What a great year u had Curtis. I live in Edmonton Alberta, winter here is not great for bird photography, the other seasons are really good. But alas in 2025 I will be moving to our new home near Owen Sound Ontario. Good luck in 24.
Owen sound will be great all year around for birds. There’s eagles along Georgian bay, as well as tons of duck species and of course the summer will be amazing for plenty of other birds. Thanks for commenting, hope you have a great year!
Absolutely, they're stunning! I've become completely obsessed by the idea of chasing them again. Haven't had the fortune to catch them a second time yet, but fingers are always crossed! Thanks for commenting!
I am so happy to see your wife goes with you on your adventures. Mine does too, as well as edits my photot's. I too shoot Sony, I have a a7R IV and a a1. My favorite lens is , of course, the 200-600mm with the 1.4 tele. Wonderful videos, keep up the great work.
that was so much fun to watch! I'm just starting to dabble into wild life photography after being a portrait, wedding photographer for several years. I am learning that patience is key with wild life photography. 2023 was a great year for you!
Wait you only have 2000 subscribers? I rarely watch videos that are longer than 10-15 minutes without skipping any parts but I have watched every second of this video and wished it was even longer. This video is extremely well done and I love how you make it come to live with all the videos but also show tons of pictures. I also especially like how you show unedited and edited pictures as well. I just started my wildlife photography journey with an old Canon 600d that I bought years ago. Your video has inspired me a lot and I can't wait to watch your next videos.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words! It means a lot to me that you enjoyed the video and found it inspiring. I'm glad to hear about your journey into wildlife photography, keep capturing the beauty around you. Your support is greatly appreciated. Happy shooting!
hello curtis You are blessed to live in such a beautiful country where there is so much nature. Here in the Netherlands you have to do your best to take a nice photo! it's always fun to watch your videos. Greetings Joop Sack / Netherlands.😊💯👍👍👍👍
Thank you so much for your kind words, Joop! I'm really glad I began sharing my adventures and the beautiful places that I get to explore. I hope you're inspired to find ways to showcase the beauty in the Netherlands-I'm sure there are plenty of hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered. It's always a pleasure to know that people enjoy my videos.
Hi Curtis. Great video! Super inspiring and motivational to go out and shoot. You jumped from a 55-210 to a Sigma 100-4000 to a Sony 200-600. I shoot birds with a 300 mm lens (450 mm equivalent on apsc). As an upgrade, would you recommend the Sigma 100-400 (it's lightweight and portable), or should I push the boat out for something longer and sharper but heavier like the Tamron 150-500 (I can't afford the Sony 200-600 for the next 2-3 years probably unfortunately). Thanks!
Hey there, thank you for commenting! It’s a tough call, if you value lightweight and portability, the Sigma 100-400 is a great option, but it never really did it for me. If you’re open to carrying a bit more weight, I’d recommend considering the Tamron 150-500 or even the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary. (I dont believe this lens is fully weather sealed though!). These lenses give you more reach to work with, which can make a big difference for bird photography. That said, with skill and practice, you can capture amazing wildlife shots at any focal length. For me, 600mm has been the sweet spot for growing my skills, but that’s just my approach. I’d suggest checking out reviews for each lens and seeing which one feels right for you. At the end of the day, I’m sure you’ll be happy with whichever you choose!
An amazing year ! I discovered your chanel this year, waiting for the day I will have my first camera. And this day came. Now I'm dreaming, watching your videos AND taking pictures. Happy new year
Love your channel, just started wildlife photography and this video really puts you there, very well made. Keep up the good work I see 100,000 subscribers in your future.
Awesome! I might try to build a small garden for them this year, so that I can attempt to photograph them around the plants. Thanks for commenting, hope you enjoyed the video!
@@CurtisSnapshot i thought about doing the same thing, i have sunflowers in my backyard I thought about setting a feeder in or around them to see if they would land on them
Yes, the lens can fit in the bag with the camera attached, as long as you remove the lens hood. It's a pretty good bag for the price point. I've had mine for 4 years now and it definitely shows some wear and tear, but it has done the trick for me!
TH-cam's Algorithm just suggested this video to me. And boy Am I glad that it did. Your 2023 retrospective video is just about everything that i love in photography. Casual and peaceful outings full of wildlife. And that Northern Lights shot at 4 min. is stunning. I'm happy to be onboard, and I can't wait to watch your other videos!
