Andy Ingram

"Had a great day at the Raptor Conservatory with Ray.
Learned a lot about photographing birds. The staff there were very knowledgeable.
The group size was just right.
Had a perfect day for it and I am looking forward to the "Birds in Flight" workshop.
Thanks Ray!"

Andy Ingram
Andyingramphotography
500px.com

The Three French!

  The Three French : what a great tour !

 

      Last year, Costa Rica was just a dream, meeting 

Ray at San Jose airport made us realize it was no more a dream !

We enjoyed every moment of this tour. Fantastic places for 

shooting, incredible colors, amazing nature and nice weather….

Costa Rica is really a paradise for birders. 

Sharing this tour with Ray gave us the feeling as if 

we knew each other for a long time.

We appreciated his professionalism and kindness, what

could we ask for more ?.. There was also a bit 

of challenge : only one of us speaks English ( not perfectly ) 

Ray does not speak French, and as he said 

sometimes …... C’est dommage  = What a pity !

We had a lot of fun and for sure, we will come back and live new adventures.

  Gilles, Christian, Bernard.

John Murden

Today was fantastic.  I really enjoyed myself.  It was very fortunate 

for me that Becky drove me around or I would have had a

problem walking the hills.  The weather turned out perfect.  Lynn 

was totally happy that I came home so 

enthused. Can 't wait to download.  

  Love to do the owls with you. 

Please check out my website too:

  http://www.murden.com/

Thanks again for a great day. 

John Murden

Adeel Azam

Ray,

Just wanted to thank you for hosting such an amazing

workshop. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, especially 

getting up close to the wolves. I came away with some great 

images for myself; looking forward to some more from

you. I have attached some of my favorites.

Regards,

Adeel Azam
http://www.adeelazam.smugmug.com/

Carole Wiley

Hi Ray,

It was tough to come up just 2 images from this
workshop, you did such a good job of giving us
many different looks and backgrounds in the time
we worked this very special bird.  I
selected these two because I believe
they show a bit of the
personality she showed us that day. 

This was a great workshop and I got a
number of images which look like they came from
different places, times,  and
weather conditions, giving me lots of variety.

I can't thankyou enough for all you did for me
for that workshop and I am
going to try to get a flight workshop in
with you sometime this year.

It is worth every minute of the 8 hour drive to get there.

Regards, Carole

(please click on the images for a larger view!)

Return to main blog here:
http://raymondbarlow.blogspot.com/

ray@raymondbarlow.com

Brita Brookes

Muskoka in the Snowstorm

Just writing and sending a few photographs to say that I enjoyed the 

Muskoka Wildlife Centre Workshop on January 28, 2012.
With the fresh snowfall that for awhile was a blizzard and the low lighting I 

was pretty intimidated and worried that it would be really hard to capture
images of the animals that would be somewhat crisp (not too grainy). With 

your guidance and some real good concentration on my part
I was able to get some beautiful images even with my really basic Canon 

Rebel Xti & under $500 zoom lens. (I'm on a low budget...)

The animals were so beautiful. I learned a lot about 

the animals from listening to the caregivers descriptions of

each animal to us during the sessions.

I was impressed with the way each session was run in regards

to safety guidelines for humans and for animals, respect to the

animals welfare as first priority and with great care by all of us.

I am so pleased that I got some images that I love because it

has already allowed me to share them with many people 

who want to know more about that particular species or 

those who have a passion for the environment and all its 

creatures. I think my favorite was the cougar & owl but I 

also greatly enjoyed the wolves. My wolf images are softer 

as the lighting was pretty challenging for me so I guess I will have

to come back for another try! Practice, practice, practice...

I hope to get employment soon so I can use my vacation 

time to attend the East Coast sessions you are offering and 

see those awesome gannet colonies, puffins
and the fishing villages- looks like a dream photo 

journey! 

Thanks again it was worth the drive.

Brita Brookes, Ferndale, Michigan, USA

Annette Jewel

Ray the workshops you hold are very exciting.  They give people the opportunity to photograph raptors still and in flight.  Some of these raptors are hard and next to impossible to find in the wild.  I have learned so much at these workshops and I continue to learn from them every time I attend. 

It is also nice to meet people that have the same interest as I have and to talk to them .  I enjoy the bird in flight photography, each time I get better and better and ready for when I do see one these great birds in the wild.

Thanks Ray 

 

Julie Hodgins

Thank you so much for the wonderful Snowy Owl Workshop this past weekend at the Canadian Raptor Conservancy.  What a treat it was to finally be able to see this beautiful owl up close!  I have attempted trying to find this amazing owl in the wild, but have never had much luck.  I found your instructions and tips very helpful.  

As I looked through my images, I could see the improvements as the day went on from your helpful tips!   I can't wait to join you for many more workshops in the future!

Julie Hodgins  

Garry Coldwells

Ray,

 

You probably have loads of testimonials but I wanted to complement you on the superb workshop last Saturday. You offered pertinent information and tips that helped with the Snowy shoot and made my experience memorable. The venue was superb and you handled the large group skillfully. I will be joining other workshops you host as this one proved to be good value. 

 

I have attached my favorite from this session. Ideally I would have liked symmetrical eyes but the gaping beak and breath made it for me anyway :)

 

Cheers,

 

Garry Coldwells   rugbyphoto.com

Peter Burian

" While I would prefer to photograph lynx, cougar, wolves and other animals in the wild, that's not practical due to time and financial constraints, making Ray's workshop at the Muskoka Wildlife Centre an excellent alternative. The general public does not get entry to the compounds and they don't get to photograph the Saw-whet owl, but we certainly did."

