Tamia Nelson's Outside » 2011

Dec 27 2011

A Heads-Up to Coastal Walkers and Boaters in the UK:
Look Out for Stranded Sea Turtles!

Sea turtles don’t frequent my Adirondack home waters. (The fact that I live several hundred miles from the sea might have something to do with this, I suppose.) And they’re not often seen in UK waters in winter, either. But lately they’ve been washing up on beaches in Wales and Scotland, and the UK’s Marine Conservation Society is asking coastal walkers and boaters for help.

Why are warm-water species like the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley turtle suddenly turning up in cold northern seas? No one is sure, but it’s likely that recent storms may have altered surface currents, sweeping the unlucky turtles far from the warm waters where they normally winter. And while there’s nothing anyone can do about the weather, if you live in the UK there is something you can do to help stranded turtles. Dr. Peter Richardson of Marine Conservation Society’s tells how:

Our advice is that under no circumstances should stranded turtles be thrown back in the sea. While they may appear to be dead, they may in fact be comatose due to the cold conditions, and can be nursed back to health if immediately rescued and given expert care. [Even i]f they are dead, it is important that they are collected and stored for post-mortem examination. [Emphasis added]

You’ll find more information at the Marine Conservation Society’s website, where you can also download a PDF copy of the “UK Turtle Code.” And don’t forget: any stranded turtle, whether alive or dead, should be reported to Marine Environmental Monitoring on 01348 875000.

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Dec 26 2011

Bike Monday for December 26, 2011: The Winter Road Is Calling

The road ahead is clean and dry, the sun is shining, and the cars are all jostling for parking spaces at the mall. This is winter cycling at its best, but you’d better make the most of it. Some things are just too good to last!

We love our bikes, right? And we never tire of looking at them. At least I don’t, and if I’m to judge from what others tell me, I’m not alone. So each Monday I’ll publish a bike-related picture. Most of the time it will be a photo, but don’t be surprised if a few drawings and paintings get added to the mix from time to time. I might even include a sculpture or two. (OK. A photo of a sculpture.) Anything, in short, that evokes the world on two wheels. And don’t be shy. If you have a picture you’d like to share, just email it to me. I’ll do the rest.

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Dec 24 2011

Photographers Outside: Exploring the Delmarva With Pat McKay

Practically every publication, whether print or online, is now engaged in an orgy of retrospection, looking back at the rapidly waning year and offering a selection of “bests.” And why should we be any different? To which end, I’ve been reviewing the photos that have crossed my virtual desk in the past 12 months, with an eye to showcasing some of the best. It’s an unavoidable subjective process, to be sure, but I think you’ll agree that Pat McKay’s work belongs in the front rank. His photos celebrate the beauties of the Delmarva Peninsula, and while his gear is state of the art, he prefers to get about in ways that wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow in 1890: by paddle, bike, and foot.

And speaking of Pat’s gear, here’s how he describes what he takes with him when he goes afield:

I have two camera bags, one that travels with me on my bike and in the kayak (and holds the Rebel XSi), and another that I take with me when I travel by auto (the Canon 7D) that I use when the location where I'm headed is just too far to realistically cycle in one day, or when the main purpose of the trip is photography. Here's a breakdown of each bag: The Canon EOS 7D Bag: • Canon EOS 7D DSLR • Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD IF Lens • Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di VC USD XLD • Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM • Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM The EOS Rebel XSi Bag: • Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi • Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD LD Aspherical IF
There is some overlap, but I've yet to find that "perfect" walk-about lens. And if one does exist, it's probably made out of solid unobtanium and freakishly expensive. I also always carry at least one point-and-shoot camera with me. In the past it has always been my trusty Canon PowerShot G-11 or my wife's Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Digital Elph. But recently I've also picked up a bridge camera— the Canon Power Shot SX40 HS—that I've been carrying with me sometimes instead of the G-11. I still prefer the G-11 for a number of reasons, not the least being the larger sensor and the ability to shoot in RAW. Still, the 35x optical zoom that is available with the SX40 HS, which gives 840mm total reach in terms of 35mm equivalent, is a nice feature.

As you can see, Pat gives a lot of thought to the gear he carries, like most serious photographers. But even the best equipment is worthless if the person behind the camera doesn’t have an eye for what works and what doesn’t. Needless to say, Pat’s got a great eye. And here’s the proof, broken down by camera and lens (just to keep us gearheads happy!):

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi and Tamron AF 70-300mm