I love American Coots for a variety of reasons including their raucous and quarrelsome nature that makes it so much fun to photograph their behaviors. But folks rarely think of them as beautiful or even attractive birds and I seldom get coot photos where they even look dignified much less handsome or alluring. Throw in their overall black color combined with that bright white bill and shield and you have a subject that is both difficult to expose properly and inherently challenging to present in a manner that has broad appeal.
But two days ago I succeeded about as well as I ever have with a coot.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The bird took an extended bath so I fired off 166 shots hoping to get interesting images of flying water and weird, contorted poses but in the end I didn’t like any of them very much. But as the bath concluded the coot turned at a perfect angle toward me for the direction of light and performed a wing flap that allowed me to get a single image that I like a lot. I have excellent light on the entire coot, the whites and blacks are well exposed, I like the pose, the coot is sharp throughout, I have a relatively low angle on the bird and this might be the best definition I’ve ever achieved on the wing primaries and secondaries of this species.
And I’ll be damned. I think I’d even call this coot handsome. Or at least stately and dignified and that doesn’t happen every day with this species.
After so many photos in most of my recent posts I decided to give all of us a break today and post only a single image. I suspect we could all use a breather…
Ron
I agree, beautiful Coot!
Ron,
One thing about photographing the Coots is that there always seems to be plenty of them around. I enjoy my pictures of them, as you describe, when they are well lit and mostly when the water around them is blue and there are other nice colors (usually green plants) in the setting. Having a colorful orange youngster around helps also. Nice exposure and pose.
Stephen Clayson
Aren’t those very young coots something, Stephen! Off the top of my head I can’t think of a less attractive bird.
A face only a mother could love! 😉 Coots make me think of Benjamin Button. They start life as old, bald men. 😉 I wonder what is the evolutionary advantage of having a newborn with an orange and red head.
I just read an article that when shooting birds, one should be at eye level. This is a perfect example of that. Amazing photo even if it is “just”a coot!
That’s right, Beth. That’s what I was referring to when I said “relatively low angle on the bird” in my text.
He is definitely a handsome boy! I’m a big fan of coots, so appreciate any shots you provide and this one is a winner! 🙂
Thank you, Marty.
That is the best Coot picture I have seen, handsome indeed Ron. He would not have been handsome if one of his not so pretty actually downright “UGLY” feet had appeared. I took a picture of a group of them with one standing on a rock & that is how I know about the feet, ugly, knobby, white feet, yuk!
Thanks, Shirley. Their feet may be ugly but they’re extremely functional for them in most (though not all) situations.
DEFINITELY handsome. And the water is glorious.
I wonder how birds would describe us? Not handsome. Not dignified…
Probably as clumsy, slow and obnoxious.
You like the bird(he is handsome) , but I like the water…the colors and patterns are beautiful (to each his/her own)…the overall effect is beautiful….
Patty, I like the combination of both…
OK, I’ll give you that the coot is handsome in that slice of time. But it’s not a raptor handsome. That said, most of us will never get to that unattainable level. We can’t even see it from here 🙂
I love watching coots, too, and that’s a LOVELY portrait for a number of different reasons.
Thank you, Laura.
Handsome Coot! I had never heard of such a thing until you showed me one.
In my experience (and for my tastes) it doesn’t happen often, Frank…
Looks like he/she has been doing some bench presses.
I see what you mean…
Great image. When you can get an excellent and interesting shot of such a common bird you’ve really nailed it. Well done and a great story too.
Thanks on both counts, Gary.
Geez… am I crazy? I have always thought of coots as really cool-looking birds! I guess there’s not a lot of them up here so I am really thrilled to see them. To each is own I guess. Great Photo, by the way!!
Joanne, In a unique way I think they’re neat-looking birds too but don’t think I’d call them beautiful or even handsome.
You’re right! He’s even smiling!
Suze, I told “him” a dirty joke to get him to do that!
Foruneately for the Coots, we handsome humans are not his target audience! I’m sure the lady Coots are thrilled with that debonaire, black and white look!
Fabulous photo Ron and I always appreciate the description of how you arrive at the “keeper” photo. Makes me feel a little less wierd about all the stuff I do when photographing birds.
Thanks
Yup, there’s plenty of “weirdness” going on at my end, Porcupine.
Well, shoot.
Saw the title and thought it would be all about me. Should have noticed you omitted “old”.
Great photograph, Ron. Very challenging bird to expose correctly. You nailed it!
I want to catch one out of water to showcase their fabulous legs.
“Saw the title and thought it would be all about me”
Next time, Wally. Next time for sure! 🙂
Beautiful bird; beautiful photo.
Thanks, Ann.
Ah, that explains why I can’t get a decent photo of Coots. There were thousands of them at Merritt Island two weeks ago, and not one of my photos of them was worth keeping.
They’re a tough subject for a variety of reasons, Gail – that’s for sure! They’re often easy to photograph but quite difficult to photograph well.
It is a handsome coot!:) And I agree – “handsome” is not a term I would use in describing a coot!
Agreed, that word is usually a stretch for coots… 🙂