The Canon 70D Is Back In Action!

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Admin11

Last month, I received a memory card lock error on my Canon 70D Body. I sent it off to Canon USA for repair. Canon replaced the shutter assembly and a few covers. They informed me that my 70D shutter exceeded the normal life expectancy at a total of 156,642. I purchased this camera body in January 2014. This camera body has been the most durable and reliable camera body that I have owned so far.

Canon 70D: Favorite features

Fully-articulated touchscreen
High ISO capabilities
Responsive auto focus system
Lightweight and compact

Below are some of my popular photographs taken with the Canon 70D. Featured in National Geographic, BBC, WWF, IUCN, and Scientific publications.

: Planet or plastic -NatGeo

: Okinawa Woodpecker

: BBC – fluorescence Okinawa

: WWF -Crabs with beach trash Homes

: Japanese workbooks – Okinawa nature

: Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko

I often use the Canon 70D to photograph fluorescence in the Yanbaru forest. This is a custom setup I use to photograph flowers and animals.

Fluorescence photography setup -Shawn Miller

Fluorescence photography setup -Shawn Miller

The equipment I use for my Series “Crabs With Beach Trash Homes”

Canon 70D
Tokina 10-17mm
L&M Stella 2000
Canon 270ex flash

Shawn Miller - Crabs with beach trash homes. photographed by David Orr

Shawn Miller – Crabs with beach trash homes. photographed by David Orr

Thanks to Canon USA for the great customer service and quick turnaround!

Amami Woodcock- The Birds of The Ryukyu Islands

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Admin11

The Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) is considered a prefectural bird of Amami Island. They are a rare species mainly found on Amami and Tokuno islands. These ground dwelling birds are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of threatened species.

Scientific name: Scolopax mira
Distribution: Amami, Tokuno and Northern Okinawa
Habitat: leaf littered forests
Diet: Beetles, crickets, moths, spiders, and worms
Average Size: 34cm – 36mm
Threats: Habitat loss and the introduced mongoose.

© Shawn Miller

Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) © Shawn Miller

The Amami woodcock is a master of camouflage. It crouches down low and limits its movements in the leaf litter. When predators approach the woodcock will fly away in most cases.

Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) © Shawn Miller

In this case the female has chicks that she has to protect.

Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) © Shawn Miller

Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) © Shawn Miller

We managed to see one sub-adult, it quickly followed its mothers lead and fled the scene.

Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) © Shawn Miller

The mongoose is the biggest threat to the wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands. It was introduced to the Ryukyu Islands in the1900’s In order to reduce the venomous habu populations. All the islands are still battling this never ending problem.

Mongoose ( Hepestes javanicus )

Mongoose ( Hepestes javanicus ) © Shawn Miller

All the photographs of the Amami woodcock were taken from the car through the back seat window. In the beginning, I had difficulty with the cameras auto-focus system. I adapted by mounting a Light&Motion GoBe light with a 500 search head to my tripod collar. This allowed the auto-focus system to be extremely responsive using the Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM.

Amami rabbit camera setup

Amami night adventures setup © Shawn Miller

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment.

Learn more about the Light&Motion GoBe Exploration light https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/gobe

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Make The Switch For Nature By Shawn Miller

Featured

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Admin11

“Crabs with beach trash homes” was featured in one of the most influential issues of National Geographic Magazine of all time. June 2018 National Geographic launched Planet or Plastic. This powerful issue focuses on bringing awareness to the worldwide plastic pollution problem and efforts to reduce the single-use plastic waste.

Planet or Plastic June 2018 featured

Planet or Plastic June 2018 featured © Shawn Miller

June 2018, National Geographic replaced the plastic cover with a paper cover ( PEFC-Certified Paper ) that can be recycled. This is a huge step in reducing the big problem of single-use plastic pollution in our oceans one small step at a time. The Editors did an outstanding job on this powerful ocean impact issue of National Geographic.

Below left is the new paper cover and on the right is the previous plastic cover

National Geographic Paper wrap

National Geographic Paper wrap © Shawn Miller

What a powerful National Geographic cover by Artist Jorge Gambo. The cover is a plastic bag resembling and Iceberg. This is one of the best covers of all time in my opinion. I was fortunate to get my hands on a Japanese issue as well.

Planet Or Plastic Cover

Planet Or Plastic Cover

Excited and honored to have one of my photographs from Okinawa featured in the National Geographic Planet or Plastic Exhibition at the Church of Santa Maria della Vita in Bologna, Italy. Exhibition Date: 04/15/2019 – 09/22/2019

Photograph by Paolo Righi

Photograph by Paolo Righi

Photograph by Paolo Righi

Photograph by Paolo Righi

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Planet or Plastic Iconic Photographs

Learn more about reducing waste and making a difference. TEDx OIST Talk – Adapting to Our Changing Environment by Shawn Miller

If you would like to see more of my work in National Geographic Magazine, below are four powerful issues that featured the Endangered Species of Okinawa. (WILDLIFE AS CANON SEES IT)

Anderson’s crocodile newt by Shawn Miller. 11/2020 National Geographic

Amami Oshima frog by Shawn Miller. 08/2019 National Geographic

Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko by Shawn Miller. 10/2017 National Geographic

Okinawa woodpecker by Shawn Miller. 05/2015 National Geographic

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment.

Let’s Make The Switch 4 Nature before it’s too late

My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations. – If you would like to join my journey, check out my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Testing The Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens Underwater

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Admin11

Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens for Canon EF

Underwater Housing © Shawn Miller

The Laowa D-Dreamer 12mm lens is a technical lens with great optics. The specialized lens is manual focus and manual aperture selection. I decided to see what it could do underwater.

