Y’all know I’m that crazy guy that gets up in the middle of the night so he can be at his shooting spot before dawn. That way I can be in the right spot, at the right time, and the right bird flies in and lands in the right direction for that “right” shot. Boy, do I wish it would work that way all the time!!!
But we all know that the “perfect” light only makes an occasional appearance when we’re out in the field, usually when we’re drinking a coffee or peeing in the bushes. So, what do you do when the light is being difficult? You can either give up and go home or find a way to make the best of it. Usually if the light is really bad I will just sit there and observe. The more you learn about the habits of the animals you are photographing, the better you can predict what they will do and you can be prepared when it happens. I’m not a big believer of luck in wildlife photography. To me, luck is where preparation and opportunity meet. Opportunities happen all the time out in the field. But if you are not prepared for them, the opportunity will pass you by and go find someone else. Happens all the time, to all of us!
Okay, off my soapbox now. This first image below is taken while there was still some pretty good light. This Ibis came by so close to me that this image is the full, uncropped image! But at that distance my depth of field was only about a half inch in either direction. As a result I missed sharp focus on the eye. Remember what I said about opportunity? Click on the images to enlarge
The next image below you can see the sunlight creeping in. This can be good or bad. Sometimes it can create interesting backgrounds for your shots and sometimes it can land on the bird’s face and totally ruin the shot.
You can also use the bright backgrounds to create a silhouette of your image.
Now in the next 3 images the Sun is really starting to make its presence felt. But if the birds will cooperate and turn the right way you can get some very nice rim and/or backlit photos. Don’t quit now, because these photos can be very dramatic images! But don’t dawdle either! This light only lasts for a short time.
Look at the difference in light quality between foreground and background. Cool gray and warm yellow.
In the next pic below the Sun is beginning to get harsh. You can see the overexposed leg on this bird. But, the Sun also gives a nice sparkle to all the water splashes from the bird striking the water. And if you look, you can see the bird’s eye through the water splash.
And finally, on this last pic, you can see how harsh the light is getting. The birds in the background are all bathed in very warm sunlight. Fortunately, the Heron had his back turned so I could still get detail out of his face and it makes for an interesting contrast with the overexposed birds in the background.
Mel and I had so much fun on this morning shoot. We had never seen this many birds in this one spot and we took full advantage of it. It would have been even better if we had a light cloud cover, because I would have stayed until my cards were full! My wife doesn’t like getting up early on these morning shoots very much but after this one she was a regular partner with me! It’s a chance to spend some special time with her, and I always enjoy her company on a shoot. Days like this are the reason I get up early and it’s even more special when I can share an experience like this!
Thank you all for looking! More to come!
