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debra.dandro
01-02-2010, 04:13 PM
Hello Everyone! My apologies on the delay in getting this information sent out to all of you. For those of you who were at the December meeting, you have already heard about this. For those of you who were not there (and those who prefer written details), below is the complete information about our first outing of 2010. As you can see, we need to be at the Center and ready to photograph by 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 9. The cost will be $35 / person with a minimum of 12 participants and if we have over 25 participants, it will go down to $25 / person. There is a maximum of 40 participants for this outing. If your name is not listed below, you are not included as an outing participant. Once we reach the limit, I will begin a waiting list and will fill positions if any of those signed up have to cancel. Please review and let me know as soon as possible if you are interested and plan on going on this outing. Also, please let me know if you have any questions. Take care and we look forward to seeing you very soon! :)DJGD


CNPA Charlotte Region
Saturday, January 9, 2010 – Private PhotoWild! Shoot at Carolina Raptor Center (CRC) in Huntersville, NC
Leader: Debra Dandro (704/577-6772 cell)

Carolina Raptor Center
6000 Sample Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
704/875-6521
www.carolinaraptorcenter.org (http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org)
CRC Event Contact: Amber Rosintoski (x207)

Details:

We will be photographing raptors (native to North Carolina only) from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. EST in natural settings outside their enclosures (similar to their regular PhotoWild! Event but much smaller scale).
Please arrive early so you can pay the $25.00 fee at the Gift Store and be ready to shoot starting promptly at 9 a.m. They take cash (please have exact amount), check (made out to CRC), or credit.
Please dress for the weather. We will be shooting the entire time outside. As of right now, weather.com states that the low on Saturday will be 17 degrees with a high of 38 degrees, sunny with 0% chance of precipitation. If for some reason the weather turns bad and it rains or snows, we reschedule (tentatively looking at January 23rd). If it is just cold, we will go on with this shoot.
There will be 5-6 raptors out each hour with 2 sets of birds, so a total of 10-12.
The birds will be spaced out with half of them in the Assembly Area (outside, right behind the Gift Store) and in the Festival Area.
Every 30 minutes, they will switch out props.
Flash is allowed and so are tripods.
You are able to get pretty close to the birds but specific distance will be given by the handler as it varies for each bird (depending on their comfort level).
Note that General Admission to the Center is included (regular $8.00) so feel free to stay around and enjoy a self guided tour on their ¾ mile long nature trail and see over 23 different species of raptors.
On Saturdays, there are also live bird presentations in the Weathering Area at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., which is also included in the General Admission.


Directions:

Take I-77 to Exit 18, W.T. Harris Boulevard.
At the top of the exit ramp, take a left onto W.T. Harris Boulevard and go 1.6 miles.
Take a left onto Mount Holly – Huntersville Road and go 1.3 miles.
Turn right onto Beatties Ford Road and go 1.6 miles.
Turn left onto Sample Road and head straight into Latta Plantation Nature Preserve.
Carolina Raptor Center is 0.7 miles on your left inside the preserve gate.


List of actual participants:

Debra Dandro
Harold Brown
Jennifer Carroll
Todd Stein
Susan Stein
Charlotte Kidd
Jim Young
Deede Denton
Mary Roberts
Jeff Averill
Rich Bryant
Bob Vranek
Joe Colavita
Edgar Payne
Loy Stroupe
Joan Taylor
John Bigelow
Jack Abell
Paul Stubbs
Curt Hiller
Dave Storm
Keith Liscinsky
Cesar Palacio
Julie Nixon
John Bumgarner
Ben Timmons
David Thompson
Lisa Thompson
Russell Rockwell
Vicki Wilson
L. J. Weslowski
Diane Roche
Juan Lozano

debrown
01-02-2010, 05:03 PM
Please include me as an attendee and thanks.

Don Brown

debra.dandro
01-03-2010, 03:07 PM
OK everyone! Wow - what a response! I've updated the list with everyone who has posted on this thread, called me, or sent me an email to date. I'm going to cut it off here for now as we already have 32 so we don't want it to be too crowded (we definitely get the reduced rate) as we will be photographing in the Assembly Area. I'll speak with Amber hopefully tomorrow to finalize the details and get the answers to the questions I have been emailed thus far and will post those here as well as send out another email. Thanks again and I'll be in touch... :)DJGD

k.liscinsky
01-03-2010, 04:42 PM
Debra, plpease add me to the list. Thanks

cesar
01-04-2010, 04:57 PM
Can I go???

epayne
01-04-2010, 10:46 PM
Hi Debra,
Can you advise what forms of payment will be accepted??
Cash / Credit Card / Personal Check?
Thanks, Edgar Payne

debrown
01-05-2010, 12:22 AM
I keep hearing these dour weather forecasts, is this a shoot no matter what the weather kind of day?

epayne
01-05-2010, 12:44 AM
If the weather is foul I would hope it could be rescheduled. The birds as well as the photographers are not their best in rain / sleet or snow.

