Yellowstone NP
I just returned from two weeks in New Mexico teaching photo workshops in Bosque Del Apache and White Sands NP. The groups were terrific, and the photography was spectacular. Bosque Del Apache has flooded new ponds this year, so the birds were in different places…but there were plenty of birds, and incredible light. Bosque Del Apache starts with predawn set up in the dark getting ready for the ‘blast off’…thousands of birds taking off all at once…you have to see it to believe it. Standing around in the dark before sunrise can be chilly…it was 20 degrees…and keeping your hands warm was an issue. Some of our workshop participants had the chemical hand warmers, which work well, but you have to throw them out after one use. This year photographers were using a different way to warm hands…rechargeable hand warmers. These were the first ones I had seen, and they seemed to work well for at least 3 hours plus in the mornings. Better yet you could use them to recharge gadgets using a USB cord. Here are the two we saw:
Ocoopa. This brand had he best battery life, and were plenty warm. It has three heat levels and can recharge devices. Very popular, and they seem to work well.
Zippo. Another favorite brand, this one has a small flashlight and six levels of heat…and will also recharge devices. The battery life isn’t as long as the Ocoopa, but these units have more features and more fashionable design.
The holiday shopping season is upon us, so I will highlight new photographer gifts all week. Happy shopping!