Diana Robinson - Blog

First Day Out Shooting With My New Nikon D4

Diana — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:25:39 +0000

Well after shooting today with my new Nikon D4 all I can say is that is is officially the greatest camera I have ever shot with. It is lighter than my Nikon D3s, feels better in my hand, the controls are very comfortable, autofocus is MUCH faster than my D3s, the sensor is amazing and shooting at ISO 100 again is a real treat. This shot of abstract tulips in Washington Square Park was handheld with neutral density filter. Amazing!

This dogwood flower was shot at ISO 100, 70mm, f/3.5, 1/400s, Adobe RGB, Aperture Priority, Matrix metering.

The FedEx logo arrow.

More test shots to come…

Sorting Through East Africa Photographs

Diana — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:26:53 +0000

I’m still going through my East Africa photos but I decided to post some of my ‘drive-by shootings.’ As we traveled by Land Cruiser to various locations throughout Kenya and Tanzania one of the joys on those long journeys was to set the camera at a high ISO and shoot some of the passing scenes out the window. Typically these shots had to be timed to get in between the clouds of dust. These shots yielded some interesting surprises as we passed through the border town of Namanga and the lovely city of Arusha, Tanzania. I’ll keep adding to this collection as the photos give a nice glimpse into some of the daily routines of the people of this region. Although I primarily focused on wildlife and landscape photography in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Nakuru, etc., I think some of these people photographs are some of the most interesting from my trip.

Back from a Month in East Africa

Diana — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:51:03 +0000

I made it back from an intense month of photography in Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. It was one of the most amazing trips I’ve ever taken. I made so many new friends and saw some amazing wildlife. I did not have much Internet access throughout the trip so I wrote my journal by hand and am still transcribing it. My handwriting is pretty atrocious so it may take a while. Once I get things in electronic form I will update my blog going back to January 29, 2012 when I arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. I should be able to bring it up to date and hopefully add a few interesting photographs along the way. Thanks for your patience.

In the meantime I’ve added an Africa section on my website. Here’s the link:

http://www.dianarobinsonphotography.com/photographs.php?view=46

Thanks for looking at my photographs!

Leaving Saturday for East Africa

Diana — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:48:57 +0000

Well I finally have all my shots and visas and have repacked my camera gear for the millionth time (and it still hasn’t gotten any lighter). This will no doubt be the trip of a lifetime getting to photograph in Kenya and Tanzania with Tom Mangelsen. We will be photographing in East Africa’s famous wildlife sanctuaries and national parks including Amboseli on the foothills of Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Tarangire National Park. We’ll also be spending a lot of time in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park staying in secluded game lodges and private tented camps in Northern Tanzania.

Yes, I’ve watched “Out of Africa” a few times to get in the mood but I can’t wait to get out there and see the East African wildlife in person. I downloaded a great Swahili iPhone app so I’ve got a few phrases under my belt.

I fly Saturday to Amsterdam then from Amsterdam to Nairobi. I’ll spend two days in Nairobi recovering from the flight. As I will most likely not have wifi I will probably not be posting any blog entries or photos until I return on February 19.

Rodeo Sequence from Arlee, Montana

Diana — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:41:20 +0000

This past summer I shot my first rodeos in Montana and was fortunate enough to be photographing with legendary photographer Bill Allard. To attend a rodeo with Bill is to go to school. I learned so much about what was going on and where to shoot that I swore I would shoot rodeos every summer from now on. I was shooting a sequence of bunking broncos when to my amazement one of the horses went over on a rider. Somehow they both got back up and walked away as if nothing had happened. It was an amazing and terrifying moment and I was lucky to have captured it with my Nikon D3s and Nikon 600mm lens. I put the frames together into this sequence so it would be easier to view the action.

I can’t wait for next summer!

Back in New York Sorting Through Florida Photos

Diana — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:12:55 +0000

Closeup of an Anhinga along the aptly named Anhinga Trail in the southern Everglades.

Closeup of a great Egret on Mrazek Pond near Flamingo Bay in the Everglades.

The beautiful green eyes of an Anhinga in the Everglades.

Three red-bellied turtles near the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades. They were sunning themselves in the early morning light.

Everyone who has seen this photo has emailed with great concern for my safety. I promise you I was a safe distance away using my wonderful 600mm lens. I just shot this fellow very low so I could include the grass.

Dwarf Cypress trees near Rock Reef (elevation 3 feet!) in the Everglades.

Juvenile blue heron near Mrazek Pond in the Everglades.

Roseate Spoonbill in flight at Mrazek Pond.

American Coot (Fulica americana) at Mrazek Pond.

Closeup of the neck of a white Egret at Mrazek Pond.

Great Blue Heron along the Anhinga Trail.

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) in flight over Mzarek Pond in the Everglades.

Sunset in the Everglades

Diana — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 02:26:51 +0000

After a great day of photographing birds and hiking in the Everglades I took this sunset photo at one of my favorite spots. Tomorrow I will do some night photography here and hopefully get some good star trails.

Tracking Down Purple Gallinules in the Everglades

Diana — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:05:15 +0000

I’ve been photographing in the Everglades for the past three years (usually in December) and have never been able to spot a Purple Gallinule. Today I got really lucky and saw three! I can’t tell you how exciting it was to see this colorful purple bird hop from lily pad to lily pad on its huge yellow feet, effortlessly supporting its weight and looking very agile.

I spent several hours watching each of the three Purple Gallinules feed near the Anhinga Trail. I was able to catch this one in flight.

More Everglades bird photos to come!

Annie Leibovitz’s Inspirational Presentation

Diana — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:50:49 +0000

I saw a really great presentation here in NYC tonight by Annie Leibovitz. Her new book “Pilgrimage” is a incredibly inspiring!

Annie Leibovitz explained that she wanted to explore areas that had always interested her. She didn’t take portraits or any photographs of people. The subjects were chosen by what they had meant to her throughout here life. She visited Emily Dickinson’s house in Amherst, Massachusetts, Niagara Falls, the houses of Virginia Woolf and Charles Darwin in the English countryside and Sigmund Freud’s final home, in London. It was a very personal project. The results are stunning.

Here’s the Amazon link to her new book.

My Photos Used on the Nikon Website!

Diana — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:08:09 +0000

My photographs are featured on the Nikon website in the Picture Controls page!

I’m so excited! They have also chosen one of my Maine photographs for their 2012 calendar.