Ever Changing Background

Jun 9, 2014 | Wildlife Photography

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When it comes to laying on the sand photographing, there is one thing I love above all else. That’s having waves for the background! Here’s a perfect example of why I love it. We’ve got a Double-crested Cormorant for a subject. Let’s just say they aren’t the center fold of bird species. But when you’ve got any subject in this kind of light, you shoot ’em! We had passing puffies which meant there was patchy sun bringing a direction and quantity to the light but it was diffused on the subject. Just look at how the feathers are popping, simply gorgeous light (and the Landscape profile perfect to shoot in). This light also makes the face and eye come to life. So even if the bird isn’t the most photogenic, in this light it’s lookin maaavelous!

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And by laying on the sand shooting, you’re able to make the background a pastel painting by including the surf. Since the cormorant was on the shoreline, this was a no-brainer. What you see in the background here is the crashing surf. By shooting with the D4s / 800mm on the Panning Plate it was possible to incorporate it. Each wave creates a totally different background. No two images as you can see above, is the same. Depending if it’s all crest (white), partial crest (white & green) or no cresting wave (green), you have a different background. Now you have a hint of what it will look like when you’re looking through the viewfinder but you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get. That’s why when the wave begins to come in, I let the camera rip. I then select my favorite later back at the computer. You can see my favorite above and perhaps understand why I love waves for a ever changing background.

Real Slow can be Real Cool

May 31, 2014 | Wildlife Photography

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Water birds, surf birds, while the both have H2O in common, one is still water and one is moving water. If you shoot with a fast shutter speed, in your photo the still water and moving water are both frozen looking the same. Freezing the wave breaking on the shore, folks know it’s a wave. Blurring that same wave breaking on the shore and folks feel that water. Which do you want, them knowing or them feeling, the brain or the heart? If you’re like me, you’re going straight for the heart.

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Lying on the beach again this morning, great way to spend a weekend. I was all pumped for some great bird photography. The sun hasn’t even come up yet and there I was with my usual rig D4s / 800mm on the Panning Plate. The American Oystercatcher you see here was walking up the shore foraging so like usual, I put myself in its path and it all worked out, he’d walk right up to me. Now here’s the deal, I wanted to communicate the movement in my still image. I wanted the oystercatcher stride in my still. I want the moving water to touch the heart. So I shot at ISO 100, 1/25 f8, and shot, and shot and shot. It is a low percentage shot but by shooting at the peak of action of its stride, you increase your odds. Now this isn’t for everyone. Some want everything frozen and tack sharp like a livemount in a museum and that’s just cool. Me, I want the life oozing through the frame. Real slow can be real cool.

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