Thank you for posting this. I always sleep on the wildlife of Ontario because I'm so used to seeing it everyday. But your videos gives me a lot of inspiration to go out and actually appreciate the widlife that we have. Keep it up, I'm excited to watch more of your videos
I'm constantly surprised by new things I discover throughout Ontario! Of course I'd like to take my adventures else where someday, but I'm certainly not bored of what Ontario has to offer! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for commenting.
Hey, thanks for commenting! I use automatic focus, only switching to manual in tricky situations, such as shooting through foliage. My focus box is typically set to a medium tracking box, with eye tracking enabled. This allows the camera to track the subject as it moves around the frame. From my experience with the Sony a7iv and the 200-600, I can rely on the autofocus to do the heavy lifting, as long as I'm putting it in the right situations. Of course, factors such as luck, weather and other variables also play a role.
Depending on the model of Sony camera you have, my go to focus setting is the tracking option. I find its the most powerful and accurate because as your subject moves, the focus box tries to stay locked on across the screen. Within tracking, I use a mix of wide focus zones, as well as small, medium and large focus spots. Its okay if you don't have tracking though, because whether to choose a wide focus zone or a flexible spot "small" depends on what you're shooting. For a bird in the sky, I would go for the wide focus zone. For a small bird in the bushes, you might have more luck with a small focus point. I'm not sure there is a perfect choice, but on my old Sony a7ii I did prefer the flexible spot option. I hope that made sense, thanks for commenting on the video!
That’s a really tough choice, because there’s heron species I really want to see and photograph. I’ll make it easy on myself though, the Great Blue Heron is the main subject I have learned wildlife photography with, and it’s given me some pretty amazing moments in the past! I see the green heron in your profile photo, and that’s a close contender!
Thank you for the suggestion, I can see how that would be helpful for videos like this one, that have an assortment of species. I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
13:23 - this photo is AMAZING!!! 13:23
Thank you!
So amazing
Thank you!
Nice videos man, just watched like 6 in a row. Keep it up you have the skills to grow this channel.
Thank you, I really appreciate your words and I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the videos!
I saw the northern lights in October of 2024 my goodness it was amazing!
The northern lights are amazing, I’m glad you got to experience them as well!
Thank you Curtis. Nice & simple.
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for commenting.
Let’s gooo 2024
🎉
What a great year u had Curtis. I live in Edmonton Alberta, winter here is not great for bird photography, the other seasons are really good. But alas in 2025 I will be moving to our new home near Owen Sound Ontario. Good luck in 24.
Owen sound will be great all year around for birds. There’s eagles along Georgian bay, as well as tons of duck species and of course the summer will be amazing for plenty of other birds.
Thanks for commenting, hope you have a great year!
Just stumbled onto your channel, I love the storytelling. Great work!
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed!
Very well put together! Also really nice photos!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed!
cool
Northern Lights are soo fing beautiful!
Absolutely, they're stunning! I've become completely obsessed by the idea of chasing them again. Haven't had the fortune to catch them a second time yet, but fingers are always crossed! Thanks for commenting!
The way you captured the beauty and essence of wildlife is absolutely stunning.
Thank you so much, I’m glad you enjoyed!
Excellent video 👌
Thank you!
I am so happy to see your wife goes with you on your adventures. Mine does too, as well as edits my photot's. I too shoot Sony, I have a a7R IV and a a1. My favorite lens is , of course, the 200-600mm with the 1.4 tele. Wonderful videos, keep up the great work.
I’m very glad she puts up with all the trails, whenever we go somewhere new.
Thanks for commenting, have a great new year!
Your storytelling ability is incredible. Really well done video Curtis!
Thank you so much!
You got some amazing shots!
Thank you!
Wild nature is ❤
wow throughly enoyed,subscribed❤️🙏
Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed.
Very nicely done Curtis!
amazing video
Thank you!
Very nice pictures of the 2023. I very like your video. It is one of the best
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos.
Beautiful photos ❤ just came across your channel. I'm glad I did. I am looking forward to your 2024 adventures.
Thank you, happy to have you here 😊
that was so much fun to watch! I'm just starting to dabble into wild life photography after being a portrait, wedding photographer for several years. I am learning that patience is key with wild life photography. 2023 was a great year for you!