Edgar Payne

debra.dandro
01-05-2010, 08:34 PM
Hello All! I have updated the information in my original post at the top of this thread. Note that the price is now $25 per person since we met the number required for the discount. Also note that we have a maximum of 40 so there is room for one more person. All information regarding the weather and payment is also included above. Please let me know if I have missed answering any questions. Thanks and look forward to seeing you all on Saturday! :)DJGD

LorraineShannon
01-05-2010, 09:00 PM
Debra-

I knew all along that my youngest son, Cooper, has a swim meet this Saturday, but it was supposed to start at 3 p.m. I just found out that it will be starting at 9 a.m., so Trevor & I will not be attending the outing. Since I missed his last 2 meets for reasons beyond my control, and being the wonderful mother that I am, I will be attending this Saturday's meet instead of spending the morning with the owls. Have fun!

epayne
01-05-2010, 09:13 PM
Thanks for the update Debra,

Many layers will be the dress code for the morning.
Also a heads up on batteries. Make sure you are fully charged and if you have spares keep them warm in an a pocket next to your body. It is likely to be below freezing in the early AM.

A posting in another forum prompted me to add you want to have your cameras and lenses cold and dry for the morning shoot. I would recommend leaving your gear minus batteries in the car the night before. Otherwise you could possibly be plagued with condensation on your glass keeping you from shooting until the gear's temperature equalizes to the outdoors.

Edgar Payne

vicki
01-06-2010, 10:17 AM
Please include if there is still room for one more.

Vicki Wilson

KenBarrett
01-06-2010, 03:19 PM
Hi Debra,
Please remove me from the list. Can't make it this weekend.
Ken Barrett

debra.dandro
01-07-2010, 11:04 AM
The list has been updated in the original post at the top of this thread with the cancellations and additions. With that said, we are at our max number of participants. To answer the one remaining question I had received in email, tripods are allowed. Take care and let me know if you have any additional questions. Bundle up and I'll see you Saturday morning! :)DJGD

inochuck
01-07-2010, 08:51 PM
All, We will be not be able to go, due to my fathers funeral in Florida. Hope all goies well with the day and the birds.
Chuck & Ino Daffin

epayne
01-07-2010, 08:59 PM
Hi Chuck and Ino,

I am very sorry to hear of your loss. Have a safe trip.

Best regards,
Edgar Payne

debra.dandro
01-07-2010, 09:01 PM
Chuck and Ino: I so hate to hear about the loss of your father. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Travel safe and please let us know if we can do anything. -DJGD

debra.dandro
01-07-2010, 09:08 PM
Hello Everyone! I had several email cancellations for a variety of reasons in my email when I got home as well as one new addition. With that said, there are 4 spots left for this Saturday. Please let me know if you are interested in participating as soon as possible so I can get the list updated. Thanks! :)DJGD

debra.dandro
01-08-2010, 08:56 AM
I just updated the list of participants. Let me know if you are interested in joining us as there are still a few slots open. Thanks! :)DJGD

debrown
01-08-2010, 11:38 AM
Regretfully, I will not be able to attend tomorrow.

debra.dandro
01-09-2010, 01:10 AM
Updated list one last time with two cancellations. Night night and see you guys soon! :)DJGD

epayne
01-10-2010, 10:43 PM
Many thanks to Debra for putting together the first outing of 2010.

It was a rousing success. I got lots of excellent new raptor photos, and from what I have seen posted on a few facebook pages and from discussion after the shoot at the barbecue restaurant, I know others were happy too.

I am hopeful we can make this an annual event as it benefits both the Carolina Raptor Center as well as the CNPA. We had a record turnout despite the extremely cold weather. It was a good test of out ability to shoot in cold conditions as well as a test of our equipment in extreme conditions.

Hope to see everyone at the meeting this Wednesday evening.

Edgar Payne

debra.dandro
01-12-2010, 09:40 PM
Thank you Edgar!

Thank you to everyone who braved the cold weather to come on this Outing! We had 33 people total in attendance. I believe everyone had a great time from the feedback I heard and hopefully all got some great shots!

I did want to let you all know that I put two group shots up on my Facebook page from this Outing. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Also, if I have made any errors while tagging or do not have you tagged, please let me know so that I can fix it promptly.

Take care and look forward to seeing you all again soon - hopefully at tomorrow night's meeting! :)DJGD

debra.dandro
08-14-2010, 02:40 PM
Hello Everyone! At the recommendation of some of our members, I'm going back and adding the group shots to the Outing threads. Let me know what you think. :)DJGD

P.S.: I know, I know... I need to get a super-wide angle lens. That way, I wouldn't have been "in the trees" to get everyone to fit... :)

epayne
08-15-2010, 09:08 AM
This was an excellent idea. Thanks to Leonard "Deacon" Jones again....

Edgar Payne
Charlotte Region Co Coordinator