve observed the quarantine since March 17, and my business is closed. No idea when it will re-open. Usually this is an exciting time of year for me, lots of spring wildflowers and birds. So far this year, I’ve taken zero wildflower images, and no birds, so it’s disappointing that way. I’d also planned on trips requiring air travel, but I can’t see getting on an airplane for two years, or maybe longer. A rapid test to ensure a passenger isn’t infected is needed, and maybe the airlines could install proper filtration and disinfection air systems in the airplanes. The air in those things is crappy and I’ve seen studies showing the surfaces(chair trays, etc.) are heavily contaminated, so overall, the airlines will have to take some steps to convince me to get in one again.
I don’t hold out a lot of hope for a vaccine at this point. We have no history of a vaccine for a coronavirus and it is an RNA virus which means mutations happen often. So, the best I’m hoping for is similar to what we have with influenza vaccines...some protection but no magic bullet. Couple that with today’s WHO announcement that they have no evidence that people can’t get reinfected, I think travel by air is going to be out of the question for some time.
All the natural areas around me are closed, even little known ones. Personally, it seems a bit excessive, but then again if everyone went to these areas to get out of the house, it would be a problem.
I did manage a few backyard projects and I am taking a couple of online courses for the heck of it, but photography is pretty much stalled for now. I have a small camper, but we’re not supposed to travel except for groceries and the pharmacy, and all the camping areas are closed anyway.
 

by ricardo00 on Sat Apr 25, 2020 3:06 pm
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E.J. Peiker wrote: Here is a direct link for those interested:
https://ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Quack%20Spring%202020.pdf

Since I wrote that, my cancellations now extend through July and I've been able to recover all but $2300 which I will not be able to recover.  But I still have $5300 at risk for the second half of the year and quite frankly, I don't think I want to get on a plane at all until I have been vaccinated or have a positive serological test.  Even less safe than planes themselves which can be disinfected between flights and it may even be possible to socially distance on them, I just can't see airports as virologically safe places.
   Extremely detailed and honest appraisal of a "Snow leopard trip" EJ and based on my trip a few weeks earlier, quite similar.  Also worth reading for the details on the use of the Sony mirrorless system.  So thanks EJ for writing it!
  Another concern about traveling to third world countries in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world is that diseases tend to linger in these countries well after they are essentially wiped out in the more developed countries.  Just look at polio, yellow fever, etc that still are around many years after the vaccines have been deployed.  Since no vaccine will be 100% protective (and scoring positive on a serological test is again not 100% protective), one might have to weigh going to a place where one is at increased risk at getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 and potentially quarantined versus not going. At least for me, it will make me reconsider many such trips.
 

by Ed Cordes on Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:30 pm
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E.J. Peiker wrote:
Mark Boranyak wrote:E.J.'s Spring newsletter leads off with how the pandemic has affected both his photography and, to some degree, his life. It is very poignant and and well worth reading.
Thanks Mark:

Here is a direct link for those interested:
https://ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Quack%20Spring%202020.pdf

Since I wrote that, my cancellations now extend through July and I've been able to recover all but $2300 which I will not be able to recover.  But I still have $5300 at risk for the second half of the year and quite frankly, I don't think I want to get on a plane at all until I have been vaccinated or have a positive serological test.  Even less safe than planes themselves which can be disinfected between flights and it may even be possible to socially distance on them, I just can't see airports as virologically safe places.
Our May trip to Iceland has been canceled by Delta.  We are waiting on them to decide if we will get Ecredits or cash back.  We have a trip to Singapore booked for late June, but the convention we were going to was cancelled.  I am hoping Delta will cancel the flight so we can at least try to get our DeltaOne fair refunded for Gail and me.  Ecredits are OK, but the fare to Singapore for the two of us is over $12K!  We are both Platinum fliers and don't understand Delta's hesitation to issue refund.  Yes, I do understand we have "non refundable flights", but these are different circumstances.  Right now Singapore wont even let us in and travelling through Korea where we have a 2 hour layover is also problematic.
Remember, a little mild insanity keeps us healthy
 

by MikeBinOK on Sun Apr 26, 2020 2:03 pm
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It is sad, in the past six months I’d been diving back into photography after several years at low key. I was expecting to retire in early 2021 and have more opportunities, but now it looks like I will work longer (I’m fortunate to have a job I continue teleworking at now) since my retirement activities would be so restricted. Ironically I had a cruise in the Far East booked for Feb/March. With a balcony cabin at rear of the ship I had thought to get some nice flight shots of oceanic birds in amongst the cultural stuff. I had spring trips to the US Southwest and to Chiconteague planned, but those are past and cancelled. I am very fortunate that everything was cancelled without any lost money, and I even got a big certificate from the cruise line if I’m willing to cruise before it expires!

I have a great wildlife refuge a short drive away, but either have to make day trips starting two hours before dawn, or stay in hotels, which I’m not eager to do now. I hope the situation improves so that I’m willing to stay in hotels when armed with sanitary wipes. In winter I am hoping to drive to Bosque and stay a few days, but there’s no predicting now. I’m of retirement age and overweight, so am potentially vulnerable! 
Mike B. in OKlahoma
Oklahoma City, OK

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by calvin1calvin on Mon Apr 27, 2020 9:24 pm
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I had to cancel my May trip to Yellowstone. I had booked with United using points and I had to pay 220 to get my points back into my account. I had another 5 trips planned but had not booked airfare, hotel, rental cars, etc. Don't see me taking most of those considering 2 were international. When I start traveling again it may be by car although I hate spending so much time on the road going and coming. As for photography, the spring migration was good on the upper Texas coast, but I just could not get into the spirit. I made one trip and there were a lot of folks in a small area practicing good social distancing, however, I was not comfortable. To wrap up this pandemic and its restrictions caused me to miss the wildflower bloom and most of the migration. We will all get through this together. Hang in there.
 

by ChrisRoss on Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:15 am
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Diving for me has been off for a month or so - but I would not have been diving anyway due to an ear issue, so no UW photography and I've been doing backyard bugs and getting in some nice shots. Diving is now allowed again and I hope to get in the water in the next few weeks with the camera. I was looking at a trip to the remote NW of Australia for a diving trip and contemplating booking onto a liveaboard, luckily I procrastinated long enough for it to be obvious making a booking would be a bad idea.

Australia has been pretty lucky really, after initial resistance the government implemented some reasonable measures which seem to have been effective, compliance has been good apart from people all mobbing beaches on nice days. Being an island helps and stopping incoming travelers early apart from some issues with cruise ship passengers has really limited the number of cases. hopefully the improvement is ongoing and we'll be able to travel internally again soon.
Chris Ross
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by david fletcher on Wed Apr 29, 2020 2:00 pm
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Could be said a BIG YAWN.  Perhaps that's a bit unkind.  Personally, after catching up with numerous family roles and tasks, I am unable to travel due to lockdown.  (whilst that has not stopped some irresponsible individuals, the reality is that we shouldn't so I haven't.  I'll not want my loved ones at risk in keeping with the sane majority).   

However, that has meant in reality relying on back yard birds.  OMG.  (I'm screwed !!!!  Lol... ).  Translate that to adapting my feeders and seed variety  to hopefully bring in some birds I did enjoy in my previous dwelling. 

On a positive note, it has provided me an opportunity to really get to grips and dig deeper with all the nuances of the various models I own.  Net result being with some, to speed up buffers, and af performance.  

Oh, and every day, two hours after sunrise, I go on a run. (7am).   Some "own" time.  This morning, despite being late April in the UK I could see the steam of my breath.  (essential for well being).  

All be safe.
Make your life spectacular!

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