The lens was used in combination with a Canon 70d DSLR, mounted in an Ikelite housing with an eight-inch dome port. For all the underwater shots, I preset the aperture to f11 before I locked it in the underwater housing. I tested it under ambient light, with the use of modeling lights and underwater strobes. I only had time to test it four times underwater due to bad weather and family obligations. It was challenging for sure. By the fourth dive, I started getting the hang of using this manual lens underwater.

1st issue – Reflection when shooting into the sunlight. (see the bottom right corner)

Venus 12mm underwater reflection

Venus 12mm underwater reflection © Shawn Miller

I made an anti-reflection lens ring cover to reduce reflection and eliminate the letters and numbers in my image.

Anti reflection lens cover © Shawn Miller

Anti-reflection lens cover © Shawn Miller

Anti-reflection lens cover attached to the lens. (Nice and simple)

Anti reflection lens cover Anti-reflection lens cover

Anti-reflection lens covering © Shawn Miller

2nd issue – Locking on focus. Many of my images were soft due to user error and malfunctions. The focus ring kept slipping off. I adapted with some orange nonstick stretch tape to prevent it from slipping again.

Underwater setup by Shawn Miller

Underwater setup by Shawn Miller © Shawn Miller

If you plan to use this lens underwater I would recommend a camera body that has focus peaking. I tested it without the function and had some difficulty underwater. Below are some of my favorite photographs using the Laowa D-Dreamer 12mm lens underwater. Okinawa, Japan

Sola 3800 test dive

Light & Motion Sola 3800 © Shawn Miller

Saddleback anemonefish, Okinawa

Saddleback anemonefish, Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Longfin snake eel

Longfin snake eel © Shawn Miller

Teira batfish

Teira batfish, Maeda point © Shawn Miller

Bleached coral and prism

Bleached coral and prism © Shawn Miller

Underwater sunburst

Underwater sunburst © Shawn Miller

To be expected the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens was a lot easier to use on land. Below are some of my documentation photographs of the marine debris washed ashore on local beaches.

I hope these photographs will inspire people to care more about nature and make difference in the environment

Tidal flats of Kaichu-Doro by Shawn Miller

Tidal flats of Kaichu-Doro © Shawn Miller

Ever wonder where your balloon ends up

Ever wonder where your balloons end up © Shawn Miller

Teniya cove ,Okinawa

Teniya cove, Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Marine debris, Nagahama bay

Marine debris, Nagahama bay © Shawn Miller

Uninhibited island beach scene

Uninhibited island beach scene © Shawn Miller

We are polluting our oceans with single-use items at an unstoppable rate. Let’s work together to make a positive impact!

Nature Mirai -Mangroves

Nature Mirai -Mangroves © Shawn Miller

https://www.venuslens.net/ref/40/?campaign=OkinawaNaturePhotography

Have a great day – Shawn Miller

Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens – Birds Of Okinawa

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Admin11

The Canon Ef 400mm f/5.6 USM lens is a light weight high performance prime lens. The auto focus system is impressively fast without hesitation. It performs best when photographing birds in flight and animals on the move. This is a very sharp high quality lens and would recommend purchasing it if you are on a limited budget.

The Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) is one of my favorite birds to photograph with the the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens.

Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

A beautiful Ryukyu hawk owl spotted during daylight.

The Ryukyu hawk owl

The Ryukyu hawk owl (Ninox scutulata)

The Black Faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) is a common visitor in Southern Okinawa.
The Spoonbill is critically endangered and has an estimated population of less than 3000.

The Black Faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor).

The Black Faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor).

The Pryer’s woodpecker (Sapheopipo Noguchii) is the prefecture bird of Okinawa and designated as a natural treasure of Japan. It is a rare species only found in the northern part of Okinawa.

Pryer's woodpecker (Sapheopipo Noguchii) Yanbaru forest

Pryer’s woodpecker (Sapheopipo Noguchii) Yanbaru forest

A Wiskered tern (Childonias hybridus) shaking away – Kin, Okinawa.

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Wiskered tern (Childonias hybridus)

The Japanese wood pigeon is listed as near threatened on the IUCN red list of threatened species. A very difficult bird to photograph.

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Japanese wood pigeon

The Rudy kingfisher is a summer visitor. Another bird hard to photograph

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Rudy kingfisher (Halcyon coromanda)

The Japanese white eye (Zosterops japonicus) is popular to photograph in January. The green and yellow feathers compliment the pink cherry tree blossoms.

Mejiro - Japanese white eye, Okinawa

Mejiro – Japanese white eye

The Okinawa rail (Gallirallus okinawae) is a flightless bird only found in the northern part of Okinawa. It is a protected species and declared a living natural monument. It is currently listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an endangered species. In 2012 populations of this endemic bird were estimated at 1500 by the Environment Ministry.

Okinawa Rail

Okinawa Rail ( Gallirallus okinawae)

The Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a rare visitor in Okinawa. Nature Photographers travel from Mainland Japan to photograph this beautiful bird.

Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

The male Japanese sparrowhawk ( Accipiter gularis ) has stunning bright red eyes. This bird can pluck the feathers off a sparrow within minutes.

Male Japanese sparrowhawk ( Accipiter gularis )

Male Japanese sparrowhawk ( Accipiter gularis )

The Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) dive bombing a fish. This bird is a spectacular hunter.

Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) dive bombing a fish

Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) dive bombing a fish

Check out more Images of Birds of Okinawa-

All Images were photographed using the Canon 70d with the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens.

Canon 70d with 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens

Canon 70d with 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens

Have a great day!

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