Octavio Salles Photo Tours blog

New blog

By octaviophototours, on January 11th, 2012

Hi guys, some good news. I have changed my blog and will, hopefully, post more often. My blog now is at the following url:

www.octaviosalles.com.br/blog_en

Please update your bookmark and your forum subscription as well, as I won’t be posting anything else on this one (it will remain here for reading though). Read more details there at the new blog. There’s also a new post there on light metering!

Hope you like it! See you there!

2012 is here

By octaviophototours, on January 2nd, 2012

Last year was amazing, so many things happened in my life, mostly good, that it seems like three years passed by, not one. Now 2012 is here and it looks like it’s going to be a great year again, with lots of photo trips scheduled and great new projects starting to gain force.

For those considering joining me on one of the Jaguar Photo Tours to the Pantanal, in August or September, the spots are being filled quite fast. Here’s a few photos from last year, with some comments.

Our expert boat drivers waiting at the dock in the morning. From here we go out each day in search of Jaguars and the great varied Pantanal wildlife and scenery.

Our boats going out for another day. Prime jaguar territory lies within 5 minutes from the dock.

Capybaras, the largest rodents on Earth, are abundant here, and there are always numerous opportunities to photograph their families at riverside. They form an important part of the Jaguars diet. last year we actually saw one hunting down a group of Capybaras.

Giant River Otters, an endangered mammal, the largest otter in the world, is now making a big comeback and becoming very common. Opportunities to photograph them abound. This one is munching on a big fish, relative to the electric eel.

Hmmmm… this is tasty!!

Birds are always around too, almost everywhere you look. This is the aptly-named Boat-billed Heron, a nocturnal species that we sometimes find during the day.

All of the wildlife is great, but of course we are all here for the jaguars, everybody’s main goal. And there are lots of opportunities to photograph these elusive cats during the full 5 days we stay photographing in their area.

May you have an amazing 2012. Live your life to its fullest.

Jaguars!!

By octaviophototours, on October 24th, 2011

Having just completed another Jaguar Photo Tour, I already feel the desire to return. These legendary cats are addicting. Our trip started, as always, in São Paulo, where I met the group. Actually for me and Ian, one of the participants, it started a few days before, with a pre-trip to the Atlantic Rainforest. It was great there and I will post some photos later (I’m actually considering adding it as an “official” pre-trip for next year)… but for now let’s return to the main Pantanal tour.

We caught the flight to Cuiabá, where our van driver was waiting to take us to our first lodge along the Transpantaneira Road. This is a dead end road that was supposed to connect the state of Mato Grosso with Corumbá, a city in the neighbouring state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but the road construction ended far from its destiny because it was just too hard to build it over the wetlands. Today the dirt road, with 145 km and 125 wooden bridges, is a magnet for wildlife during the dry season because of the water trapped in the ditches alongside the road.

We arrived at the cozy lodge in the afternoon and photographed at a pond in front of it, filled with caimans and also some capybaras in the water. We also shot a few frames of the Hyacinth Macaws nesting in front of the lodge.

A pair of Hyacinth Macaws

The next day we went to the 25m observation tower nearby, where often a family of Howler Monkeys are seen, as well as many varied birds. The view from there is incredible and is a place well worth spending the mornings at, as many birds come and go, providing different photo opportunities, like the ridiculously colorful Orange-backed Troupial.

Orange-backed Troupial shot from the tower

I spotted a Rufous-tailed Jacamar from the tower and we descended to photograph it, and it was well worth it. This bird just sat there for a few minutes and we had lots of great shots.

A male Rufous-tailed Jacamar singing from the forest understory.

On the trail between the lodge and the tower we often saw a few different animals, like Black-tailed Marmosets, Agoutis and Coatis… but one day we also found a huge Tapir. We went off the trail trying a better angle, but it picked a very hidden spot to rest, so it was impossible to get a good shot. At the heat of the day we photographed some Chestnut-eared Araçari that came to the front of our lodge to bathe in the fresh water.

A Tapir hiding in dense vegetation

A very wet Chestnut-eared Araçari

On one afternoon we drove to a nearby wetland with lots of waterbirds, especially Wood Storks. The light was good and we caught a few nice shots. It was amazing how many fish was in this water body, every square inch had one small catfish at the surface. There was also an immense number of caimans on this spot, hundreds and hundreds of them. We even saw one getting a Rufescent Tiger-heron! This is quite rare, caimans eat mostly fish, but like any croc, they won’t pass up an opportunity for a bigger meal.

A Wood Stork fishing in shallow water

A large Caiman eating a Rufescent Tiger-Heron

Soon we were heading towards the main goal of the trip, the Jaguars! We arrived at our comfortable riverside hotel and were greeted by the manager, who showed us our rooms and the surroundings. This rest of the afternoon we spent at the hotel gardens. Quite a few birds around, but the real action would start on the following morning.
We woke up early, had breakfast and were in the river at first light. The first day started great, with most of us making great photos of Jaguars. In total we found 2 or 3 different cats this day.

A large Jaguar resting in the shade of the forest. The intensity of their eyes always impress me.