Thank you so much, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. Good-luck on your wildlife photography journey!
Thanks for sharing the awesome footage of nature!
I’m glad you enjoyed, thanks for commenting!
very good summary :) wonderfull meetings and shots :)
Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed. :)
Its been pleasure following you. Hope you have great year ahead and waiting for more content. Cheers
I appreciate that! Hope you have a great year as well. Cheers
Congrats! Beautiful photos! 👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks so much!
Great video 😊 thx for sharing.
@@miikaalatalo2063 thank you, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video!
Beautiful video.
Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed this one! I’m excited to work on a 2024 version, thanks for commenting!
I will look forward to that one. 😊
Amazing views
Thank you, glad you enjoyed!
Wait you only have 2000 subscribers? I rarely watch videos that are longer than 10-15 minutes without skipping any parts but I have watched every second of this video and wished it was even longer. This video is extremely well done and I love how you make it come to live with all the videos but also show tons of pictures. I also especially like how you show unedited and edited pictures as well.
I just started my wildlife photography journey with an old Canon 600d that I bought years ago. Your video has inspired me a lot and I can't wait to watch your next videos.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words! It means a lot to me that you enjoyed the video and found it inspiring. I'm glad to hear about your journey into wildlife photography, keep capturing the beauty around you. Your support is greatly appreciated. Happy shooting!
Amazing Work😊😊🥺😍😍👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Thank you!
Worth every second of watch!
Really glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks so much for commenting.
Excellent video, I'm looking forward to seeing more throughout 2024. Good luck. :)
Thank you!
Lovely work, these videos are always a great retrospective!
Thank you so much!
hello curtis
You are blessed to live in such a beautiful country where there is so much nature.
Here in the Netherlands you have to do your best to take a nice photo!
it's always fun to watch your videos.
Greetings Joop Sack / Netherlands.😊💯👍👍👍👍
Thank you so much for your kind words, Joop! I'm really glad I began sharing my adventures and the beautiful places that I get to explore. I hope you're inspired to find ways to showcase the beauty in the Netherlands-I'm sure there are plenty of hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered. It's always a pleasure to know that people enjoy my videos.
amazing video Curtis, loved how it wasn't just photos but more behind the scenes leading up to the photos like your vlog !
Thank you, glad you enjoyed!
Hi Curtis. Great video! Super inspiring and motivational to go out and shoot. You jumped from a 55-210 to a Sigma 100-4000 to a Sony 200-600. I shoot birds with a 300 mm lens (450 mm equivalent on apsc). As an upgrade, would you recommend the Sigma 100-400 (it's lightweight and portable), or should I push the boat out for something longer and sharper but heavier like the Tamron 150-500 (I can't afford the Sony 200-600 for the next 2-3 years probably unfortunately). Thanks!
Hey there, thank you for commenting! It’s a tough call, if you value lightweight and portability, the Sigma 100-400 is a great option, but it never really did it for me. If you’re open to carrying a bit more weight, I’d recommend considering the Tamron 150-500 or even the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary. (I dont believe this lens is fully weather sealed though!). These lenses give you more reach to work with, which can make a big difference for bird photography.
That said, with skill and practice, you can capture amazing wildlife shots at any focal length. For me, 600mm has been the sweet spot for growing my skills, but that’s just my approach. I’d suggest checking out reviews for each lens and seeing which one feels right for you. At the end of the day, I’m sure you’ll be happy with whichever you choose!
Northern Lights was the best...wow
An amazing year ! I discovered your chanel this year, waiting for the day I will have my first camera. And this day came. Now I'm dreaming, watching your videos AND taking pictures. Happy new year
That’s awesome, I’m super excited for you! Happy new year!
Love your channel, just started wildlife photography and this video really puts you there, very well made. Keep up the good work I see 100,000 subscribers in your future.
Thank you so much for the kind words, I really appreciate it! It’s a great hobby to get into, and I hope it’s been going well for you so far!
U deserve way more subscribers
Thank you, I really appreciate that!
Amazing wildlife, nice photo and video. Warm greetings from Bogor West Java. Indonesia
Thank you, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video!
Saludos desde argentina, por este video es que me suscribo a tu canal, realmente increible y hermoso, sigue asi porfavor, muchos exitos
Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
Looks like 2023 was a great year. Hope your 2024 is equally adventurous.
Nice to have a local channel.
