Then, the magic happens … the years of paying dues, the desire of not just seeing by sharing the spectacle fills the viewfinder and you can go … click! It’s what wildlife photography is all about!
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And while of course we’re hoping for the “best,” there is no “best.” There is only the best we’ve experienced and captured up to that point and that’s what we experienced. At 06:45 the shutters started to fire as enough light permitted photography. Still shooting with the D4s / 800mm, I scanned the cranes in front of the blind. At first, the cranes seemed to be shaking of the morning. Then, in one sudden wave the dancing began and deciding where to point the lens became the biggest challenge. When the wind is from the North, the cranes spend another day. When it’s from the South, they take to skies and head to the nesting grounds. When there is no wind like this morning, I wonder what they think. With the incredible wave of dancing overtaking the entire flock, I think simply celebrating life was on their mind. All I know is all the years coming to this fabled locale and witnessing this magnificent wildlife spectacle paid for itself this morning. The forty five minutes we had with these cranes (that’s all we had this morning) was more than worth it all. Will we be back next year? Of course. Why? Because while this was the best I’ve captured so far, it’s not the best. Better is still waiting for us out there which why we keep going out. It’s real simple when you know, hope is rewarded!