Yesterday morning just after sunrise I was driving slowly on an isolated and deserted road looking for birds when I encountered a male Northern Harrier hunting along the road edge as it flew in the same direction I was traveling. Surprisingly it stayed with me without veering off as they usually do and I just kept looking out the window in frustration at this bird flying along beside me. I was frustrated because the sun was almost directly behind the harrier which put the face and much of the body in shade so I just knew that if I took the shots out the window I’d end up deleting them all. And I despise culling images!
But when the bird stayed with me I just couldn’t resist poking my lens out the window and firing off a few quick bursts anyway.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4tc, not baited, set up or called in
Nearly all of the shots looked like this or much worse. Here the face is in deep shade, to the point where you can barely make out the eye. In many of the images the entire body was shaded. I took 83 shots of this bird in just over a minute and all of them are destined for the delete bin. With one exception.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4tc, not baited, set up or called in
Out of the 83 images I got one keeper. There are four things that made me like this shot when all the others were garbage or marginal at the very best.
- For a brief moment the bird turned just enough to its right to put sufficient light on its right side
- For an even briefer moment the harrier turned its head toward me enough to put light on the face and give me eye contact
- Both of the above occurred with the wings in an interesting position (most of the time this bird was gliding with its wings held mostly horizontal)
- All three of the above occurred as the harrier passed by some distant mountains in the background which gave me a more interesting backdrop than plain blue sky
This combination of conditions was impossible to predict and I didn’t even see it happen through my lens while I was taking the photos. I fully expected to delete every one of these harrier shots when I got home but in the end I got one image that I consider to be an unexpected gem.
My point is this: Take The Shot!. Conditions change quickly, birds move fast and pixels are cheap. After all it’s not like we have to buy film and pay for development anymore. If you wait until you actually notice that conditions are right for a photo (especially when photographing birds) that fleeting moment may already be gone by the time you can click the shutter. I’m not suggesting that we should fire away when we know that conditions will likely remain poor for photography but when there’s a chance, however remote, that we can get a shot that pleases us I say that we should all go for the gusto more often. I very nearly didn’t even attempt to photograph this harrier as it flew alongside me but this one image makes me glad that I did.
I conclude with a hockey analogy from the legendary Wayne Gretzky – “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take“.
Ron
Great advice and splendid results! A beautiful shot which could have been easily passed up.
We have distracted driving laws in the province now so that has curtailed that activity for me, except for in the parks where I have to remember to pull over. Great shot. Reminds me of the talk by the National Geographic photographer, motivational speaker,Dewitt Jones “the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary.”
I love the first shot with the head in the shade. The white marking around the eye is such an unusual detail that it could be used as a field mark in dim conditions. I wonder if this happens on the female as well.
It reminds me of Middle Eastern or Indian dancers’ eye makeup.
I’m glad you just took the shots.
You are a skilled bird paparazzi. That harrier knew where to go to have his portrait taken.
He sure stuck around for a while to give me the opportunity, Elephant’s Child. But I think he was teasing me, knowing that he was mostly in poor light…
He probably was teasing you. Just the same, would you value this shot as much if everyone of those 83 had been as good? If every one of the ninety-three trillion photos you take was a winner? Of course you would be pleased, but would you feel the same excitement? And the same sense of achievement.
No, I certainly wouldn’t. I always say (and it’s true) that one of the two main reasons I photograph birds is for the satisfaction I get from doing something that is inherently difficult well. If it were easy it wouldn’t be nearly so rewarding when I succeed. But sometimes those successes are sure long in coming…
I don’t know which one I like the most.
The light that shows every detail of the wings or that amazing look on the second photo.
It helps to have a gear like yours but without perserveration and a bit of luck …
Carpe diem.
You’re right, Jorge – it does help to have gear like mine (a lot) but it’s still far from a slam-dunk.
If you don’t take the chance you have nothing! Very nice.
Len
That’s right, Len – another way of putting it.
And one lone dissenter….I LOVE the dark, mysterious drama of the first shot…crazy light, no light in the eye, in fact, almost no eye, minimal detail, but great wing position, and interesting head position….I like it!
To each his (her) own, Patty. I’m glad you like it but that first shot just doesn’t work for me with the face so shaded.
On top of the other plusses, that shot illustrates how the entire bird’s body is a perfect airfoil, with the addition of a tiny beak and a smooth swell for landing gear. Lovely! Thank you!
Good point about the airfoil, Mikal.
What a wonderful image! I’m glad you took the chance and got this shot. Now all you have to do is remember your own advice in the future… 😀
“Now all you have to do is remember your own advice in the future…”
You hit the nail on the head there, Susan. Squarely…
You didn’t miss that shot ! Goal !
Ha!, I can hear that roar, Bill.
Pure beauty! “Lucky” shots like that also remind me of a Gary Player quote: “The more I practice, the luckier I get.”
Tim, I shoot enough images that I certainly ought to get lucky once in a while!
Oh yes, struck a nerve, I know because I’ve experienced the frustration of taking pictures where I have to delete almost all of the shots due to bad light, poor positioning, but the image wouldn’t allow anything different. However, you got at least ONE good shot. The beauty of digital photography, take as many as your batteries will allow and cull, cull, cull. Damn, I hate culling as well, usually say “I save it till winter,” then winter comes and I never get to it for some reason!! As a matter of fact it is soooo windy here for the last several days that I’m sitting here culling on my computer! You know, one doesn’t need half of the shots one takes!! LOL
Love your second shot Ron, you are one luck guy!!
Dick, you and I feel the same way about culling. Right now I’m looking at 1440 images I need to cull just from the last three days of shooting. Hope to get it done tomorrow since I generally refuse to go shooting on Saturdays because of the crowds.
That was lucky & a good shot! Thanks also for the Gretzkyism which can be applied to not only photography, but life in general.
Exactly!!
There’s nearly always at least a little luck involved with bird photography, Debbie – both kinds!
Re at images but I do understand your frustration. Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
Ron, I could almost feel the eye contact. Lucky you and lucky me for getting to share.
I think eye contact usually makes a lot of positive difference, Diana.