Glad to have you here, thanks for commenting!
Beautiful shots! It must've been so amazing so experience wildlife encounters like that!
Thank you so much! Absolutely, I’m very grateful for each and every encounter and I’m already off to a great start to make 2024 even better.
I got some of my best hummingbird photos just from my backyard as well!
Awesome! I might try to build a small garden for them this year, so that I can attempt to photograph them around the plants.
Thanks for commenting, hope you enjoyed the video!
@@CurtisSnapshot i thought about doing the same thing, i have sunflowers in my backyard I thought about setting a feeder in or around them to see if they would land on them
Amazing stuff. Does the backpack you have listed in the links hold the 200-600 on body?
Yes, the lens can fit in the bag with the camera attached, as long as you remove the lens hood. It's a pretty good bag for the price point. I've had mine for 4 years now and it definitely shows some wear and tear, but it has done the trick for me!
TH-cam's Algorithm just suggested this video to me. And boy Am I glad that it did. Your 2023 retrospective video is just about everything that i love in photography. Casual and peaceful outings full of wildlife. And that Northern Lights shot at 4 min. is stunning. I'm happy to be onboard, and I can't wait to watch your other videos!
Thank you so much, it's awesome finding an audience of like minded people to share these adventures with!
Such a sleeper channel, wtf you deserve so much more reach, keep it up, an absolute inspiration to a starter photographer like myself
Thank you, I really appreciate that. Good luck on your new photography journey!
Thank you for posting this. I always sleep on the wildlife of Ontario because I'm so used to seeing it everyday. But your videos gives me a lot of inspiration to go out and actually appreciate the widlife that we have. Keep it up, I'm excited to watch more of your videos
I'm constantly surprised by new things I discover throughout Ontario! Of course I'd like to take my adventures else where someday, but I'm certainly not bored of what Ontario has to offer! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for commenting.
What do you use to record you camera viewer? Like at 1:31
I use Sonys “Creators’ App”, it allows you to wirelessly connect to select Sony cameras, from there you can screen record what your view finder sees.
Thank you@@CurtisSnapshot
How do you get the photos so sharp do you use manual mode or automatic for focus?
Hey, thanks for commenting! I use automatic focus, only switching to manual in tricky situations, such as shooting through foliage.
My focus box is typically set to a medium tracking box, with eye tracking enabled. This allows the camera to track the subject as it moves around the frame.
From my experience with the Sony a7iv and the 200-600, I can rely on the autofocus to do the heavy lifting, as long as I'm putting it in the right situations. Of course, factors such as luck, weather and other variables also play a role.
This was basically a giant vessi ad
If only I had those new @vessi winter boots for some upcoming adventures.
What is the best Sony focus area for wildlife. I have been wondering this for a while is it zone. wide, flexible spot small, can Somme please tell me
Depending on the model of Sony camera you have, my go to focus setting is the tracking option. I find its the most powerful and accurate because as your subject moves, the focus box tries to stay locked on across the screen. Within tracking, I use a mix of wide focus zones, as well as small, medium and large focus spots.
Its okay if you don't have tracking though, because
whether to choose a wide focus zone or a flexible spot "small" depends on what you're shooting. For a bird in the sky, I would go for the wide focus zone. For a small bird in the bushes, you might have more luck with a small focus point. I'm not sure there is a perfect choice, but on my old Sony a7ii I did prefer the flexible spot option.
I hope that made sense, thanks for commenting on the video!
Whatever you said to that grey heron in December he found hilarious
Haha, thanks for watching!
can i come live with you PLEASE. The birds are so friendly there and the woodland looks so much better there than it does here 😓
You know in my place only can see 1 or 2 species bird around my home
@@xstrange_potret do you live in a city or something?
What is your favorite heron species to photograph?
That’s a really tough choice, because there’s heron species I really want to see and photograph.
I’ll make it easy on myself though, the Great Blue Heron is the main subject I have learned wildlife photography with, and it’s given me some pretty amazing moments in the past!
I see the green heron in your profile photo, and that’s a close contender!
@@CurtisSnapshot nice! , and the green heron in my profile is actually a picture I took myself!
@@jaurijantzi424 very nice!
You should name the birds in your videos a d photos. Still nice video.
Thank you for the suggestion, I can see how that would be helpful for videos like this one, that have an assortment of species. I’m glad you enjoyed the video!