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Our Popular Reflection Pool Photo Guide has just been Updated with Crucial New Information

If you enjoy photographing small birds, you need this Photo Guide.  We continue to develop new photo strategies that greatly improve our bird photography using a reflection pool!

Go to Shop on the right side at the top of this page and click that button to buy this E-book.

Welcome to the home of Gerlach Nature Photography!!

with John Gerlach and Dixie Calderone
johngerlachphotography@gmail.com    812 - 350 - 0799

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John has been using his first mirrorless camera - the Canon R5 since October of 2020!  It is fabulous!  In 45 years of professional photography, the Canon R5 along with the new RF lenses are the best photo gear John has ever used!  And now Dixie uses the mirrorless Nikon Z9 with equal enthusiasm.  Never did we think cameras would let us so easily capture the images we seek!  We use our camera gear precisely and quickly.  Read the articles below describing how we easily capture quality images.  Be sure to read the article: USE CUSTOM SHOOTING MODES FOR FAST CAMERA CHANGES.  By using the custom shooting modes, putting frequently changed menu items in the MyMenu list, and assigning some camera options to specific buttons on the camera, we rapidly make numerous camera changes to suit the circumstances.  You can too!
 
Upcoming workshops are listed below.  We are planning to add new programs and announce them through our free newsletter.  

We look forward to being with you while teaching you how to move your photo skills to a much higher level.

John & Dixie

This detailed 65-page manual is over 20,000 words with 81 images to explain how to use water to make pleasing images of birds and mammals in your own yard.  It contains everything we have learned over the past four years of doing this and that includes a lot of important information you won't find anywhere else. 

The cost for this manual is $25.  Buy it now by clicking on SHOP at the top right side of this page and follow the instructions.  As soon as you buy it with your credit card, the manual is emailed directly to you.

One of the best times to use the reflection pool for bird photography is coming up fast - the spring migration!  Soon billions of migratory songbirds will be migrating north and while most warbler, vireo, flycatcher and other species are not interested in bird food since they eat insects and fruits, all of them readily come to fresh water and that provides you incredible opportunities for bird photos!

We continually update this manual as we develop new strategies for photographing our feathered friends.  Once you buy this, we put you on our renewal list.  That allows us to email future updates free of charge.

PHOTO WORKSHOPS

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Songbirds at our Water Drips, Macro, and Yellowstone Photo Workshop

August 25 - 31, 2024  Sold Out

Join us for an intensive week of bird  photography at our home where numerous birds are attracted to our water features.  Maco and Yellowstone also included.

only 3 participants
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Great Smoky Mountains
National Park


The Peak of Autumn Color  Space Available

Oct. 20 - 26, 2024

We have led many autumn color workshops in the Great Smoky Mountains.  It is wonderful!  Join us in 2024!
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Grand Tetons National Park Wildlife and Landscape Photo Workshop
 
Dec. 3-8, 2024  Space available
Dec. 9 - 14, 2024

Photograph the rugged mountains in Grand Teton National Park and wildlife with special emphasis on moose and bighorn sheep.

 

  Your hotel room, all meals, and transportation are included in the tuition! 

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Kenya Wildlife
Photo Tour


Dec. 29, 2024 - Jan. 12, 2025

A couple spots remain 
This is a deluxe tour.
Amboseli, Samburu, Masai Mara Parks
3 participants per vehicle
Air Charter to each park
The best lodges and guides 
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Yellowstone 2025
Jan. 18 - 25 
Jan 25 - Feb. 1 
Feb. 1 - 8 

Only 5 participants!  -  A few spots available
We love photographing the winter wildlife of Yellowstone and most of the animals leave the park's interior and winter along the northern edge of the park.  Join our small group of five in Gardiner to photograph lots of wildlife  and landscapes!
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Floating Blind, Yellowstone, Macro Photo Workshop 
July 9 - 15, 2025 
July 18 - 24, 2025 
July 27 - Aug. 2, 2025 

Only 3 participants!  -  A few spots available
Wildlife photography in our floating blinds, water reflection pools, Yellowstone, and macro

 
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Songbirds at our Reflection Pools and Yellowstone Photo Workshop

September 2 - 8, 2025

Join us for an intensive week of bird  photography at our home where numerous birds are attracted to our water features.  Morning is best at the reflection pools.  During the afternoon, we photograph Landscapes and Wildlife in Yellowstone.

only 3 participants

Instructional Photo Articles

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Exposure Methods we are Using Now

Our exposure methods have changed over the years and they continually to change a little as new exposure aids are added to cameras.  No doubt our methods will continue to evolve over time.  This detailed article describes what we do as of March 2021.  It is fast and delivers well- exposed images consistently that you see here on this site.

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Floating Blind Wildlife Photography
I have used a floating blind to closely approach wildlife living on the water or along the shoreline for more than 20 years.  It is tremendously easy to do, super fun, and relaxing.  Read this article to learn all about it.  For the first time, we are offering a floating blind workshop at our Idaho home for three lucky participants.

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Get more reach for wildlife with a  Teleconverter or In-camera crop, or Both?

Since getting the new Canon R5 in Nov of 2020, I shot over 100,000 wildlife images by May of 2021.  This article explains what you must do for best quality.
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Exposure Mode Options we Prefer

We use manual exposure and Auto ISO most of the time.  But, for those who have trouble with manual exposure or prefer to always use an automatic exposure mode, aperture-priority does work well in certain situations.  This article covers the when and how of our exposure mode options.
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Telephoto Lens Options for Wildlife
Photography

One way or another, you need a long lens to photograph most wildlife well.  This article explains the many choices you have to get the magnification you need!
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Automatic Focus Bracketing

Learn how we shoot focus brackets automatically to cover extreme depths of field in macro and landscapes.
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Accurate Focus in Snowstorms

Autofocus tends to lock on to snowflakes in front of the subject.  This article describes some ways to overcome this problem and sharply focus the subject.
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Use Custom Shooting Modes for Fast Camera Changes
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Shoot Sharp Wildlife Photos

I have had many questions about how I make such sharp images of wildlife.  So, I starting writing about this topic and it grew and grew and grew.  I cover 25 key points that cover the things I do that make it so easy to capture sharp wildlife images consistently.  The focus of this article is on wildlife, and I realize I will need to write a similar article about how I shoot sharp close-up and landscape images as many of my techniques are different for those subjects.  Enjoy the article and may your wildlife images sharpen up considerably.

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Photographing Wildlife in the Snow

Solutions for exposure and focus!
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Canon 100-500mm or Canon 600mm
 
Which is Best for Wildlife Photos

 
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