"That made the $200 fee a suitable investment. (In the US, you'd pay far more for a session at a similar facility.) And because we got close to the animals, there was no need for an expensive super telephoto lens. Ray is very knowledgeable and if you need advice, be sure to ask him. Don't be shy or hesitant in this respect, since the right camera settings and techniques definitely pay off in terms of pro-calibre images."

Peter Burian - www.peterkburian.com

John Reed

Greetings Ray

Just wanted to share with you some images that I have taken at I guess now 5 workshops that I have taken with you. Really would like to say a HUGE THANKS as I noted I am getting back into photography after 20 years and boy have things changed. Each workshop I have been able to come away with some super shots and its largely due to your guidance, suggestions throughout the various shoots, keeping the group happy maintaining sight lines and focus on customer service. You seem to make this happen seamlessly. Its hard work with different personalities and various skill levels. Congrats.

On a final note allowing me to use you favourite lens, to the detriment of your shooting, in helping me in my decisions on what equipment to purchase really speaks to the focus on your customer. I cannot thank you enough.

I would love to go on the Bella Coola trip and NFD trips and am at the moment planning to try and make it happen. Africa.... would be a dream come true to be in the company of such a great photography and host.

Best to you and your family.


John
http://www.pbase.com/johnreed

Gary Irwin

I just wanted to say thank you for another successful BIF workshop at the Canadian Raptor Conservancy a week ago. I really enjoy your flight workshops because of the unique photographic opportunity they offer. Being able to photograph these amazing raptors in flight up close is really something special -- something that very rarely happens in the wild. 

As always I appreciate your guidance and advice. Although I've been a number of your workshops I'm always learning new things and picking up some new idea to try out. I came home with some 1400 images but have honed my keepers down to a few of my favourites -- hope you like them. I'm already looking forward to joining you again in the future.

All the best,

Gary Irwin

London

Victor Martello

Ray,

I would just like to thank you again for the amazing raptor workshop you hosted at the Mountsberg Conservation area.

Being my first workshop with you, I found your instruction on creative photography and knack for setting up wonderful perches, provided the group with some fantastic opportunities to capture these amazing birds. I found It easy to get lost while shooting these beautiful creatures, but thanks for reminding us to check our camera settings during the shoot,  as this helped me capture some of the best images I have taken to date.

I've attached a few of my favourites.

Sincerely,
Vic

Ron Goodlin

"Ray Barlow is a master at bird and nature photography. His workshops
 are a must for any photographer."

George Harper

Bella Coola was a great experience.  My grandson Carter and I got to see 

grizzlies and blacks "up close and personal".  With
your coaching and help we learned a lot and got some 

great photos.  Thanks Ray.

George Harper

Petri Hoivanen

" A truly amazing experience! Breathtaking nature, clean air and unforgettable encounters with wildlife. That's Bella Coola… Nothing can prepare you for the encounter with a grizzly leisurely strolling past you in search of fish, and trust me, it will be something you will remember the rest of your life. Add to this a comfortable lodge with friendly staff and delicious food and your vacation will be unforgettable."

Jamie Strickland

Comments from Jamie, after his 3rd visit to the Canadian Raptor Conservancy, for a Birds in Flight workshop!

"I wouldn't drive nearly 4hrs each way unless it was worthwhile, where else are you going to find guaranteed birds in flight ? I like the fact there are various birds in different settings, but don't think its a cakewalk, its still not easy to nail a sharp photo of fast birds in flight."

(please click on the image for a larger view!)

Ann Brokelman

I was at the hummingbird workshop with Ray Barlow and

had a wonderful afternoon/evening.

Learning new techniques on taking amazing shots. 

 Also Ray was patient 

about helping me with exposures and histograms.

I highly recommend this workshop.

Ann Brokelman

Thank you thank you Ray

I enjoyed meeting the other photographers there.

Steve Matyas

“I've been on quite a number of Ray Barlow’s photo trips and I have to say they've all been very good. It’s difficult to imagine that I could have taken as many images traveling with another group or taken the time necessary to get the shots that we got on any particular trip. Most of Ray’s outings are not workshops, so you’re presumed to know something about your gear and the fundamentals of photography.

Ray has a wealth of photographic knowledge and is truly passionate about the craft.  No matter how special a place is, it can be spoiled or enhanced by the way people experience it. Ray is very aware of this and is quite accommodating and has a knack for making everyone feel comfortable. I'd like to think I have some fairly advanced photography skills, but am never surprised when I find that every tour has something to teach me. I'd highly recommend these trips. They’re good quality and relatively inexpensive.”

Steve Matyas - President : Staples Business Depot Canada

David Sparks

Everything about the photo safari exceeded my 
expectations. Both Nas and Nickson were very
 knowledgeable guides and did an outstanding 
job of locating the large animals. 
Their ability to spot and identify the amazing 
variety of birds was an unexpected bonus. Ray 
constantly "tweaked" the position of our vehicle so 
that we had the best possible lighting and background
for our photos. I learned a lot by 
observing his approach to photographing the wildlife, scenery,

and people we encountered. This 
was my first trip to Africa, but I hope it is not my last.