The next day was pretty amazing. Not 15 minutes after leaving the docks we already had some action on the radio. Everyone seemed to have a different Jaguar at one point, and we all focused on a mother with 2 cubs seen at a small bay only 5 minutes from the docks. My boat arrived just in time to see the largest cub entering the forest. I was glad of the very fast boats we were using, otherwise we would have missed this and other Jaguars. We continued to see Jaguars all through the morning but the real show was in the afternoon. A few rainstorms were visible here and there and some of us even got the core of one, but that was well worth it, as we saw a female hunting Caiman. She almost got one but, unsuccesful, kept walking down the river bank. Eventually she climbed on a large fallen tree and did all sorts of poses. Just amazing. I shot nearly 16 GB of images. To end the perfect afternoon a great orange sunset on a very light refreshing rain as we returned to our hotel.

A Jaguar cub looking at us from the safety of the forest

Jaguar hunting Caimans in shallow water.

Ready to pounce!

The following days we continued to see Jaguars, including one that tried to hunt some Capybaras, but we also focused a bit more on the varied wildlife around, like Giant Otters, which were quite easy to find in some places and also gave us quite a show.

A Giant Otter eating a fish

This very large male had just chased down some Capybaras, which ran into the water.

It was a great trip and we all got lots of shots of wild Jaguars. I have a lot of other images that I will post soon. Click here to see the details of next year’s trips.

New rainforest pics

By octaviophototours, on August 31st, 2011

I have been travelling quite a lot to the Atlantic Rainforest. This is the time of the year here when birds start to breed and so you see a higher than normal activity. The camera traps through the reserve have been getting some interesting record shots. Here are a few pics with some comments.

A Black-throated Trogon, a very attractive bird of the forest interior.

Rainforest humidity.

A river runs through primary rainforest.

A Tawny-browed Owl, endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest.

Wild orchids.

Tropical leaves.

Me at work. I’m on the far left.

And now some camera trap photos, poor quality, but cool animals…

Puma

Brazilian Tapir

And a video of an Ocelot

Albatrosses

By octaviophototours, on July 19th, 2011

I’ve always been fascinated with sea birds, especially albatrosses. They are the grandest flying birds, inhabiting the most furious latitudes on Earth, regions where gale-force wind gusts are the norm and not the exception. They routinely cross oceans and many spend several years out at sea, never even seeying dry land.

This past week I went photographing albatrosses off the coast of São Paulo in SE Brazil, some 30 miles offshore. During our winter many seabirds from the South Atlantic migrate a bit north in search of food. We had to postpone this trip the first time, some 15 days ago, due to bad weather. Seas were extremelly rough with 10+ foot waves. This time around though it was the inverse. Seas were dead calm and the wind was barely a breeze. While this is good news for navigation, it’s bad news for albatrosses and other procelariiformes. We did find some albatrosses that came to our chum, but not in the numbers nor the variet that I have seen here before. We only saw one species, the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos), plus some Bown Boobies and Magellanic Penguins.

Most all albatrosses breed on remote, isolated small oceanic islands free of predators… or so it should be. Early settlers and explorers introduced exotic animals on these islands, like rats, cats and feral pigs. These have, in many cases, decimated the population of seabirds by killing the eggs of chicks, or by destroying the burrows in which some of these birds nest. The good news is that this exotic fauna is being removed from many of these islands and reproduction success is again on the rise in some places.

This species, the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, breeds only on Tristan da Cunha and Gough Islands (plus some small ones nearby, like Inaccesible Island). All of these islands lie in the middle of the South Atlantic between Argentina and South Africa, more than 1,800 nautical miles from where these photos were taken.

Young birds, like this one, spend their first 4 or 5 years at sea, never landing on dry land. They return to their natal island after this period, now as adults and ready to breed. Land is an inconvenient necessity for breeding. Albatrosses true home is the open sea.

How do these birds pinpoint the location of a tiny island in the middle of an immense ocean remains a mistery to science.

As gorgeous as they are though, all albatrosses are in trouble. The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross is considered endangered by Birdlife International, although its situation is less critical than of some other species. The main reason behind the decline seems to be the accidental catch by longline fisheries. Organizations around the world, like Save the Albatross, are working hard to stop the problem by creating systems and devices that avoid the accidental catch of albatrosses when deploying the fish baits at sea.

Even though the Yellow-nosed Albatross is the smalles species of albatross, its 2 meter wingspan is still impressive. Wandering Albatrosses may have 3.5 meter wingspans though.

The only way we can guarantee that this young bird will return to its natal island to breed in a few years is by using more sustainable and correct commercial fishing practices. But right now, it’s sure that many like him will still be lost at sea…

Pantanal time!

By octaviophototours, on June 20th, 2011

I love it this time of the year, when I start going to the Pantanal with more regularity. I just came back from a pretty short trip to North Pantanal, guiding a photography workshop there. This time we didn’t go to the region where we see the Jaguars… so no big cats this time… but the other critters more than compensante for it. I’m always amazed by the sheer number and abundance of wildlife found in the Pantanal.

We had some light rain the evening before, so in the morning a light mist was covering the fields, making some interesting shots with the rising sun.

A Southern Anteater in defense posture. Although small and quite fragile looking, few predators will mess with it with those big tearing claws ready to strike.

A pair of Crimson-crested Woodpecker, a male on the left, female on the right.

The huge Jabiru, one of the largest birds in South America. When they fly past you you can really feel the amount of air they move.

A pair of Plumbeous Ibis on top of a dead tree beside a wetland.

Caimans are always common and conspicuous in the Pantanal, but this time there was a HUGE concentration of them on drying water bodies. They were feasting on fish and whatever else would dare to pass close enough.

Will post more photos soon.

best regards

Photography contest prize

By octaviophototours, on May 21st, 2011

Yesterday I picked up my prize for the 1st. place at the Avistar bird photography contest. According to the rules of the contest, the 1st. could choose what to win. The best prizes were a Swarovski binocular or the COMPLETE collection of the Handbook of the Birds of the World. Difficult choice, but since I already have a very good Nikon binocular, I chose the book collection. I mean, when would I actually buy the whole collection! Did you check how much it’s worth?? LOL, I’d never buy it!

For those who don’t know, this is the holy grail of birding books, the dream of every serious birder or ornithologist. The book quality is amazing, a true work of art. They are also huge. The whole collection weights more than 60 kg! There is just one more volume, the 16th, to complete the series. This should be published by november.

Now excuse me, cause I have some serious reading to do!

Out of the box! Smells like new!

Birder's porn

1st. place in bird photography contest

By octaviophototours, on May 16th, 2011

First of all, sorry for the lack of updates. I have been very busy with local workshops and some other jobs (plus home moving – always a stress).
This saturday I saw the result of the Avistar bird photography contest, one of the most important photography contests in Brazil. I was extremelly happy to see that one of my photos won 1st. place! This was the second time I won it, the first time ws in 2007.

The photo was made during one of my photo tours to the Pantanal, at a place where we photograph the flying macaws. I remember when I saw that photo at the back of my camera I immediatly knew it was a special one.

We are going there again on October as an extension tour to our main trip to photograph jaguars. Check more details clicking here.

Snakes!

By octaviophototours, on April 5th, 2011

I have no doubts that during an average walk through a rainforest trail one pass by many snakes without ever noticing them. Specially us birders, we don’t look to the ground much. We are always scanning the treetops. Once in a while we see a snake here and there, but it’s not very common. But if you go specifically to look for them, you will be amazed… that’s why I wear a leather snake protection on my legs. I never needed it after so many years walking the forests, but sooner or later it can happen and I rather be ready then.

About 2 weeks ago me and my friend found a large venomous lancehead in the Atlantic Rainforest. This was a 1.5 meter long Bothrops jararacussu, probably the snake that causes the most deaths in Brazil. We quickly and carefully grabbed it with an improvised stick and took it the lodge where we could photograph it with more control. I chose a branch with some epiphyte plants and positioned the off-camera flashes in various ways. I finally found one that I was pleased with.

Ready to attack!

And below you see the lighting diagram. The program I was using didn’t have a snake image so I had to use the regular person subject image instead
The main light was to the left, a Vivitar 285-HV set to 1/4 with 1/2 CTO gel shot through a white umbrella. Just to the right of the snake my friend was holding a round reflector in daylight color (a light gold). In front of the snake another Vivitar set to 1/16 just for some light fill. Behind at the ground an SB-900 shot in SU-4 mode and set to 1/16 or 1/8, I don’t remember well now. This is for some soft hair light. The Vivitars were fired with Pocket Wizards.

I shot this with a D700 and Nikkor 600mm f/4, but only because I didn’t have a 300mm with me on that trip, cause that would be ideal. Of course the 600mm made sure I was shooting very far away from those fangs . I used a rather slow speed and high ISO to capture some available light at the background (it was getting dark), 1/50 @ f/16, ISO 640, with cable release and mirror lock up.

If only all birds posed like that

Lots of trips to the Atlantic Rainforest lately

By octaviophototours, on March 13th, 2011

Hi guys, sorry for the lack of updates, but I have been travelling quite often to the Atlantic Rainforest on short guided birding and photography trips. As a matter of fact I’m going again tomorrow morning.

Here are a few photos from last week:

The amazingly beautiful Yellow-fronted Woodpecker is a regular visitor to our lodge’s fruit feeders.

A young Blue Manakin among the dense vegetation. Adult males are much prettier, with bright blue and red feathers.

The food at this jungle lodge is amazing, done on a traditional wood stove. Lunch of the day: locally made sausages, rice with “tutu” beans and some cooked vegetables. hmmmm….

The White-throated Woodcreeper is the largest of the Atlantic Rainforest. They often forage alone at the understory of the forest, looking for large insects, although they will take reptiles and amphibians too.

Solitary Tinamous stay on the ground during the day. They only flight to a tree branch at dusk to roost. This one was almost surely trying to escape a terrestrial predator, that’s why it flew to this tree branch.

This is the Southern Muriqui, the largest primate in the americas and also one of the most threatened ones. They are really huge, with long arms and tail, an amazing animal.